WBA vs Saints - Match Thread

[Winnersaint]

1 minute ago, woodsaint1 said:

Who would you have brought in to replace him on short notice to give us that kick up the arse? 

We are safe as houses, we wont need another win.

Why are people on this forum incapable of remaining level headed? Win a game and its a wankfest, lose one and its like the worlds ending. It was bad performance but nobodys died fs

Couldn’t agree more. Social media for you! 

[Saint Billy]

I decided to opt for celebrating the reopening of pubs rather than the watch the inevitable. 3 pints and ice hanging off my nose was more preferable than the expected lame performance tonight. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

4 minutes ago, woodsaint1 said:

Who would you have brought in to replace him on short notice to give us that kick up the arse? 

We are safe as houses, we wont need another win.

Why are people on this forum incapable of remaining level headed? Win a game and its a wankfest, lose one and its like the worlds ending. It was bad performance but nobodys died fs

That's all very well, but just how many bad performances have we had since January?

[LaptopSaint]

1 minute ago, Winnersaint said:

Couldn’t agree more. Social media for you! 

Also broadly agree, but it’s the subs routine that does my head in. I coulda/shoulda put money on the first sub on being Che after 75 mins with two more on with no time left. Same every time. We were shite in the first half, he’s got most of his squad back from injuries, so why not shake it up at half time? Never happens. 

[RedArmy]

7 minutes ago, Winnersaint said:

Couldn’t agree more. Social media for you! 

Social media? We’re the worst team in the league for the last 4 months. It’s a results business. 

[Fitzhugh Fella]

11 minutes ago, woodsaint1 said:

Who would you have brought in to replace him on short notice to give us that kick up the arse? 

We are safe as houses, we wont need another win.

Why are people on this forum incapable of remaining level headed? Win a game and its a wankfest, lose one and its like the worlds ending. It was bad performance but nobodys died fs

You ask why people can’t stay level headed. Fair enough but then you bring death into the equation?

[Teddeer]

40 minutes ago, Chez said:

I'd of put my house in him hitting that side of the goal. I think about the last 10 pens he and Ings has taken have all gone to that side.

That is fine if you hit it with power into the top corner or along the ground into the bottom corner because few goalkeepers would save it even if they have an inkling which side the kicker is going. JWP hit that at the perfect height for a routine save. Very poor technique.

[Teddeer]

22 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Ralph, We were gone by the forty minute mark

To be honest the alarm bells were ringing pretty much from the first few minutes. Nobody could fail to see that we were wide open every time West Brom attacked and it was just a matter of how long it would take them to score the first goal. Early tactical changes were needed but they never came and WBA just rolled over us with ease.

[trousers]

22 minutes ago, DT said:

aged well

Is that a challenge for me to dig out all the times your posts have "aged well"...?

[eelpie]

5 minutes ago, Teddeer said:

To be honest the alarm bells were ringing pretty much from the first few minutes. Nobody could fail to see that we were wide open every time West Brom attacked and it was just a matter of how long it would take them to score the first goal. Early tactical changes were needed but they never came and WBA just rolled over us with ease.

This is worryingly beginning to resemble our Relegation season when Saints' exceptionalism did not reflect onfield performances, as we slid downwards into the Championship.

The team have had time to recover. There is no excuse this time..

[SKD]

31 minutes ago, woodsaint1 said:

Who would you have brought in to replace him on short notice to give us that kick up the arse? 

We are safe as houses, we wont need another win.

Why are people on this forum incapable of remaining level headed? Win a game and its a wankfest, lose one and its like the worlds ending. It was bad performance but nobodys died fs

I mean 15 games of this shit now. People have had enough, it’s not about being incapable of being level headed, it’s a fair judgement of our current situation, which isn’t good enough. 

[macca155]

After recent performances it is certainly justified to start having doubts about Ralph. 

However this is definitely not the right time to even start considering a change.

The commentator got it spot on when he said 'when their lights are all shining, Saints are mesmerising to watch, but that hasn't happened often recently' or something like that.

Ralph's team can be amazing and a nightmare to play against. However this is becoming increasingly rare, as managers find tactics that neutralise our threat.

