Ruben Selles

[beatlesaint]

Just now, S-Clarke said:

Paralysed by fear I think, scared to take any sort of risk. Not sure how you fix that apart from gutting the entire squad of 30 and starting again.

It’ll be the supporters fault. We’ll hear that line trotted out about players frightened to make a mistake in front of the baying masses. You wait and see.

[Badger]

7 minutes ago, beatlesaint said:

It’ll be the supporters fault. We’ll hear that line trotted out about players frightened to make a mistake in front of the baying masses. You wait and see.

Yeh, really intimidating. Especially when the masses don’t turn up as they’ve had enough

[LegalEagle]

Is this the lowest we’ve felt since that home defeat to Rochdale back in League One all those years ago? We hit bottom that day and this feels similar. We’re going down with this group of players and we need to go down to regroup, have a clear out, sack the board and appoint a proper manager. No disrespect to Ruben but we need an experienced campaigner to get us out of the Championship.

[S-Clarke]

2 minutes ago, LegalEagle said:

Is this the lowest we’ve felt since that home defeat to Rochdale back in League One all those years ago? We hit bottom that day and this feels similar. We’re going down with this group of players and we need to go down to regroup, have a clear out, sack the board and appoint a proper manager. No disrespect to Ruben but we need an experienced campaigner to get us out of the Championship.

That was a tough start to the season for sure, but there was much more to be positive about going forward. We had some cracking players for that level, only a matter of time once we got a competent manager. 

[Jonnyboy]

On 24/02/2023 at 10:03, trousers said:

 

 

There's some gold in this thread 😅

[Chewy]

From a coaching perspective, that was as abject as it gets. Out thought tactically by a promoted conference side … because we play the same way; have no variety; no tactical changes in game ever; AMs that mark our own CFs because they’re in their way, taking up any space for dropping deep; have no width because the AMs are narrow,; get out numbered in midfield because we have 4 forwards marking each other leaving just two CMs. 
It might work on the ‘transition’ playbook, or as a fantastic pressing formation against a Man City or in some other hipster reality. But for winning a football match when you actually occasionally have the ball it’s FUCKING SHIT! 
We never score from open play, and we never will playing like that. Change the formation, it doesn’t work.  None of us are well paid coaches but every single one if the fans I was sat near could see exactly the same problems. Too many forwards, not moving, not getting wide so offering zero threat and getting simultaneously out numbered in midfield.

By a newly promoted conference side. Seriously, how sh1t must our tacticians be to not see this?

In a seasons of continuous new lows, that’s as bad a coaching/tactical performance as I’ve seen.

And don’t get me started on the gutless imbeciles on the pitch.

 

[Dman]

At least the players like him, aye…

Been quiet but selles, but always struck me as a massive overreaction to beating a very poor Chelsea side. 

Pretty much sums us up at the minute, trying to be alternative and smart, patting ourselves on the back for mediocrity. 

Not seen anything from selles as a coach or manager to suggest he’ll make it, but hey ho, I’m sure Ankersen knows better…

[FarehamSaintJames]

Bet there’s a few u-turns of opinions happening tonight. 😂

[Badger]

5 minutes ago, Dman said:

 

Not seen anything from selles as a coach or manager to suggest he’ll make it, but hey ho, I’m sure Ankersen knows better…

If this goes as badly as it seems after the last two games then Selles will be the second coach or manager who has been promoted beyond his ability, and suffers a career setback thanks to Rasmus this season.

 

[Dman]

So we had the media guff telling us how the ruthlessly honest Selles had told players “they won’t play for him again this season”… well who the fuck has he told, because Lyanco, Armstrong, Mara, Aribo, Djenepo etc just played tonight and they’d be first on my list. 

[Wade Garrett]

3 minutes ago, Dman said:

So we had the media guff telling us how the ruthlessly honest Selles had told players “they won’t play for him again this season”… well who the fuck has he told, because Lyanco, Armstrong, Mara, Aribo, Djenepo etc just played tonight and they’d be first on my list. 

Bit harsh on Djenepo imo.

