Burnley 2-0 Saints - Match Thread

[Dellman]

4 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

With every league place worth £2m and Ralph himself saying he wants to finish as high as possible to attract new players it is fucking ridiculous to say it is a game that means "literally nothing".

It's not really about this game, we've been terrible for weeks now.

How can a game mean nothing? A win and we would have been 9th not 13th. That matters. We were negative, back passing square passing no urgency, looking lazy, dead boring football, lifeless. Absolutely awful viewing, sorry for the fans who travelled.

[Turkish]

4 minutes ago, Dman said:

Yep, only if he wants to be here though. Which at the minute it doesn’t look that way. (Why would he, we’re shit). 
 

We’ve seen what he can do, I’ve no doubt he will go on to be a top player somewhere. Doubt it’ll be here though. 

Obvious he doesn’t he apparently posted on his Facebook this weekend a picture of him in a chelsea shirt saying “can’t wait to wear this again” 

tou can’t blame him for not wanting to stay, we are shit. Although I do question his attitude to make it to the very top as he seems to have checked out saints. The very best don’t do that. Physically he has it all but attitude wise, open to be questioned 

[CylonKing]

I'm never going to win one of those signed shirts and I convince myself we're going to win every time, 0-3, yeah right.

Very disappointed!

[obelisk]

Put in a similar performance against Brighton then I'd really have to ask Ralph whether he has reached his limit with Saints. Defence is a shambles ant the attack is toothless. It's been the case for weeks. Arsenal result was a stroke of luck.

[TWar]

2 minutes ago, Sarisbury Saint said:

Was Che a lone striker aswell?

No he played in a front two, like Broja has in the majority of his games for the last 4 months.

[TWar]

Just now, Turkish said:

Obvious he doesn’t he apparently posted on his Facebook this weekend a picture of him in a chelsea shirt saying “can’t wait to wear this again” 

tou can’t blame him for not wanting to stay, we are shit. Although I do question his attitude to make it to the very top as he seems to have checked out saints. The very best don’t do that. Physically he has it all but attitude wise, open to be questioned 

That's bullshit, he put out a statement saying he doesn't have a Facebook through an official source.

[Dman]

Just now, Turkish said:

Obvious he doesn’t he apparently posted on his Facebook this weekend a picture of him in a chelsea shirt saying “can’t wait to wear this again” 

tou can’t blame him for not wanting to stay, we are shit. Although I do question his attitude to make it to the very top as he seems to have checked out saints. The very best don’t do that. Physically he has it all but attitude wise, open to be questioned 

Couldn’t agree more. 
 

Said the same earlier in the thread. You’d hope it’s because he’s young, but to be honest, he’s looked like he’s not been arsed past few weeks. 
 

 

[TWar]

2 minutes ago, Dman said:

We’re shit mate, absolutely fucking useless. 
 

You could stick the best strikers in the world up top for us and they’d struggle. 
 

It’s the manager who needs to go, not the 20 year old striker playing his first season in the prem. 

Then how come Che came on and immediately had two sights of goal, after Broja was invisible all game? Maybe he's shite?

[Toussaint]

6 minutes ago, Saint Matty 76 said:

Stupid enough to have a ticket for that one too!

It’ll still be a good day out, just so long as you don’t let the football ruin it

[AlexLaw76]

Just now, TWar said:

Then how come Che came on and immediately had two sights of goal, after Broja was invisible all game? Maybe he's shite?

How did those sight go?

[TWar]

Just now, Dman said:

Couldn’t agree more. 
 

Said the same earlier in the thread. You’d hope it’s because he’s young, but to be honest, he’s looked like he’s not been arsed past few weeks. 
 

 

He's definitely trying, he's just been crap.

[TWar]

Just now, AlexLaw76 said:

How did those sight go?

Better to have chances than not. Broja never gets a sniff.

[Sarisbury Saint]

1 minute ago, Dman said:

We’re shit mate, absolutely fucking useless. 
 

You could stick the best strikers in the world up top for us and they’d struggle. 
 

It’s the manager who needs to go, not the 20 year old striker playing his first season in the prem. 

Correct. Everyone has been poor for a while now including the manager.

 

[CanadaSaint]

All along Ralph’s weakness has been his own arrogance. He refuses to recognize his own errors and, as a result, repeats them. That’s why he waits an eternity to change a lineup that wasn’t working (and was never likely to work) from the get-go. It’s also why he persisted with two front runners after we went a man down, and consequently ended up shipping nine goals each time.

