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Aston Villa 1-0 Saints - Match Thread

whelk

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S-Clarke

S-Clarke

Posted
Posted
Just now, Saints foreva said:

Of course. 

Southampton and NIL will be quite the combo this season. 

Laughable that people on here were saying we had a 9/10 transfer window when it was painfully obvious we needed a big signing in attack. 

It's going to kill us, luckily there aren't too many games between now and January, but as it stands today we are weaker in attack than we were last season in both numbers and personal. The fact we're starting with Adam Armstrong says it all really. Need to fix that in January otherwise I don't see how we survive, I can't see any goals in that attack.

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Toussaint

Toussaint

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Posted
2 minutes ago, madge said:

Sport republic surely aren’t going to accept that. That was a clusterFeck of a performance all over the pitch.

we have better players than last season but it’s the same performance and that sits with Ralph. As for elynoussi?? What’s he got over Ralph?? A photo of him wanking off a dog or something…?

I’m not sure we do, we don’t have Broja or Romeu for starters.

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Lighthouse

Lighthouse

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1 minute ago, Disco Stu said:

That Villa performance wasn't down to new players not clicking. ABK was the only new outfield player that started.

And there’s probably a good reason that’s the case. We will see more of the new lads with time. Liv and Lav are injured and apparently Aribo hasn’t been fully fit this week either.

We’re going to have to be patient, like it or not.

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Hawkswood

Hawkswood

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Posted

Urgh.....can't believe what I'm seeing after the transfer window we had. Can't believe we're all still seeing this terrible football, these terrible, clueless line ups. Why is Ralph so afraid to put out an attacking line up. We've got at least three players in the starting line up that shouldn't be anywhere near it. It was forgivable in previous seasons as we didn't have better options but now we do. There are NO excuses for deciding on that starting 11 unless the manager really doesn't know his best 11. Awful awful awful. I've always been a fan of Ralph but there are no more excuses anymore. 

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northam soul

northam soul

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Posted

We made Mings look like the best centre half ever again.

Not a single shot on target and hardly got any bodies forward all game.

The whole approach is wrong coupled with playing the same old players doing the same old things.

We have signed all these young stars so may  as well play them rather than the dross that has failed season after season.

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Saints foreva

Saints foreva

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

It's going to kill us, luckily there aren't too many games between now and January, but as it stands today we are weaker in attack than we were last season in both numbers and personal. The fact we're starting with Adam Armstrong says it all really. Need to fix that in January otherwise I don't see how we survive, I can't see any goals in that attack.

Oh we'll get the usual club fed PR shite from the likes of Blackmore in January about how the January transfer window is always difficult and that we don't want to panic buy like we did with Carrillo. 

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Holmes_and_Watson

Holmes_and_Watson

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We lost to pretty much Villa's only real chance of the game. A chance that came when we were slow, switched off a little from the resulting corner and got a bit unlucky where the ball off the bar dropped.

RalphBall v2 is set up to try and not concede, and is let down by player error. We're then to capitalise on any chances we get.

We have to absorb a fair bit of pressure every match, so the chances of those player errors increase. Especially considering how raw some of our players are. And as we've seen we go behind more often than not and have to fight our way back into the game.

As we are dropping back, the chances we get to capitalise on are a lot fewer. Tonight, our fight back was a BK stretch to try and reach a knockdown.

It's nowhere near as entertaining to watch. When it doesn;t work (and since we so often go behind, it might rarely be working) it's especially grim. What's worse is that, being RalphBall, it's by the numbers. Villa's defence looked shaky every time the slightest bit of pressure was applied. This was often by a hard working AA. But there was no appetite to change the plan to take advantage of that. Our system, and our game, is won or lost by the plan Ralph sets up in advance. 

Villa stopped the ball getting to Adams. That was made easier as our midfield, without a Romeu had no control over the game. Hopefully Romeo is back soon, or that AMN gets up to speed.

JWP was playing a previous version of RalphBall, where everything went side and back. He had a few opporunities to take the game by the scruff, or at least push forward. He chose the most defensive option every time bar one. That's Ralph telling him that, as I used to see the same thing click in Redmond's mind. Even a goal down, don't take that risk, don't push forward. It just allowed them to recover easily all game. Stu did the same late on, resulting in it going all the way back from an attacking position.

I'd have rather seen a few more chances, if only to then hold some others more accountable. We were wasteful when we had it. KWP (trying to prove something to a national manager who has multi-pack deal of right backs he'd rather choose ahead of him) overcommited. Djenepo looked to have learned a few things from being left back. But he switched off at what resulted in key moments, and over commited too. Larios (just a kid, so that's going to happen) did it too (great track back and tackle at one point though)

We lacked a clear plan, for when we wanted to push forward. Our press didn't work, as not everyone worked together (Djenepo off a few times). I though Mo and Djenepo could have switched. We were behind and KWP didn't have as much room after that to link up with either Stu or JWP. We had no midfield to pass through, wich really stifled us tonight. Villa caught Perraud a couple of times before he went off. Mo was fouled a number of times too.