The lack of a different approach suggests he needs coaching support. The apparent refusal to use subs,  suggests a lack of faith in the squad or critical indecision.

I still believe we have a good manager but boy does he need support.

[Chez]

12 minutes ago, Teddeer said:

To be honest the alarm bells were ringing pretty much from the first few minutes. Nobody could fail to see that we were wide open every time West Brom attacked and it was just a matter of how long it would take them to score the first goal. Early tactical changes were needed but they never came and WBA just rolled over us with ease.

Early tactical changes. I might be harsh here, but does Ralf ever make them? Often hard to see when watching in TV and sometimes it can be subtle and sometimes it simply makes no difference, but I hardly ever recall us changing shape early doors when we are clearly too open or set up wrong.

[Lord Duckhunter]

1 hour ago, TWar said:

but there is a reason we are not in the bottom 3.

There is,  Fulham, WBA & Sheffield Utd are shite. 
 

let’s see where we actually finish before hailing the job he’s done. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

5 minutes ago, Chez said:

Early tactical changes. I might be harsh here, but does Ralf ever make them? Often hard to see when watching in TV and sometimes it can be subtle and sometimes it simply makes no difference, but I hardly ever recall us changing shape early doors when we are clearly too open or set up wrong.

Maybe Ralph needs a different view or perspective. Maybe try watching a half in the stands, might give him a better view of how to change things.

[Lord Duckhunter]

8 minutes ago, macca155 said:

 

The lack of a different approach suggests he needs coaching support. The apparent refusal to use subs,  suggests a lack of faith in the squad or critical indecision.

I still believe we have a good manager but boy does he need support.

Why do people keep posting this pony. “We need a defensive coach”, or “he lacks support”. Coaching the side is his fucking job, the buck stops with him. End of. 

Edited 12 April, 2021 by Lord Duckhunter

[SKD]

2 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

There is,  Fulham, WBA & Sheffield Utd are shite. 
 

let’s see where we actually finish before hailing the job he’s done. 

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we didn’t win another game all season tbh. 

[Saint Keef]

Does anyone know what the Chinese is for "Gao, spend some fucking money on some decent players or fuck right off"

This whole shambles starts at the top and it seems, goes right through the club. 

Up until now I have firmly been in the "Keep Ralph" Brigade. I like him as a manager and I think he is a decent bloke, but I am starting to wonder if he has "lost the dressing room" as they say. There is no way they played for him tonight. It wasn't just losing to the second worst team in the league - that can happen sometimes - they beat Chelsea last week, but for me it was the manner of the defeat. West Brom absolutely pummeled us tonight and it could have been 5 or 6 nil by half-time.  I said a few pages ago that this performance has angered me more than the 9-0 and I stand by that. They just didn't seem up for it, and that is unacceptable. I've seen rabbits in the headlights deal with the situation better than our defence tonight. I'm not one of the bed wetters on here who find fault with everything Saints do, and I always try to put a positive spin on it, but tonight I can find no excuses. 

[Wade Garrett]

We are a piece of piss to play against.

The time and space they were finding was embarrassing.

We were garbage tonight.  I’m not sure the manager has the dressing room. 

We made West Brom look like Barcelona tonight.  

[Badger]

1 minute ago, Wade Garrett said:

We are a piece of piss to play against.
We made West Brom look like Barcelona tonight.  

Yes, we really are a soft touch. Didn't realise how poor until I saw this on the BBC site:

Quote

• Southampton have picked up just 10 points in 15 Premier League games in 2021 (W3 D1 L11), fewer than any other side in this period.
• No manager has beaten Southampton with more teams in the Premier League than West Brom's Sam Allardyce (three clubs - level with Claudio Ranieri, George Graham, Graeme Souness, Harry Redknapp, Joe Royle, Jose Mourinho).

Shocking. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

1 minute ago, Badger said:

Yes, we really are a soft touch. Didn't realise how poor until I saw this on the BBC site:

Shocking. 

