Everton 3-1 Saints - Match Thread

[Saint_Tony]

McCarthy has to be dropped for today's performance. Seriously worrying. You'd expect under any circumstances to lose to Utd next week, but we really need a new CB in to steady the ship. Ralph putting real pressure on himself already, especially with that team selection. Continue like this and he won't make it til October. Respect him a lot but our form for 2021 has been abysmal. Feeling deflated already, one game in. May be an overreaction, but this sort of result has become all too regular this year.

[LiberalCommunist]

On 13/08/2021 at 11:44, LiberalCommunist said:

My prediction for this game, we'll win the first half and lose the second. 

And that probably makes it 2-1. Hope I'm wrong. 

Panned out as to be expected. As someone who has defended Ralph for a long time, its getting tiresome. 

How do we come out so crap after his talk. Two bloody minutes. Where are the leaders, where's the mean streak?

Get fucking nasty, before we sleep walk into another bullshit season. 

AA and Liv look good, and have made the 3-1 not look like a lemmings on the itchen bridge affair! 

Must do better Saints. That was a dogshit Everton team. 

GOT got out of jail with that. And they are my fav meltdown barr Aftv. 

[captainchris]

2 hours ago, CanadaSaint said:

So, away against a Top 8 team that has spent a ton of money, we had a pretty decent first half with both Livramento and A. Armstrong looking excellent. JWP filled in to allow Livramento to push forward, and the front two were causing the CDs a lot of problems.

I suspect Ralph’s half time instruction was to keep things tight, but it all went down the shitter in the first 90 seconds of the second half. The game-changer was on McCarthy because I should have heard one of two words all the way over here in Canada - “AWAY!!!!” or “KEEPER!!!!”. I’m pretty sure that Salisu – twelve feet away - heard neither, which is typical of McCarthy. Other than that I thought he played well – especially on crosses. Anyone who blames him for the next two goals is just trying to support their viewpoint that Forster should start. That may be so, but make the case without blaming McCarthy for goals that aren’t his fault.

After that, JWP stopped filling in for Livramento so that he could push forward, and that ended the threat on that side because Theo wasn’t doing anything. On the other side Djenepo was his usual uncontrolled, hurky-jurky mess, and Perraud couldn’t push forward because Djenepo is such unreliable cover.

I don’t think we’re ever the same side when S. Armstrong is not in it. Ralph has to figure out how to build on today’s positives with him in the team, but the two candidates to make way have to be Djenepo and Theo.

All in all there were more negatives than positives, but there WERE positives. This is not about whether we can win away at a Top 8 side, but whether we have enough to avoid relegation – or possibly even make it into the middle third.

This losing attitude from our fans is the reason Ings left.

The losing mentality rubs off on the team and results reflect this ….

 

[beatlesaint]

Has Ralph revealed the master plan in leaving KWP and Stuart Armstrong out? 
Im hoping not 100% fit, anything else is just ridiculous 

[Ex Lion Tamer]

1 minute ago, beatlesaint said:

Has Ralph revealed the master plan in leaving KWP and Stuart Armstrong out? 
Im hoping not 100% fit, anything else is just ridiculous 

I'm totally perplexed that Armstrong didn't play

[SaintTex]

1 hour ago, Streaky said:

Not salissu then. Just let the ball go over his head and not dealing with it. Very strange, just blame stephens for everything.

 

1 hour ago, OttawaSaint said:

Schoolboy stuff that. Never duck under the ball in the area if you are not 100% sure the keeper is coming. Even if he’d have headed it straight up in the air he’d have at least had a chance to regroup. I wonder whether the rotation of keepers is confusing them. Like “oh shit, forgot, this one doesn’t come for crosses...shit”. 

i am going to defend Salisu a bit here... from the angles i saw, i think he believed that if he did get a head on it, it was going go more backward than up - didnt want to risk looping it into the back of the net over McCarthy.

McCarthy HAS to communicate there. Be Vocal!!!

Don't they drill that into goalkeepers from U9 up? He is quiet as a church mouse.

[Saint Keef]

I have two Saints players in my Fantasy team. Guess which two?

That's right.....

KWP and Stu. 

Brilliant!

[Suhari]

1 hour ago, hypochondriac said:

I think I could handle things better if we were just shite. What's so infuriating is that we obviously have a bit about us when we play a bit of football and look dangerous. It makes it so much more disappointing when we inevitably toss it away by refusing to adapt during a game and allowing another team to get on top and see things out. Without ings to grab a game by the scruff of the neck I fear for us. Experience at the back or the middle of the park badly needed to avoid relegation imo. 

