Saints 0-2 Palace - Match Thread

[SotonianWill]

even when we were losing there was never any urgency. not once did we pile on the pressure. at points we got a few corners but we slowed down the play ourselves! we play it round the back. none of these players try. 

[OttawaSaint]

25 minutes ago, DT said:

Sellés: “We will try to keep that winning mentality – I know we are not getting a lot, especially in the last games, but we are going to try to go for every game, try to win every game and try to compete at our very best.” #saintsfc
 

what the fuck is this prick on about? Just piss off out of our club you deluded, overcomplicating, blind sham

Wow. If that's a winning mentality and trying to win I don't want to see us on a bad day. 

[Golactico]

Strange but absolutely true: Walking back towards the Itchen Bridge after the game, I noticed that Chris Houghton was walking beside me. He took a turn off towards one of the match day car parks. 100% definitely him. Probably on a scouting trip for some League 1 club looking at our shit players, but I thought I'd give the rumour mill a stir.

[Appy]

2 minutes ago, Golactico said:

Strange but absolutely true: Walking back towards the Itchen Bridge after the game, I noticed that Chris Houghton was walking beside me. He took a turn off towards one of the match day car parks. 100% definitely him. Probably on a scouting trip for some League 1 club looking at our shit players, but I thought I'd give the rumour mill a stir.

He’s Ghana manager, so probably enjoying Sulemana being terrible. 

[Forester]

As is often the case in life there is a “big picture” and detail.  Let’s do detail first:

- we did ok first half against a decent mid table team, and could easily have scored from several good chances most notably Theo, Aribo and then Charlie second half.  We didn’t of course, but there wasn’t too much wrong with build up despite some restlessness in the fans which given the dire situation we are in is understandable.  Woy interview on BBC highlighted how they struggled with us first half.

- having seemed to have improved in the early Selles games, Bazanu has regressed and is ill equipped for a relegation dog fight.  The guy was playing League One football a year ago, and it shows sometimes.

- Having ignited things off the bench last week it was strange to see Djenepo not start, and even stranger having scored at long last that Mara didn’t even come on.  I would have started Perraud to add some left foot width and given KWP the right hand side.  But just like the players Selles is an inexperienced rookie at this level.  Which takes me to the bigger picture….

-……which is that we have had three managers in a season, haven’t looked good enough to stay up under any of them, and managed to FURTHER weaken an already dire striker department in the summer by replacing two players with one, a young kid from France who may or may not be a decent player in three years time.  This is criminally negligent by the board, and so with Adams injured there isn’t a single player good enough to play up top in the Premier League.

- and the strategy to just sign youngsters is really coming home to roost as, unlike many on here, I genuinely feel sorry for them.  A supportive, developmental route to blooding youngsters is to gently introduce them, one at a time, surrounded by experience.  We are in danger of ruining some careers, and devaluing financial assets, by exposing them to a relegation fight where their confidence is shattered.

Rasmus and co are 100% culpable for this shit show and the second our relegation is confirmed should face up to the fans and media and explain what they have learned and what they will do to put it right.  

[Whitey Grandad]

I put a lot of it down to the recall of Benarek. Everything goes through him and everything slows through him.

[Dragon_man]

27 minutes ago, DT said:

Sellés: “We will try to keep that winning mentality – I know we are not getting a lot, especially in the last games, but we are going to try to go for every game, try to win every game and try to compete at our very best.” #saintsfc
 

what the fuck is this prick on about? Just piss off out of our club you deluded, overcomplicating, blind sham

'Winning mentality', wtf is he smoking?

I saw a lack of urgency, I thought these guys haven't looked at the table ( as Selles said he doesn't the other week).

They really don't care. I put some of it down to that infamouse Semmens R5 interview a year ago when he effectively said we don't care about league position, we're about making money on player sales. He needs to go.

I fear for next next season. This bunch will get torn apart by those hungry for promotion. 

The club needs a whole reset. Players, managers and culture.

[Pamplemousse]

1 minute ago, Dragon_man said:

'Winning mentality', wtf is he smoking?