Positives are that we kept it fairly tight. We lacked our key midfield player and really have to work on transitioning with more purpose and identity when we have it. Ideally, look to exploit opportunities, as a unit, without being reckless.

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Saint Keef

Saint Keef

Posted
Posted
11 minutes ago, Sidney Fudpucker the 3rd said:

I refuse to pay another penny to watch whilst Ralph is still at the club. He's absolutely clueless and I can't afford to keep paying to watch shit like that. 

I'd rather give the money to charity and feel good about it. Watching Saints is just depressing. All that young talent just sat on the bench while the likes of Mo, start every week while he gives us nothing. 

We'll definitely be playing P*mpey next season. 😡

By paying to watch that Saints team tonight, in a way you are actually giving to charity.  Tonight, all proceeds will go the CFBS.

(Criminally F*cking Bewildered Society) 

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revolution saint

revolution saint

Posted
Posted
Just now, Lighthouse said:

And there’s probably a good reason that’s the case. We will see more of the new lads with time. Liv and Lav are injured and apparently Aribo hasn’t been fully fit this week either.

We’re going to have to be patient, like it or not.

I don't think we've got a bad team by any means and it will take time for them to gel.  We'll need to get used to the odd poor performance and loss of form.  From what I can see we don't have a manager capable of coping with that.  I see a tactically inept manager that appears lost.  He picks formations that simply don't work and experienced players that aren't good enough whilst better options are frozen out.  If we want this team to develop then Ralph is making a hell of a case for someone else being better at doing it. 

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JRM

JRM

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8 minutes ago, Toussaint said:

I’m not sure we do, we don’t have Broja or Romeu for starters.

Agree I'm not buying it, some promising youngsters but no goal scorer and less physical presence in midfield and upfront , not convinced keeper is upgrade yet was just used to league one before joining us 

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coalman

coalman

Posted
Posted

Ralph to BBC Sport
""With the last pass or finish, we are not dangerous enough at the moment. We need more punch in the front. We need to create more chances. We have to find the players who can give you that."

Conveniently forgetting he left all the players he "found" to give us that on the bench until the rest of the team were already mentally on the bus.

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Fabrice Fernandes no.1 fan

Fabrice Fernandes no.1 fan

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Really really disappointed in that. Hard to see why that team was chosen and then no one bothered to prove why.

Bazunu didn’t have a very good game, reminded me at times of Gazzanigga when he played a bit; a wonderful long pass on him that sailed out of play almost every time

The defence looked shaky, too many high balls not being dealt with (surely it is still rule number one that you don’t let the ball bounce and the opposition have a chance at it) and passing was very sloppy 

Midfield were overrun, everything seemed to just pinball off us. McGinn is a shit of a player but he played our midfield perfectly, wound them up and made them afraid to get stuck in early

Cannot fathom how Moi gets in the team, he just does not offer enough to be in such a crucial role, he lacks the pace or power or drive to carry the team up the pitch

Djenepo had flashes in the first half but some strong performances at left back shouldn’t get him 90 minutes at right wing, that doesn’t make sense to me. 

Up top we just never got going, nothing seemed to stick with either striker and we never managed to challenge a keeper who liked like he needed a nice lie down and a lemon and ginger tea all game. 
 

To be positive and move forward we need to give JWP more support, get Aribo settled and in the team (his close control can be a real difference maker in this team).

Thought Larios had a look of Tino about him too, made one really impressive run through their midfield and then a few minutes later tracked back for a great tackle. Get him learning from KWP and we could have another talent in the team, and would give Perraud time to get fully fit (because he doesn’t look it currently).

A game to put behind us and try not to let happen again this season 

 

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saintant

saintant

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Posted

When JWP plays like he has done for most of this season I'm afraid he is a liability.  He is contributing very little and even his free kicks and corners have been pretty average. He's a passenger we can ill afford at the moment - not closing down, getting caught in possession and making poor passes unless they are five yards square or backwards. Not sure if he's carrying a knock but he's a yard off the pace and a player like him can't afford not to be right on his game. Unfortunately there's not much to put in his place but he must be running the risk of being rested although I'm sure Ralph wouldn't consider it.

Tonight we passed the ball around the back until there was no other choice but to lump it upfield to a forward line that do not win headers. It was food and drink to the Vlla defence. Where was our pass and move or players taking up intelligent positions between the lines? It was a bunch of statues with zero movement. I look forward to hearing what spin Ralph puts on this.

We may live to regret failing to get in a big, strong striker during the transfer window as we have no out ball. A better side than Villa would have filled their boots tonight.

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pimpin4rizeal

pimpin4rizeal

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On the plus side we do look harder to beat this season and imo first time under Ralph we have a bit of backbone and don’t look soft:.

that’s as far as the praise goes for RH, why oh why does he seem to have a thing for players that can’t create shit,, years of redmond and now elyounoussi seems to be his go to who is somehow much worse, can’t for the life. Of me see what he brings as one of our so called creators Aa no better and bright exciting looking sparks like edozie and Mara left on bench for these two..

