Aston Villa 1-0 Saints - Match Thread

[LaptopSaint]

Adams Arma Djeny and Ely aren’t a Prem quality front four. That’s obvious. But Ralph leaves the new guys on the bench. 
Hoping for better second half. 

[trousers]

8 minutes ago, Pilchards said:

Why can’t he start with an attacking team so we can take a lead

Because when we do that we end up with the "dropping most points from a leading position" trophy...?

[Saint_clark]

2 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

How many goals is the keeper going to cost us until he gets the stick the other two got. Piss fucking poor there, that’s about the third time this season. 

This is exactly why I wanted us to sign an experienced keeper. Instead we're going to put up with his mistakes, develop him and then sell him on when he's actually winning us points rather than costing us. 

[saintant]

Set up too passive. Just happy to stay in the game, no desire or bravery on the ball and this against a very poor side. Have made it hard for ourselves now because of the timid first half. Very disappointing but no real surprise with the team selected. One bright spot was Djenepo who has done well. Not sure what has happened to JWP this season - he still hasn't got out of first gear. Changes needed at half time but doubt Ralph will have the balls.

[Saints foreva]

1 minute ago, Saint NL said:

Southampton

 

Southampton have conceded a goal in 18 successive top-flight away matches for the first time since 1989 

 

that's some crazy stat

 

Another achievement for Ralph. 

[Turkish]

Just now, Killers Knee said:

Adams may as well sit in the stands, Djenepo is running about like a headless chicken, Armstrong spends more time defending than attacking and Mo is too slow in foot and thought.

 3 subs minimum at half time needed, and change of formation 

To be fair Djenepo has been the only one who remotely looks like making anything happen, rest of them have been abysmal 

[SNSUN]

1 minute ago, Turkish said:

You mean like @SNSUN missus is right now you mean?

She'll be lucky at this rate. Saints not helping get the motor running.

[S-Clarke]

Just now, Sidney Fudpucker the 3rd said:

We've made some really positive signings yet Ralph has as playing the same crap football. 

We have, but I still feel our season (Well, first half) is going to be dictated by our failure to get in a 'proven' game changing attacker. It has the risk of making all the other positive work null and void if we're not careful.

[Toussaint]

5 minutes ago, Sarisbury Saint said:

I didn’t see the golden boy do much either.

He can’t cover the shortcomings of that pitiful midfield 

[Fitzhugh Fella]

2 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

Got the game on a stream on my laptop, whilst on the TV we are watching "There's Something about Movies". Highlight of the first half was Alan Carr and Michael Sheen re-enacting the orgasm scene from When Harry Met Sally in a greasy spoon cafe.

You are obviously a dedicated fan

[trousers]

9 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

No one can with a straight face say Bazunu is better than McCarthy.

[AlexLaw76]

Just now, Saint_clark said:

This is exactly why I wanted us to sign an experienced keeper. Instead we're going to put up with his mistakes, develop him and then sell him on when he's actually winning us points rather than costing us. 

If he continues this form, he will be on the bench soon enough - like angus gunn was

[Turkish]

Just now, SNSUN said:

She'll be lucky at this rate. Saints not helping get the motor running.

Is it too late to go for a meal instead?

[sydney_saint]

I think we have tried to be too cute with the keeper position. It is so vital to have a bit of experience there, especially with such a young backline. It's the one signing I don't get. 10m is really quite expensive for that position. Even if he does really well, what's his sell on gonna be? 25m? Which is far lower than what we expect of players like ABK or Lavia who will be looking at 40m. His distribution is woeful as well and stops us from retaining the ball.

I say this every week, but I still don't get Moi. When we shipped him off loan, it was decided he was too slow, not strong enough, and for a player whose strength is supposedly his technical skills, he seems unable to strike a football cleanly. Nothing about his reintegration shows me we were wrong to shift him on loan

[itchen]

Oh dear, made the mistake of looking in here at half time. See you at the end.

[coalman]

Alright, I'm over that first half now. COYS

[jimmysaint7]

2 minutes ago, Toadhall Saint said:

3 minutes ago, The Kraken said:

Once Salisu plays the ball with a ‘deliberate movement’ he’s back onside. If the ball came back off the crossbar straight to the striker, he’s offside. It’s a dopey law, there’s been far worse occasions than that where a goal has been given. But, by the laws, it’s correct.

Thats ridiculous this applies even if you stand 10 yds offside ro start? 

 

[Totton Saint]

7 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Probably one of the worst football matches for some time, two inept sides. We are just a tad more inept sadly.

Attacking wise, hopeless. Adams isolated, Armstrong, Elyounoussi light weight nothing players. Moussa swapping sides with no real purpose.

Midfield lightweight as they get. Back 4 solid enough, but in an attacking sense we are utterly hopeless as was expected really. Not sure how many chances Elyounoussi needs to get before he's consigned to the charity shop.

The first half of this season is pretty much hanging on Edozie being a superstar. Need to see him at HT as well as Aribo.

What a shambles. The players just did not look interested in going forward So complacent . What was those kicks from our goalie that kept going over Villa's goal line

[OttawaSaint]

And JWP has been utter gash so far this season. 

