So, what are the solutions?

[sotonjoe]

There's only one solution at this point in time ... Support the team and don't do anything that creates or contributes to a negative atmosphere around the club. It is too late to do anything else.  

[Lighthouse]

I’d like to see us sack Jones and appoint Dyche. Not because I think it will keep us up but so that everyone will shut up about appointing Dyche.

[Dman]

7 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

He may be having a poor season but his CV will still attractive to other clubs.

• 11 years in the Premier League making what will likely be over 340 top flight appearances by the end of this season.
• Captain for 2 years (not necessarily a good one but they won't know that)
• 11 caps for England
• 2nd most free-kick goals in Premier League history.
• Versatility (can fill in at full-back in a crunch)

A player like that at a cut-price deal would be an excellent signing for a promoted team and he would likely have suitors from midtable clubs as well.

He’s on over a 100k a week. Even if the transfer fee is reduced, it’s not a cheap deal and his minimal output doesn’t warrant the outlay. 

[SotonianWill]

4 minutes ago, sotonjoe said:

There's only one solution at this point in time ... Support the team and don't do anything that creates or contributes to a negative atmosphere around the club. It is too late to do anything else.  

i’m sorry but that’s not going to happen. if we were to not be negative and presumably happy clap, we’d still get relegated. they need fans to tell them to “move” as the call was last night, as seemingly no coach is telling them this already. 

[Disco Stu]

5 minutes ago, Dman said:

He’s on over a 100k a week. Even if the transfer fee is reduced, it’s not a cheap deal and his minimal output doesn’t warrant the outlay. 

He won't be on £100k a week when we go down. If we're run properly, every player should have a wage reduction clause for this scenario. Probably around 25%. He'll have suitors for £75k a week and may be willing to take a little less if it means he can stay in the Prem and have a crack at the free-kick record.

Edited 5 January, 2023 by Disco Stu

[trousers]

49 minutes ago, benjii said:

The club is owned by St Mary's Football Group.

That is owned by Sports Republic Limited.

That is owned by Sports Republic Holding Limited. 

Dragan owns over 75% of Sports Republic Holding Limited and the rest is owned by Ankersen and Kraft. The shareholding arrangements in Sports Republic Holding Limited are oddly complicated with about 5 different classes of shares and a nominee company owned by Ankersen and Kraft owning certain classes of the shares.

I can't be bothered to wade through all the docs to figure out what power Dragan has to do something if Ankersen and Kraft disagree!

 

Cheers Benjii

So, in layman's terms... Dragan Šolak is Peter Jones and Ankersen & Kraft are Levi Roots...?

#dragonsden

 

Edited 5 January, 2023 by trousers

[Jeremy Corbyn]

Any truth in this: 

 

[SotonianWill]

2 minutes ago, Jeremy Corbyn said:

Any truth in this: 

 

No, Jeremy Corbyn

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1) Put me in charge.

2) Although relegation would still occur, I'd be a lot happier.

OR

Bring in a number of players pronto. Under Ralph that would have been a finisher, Romeu's identical twin and a creative midfielder.

Under NJ, it's the above, plus whatever is now needed for a direct game. Far more physical in being able to receive hoofs out wide and up front, and do something with it, plus reinforced midfield/ defence to be able to deliver those balls from deep. Targets and direct passers.

OR

Bring in someone more in Ralph's line, and bring in the Ralph requirements.

All transfers needed pronto.

OR

Dither once more on transfers.

Have the club wheel out how tough it is to seal a deal in the richest League on the planet.

Have the manager accept blame in interviews, while actually saying it was rubbish for ages before him anyway, so it's not really his fault after all.

Train yourself to move your club in the Championship column of your Shoot league tables wall chart, ahead of next season.