[woodsaint1]

"He's gona take us down"

"And Rasmus is a clown"

"We've got Ruben Selles"

 

[pimpin4rizeal]

1 hour ago, Chewy said:

From a coaching perspective, that was as abject as it gets. Out thought tactically by a promoted conference side … because we play the same way; have no variety; no tactical changes in game ever; AMs that mark our own CFs because they’re in their way, taking up any space for dropping deep; have no width because the AMs are narrow,; get out numbered in midfield because we have 4 forwards marking each other leaving just two CMs. 
It might work on the ‘transition’ playbook, or as a fantastic pressing formation against a Man City or in some other hipster reality. But for winning a football match when you actually occasionally have the ball it’s FUCKING SHIT! 
We never score from open play, and we never will playing like that. Change the formation, it doesn’t work.  None of us are well paid coaches but every single one if the fans I was sat near could see exactly the same problems. Too many forwards, not moving, not getting wide so offering zero threat and getting simultaneously out numbered in midfield.

By a newly promoted conference side. Seriously, how sh1t must our tacticians be to not see this?

In a seasons of continuous new lows, that’s as bad a coaching/tactical performance as I’ve seen.

And don’t get me started on the gutless imbeciles on the pitch.

 

I know it’s unfashionable to say but at least jones was getting closer to playing decent formation 433 and moi was dropped ..and he also did try to make tactical changes and subs even if they didn’t work..

selles lineups seem a bit of a backwards step if that’s possible moi back in,still playing shitnarek anyway promising player like Alcaraz dropped in the league games .. 

for me at least the lineups and tactics is more depressing then njs 

[danjosaint]

Those tactics are back to the Ralph way of playing at his lowest ebb, boring slow moving sideways passing non effective football, knocking it around the back in the 94rh min ffs

[Wade Garrett]

6 hours ago, danjosaint said:

Those tactics are back to the Ralph way of playing at his lowest ebb, boring slow moving sideways passing non effective football, knocking it around the back in the 94rh min ffs

Spot on.  Toothless, slow and predictable.  Ally McCoist was pretty scathing of us and he was spot on.

Selles, sadly, is not the answer.  

[JRM]

9 hours ago, woodsaint1 said:

"He's gona take us down"

"And Rasmus is a clown"

"We've got Ruben Selles"

 

We've got Selles

Ruben Selles 

Just don't think you understand 

Weve had another loss

He is a shit boss

We've got Ruben Selles 

[Appy]

Biggest red flag about Selles that I keep hearing from local journos. 
 

“The players like him”

[Barsiem]

Have to agree that a return to the style Ralph had us playing is not a good thing.  If Ralph couldn't get it to work why the hell would someone inexperienced like Selles be able to?

That said we've made our choice and I want Selles to be given a good crack at the job, inc starting the campaign in the championship next season.  We've got a long rebuild on our hands

[saintdaz]

Is it true Potter has been sacked? Been hearing rumours from a Chelsea mate

[Mr Nimbus]

2 minutes ago, saintdaz said:

Is it true Potter has been sacked? Been hearing rumours from a Chelsea mate

If it is, he wouldn't even entertain Southampton (nor should he) 

If they do sack him, I think he waits and maybe takes over WHU in the summer.

[Dellman]

25 minutes ago, Barsiem said:

Have to agree that a return to the style Ralph had us playing is not a good thing.  If Ralph couldn't get it to work why the hell would someone inexperienced like Selles be able to?

That said we've made our choice and I want Selles to be given a good crack at the job, inc starting the campaign in the championship next season.  We've got a long rebuild on our hands

Yes we have  but what makes anyone think Selles is the man to do it?

[bangkoksaint]

8 hours ago, Barsiem said:

Have to agree that a return to the style Ralph had us playing is not a good thing.  If Ralph couldn't get it to work why the hell would someone inexperienced like Selles be able to?

That said we've made our choice and I want Selles to be given a good crack at the job, inc starting the campaign in the championship next season.  We've got a long rebuild on our hands

Really?…..What have you been smoking!!! He’s the one common denominator across about 18 months or so of pure carnage!! He needs to go and I certainly don’t want him in a league he knows nothing about. Dear god he’s supposed to ‘know’ about the Premier League and look how that’s going!!

[The Kraken]

10 hours ago, Appy said:

Biggest red flag about Selles that I keep hearing from local journos. 
 

“The players like him”

Yeah, very disappointing.

I was very much of the opinion that Selles should get the job until the end of the season. Teams need stability, we were massively snookered by the Jones debacle, and I wasn’t all that impressed with getting Marsche as the “best” option in the first place.