Our record against bottom-third teams is appalling, but Ralph ignores that because we picked up some points from the big teams. The ego boost he gets from those successes allows him to brush aside the reality check he should get from the many shameful days like today.

I’m tired of it and, judging by their half-hearted effort today, so are the players.

[John B]

1 minute ago, saint michael said:

I think it’s the nature of the losses and the complete capitulation and lack of tactics organisation and the manager histrionics on the line as if it’s a complete shock to him that really sickens me. I find myself now always waiting for the slide to happen and never let down by them.  
 

being in the prem is not the be all and end to me… I know I will get slated for that but seeing a side that looks half like they know what they should  be doing and capable of doing it would be an improvement. Change needed for me

How long have you been following the Saints

I have followed them since 1960 and in that time I have seen them with little investment being in the top Division for nearly forty five years ago with the squad we have now we are lower PL team that is how it is and that is probably how it is going to be until one day we get relegated again.

We have in my opinion the worst set of strikers I have seen us play with since we have been in the top flight and it is this lack of goals which is our current problem

 

[JRM]

If Burnley do go down I'd hope we go for a few of their players 

[Dman]

Just now, TWar said:

Then how come Che came on and immediately had two sights of goal, after Broja was invisible all game? Maybe he's shite?

Mate, I cba to argue with you. It’s really, really fucking boring. 

If you get some satisfaction out of blaming Broja for tonight’s result because you rate Armstrong, then you do you bud. 

Im fairly sure you said you were on holiday with your kid and Missus earlier on today, yet you come on here to bash Broja. It’s weird, really, really weird. 

I feel sorry for your missus to be fair. 

[AlexLaw76]

2 minutes ago, TWar said:

Better to have chances than not. Broja never gets a sniff.

How did they go?

[Toussaint]

5 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Obvious he doesn’t he apparently posted on his Facebook this weekend a picture of him in a chelsea shirt saying “can’t wait to wear this again” 

tou can’t blame him for not wanting to stay, we are shit. Although I do question his attitude to make it to the very top as he seems to have checked out saints. The very best don’t do that. Physically he has it all but attitude wise, open to be questioned 

If that’s true then he shouldn’t be getting selected , send him back now 

[Teddeer]

Just now, JRM said:

If Burnley do go down I'd hope we go for a few of their players 

Problem is we made them look far better than they actually are. Same goes for their team as a whole - they've been shite all season and we roll over and make them look like Barcelona in their prime.

[stknowle]

30 minutes ago, Sir Ralph said:

There does need to be some perspective. We haven’t had a pot to piss in. Our back three cost £12m and our midfield cost £5m. We should be in the bottom 3 in reality. Disappointing performance but perspective required. Hopefully next year with some investment….

Agree. Burnley got roughly the same financial clout and look where they are. Beat us today but y’know……

[Matthew Le God]

7 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Obvious he doesn’t he apparently posted on his Facebook this weekend a picture of him in a chelsea shirt saying “can’t wait to wear this again” 

tou can’t blame him for not wanting to stay, we are shit. Although I do question his attitude to make it to the very top as he seems to have checked out saints. The very best don’t do that. Physically he has it all but attitude wise, open to be questioned 

Calm down. He does not have Facebook, someone was posing as him.

[TWar]

1 minute ago, Toussaint said:

If that’s true then he shouldn’t be getting selected , send him back now 

It's not. But he shouldn't be selected anyway, because he's been shite for months. He's been so shite that his defenders are pivoting to "he's not shite, he's playing badly deliberately because he knows he's too good for us, with his mighty 6 league goals"

[Dman]

Just now, Teddeer said:

Problem is we made them look far better than they actually are. Same goes for their team as a whole - they've been shite all season and we roll over and make them look like Barcelona in their prime.

They absolutely dominated our Midfield. Prowse and Romeu looked pathetic up against Brownhill and jack cork ffs. 

[Saint Matty 76]

I definitely don't see why Broja is playing if he's not staying next year. Develop Armstrong at the very least.

[gallaghert366@yahoo.com]

39 minutes ago, Saint Matty 76 said:

Let’s not get too dramatic about a game that literally means nothing.

We’ve stayed up again with absolutely zero issue, with no investment and some good days against the big teams. With our structure, we can’t ask for much more.

