Ralph Hasenhuttl

[Saint_Jonny]

We've had tiny investment in the squad, fourth lowest net spend in the league (two teams with higher net spend than us are going down this season, Burnley, Leeds and Wolves have all spent a lot more than us for the same or a couple more points) and he's got us comfortably staying up this season. It's been a shit three months but this all needs to be taken in perspective - which is hard to do when we've all been trapped indoors and one of our only normal outlets has been absolutely crushingly frustrating. 

Edited 5 May, 2021 by Saint_Jonny

[Lee On Solent Saint]

20 minutes ago, Saint_Jonny said:

We've had tiny investment in the squad, fourth lowest net spend in the league (two teams with higher net spend than us are going down this season, Burnley, Leeds and Wolves have all spent a lot more than us for the same or a couple more points) and he's got us comfortably staying up this season. It's been a shit three months but this all needs to be taken in perspective - which is hard to do when we've all been trapped indoors and one of our only normal outlets has been absolutely crushingly frustrating. 

Agree about the investment. I would love to see Ralph get proper backing in the transfer market. Three or four quality players that he has identified would make so much difference to our squad. I think for me, until he is backed properly, it's difficult to judge him.

[DT]

26 minutes ago, Saint_Jonny said:

We've had tiny investment in the squad, fourth lowest net spend in the league (two teams with higher net spend than us are going down this season, Burnley, Leeds and Wolves have all spent a lot more than us for the same or a couple more points) and he's got us comfortably staying up this season. It's been a shit three months but this all needs to be taken in perspective - which is hard to do when we've all been trapped indoors and one of our only normal outlets has been absolutely crushingly frustrating. 

Comfortably? Seriously?

[Matthew Le God]

11 minutes ago, DT said:

Comfortably? Seriously?

10 points ahead with a game in hand and 5 more matches to extend that gap is pretty comfortable.

[DT]

It's been just about the most uncomfortable end of season I can remember, watching a group of pretty spineless players being so badly led in one overly rigid system that has been found out by almost all teams. Other than that. Magic!

[Saint_Jonny]

1 minute ago, DT said:

It's been just about the most uncomfortable end of season I can remember, watching a group of pretty spineless players being so badly led in one overly rigid system that has been found out by almost all teams. Other than that. Magic!

It may not have been pretty, but at no time have we been close enough to the bottom three to panic. You don't remember Ralph's first (half) season where we needed saving? That was way less comfortable than this. And Hughes keeping us up at Swansea? Painfully uncomfortable. 

[Matthew Le God]

1 minute ago, DT said:

It's been just about the most uncomfortable end of season I can remember, watching a group of pretty spineless players being so badly led in one overly rigid system that has been found out by almost all teams. Other than that. Magic!

That doesn't mean we aren't comfortably staying up. 10 point gap with a game in hand is a big gap.

[Give it to Ron]

11 minutes ago, DT said:

It's been just about the most uncomfortable end of season I can remember, watching a group of pretty spineless players being so badly led in one overly rigid system that has been found out by almost all teams. Other than that. Magic!

Johnny come lately glory hunter glad you weren’t around in 70’s 80’s 90’s , 2005 2007 etc etc 

[DT]

1 hour ago, Give it to Ron said:

Johnny come lately glory hunter glad you weren’t around in 70’s 80’s 90’s , 2005 2007 etc etc 

Following Saints since 1974, ackchewally

[Saint86]

2 hours ago, Saint_Jonny said:

We've had tiny investment in the squad, fourth lowest net spend in the league (two teams with higher net spend than us are going down this season, Burnley, Leeds and Wolves have all spent a lot more than us for the same or a couple more points) and he's got us comfortably staying up this season. It's been a shit three months but this all needs to be taken in perspective - which is hard to do when we've all been trapped indoors and one of our only normal outlets has been absolutely crushingly frustrating. 

Since are promotion to the net spend, Burnley are the only surviving team with a lower net spend that us - impressive since that's now approaching a 10year period.

Obviously it was that pesky lower league debt that we accrued under NC - a debt that retrospectively must quite clearly dwarfed the wages/turnover ratios and transfer net spends of 18 other premier league teams over that same period... Why else would our net spend be so low...🙄

Edited 5 May, 2021 by Saint86

[cloggy saint]

50 minutes ago, DT said:

Following Saints since 1974, ackchewally

And this is the most uncomfortable end of season that you can remember??  Alzheimer's is a terrible thing.

