Ralph Hasenhuttl

[trousers]

  On 04/10/2022 at 19:30, saintant said:

These stories persist and, if there was no substance to them, I think they would have gone away.

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Do you think a peanut is a nut? I would venture that most people think it is... 

(Yes, I'm fully aware it's a dodgy analogy )

Edited 4 October, 2022 by trousers

[Lord Duckhunter]

  On 04/10/2022 at 19:38, Lighthouse said:

I haven't a clue and neither do you. I've no reason to believe it was anything other than professional and he's done absolutely nothing in a Villa shirt which would lead me to believe he's flourishing, now that he's finally free from the shackles of Ralph.

Even if they hated each others guts, and whichever Twitter rumours you're referring to are completely true, it's not relevant. No player in their right mind is staying when someone waves a cheque that big in their face.

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Your defence of Ralph seems to be built on the misguided belief that he hasn’t been given the tools to do his job. That whoever was manager would have ended up with our awful forwarded line.
 

It’s not quite as simple as that, another manager my have had a favoured player that was desperate to play for him, think of Pelle re Koeman. Players may well have been put off by what they’d heard from their mates/agents about Ralph’s style and signed for another manager, some may not want to come to a struggling side in a poor run of form under a manger who keeps getting stuffed, and other players may well have wanted to stay instead of looking at other outside options. I’ve no idea whether Danny Ings got on with Ralph, but I’ll bet my life he’d have stayed if Poch was manager. The general air of uselessness that Ralph has presided over could be the reason we have a useless squad……
 

 

[Lighthouse]

  On 04/10/2022 at 20:16, Lord Duckhunter said:

I’ve no idea whether Danny Ings got on with Ralph, but I’ll bet my life he’d have stayed if Poch was manager

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Well, you’d be dead then. Half of our best players f**ked off when Koeman was here and he had ten times Poch’s reputation at the time, having won everything there is as a player and a sh*t load more as a manager.

[Lord Duckhunter]

  On 04/10/2022 at 20:16, Lord Duckhunter said:

I’ve no idea whether Danny Ings got on with Ralph, but I’ll bet my life he’d have stayed if Poch was manager. 
 

 

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  On 04/10/2022 at 20:37, Lighthouse said:

Well, you’d be dead then. Half of our best players f**ked off when Koeman was here 

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I think you’re a tad confused 

[Lord Duckhunter]

  On 04/10/2022 at 20:37, Lighthouse said:

Half of our best players f**ked off when Koeman was here 

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Not to Aston Fucking Villa they didn’t 

[swannymere]

Everyone behaving like we've some right to be successful. Aside from brief moments under Strachen, Koeman and Poch anyone care to name a time when we anything but mediocre and people on here didn't whine about how bad the current manager is? We are Southampton, we should be used to mediocrity.

[Turkish]

  On 04/10/2022 at 20:16, Lord Duckhunter said:

Your defence of Ralph seems to be built on the misguided belief that he hasn’t been given the tools to do his job. That whoever was manager would have ended up with our awful forwarded line.
 

It’s not quite as simple as that, another manager my have had a favoured player that was desperate to play for him, think of Pelle re Koeman. Players may well have been put off by what they’d heard from their mates/agents about Ralph’s style and signed for another manager, some may not want to come to a struggling side in a poor run of form under a manger who keeps getting stuffed, and other players may well have wanted to stay instead of looking at other outside options. I’ve no idea whether Danny Ings got on with Ralph, but I’ll bet my life he’d have stayed if Poch was manager. The general air of uselessness that Ralph has presided over could be the reason we have a useless squad……
 

 

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Looks like both Adams and Armstrong were players the current manager wanted himself so not that much of a stretch to think a different manager would have signed other strikers 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48826733

Hasenhuttl confirmed he has been "monitoring Adams for some time" and that he "fits the profile" of a player Southampton needs.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58164406
 

Adam was a big target for us this summer, so we are very pleased to have added him to the squad," said boss Ralph Hasenhuttl.
 

[Lighthouse]

  On 04/10/2022 at 20:51, Lord Duckhunter said:

I think you’re a tad confused 

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You’ve cut half that sentence away so you can deliberately pretend not to understand the point. I’m done.

[aintforever]

Under Ralph Ings got into the England squad, now he struggles to get in the starting line up for Villa. Yeah he obviously hated him.