I'm for the first option myself. 🙂

[aintforever]

The only thing that could save us is:

1. Sack Jones

2. Bring in an impact manager - someone with a name/rep who the players will respect and play for straight away 

3. 3 decent signings who can hit the ground running and take the pressure of the kids

 

[Dark Munster]

18 hours ago, Osvaldorama said:

1) Sack the idiot

2) Appoint someone who isn’t an idiot

3) Buy some players that aren’t terrible. (GK, CM, AM, St all urgent)

Which one?

[Convict Colony]

I'd sack Jones and get who i would of gone for in Nov, Dominic Tedesco who left RB Leipzig.

He's got 1.5pts per game and higher from Schalke/Spartak Moscow and Leipzig (inc 1st silverware and knows the multi club system).

Players would not have to re-learn a whole new system it would just be tweaked and improved.

He also speaks Eng, Germans, Italian, Spanish and French so comms is not a problem.

[Miltonaggro]

JUST SACK NAT…

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, Convict Colony said:

I'd sack Jones and get who i would of gone for in Nov, Dominic Tedesco who left RB Leipzig.

He's got 1.5pts per game and higher from Schalke/Spartak Moscow and Leipzig (inc 1st silverware and knows the multi club system).

Players would not have to re-learn a whole new system it would just be tweaked and improved.

He also speaks Eng, Germans, Italian, Spanish and French so comms is not a problem.

That’s about what we need for the rest of the season. That would mean we would finish on 39 points.

[thesaint sfc]

I never had a problem with Ralph's tactics other than his timing on subs was very odd sometimes. I felt like he was of a good footballing mind and got us playing attractive football. I felt like the team were no longer behind him though and we needed a fresh start. I was hopeful that we would come up with a manager that I could never have predicted as the board have managed to do that several times now. Nathan Jones brings us nothing that we need. The players were, in my opinion, disillusioned with Ralph and had a poor relationship with him. We needed someone proven with a big personality. Instead we've got someone unproven in the Premiership who comes across more like a second hand car salesman than a manager. This will absolutely not have gone down well with the players and to top things off his football style is completely different to Ralph and doesn't suit our team at all. I see no success happening with him and think we should get rid. I have never wanted to sign one of the Premiership journeymen such as Big Sam but I would have been happier with that appointment than Jones as at least he's proven and I think would have got the team to gel again. I just fear we're pretty fucked now. Good quality players or managers are only going to join Saints at this point if we pay over the odds which seems completely against our boards principles. 

We need a new manager who is proven and has got other teams out of this situation before. Someone with a big personality who is going to get the team motivated. We need someone who is going to work off the back of how we were playing under Ralph rather than trying something entirely new. We also need a striker who can quickly get stuck in and start putting away some chances. Most importantly tactic wise we need to get our formation right and give our strikers more than one opportunity to score every game. I fear there isn't enough time to achieve all of these things.

Edited 6 January, 2023 by thesaint sfc

[Dirkdiggler]

2 hours ago, Convict Colony said:

I'd sack Jones and get who i would of gone for in Nov, Dominic Tedesco who left RB Leipzig.

He's got 1.5pts per game and higher from Schalke/Spartak Moscow and Leipzig (inc 1st silverware and knows the multi club system).

Players would not have to re-learn a whole new system it would just be tweaked and improved.

He also speaks Eng, Germans, Italian, Spanish and French so comms is not a problem.

Would’ve been a great appointment, another manager who is available and would suit the players and style of play is Bosz. A good track record average of 1.5 points per game and likes to use younger players in his teams.

[Kingsbridge Saint]

1. Sign a new striker - I said a while ago that Adams continual wastefulness will get us relegated. Forest miss reinforces that.

2. If new striker is Ings, make him captain. Need somebody with a pair leading on the pitch, not JWP, talented though he is.

3. Four four fucking 2.

4. Stuart Armstrong first name on the teamsheet, every week.

5. Experienced coach to work alongside Nathan Jones - maybe see if Harry will pop up from Sandbanks.

 

[Give it to Ron]

8 minutes ago, Kingsbridge Saint said:

1. Sign a new striker - I said a while ago that Adams continual wastefulness will get us relegated. Forest miss reinforces that.

