Saints 0-9 Leicester - Reaction

[BotleySaint]

Give Ralph the next couple of games against City to see if there is any reaction. Yes we'll likely lose but it will be clear in the effort and attitude of the players whether he has been able to pick them up. If not.. Time for a new man.

[Shroppie]

would we have bought better if we had more money to spend, or just wasted more money? Recruitment has been horrific and it's been a while now since a star has come through the academy.

Agree with that totally.

 

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[whelk]

Very difficult to desert from a submarine, unless you're a good swimmer i guess.

 

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Glasgow could bankroll the protests

[saint1977]

Wasn’t even aware they were playing until the texts from my mates started arriving at HT in the pub. Looked at the score, reports now - wow.

 

For me, it is a natural culmination of getting mixed up with someone like Gao. Poor results are one thing but look at why he failed FAPP allegedly. We poked fun at Chainrai and others on the Pompey thread for years but is Gao any better? KL does not come out of this well.

 

For me, I will start taking a significant interest perhaps in the future once KL and Gao are gone although I’ve actually struggled with the motivation to watch any football game end to end since WC 2018. Rugby and cricket - no problem. Would actually support a Phoenix club if one started to retain some link with the city. I do feel sorry for everyone who attended last night as they will be hard working people who shelled out £40+ to watch some millionaires clearly not lift a leg. My friends watching on TV supporting other clubs felt the support was superb FWIW and far more than SFC deserve.

 

I see there are threads suggesting sacking the manager - I don’t see how that will help. If you have players who would struggle at lower levels, how can he be accountable for that? He is being asked seemingly to make a Michelin Star omelette with out of date Asda Smart Price eggs. What does he do? Play the kids? Academy has been ruined by Reed and Hunter. Have a go at the players? Harry tried that - didn’t work suggesting he had a squad that would struggle in the Champ. Try and pick them up? Hasn’t worked for Puel, Pellegrino, Hughes.

 

He is a proud man seemingly so don’t think he will want to walk until he really thinks he can’t do any more. Leicester are clearly a good side but it sounds like it was Chichester FC vs Liverpool last night and I cannot believe the gulf is that big on paper. The team just got a draw at a Wolves side who have better players in every position and fought hard so is this also a issue at home games? Southampton University must have some good psychologists who can help the players overcome any mental issues or fears with playing at SMS. What about Peters and the Chimp Paradox? Think he has his own company these days but worth a try surely?

 

The club could spend money in Jan if they aren’t cut adrift but if the culture is rotten, it won’t work.

[Cabrone]

I was treated to an evening in the Markus Liebherr suite. Shame the car crash of a football match ruined the occasion. Sitting next to two Leicester fans, too. They were very restrained.

 

As for the game, Leicester were good and we capitulated abysmally. That's about it.

 

Huge respect to Maya who came up to face us after the game. Was relieved he didn't have a hara kiri sword. Made no excuses. Just said sorry. Got to "sort things out".

 

Before the game I asked one of the Saints staff whether there are underlying problems. He didn't deny it. Implied that the business model is broken as we're crippled paying the wages of all the very bad buys who we can't offload. Investment in players will only come from sales and we aren't selling anyone. I took that as confirmation that Gao won't put a penny in. Probably hasn't got a penny. Ralph losing his assistant was a far bigger blow than was admitted. I'd say that's the point in Ralph's time when things started to go wrong.

 

Depressing.

 

 

 

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True the ghost of Les Reed haunts this club and will do for some time but depressingly the problems run even deeper IMO and it starts from the remote, passionless non leadership from the top. It transmits all the way down.

 

Removing Ralph will just accelerate the decline IMO. I'd stick with him, do or die.

[Batman]

Wasn’t even aware they were playing until the texts from my mates started arriving at HT in the pub. Looked at the score, reports now - wow.

 

For me, it is a natural culmination of getting mixed up with someone like Gao. Poor results are one thing but look at why he failed FAPP allegedly. We poked fun at Chainrai and others on the Pompey thread for years but is Gao any better? KL does not come out of this well.

 

For me, I will start taking a significant interest perhaps in the future once KL and Gao are gone although I’ve actually struggled with the motivation to watch any football game end to end since WC 2018. Rugby and cricket - no problem. Would actually support a Phoenix club if one started to retain some link with the city. I do feel sorry for everyone who attended last night as they will be hard working people who shelled out £40+ to watch some millionaires clearly not lift a leg. My friends watching on TV supporting other clubs felt the support was superb FWIW and far more than SFC deserve.