There’s incredibly obvious areas for us to improve this Summer, hopefully the new owners allow it to happen.

Fully agree.

[woodsaint1]

3 minutes ago, CanadaSaint said:

All along Ralph’s weakness has been his own arrogance. He refuses to recognize his own errors and, as a result, repeats them. That’s why he waits an eternity to change a lineup that wasn’t working (and was never likely to work) from the get-go. It’s also why he persisted with two front runners after we went a man down, and consequently ended up shipping nine goals each time.

Our record against bottom-third teams is appalling, but Ralph ignores that because we picked up some points from the big teams. The ego boost he gets from those successes allows him to brush aside the reality check he should get from the many shameful days like today.

I’m tired of it and, judging by their half-hearted effort today, so are the players.

Are you really excusing the players from the recent shit show. Ralph deserves alot of criticism but some of those performances tonight were criminal. Could barely string a pass between them. Were the players half hearted and tired of Ralph's ego against Arsenal? No didnt think so

[Dman]

Just now, Saint Matty 76 said:

I definitely don't see why Broja is playing if he's not staying next year. Develop Armstrong at the very least.

Not good enough. Waste of money, better off keeping him out of the spotlight and hope someone from the championship or a newly promoted side fancy a punt

[TWar]

Just now, Dman said:

Not good enough. Waste of money, better off keeping him out of the spotlight and hope someone from the championship or a newly promoted side fancy a punt

And Broja is?

[Saint Matty 76]

1 minute ago, Dman said:

Not good enough. Waste of money, better off keeping him out of the spotlight and hope someone from the championship or a newly promoted side fancy a punt

I definitely agree, but would rather give it a go and know for sure at this stage,

[Roboze]

Long been a member of the "Trust in Ralph" brigade but even im now thinking, is it time for a change? as usual the team seem to think well we're safe for another year...... we should be beating a ruderless burnley after beating arsenal 🤷‍♂️

 

[Baird of the land]

The worrying thing from Ralph's comments is that he was happy with the 2nd half display.

There was a 5 minute spell after he eventually made a sub where we had a couple of chances for adams but that was about it.

[Dman]

3 minutes ago, TWar said:

And Broja is?

I’ve literally just said, I cba to argue with you over the same old shit. 

So Enjoy your holiday with your missus and stop baiting an argument to ruin another thread, you weirdo. Or have you already bored her to sleep. 

Edited 21 April, 2022 by Dman

[Saint Matty 76]

Just now, TWar said:

And Broja is?

I mean the career difference between Armstrong and Broja will be telling enough in itself.

[CanadaSaint]

1 minute ago, woodsaint1 said:

Are you really excusing the players from the recent shit show. Ralph deserves alot of criticism but some of those performances tonight were criminal. Could barely string a pass between them. Were the players half hearted and tired of Ralph's ego against Arsenal? No didnt think so

I called the players “half-hearted” - that isn’t excusing them. They were dreadful but it looked to me like the team had no discernible structure, so they all looked like headless chickens.

[Micky]

Here we go again.  We fell spectacularly off the cliff last season, and here we are again doing exactly the same thing.   Arsenal papered over the cracks, tonight was closer to the truth,  and that is we are a very mediocre team who will probably finish in the bottom 6.  Sorry but our 'strikers' just aren't good enough, we will get found out if we persist with them next season,  I can't remember the last time one of them actually scored. 

As for Ralph, he's lost this lot, they didn't sweat for him tonight, and haven't done so for some time now.  He's hinted at retirement in the next couple of years, I would give him till the end of the season and then give him a gentle shove.

As for tonight, briefly, shit. 

[S-Clarke]

3 minutes ago, TWar said:

And Broja is?

Has Broja personally upset you or something?

For someone who has always been level-headed, reasonable and sensible in your views about Ralph, your views and opinions on Broja are truly bizarre and scream of an agenda rather than being based on any factual stuff.

There's a lot more wrong than Broja, focusing on him after tonight's game is weird.

[obelisk]

How is it that players like Broja and Livramento arrive young, talented and fresh at the start of the season yet by the end look old, incompetent and jaded by the end? Just what is it that Saints coaching does to turn players like that?

[Holmes_and_Watson]

11 minutes ago, JRM said:

If Burnley do go down I'd hope we go for a few of their players 

I liked the effort of Cork and that JayRod chap. Could they do a job...hey...wait...