[Badger]

  On 04/10/2022 at 20:16, Lord Duckhunter said:

I’ve no idea whether Danny Ings got on with Ralph, but I’ll bet my life he’d have stayed if Poch was manager. The general air of uselessness that Ralph has presided over could be the reason we have a useless squad……

 

 

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Wonder if Ings would have coped with the demands Poch imposed for fitness and training. 

[Badger]

  On 04/10/2022 at 21:03, Turkish said:

Looks like both Adams and Armstrong were players the current manager wanted himself so not that much of a stretch to think a different manager would have signed other strikers 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48826733

Hasenhuttl confirmed he has been "monitoring Adams for some time" and that he "fits the profile" of a player Southampton needs.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58164406
 

Adam was a big target for us this summer, so we are very pleased to have added him to the squad," said boss Ralph Hasenhuttl.
 

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I think we’ve both been around long enough not to believe all the trite guff and rent-a- quotes that are trotted out  and recycled by managers and players alike after a signing.

Whether Adams & Armstrong were Ralph’s as opposed to the signing committees choice we’ll never know, although he will have had an input.  Either way, the manager isn’t going to attend the press conference on the signing to say “ well, I’ve never really heard of the cunt but sure he’s a good lad …”.

 

[Turkish]

  On 04/10/2022 at 22:37, Badger said:

I think we’ve both been around long enough not to believe all the trite guff and rent-a- quotes that are trotted out  and recycled by managers and players alike after a signing.

Whether Adams & Armstrong were Ralph’s as opposed to the signing committees choice we’ll never know, although he will have had an input.  Either way, the manager isn’t going to attend the press conference on the signing to say “ well, I’ve never really heard of the cunt but sure he’s a good lad …”.

 

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Hmm, he wasn’t quite so gushing about Broja…

https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2021/09/14/southampton-premier-league-gossip-hasenhuttl-broja/

On Saturday, I have seen why we signed him and why the scouts wanted him to sign, and this is good,” Hasenhuttl said. “I had some very serious conversations with him to tell him what I want to see. He’s been a bit of a slow starter; you need to push him a little bit, I think. And now he’s moving in the direction I want to see and definitely shown his qualities he has so far, in this moment. This is very positive for me.”

 

Doesn’t sound like he was one Ralph wanted in.

 

[Badger]

Fair point, does seem a bit distant as to why the scouts wanted to sign him. 
 

[captainchris]

  On 04/10/2022 at 21:01, swannymere said:

Everyone behaving like we've some right to be successful. Aside from brief moments under Strachen, Koeman and Poch anyone care to name a time when we anything but mediocre and people on here didn't whine about how bad the current manager is? We are Southampton, we should be used to mediocrity.

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There my friend is the problem. Too many ‘supporters’ who think mediocrity is acceptable…. It isn’t! 

Edited 5 October, 2022 by captainchris

[captainchris]

  On 04/10/2022 at 22:51, Turkish said:

Hmm, he wasn’t quite so gushing about Broja…

https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2021/09/14/southampton-premier-league-gossip-hasenhuttl-broja/

On Saturday, I have seen why we signed him and why the scouts wanted him to sign, and this is good,” Hasenhuttl said. “I had some very serious conversations with him to tell him what I want to see. He’s been a bit of a slow starter; you need to push him a little bit, I think. And now he’s moving in the direction I want to see and definitely shown his qualities he has so far, in this moment. This is very positive for me.”

 

Doesn’t sound like he was one Ralph wanted in.

 

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Ralph deflecting responsibility again as he very often does … Subtle but regularly trotted out by him… The guy is an expert at subtlety and deflection …

[Chris cooper]

  On 04/10/2022 at 23:33, captainchris said:

There my friend is the problem. Too many ‘supporters’ who think mediocrity is acceptable…. It isn’t! 

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83/84 we finished runners up in the league and got to an fa cup semi final..not just strachan ..koeman & poch  poch era ..we’ve been excellent in our past .. big lawrie mcmenemy ..  we cant except this mediocrity bollox ..these youngsters on here need to go do their homework on saints .. 

[Lighthouse]

  On 04/10/2022 at 23:33, captainchris said:

There my friend is the problem. Too many ‘supporters’ who think mediocrity is acceptable…. It isn’t! 

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If you can find an Arabian gulf country, with excellent human rights, who wants to buy us then be my guest. Until then we’re all going to have to accept mediocrity.