I saw a lack of urgency, I thought these guys haven't looked at the table ( as Selles said he doesn't the other week).

They really don't care. I put some of it down to that infamouse Semmens R5 interview a year ago when he effectively said we don't care about league position, we're about making money on player sales. He needs to go.

I fear for next next season. This bunch will get torn apart by those hungry for promotion. 

The club needs a whole reset. Players, managers and culture.

All starts with Ankersen IMO. His ego, his signings, his managerial appointments. He's the problem.

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

2 hours ago, Saint_clark said:

Shame. Was hoping for a good round of "you're not fit to wear the shirt", lots of constant swearing and booing for the remainder of the game. 

Just got back from the game and scrolling through the comments. Must admit, I can't remember the last time I heard "you're not fit to wear the shirt" directed at our players. Was still hoping up to today's game that a miracle would happen and we'd win and that would start our climb out of relegation, but this game was the final nail.  I can accept our players are shit, but I can't understand why they're so bereft of ideas. Don't they train on ways to break down teams set up to defend? Do they care about our club? Don't think so. They're just a bunch of mercenaries. Mixture of feeling pissed off and relief that I can now accept we're going down. 

[SaintNewForest]

Our fans are too nice. Honestly, the majority just sit back and tut. No wonder the players don't give a shit.

[SaintTex]

2 hours ago, Micky said:

Which would probable take this team about 12 games to amass....!

haha.. no kidding.. others around us are giving us plenty of opportunities to climb out of this hole, but we are not capable of taking advantage.

feels like we have been 4 points away from safety for months now.. we'll probably end up 4 points off

Edited 15 April, 2023 by SaintTex

[S-Clarke]

40 minutes ago, DG said:

The lack of fight and effort is criminal, can’t wait for all these players to fuck off.

This is the thing for me, the endless wimpy crab football and keeping the ball at the back is the definition of a lack of fight. No penetration, no intent, no fire. They're just going through the motions, it's so obvious.

As we've been in the PL for a while we pay more than the likes of Brentford, Brighton, Bournemouth etc - yet their players give twice the effort, even 3 times the effort. This is why I've really taken the ''we need the fans to support us' shit personally. It feels like the club have stamped on my head with that comment after they've been punching me in the gut for 5 years.

Everything about this club is dislikeable. Everything.

[JRM]

26 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

I put a lot of it down to the recall of Benarek. Everything goes through him and everything slows through him.

Agree with that Grandad. He thinks he's the captain doesn't he. 

Honestly I'd have rather recalled Stephens 

[badgerx16]

Assuming they exist, if you took the good parts of Selles and Jones, and combined them with the best of Ralph, I still don't think you would have a competent PL manager.

[Appy]

19 minutes ago, SaintNewForest said:

Our fans are too nice. Honestly, the majority just sit back and tut. No wonder the players don't give a shit.

Can’t fucking blame them, spending thousands on watching that turgid shite every year will do that to a person. 

[Whitey Grandad]

7 minutes ago, JRM said:

Agree with that Grandad. He thinks he's the captain doesn't he. 

Honestly I'd have rather recalled Stephens 

I was never a fan of Stephens but he is a better defender. If nothing else he wouldn’t now be helping Bournemouth get victories.

[sfc4prem]

47 minutes ago, Golactico said:

Strange but absolutely true: Walking back towards the Itchen Bridge after the game, I noticed that Chris Houghton was walking beside me. He took a turn off towards one of the match day car parks. 100% definitely him. Probably on a scouting trip for some League 1 club looking at our shit players, but I thought I'd give the rumour mill a stir.

To be fair, Houghton gets everywhere on the coast. Saw him in an M&S BP petrol station near Horsham a while back (well after he was sacked by Brighton).

[LaptopSaint]

Not much to add. There wasn’t even much booing at the end. The style of football we play has sucked the passion out of the club. There was just so little to get excited about. 

Aribo has to score at the Northam in the first half, but of course he didn’t. And once Baz palmed it into the path of Eze everyone in St Marys knew it was game over. 