That's a pretty damning stat

[Mystic Force]

I am thinking that the issue we have is that the way we play is not feasibly effective over a season with the players we have. The pressing game consumes players and without a large enough squad you cannot keep it up, even liverpool have consumed the fitness of their players so that they cant mount a defense of the tittle. I think this is why this style can only work for a short period of time if you can make it work long enough you look great, if you cannot obtain your goal before the tanks are empty you look like a muppet.

[captainchris]

Bednerek - some people gave him more than 3.85 on the BBC site lol....

Wow he is very very poor...Still Ralph loves him. Watch him in a game, he is constantly looking in the wrong direction, the game goes on around him very much similar to a certain full back we used to have by the name of Fox... 

 

[hypochondriac]

2 minutes ago, Mystic Force said:

I am thinking that the issue we have is that the way we play is not feasibly effective over a season with the players we have. The pressing game consumes players and without a large enough squad you cannot keep it up, even liverpool have consumed the fitness of their players so that they cant mount a defense of the tittle. I think this is why this style can only work for a short period of time if you can make it work long enough you look great, if you cannot obtain your goal before the tanks are empty you look like a muppet.

We haven't played pressing stuff for months. We are an entirely different team than the one who started the season. It's bizarre. 

[SKD]

1 minute ago, hypochondriac said:

We haven't played pressing stuff for months. We are an entirely different team than the one who started the season. It's bizarre. 

Perhaps this is the issue. We’re not pressing as intensely, but defensively we’re not set up solid enough to counter that and we’re getting picked apart? 
 

Either way, it’s a dire watch and has been for months now. 

[captainchris]

25 minutes ago, Saint Keef said:

Does anyone know what the Chinese is for "Gao, spend some fucking money on some decent players or fuck right off"

This whole shambles starts at the top and it seems, goes right through the club. 

Up until now I have firmly been in the "Keep Ralph" Brigade. I like him as a manager and I think he is a decent bloke, but I am starting to wonder if he has "lost the dressing room" as they say. There is no way they played for him tonight. It wasn't just losing to the second worst team in the league - that can happen sometimes - they beat Chelsea last week, but for me it was the manner of the defeat. West Brom absolutely pummeled us tonight and it could have been 5 or 6 nil by half-time.  I said a few pages ago that this performance has angered me more than the 9-0 and I stand by that. They just didn't seem up for it, and that is unacceptable. I've seen rabbits in the headlights deal with the situation better than our defence tonight. I'm not one of the bed wetters on here who find fault with everything Saints do, and I always try to put a positive spin on it, but tonight I can find no excuses. 

That performance and many others including not one but two 9.0s are nothing to do with Gao and money.

[BotleySaint]

I see Ralph's post match was the usual. Pointing out the obvious problems. Yet he seems unable to engage with solving them.

[rallyboy]

Get the players and coaching staff in at 8am tomorrow for an inquest on the last few months and thrash it out.

Totally unacceptable.

 

[Forester]

What an awful performance.  Bednarek, Diallo and JWP awful today.  Could not understand why at half time Ralph felt we needed two defensive midfielders when it was obvious Sam would park the bus and play on the counter attack.  Probably would not have altered the result, but we needed an extra player ahead of the ball and fewer players behind the ball.  
 

Very much felt like “I don’t want to get injured and miss Wembley”....

[Saint Keef]

I wonder what headline or "spin" the media team will put on this performance when they send me their email with the match report and "highlights" (I can't wait to see what the highlights are). Perhaps the headline will be.....

"DIFFICULT NIGHT FOR SAINTS AT THE HAWTHORNS" (No it wasn't. It was fucking easy. Nobody tried!) or how about

"NARROW DEFEAT FOR SAINTS" (No it wasn't, we were pummeled)

SAINTS SAVING THEMSELVES FOR THE SEMI-FINAL (that's Bollocks too)

SAINTS STRUGGLE AGAINST WEST BROM (I didn't see much evidence of a struggle)

The headline should read.......

"APOLOGIES TO ALL SAINTS FANS. THAT WAS A FUCKING SHAMBLES"  (Yep, I'll accept that one). 