2. If new striker is Ings, make him captain. Need somebody with a pair leading on the pitch, not JWP, talented though he is.

3. Four four fucking 2.

4. Stuart Armstrong first name on the teamsheet, every week.

5. Experienced coach to work alongside Nathan Jones - maybe see if Harry will pop up from Sandbanks.

 

5 is a joke surely I wouldn’t want that bastard anywhere near us again!

[Dirkdiggler]

I don’t get why there seems to be a lot of fans thinking that appointing Dyche would solve are issues ? The squad we have is no more suited to his style of football as it is Jones’s (assuming he has one) 

 

Edited 6 January, 2023 by Dirkdiggler

[Convict Colony]

Can some one who fancies themselves as a FM legend explain what formation they'd play and how it should attack and defend to optimise this group of players.

Reason i ask is I think the midfield is too weak to screen the defence and too passive to feed or create attacks who themselves are toothless.

After Che's strike at goal the other night I expect he trotted this gem out 

[Whitey Grandad]

2 minutes ago, Convict Colony said:

Can some one who fancies themselves as a FM legend explain what formation they'd play and how it should attack and defend to optimise this group of players.

Reason i ask is I think the midfield is too weak to screen the defence and too passive to feed or create attacks who themselves are toothless.

After Che's strike at goal the other night I expect he trotted this gem out 

The midfield is too weak because it is reduced to accommodate an extra central defender.

[S-Clarke]

21 minutes ago, Convict Colony said:

Can some one who fancies themselves as a FM legend explain what formation they'd play and how it should attack and defend to optimise this group of players.

Reason i ask is I think the midfield is too weak to screen the defence and too passive to feed or create attacks who themselves are toothless.

After Che's strike at goal the other night I expect he trotted this gem out 

With the current crop it's difficult, as our midfield is way too weak. What I'd personally do is fill the midfield, play 3 in there. One as a deeper shielding player in a pivot and then two supporting members who can advance and get into the box. In the current situation I’d play Lavia deepest, with JWP and Diallo supporting in more advanced positions. (get JWP to pull out wide right more often, so he can throw Beckham-esque balls into the box)

Adams up top, as our only physical outlet if we’re honest. Edozie is worth a shot in one of the wide positions, but another creative player is a must as Moussa/Ely/Aribo just don’t cut it in any position. (Which Orsic is going to be by the looks of it).

The CB's, in a pair, are decent. I'd go with ABK and Salisu, flanked by KWP on the left and Tino right if fit. I don't think filling the midfield blunts us anymore than we are today, in fact it should allow us to control the game a little more and have the bodies to push up. At the moment we are over-run in there way too easily, and teams know that. It would also give us more bodies to pass to in that central area which would aid with a quicker tempo, at the moment it's all a bit too slow and sideways.(or long)

So to make that work practically I think we’re short 3 players. A proper DM (I’d personally keep Diallo away from the side) another wide player, a striker who can lead a line with pace and power (and maybe another striker for depth).

What we’re trying to do at the moment with 3 at the back is daft, because it removes the numbers we have further up the pitch, isolates the physically lacking attack and allows the midfield to be over-run. We don’t have the profile of player in the middle of the pitch, or up front, to get away with this system. I don’t know why we keep persevering with it.

Edited 6 January, 2023 by S-Clarke

[Smirking_Saint]

I’ve not really kept up with the whole thread, so apologies if I go over any old ground

I’m not really sure if there is a solution to keep us away from the championship. I think that the damage is done even if we act now to remove Jones. We already looked a slideshow on confidence, unfortunately now we look a side short of ideas as well

Either way, I do not see a successful future at any level with Joan, still at the helm, at first, I couldn’t blame him, after all he has taken a job. He thought that he could do for a significant pay rise. The real issue is why we hired him in the first place.

as far as being successful, his concerned, we are a club built on the foundations of high pressing, this began under Pochettino, and the majority of managers since I’ve had fundamentals that lie within this philosophy, for this reason, I found it bonkers that we went to a manager with a technical skill set so at odds with these fundamentals.