[Saint Matty 76]

There's literally never been a chance of us going down this season, anyone thinking otherwise just had their little pessimistic hat on.

[TWar]

3 hours ago, DT said:

It's been just about the most uncomfortable end of season I can remember, watching a group of pretty spineless players being so badly led in one overly rigid system that has been found out by almost all teams. Other than that. Magic!

Most uncomfortable season?! Are you nuts? We've been basically safe since December. Three years ago we were one dodgy goal mouth scramble goal by Gabbiadini away from going down. This season we were 500/1 odds to go down in January and never really dropped below 50/1. It's certainly been one of the more disappointing endings, and quite anticlimactic, but this is our most boring end to a season in ages.

Edited 5 May, 2021 by TWar

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, Saint86 said:

Since are promotion to the net spend, Burnley are the only surviving team with a lower net spend that us - impressive since that's now approaching a 10year period.

Obviously it was that pesky lower league debt that we accrued under NC - a debt that retrospectively must quite clearly dwarfed the wages/turnover ratios and transfer net spends of 18 other premier league teams over that same period... Why else would our net spend be so low...🙄

The sale of VVD?

[CB Fry]

3 hours ago, DT said:

It's been just about the most uncomfortable end of season I can remember, watching a group of pretty spineless players being so badly led in one overly rigid system that has been found out by almost all teams. Other than that. Magic!

You don't half post some absolute shite.

Edited 5 May, 2021 by CB Fry

[trousers]

3 hours ago, DT said:

It's been just about the most uncomfortable end of season I can remember

[trousers]

3 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

You don't half post some absolute shite.

Someone had to fill Alpine's negativity shoes to be fair

Edited 5 May, 2021 by trousers

[Chapel End]

3 hours ago, DT said:

It's been just about the most uncomfortable end of season I can remember, watching a group of pretty spineless players being so badly led in one overly rigid system that has been found out by almost all teams. Other than that. Magic!

Golden post, ridiculous but Golden 

🤣🤣

[Give it to Ron]

4 hours ago, DT said:

Following Saints since 1974, ackchewally

Were you as cowardly and a bed wetting rubber sheeter back then?

[S-Clarke]

9 hours ago, DT said:

It's been just about the most uncomfortable end of season I can remember, watching a group of pretty spineless players being so badly led in one overly rigid system that has been found out by almost all teams. Other than that. Magic!

Were you around as recently as 17/18...?

What about the great escapes of the 90's? Compared to those seasons this has been an absolute cake walk, even as bad as we've been second half I think we've always maintained at least a 6 point gap. We've never been in any danger realistically.

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, S-Clarke said:

Were you around as recently as 17/18...?

What about the great escapes of the 90's? Compared to those seasons this has been an absolute cake walk, even as bad as we've been second half I think we've always maintained at least a 6 point gap. We've never been in any danger realistically.

When was the last time we were in the bottom three? My memory gets hazy these days.

[S-Clarke]

6 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

When was the last time we were in the bottom three? My memory gets hazy these days.

Back at the end of 2019 I think, not long after 'that' 9-0. Think it was the game we lost 1-0 in at home, to either Burnley or WHU. Can't quite remember. Sometime in December anyway.

[Whitey Grandad]

10 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

Back at the end of 2019 I think, not long after 'that' 9-0. Think it was the game we lost 1-0 in at home, to either Burnley or WHU. Can't quite remember. Sometime in December anyway.

Lockdown does that to most of us

[saint1977]

11 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

Were you around as recently as 17/18...?

What about the great escapes of the 90's? Compared to those seasons this has been an absolute cake walk, even as bad as we've been second half I think we've always maintained at least a 6 point gap. We've never been in any danger realistically.

If DT has followed Saints since 1974 he has got to see the 76 cup win, LC Finals 79 and 17, Keegan signing and those marvellous early 80s sides and much more. In terms of other challenging times, in 1985/6 straight after the Lawrie era we couldn’t win away for toffee, losing multiple 2-0 leads and defeats such as 7-0 on the plastic at Luton. FA SF that season as well (thank you Kevin Bond) after a good cup run. There was the long run late 80s without a win already posted about ended by the Newcastle last minute penalty. The players lost 6-2 at Derby last day with zero effort who were the Sheffield United of that season to get Nicholl sacked and that let in Branfoot.
 