Sadly, these bunch of fuckers we’ve got give off the opinion that they couldn’t give a shit. Like under Jones against Man City they were able to massively raise their performance for one game, then again have settled back into utter mediocrity. The manager isn’t the main problem, it’s the tossers under him who hold the blame for all of this season.

Selles until the end of the season for me still, it’s a write off. Then see where we are. If Sports Republic are true to their word then there’s enough of a ‘project’ next year to make it an attractive proposition to get someone reasonable in. If Selles manages to turn it around somewhat then he’ll be in the frame, if not, he’ll be off. No good moaning about Ankersen, he’s part of the problem but he’s not going anywhere so better just hope he gets his head out of his arse soon enough.  
 

 

Edited 2 March, 2023 by The Kraken

[Greenridge]

1 hour ago, bangkoksaint said:

Really?…..What have you been smoking!!! He’s the one common denominator across about 18 months or so of pure carnage!! He needs to go and I certainly don’t want him in a league he knows nothing about. Dear god he’s supposed to ‘know’ about the Premier League and look how that’s going!!

You realise he joined last summer, right? 

Or do you mean he was negatively influencing our team when he was at F.C. Copenhagen? 

[captainchris]

21 hours ago, Chewy said:

From a coaching perspective, that was as abject as it gets. Out thought tactically by a promoted conference side … because we play the same way; have no variety; no tactical changes in game ever; AMs that mark our own CFs because they’re in their way, taking up any space for dropping deep; have no width because the AMs are narrow,; get out numbered in midfield because we have 4 forwards marking each other leaving just two CMs. 
It might work on the ‘transition’ playbook, or as a fantastic pressing formation against a Man City or in some other hipster reality. But for winning a football match when you actually occasionally have the ball it’s FUCKING SHIT! 
We never score from open play, and we never will playing like that. Change the formation, it doesn’t work.  None of us are well paid coaches but every single one if the fans I was sat near could see exactly the same problems. Too many forwards, not moving, not getting wide so offering zero threat and getting simultaneously out numbered in midfield.

By a newly promoted conference side. Seriously, how sh1t must our tacticians be to not see this?

In a seasons of continuous new lows, that’s as bad a coaching/tactical performance as I’ve seen.

And don’t get me started on the gutless imbeciles on the pitch.

 

100% correct. No midfield STILL!

I’ve said it so many times… Too many players too far advanced which leaves us with no Midfield !!!
= We cannot build any passing movements forwards at all !!!!!

wtf why can’t Selles see this ??

Why???? Because he has been a part of this system for the whole season himself and yet we employed him to carry it on .  
I give up … Literally it’s amateur coaching and tactics, the players don’t stand a chance. 

 

[Wade Garrett]

10 hours ago, Barsiem said:

Have to agree that a return to the style Ralph had us playing is not a good thing.  If Ralph couldn't get it to work why the hell would someone inexperienced like Selles be able to?

That said we've made our choice and I want Selles to be given a good crack at the job, inc starting the campaign in the championship next season.  We've got a long rebuild on our hands

Absolute fucking madness.

[Barsiem]

2 hours ago, bangkoksaint said:

Really?…..What have you been smoking!!! He’s the one common denominator across about 18 months or so of pure carnage!! He needs to go and I certainly don’t want him in a league he knows nothing about. Dear god he’s supposed to ‘know’ about the Premier League and look how that’s going!

I'm struggling to understand what you're on about here.... Firstly, if you're referring to Selles he joined last summer, so nowhere near the 18months you refer to.  But the main thing I'm sick of is the knee jerk reactions.  People on here wrote Jones off after 2 games, then many thought Selles was our saviour after 1 game.  Now, after 2 further games, several want him out as well.  I believe Selles was brought in as a long term replacement for Ralph, and want him given a fair crack at it.  

[Weston Super Saint]

2 minutes ago, Barsiem said:

I'm struggling to understand what you're on about here.... Firstly, if you're referring to Selles he joined last summer, so nowhere near the 18months you refer to.  But the main thing I'm sick of is the knee jerk reactions.  People on here wrote Jones off after 2 games, then many thought Selles was our saviour after 1 game.  Now, after 2 further games, several want him out as well.  I believe Selles was brought in as a long term replacement for Ralph, and want him given a fair crack at it.  

Yeah, that one wasn't wrong though...