Come on Saints: give us something, anything, for the rest of the season - and we’ll get behind the team. We want to enjoy it, but by god the last three seasons have been grim.

I’d take Vieira backed up by Walcott or Lallana in the summer. Has any team ever made two such disastrous managerial appointments in one season? Oh yes, Chelsea… just about the only thing in football that made me smile today. 

[Appy]

5 minutes ago, LaptopSaint said:

Not much to add. There wasn’t even much booing at the end. The style of football we play has sucked the passion out of the club. There was just so little to get excited about. 

Aribo has to score at the Northam in the first half, but of course he didn’t. And once Baz palmed it into the path of Eze everyone in St Marys knew it was game over. 

Come on Saints: give us something, anything, for the rest of the season - and we’ll get behind the team. We want to enjoy it, but by god the last three seasons have been grim.

I’d take Vieira backed up by Walcott or Lallana in the summer. Has any team ever made two such disastrous managerial appointments in one season? Oh yes, Chelsea… just about the only thing in football that made me smile today. 

Walcott and Lallana doing what exactly? 
 

 

[Viking Saint]

2 hours ago, Mr X said:

With the exception of Lavia who Is certainly not staying anyway, I can't think of a single player I would be sad to lose, time for JWP to move on too! That says it all really. Sadly our championship chances will be riding on the likes of Elyonoussi and Adam Armstrong 😂

Doesn't Elyounoussi's contract expire this summer or is this just wishful thinking on my part??

'

[Whitey Grandad]

I was wondering during the game what sort of training our defenders did and then it dawned on me.

They practise by defending against our own attackers. No wonder they’re not very good at it.

[Whitey Grandad]

Just now, Viking Saint said:

Doesn't Elyounoussi's contract expire this summer or is this just wishful thinking on my part??

'

Shush…

Let’s hope none of our ‘management’ team find out until it’s too late.

[Sheaf Saint]

Just now, Whitey Grandad said:

I was wondering during the game what sort of training our defenders did and then it dawned on me.

They practise by defending against our own attackers. No wonder they’re not very good at it.

Think that works both ways. When they practice the attacking set piece routines they probably slap each other on the back at how good they must be, completely forgetting that when they come up against competent defenders they won't yield any success.

[wadesmith]

Don’t want to panic anyone but Steve Bruce is trending on Twitter.

[LaptopSaint]

10 minutes ago, Appy said:

Walcott and Lallana doing what exactly? 
 

 

Coaching. I think they’d both be good at it. You may disagree. 

[Cabrone]

I think we can all assume that Arse (a) is a loss and Newcastle (a) is a loss. Therefore if B'mth turn us over at St Marys (quite likely) we could be down after the Newcastle game.

However that's unlikely because either Forest would have to get 9 points from Utd (h), L'pool (a), Brighton (h), Brentford (a) - OR - Everton would need to beat Palace (a), Newcastle (h), Leicester (a).

I think it's more likely that we'll go down not by our rivals putting on a run but by us simply stinking the place out and and eventually running out of games.

My guess is Leicester on 32 points, same with Forest and Everton on 31. 

Forest, Everton and Saints to go down.

 

[sfc4prem]

2 minutes ago, Cabrone said:

I think we can all assume that Arse (a) is a loss and Newcastle (a) is a loss. Therefore if B'mth turn us over at St Marys (quite likely) we could be down after the Newcastle game.

However that's unlikely because either Forest would have to get 9 points from Utd (h), L'pool (a), Brighton (h), Brentford (a) - OR - Everton would need to beat Palace (a), Newcastle (h), Leicester (a).

I think it's more likely that we'll go down not by our rivals putting on a run but by us simply stinking the place out and and eventually running out of games.

My guess is Leicester on 32 points, same with Forest and Everton on 31. 

Forest, Everton and Saints to go down.

 

We so deserve to go down, we're a shell of a club.

[SaintTex]

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/soccer-predictions/premier-league/

i think that is that...