The whole of the Branfoot era was worse than now, Division 4 footballers and MLT lumping it forward, mass protests and banners at every game eg Red cards at the Port Vale cup game, 9k at home to Ipswich. Under Branfoot, we conceded 3 in 4 minutes at Spurs on Sky, Wright hat trick in 5 minutes on a Nike Advert at Highbury. Ghost board of Askham, Wiseman etc gave him a new 3 year contract, Speedie and Dixon who played like middle aged men. Later on, poor Dave Merrington just about kept us up with no money to spend, one goal from Wimbledon sends us down. Jones wasted the Davies money and we only get out of the bottom 3 with 2 games to go in 98/99 v Leicester. There was the chaotic 07/08 season with multiple hammerings eg Hull 5-0 and last day survival v Blades. Then the worst of all, 08/09. More recently, Pellegrino. 

[TWar]

11 hours ago, Whitey Grandad said:

When was the last time we were in the bottom three? My memory gets hazy these days.

I think technically speaking the week of the 20th of September 2020 as we lost our first two games with a goal difference of -4. Last time we were properly after a decent period of games was winter of 2019 I think.

[Kenilworthy]

2 hours ago, saint1977 said:

If DT has followed Saints since 1974 he has got to see the 76 cup win, LC Finals 79 and 17, Keegan signing and those marvellous early 80s sides and much more. In terms of other challenging times, in 1985/6 straight after the Lawrie era we couldn’t win away for toffee, losing multiple 2-0 leads and defeats such as 7-0 on the plastic at Luton. FA SF that season as well (thank you Kevin Bond) after a good cup run. There was the long run late 80s without a win already posted about ended by the Newcastle last minute penalty. The players lost 6-2 at Derby last day with zero effort who were the Sheffield United of that season to get Nicholl sacked and that let in Branfoot.
 

The whole of the Branfoot era was worse than now, Division 4 footballers and MLT lumping it forward, mass protests and banners at every game eg Red cards at the Port Vale cup game, 9k at home to Ipswich. Under Branfoot, we conceded 3 in 4 minutes at Spurs on Sky, Wright hat trick in 5 minutes on a Nike Advert at Highbury. Ghost board of Askham, Wiseman etc gave him a new 3 year contract, Speedie and Dixon who played like middle aged men. Later on, poor Dave Merrington just about kept us up with no money to spend, one goal from Wimbledon sends us down. Jones wasted the Davies money and we only get out of the bottom 3 with 2 games to go in 98/99 v Leicester. There was the chaotic 07/08 season with multiple hammerings eg Hull 5-0 and last day survival v Blades. Then the worst of all, 08/09. More recently, Pellegrino. 

I can't forgive Branfoot many things. But must let him off the Ian Wright hat-trick. That was down to absolutely corrupt refereeing by an official determined for Wright to reach 30 goals. Tony Adams got a yellow card and then continued to brutalize Shearer and MLT safe in the knowledge that the referee would not show a second yellow. With an unbiased official it would have been a draw.

[Østerrike]

On 04/05/2021 at 23:09, Kermitzasaint said:

Ralph never takes responsibility after a poor performance. He never has. He refuses to learn from his continual mistakes.

Scraping a draw with 10 men does not make him the messiah. Other lower prem coaches manage it every season.

Our team statistics should be enough reason to sack him.

 that's just so wrong...

[Charlie Wayman]

For Heaven's sake get rid of this man!

[Billy the Kidd]

3 minutes ago, Charlie Wayman said:

For Heaven's sake get rid of this man!

Is this a reaction to playing pretty well against Liverpool, and losing?

Why wont you be able to wait until we’ve played 38 games - what would getting him gone now actually achieve?

[JustinSFC]

50 minutes ago, Billy the Kidd said:

Is this a reaction to playing pretty well against Liverpool, and losing?

Why wont you be able to wait until we’ve played 38 games - what would getting him gone now actually achieve?

Come off it.

Liverpool were fucking shite lastnight and they never looked like losing.

They didn't have to change gear.

[Billy the Kidd]

3 minutes ago, JustinSFC said:

Come off it.

Liverpool were fucking shite lastnight and they never looked like losing.

They didn't have to change gear.

They weren’t shite. And we are still missing Ings.

That was probably the difference last night.

Did you not feel we are playing miles better?  If not, not sure I can help you fella...