 

I see there are threads suggesting sacking the manager - I don’t see how that will help. If you have players who would struggle at lower levels, how can he be accountable for that? He is being asked seemingly to make a Michelin Star omelette with out of date Asda Smart Price eggs. What does he do? Play the kids? Academy has been ruined by Reed and Hunter. Have a go at the players? Harry tried that - didn’t work suggesting he had a squad that would struggle in the Champ. Try and pick them up? Hasn’t worked for Puel, Pellegrino, Hughes.

 

He is a proud man seemingly so don’t think he will want to walk until he really thinks he can’t do any more. Leicester are clearly a good side but it sounds like it was Chichester FC vs Liverpool last night and I cannot believe the gulf is that big on paper. The team just got a draw at a Wolves side who have better players in every position and fought hard so is this also a issue at home games? Southampton University must have some good psychologists who can help the players overcome any mental issues or fears with playing at SMS. What about Peters and the Chimp Paradox? Think he has his own company these days but worth a try surely?

 

The club could spend money in Jan if they aren’t cut adrift but if the culture is rotten, it won’t work.

 

I get what you say about the manager. But didn’t he have this team top 10 form in his time here last season? Could argue that the squad now is better compared to the 2nd half of last season.

 

Imagine if we had that performance last night under Hughes. Fans would be demanding immediate change.

Edited 26 October, 2019 by Batman

[whiteleySaint30]

Wasn’t even aware they were playing until the texts from my mates started arriving at HT in the pub. Looked at the score, reports now - wow.

 

For me, it is a natural culmination of getting mixed up with someone like Gao. Poor results are one thing but look at why he failed FAPP allegedly. We poked fun at Chainrai and others on the Pompey thread for years but is Gao any better? KL does not come out of this well.

 

For me, I will start taking a significant interest perhaps in the future once KL and Gao are gone although I’ve actually struggled with the motivation to watch any football game end to end since WC 2018. Rugby and cricket - no problem. Would actually support a Phoenix club if one started to retain some link with the city. I do feel sorry for everyone who attended last night as they will be hard working people who shelled out £40+ to watch some millionaires clearly not lift a leg. My friends watching on TV supporting other clubs felt the support was superb FWIW and far more than SFC deserve.

 

I see there are threads suggesting sacking the manager - I don’t see how that will help. If you have players who would struggle at lower levels, how can he be accountable for that? He is being asked seemingly to make a Michelin Star omelette with out of date Asda Smart Price eggs. What does he do? Play the kids? Academy has been ruined by Reed and Hunter. Have a go at the players? Harry tried that - didn’t work suggesting he had a squad that would struggle in the Champ. Try and pick them up? Hasn’t worked for Puel, Pellegrino, Hughes.

 

He is a proud man seemingly so don’t think he will want to walk until he really thinks he can’t do any more. Leicester are clearly a good side but it sounds like it was Chichester FC vs Liverpool last night and I cannot believe the gulf is that big on paper. The team just got a draw at a Wolves side who have better players in every position and fought hard so is this also a issue at home games? Southampton University must have some good psychologists who can help the players overcome any mental issues or fears with playing at SMS. What about Peters and the Chimp Paradox? Think he has his own company these days but worth a try surely?

 

The club could spend money in Jan if they aren’t cut adrift but if the culture is rotten, it won’t work.

 

Why do people think Gao will put his hand in his pocket and spend any money in January? It's clear already we wont bring in anyone of any substance. Perhaps 1 or 2 players we have never heard of that the fanbase will get excited about

[alehouseboys]

Know how you feel. What little residual feeling I had for this club finally died last night, aged 54. Quite the most shameful, gutless performance I've seen from a supposedly professional team in my life. And my neighbour (decent bloke) is a Leicester fan ...

 

'Bushey' Saint, you must have suffered after that night at Vicarage Road in 1980, just another 'shameful, gutless performance seen from a supposedly professional team', I did and plenty of times since. Hard to believe right now, but I'll get over it until the next time........which we might not have to wait too long for with Man City away twice this week!

[eurosaint]

I left on 90 mins (missed the 9th), got drenched, Redjet was nearly an hour late (stood freezing in a queue), rough crossing, got in car, main Yarmouth road was shut for maintenance, got home after midnight !