Ralph had his issues, he tinkered too much, but I do think he’s early high pressing tactics were the correct ones, of course they were high risk, but they tended to be higher award. The downfall is the squad size and we did go away into addressing that over the last couple of years. 

I think if it was me, I will go back to her back for a look to go back to utilising those tactics. Sign a striker, we now have Orsic, and probably look to bring in a defensive midfielder that can cover for Romeo Lavia, ultimately, I don’t think there’s a lot more that can be achieved right now, I’m not convinced that this club needed a complete revolution, especially not in January. It did need however, the correct appointment, that could reinspire and tweak the areas of concern.. effectively staving off relegation, and allowing us if necessary to carry out a hard reset in the summer

[Lord Duckhunter]

My solution is pretty straightforward. I’d line the bunch of Son-in-Laws up and give them some home truths. If they don’t like it, they can have a go and even bring their dinners. 
 

I’d then have a chat with Jones asking him what his solution was. If I didn’t didn’t like the cut of his jib, I’d kick his welsh arse out of my office. 
 

Id then call Dyche asking what backing he’d need to sort us out. If his terms were unacceptable, I’d kick his ginger arse out of my office. 
 

I’d then call in this order Roberto Martínez, The fat Aussie at Celtic, Steve Holland. 

 

[SambaMaverick]

1 minute ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

My solution is pretty straightforward. I’d line the bunch of Son-in-Laws up and give them some home truths. If they don’t like it, they can have a go and even bring their dinners. 
 

I’d then have a chat with Jones asking him what his solution was. If I didn’t didn’t like the cut of his jib, I’d kick his welsh arse out of my office. 
 

Id then call Dyche asking what backing he’d need to sort us out. If his terms were unacceptable, I’d kick his ginger arse out of my office. 
 

I’d then call in this order Roberto Martínez, The fat Aussie at Celtic, Steve Holland. 

 

I'd have liked Postecoglou. Perfect time to do that would've been the summer (2022) though. No chance he leaves Celtic now.

[Pamplemousse]

We need someone who we know can coach a defence, someone with a European pedigree and available on a free.

Claude Puel. He will keep us up.

[malcolm waldron]

Quote

1 hour ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

My solution is pretty straightforward. I’d line the bunch of Son-in-Laws up and give them some home truths. If they don’t like it, they can have a go and even bring their dinners. 
 

I’d then have a chat with Jones asking him what his solution was. If I didn’t didn’t like the cut of his jib, I’d kick his welsh arse out of my office. 
 

Id then call Dyche asking what backing he’d need to sort us out. If his terms were unacceptable, I’d kick his ginger arse out of my office. 
 

I’d then call in this order Roberto Martínez, The fat Aussie at Celtic, Steve Holland. 

 

 

Fantastic reference - and the first thing on here for 36 hours that's brought a smile to my face.  You'll need to share a link for the younger ones (son-in-laws? 😉) on here unfamiliar with its origin.

[jawillwill]

1 hour ago, Pamplemousse said:

We need someone who we know can coach a defence, someone with a European pedigree and available on a free.

Claude Puel. He will keep us up.

Or Dr Barry Gale?

[Mystic Force]

I think flogging anyone with some value now and getting our finances on a sounder footing for life back in the championship, because I don't see anyway of coming back from here. 

We wasted our chance to fix it over the world cup break.

Edited 6 January, 2023 by Mystic Force

[Bakovnetski]

Ruben Sells as caretaker

[Lord Duckhunter]

27 minutes ago, malcolm waldron said:

Fantastic reference - and the first thing on here for 36 hours that's brought a smile to my face.  You'll need to share a link for the younger ones (son-in-laws? 😉) on here unfamiliar with its origin.

 

[LiberalCommunist]

Bring Potter home after Chelsea sack him this weekend. 