[Toussaint]

  On 04/10/2022 at 21:01, swannymere said:

Everyone behaving like we've some right to be successful. Aside from brief moments under Strachen, Koeman and Poch anyone care to name a time when we anything but mediocre and people on here didn't whine about how bad the current manager is? We are Southampton, we should be used to mediocrity.

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I don't know if the consensus is that we have a "right to be successful", but as a very well established premier league football club, in he richest league in the world, it's  not unreasonable to expect to be in a much better position than we are. I'd call it frustration rather than expectation. 

[Toussaint]

  On 05/10/2022 at 07:56, Lighthouse said:

If you can find an Arabian gulf country, with excellent human rights, who wants to buy us then be my guest. Until then we’re all going to have to accept mediocrity.

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Why are we restricted to Gulf states?  

 

[Lighthouse]

  On 05/10/2022 at 08:19, Toussaint said:

Why are we restricted to Gulf states?  

 

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If you want to turn a lower midtable team into anything other than mediocrity, you’re going to need to chuck some obscene money at it. The Arabian gulf states are your best bet because they’re more interested in the prestige and exposure than making a profit. 

[notnowcato]

Assuming this run off form continues; I sincerely hope Ralph is relieved of his duties before the relationship between fans and manager becomes really toxic. Ralph doesn’t deserve that. He’s done an excellent job for us but a change is required as is often the case after 3 or 4 years. 

[Toussaint]

  On 05/10/2022 at 09:52, notnowcato said:

Assuming this run off form continues; I sincerely hope Ralph is relieved of his duties before the relationship between fans and manager becomes really toxic. Ralph doesn’t deserve that. He’s done an excellent job for us but a change is required as is often the case after 3 or 4 years. 

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I agree he doesn’t deserve it, there is no doubt he has given it his all, but I’d stop short of saying he’s done an excellent job.

[Ex Lion Tamer]

  On 04/10/2022 at 18:31, S-Clarke said:

Well exactly, that's why we can't play in that market if we're serious about doing anything of note.

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We tried to mix it in a higher fee bracket this summer and ended up getting gazumped by Leeds. More valuable players are more in demand and therefore harder to secure

Edited 5 October, 2022 by Ex Lion Tamer

[qwertyell]

  On 04/10/2022 at 23:33, captainchris said:

There my friend is the problem. Too many ‘supporters’ who think mediocrity is acceptable…. It isn’t! 

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If only we were as good as mediocre these days - that would be a step forward.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

  On 05/10/2022 at 10:02, Ex Lion Tamer said:

We tried to mix it in a higher fee bracket this summer and ended up getting gazumped by Leeds. More valuable players are more in demand and therefore harder to secure

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Still doesn't excuse the fact that they didn't get a forward in. PSV and the player dicked us around for far too long, other targets should have been lined up.

[beatlesaint]

  On 04/10/2022 at 23:33, captainchris said:

There my friend is the problem. Too many ‘supporters’ who think mediocrity is acceptable…. It isn’t! 

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Mediocrity is one thing.....total shite is quite another

[OldNick]

  On 04/10/2022 at 15:27, Lighthouse said:

I remember Owen in an interview saying he could finish as well as he ever did by the time he was 16. The rest is just experience, decision making, movement, communication, physically beefing up etc.

In short, I think this is simply as good as Adams and Armstrong are, finishing wise, and they’re pretty limited in that regard. Both are hard workers and basically Shane Long on a good day, but there’s a reason we got them for £15m from the Championship.

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So are you implying that they can't improve their finishing? Whilst I understand that there are natural finishers, but perhaps there could/should be a way of coaching ones without the natural ability to enhance what they have. Perhaps spending hours after training using the right foot to try and be double footed, to spend hours one on one with a keeper learning how to do so. 

I read with a bit of surprise sometime back that JWP said he doesn't spend hours practising his free kicks, but just does 10 or so at the end of a training session. Perhaps that is a reason why he is not quite so sharp as he was with them.

