Saints 1-2 Palace - Match Thread

[Professor]

Ralph has had his day. I’d accept there was no point sacking him before the end of the season, in fact, keeping him on has confirmed that getting rid will be the right decision. He was given a chance to improve performances and failed miserably. The close season is the time to appoint a new manager when there is maximum availability of candidates. 
One thing I find highly irritating is the complacency of the match reports on the OS. Today was a case in point. We weren’t just “beaten by a last gasp Zaha strike..” We lost a home game to a team that were below us in the table because we failed to build on an early lead and failed again to keep a clean sheet.  
Once again we are likely to finish only just above the relegation places. The squad isn’t good enough, the team selections aren’t good enough and the tactics aren’t good enough. All of which says, the manager isn’t good enough. 

[gandalf]

35 minutes ago, beatlesaint said:

I’m reading that Adam Armstrong left the bench and went down the tunnel when the third sub came on. Is that just Twitter b/s or can anyone confirm?

Yep. I mentioned this on the way home. Perhaps it was a Jason puncheon moment

[gammon cheeks]

Bit pissed ...only thought we were pretty shit again! ...5 points out of the last 30!   Ralph has taken us as far as he can.... never blames himself ...team selections or tactics .....Palace were far better than us and there just a average side really .

[bpsaint]

1 hour ago, Turkish said:

If the season was flipped, and we started with that form he’d be out on his arse - however because we’re safe it’s somehow deemed acceptable by the board. 
 

Man needs to go I’m sorry, his tactics and team selections are as batty as Whiskey George. Backroom team too, whole coaching team needs a refresh.

[Turkish]

Ezes first goal in 11 months

palaces first win after going behind all season

Teams and players in need of a goal or win must lick their lips when they see us next on the fixture list. It happens so often it’s ridiculous 

[Convict Colony]

I give Ralph the first 10 games of the new season assuming this is his first summer where we actually have money to spend and we get some no.10s and someone to replace simple jack

[John Boy Saint]

10 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Ezes first goal in 11 months

palaces first win after going behind all season

Teams and players in need of a goal or win must lick their lips when they see us next on the fixture list. It happens so often it’s ridiculous 

And they say Lightening never strikes twice - fuck me we must live in the equivalent of Tornado Alley.

I uttered to Mrs JBS at the time that I didn’t think he had scored for yonks.

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, beatlesaint said:

I’m reading that Adam Armstrong left the bench and went down the tunnel when the third sub came on. Is that just Twitter b/s or can anyone confirm?

Absolutely true, I noticed that. It seemed to me that Ralph sanctioned it. 

[woodsaint1]

1 hour ago, beatlesaint said:

I’m reading that Adam Armstrong left the bench and went down the tunnel when the third sub came on. Is that just Twitter b/s or can anyone confirm?

Dont blame him. Whilst hes hardly been knocking the door down with his previous performances, the three striking options ahead of him havent scored in forever and two of them will be leaving the club in 3 games time.

If this stage of the season isnt the time to give a player who has 3 years left on his contract a go to build his confidence then I dont know when is. Hes probably hoping like most of us that Ralph will be gone in the summer. All of us likely to be disappointed though

[Nemi]

Another goal from a set-piece again. I actually get depressed by how we play at the moment, it just makes it seem like scoring a goal from open-play is an impossible endeavour.

Watching our goal of the season contenders today, they’re literally just long-range shots or free-kicks. When is the last time we’ve actually scored a decent team goal?

[The Cat]

4 minutes ago, Nemi said:

Another goal from a set-piece again. I actually get depressed by how we play at the moment, it just makes it seem like scoring a goal from open-play is an impossible endeavour.

Watching our goal of the season contenders today, they’re literally just long-range shots or free-kicks. When is the last time we’ve actually scored a decent team goal?

Walker Peters v Man City? That came after 20 odd passes. Can't remember any more recently although surely there must have been?

[woodsaint1]

Our run of results have been absymal, but even worse than that has been the manner of the defeats. Soundly beaten in pretty much all of them.

Villa (A), Chelsea (H), Burnley (A), Newcastle (H), Watford (H) and today have to be up there with the worst performances I've seen in many a year. Villa, Chelsea and Burnley could also have been alot worse based on the chances we gifted those teams.

Simply unacceptable from the players and management. 🤬

[Nemi]

9 minutes ago, The Cat said:

Walker Peters v Man City? That came after 20 odd passes. Can't remember any more recently although surely there must have been?

