Saints 1-2 Everton - Match Thread

[CB Fry]

Tell you what lads, that new assistant manager must be shit hot. Shit hot.

Oh I hope he takes over next, he'll be brilliant.

[OttawaSaint]

10 minutes ago, Pamplemousse said:

Without Pickford we win that game IMO. And with a clinical striker (not Ralph's fault we didn't sign one!)

We should play against teams with no goalie, great idea!

[Vancouver Saint]

Too many changes to the starting 11 - looked dreadful first half, like a team that had never played together before - disjointed and lacking energy or belief. Were lucky to go in at half-time 0-0.  Aribo, one of our brighter spots, gave us the perfect platform to move forward on, but then we decide not to bother defending set pieces (where was Caleta wassisname allowing that header at the back post?) To concede one goal so quickly is criminal, two is unforgivable. Played okay after AA came on - he created our best chances - but we have no natural finishers...no surprise we can't equalize ourselves.

Maitland-Niles was useless, off-the-pace. JWP anonymous - between them we had no control of midfield and lost the game there. I was thinking Diallo and Redmond would have at least tackled and moved the ball forward. SA played well.

Mara anonymous but got no service. 

But above all, we don't know who we are - what shape or style we play. We've lost the high-energy, high press and swapped it for slow sideways passing with hopeful punts up the park to small players who can't hold the ball up, even if they can get to it.

[Tanlee]

If your going to sign young players with potential, you atleast need a manager who can help most of them unlock that potential, Ralph never has and never will be a manger that improves players, makes you wonder what the point of signing them was in the first place was. 

The Premier league isn't as forgiving as  the bundesliga if this policy fails, and with Ralph in charge.. No chance 

[RedWillie]

Sack Ralph and then what?

We've still got two of the worst ever strikers to wear the shirt up front in Eyyyaww Adams and Oddd Job Armstrong  neither of whom can hit a cows arse with a banjo.

[East Kent Saint]

JWP last place in player ratings on BBC sports page , has he got covid or something or is he following orders ?

[bennyev]

Terrible teams (Villa / Everton / etc) play us and kick start their season.
That's what we've become.

We've lost any style of play and his player selections are just mental. Again and again.

If he gets another 10 games we're going down.

 

[cloggy saint]

9 minutes ago, DT said:

Has he gone yet?

You clearly have a functioning computer, why don't you check on some of the sports pages? You really are a weapons-grade bore.

[woodsaint1]

7 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

Tell you what lads, that new assistant manager must be shit hot. Shit hot.

Oh I hope he takes over next, he'll be brilliant.

I was waiting for Selles our saviour to come to our rescue today. It didnt happen. After 8 games of the season you would think we'd see some signs of change/improvement with the new backroom team. Nope, in fact we've probably got worse

[East Kent Saint]

1 minute ago, bennyev said:

Terrible teams (Villa / Everton / etc) play us and kick start their season.
That's what we've become.

We've lost any style of play and his player selections are just mental. Again and again.

If he gets another 10 games we're going down.

 

Saints seem the most likely team to play an out of sorts team back into form , have been for some time . It used to be that Saints would beat the odd top team in the same season.

[OttawaSaint]

3 minutes ago, East Kent Saint said:

JWP last place in player ratings on BBC sports page , has he got covid or something or is he following orders ?

Every season he starts really slowly with all the crap set pieces, slow backwards and sideways.

It's like he's sulking that he's not been picked up by a better club.

Once he gets over it, he plays decent.

[Dellman]

4 minutes ago, East Kent Saint said:

JWP last place in player ratings on BBC sports page , has he got covid or something or is he following orders ?

He's been the heart of the Club for a long time, perhaps he has lost heart like many of the fans inc me

[DT]

4 minutes ago, cloggy saint said:

You clearly have a functioning computer, why don't you check on some of the sports pages? You really are a weapons-grade bore.

Has he gone yet?

[JRM]

19 minutes ago, Boris Karloff said:

Was shocked by how poor AMN was. Don't know if the early booking affected him but spent rest of the game strolling around doing nothing.

We were vastly improved after he went off. That position is a real problem for us when Lavia is out. 

Someone pointed out in the early pages of this thread that AMN only played 8 games last season, probably limited involvement pre season, basically completely devoid of match practice, needs a couple of games in the B team from the sound of it. 

[Saint_Jonny]

When you look at the number of wins we've had at home over the last five years it really is a wonder anyone bothers to turn up at all. And yet we do. I do. Why. Utter waste of time. 