[Fabrice Fernandes no.1 fan]

Been thinking about this one, and my 11 would be:

Bazunu

KWP ABK DCC Salisu Larios

AMN JWP

Edozie Che Mara

Essentially the plan is to have men behind the ball, physical against Haaland, and then long balls to Che to feed the pace either side of him, not a pretty style of football but better than playing 4 at the back and Haaland dominating the fullbacks all day

 

[OldNick]

  On 05/10/2022 at 11:17, Fabrice Fernandes no.1 fan said:

Been thinking about this one, and my 11 would be:

Bazunu

KWP ABK DCC Salisu Larios

AMN JWP

Edozie Che Mara

Essentially the plan is to have men behind the ball, physical against Haaland, and then long balls to Che to feed the pace either side of him, not a pretty style of football but better than playing 4 at the back and Haaland dominating the fullbacks all day

 

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Well whatever back post Harland decides to go for a headed will be easy meat for him

[Singapore Saint]

  On 04/10/2022 at 21:01, swannymere said:

Everyone behaving like we've some right to be successful. Aside from brief moments under Strachen, Koeman and Poch anyone care to name a time when we anything but mediocre and people on here didn't whine about how bad the current manager is? We are Southampton, we should be used to mediocrity.

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We are the Antonio Salieri of football. 

[captainchris]

  On 05/10/2022 at 07:46, Chris cooper said:

83/84 we finished runners up in the league and got to an fa cup semi final..not just strachan ..koeman & poch  poch era ..we’ve been excellent in our past .. big lawrie mcmenemy ..  we cant except this mediocrity bollox ..these youngsters on here need to go do their homework on saints .. 

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Would any of those managers have accepted mediocrity? No they wouldn’t! Let’s talk about more recent history where standards and expectation are now pretty low ….

Some supporters seem to think that is cool….

[aintforever]

  On 05/10/2022 at 11:39, captainchris said:

Would any of those managers have accepted mediocrity? No they wouldn’t! Let’s talk about more recent history where standards and expectation are now pretty low ….

Some supporters seem to think that is cool….

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We are Southampton. Our good seasons are when we reach the heights of mediocrity, most of the time we are just shit.

[Ex Lion Tamer]

  On 05/10/2022 at 10:56, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Still doesn't excuse the fact that they didn't get a forward in. PSV and the player dicked us around for far too long, other targets should have been lined up.

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Who?

[OldNick]

  On 05/10/2022 at 11:45, aintforever said:

We are Southampton. Our good seasons are when we reach the heights of mediocrity, most of the time we are just shit.

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I have got to the stage after following Saints for over 55 years that I now regret letting them become so important in my life. At times I dislike them so much as it really puts me in a poor mood for the weekend, I even try and avoid checking our score until the game has finished, but never manage to.

I put the curse onto my 2 daughters and one granddaughter. My grandson whose father is a tepid Arsenal fan (now they are doing well) has bought him an Arsenal kit, in the past I would have made my displeasure of this very obvious, but now I am going to wave it through, as why should he have most of his weekends ruined by a club that really has no ambition, who are using us as an experiment and expect us to be happy with mediocrity. (not just the present owners)

 

 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

  On 05/10/2022 at 11:53, Ex Lion Tamer said:

Who?

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Surely it's not unrealistic to imagine a premier league club will have other targets in mind should they fail with one.

[Ex Lion Tamer]

  On 05/10/2022 at 12:15, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Surely it's not unrealistic to imagine a premier league club will have other targets in mind should they fail with one.

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We tried for Delap, Broja and Gakpo. I for one can't think of any other high quality strikers who we could have got but didn't

[Lee On Solent Saint]

  On 05/10/2022 at 13:00, Ex Lion Tamer said:

We tried for Delap, Broja and Gakpo. I for one can't think of any other high quality strikers who we could have got but didn't

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You really think we only had three targets for a position we absolutely had to improve on? If that's the case then SR have been incredibly naive. Chelsea in particular dicked us around with Broja most of the summer. We should have walked away with ultimatums, no deal agreed by X, we move on. If those were only our three targets than that beggers belief.

[Miltonaggro]

  On 04/10/2022 at 22:51, Turkish said:

Hmm, he wasn’t quite so gushing about Broja…

https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2021/09/14/southampton-premier-league-gossip-hasenhuttl-broja/

On Saturday, I have seen why we signed him and why the scouts wanted him to sign, and this is good,” Hasenhuttl said. “I had some very serious conversations with him to tell him what I want to see. He’s been a bit of a slow starter; you need to push him a little bit, I think. And now he’s moving in the direction I want to see and definitely shown his qualities he has so far, in this moment. This is very positive for me.”

 

Doesn’t sound like he was one Ralph wanted in.

 

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So we can add 'has an eye for a player' to the attributes in the leaving reference.