Good goal to be fair. But it still relied on a good finish more than anything to score the goal. I think my frustration stems from the fact that 99% of the football we play is slow, sideways passes in front of the opposition defence. We barely ever get in behind the other team and I just find it frustrating that we seem to be the worst team at actually unlocking a defence.

And even counting KWP’s goal, that was three months ago. Broja scored from a through-ball v Brentford but again that was probably more down to Brentford’s defending. Apart from that I really do struggle to recall anything, though I guess there will be one or two examples, but nowhere near enough.

[OttawaSaint]

RH will probably throw AA in for Liverpool and shrug and say "see, told you he was shit". 

He seems almost petty. If we are just coasting to see the season out then why not try out various options like a decent formation, AA, Lyanco, Diallo etc?

[Turkish]

38 minutes ago, woodsaint1 said:

Dont blame him. Whilst hes hardly been knocking the door down with his previous performances, the three striking options ahead of him havent scored in forever and two of them will be leaving the club in 3 games time.

If this stage of the season isnt the time to give a player who has 3 years left on his contract a go to build his confidence then I dont know when is. Hes probably hoping like most of us that Ralph will be gone in the summer. All of us likely to be disappointed though

Didn’t start that way though. Looked a good player in his his first few games, great finish at Everton, looked a handful, he seems to have got progressively worse as the season has gone on. 
 

completely agree with what you say, why we are playing Long over him is bizarre. Long will be without a contract in 3 games time, now we should be giving him a few starts to show what he can do 

[Hodgey]

I think we all know that Long will be given an extension- he is unbelievably our second choice owned striker at the moment. Says it all really….

[Kingsbridge Saint]

Yet another second half capitulation. Offered absolutely nothing after going 1 up, as usual. Equaliser as inevitable as the sun rising in the morning. Palace stoppage time winner from Zaha as predictable as the sun setting in the evening. Poor team selection. Redmond? Neither Armstrong? No tactical changes. Questions over Ralph again. 

[Saint Matty 76]

Made a mistake. Still getting a mixture of Palace fans saying “fair play” and also calling me a cunt. Sub-par evening.

[Kingsbridge Saint]

I think this might be the third time I've made this point after yet another dismal performance under Ralph but we've been awful ever since he changed a winning side for the West Ham FA cup match. Thought it was a stupid move at the time, because even though we got through the 'first team' got the big 'I Am' mentality and now he can't put the genie back in the bottle. I'd be happy to see him gone just for doing that, and the arrogance shown afterwards. 

 

Edited 30 April, 2022 by Kingsbridge Saint
Contextualising

[Dragon_man]

44 minutes ago, Kingsbridge Saint said:

I think this might be the third time I've made this point after yet another dismal performance under Ralph but we've been awful ever since he changed a winning side for the West Ham FA cup match. Thought it was a stupid move at the time, because even though we got through the 'first team' got the big 'I Am' mentality and now he can't put the genie back in the bottle. I'd be happy to see him gone just for doing that, and the arrogance shown afterwards. 

 

Think you have a valid point

[austsaint]

5 hours ago, Saints foreva said:

Shane Long should be nowhere near this. He wasn't even good enough for Bournemouth last year yet he's starting games for us now. Laughable. 

Nice bloke Shane Long (apparently), good character in the dressing room (apparently), handy with a guitar, real "nuisance" on the pitch........should never have been starting a game for at least the past two seasons.       This alone has me thinking Ralph must go.

[CylonKing]

Said it before, this feels like the Strachan effect all over again. We were 4th at Christmas when WGS said he was leaving and we plummeted. We were a team in Jan, looking good. Then Ralph says he intends to retire at the end of his contract and we plummet...we suddenly looked awful. Can the players really be motivated by someone they know who is leaving?

I feel we are better than the current position and something is holding us back. Thinking it may be Ralph now. Like him and think he's been good for us but a change is now needed. Is Hoddle available? 😉

 

[danjosaint]

2 hours ago, Turkish said:

Didn’t start that way though. Looked a good player in his his first few games, great finish at Everton, looked a handful, he seems to have got progressively worse as the season has gone on. 
 

 

Mmm shock player gets worse under Ralph's coaching 

[CylonKing]

Always thought we've looked better with A. Armstrong in the team. A bit like Che in that he gets in the right places for an attempt but just takes the wrong option. With more game time, I think he'll be good for us, but needs to be in the team.