[The Kraken]

1 minute ago, JRM said:

Someone pointed out in the early pages of this thread that AMN only played 8 games last season, probably limited involvement pre season, basically completely devoid of match practice, needs a couple of games in the B team from the sound of it. 

He needs a fucking rocket up his arse based on todays performance. I lost count how many times he gave the ball away, notably for Everton’s second goal way up the pitch. He is a massive downgrade on Romeu, let alone Lavia. No energy, no control, no precision, just ambled about giving it away. Not impressed if that’s what he’s about.

[Daft Kerplunk]

12 minutes ago, woodsaint1 said:

I was waiting for Selles our saviour to come to our rescue today. It didnt happen. After 8 games of the season you would think we'd see some signs of change/improvement with the new backroom team. Nope, in fact we've probably got worse

Then perhaps there’s another common factor over the last few seasons. 

Semmens and co are as arrogant and convinced of their own brilliance as Ralph so they might need a kick from the ‘better’ minds at SR. 

[saintant]

17 minutes ago, woodsaint1 said:

I was waiting for Selles our saviour to come to our rescue today. It didnt happen. After 8 games of the season you would think we'd see some signs of change/improvement with the new backroom team. Nope, in fact we've probably got worse

The buck stops with the big guy at the top named Ralph - that's why he gets paid the huge bucks.

[S-Clarke]

If we signed that striker in the summer, that was probably going to be a pretty straight forward second half. Adams once again shows he cannot be relied on, the sad thing is that no one else can be relied on either to be clinical - we've got ourselves in a right old mess in attack, the worst we've been since we've been promoted.

First half was flat as a pancake though, players looked disjointed and unsure what to do most of the time. AMN was absolutely inept, like a pub player thrust into a football match. He's either not fit or he's regressed so much in two years. I thought he had more about him.

Aribo, in the second half, was the only one who looked like he could offer a spark. We started well and got on the front foot, took the league and we had them where we wanted them. We don't have the players to make it 2, 3, 4 though and seemingly we're still prone to brain dead bollocks by giving away free kicks and allowing crosses into the FUCKING BOX. how many times.

I thought ABK was a bit sloppy today, DCC not too bad but should have scored at the end. KWP absolutely shit for the equaliser, ditto Armstrong - was it a game of who can stand off the longest? It was 2 against 1 and we didn't pressure him at all.

I'm a little nervous about Bazunu, although it's to be expected with such a young player. Although I'm getting Angus Gun vibes in that he just doesn't seem to be able to save goals, anything on target goes in. Hopefully more potential there than Gunn, but jury is out.

This was always the gamble though - going for kids over tried and tested, that requires patience because the ground could swallow them up quite quickly if they're hung out to dry. 

The starting 11 was full of more intent, but sadly no structure. Not really sure what most of those guys have been doing for two weeks as they looked like they'd never seen a football before. Our ball retention and use of the ball is the worst in the league imo. 

Not sure where we go from here. I still don't see Ralph going yet, the world cup break will provide that opportunity. The clock is ticking though as this isn't getting any better and it's the first time under Ralph, for a prolonged period of time, that we are playing with zero identity. There's nothing about us anymore.

Edited 1 October, 2022 by S-Clarke

[trousers]

1 hour ago, obelisk said:

That team selection was shit or bust. I think it's bust for Ralph.

 

1 hour ago, saintant said:

It was a stupid team selection and smacked of Ralph throwing his toys out of the pram.

 

1 hour ago, LaptopSaint said:

What was stupid about it? Would you have stuck with Moi AdamArma and Diallo? Who else would you have put in? I'd have had Ballard on the bench

 

1 hour ago, saintant said:

What was stupid about it was dropping Salisu who has been developing a good partnership with AKB and playing a kid at left back when Djenepo has done well there and Perraud is adequate. 

Apart from Larios, you seemed happy enough with the starting line up before the game?

 

[macca155]

Well Maitland Niles can go back to Arsenal. I'd have Diallo any day. He really was poor today.

Just have to hope that there is a manager out there who can get a tune out of this team. They are all over the place at the moment. Ralph needs to be pushed upstairs.

JWP simply isn't as good playing deep as he is playing further forward. He also needs support. I lost count of how often our players had the ball in space and had no one to pass to. Cue a backwards pass to maintain possession, or a hopeful 30 yd plus pass.

I actually thought Adams worked hard today, and got himself into some good positions. However as a striker he has to score.