[Rivers]

I am not someone who will belligerently cling to an opinion once it has clearly passed its used by date. I've never really "got" the obsession many seem to have on here with being "proved" right or wrong. There is absolutely nothing "wrong" with being wrong (if you'll pardon the aparrent non-sequitur), at least so long as you don't make it into a constantly recurring  habit.

All anyone can do when forming an opinion, is to take the time to ensure we are as well informed as we can be on the given subject, and draw (hopefully logical) conclusions based on the evidence at hand, and our own gut feelings at the time. The problems arise when you become so firmly entrenched in those opinions, that the nasty old ego monster won't allow you to back down, for fear of losing face.

Well relax, my friends, for this is an internet forum. You have no face to lose.

That having been said,  I am not ready to write Ruben off just yet. And here is why.

Firstly, first impressions count. At least for me, they do. And my first impressions of Ruben Selles, we're that he comes across extremely well. He talks a good game, and clearly has a strong depth of footballing knowledge. His dealings with the media have been first class, and are frankly a breath of fresh air after the virulent   toxicity and deluded fuckwittery of Nathan Jones.

Next, for many it seems, the fact the players love him, is being perceived as a negative issue. I understand where you're coming from, but I take a different perspective on the matter. The shower of shite that can be loosely defined as our squad of "professional football players", are clearly bottoming out, suffering from the stage-fright of abject performance related fear, and are completely wilting under the pressure.

Playing under someone you have no respect for, is only going to compound these issues. For me, the best chance we have now (being that no self respecting quality manager is going to take this clusterfuck of a job on now), is to have someone they do love and respect in charge. It may or may not improve results going forward, but if a core of the squad respect the man, they are at least going to try to improve the situation for him.

Another factor in his favour, he is a very experienced and well travelled coach. You have to have something about you, to put yourself out there in going abroad at a youngish age to such far-flung locations as Azerbaijan, Greece, Russia, Scandinavia, in order to further your career, and improve yourself. That takes some bottle.

Then when you look into it, and see so many of his clubs speaking so highly of him not only as a person, but of the positive impact he had during his time with them, a pattern clearly emerges. There is a reason (or many as it happens)that he is so well regarded.

We all know the utter dross we have been afflicted with at this Club, and we know how significant their mental scarring is, from turning out such abysmal performances for so long. It takes time, a lot of hard work, and someone to gradually help to restore their self belief, after such a consistent mental and emotional hammering. Sometimes even the smallest setback after an initial positive turn for the better can seem insurmountable.

He is pretty much here for the remainder of the season anyway. If you're a half-decent experienced top-flight manager, you wouldn't touch us with someone else's bargepole right now.

Ruben is a good man. Honourable, professional, and an extremely likable, enthusiastic character; which is a hell of a lot better than the mouthy tosser we've just got rid of.

The best we can hope for, is to keep supporting him for now, and not make his job of trying to get a tune out of this weak minded shower of a squad any harder than it already is.

He said himself, his first task was to make us more defensively solid, and bar the Bednarek/Bazunu clusterfuck at Leeds, we've not conceded under him from open play. He also said he wanted to give them a system they already knew at first, rather than try to change too much too soon.

For me though,  he needs to stand on his own two feet from here on out though. He will live or die by his own decisions, so he needs to be true to himself, and start setting the team up the way he really wants, in his own image.

I still really hope he can find the right mix to turn it around and at least make some kind of fight of the rest of the season. All we can do is continue to play our part in supporting him and the team, and if it does not work out, then next season is a hard reset in the Championship.

This trainwreck of a season is all on Rasmus, and the players must take their share too, for so many gutless performances and pathetic capitulations.

Most of us poor fuckers are born with this Saints affliction, and are stuck with the cunts, come what may. It's the ones who have chosen us for a team I worry about. 

 

 

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

On 01/03/2023 at 22:41, Dman said:

So we had the media guff telling us how the ruthlessly honest Selles had told players “they won’t play for him again this season”… well who the fuck has he told, because Lyanco, Armstrong, Mara, Aribo, Djenepo etc just played tonight and they’d be first on my list. 

Blimey, if that's the case, the squad will go from 30 to 15! There's so much mediocrity. I haven't lost faith in RS yet. Surely he can make some changes and make us more direct. Then the post Chelsea lovefest with him may return.

[Nolan]

 

We can not afford to turn against Ruben Selles' management. He is owning the issues and has to turn the team around from a huge low.

What is the point of coming up with detrimental chants that will drop our confidence even lower?