Cahill and Delaney.

[Lord Duckhunter]

Could that Chelsea nipper play further forward with KWP behind him?

[Harry_SFC]

1 minute ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Could that Chelsea nipper play further forward with KWP behind him?

With the way Livramento went past numerous Everton players in the first half today I'd say yes he could. 

[JRM]

51 minutes ago, LiberalCommunist said:

Panned out as to be expected. As someone who has defended Ralph for a long time, its getting tiresome. 

How do we come out so crap after his talk. Two bloody minutes. Where are the leaders, where's the mean streak?

Get fucking nasty, before we sleep walk into another bullshit season. 

AA and Liv look good, and have made the 3-1 not look like a lemmings on the itchen bridge affair! 

Must do better Saints. That was a dogshit Everton team. 

GOT got out of jail with that. And they are my fav meltdown barr Aftv. 

We must have an unassailable lead in the points dropped from winning position table now? 

[danjosaint]

59 minutes ago, captainchris said:

This losing attitude from our fans is the reason Ings left

 

Hahahaha knob

[Teddeer]

1 hour ago, captainchris said:

This losing attitude from our fans is the reason Ings left.

The losing mentality rubs off on the team and results reflect this ….

 

Fans to blame rather than the very highly paid manager, coaches and players. Interesting spin.

[JRM]

6 minutes ago, Teddeer said:

Fans to blame rather than the very highly paid manager, coaches and players. Interesting spin.

Especially as they've been playing in empty stadiums for 18 months 

[gallaghert366@yahoo.com]

If anyone thinks that Adams and Armstrong will provide enough goals for The Saints to stay in the Premiership then I suggest they need a reality check.

[The Odd Guy]

Ralph trying to outfox Rafa ended up outfoxing himself with that team selection. This is Ralph’s third season, and he still hasn’t solved his defensive problems. Rafa has been away from the PL, lost 4-0 in a pre-season match against Man Utd, but solved his defensive problem against us. There seems to be a built in self-destruct button that goes off in Ralph’s head that he can’t switch off when we are in a  winning position. The recruitment team have found  players that could help Saints, and seven of them signed by Ralph, were in the starting line up. We can’t keep blaming the players, there is a good team in there for someone to find, but I don’t think Ralph is capable of finding it.            

[Sunglasses Ron]

4 minutes ago, gallaghert366@yahoo.com said:

If anyone thinks that Adams and Armstrong will provide enough goals for The Saints to stay in the Premiership then I suggest they need a reality check.

I guess that depends how many we ship at the other end? If we had a half descent defence then they might be sufficient IMO.

[Saint Billy]

1 hour ago, captainchris said:

This losing attitude from our fans is the reason Ings left.

The losing mentality rubs off on the team and results reflect this ….

 

Please tell me this is sarcasm.

[Pilchards]

Other than the gift from Keane we never looked like scoring.

Okay Djenpo got to the byline 3 times but he does Jack Schitt with it.

Ralph said I need to sort our defence out this season so he drops the best one KWP, puts the same shit keepers in plus sells a CB.

Puzzling Ralph!

 

[Baird of the land]

Curious did any journo ask about KWP? Was he just dropped or not fit enough to start but for some reason included on the bench. Still found it bizarre he didn't come on at 1-1 if he was in any shape to play.

[OttawaSaint]

1 hour ago, captainchris said:

This losing attitude from our fans is the reason Ings left.

The losing mentality rubs off on the team and results reflect this ….

 

Ah I see. Ralph was going to pick the better of the 2 shit goalies but loser fans prevented him. Then he wanted to haul Theo off at HT but those pesky losers wouldn’t let him. McCarthy was going to collect that ball left by Salisu but heard the loser talk of the fans and didn’t. Then at 1-1 with us losing the midfield Ralph again was victim to you guessed it, those fucking loser fans. Fuck the fans eh, Ralph and the team can’t seem to shake them off. Poor lambs...

[farawaysaint]

Meh, we never won first day. Write off, strengthen, finish 12-17 rinse and repeat for 10 more years until we get relegated again.

[S-Clarke]

25 minutes ago, Baird of the land said:

Curious did any journo ask about KWP? Was he just dropped or not fit enough to start but for some reason included on the bench. Still found it bizarre he didn't come on at 1-1 if he was in any shape to play.