 

In answer to captainchris's comment (below) to my previous message.  Yes  Chris, I do agree with you to a certain extent, but my point is, I'm afraid if the ownership of a club is "Mickey Mouse" then that will feed all the way down through the club. Manager, players, staff, and right through to the fans.  Just sayin'......  

39 minutes ago, captainchris said:

That performance and many others including not one but two 9.0s are nothing to do with Gao and money.

Edited 12 April, 2021 by Saint Keef
addition

[badgerx16]

27 minutes ago, Saint Keef said:

"APOLOGIES TO ALL SAINTS FANS. THAT WAS A FUCKING SHAMBLES" 

 

 

Any chance of a refund ?

[macca155]

1 hour ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Why do people keep posting this pony. “We need a defensive coach”, or “he lacks support”. Coaching the side is his fucking job, the buck stops with him. End of. 

That's hard to argue against M'Lord. You are right the buck stops with him. If this form continues he will be a goner.

I was trying to search for why we are in this situation. We've had some great wins these last few years, so there is hope with Ralph. Question is will we see that again. Personally I think we might if he has some decent support.

Won't happen of course, football needs immediate results. He needs some wins and fast.

So do we!!!

 

[Jeremy]

10 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

Any chance of a refund ?

Yeah, including the $10 I bet on a Saints win (and all the other times recently when I hoped "a corner had been turned" and bet the win). 

I'm not doing that again this season, or possibly ever.

[jasonb]

Shame there's no fans to let these lazy bastards know its not good enough. Playing under a bit of pressure might actually make some of them raise their pulses a little. Get some adrenaline pumping through their veins. Generally try a bit harder. 

Gah! So infuriating Saints. I'm 47 years old FFS. I should have grown out of all this by now surely?? 

 

[austsaint]

3 hours ago, Jeremy said:

Just logged on here. I, like many of you, was expecting a comfortable win to Saints. Can't understand how a greyhound has turned into an overweight corgi in the space of a few months.

We’re you? Expecting a comfortable win.  On what basis... is that now 12 losses from the last 14 Prem games?    The weak capitulation from the off was the most disappointing part; and surely Ralph should have made changes at half time.  Bednarek, Walcott and either CM needed to be replaced.  Jankewitz must really be on the nose with Ralph.  
On that showing it seems crazy we will limp over the safety line and the Baggies will go down.  They will be odds on to return immediately.

[SaintTex]

4 hours ago, Greenridge said:

How many times have we replaced departing players with better players in the last 5(?) years? Yep, not many. So hoping to rebuild with better players is a pipe dream unfortunately. 

Apparently the Board didn't have the hindsight to purchase a service contract for the Black Box. It's running a bit ragged.

[skintsaint]

me waking up at half time to watch the second half :

What a shit shocking result/performance before the cup semi final. Only way for them to redeem themselves is to beat Leicester. If we get smashed in that then RH must be on thin ice.

[GarrettIvo]

Well that was a shitshow wasn't it.

But after 130 odd years being a shitshow is kind of in our DNA.

As this graphic demonstrates (if you zoom in a lot that is)

 

We are who we are and who we've always been. A small club just trying to stay afloat and somewhat relevant, with the occasional glory day to remember.

It will ever be thus, and at least it's not as bad as most.

[eurosaint]

2 hours ago, GarrettIvo said:

Well that was a shitshow wasn't it.

But after 130 odd years being a shitshow is kind of in our DNA.

As this graphic demonstrates (if you zoom in a lot that is)

 

We are who we are and who we've always been. A small club just trying to stay afloat and somewhat relevant, with the occasional glory day to remember.

It will ever be thus, and at least it's not as bad as most.

Are you sure you haven't just been sick on the screen 🤣

[Convict Colony]

Last night was pretty bad, we were rubbish all over.

Meh reset and start again in the summer, get some new players, work em hard in pre-season and then if Ralph cant get them performing then replace with a similar style coach

[redkeith]

Reminded me of Everton and QPR away in 84 before the semi final then. Everyone playing within themselves to make sure they did not get injured. 