I got a lot of stick for my criticism of adams, not his fault today but hardly won anything in the air..still don’t have much faith he’s gonna carry us goals wise..

we are competing in most games but up top we are totally toothless and it’s pretty shocking this wasn’t a priority in the summer 

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qwertyell

qwertyell

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Posted

Terrible from start to finish. 

Although to begin with a solitary positive, the kid Larios looked game. Physically, he's got a lot of developing to do, but he's brave, pretty quick, and tidy on the ball.

The rest of the side were a fucking joke. They had no idea how they were even going to get into the opposition third, let alone create chances. Backwards, backwards, hoof - rinse and repeat.

Elyounoussi will rightly get hammered for his consistent crapness, but in terms of what we should expect from our captain, "talisman", and best player, Ward-Prowse was appalling. An absolute chicken shit of a performance: didn't want the ball, didn't take any responsibility, just passed the buck (backwards), on the rare occasions he wasn't completely bypassed by the game.

He's not going to the World Cup on current form - and he'll have no-one else to blame of he misses out on another tournament squad. 

Selling Romeu when we knew Lavia had a bad injury will prove to be one of the dumbest decisions we've ever made. There's absolutely nothing there in midfield now. No physicality. No tackles. No aggression. Nothing. Maitland-Niles won't provide that either - just in case anyone is trying to convince themselves that he's the answer. That's not his game.

Don't rate the keeper at all. Hasn't made anything other than straightforward bread and butter saves - and has fucked two of them up in the last two games. 

4 defeats in 7. No goals in 3 of 7. No clean sheets. And the football is garbage. 

Going to be a big January, I guess...

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saintant

saintant

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, pimpin4rizeal said:

On the plus side we do look harder to beat this season and imo first time under Ralph we have a bit of backbone and don’t look soft:.

that’s as far as the praise goes for RH, why oh why does he seem to have a thing for players that can’t create shit,, years of redmond and now elyounoussi seems to be his go to who is somehow much worse, can’t for the life. Of me see what he brings as one of our so called creators Aa no better and bright exciting looking sparks like edozie and Mara left on bench for these two..

I got a lot of stick for my criticism of adams, not his fault today but hardly won anything in the air..still don’t have much faith he’s gonna carry us goals wise..

we are competing in most games but up top we are totally toothless and it’s pretty shocking this wasn’t a priority in the summer 

Problem is, the way we are set up to be hard to beat negates a lot of our offensive options. I said before we will end up losing a lot of games 1-0 and that's already happened in 3 matches out of seven.

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revolution saint

revolution saint

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, JRM said:

I don't understand this 

 

It's Ralph every time he gets a player that might have an opinion of his own.  He can't cope and it's why he prefers younger players.  Let's take him at face value though and assume that AMN isn't quite up to how he wants him to play.  Does dropping him from the squad completely help him develop?  Is that really the optimum way to getting the best out of him or improve him?  We needed three in midfield today.  Diallo isn't capable of playing in a two and maybe AMN isn't either but Diallo, JWP and AMN might have been better.  To ignore that option and still have Walcott on the bench is nothing short of mental.  

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Disco Stu

Disco Stu

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, aintforever said:

Because we’ve brought a bunch of kids who might be good in a few years time but are, at the moment, too shit to start.

1 minute ago, Lighthouse said:

And there’s probably a good reason that’s the case. We will see more of the new lads with time. Liv and Lav are injured and apparently Aribo hasn’t been fully fit this week either.

We’re going to have to be patient, like it or not.

Elyounoussi has played 6 games in an advanced midfield position contributing 0 goals, 0 assists and his pass completion rate is one of the worst in the squad. Mara and Edozie have both shown they have something about them but he is taking their game time and putting in poor performances.

His supposed work against the ball isn't anything to rave about (certainly not enough to justify keeping him in the starting 11) and a large contributor towards why we can't keep clean sheets is because our defense has no outlet. He is the worst player in our team for giving the ball away and inviting pressure back onto our defense. If Ralph insists on a player that has extensive experience in the position, I'd prefer him to give Stuart Armstrong the opportunity who this season has had a significantly better pass completion rate, made more key passes and he's much more mobile.

A midfield paring of JWP and Diallo has never worked either. His options may have been limited but Ralph could have done more to mitigate that clear weakness. It doesn't appear we can play this system without a Lavia/Romeu type player cleaning up. That has been proven consistently. We only had one new outfield player starting today. This isn't a case of a team not gelling, it was tactical ineptness and don't even get me started on the in-game management.

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OttawaSaint

OttawaSaint

Posted
Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, coalman said:

Ralph to BBC Sport
""With the last pass or finish, we are not dangerous enough at the moment. We need more punch in the front. We need to create more chances. We have to find the players who can give you that."

Conveniently forgetting he left all the players he "found" to give us that on the bench until the rest of the team were already mentally on the bus.

Ralph needs a punch in the throat. 

We don't get the ball to forward players because JWP and Moi are too busy fannying around and competing on who can lose the ball or pass it back the most. No other team does this as regularly as us. Most have a bloody good go at it like Fulham.

Edited by OttawaSaint
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