The table remains very tight and it is early days. A win today would have us level with Liverpool. No need to panic but it needs sorting asap.

[John B]

8 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

If we signed that striker in the summer, that was probably going to be a pretty straight forward second half. Adams once again shows he cannot be relied on, the sad thing is that no one else can be relied on either to be clinical - we've got ourselves in a right old mess in attack, the worst we've been since we've been promoted.

First half was flat as a pancake though, players looked disjointed and unsure what to do most of the time. AMN was absolutely inept, like a pub player thrust into a football match. He's either not fit or he's regressed so much in two years. I thought he had more about him.

Aribo, in the second half, was the only one who looked like he could offer a spark. We started well and got on the front foot, took the league and we had them where we wanted them. We don't have the players to make it 2, 3, 4 though and seemingly we're still prone to brain dead bollocks by giving away free kicks and allowing crosses into the FUCKING BOX. how many times.

I thought ABK was a bit sloppy today, DCC not too bad but should have scored at the end. KWP absolutely shit for the equaliser, ditto Armstrong - was it a game of who can stand off the longest? It was 2 against 1 and we didn't pressure him at all.

I'm a little nervous about Bazunu, although it's to be expected with such a young player. Although I'm getting Angus Gun vibes in that he just doesn't seem to be able to save goals, anything on target goes in. Hopefully more potential there than Gunn, but jury is out.

This was always the gamble though - going for kids over tried and tested, that requires patience because the ground could swallow them up quite quickly if they're hung out to dry. 

The starting 11 was full of more intent, but sadly no structure. Not really sure what most of those guys have been doing for two weeks as they looked like they'd never seen a football before. Our ball retention and use of the ball is the worst in the league imo. 

Not sure where we go from here. I still don't see Ralph going yet, the world cup break will provide that opportunity. The clock is ticking though as this isn't getting any better and it's the first time under Ralph, for a prolonged period of time, that we are playing with zero identity. There's nothing about us anymore.

Very Good post but I would like to change you first sentence slightly

 

If we signed that striker in the summer, that was probably going to be a pretty straight forward second half. Adams once again shows he cannot be relied on, the sad thing is that no one else can be relied on either to be clinical - we've got ourselves in a right old mess in attack, the worst we've been since I started watching SFC in 1962

[Streaky]

32 minutes ago, RedWillie said:

Sack Ralph and then what?

We've still got two of the worst ever strikers to wear the shirt up front in Eyyyaww Adams and Oddd Job Armstrong  neither of whom can hit a cows arse with a banjo.

Dowie, shipperley, Carillo, Hirst, De prado,Delgado, have a word with yourself.

[saintant]

9 minutes ago, trousers said:

 

 

 

Apart from Larios, you seemed happy enough with the starting line up before the game?

 

Admit I did overlook the fact that Ralph dropped Salisu who has been forging a good partnership with ABK.

[woodsaint1]

12 minutes ago, saintant said:

The buck stops with the big guy at the top named Ralph - that's why he gets paid the huge bucks.

I didnt say that it doesnt, Ralph should go and now. Just pointing out that people were quick to praise Selles as being the reason we turned it around against Leeds and beat Chelsea. The changes to the backroom staff have not made any difference. Either thats because of the level of autonomy which Ralph has, or they're just average 

[wadesmith]

Jo Tessem is starting to rub me up the wrong way.

[The Cat]

Just now, wadesmith said:

Jo Tessem is starting to rub me up the wrong way.

Sounds painful 

[steveo]

Back from the game. 1st half shite 2nd half started ok, scored then shite, been firmly supporting Ralph, but after wolves and villa now this enough is enough. Either he has no,idea or the squad don`t, as we beat Chelsea I assume the players can give a shit sometimes, it appears the manager does not know his arse from his elbow. Who’s next?

[LiberalCommunist]

Football is starting to rub me up the wrong way.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

12 minutes ago, Streaky said:

Dowie, shipperley, Carillo, Hirst, De prado,Delgado, have a word with yourself.