Oh and BTW, my brother is a Leicester supporter !

Pass me the blade.....

[Tamesaint]

No mate, 400 or so mile round trip for a home game.

Sod that. Had my time

 

So in other words

 

"Why don't you lot protest, cause mayhem, get arrested like those great west ham fans? Me? I can't get off my arse and leave the laptop for the day"

 

Pathetic really.

Edited 26 October, 2019 by Tamesaint

[Micky]

Why do people think Gao will put his hand in his pocket and spend any money in January? It's clear already we wont bring in anyone of any substance. Perhaps 1 or 2 players we have never heard of that the fanbase will get excited about

Very true, and even if he did find some investment (which he won't), as we all know, it's notoriously difficult to get half decent players in the January window. We tried it once before with our record signing and look how that turned out..! We ain't buying our way out of this mess.

 

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[Micky]

I left on 90 mins (missed the 9th), got drenched, Redjet was nearly an hour late (stood freezing in a queue), rough crossing, got in car, main Yarmouth road was shut for maintenance, got home after midnight !

Oh and BTW, my brother is a Leicester supporter !

Pass me the blade.....

Was your brother the guy that Gary Neville interviewed on sky before the game? He was a Leicester fan from the IoW.

 

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[Pamplemousse]

I think this proves really that it is the players who are the issue, and the recruitment

 

Keep the manager for now.

 

Gao can **** off.

[gingernaut]

W T F. Laughing stock for all and career ending for some.

[Block 5]

I know it's a bit 'tin foil hat' but I can't help thinking that the players threw that game.

 

Bertrand is a Champion's League winner and England international, but that unnecessary high challenge was amateurish and a red card was almost inevitable.

Yoshida has almost 100 international appearances, and yet he looked like a Sunday league player; when defending crosses he was allowing strikers in behind him, jumping under the ball etc.

 

Compare and contrast with the victory against the skates.

Forget the opposition for a second, and examine the performance. The team were resolutely professional.

 

Last night beggared belief.

 

I simply cannot accept that the same group of players can turn in two such contrasting performances in just a few short weeks. Such a rapid decline doesn't make sense. Such an unprofessional performance by experienced professionals doesn't make sense.

Unless of course, it's deliberate.

 

Post game, the manager said he was responsible.

And the Captain said the players were responsible, whilst alluding to something behind the scenes, that he was unable to discuss.

 

So what's going on?

 

Has war broken out between KL and Gao?

Have the players picked a side?

Was last night's unprofessional performance the players sending a message to Gao?

 

Or has war broken out between some of the senior players and the manager?

 

 

Rest assured, there's more to this than meets the eye.

[Lord Duckhunter]

Give Ralph the next couple of games against City to see if there is any reaction. Yes we'll likely lose but it will be clear in the effort and attitude of the players whether he has been able to pick them up. If not.. Time for a new man.

 

Strange as it sounds but it’s easy to put the effort in against City. If you don’t, it’ll be double figures. The time to judge players attitudes isn’t the games they have to put it in, it’s the games they feel they don’t need to, or tough winnable games. I’d rather we had Everton, Burnley or West Ham, that’ll show the underlying attitude far more than City away.

 

I ****ing hope they’re in this weekend, I ****ing hope one or two of the senior pros have dug them out. Somehow I doubt it, they’ll be at home practicing their “sorry “ routine.

 

 

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[rshephard3]

People’s ability to suggest any lows at SFC are really anything much to do with the fans never ceases to amaze me. Some even suggesting people are plastics for turning up last night in the ****ing rain and terrible traffic for a televised match to watch a team who average less than a point a game at home across more than 2 seasons. Can only assume these people are simply on a wind up.

 

 

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[funkymojo44]

Just looked at some stats from last night. Valery had a pass completion rate of 39%. That is absolutely shocking.

[OldNick]

Batman could lead. Clearly displays leadership qualities and no way would be the cowardly deserter type.

Those navy chefs are tough, you should see their crew at the official can opening ceremony....only teasing Batman

[CB Fry]

Strange as it sounds but it’s easy to put the effort in against City. If you don’t, it’ll be double figures. The time to judge players attitudes isn’t the games they have to put it in, it’s the games they feel they don’t need to, or tough winnable games. I’d rather we had Everton, Burnley or West Ham, that’ll show the underlying attitude far more than City away.