[JustinSFC]

4 minutes ago, Billy the Kidd said:

They weren’t shite. And we are still missing Ings.

That was probably the difference last night.

Did you not feel we are playing miles better?  If not, not sure I can help you fella...

You're just thankful we didn't get battered.

[Badger]

1 minute ago, JustinSFC said:

You're just thankful we didn't get battered.

Unfortunately the events of the last two seasons have created that mindset. Worryingly not just among the fans but possibly players as well.

Similar to Saints under Strachan, we went from an enterprising attacking team to one that appeared to want to avoid a drubbing in the Cup Final. 

[Billy the Kidd]

13 minutes ago, JustinSFC said:

You're just thankful we didn't get battered.

Am i? And how would you know?

Do you always make sweeping assumptions about people and situations.

Bet that serves you well in life 😂

I am never happy if we lose, even worse if we get hammered.

But, credit were it is due, we played well yesterday. We pressed them well, had good shape and organisation. Defensively looked miles better that in recent games. In fact, we have looked much better in our last 3 league games - could be we have turned a bit of a corner.

Now, we may lose v Palace on Tues - it is possible.

Maybe if you reply, you could let us know why you feel the way you do about the team, performance etc. 

If not, not really much to say after all, is there 👍

[JustinSFC]

5 minutes ago, Billy the Kidd said:

Am i? And how would you know?

Do you always make sweeping assumptions about people and situations.

Bet that serves you well in life 😂

I am never happy if we lose, even worse if we get hammered.

But, credit were it is due, we played well yesterday. We pressed them well, had good shape and organisation. Defensively looked miles better that in recent games. In fact, we have looked much better in our last 3 league games - could be we have turned a bit of a corner.

Now, we may lose v Palace on Tues - it is possible.

Maybe if you reply, you could let us know why you feel the way you do about the team, performance etc. 

If not, not really much to say after all, is there 👍

You must be a skate or something.

[kyle04]

Despite my negative feeling towards the club, I say give RH 3 months next season then re-assess. Hopefully we should have fresher players, Romeau back, who I think we have missed a great deal, and others like Tella, Salisu, Diallo improving. RH clearly has a vision of how football should be played and in all likelihood won't change this. Clearly this group of players haven't been able to deliver this for much of the season, as many simply aren't good enough or physically spent. Thats not the fault of the manager, although where he's failed has been his inability to change tack when things aren't going well. Too few substitutions far too late in games is a recurring theme. I dont know how many goals we've scored in the last 10 minutes of games but it can't be many.

We simply can't ship out 6/8 players and spend 100M rebuilding the squad. We have very little talent that would sell well, and a potless owner. Of the players we have I think only Verstergard and Armstrong have improved, and Tella, KWP look promising. The rest have been average (JWP, Bednarek, Bertrand,Ings, both keepers) or poor (Redmond, Walcott). Can't make up my mind about Adams but at the moment dosen't quite look good enough.

[Billy the Kidd]

10 minutes ago, JustinSFC said:

You must be a skate or something.

Fuck me, I thought you were pretty thick before, I didnt realise what a total moron you are.

Laters mensa.

[JustinSFC]

6 minutes ago, Billy the Kidd said:

Fuck me, I thought you were pretty thick before, I didnt realise what a total moron you are.

Laters mensa.

No mate.

You're just a massive WUM.

[stevy777_x]

2 minutes ago, JustinSFC said:

No mate.

You're just a massive WUM.

Now now, no need to fight girlies

[Billy the Kidd]

2 minutes ago, JustinSFC said:

No mate.

You're just a massive WUM.

Look, if you feel someone asking relevant Qs on a random internet forum if winding you up, then dont read what I write.

I'm pretty happy with how I'm interacting.

😘

[Whitey Grandad]

2 hours ago, Charlie Wayman said:

For Heaven's sake get rid of this man!

And replace him with whom? It’s no good just knowing what you don’t want, you have to propose something better.

[nta786]

I know I've read that Arteta gets a lot of complaints for trying to coach Arsenal into the next tiki-taka Barcelona but that they don't have the personnel to do it, I can't help but wonder if we are in a similar boat with our 4-2-2-2 formation i.e. trying to play this particular way when we don't have the squad or quality to play it

What I am about to say is probably one of the worst things about the "modern" day football fan - but I can't wait for the transfer window to see who we sign this summer! 