The 'second string' were given a chance on Wednesday. They failed.

 

But lets not forget how the third longest manager in the Premier League started out.

 

4 points out of 30 in 2018. now sitting 9th in the Premier League 

 

[Chewy]

10 minutes ago, Nolan said:

 

We can not afford to turn against Ruben Selles' management. He is owning the issues and has to turn the team around from a huge low.

What is the point of coming up with detrimental chants that will drop our confidence even lower?

The 'second string' were given a chance on Wednesday. They failed.

 

But lets not forget how the third longest manager in the Premier League started out.

 

4 points out of 30 in 2018. now sitting 9th in the Premier League 

 

I don’t think anyone is wanting to turn on Selles and I don’t actually think people will; certainly not vocally or with the level of vitriol there was for Jones.

BUT … there are already a few justifiable questions and fans have every right to highlight them.

In his favour he has already come across as measured, positive, calm, authoritative; basically everything Jones wasn’t. We did also beat Chelsea but to be fair were a little lucky. That’s it for the positives - literally that’s it.

In the neutral lane we have reports that the players like him. Can be taken either way, but 3 thoughts: 1) My best ever boss was someone I respected but didn’t necessarily like. 2) The players also allegedly liked Jones. 3) I don’t actually give a sh1t if this crop of underperforming, self-obsessed cretins are pally with the boss - should be last if their concerns

And then in the negative column I guess two things. Firstly he’s tainted - since he came in as a coach Ralph got worse and Jones was dreadful. Selles was here for both - how much input he had will never be known by us, but the fact his team sheets as caretaker v Sheff Wed and since taking over have looked identical to the worst of Ralph’s, I am concerned he was a significant influence early this season. 
And secondly his tactics and in game changes which is all we really have to go on. Religiously sticking to 4222 will be the same disaster as it was becoming under Ralph. We might get the odd result in games where we have little of the ball because it’s a great starting point for an aggressive press. But it’s a terrible formation for creating chances when you have the ball as we’ve happily proved about 50 times in the last 3 years. 
This single fact alone is my biggest concern from the Leeds and Grimsby games. If he is as tied to this tactic as I fear, we’re f*cked and so is he. 
I want him to succeed, he seems likable with charisma. But he needs to learn and show he can adapt pretty quickly. Not a single one of the greatest managers stuck religiously to one tactic and didn’t adapt. Some very good ones got away with it for a season or two but if you won’t adapt you’ll be caught and overtaken in time. Ralph’s already had the first two years of this formation and we’ve been well and truly measured by all our opponents now, who know exactly how to play us. If he doesn’t change this immediately we’re done for.

And to go back to the initial point, all of the fans can see this - we’ve witnessed it for months and are sick of it. And the vast majority understand enough about football to see the glaring tactical issues. So if he serves up exactly the same recipe for failure I do fear it won’t be long before the fans turn on him.

Then we’ll get the predictable line about how entitled and impatient the fans are. We’re not - we’ve just watched enough football to understand what’s wrong and what needs fixing and are utterly bemused by why the coaches and managers don’t.

[Wade Garrett]

14 minutes ago, Chewy said:

I don’t think anyone is wanting to turn on Selles and I don’t actually think people will; certainly not vocally or with the level of vitriol there was for Jones.

BUT … there are already a few justifiable questions and fans have every right to highlight them.

In his favour he has already come across as measured, positive, calm, authoritative; basically everything Jones wasn’t. We did also beat Chelsea but to be fair were a little lucky. That’s it for the positives - literally that’s it.

In the neutral lane we have reports that the players like him. Can be taken either way, but 3 thoughts: 1) My best ever boss was someone I respected but didn’t necessarily like. 2) The players also allegedly liked Jones. 3) I don’t actually give a sh1t if this crop of underperforming, self-obsessed cretins are pally with the boss - should be last if their concerns