 

I ****ing hope they’re in this weekend, I ****ing hope one or two of the senior pros have dug them out. Somehow I doubt it, they’ll be at home practicing their “sorry “ routine.

 

 

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This is spot on. We had plenty of noble defeats against the big clubs under all our recent managers and you're right they are meaningless. Propaganda football.

 

How about putting the effort in vs Burnley or Bournemouth.

 

We're an absolute mess.

[Micky]

Strange as it sounds but it’s easy to put the effort in against City. If you don’t, it’ll be double figures. The time to judge players attitudes isn’t the games they have to put it in, it’s the games they feel they don’t need to, or tough winnable games. I’d rather we had Everton, Burnley or West Ham, that’ll show the underlying attitude far more than City away.

 

I ****ing hope they’re in this weekend, I ****ing hope one or two of the senior pros have dug them out. Somehow I doubt it, they’ll be at home practicing their “sorry “ routine.

 

 

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While i agree with everything that you say, i would point out, that arguably, it was our 'senior pros' who were the catalyst for last night's **** show. Bertrand, stupid tackle, deserved to go, Maya, awful performance, PEH, no captain in there - shocking 'leadership', Romeo, no fight, nothing. When that got to 3 nil the 'senior pros' should've rolled up their sleeves, thrown a few ****s and got a grip of the younger players. It didn't happen, they all capitulated together - the 'senior pros' shouldn't be digging anybody out but themselves.

 

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[OldNick]

Bertrand ,Stephens Romeau Hoj, JWP, Yoshida, Redmond, were all players who played last night who were in Puels side that played some cracking football in the League cup final. Why have we not moved onto better things?? Perhaps lol......

[whelk]

All Blacks being 10-0 down should make us all feel better

[alehouseboys]

All Blacks being 10-0 down should make us all feel better

 

My head's suddenly filled with Tranmere away, Leeds at home.......

[Charlie Wayman]

A night of shame indeed. Very difficult to see how Hasenhüttl can survive this humiliation. He's a decent sort of chap and my guess is he'll fall on his sword on Monday morning before he's pushed.

 

Where that leaves us is anybody's guess as no manager worth his salt will want to untangle this mess. Inevitably we'll only attract journeyman like Allardyce or Redknapp and we all know where that ends up.

 

Relegation seems inevitable now, the sheer lack of stomach for the fight last night tells you everything you need to know about our preparedness for a relegation battle. More than a few of the senior players must be poring over their contracts with their agents today trying to find an escape clause to get away from this rat-hole.

[Saint Fan CaM]

Left any comment until this morning to try to remain objective. I’m numb. I called it ages ago when Reed started replacing great players with dross. Lots of dross. And then we started sacking Managers again, just like in the Lowe days. Last nights debacle is just part of the last gasp of defeat before we plummet out of the Prem and I can see us doing a Sunderland, such is the state of the ownership and general management of the club.

 

Is there an answer? Is there any hope? I don’t think there is. I don’t think a new manager would change things as the squad is shot to pieces. Having said that, I think Ralph has been found out without Rohl by his side, so who knows that might a bit of a difference.

 

I don’t think there’s any wiggle room in selling players...if we sold a player it would be our ‘best’ player, at a loss and then we would just buy cheap again because there’s no investment. It’s a blueprint for failure now. The only way out is releasing players from contract and buying new, but that’s a pipe dream for most clubs.

 

The last three seasons has really drained me of enthusiasm. I love my ST but I despise what’s happened to Markus’ legacy. I miss some games because of Sky TV and I’m starting to seriously question the enjoyment and value. Last night did for me.

[aintforever]

Something is obviously not right behind the scenes. The players didn’t look happy in the tunnel, Leicester looked fired up and focused, our lot looked like they’d just been told their dogs died.

 

Is it a coincidence that Ralph’s assistant and Wilson have just jumped ship?

[OldNick]

. More than a few of the senior players must be poring over their contracts with their agents today trying to find an escape clause to get away from this rat-hole.

who will buythem? as for Hojberg stalling on his contract the club should withdraw the offer as he will be another who will be sucking us dry in the Championship on massive wages.

[Saint Fan CaM]

Left any comment until this morning to try to remain objective. I’m numb. I called it ages ago when Reed started replacing great players with dross. Lots of dross. And then we started sacking Managers again, just like in the Lowe days. Last nights debacle is just part of the last gasp of defeat before we plummet out of the Prem and I can see us doing a Sunderland, such is the state of the ownership and general management of the club.