The offical line was that Tino showed up better in training, had a better week etc. Nothing more than that.

Fair enough, he started the game excellently and does look a baller. But he really, really, really should have been subbed for KWP around the 60th min because he was blowing.

That is something Ralph needs to take home tonight.

[Suhari]

1 minute ago, S-Clarke said:

The offical line was that Tino showed up better in training, had a better week etc. Nothing more than that.

Fair enough, he started the game excellently and does look a baller. But he really, really, really should have been subbed for KWP around the 60th min because he was blowing.

That is something Ralph needs to take home tonight.

Yep. He looked knackered in the second half, and Rafa put a quicker player than Richarlison against him.

[Baird of the land]

8 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

The offical line was that Tino showed up better in training, had a better week etc. Nothing more than that.

Fair enough, he started the game excellently and does look a baller. But he really, really, really should have been subbed for KWP around the 60th min because he was blowing.

That is something Ralph needs to take home tonight.

Bizarre he didn’t trust one of his best players from last season who also had a full pre-season to come on and try and help at 1-1.

[austsaint]

1 hour ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Could that Chelsea nipper play further forward with KWP behind him?

Has to be the case.  Push Livramento into Theo's spot and reinstate KWP to RB.  You can't have one of the stand out players of last season warming the bench.

[S-Clarke]

5 minutes ago, austsaint said:

Has to be the case.  Push Livramento into Theo's spot and reinstate KWP to RB.  You can't have one of the stand out players of last season warming the bench.

Agreed. I have absolutely no doubt that Livramento would offer more in an attacking sense than either Theo or Moussa. no brainer for me.

Livermento's first half reminded me of some of Bales early day performances for us when he was at left back. Just fearless, happy to take players on, beat them. Great touch, great movement with the ball. He was a massive positive for me.

[Shroppie]

I've been a staunch supporter of Ralph but struggled with decisions today. 

I was surprised to see KWP, Forster, Tella and Armstrong S missing, but the team he put out got us a lead and showed promise.

But what's the point of saving players for a strong bench if you don't use them in time? We should have come out fired up to hang onto the lead after half time but capitulated. As soon as they equalised we needed a response: an injection of new energy, but got nothing.

Yes, we need an experienced noisy leader on the pitch to get a grip of these situations, but Ralph is making the same mistakes a little too often.

[Ed Rooney]

1 hour ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Could that Chelsea nipper play further forward with KWP behind him?

Yep, but Djenepo, Redmond or Walcott will be in front in managers eyes.

 

 

[Micky]

Big Fat Sam time. 

[Far que]

Ralph said on the first day in the job.        We’re to easy to score against..

nothing has changed over all this time ,take a walk Ralph and take McCarthy and Foster with you.

[kyle04]

I think Ralph hasn't got a fucking clue. Baffling player selections (again) and a complete inability to make changes in time when the tide turns against us (yet again).  From the middle of last season it's looked like he's only just turned up at the club. Defensively a shambles and no attacking threat whatsoever. A club with so many shit players needs a manager with a bit of savvy to have any chance in this division, and Ralph certainly hasn't got it. Little wonder players wanted to leave (aside form the greedy cunt factor). Can anyone honestly say we have improved since Puel left the club?

[DT]

You can tell the players have no confidence in him or the system. Get rid. Have some balls. 

[Whitey Grandad]

I’ve just seen MOTD. Their first goal was ridiculous. Salisu seems to leave it to McCarthy who decides that he’s better off staying on his line instead of stepping three yards forwards and catching it or at least punching it away. He has now become a joke of a goalkeeper but why was he chosen to play instead of Forster? Any ideas?

For their third goal Stephens does his usual trick of ball watching instead of picking up the runner coming in behind him. 

If we have to go through this season with Stephens and McCarthy as first choice then we are in trouble. Replace them both and we should be ok.

Still, nobody ever got relegated on the first day of the season.

[Turkish]

16 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

I’ve just seen MOTD. Their first goal was ridiculous. Salisu seems to leave it to McCarthy who decides that he’s better off staying on his line instead of stepping three yards forwards and catching it or at least punching it away. He has now become a joke of a goalkeeper but why was he chosen to play instead of Forster? Any ideas?

For their third goal Stephens does his usual trick of ball watching instead of picking up the runner coming in behind him. 