And then in the negative column I guess two things. Firstly he’s tainted - since he came in as a coach Ralph got worse and Jones was dreadful. Selles was here for both - how much input he had will never be known by us, but the fact his team sheets as caretaker v Sheff Wed and since taking over have looked identical to the worst of Ralph’s, I am concerned he was a significant influence early this season. 
And secondly his tactics and in game changes which is all we really have to go on. Religiously sticking to 4222 will be the same disaster as it was becoming under Ralph. We might get the odd result in games where we have little of the ball because it’s a great starting point for an aggressive press. But it’s a terrible formation for creating chances when you have the ball as we’ve happily proved about 50 times in the last 3 years. 
This single fact alone is my biggest concern from the Leeds and Grimsby games. If he is as tied to this tactic as I fear, we’re f*cked and so is he. 
I want him to succeed, he seems likable with charisma. But he needs to learn and show he can adapt pretty quickly. Not a single one of the greatest managers stuck religiously to one tactic and didn’t adapt. Some very good ones got away with it for a season or two but if you won’t adapt you’ll be caught and overtaken in time. Ralph’s already had the first two years of this formation and we’ve been well and truly measured by all our opponents now, who know exactly how to play us. If he doesn’t change this immediately we’re done for.

And to go back to the initial point, all of the fans can see this - we’ve witnessed it for months and are sick of it. And the vast majority understand enough about football to see the glaring tactical issues. So if he serves up exactly the same recipe for failure I do fear it won’t be long before the fans turn on him.

Then we’ll get the predictable line about how entitled and impatient the fans are. We’re not - we’ve just watched enough football to understand what’s wrong and what needs fixing and are utterly bemused by why the coaches and managers don’t.

Spot on.  This RalphBall is, as Gordon Strachan put it, ‘propaganda football’.  Too many cowards on the ball.

I prefer to call it ‘all fart and no shit’.

[saintant]

Selles seems to be trying to get the team to build from the back and, for sides like us, that's counterintuitive.  Good sides full of quality players like Man City can do it but we can't because invariably we'll lose the ball whether through a sloppy pass or a player failing to control the ball. When Poch arrived we instantly looked better by trying to win the ball higher up the pitch through an organised high press. That way we have the ball deep in the opponents half with the chance to create chances. For some reason, and I suspect it's to give us more stamina over 90 minutes, we have gone away from the high press. I think we should get back to this style of play because it's the only time we look remotely like a decent football team playing attractive football with a chance of winning games. The five subs should help with the stamina thing. I've had enough of the slow build up with pointless square and backward passes that gets us nowhere. 

[BotleySaint]

2 wins out of 3 league games. 

[Mixedkebab]

14 minutes ago, BotleySaint said:

2 wins out of 3 league games. 

Was about to post the same, 5 more wins needed from 13 and a couple of draws. 
the West Ham game is huge now 

Edited 4 March, 2023 by Mixedkebab

[Nolan]

Overtakes Jones' number of premier League wins.

[Convict Colony]

4 minutes ago, Nolan said:

Overtakes Jones' number of premier League wins.

hahahaha i thought that as well

[James G]

On 03/03/2023 at 10:39, saintant said:

Selles seems to be trying to get the team to build from the back and, for sides like us, that's counterintuitive.  Good sides full of quality players like Man City can do it but we can't because invariably we'll lose the ball whether through a sloppy pass or a player failing to control the ball. When Poch arrived we instantly looked better by trying to win the ball higher up the pitch through an organised high press. That way we have the ball deep in the opponents half with the chance to create chances. For some reason, and I suspect it's to give us more stamina over 90 minutes, we have gone away from the high press. I think we should get back to this style of play because it's the only time we look remotely like a decent football team playing attractive football with a chance of winning games. The five subs should help with the stamina thing. I've had enough of the slow build up with pointless square and backward passes that gets us nowhere. 

Players need to push more forward on goal kicks, it's inviting pressure. Just kick the ball forward and centre left or right when unsure. Remove the doubt. The left and right backs need to be more left and right, than centre. They seem to stay too central and leave space 

 

[Ball boy]

He seems calm. Not sure he’s the best manager but giving the players the right mentality to play from is key! 
the boys worked hard today.

 

[NewYorkSaint]

3 minutes ago, Ball boy said:

He seems calm. Not sure he’s the best manager but giving the players the right mentality to play from is key! 
the boys worked hard today.

 

Agree. We wanted it more than Leicester. That was certainly my impression, and the commentators here in US thought so too.

[Bob76]

Good to see that he changed the system today and thought we looked better.

[Turkish]

Take out Grimsby and he’s got a 66% win percentage

[hypochondriac]

22 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Take out Grimsby and he’s got a 66% win percentage

I knew who gave you the confused reaction face before I'd even clicked on it. 

[Mixedkebab]

Still think we’re fucked 

3 hours ago, Nolan said:

Overtakes Jones' number of premier League wins.