[Lord Duckhunter]

That’s 2 games running where we actually looked like a team with a tactical plan and a coherent strategy. Interestingly, the players looked more engaged as well.

Be interesting to see how he approaches the palace game as they won’t come at us.

I like Armstrong in the centre so hope he can flex his tactics and play 3 in the centre when OR is fit (perhaps OR sitting in front of centre halves with Prowse and Armstrong further forward. 

[TWar]

3 hours ago, nta786 said:

I know I've read that Arteta gets a lot of complaints for trying to coach Arsenal into the next tiki-taka Barcelona but that they don't have the personnel to do it, I can't help but wonder if we are in a similar boat with our 4-2-2-2 formation i.e. trying to play this particular way when we don't have the squad or quality to play it

What I am about to say is probably one of the worst things about the "modern" day football fan - but I can't wait for the transfer window to see who we sign this summer! 

I think we very much have the first team to play it. I don't think we have the squad for it with injuries, but then again I don't think we have the squad for anything really if we get injured, zero back up fullbacks and weak back up attacking players sees to that.

[Alanh]

It's been mentioned on the Palace match thread, but I think RH deserves a lot of credit for playing 3 at the back while we are in possession (more traditional back 4 shape when defending).  I think we have tried it in at least the last couple of games, maybe more.  It's released KWP for more attacking work, mitigated the loss of Bertrand, and allowed Salisu more playing time.  Redmond seems to be OK in the left wing back position as well.  We know he wants to play 4-2-2-2 but without the personnel he has been creative and flexible and against Palace particularly it worked well.

[Lord Duckhunter]

32 minutes ago, Alanh said:

It's been mentioned on the Palace match thread, but I think RH deserves a lot of credit for playing 3 at the back while we are in possession (more traditional back 4 shape when defending).  I think we have tried it in at least the last couple of games, maybe more.  It's released KWP for more attacking work, mitigated the loss of Bertrand, and allowed Salisu more playing time.  Redmond seems to be OK in the left wing back position as well.  We know he wants to play 4-2-2-2 but without the personnel he has been creative and flexible and against Palace particularly it worked well.

Agreed. 
 

Bertrand could even play that Stephens role as he’s decent defensively, and doesn’t need the same legs getting up and down. 
 

It’s a bit of twist on 3 at the back and that’s a system I’ve always favoured. I know it didn’t work out for Ralph when tried earlier in his reign, but that was using 3 centre halves. The problem is most centre halves (all of ours) struggle when isolated out wide behind the wingback. To counter this Terry Venables sometimes preferred 1 centre half and 2 full backs as the 3. Bertrand could easily fit this system as he’s played well in there before, and whilst KWP wouldn’t , he would be obviously be the right wing back. Both JV and Jack (who’d be the back up ) are decent on the ball , and you’d hope the 2 beside him, having been full backs would be to. Meaning playing out from the back should be ok. Personally, I think we overdo it, but Ralph clearly doesn’t. 
 

Clearly finding full backs/centre half is the issue, or centre halves that can defend down the flanks (if Bertrand leaves we’d need 2) . I haven’t seen enough of Salisu but he looks like he has the attributes. Not all full backs are KWP fliers, look at Joel Ward or Pieters at Burnley, I’m not saying sign them, but those sort. Decent size, decent defensively and used to defending wider positions. If Bednarek, Stephens or Vesty get pulled out to cover behind wing backs it’s a disaster area. However, that’s a different discussion. The positive thing is Ralph has seemingly changed tactics slightly to suit what he has available. Better late than never, but perhaps he’s not as stubborn as some of us thought. Long may it continue. 

       

                       

          

[Ivan Katalinic's 'tache]

Southampton's social media department have finally revealed their true feelings towards Ralph...
 

“Yes, he [Oriol] was training today so only Will Smallbone is out and Ché Adams is out," the nagger said. "Ché cannot play at the weekend as he has a small groin injury, so he will also definitely be out. The rest are fit.”

[JustinSFC]

Purely hypothetical.

For the fanboys too.

If Nuno Sanchez came out to the press and declared his undying love for saints and wanted to manage us, who would take it?

I would.

Edited 21 May, 2021 by JustinSFC

[Useful Idiot]

Purely hypothetical.

For the fanboys too.

If Ernesto Valverde came out to the press and declared his undying love for saints and wanted to manage us, who would take it?

I would.

[gordonToo]

The Chosen One? I wouldn't.