If we have to go through this season with Stephens and McCarthy as first choice then we are in trouble. Replace them both and we should be ok.

Still, nobody ever got relegated on the first day of the season.

You see it how I did.

people blame Salisu for the first but an defender should expect their keeper to come for that, hopeful ball into the six yard box and everyone stood around doing nothing. A decent keeper claims that, it’s basics.

second goal is a good finish but why is  he allowed to turn and shoot inside the box?

3rd free header, straight at the keeper,  poor marking poor goalkeeping 

pure self destruct 

[Lord Duckhunter]

2 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

The offical line was that Tino showed up better in training, had a better week etc. Nothing more than that.

Fair enough, he started the game excellently and does look a baller. But he really, really, really should have been subbed for KWP around the 60th min because he was blowing.

That is something Ralph needs to take home tonight.

Absolutely spot on. Surprised that KWP was benched, but the first half proved Ralph completely  right. Second half was a different matter altogether. We really need to get both in the starting 11

[Teddeer]

31 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

I’ve just seen MOTD. Their first goal was ridiculous. Salisu seems to leave it to McCarthy who decides that he’s better off staying on his line instead of stepping three yards forwards and catching it or at least punching it away. He has now become a joke of a goalkeeper but why was he chosen to play instead of Forster? Any ideas?

For their third goal Stephens does his usual trick of ball watching instead of picking up the runner coming in behind him. 

If we have to go through this season with Stephens and McCarthy as first choice then we are in trouble. Replace them both and we should be ok.

Still, nobody ever got relegated on the first day of the season.

Yeah, just watched the highlights and Stephens is far too casual and allows Calvert-Lewin to score. He makes no attempt to mark him or apply any pressure. You can't have your centre backs doing that at this level. Trouble is, it seems Ralph and the coaches let things like that go so there will never be any improvement.

[Teddeer]

4 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Absolutely spot on. Surprised that KWP was benched, but the first half proved Ralph completely  right. Second half was a different matter altogether. We really need to get both in the starting 11

Agree. Thought we should have brought on KWP at full back and shifted Livramento to play in front of him. That would have been a far stronger pairing than having Walcott there because he had barely any influence on the game. I think KWP and Tino would have been more effective defensively and offensively 

[GarrettIvo]

6 hours ago, Whitey Grandad said:

“Past performance is no guarantee of future performance”

It's a pretty bloody good indicator though.

[Kingsbridge Saint]

Never drop Stuart Armstrong again. And give him the captains armband too. JWP hits a sweet free kick but is quiet as church mouse. He is not a leader of men. At the risk of knee jerking I'd have Forster back in after conceding three in one half. McCarthy partly to blame for the first one and beaten from 25 yards for the second. Not good enough. 

[Singapore Saint]

6 hours ago, The Odd Guy said:

Ralph trying to outfox Rafa ended up outfoxing himself with that team selection. This is Ralph’s third season, and he still hasn’t solved his defensive problems. Rafa has been away from the PL, lost 4-0 in a pre-season match against Man Utd, but solved his defensive problem against us. There seems to be a built in self-destruct button that goes off in Ralph’s head that he can’t switch off when we are in a  winning position. The recruitment team have found  players that could help Saints, and seven of them signed by Ralph, were in the starting line up. We can’t keep blaming the players, there is a good team in there for someone to find, but I don’t think Ralph is capable of finding it.            

I've been saying Ralph out for the longest time, Woy Hodgson please save us!

[Singapore Saint]

2 hours ago, Kingsbridge Saint said:

Never drop Stuart Armstrong again. And give him the captains armband too. JWP hits a sweet free kick but is quiet as church mouse. He is not a leader of men.

Can't do, no one understands Scottish, not even Che.

[Singapore Saint]

9 hours ago, saint michael said:

I thought Ralph was the manager. He seems confused when asked questions he turns into a reporter, reporting on what happened.. no shit Ralph, I think we all saw what happened, what I want to hear is why it happened, what you were thinking of doing, how you change it next time not to happen..

He is completely out of his depth and hoping that he discovers the right answer..this is going to be a rough ride 

Ralph is obviously winging it, he's/we've been lucky we haven't crashed! It might be this season unless the board act quickly to replace him with Big Sam or Uncle Woy. 

[ErwinK1961]

We still cannot hold a lead

We still don’t have an adequate GK

We still have a defence that makes too many mistakes

We still can only play for 45 mins

Our manager doesn’t make subs

We still can’t adjust when a team makes tactical changes

We still have no backbone

We still have no leadership

We still have no plan B

We are going to end up going into the season short in at least one position, again.