[LiberalCommunist]

Right. Time to win this shit. 

The ref will give us one decision this half, and we'll score from it. 

Come On.......

[AlexLaw76]

Just now, S-Clarke said:

We have, but I still feel our season (Well, first half) is going to be dictated by our failure to get in a 'proven' game changing attacker. It has the risk of making all the other positive work null and void if we're not careful.

come on.  We (including you) claimed we have improved all over the park (bar the attack).  So far, with the exception of ABK, we have not.  Nothing has changed.

[danjosaint]

The sooner Ralph fucks off the better

[S-Clarke]

Just now, Totton Saint said:

What a shambles. The players just did not look interested in going forward So complacent . What was those kicks from our goalie that kept going over Villa's goal line

It's like Bazunu thought we had pace and quality up front to take advantage of those long clearances.

We don't.

[LaptopSaint]

3 minutes ago, Sidney Fudpucker the 3rd said:

We're shit. Again, the finger has to be pointed at Ralph. He keeps starting Mo, yet we've got 2 superior players in, Armstrong and Aribo sat on the bench. When is Mara going to be given a chance? 

We've made some really positive signings yet Ralph has as playing the same crap football. 

Sadly, this. At least in the first half this evening. 

[Turkish]

Just now, itchen said:

Oh dear, made the mistake of looking in here at half time. See you at the end.

You happy with the performance then?

[AlexLaw76]

Just now, S-Clarke said:

It's like Bazunu thought we had pace and quality up front to take advantage of those long clearances.

We don't.

Come on, he was kicking the way out into touch.  He has been average at the very best this season.  McCarthy or him, no real difference

[Saint_clark]

Larios coming on for Perraud.

[SNSUN]

1 minute ago, Turkish said:

Is it too late to go for a meal instead?

I probably should have. 

[Jonnyboy]

5 minutes ago, Turkish said:

You mean like @SNSUN missus is right now you mean?

Nah, that'll be when we come back to win 1-2.

[OttawaSaint]

Larius and Aribo coming on. 

[badgerx16]

2 minutes ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

You are obviously a dedicated fan

What was yours ?

[Warriorsaint]

9 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

How many goals is the keeper going to cost us until he gets the stick the other two got. Piss fucking poor there, that’s about the third time this season. 

Go away you fool

[Saint Matty 76]

Fingers crossed it's another Livramento!

Shame the three behind the striker are all still on.

[Saints foreva]

Moi stays on. Unbelievable. 

[Baird of the land]

Line-up didn't give me much hope.

Most disappointing thing was how their goal was coming and we did nothing

[trousers]

9 minutes ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Err, so you agree we’ve been better than utter dross all across the team in the first half? Really? I’m hoping of course that somehow Ralph manufactures a silk purse out of a sows ear at half-time…it may happen and if it does I’ll be the first to congratulate him for a stunning display of tactical genius. See you at full-time.😏😉

We may lose the game from here, we may get a draw, we may win it. If it's ok with you I'm gonna wait until the end of the game before coming to a judgement on the overall performance. I know that means I won't get any bragging points given I won't be able to play my self-congratulatory "told you so" card at the end of the game, but hey ho....

[coalman]

3 minutes ago, coalman said:

Alright, I'm over that first half now. COYS

I lied. Moi is still on the pitch. I'm not over it.

[sydney_saint]

I really want Ralph to work out, and I think some of his achievements here get overlooked. But his obsession with Moi is gonna get him sacked. How on earth has he stayed on?

[Saint_clark]

How on earth did he get a freekick to villa out of that?

[Saint NL]

Positive changes at least.

[Yorkshire Saint]

Not sure why Bazuna is getting called out. I think he looks comfortable and his distribution is good. If anything to good. 

[JRM]

Frustrating thing is Steven Gerrard's Aston Villa have looked like they'd be vulnerable against a decent forward line 

[coalman]

C'mon ref. The coloured things in your pocket are there for a reason

[Noodles34]

Anonomosy. Just why?

[Saint NL]

That looked like handball

[Convict Colony]

1 minute ago, Saints foreva said:

Moi stays on. Unbelievable. 

was coming to post this.

[Saint_clark]

Just now, Yorkshire Saint said:

Not sure why Bazuna is getting called out. I think he looks comfortable and his distribution is good. If anything to good. 

Because some of us like our goalkeepers to be good at goalkeeping BEFORE we worry about them being an attacking threat.

[Dorchester Saint]

Che has been wank so far tonight!

[Holmes_and_Watson]

It's another game where Ralph will look back and think it very nearly worked. contain them and look to capitalise on any breaks chances. His second half plan would be to make some more attacking subs, where needed to put more pressure on the tiring home side. He will look at us not being in position and conceding a corenr. He will look at us being slow to react to the corner and being unfortunate on where it fell.

But, it's another game where containing results in us not creating much, and certainly not punishing a Villa defence that looked shaky under any pressure. Another game where we go behind because containing all the time is tough to do, and players in our squad/ level will switch off.

Here's hoping a more positive second half gets us back into this and we'll see how it ends up from there.

[adrian lord]

Armstrong seems slow.