 

Is there an answer? Is there any hope? I don’t think there is. I don’t think a new manager would change things as the squad is shot to pieces. Having said that, I think Ralph has been found out without Rohl by his side, so who knows that might a bit of a difference.

 

I don’t think there’s any wiggle room in selling players...if we sold a player it would be our ‘best’ player, at a loss and then we would just buy cheap again because there’s no investment. It’s a blueprint for failure now. The only way out is releasing players from contract and buying new, but that’s a pipe dream for most clubs.

 

The last three seasons has really drained me of enthusiasm. I love my ST but I despise what’s happened to Markus’ legacy. I miss some games because of Sky TV and I’m starting to seriously question the enjoyment and value. Last night did for me.

[badgerx16]

More than a few of the senior players must be poring over their contracts with their agents today trying to find an escape clause to get away from this rat-hole.

Thinking they are too good to be relegated to the Championship.

[OldNick]

Ive asked before but can we find any players on the free agent list and are we able to field them now? Surely there must be one or 2 who could add personality and spine to the team.

[Wurzel]

I know it's a bit 'tin foil hat' but I can't help thinking that the players threw that game.

 

Bertrand is a Champion's League winner and England international, but that unnecessary high challenge was amateurish and a red card was almost inevitable.

Yoshida has almost 100 international appearances, and yet he looked like a Sunday league player; when defending crosses he was allowing strikers in behind him, jumping under the ball etc.

 

Compare and contrast with the victory against the skates.

Forget the opposition for a second, and examine the performance. The team were resolutely professional.

 

Last night beggared belief.

 

I simply cannot accept that the same group of players can turn in two such contrasting performances in just a few short weeks. Such a rapid decline doesn't make sense. Such an unprofessional performance by experienced professionals doesn't make sense.

Unless of course, it's deliberate.

 

Post game, the manager said he was responsible.

And the Captain said the players were responsible, whilst alluding to something behind the scenes, that he was unable to discuss.

 

So what's going on?

 

Has war broken out between KL and Gao?

Have the players picked a side?

Was last night's unprofessional performance the players sending a message to Gao?

 

Or has war broken out between some of the senior players and the manager?

 

 

Rest assured, there's more to this than meets the eye.

 

BIB: Interesting. What was said? I've missed that

[OldNick]

BIB: Interesting. What was said? I've missed that

He said he wanted to say something from his heart but couldn't and then apologised for the performance

[Charlie Wayman]

Something is obviously not right behind the scenes. The players didn’t look happy in the tunnel, Leicester looked fired up and focused, our lot looked like they’d just been told their dogs died.

 

Is it a coincidence that Ralph’s assistant and Wilson have just jumped ship?

 

Of course not.

[alehouseboys]

All Blacks being 10-0 down should make us all feel better

 

My head's suddenly filled with Tranmere away, Leeds at home.......

 

Scrub that.

[HarvSFC]

Where are the itk's these days?

[miserableoldgit]

I am not really sure how to react to this. I have been watching Saints since the mid 50`s and had a Season Ticket since 1974.My Dad and Grandad were lifelong fans before me, but I fell out of love with football years ago and really can`t be asked to watch any matches on TV. Watching Saints has been a way of life....a lifelong habit. I have, however, over the last few seasons (probably since they let Koeman go) it has become harder to justify that habit. Can anything be done to rekindle the enthusiasm? The irony is that I was genuinely quite excited going into this season. A new exciting manager who was a breath of fresh air when he came in last season, the prospect of a decent transfer window......was this going to be a re-birth??? I still think that we have a decent manager (who else are we going to get?) but the squad is very poor. I am genuinely worried about the future of the club, but I don`t know how long it will be before the worry becomes "I don`t care?".......

[OldNick]

I am not really sure how to react to this. I have been watching Saints since the mid 50`s and had a Season Ticket since 1974.My Dad and Grandad were lifelong fans before me, but I fell out of love with football years ago and really can`t be asked to watch any matches on TV. Watching Saints has been a way of life....a lifelong habit. I have, however, over the last few seasons (probably since they let Koeman go) it has become harder to justify that habit. Can anything be done to rekindle the enthusiasm? The irony is that I was genuinely quite excited going into this season. A new exciting manager who was a breath of fresh air when he came in last season, the prospect of a decent transfer window......was this going to be a re-birth??? I still think that we have a decent manager (who else are we going to get?) but the squad is very poor. I am genuinely worried about the future of the club, but I don`t know how long it will be before the worry becomes "I don`t care?".......