[Dorchester Saint]

Thanks for the good times  Ralph, you’re a nice bloke, but it’s time to go. 

[Vancouver Saint]

8 hours ago, Dragon_man said:

We're safe, so I don't think results are of much concern to the club now.

I must be missing something? Isn't it entirely possible that we won't get another point from our last three games (on current form that is most probable)...and that Everton, Leeds and Burnley can accumulate enough points to surpass us. Are they all playing each other or something?

[Saint_clark]

5 hours ago, Nemi said:

Another goal from a set-piece again. I actually get depressed by how we play at the moment, it just makes it seem like scoring a goal from open-play is an impossible endeavour.

Watching our goal of the season contenders today, they’re literally just long-range shots or free-kicks. When is the last time we’ve actually scored a decent team goal?

Weird complaint, most teams goal of the season contenders are "just" long range shots or freekicks.

[david in sweden]

After a "nightmare start " to the fixture list in August , we came away with points against both Manc. sides

and also West Ham , then plodded along and were 9th at the end of February, followed by a good Cup win over West Ham

....since when we've had one win in 9 games, and managed just 7 goals - (and not one of them by any " so-called " striker).

Despite (surprisingly) beating Arsenal, and predictably losing to Chelsea.....we have (in the meantime) lost 23 points to teams

who were arguably worse than us - on paper.   No blame can be attached to either Livramento or Broja , who (unlike Adam. A.

did well in their first Prem. season, but both looked  below par after their injury breaks after Christmas.  (No surprise).

 

The long-awaited return of Stuart A. was a real disappointment and he still looks way miles off the excellent player we saw previously.

I agree with those (above in this thread) that for all the positives we quote about Shane Long, he's really not Prem. standard anymore,

and his goal tally has been very poor considering the games / chances he has had in the last 2-3 seasons. 

Our real problem has been the lack of proper investment (not Ralph's fault) and he's done the best he can given the circumstances.

Neither Adams or Adam.A  has really made an impression, and Broja cannot function asa lone striker unless given real support.

 

We still lack creativity in midfield, and a dependable back four ..as both Salisu and Lyanco  blow hot and cold in successive games.

How we have missed  " the Danny Ings spirit", and the " Walcott experiment " didn't work and you'll need a long memory to recall a

good performance from either Redmond or Djenepo.   It's rather depressing to look further for the answers but Ralph will need a 

major re-think .... and a lot of cash to spend before the start of next season.  

[LiberalCommunist]

We are not as good as our best days, and we are not as bad as our worst. 

I adjusted my expectations some time ago, so these last minute goals don't kill me as much now. 

For me, we need the three weakest teams in the division next term, or we are in the shit.

Make no mistake, we are aiming for 1 or two places above the line for success.

[whelk]

12 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

We’ve lost 13 league games this season. Puel lost 16. If we can nick a draw at Brentford or Leicester, we will have lost fewer games than Puel… without the help of Fonte and Van Dijk for half a season.

We can only dream of 46 points. Can’t remember the cup final this year either

[whelk]

Why the fuck he plays Long over AA I don’t know. Whilst always have a soft spot for Shane he couldn’t get a game at a Championship club and now seems to be in our starting eleven. Depressing how shite we are.

Edited 1 May, 2022 by whelk

[alehouseboys]

3 minutes ago, whelk said:

Depressing how white we are.

Racist.

[Verbal Kint]

6 hours ago, CylonKing said:

I feel we are better than the current position and something is holding us back.

 

I really don't understand why people think this.

This is a very very poor squad with little to no quality aside from JWP's set pieces. The general consensus at the start of the season was that we would really struggle and if Broja hadn't had that spell of form then we would be right in the relegation battle.

Major surgery is needed on the squad. Ralph knows this as well. Starting Long over AA is sending a very clear message to the recruitment team, and it's the right one to send

[Sarisbury Saint]

Did anyone hear Ralph’s interview after the game on Radio Solent ?

If that’s how he speaks to the team, it’s no wonder we’re struggling. He really didn’t say anything that made sense. My gran could’ve explained things better .

[whelk]

9 minutes ago, Sarisbury Saint said:

Did anyone hear Ralph’s interview after the game on Radio Solent ?

If that’s how he speaks to the team, it’s no wonder we’re struggling. He really didn’t say anything that made sense. My gran could’ve explained things better .