And only one win behind Ralph this season

surely we are still fucked but hopefully Selles gradually works his best formation and line up out over the coming weeks. Alcaraz will be a big miss if he’s out, seems a brave and confident player compared to our usual timid types

Edited 4 March, 2023 by Mixedkebab

[Hodgey]

I thought Selles finally (as in terms of for the whole season) found the right balance today with his line up. Walcott starting was a surprise for some, but it actually just highlighted our unbalanced squad - we don’t have any right sided at mid and it was the right call.  I really liked his decision of Che over Paul - picking the player who suits his style over the Newly expensive option. I also don’t rate Perraud so was happy on the full back pairing.

I also noted him at the edge of the technical area constantly giving instructions and communicating, generally calmly although in the last 5m his emotions definately got the better of him. 
Now the negative - those subs were ridiculous, Elynoussi as the support striker for Alcaraz decreased that attacking momentum. Worse was the Mara and Armstrong subs. So I get that Che and Walcott may have been deemed unfit for 90m. But what we all know, confirmed on Wed, is that Mara and Armstrong cannot hold the ball up, and are nowhere near Prem standard. Sure enough those two not only killed any attacking threat, but also meant we had no out, neither could hold the ball up, increasing the pressure on out backline.

he’s got a 66pc win rate in the Prem so you have to respect that. But I think he got lucky today and hope he learns quickly as those changes today were frankly terrible.

[Rivers]

On 01/03/2023 at 20:32, Archers Road Stand said:

Out of his depth. 

We're drowning in the depths of the Premier League relegation zone. We  sunk to the bottom.

Ruben Selles has jumped in at the Deep End, with no experience of such rescue situations, but he is trying his best to save us. So what you say is true, from that perspective, he is out of his depth.

Good news is, he can swim.

Although he's likely not one of the best swimmers in Europe, and most certainly not the fittest in history, he is here, and he was brave enough to jump in and try his best to keep us afloat. He's not an experienced lifeguard, but he has the highest qualifications available and excellent references from previous employers.

Last night, he pulled us up off the bottom, and handed us a life raft.

It was gritty, rather than elegant. Really hard work. But we've showed great fight, spirit and determination. We're alive, and kicking our way back to the surface. The players clearly have respect and belief in him. He has galvanised and united the Club.

I don't know if we'll have enough, to make it to the safety of the shallow end. But Ruben has given us a chance, and kept us in the fight for survival.

 

On 01/03/2023 at 21:05, AlexLaw76 said:

Wears a nice suit jacket though...

Very dapper chap, our Ruben.

He wears it well, with confidence, and a refreshingly infectious enthusiasm.

The six points he's taken from the last nine, neatly wrapped in a couple of clean sheets, and folded up into a crafty pocket square, is a really nice touch.

 

Fair play to him.

 

 

[Sarisbury Saint]

Great win but  got lucky .

We were second best for large parts of the game today. We’ve been second best to an out of form Leeds and Leicester. We  aren’t good enough to stay up.

Are A Armstrong and Moi really better players than Stu and Edoze ?

 

[saintwbu]

I hope the people banging on about how lucky we were last night have held the same energy in the games we’ve lost this season when we’ve been unlucky. The Grimsby game (not wrongly) has really turned some fans on every aspect of the club if they hadn’t already, and now some seem to be almost bemoaning a victory. The facts of it are, we have 2 wins from 3 league games, we’ve conceded 1 goal in 3, and we’re now off the bottom of the table for the first time since boxing day. Selles is currently responsible for a third of our wins this season, and he’s only been in charge 3 games. If anyone had been offered that when he took charge, not a single person would’ve passed it up.

Edited 5 March, 2023 by saintwbu

[miserableoldgit]

2 hours ago, saintwbu said:

I hope the people banging on about how lucky we were last night have held the same energy in the games we’ve lost this season when we’ve been unlucky. The Grimsby game (not wrongly) has really turned some fans on every aspect of the club if they hadn’t already, and now some seem to be almost bemoaning a victory. The facts of it are, we have 2 wins from 3 league games, we’ve conceded 1 goal in 3, and we’re now off the bottom of the table for the first time since boxing day. Selles is currently responsible for a third of our wins this season, and he’s only been in charge 3 games. If anyone had been offered that when he took charge, not a single person would’ve passed it up.