 

Three months to change this, yet just another continuation of last year. Hard to see anything other than our 2021 form continuing for the foreseeable.

[WALK DMC]

5 hours ago, Whitey Grandad said:

I’ve just seen MOTD. Their first goal was ridiculous. Salisu seems to leave it to McCarthy who decides that he’s better off staying on his line instead of stepping three yards forwards and catching it or at least punching it away. He has now become a joke of a goalkeeper but why was he chosen to play instead of Forster? Any ideas?

 

Like you, I wasn't incredulous when the team was announced and McCarthy had been chosen over Forster. My speculative reasoning is that Saints don't want to buy two new keepers next summer as it will eat into our budget. Forster has rejected a new contract offer but McCarthy has indicated that he will extend. Due to this Ralph would rather favour the longer term option than the better performing individual. 

It is pure supposition, so could be completely wrong - but I just cannot provide any other logical reason why McCarthy was preferred (other than Ralph has lost it).  However, I couldn't find an explanation on why Walcott was chosen ahead of Stu Armstrong, so maybe the 2nd reason may be closer than I would like to see. 

[BotleySaint]

After a few seasons of Ralphs inability to see when a sub needs making and suprise "genius" starting line ups which never work, it is all a bit too familiar.. Yet I can't see him going unless we are adrift at the bottom. By which point it'll be too late.

Hoping for 3 worse teams again then.

[DT]

3 minutes ago, BotleySaint said:

After a few seasons of Ralphs inability to see when a sub needs making and suprise "genius" starting line ups which never work, it is all a bit too familiar.. Yet I can't see him going unless we are adrift at the bottom. By which point it'll be too late.

Hoping for 3 worse teams again then.

There aren’t three worse teams. We’re down unless we get a different approach. It means biting the bullet and accepting that after months of playing this way nothing has changed except we’ve lost three decent players. Ralph not up to it. Mice guy and all that. But clueless about defending or changing it 

[Saint Martini]

Even if Livramento wasn't as impressive second half he still kept their left side quiet for most of the half. The problem was on the left. Perraud, Salisu, Djenepo and Romeu were having a lot of trouble with positional changes from their attackers which created huge gaps. Not sure who the main culprit was but the communication between those four was terrible.

Going forward Walcott was a blackhole. No runs, no dribbles, no passing, just nothing. How he got to stay on after HT is baffling considering we actually have a decent bench. Djenepo was better going forward but really needs to get his head up and pass and not just dribble until he loses the ball. I really liked his 1-2 with Perraud but he should have passed back again.

In the end we gave Everton 2 goals, they gave us 1 and they scored a goal out of nothing. Not good enough and certain questions surrounding squad selection. Really don't understand excluding S. Armstrong, Djenepo & Walcott staying on so long and the point of Djenepo going to LB at the end if not for fitness issues.

[Dman]

We ended las season shit, despite what people claim, we haven’t improved the starting 11. In fact it’s got weaker. Ralph still has his tactical naivety. 
 

Is anyone surprised? Surely now, everyone can see we’re in for a very long season. 

[Mr X]

It's not the losing so much to Everton that hurts, we all knew it was going to be very tough to get any kind of result and I would think most wouldn't have predicted a win but it's the manner we concede leads that's beyond horrific, if you can see Everton have come out the traps for the second half a totally different team and score after like two minutes then you need to react to that straight away not wait till 10-15 minutes from the end when you are 3-1 down! Not sure what goes through RH's head it's almost like he doesn't want to admit that his starting 11 aren't the perfect team, why should he have to change them! What an inconvenience to him!

RH's team talks at half time obviously don't inspire the team whatsoever it's like he says "we've got the lead guys so you can go easy now step it down a gear" seriously wtf??? 

It's not like we've had a good patch even, the whole second half of last season we were bloody awful, record defeats twice, record consequtive losses, nearly the worst goals conceded.

Ralph nice guy and all that shit but seriously inflexible, stubborn, can't coach a defence, can't mix things up tactically... It's like he's the golden goose with those that run the club and has been given total free reign.

I was willing to keep faith but he just repeats the same dam things. It is time for a change now the club needs fresh inspiration, someone who can at least mix things up and try something different tactically, can't see him walking so god knows how long the club will wait... Till it's too late no doubt.