I think he mostly cries during halftime team talks

[Saint Billy]

Earlier in the season whilst on a good run I remember the media creaming themselves over S Armstrong, Salisu, Livramento, Romeu and Kwp. Exactly what happened to these guys for their form to drop in unison like a stone along with the rest of the squad?. 

There can be only one culprit. He failed to continue with the formula that was working. He tinkered to accommodate rotation and put his trust in shoe in players with absolutely no form or right to even be on the subs bench. 

Ralph's inconsistency with squad selection and formation killed off the good run along with any chance of us having a reasonable season. 

 

[austsaint]

8 minutes ago, Saint Billy said:

Earlier in the season whilst on a good run I remember the media creaming themselves over S Armstrong, Salisu, Livramento, Romeu and Kwp. Exactly what happened to these guys for their form to drop in unison like a stone along with the rest of the squad?. 

There can be only one culprit. He failed to continue with the formula that was working. He tinkered to accommodate rotation and put his trust in shoe in players with absolutely no form or right to even be on the subs bench. 

Ralph's inconsistency with squad selection and formation killed off the good run along with any chance of us having a reasonable season. 

 

To be fair, KWP has been a consistently high performer all season.   Romeu pretty good too.   LIvramento a predictable drop off given his youth and workload and S. Armstrong an injury spoiled campaign.   Having said that, I'm in the "it's time" for Ralph.    There's now a solid body of evidence to support a change of Manager.   I wish him well.

[Dorchester Saint]

Thanks for the good times  Ralph, you’re a nice bloke, but it’s time to go. 

[The Cat]

 

 

 

[adrian lord]

Oh dear. The flower of Southampton's youth in the dustbin as Johnny Rotten might have sung. Only a few short months ago Salisu looked like the next van Dijk, Tella and Broja etc were purring along terrorising defences. And now we are utter cack and preferentially fielding the likes Shane Long who was past it 3 years ago.

[saint bessy]

11 hours ago, Hodgey said:

I think we all know that Long will be given an extension- he is unbelievably our second choice owned striker at the moment. Says it all really….

longs retireing at end of season

 

[saint bessy]

i think we need to be looking for a new manager  after final whistle of season say by ralph  the way we are playing i can see us winning  again this season

 

[InvictaSaint]

Just rewatching the game. Redmond’s failure to track Eze for the equaliser - he literally watches him run into the space vacated by KWP who’d tucked in - was disgraceful. 

[gammon cheeks]

Need new direction ....Ralphs style has gone stale and predictable ....hopefully the new owners will see that .

[S-Clarke]

4 minutes ago, gammon cheeks said:

Need new direction ....Ralphs style has gone stale and predictable ....hopefully the new owners will see that .

It's either the players or the manager, maybe a combination of both. I say we focus on adding quality to the attack in the summer to freshen the team up and actually give us a cutting edge, keep Ralph and see what he can do without having to rely on Long, Redmond, Moussa, Elyonoussi, to provide the goals. He's onto a loser when you see the quality he has to work with in certain areas tbh.

[rallyboy]

Lazy defending for both goals.

Extra sloppy for the 2nd, no striker should be given the room to turn two central defenders and get in a speculative shot from there.

Poor effort all round - much work needed in the summer.

 

[Badger]

7 minutes ago, rallyboy said:

Lazy defending for both goals.

Extra sloppy for the 2nd, no striker should be given the room to turn two central defenders and get in a speculative shot from there.

Poor effort all round - much work needed in the summer.

 

Overall a half-arsed performance. 

[Whitey Grandad]

5 minutes ago, Badger said:

Overall a half-arsed performance. 

No commitment in any of the tackles. Nobody wanted to get stuck in. I singled out Redmond, even though I generally support him, but others were half-hearted. Tella in particular.

[John Boy Saint]

From my seat at the final whistle - the whole performance was summed up in the latter minutes with half arsed passes of poor quality to no one in particular.

I have to admit, after 45 years of clicking through the turnstile down the Saints - it’s all getting a bit tiresome now and do I want to commit to 19 home games anymore.

[Give it to Ron]

Can someone explain why Ely substitution a player that had offered nothing in weeks?

He can’t tackle, has no pace , hardly creates no good defensively yet gets brought on to do what?

Armstrong first half v Chelsea was our only decent although he got subbed!

Redmond should have gone left midfield and Armstrong to keep Palace defence busy . What did Redmond actually do second half but tell other players what to do Made me laugh him telling KWP what to do!