[Saint Fan CaM]

  On 04/10/2022 at 15:42, Chez said:

can you be a but more specific about what that playing style would look like? Not sure what our style actually is now, so if you can sum that up too that would be good. You might be right, but I struggle to know what would suit both players best.

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I'm suspect you're trying to be clever here - I'm no qualified coach that can provide a detailed technical explanation, however purely by watching how other teams play you can see a distinct lack of cohesive, organised style and tactical nouse - for example... passing (triangulation), movement off the ball into space, running channels to invite passes that are actually made, executing more forward passes than sideways/backwards, pressing as a unit (for some reason this feature has diminished dramatically lately and even in defence players stand-off attackers).  

We've progressively become the most boring team in the league and even our most exciting players have regressed.  Have you seen how many times even a simple pass is made BEHIND the receiving player so slowing down any momentum - surely that's just a basic facet of play that should be drilled in training?

I assume you watch the games - what do you think?

[Charlie Wayman]

  On 04/10/2022 at 21:01, swannymere said:

Everyone behaving like we've some right to be successful. Aside from brief moments under Strachen, Koeman and Poch anyone care to name a time when we anything but mediocre and people on here didn't whine about how bad the current manager is? We are Southampton, we should be used to mediocrity.

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Oh dear. What is life without hope? Cheer up for goodness sake!

[sydenhamssocks]

  On 05/10/2022 at 11:58, OldNick said:

I have got to the stage after following Saints for over 55 years that I now regret letting them become so important in my life. At times I dislike them so much as it really puts me in a poor mood for the weekend, I even try and avoid checking our score until the game has finished, but never manage to.

I put the curse onto my 2 daughters and one granddaughter. My grandson whose father is a tepid Arsenal fan (now they are doing well) has bought him an Arsenal kit, in the past I would have made my displeasure of this very obvious, but now I am going to wave it through, as why should he have most of his weekends ruined by a club that really has no ambition, who are using us as an experiment and expect us to be happy with mediocrity. (not just the present owners)

 

 

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100% !  I share your vintage, your feelings and the handing on of the curse. 😕

[Charlie Wayman]

  On 05/10/2022 at 10:01, Toussaint said:

I agree he doesn’t deserve it, there is no doubt he has given it his all, but I’d stop short of saying he’s done an excellent job.

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Well short in fact. He's paid zillions to get results and deserves criticism for not doing so year after year. It is beyond parody that he is still here preaching and practising the same bulls*it football that has achieved nothing in nigh on four of the most disappointing years we have ever had to endure in our City.

By the time that lot up top have grown some b*lls and kicked him out the door it will be far too late to recover our league status or the support of many fans.

[OldNick]

  On 05/10/2022 at 13:49, sydenhamssocks said:

100% !  I share your vintage, your feelings and the handing on of the curse. 😕

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I felt very uneasy posting that as it was a feeling of betrayal in a strange way. It really is pathetic that a business has become so ingrained into my soul that I have these feelings. Gone are the days of the kid who spent his whole-time worshipping Ron Davies and could never understand how Saints weren't classed as the best team in the world lol.

[Badger]

  On 05/10/2022 at 11:58, OldNick said:

I have got to the stage after following Saints for over 55 years that I now regret letting them become so important in my life. At times I dislike them so much as it really puts me in a poor mood for the weekend, I even try and avoid checking our score until the game has finished, but never manage to.

I put the curse onto my 2 daughters and one granddaughter. My grandson whose father is a tepid Arsenal fan (now they are doing well) has bought him an Arsenal kit, in the past I would have made my displeasure of this very obvious, but now I am going to wave it through, as why should he have most of his weekends ruined by a club that really has no ambition, who are using us as an experiment and expect us to be happy with mediocrity. (not just the present owners)

 

 

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Your first paragraph sums up my feelings as well, but too much time and emotion spent on Saints to give it all up as tempting as it is.

Still make regular visits - two hour joutney each way - with my sons, and will call in to see family in the area. Lost count of the number of times I've concluded it as a good day out, ruined by 90 minutes of football.

Looking back is sad, realising that the current generation of player isn't fit to wipe the arse of Channon, McGrath et al.

Edited 5 October, 2022 by Badger

[saintant]

  On 05/10/2022 at 13:43, Saint Fan CaM said:

I'm suspect you're trying to be clever here - I'm no qualified coach that can provide a detailed technical explanation, however purely by watching how other teams play you can see a distinct lack of cohesive, organised style and tactical nouse - for example... passing (triangulation), movement off the ball into space, running channels to invite passes that are actually made, executing more forward passes than sideways/backwards, pressing as a unit (for some reason this feature has diminished dramatically lately and even in defence players stand-off attackers).  