92% chance of going down.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

13 minutes ago, Cabrone said:

I think we can all assume that Arse (a) is a loss and Newcastle (a) is a loss. Therefore if B'mth turn us over at St Marys (quite likely) we could be down after the Newcastle game.

However that's unlikely because either Forest would have to get 9 points from Utd (h), L'pool (a), Brighton (h), Brentford (a) - OR - Everton would need to beat Palace (a), Newcastle (h), Leicester (a).

I think it's more likely that we'll go down not by our rivals putting on a run but by us simply stinking the place out and and eventually running out of games.

My guess is Leicester on 32 points, same with Forest and Everton on 31. 

Forest, Everton and Saints to go down.

 

I think it's going to Leicester and us. Forest have to play us yet, so that's am easy three points for them

[OttawaSaint]

2 hours ago, Sheaf Saint said:

For someone who is supposedly so clued up about football, he seems to be alarmingly oblivious to the chicken and egg scenario here. The players need to give the fans something to cheer and sing about, but we've endured years and years of turgid, pedestrian shite on the pitch and we're so fatigued from it now that all we are able to express is frustration and cynicism. 

And it's so bloody easy to do to. Had they come out fired up and fucking went at Palace the crowd noise would have been immense given how entertainment starved they are. 

FOOLS!

[Roo1976]

1 hour ago, Pamplemousse said:

All starts with Ankersen IMO. His ego, his signings, his managerial appointments. He's the problem.

wonder why hes not at brentford anymore,or is that the other failure?

[OttawaSaint]

46 minutes ago, Appy said:

Walcott and Lallana doing what exactly? 
 

 

Chief hairstylists...

[Convict Colony]

Its fair to say for this season

 

[madge]

1 hour ago, SaintNewForest said:

Our fans are too nice. Honestly, the majority just sit back and tut. No wonder the players don't give a shit.

Fair play to a few lads who gave the directors box an ear bashing today.. least they give a shit about the club… 

[Fabrice29]

7 minutes ago, Roo1976 said:

wonder why hes not at brentford anymore,or is that the other failure?

He left on his own accord to be the co-founder of Sport Republic and subsequently invest in us. He was a big part of Brentfords revamp and did very good work as Chairman of FC Midtjylland before that. Lets not rewrite history here. Some poor managerial decisions and transfer decisions seemingly but I think he'd have appreciated his head of recruitment staying for more than 1 window at the very least. 

Don't think the blame should be placed at one person for this season. It's the result of a lack of evolution in coaching style IMO and a failure to replace Ings to mask the problems mainly. Plenty to blame. 

[East Kent Saint]

But if Saints managed to cling on in the Prem this season would that be a good thing or would it mean another season of pain for fans ?

[John Boy Saint]

1 hour ago, SaintNewForest said:

Our fans are too nice. Honestly, the majority just sit back and tut. No wonder the players don't give a shit.

If you’ve got a shovel and some stout bags, please feel free to pop round and dig the excess of shit that has been poured into my eyes these last few seasons - the quantity is impressive and it should be be excellent for Roses and especially the Rhubarb you are emitting.

 

[JCBSaint]

This has been on the cards for ages, it’s been a slow death , no leader from the top of the club, no leaders on the pitch, it’s the fans who always go through the wringer , nobody else seems to give a toss. With this mob we are going to struggle in the championship, no tippy tappy backwards crap in that league,,, actually quite looking forward to more direct football, crosses coming in for strikers to knock in. A few wins even. 

[zurichboy]

2 hours ago, Whitey Grandad said:

I put a lot of it down to the recall of Benarek. Everything goes through him and everything slows through him.

He's certainly not the worst in the team. At least try and get the name right.

[St Steve]

 

[whiteleySaint30]

Embarrassing - no heart, no fight. Just overpaid players. Disgusting. 

Selles needs to go - not playing a striker against Palace. NEGATIVE WASTER OF SPACE.

Need a fresh start. 

[Pamplemousse]

35 minutes ago, madge said:

Fair play to a few lads who gave the directors box an ear bashing today.. least they give a shit about the club… 

Good. Fully deserved.