No rash decisions, some proper planning! lol

[Pamplemousse]

11 minutes ago, LiberalCommunist said:

Bring Potter home after Chelsea sack him this weekend. 

No rash decisions, some proper planning! lol

Personally I'm not sure I'd want him. He's a great long term manager but I don't think he'd hit the ground running and that's what we need.

Having said that, he'd be better than Jones. A lot better 

[LiberalCommunist]

Hit the ground running? Have you been keeping up with current affairs? 

[LiberalCommunist]

I'd take him in a Thanos click, and happily go down to the Championship with him at the helm. 

Fuck yeah. 

[Pengi]

4 hours ago, Kingsbridge Saint said:

1. Sign a new striker - I said a while ago that Adams continual wastefulness will get us relegated. Forest miss reinforces that.

2. If new striker is Ings, make him captain. Need somebody with a pair leading on the pitch, not JWP, talented though he is.

3. Four four fucking 2.

4. Stuart Armstrong first name on the teamsheet, every week.

5. Experienced coach to work alongside Nathan Jones - maybe see if Harry will pop up from Sandbanks.

 

He already has a coach - Reuben Selles. Not hearing/seeing much about him

[John B]

On 05/01/2023 at 13:43, Lighthouse said:

I’d like to see us sack Jones and appoint Dyche. Not because I think it will keep us up but so that everyone will shut up about appointing Dyche.

Yes Dyche the bloke who took a better squad than ours down last year where most teams are better than last year not us of course

 

Bournemouth have new owners I doubt they are not going to improve the squad in the next few weeks

 

 

[Saint86]

On 05/01/2023 at 13:43, Lighthouse said:

I’d like to see us sack Jones and appoint Dyche. Not because I think it will keep us up but so that everyone will shut up about appointing Dyche.

I'd like to see us sack Jones and rehire Ralph, but give give him a good striker and some actual cdm cover 😍😘.

(who could have guessed I'd say that 😋🤣)... 

[CanadaSaint]

The big problem with firing Jones is that it would cost a shit-ton of money - aside from the fact that it makes us look like we don't know what we're doing (which is probably true), and are devoid of principles (which has never really been the case with us).

My suggestion in the opening post was that we bring someone in to supervise him, but we may not even have to do that. I can't imagine that his contract gives him free reign over all playing affairs. How many people, in any sphere, are hired without being accountable to someone for their performance? The tradition in football is to leave the manager/coach to handle the playing side, but that's not etched in stone.

Jones reports to someone but we don't really know who that is. If I was Dragan and it was my money at stake, I would be focusing on that interface, and telling his supervisor to insist on some changes in structure and tactics. Most people on here could write them down on the back of an envelope; or Dragan could hire a coaching consultant to do it.

Would that kind of intervention constitute "constructive dismissal"? I very much doubt it, considering the gong show of Jones's opening two months.

It's just a workaround for a colossal screw-up. If Jones resists it, he effectively fires himself. If it doesn't work, firing him is the only remaining option, but the effort to get him to change should reduce the financial penalty.

#clutchingatcheaperstraws

[hotsaint]

We have the right manager and he has started with his first signing. Getting behind the team and manager would be the best option and give the bloke a chance. He will see what doesn't work and start to build a team

Edited 6 January, 2023 by hotsaint

[saintant]

10 minutes ago, CanadaSaint said:

The big problem with firing Jones is that it would cost a shit-ton of money - aside from the fact that it makes us look like we don't know what we're doing (which is probably true), and are devoid of principles (which has never really been the case with us).

My suggestion in the opening post was that we bring someone in to supervise him, but we may not even have to do that. I can't imagine that his contract gives him free reign over all playing affairs. How many people, in any sphere, are hired without being accountable to someone for their performance? The tradition in football is to leave the manager/coach to handle the playing side, but that's not etched in stone.