+++1

[red&white56]

My point still stands.

 

 

Other fans would be causing mayhem by now, I remember when we used to for much less.

 

I think you missed the point. The fans were disappointed but it was obvious that there would be no fightback and started singing for their own sense of pride. This was the only positive from last night, because when this shower of players has moved on the fans in the Northam / Kingsland / Itchen will still be there.

[Heisenberg]

[RedWillie]

Sit them down and make them watch the England rugby. Pride, passion, guts.

[Crab Lungs]

This has been coming.

 

We've spawned two lucky wins this year but we've been abject in almost every game this season. Flat track bullying a poor Pompey side has almost enabled this sorry, pathetic charade. The culmination of so many problems, so many poor investments, constant squad imbalance and managerial changes, on and off the field lethargy has come to this.

 

No one person can shoulder all the blame but it's only right its distributed fairly and squarely - but where the hell do we begin?

 

Firstly, Kat and Gao - a disinterested heiress of millions who sold us down the river to a potless, self-interested chinaman who has not once demonstrated to the fans what his intentions are. Not once.

 

The team; a gutless, spineless bunch of wimps full of empty, vacuous platitudes in alignment with the clubs marketing, almost mirroring the off the field rubbish with their performances on it. We have about 3-4 absolute 'ghost' players; they never, not once, solidly impact in a game or a run of games yet continuously get entrusted with wearing our beloved shirt.

 

Our captain, PEH. One of our many 'ghost' players; a fist-pumping, ardent clapping non-entity of a footballer (I use that term in it's loosest sense) who alongside an alleged local homegrown hero, JWP, has failed to dominate any midfield this season. I feel for Romeu, battling the tide with these two aboslute losers chuffing around beside him. Them two alone are the epitome of what we've become - an empty, pointless, soulless vessel drifting into oblivion.

 

Ralph - it's like he's had some form of head trauma and is now making bizarre decisions on a consistent basis, despite the obvious fragilities. He's got an excellent pedigree and last season proved what he could do, extracting some incredibly exciting performances from a very lightweight and poor squad. Since Rohl's went, it's like he's been either trying to prove a point or has gone completely mad with some of his decision-making. Why?

 

Recruitment - Reed and Wilson previously but what about the constants at the club - the dozens of nerds in tracksuits on their Apple Mac's advising that signing the likes of Hoedt, Vestergaard, Gunn, et al is actually a good idea? Millions of pounds invested by a bunch of faceless dweebs with no accountability when it comes to spunking your season ticket money on 4 minute Youtube videos of glossy dross.

 

The fans. Aside from the delusional pocket of optimists who think we've got a good squad and that we could be 'the best of the rest' every season, we've allowed this to happen. We've meekly surrendered over the past few seasons, accepting the steady, painful disintergration of our squad from top six to top ten, to mediocrity and then finally, to this - our lowest ebb.

 

Those behind the scenes - do you seriously expect us to believe that you are acting in the best interests of this club? Are you ethical and honest? Nope, I don't think so. Look at our main club sponsor. They barely even exist.

 

I hate to use the word 'cancerous' but this is what it's become. What's the solution with so many problems? Being relegated to the Championship won't help us 'clear the deadwood'. It goes so much deeper than that.

 

We can't sustain the turgid rubbish we've got on our books or sell them on, even with the finances and spotlight of the Premier League - imagine how hard it'll be a division below. We would lose anyone half decent and be left with the runts of the litter, the outcasts we can't shift on. If you think this is a mess, I'm going to hazard a guess that'll be worse.

 

Apart from maybe Ralph and a select band of honest pro's who will be hurting today like the fans, the rest of the above should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves; ruinous with utter contempt they've shown this clubs fans.

 

You don't get pumped 9-0 at home as a one-off. This has been a continuous, painful slide into the abyss over time.

Edited 26 October, 2019 by Crab Lungs

[Give it to Ron]

Good post- recruitment has brought us here and this debacle. How come a manager with his pedigree cannot bring players from Germany he knows.

Where are Ralph’s players....the only manager that has was Koeman And because we lost so many that summer Reed had fcked up

 

 

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[miserableoldgit]

This has been coming.