We've progressively become the most boring team in the league and even our most exciting players have regressed.  Have you seen how many times even a simple pass is made BEHIND the receiving player so slowing down any momentum - surely that's just a basic facet of play that should be drilled in training?

I assume you watch the games - what do you think?

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Agree with all this.

[OldNick]

  On 05/10/2022 at 14:05, Badger said:

Your first paragraph sums up my feelings as well, S

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I haven't yet had a reply of 'well go and support another team' that is a surprise. (I know what posts will now follow lol)

Seems there is a silent swathe of fans who have lost/losing faith in the club. The lift we had signing the players has gone, as the obvious priority was missed of getting a goalscorer. 

 

[Saintscummer]

  On 05/10/2022 at 14:07, saintant said:

Agree with all this.

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Me too. I think it was captured perfectly at several stages Saturday with our centre halves passing it sideways and backwards to each other far too many times. They had no midfielder dropping deep and no runners to aim at. It ended up with it being kicked out or back to the keeper who leathered it as far as he could. 
 

this shouldn’t be happening with a manager of four years

I personally think RH is waiting to be sacked and the pay of, then on to a a new challenge. The delay in SR doing anything about this reminds me of our attempt to get a striker for the 6 weeks of the transfer window. They are leaving it too late 

 

 

Edited 5 October, 2022 by Saintscummer
Crap spelling

[Badger]

  On 05/10/2022 at 11:58, OldNick said:

I put the curse onto my 2 daughters and one granddaughter. My grandson whose father is a tepid Arsenal fan (now they are doing well) has bought him an Arsenal kit, in the past I would have made my displeasure of this very obvious, but now I am going to wave it through, as why should he have most of his weekends ruined by a club that really has no ambition, who are using us as an experiment and expect us to be happy with mediocrity. (not just the present owners)

 

 

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Some advive given to me by a good friend who is a Reading fan . I'd moved away from Southampton many years ago, and we were talking baout children and them choosing their team to support. His comment was, most boys will end up supporting the team their Dad (or Grandfather) take them to watch.  This was sound advice and mine have both followed the family tradition despite growing up miles away (although having WGS and Beattie at the time helped). He soon realised that this was a real football club , with a tradition,and not something taken off a bubble gum card (as we had in our day).

That was a good observation from my mate as we queued up outside a frozen Elm Park in January 1996 (I think) to see Reading beat us in the FA Cup. One of the few things to come out of that day, other than seeing Benali as a liability (for a needless sending off,) and Souness a bit of a twat for confronting the ref at the end.

Edited 5 October, 2022 by Badger

[OldNick]

  On 05/10/2022 at 14:24, Badger said:

Some advive given to me by a good friend who is A reading fan many years ago. I'd moved away from Southampton many years ago, and we were talking baout children and them choosing their team to support. His comment was, most boys will end up supporting the team their Dad (or Grandfather) take them to watch.  This was sound advice and mine have both followed the family tradition despite growing up miles away (although having WGS and Beattie at the time helped). He soon realised that this was a real football club , with a tradition,and not something taken off a bubble gum card (as we had in our day).

That was a good observation from my mate as we queued up outside a frozen Elm Park in January 1996 (I think) to see Reading beat us in the FA Cup. One of the few things to come out of that day, other than seeing Benali as a liability (for a needless sending off,) and Souness a bit of a twat for confronting the ref at the end.

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Whilst my father was a Saints fan, it was my older brother who took me to the Dell when I was about 7.  It's all his fault. 

[sydenhamssocks]

  On 05/10/2022 at 14:02, OldNick said:

I felt very uneasy posting that as it was a feeling of betrayal in a strange way. It really is pathetic that a business has become so ingrained into my soul that I have these feelings. Gone are the days of the kid who spent his whole-time worshipping Ron Davies and could never understand how Saints weren't classed as the best team in the world lol.

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Not pathetic at all. A personal passion and everything that goes with it, that’s all.  Ron was my first hero too, closely followed by Mick. These ‘reflection years’ I find myself in, have made me yearn for the Saints to give me something special to share alongside my kids. When Gabbi equalised at Wembley, I really thought we were about to have that moment.  Don’t give up just yet 😉