Jones reports to someone but we don't really know who that is. If I was Dragan and it was my money at stake, I would be focusing on that interface, and telling his supervisor to insist on some changes in structure and tactics. Most people on here could write them down on the back of an envelope; or Dragan could hire a coaching consultant to do it.

Would that kind of intervention constitute "constructive dismissal"? I very much doubt it, considering the gong show of Jones's opening two months.

It's just a workaround for a colossal screw-up. If Jones resists it, he effectively fires himself. If it doesn't work, firing him is the only remaining option, but the effort to get him to change should reduce the financial penalty.

#clutchingatcheaperstraws

No point trying to dress it up and use sticking plaster solutions. Ankersen needs to hold his hands up and admit he's screwed up big time on this. Then SR do whatever it takes to put it right even if it costs a lot of money. This is on Ankersen and he is the one who should take it on the chin but keep him well away from choosing our next manager.

[saintant]

9 minutes ago, hotsaint said:

We have the right manager and he has started with his first signing. Getting behind the team and manager would be the best option and give the bloke a chance. He will see what doesn't work and start to build a team

Thanks for your input Nate.

[The Kraken]

10 minutes ago, hotsaint said:

We have the right manager and he has started with his first signing. Getting behind the team and manager would be the best option and give the bloke a chance. He will see what doesn't work and start to build a team

Out of interest, who is “we”, brand new poster?

Your first post on this board a few days ago was this one, where you used “we” to describe Luton. Confused? Yeah, me too…

 

[trousers]

32 minutes ago, hotsaint said:

We have the right manager and he has started with his first signing. Getting behind the team and manager would be the best option and give the bloke a chance. He will see what doesn't work and start to build a team

 

22 minutes ago, saintant said:

Thanks for your input Nate.

 

20 minutes ago, The Kraken said:

Out of interest, who is “we”, brand new poster?

Your first post on this board a few days ago was this one, where you used “we” to describe Luton. Confused? Yeah, me too…

 

 

[Dirkdiggler]

42 minutes ago, hotsaint said:

We have the right manager and he has started with his first signing. Getting behind the team and manager would be the best option and give the bloke a chance. He will see what doesn't work and start to build a team

Behave 

[Chris cooper]

1 hour ago, Saint86 said:

I'd like to see us sack Jones and rehire Ralph, but give give him a good striker and some actual cdm cover 😍😘.

(who could have guessed I'd say that 😋🤣)... 

no 🤦🏻

[LGTL]

1 hour ago, hotsaint said:

We have the right manager and he has started with his first signing. Getting behind the team and manager would be the best option and give the bloke a chance. He will see what doesn't work and start to build a team

Christ it really is like the Lowe/Wilde days!

[bpsaint]

Unfortunately for us the poor appointment by SR has cost us 3 out or 4 games where we should have been looking to earn at least a point, as well as the World Cup break which would have been perfect for a decent manager to work hard with his new squad.

Somehow luckily for us despite the awful results of late we’re still not cut adrift yet, and have a forthcoming match against another struggler a week today. Whilst the likelihood of getting out of this looks slim, with the appointment of a proven manager, and 3 weeks of a transfer window left there is still an opportunity to turn this around.

This is still largely the same squad which Ralph managed to get up to mid table around March time as well as the quarter finals of the FA cup. I still believe with the right manager and a few more additions we could get out of this. That’s why I’m so angry at SR - this is completely avoidable but I don’t think the ego of those involved will see them admit they were wrong and do the right thing.

 

[Lord Duckhunter]

1 hour ago, bpsaint said:

 

This is still largely the same squad which Ralph managed to get up to mid table around March time 

 

😂😂 Love it.
 

What about the rest of the season with “largely the same squad”. From March on they lost 9 games, won 1 and drew 2. Included in that wonderful run were a 6-0 home defeat, defeats to 2 relegated team, 4-0 at Villa, 4 defeats in a row and a performance at Brentford which was as inept as anything we’ve seen this season. Ralph revisionism is alive and well

[hotsaint]

Indeed, Jones inherited a pile of shit. He will keep us up just about