 

We've spawned two lucky wins this year but we've been abject in almost every game this season. Flat track bullying a poor Pompey side has almost enabled this sorry, pathetic charade. The culmination of so many problems, so many poor investments, constant squad imbalance and managerial changes, on and off the field lethargy has come to this.

 

No one person can shoulder all the blame but it's only right its distributed fairly and squarely - but where the hell do we begin?

 

Firstly, Kat and Gao - a disinterested heiress of millions who sold us down the river to a potless, self-interested chinaman who has not once demonstrated to the fans what his intentions are. Not once.

 

The team; a gutless, spineless bunch of wimps full of empty, vacuous platitudes in alignment with the clubs marketing, almost mirroring the off the field rubbish with their performances on it. We have about 3-4 absolute 'ghost' players; they never, not once, solidly impact in a game or a run of games yet continuously get entrusted with wearing our beloved shirt.

 

Our captain, PEH. One of our many 'ghost' players; a fist-pumping, ardent clapping non-entity of a footballer (I use that term in it's loosest sense) who alongside an alleged local homegrown hero, JWP, has failed to dominate any midfield this season. I feel for Romeu, battling the tide with these two aboslute losers chuffing around beside him. Them two alone are the epitome of what we've become - an empty, pointless, soulless vessel drifting into oblivion.

 

Ralph - it's like he's had some form of head trauma and is now making bizarre decisions on a consistent basis, despite the obvious fragilities. He's got an excellent pedigree and last season proved what he could do, extracting some incredibly exciting performances from a very lightweight and poor squad. Since Rohl's went, it's like he's been either trying to prove a point or has gone completely mad with some of his decision-making. Why?

 

Recruitment - Reed and Wilson previously but what about the constants at the club - the dozens of nerds in tracksuits on their Apple Mac's advising that signing the likes of Hoedt, Vestergaard, Gunn, et al is actually a good idea? Millions of pounds invested by a bunch of faceless dweebs with no accountability when it comes to spunking your season ticket money on 4 minute Youtube videos of glossy dross.

 

The fans. Aside from the delusional pocket of optimists who think we've got a good squad and that we could be 'the best of the rest' every season, we've allowed this to happen. We've meekly surrendered over the past few seasons, accepting the steady, painful disintergration of our squad from top six to top ten, to mediocrity and then finally, to this - our lowest ebb.

 

Those behind the scenes - do you seriously expect us to believe that you are acting in the best interests of this club? Are you ethical and honest? Nope, I don't think so. Look at our main club sponsor. They barely even exist.

 

I hate to use the word 'cancerous' but this is what it's become. What's the solution with so many problems? Being relegated to the Championship won't help us 'clear the deadwood'. It goes so much deeper than that.

 

We can't sustain the turgid rubbish we've got on our books or sell them on, even with the finances and spotlight of the Premier League - imagine how hard it'll be a division below. We would lose anyone half decent and be left with the runts of the litter, the outcasts we can't shift on. If you think this is a mess, I'm going to hazard a guess that'll be worse.

 

Apart from maybe Ralph and a select band of honest pro's who will be hurting today like the fans, the rest of the above should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves; ruinous with utter contempt they've shown this clubs fans.

 

You don't get pumped 9-0 at home as a one-off. This has been a continuous, painful slide into the abyss over time.

 

+++1

[Pilchards]

Just looked at some stats from last night. Valery had a pass completion rate of 39%. That is absolutely shocking.

 

But he got a good assist.

[Batman]

Footage released from our dressing room after the final whistle

 

 

[OldNick]

Good post- recruitment has brought us here and this debacle. How come a manager with his pedigree cannot bring players from Germany he knows.

Where are Ralph’s players....the only manager that has was Koeman And because we lost so many that summer Reed had fcked up

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I did think he would have inside knowledge of the German leagues and bring some to us, perhaps Les , Ross etc wanted their own players and he was outvoted.

Good luck Rangers finding gems with that little Ross doing the business. He couldn't judge a marmalade contest let alone a players ability

[OldNick]

Footage released from our dressing room after the final whistle

 

 

I wish

[Delmary]

Wilson should have been sacked when Reed went. Instead Wilson was allowed to manage another transfer window. Total madness.

[OldNick]

Wilson should have been sacked when Reed went. Instead Wilson was allowed to manage another transfer window. Total madness.

Wee Willy Winkie Ross was another who was bigged up as a god but as with most of the others it was emperors new clothes