Dowie? Much rather have him than Adams. Least he would let the opposing centre halves know they were in a game. Adams is pretty powder puff 

[HarvSFC]

The Aribo goal papered over what was a near dire performance up until then. As said earlier in the week, we're just too passive and make it far too easy for the opposition. Whether it be defending and just standing off the opposition, no press and give them the freedom of the pitch to pick a pass and as for our attacking... Too much sideways, backwards shite and allowing them to set up their defensive unit, which we don't have the quality to then break down. We used to be quick, force teams into mistakes and capitalise on them, but now it's like turning up and watching the same Southampton that we watched under Pellegrino and Hughes. We responded to the two 9-0s far better than the Aston Villa 4-0 last season, which has brought a complete change of everything and seemingly killed off this team/management. If we aren't playing well and losing, then the manager's got to go for me and this has been the case since February. As with England in the week, today we played a lot better when we went 2-1 down. But, nobody wants to see that. I want to see us playing like that at 0-0, when there's a better chance of getting the three points and taking the game to the opposition. The only way this play is taking us is downwards.

Always say this as well, but the team is just too nice when it comes to gamesmanship. Rarely do I leave St. Mary's thinking the referees been quite favourable to us that afternoon. Pickford was running the game for the last 30 minutes, used every trick in the time wasting book, didn't get booked for it. Everton players kicked the ball away every time we were given something, didn't receive any bookings for it. The subs delayed the game as much as possible, the ref wasn't interested. The ref was weak as piss. Bring back the drinks breaks if it was actually working for us. We should've at least had a player go down and delay their free-kick right after the Aribo goal to take the sting out of the game, but we didn't. Once again showing our amateurishness with the points lost from winning positions stat.

As for Maitland-Niles. Always been a very average central midfielder, ran a game against us for West Brom once, but still got relegated and never been given an extended run as a central midfielder since. He's a Premier League right-back, who doesn't want to play right-back and usually our best player (not today) is our right-back. Was a weird signing.

We missed a player like Romeu massively. 

 

[Saints foreva]

One thing I'll add is JWPs corners are fucking woeful. 

[Forester]

Awful first half, more of the clueless stuff we saw at Villa.  We were better after the subs.  Adams is not a natural goal scorer, but works hard and is creative.  Needs  genuine striker alongside him.

 

Absolute madness to have made two changes to the back line that has averaged conceding just one goal per game in recent times.  At least we would have earned a point today had we kept that going.  

[Saints foreva]

Just seen their goals back. Bazunu woeful for both. The first was a floaty cross that he should claim and the second went straight through him. 

What a shite signing. 

[AlexLaw76]

Just now, Saints foreva said:

Just seen their goals back. Bazunu woeful for both. The first was a floaty cross that he should claim and the second went straight through him. 

What a shite signing. 

He is no where near the hype he attracts.  Another Angus Gunn if anything

[egg]

1 minute ago, Saints foreva said:

Just seen their goals back. Bazunu woeful for both. The first was a floaty cross that he should claim and the second went straight through him. 

What a shite signing. 

Yep. Kids in goal in the PL rarely work. Gunn had talent in the world, but the stage was too big too soon. This kid's the same. Nobody is persuading me that we'd have done worse with Forster in there. 

[John Boy Saint]

23 minutes ago, LiberalCommunist said:

Football is starting to rub me up the wrong way.

Listening to away fans joyously rejoicing in our “own house” is starting to rub me up the wrong way!

[AlexLaw76]

1 minute ago, egg said:

Yep. Kids in goal in the PL rarely work. Gunn had talent in the world, but the stage was too big too soon. This kid's the same. Nobody is persuading me that we'd have done worse with Forster in there. 

McCarthy will be back in the team soon, I reckon

[egg]

Just now, AlexLaw76 said:

McCarthy will be back in the team soon, I reckon

Not sure who's the lesser of 2 evils mate. Maybe it's Big Willy time? 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

1 minute ago, John Boy Saint said:

Listening to away fans joyously rejoicing in our “own house” is starting to rub me up the wrong way!

Hearing Ralph's endless fuckin excuses is really rubbing me up the wrong way 

[JRM]

8 minutes ago, Saints foreva said:

Just seen their goals back. Bazunu woeful for both. The first was a floaty cross that he should claim and the second went straight through him. 

What a shite signing. 

Time will tell but he'd only played for shite clubs in poor leagues before joining us so don't know why there was hype. 

[The Cat]

2 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Hearing Ralph's endless fuckin excuses is really rubbing me up the wrong way 

What excuses did he make today? There weren't really any in the Solent interview I heard but maybe he made some elsewhere.