We need to be full on to play Ralph's system. A number 2 to help Ralph make tactical tweeks would also help

[Mr Saints]

That was simply not good enough. However there seems to be a worrying acceptance within the club that these performance and results are the norm and part and parcel of a season, which says it all about where we are heading as a club IMO. Next season could be a very tough watch.

[SaintBobby]

10 hours ago, SKD said:

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we didn’t win another game all season tbh. 

I would. You’d get something like 33/1 or better on that as an accumulator bet.

[egg]

32 minutes ago, redkeith said:

Reminded me of Everton and QPR away in 84 before the semi final then. Everyone playing within themselves to make sure they did not get injured. 

We need to be full on to play Ralph's system. A number 2 to help Ralph make tactical tweeks would also help

All this needing a number 2 / defensive coach stuff is starting to grate. Ralph has an assistant / number 2. We have coaches who've played hundreds of professional matches between them. Watson has been part of the England set up. Crocker overseas it and has had a huge job at the FA.

We don't need more coaches, we just need those we have to change what we can all see isn't working and get the best out of this group of players - nobody will convince me that the 11 players West Brom had on the pitch yesterday are better than our 11. They were better coached / organised / motivated though. 

If the current lot can't sort it sharpish, they need to go. 

[saintbenny]

Another utterly appalling display. Every time a team attacks us we look like we are going to concede. Second best all over the park. West Brom attacked with pace, whilst once again we slowed everything down when we had the chance get into their box. Classic example in the first half when we broke and JWP could have played the ball into Redmond (I think) but he stopped, checked, turned back and before you know it it's back with big Vestie for some nice keep ball along the back 4. It's becoming unbearable to watch. We must be the most frustrating team in the league.

For me the blame lays totally with Ralph. He picks, trains and managers the team. We look unorganised at the back, clueless up front and timid in the middle. He doesn't react quicker enough with his tactics. He can't change a game with his subs because, for some unknown reason he can't make one till the 77th minute. People say we can't replace him because who would we get?...I argue any young motivated manager with an ounce of tactical knowledge would get more out of this group of players than Ralph. For me a change has to be made. It's like he's completely untouchable or beyond judgement.

I'm dreading Sunday. It's the hope that kills you but if we perform like we have been over the past 15 games or so, it's going to be 4 or 5 nil 

 

Edited 13 April, 2021 by saintbenny

[John Boy Saint]

Well there was no doubting what was on the pitch last night - one team trying to make sure they didn’t get crocked for an FA Cup semi final versus a team managed by a bloke who has defied the odds to avoid relegation more often than not and if he succeeds, allegedly, will pocket a 7 figure bonus.

Still I didn’t really give 2 hoots about the outcome as I had already received the result of the day thanks to my Daughter presenting me with my full membership into the Grandads club.😎

[Singapore Saint]

11 hours ago, Saint Billy said:

I decided to opt for celebrating the reopening of pubs rather than the watch the inevitable. 3 pints and ice hanging off my nose was more preferable than the expected lame performance tonight. 

You preferred 3 pints to 3 points?

[Singapore Saint]

12 minutes ago, John Boy Saint said:

Still I didn’t really give 2 hoots about the outcome as I had already received the result of the day thanks to my Daughter presenting me with my full membership into the Grandads club.😎

Congrats! Still, full membership comes with nappy-changing duties when daughter and son-in-law are busy at work, as you'll soon find out 😄

[Chez]

11 hours ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Maybe Ralph needs a different view or perspective. Maybe try watching a half in the stands, might give him a better view of how to change things.

I have never understood why managers stand by the sideline pretending to be some sort of ringmaster. It feels like its just done to give the TV something else to show and make them the star so they can earn the big bucks too. You can see a lot more, especially the shape, from up in the stands. The Pulis type non stop shouting of encouragement snd instructions...how much does that actually help? As a player, do you really want you manger constantly barking instructions at you?

[Singapore Saint]

11 hours ago, Saint Keef said:

Does anyone know what the Chinese is for "Gao, spend some fucking money on some decent players or fuck right off"

高, 你这个死王八蛋, 快花多一些钱, 否则给我们滚!