[HarvSFC]

I don't care who we sell in the summer, this team's too inconsistent and more consistently crap, than good. Even favourites like Stuart Armstrong and Romeu, who've had good moments and good seasons are showing now that they can't consistently perform in the Premier League anymore and have been poor for well over a month and have been crap for near seven consecutive matches now.

We need the Palace reboot under the new owners and hopefully they've got the financial flexibility to give us that, so that it's not a sell one and replace with three from the bargain basement such as last summer was.

Only players who haven't dropped off over this period are KWP and Forster.

Onto Brighton, yay. 

[TWar]

3 minutes ago, Saint Matty 76 said:

I mean the career difference between Armstrong and Broja will be telling enough in itself.

One has a 29 goal season in the championship, one has 12 goals in the dutch league and 6 in the prem. I mean, neither is a world beater careerwise. Ralph clearly rates Broja higher but right now I can't see why. I'd rather see Redmond or Tella up top right now.

[TWar]

3 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Has Broja personally upset you or something?

For someone who has always been level-headed, reasonable and sensible in your views about Ralph, your views and opinions on Broja are truly bizarre and scream of an agenda rather than being based on any factual stuff.

There's a lot more wrong than Broja, focusing on him after tonight's game is weird.

Define personally upset me. I like when saints win and our basically omnipresent center forward has scored 2 league goals in 4 months, so I'm not stoked about that. Yeah there are other areas who did poorly, but Broja has done so poorly for so long and I'm honestly amazed how most people aren't seeing this.

Edited 21 April, 2022 by TWar

[S-Clarke]

1 minute ago, obelisk said:

How is it that players like Broja and Livramento arrive young, talented and fresh at the start of the season yet by the end look old, incompetent and jaded by the end? Just what is it that Saints coaching does to turn players like that?

Tired and overplayed, certainly in the view of Livramento. 

Both are very young players though and young players have extremes of form. Tino needs a good break, a decent pre-season and we should see the exciting player again next year as the talent was obvious to all.

[Lord Duckhunter]

16 minutes ago, TWar said:

Then how come Che came on and immediately had two sights of goal, after Broja was invisible all game? Maybe he's shite?

Because Redmond gave him 2 sitters, which he missed. His finishing is pretty shite overall. 

[Dman]

3 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

I liked the effort of Cork and that JayRod chap. Could they do a job...hey...wait...

Not the best players but have a lot of heart. 
 

in thier position I’d rather those than any of ours. 

[TWar]

Just now, Lord Duckhunter said:

Because Redmond gave him 2 sitters, which he missed. His finishing is pretty shite overall. 

Ches runs and ability to find space meant he could receive those passes. Do you think it's a coincidence that Che always seems to get sitters and Broja gets fuck all despite them playing in the same side? Ches misses annoy me too, but how many sitters has Broja actually put away in the last couple of months? And why is that?

[Micky]

10 minutes ago, Saint Matty 76 said:

I definitely don't see why Broja is playing if he's not staying next year. Develop Armstrong at the very least.

That is a long term project, very long term.  We need goals now. 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

4 minutes ago, Micky said:

As for tonight, briefly, shit. 

I could have saved myself a *lot* of typing, if only I could summarise as well as you. 😊

[Roboze]

1 minute ago, Dman said:

Not the best players but have a lot of heart. 
 

in thier position I’d rather those than any of ours. 

yeah i'd welcome both of them back, at the right price.....

 

[S-Clarke]

Just now, TWar said:

Define personally upset me. I like when saints win and our basically omnipresent center forward has scored 2 goals in 4 months, so I'm not stoked about that. Yeah there are other areas who did poorly, but Broja has done so poorly for so long and I'm honestly amazed how most people aren't seeing this.

There are a couple of things to Broja that you're not quite seeing.

1 - Teams aren't stupid. They know his strengths now and they will double up and have cover so he can't burst away like he did, so he has to come up with different aspects to his game. And as a team (notably the number 10's) need to support and provide for him better, a 20 year old kid can't keep making goals himself.

2 - He's young, he's played a lot of games and young players dip more extreme than experienced pro's. 

I think most people have seen enough to know that the raw attributes are there, but he's struggling because teams know about him know - it's up to him and the team around him to help evolve his game further, which he can do.

Armstrong on the other hand has shown that he has nothing apart from a kick and run approach, which will never be enough at this level.