[Victor]

2 hours ago, Appy said:

He’s Ghana manager, so probably enjoying Sulemana being terrible. 

No he's not - that's Chris Hughton.

[JRM]

2 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

This is the thing for me, the endless wimpy crab football and keeping the ball at the back is the definition of a lack of fight. No penetration, no intent, no fire. They're just going through the motions, it's so obvious.

As we've been in the PL for a while we pay more than the likes of Brentford, Brighton, Bournemouth etc - yet their players give twice the effort, even 3 times the effort. This is why I've really taken the ''we need the fans to support us' shit personally. It feels like the club have stamped on my head with that comment after they've been punching me in the gut for 5 years.

Everything about this club is dislikeable. Everything.

100% spot on. Proper cowards football, no desire, fight, just mercenaries going through the motions.

Wimpy crab football is perfect description 

Edited 15 April, 2023 by JRM

[CanadaSaint]

Months of anticipation, 4,200 miles in the air, and 22 travel hours to see a gutless manager pick a side devoid of any discernible structure, a starting lineup without a striker in a “must win” game, an England international who doesn’t know how to pass forward, another England international who doesn’t know how to stay onside and blazes a clear chance almost into orbit, a third England international played on his wrong side so that the loanee played in his position can get done like a kipper on the byline, a Polish international whose main ‘skills’ are ball-watching and playing square or backward passes, an attacking ‘strategy’ that involves giving the opposition as long as possible to get into position before eventually hoofing it straight to them, a prevalence of go-through-the-motions-itis all over the park, hearing the manager telling the fans how to do THEIR job when he doesn’t have a fucking clue how to do his own, having to listen to a bunch of fuckwits from Croydon taking the piss… I could keep going.

But the part that pisses me off most is that this bunch of overpaid, underperforming pussies - coaches and management most certainly included - don’t seem unduly perturbed about it. Why would they be? Their ‘loyalty’, unlike ours, is completely transient - shrug it off and get their agents to start looking for another club. Screw all of them.

[Give it to Ron]

9 minutes ago, CanadaSaint said:

Months of anticipation, 4,200 miles in the air, and 22 travel hours to see a gutless manager pick a side devoid of any discernible structure, a starting lineup without a striker in a “must win” game, an England international who doesn’t know how to pass forward, another England international who doesn’t know how to stay onside and blazes a clear chance almost into orbit, a third England international played on his wrong side so that the loanee played in his position can get done like a kipper on the byline, a Polish international whose main ‘skills’ are ball-watching and playing square or backward passes, an attacking ‘strategy’ that involves giving the opposition as long as possible to get into position before eventually hoofing it straight to them, a prevalence of go-through-the-motions-itis all over the park, hearing the manager telling the fans how to do THEIR job when he doesn’t have a fucking clue how to do his own, having to listen to a bunch of fuckwits from Croydon taking the piss… I could keep going.

But the part that pisses me off most is that this bunch of overpaid, underperforming pussies - coaches and management most certainly included - don’t seem unduly perturbed about it. Why would they be? Their ‘loyalty’, unlike ours, is completely transient - shrug it off and get their agents to start looking for another club. Screw all of them.

Love that!

[warsash saint]

Embarrassing,  pathetic,clueless,,completely run our of ideas...... and that's just the half time entertainment! 

[macca155]

Utter garbage, no fight, no ideas,, no movement. They have given up.

This has been coming for the last 3 years. Terrible transfer and loan decisions have left us with one if the worst Premier league teams for many years.

Just need to accept it now. Buy in a decent manager and start rebuilding for next year.

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, zurichboy said:

He's certainly not the worst in the team. At least try and get the name right.

I did get it right. My iPad couldn’t bear to let me type it.

Cleverarse

[InvictaSaint]

If ever one thing encapsulated all the rancid, incompetent shitness of Saints right now…..it was Kenzie’s on pitch half time entertainment today. W.T.A.F.

Edited 15 April, 2023 by InvictaSaint