[Saint-Michael]

31 minutes ago, HarvSFC said:

The Aribo goal papered over what was a near dire performance up until then. As said earlier in the week, we're just too passive and make it far too easy for the opposition. Whether it be defending and just standing off the opposition, no press and give them the freedom of the pitch to pick a pass and as for our attacking... Too much sideways, backwards shite and allowing them to set up their defensive unit, which we don't have the quality to then break down. We used to be quick, force teams into mistakes and capitalise on them, but now it's like turning up and watching the same Southampton that we watched under Pellegrino and Hughes. We responded to the two 9-0s far better than the Aston Villa 4-0 last season, which has brought a complete change of everything and seemingly killed off this team/management. If we aren't playing well and losing, then the manager's got to go for me and this has been the case since February. As with England in the week, today we played a lot better when we went 2-1 down. But, nobody wants to see that. I want to see us playing like that at 0-0, when there's a better chance of getting the three points and taking the game to the opposition. The only way this play is taking us is downwards.

Always say this as well, but the team is just too nice when it comes to gamesmanship. Rarely do I leave St. Mary's thinking the referees been quite favourable to us that afternoon. Pickford was running the game for the last 30 minutes, used every trick in the time wasting book, didn't get booked for it. Everton players kicked the ball away every time we were given something, didn't receive any bookings for it. The subs delayed the game as much as possible, the ref wasn't interested. The ref was weak as piss. Bring back the drinks breaks if it was actually working for us. We should've at least had a player go down and delay their free-kick right after the Aribo goal to take the sting out of the game, but we didn't. Once again showing our amateurishness with the points lost from winning positions stat.

As for Maitland-Niles. Always been a very average central midfielder, ran a game against us for West Brom once, but still got relegated and never been given an extended run as a central midfielder since. He's a Premier League right-back, who doesn't want to play right-back and usually our best player (not today) is our right-back. Was a weird signing.

We missed a player like Romeu massively. 

 

Exactly right.

 

[JRM]

8 minutes ago, egg said:

Yep. Kids in goal in the PL rarely work. Gunn had talent in the world, but the stage was too big too soon. This kid's the same. Nobody is persuading me that we'd have done worse with Forster in there. 

I've sat right behind the goal for a couple of games and you can't hear him shouting at his defenders at all, that probably comes with experience but still noticeable lack of communication 

[warsash saint]

No mention of  yet another inept performance from Marriner?   He has to be on a par with Lee Mason in the shiteness stakes!  I have lost count the number of times he has been  a c*** reffing out games over the years!

[Whitey Grandad]

Too many changes to the starting line up. Larios was always going to play safe as any youngster would. Chaleta-Car never looked like he was a part of a settled defence and a lot of his passing was poor. Should have scored at the end. Mainland-Niles looked very rusty. Mara did a good impression of the Invisible Man.

The changes after their second goal made a big difference. Adam Armstrong was very lively and unlucky not to get something out of the game. Perraud was more direct and more experienced.

All a great disappointment.

One more thing. We lost the toss again and kicked towards the Northam in the second half. This happened a lot towards the end of last season too. I don’t have any records but I’m pretty certain that we have lost every one of these games where this has happened. There should be no reason for this but it is a weird coincidence.

[rooney]

I wonder if the new manager will prevent AA and CA missing chances and improve their quality. It happens every game.

[Whitey Grandad]

Just now, warsash saint said:

No mention of  yet another inept performance from Marriner?   He has to be on a par with Lee Mason in the shiteness stakes!  I have lost count the number of times he has been  a c*** reffing out games over the years!

He was very poor today. Some weird decisions especially against KWP. On one occasion in the first half he was let down by his assistant up in the Chapel/Kingsland corner. It was a blatant foul that neither of them gave.

Pickford was allowed to take as long as he wanted. At one time in the second half he held onto the ball for 25 seconds before releasing it. The guidelines used to say “about 6 seconds “.

no control of the game at all.

[AlexLaw76]

3 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

He was very poor today. Some weird decisions especially against KWP. On one occasion in the first half he was let down by his assistant up in the Chapel/Kingsland corner. It was a blatant foul that neither of them gave.

Pickford was allowed to take as long as he wanted. At one time in the second half he held onto the ball for 25 seconds before releasing it. The guidelines used to say “about 6 seconds “.

no control of the game at all.

Mariner was typical Mariner.  Rarely breaks a sweat and hardly ever (if at all) leaves the middle portion of the pitch.

He was just another example of the very poor standard of officials we have in the league

[Wade Garrett]

We looked slow and ponderous again.  Movement was non-existent until Adam Armstrong came on and started moving their defence about a bit.

We are so easy to play against at the moment.  Ralph has to go, we aren’t going to get any better with him in charge.