Bournemouth 3-1 Saints - Match Thread

[OldNick]

41 minutes ago, PJ said:

But for him, it wouldn't be glory hunting. He's never lived in Southampton - it's not like he'd be rejecting his local team to get glory with some other club. He lives far nearer to Arsenal/WestHam/Spurs.

Yes, we did Wembley. I'm probably just feeling depressed, like we all are, watching us this season.

let him do what he feels best with. It must be tough on him going to school where he will be the only Saints fan. My grandson to my disgust is going to be a gooner as my s-i-l is one, im very disappointed with my daughter that this has happened

[OldNick]

For their first goal with the quick free kick, their player was still on the floor and the ball was forward by a couple of feet and 6 ft away from the foul. Normally the ref would not allow that. Good quick thinking but Im sure Oliver would usually bring that back.

[trousers]

54 minutes ago, PJ said:

Rarely post here. A few days ago my 7 year old said to me "why do I support Southampton? Can't I support Arsenal"?

We live in Essex, he's never lived in Southampton, we have no family there anymore, and so he has no connection with Saints apart from through me. We go to St Marys when we can. Long all-round trip. Honestly, after watching last night with him on TV, I felt guilty that he supports saints. He doesn't enjoy the games, and why would he? He's 7 and wants to see his team score goals - or at least take a shot every now and then...

I'm really close to letting him choose who he wants to support. Arsenal or whoever.  

Maybe a poll on here: should I force my son to keep supporting saints, or let him enjoy football instead?

I went through similar with my son at the same age... Happened to coincide with our slide down to League One and away days Vs Dagenham & Redbridge, so maybe tell your son l "it could be worse!"...

He's now in his 20s and actually thanks me for "forcing" him to support Saints as he'd rather support a 'proper' football team than one of the plastics.

Persevere!

[OldNick]

9 hours ago, hypochondriac said:

He's losing it. If it's self explanatory then don't do interviews. 

I would if I had an ex page 3 girl, it would ruin my concentration as well lol

[OldNick]

10 hours ago, Morse said:

RM is clearly out of his depth and needs to be replaced.  However, when a team is as poor as us it's rarely down to the manager alone. Our recruitment has been atrocious this season and last. 

I said some years ago we should get the Brentford recruitment team, now I feel the Bournemouth ones are pretty decent. Our team couldnt judge a village marrow competition

[S-Clarke]

7 minutes ago, The Realist said:

Have been a big supporter of RM.  I loved his football last season.  It wasa great season and when we won, we won matches playing with style.  That said, we lost to teams who pressed us high up the pitch and/or were more energetic and up for a fight.  This was always my biggest worry coming up to the PL where teams press high and are more physically stronger than in the Championship.  B'mth result was no surprise as they press high and very energetic.  

We are just  too slow getting the ball forward even if we did beat the press.  People saying "get a new manager in and sort the defence out, we'll be fine" are wrong.  The defence isn't necessarily the problem.  The style of play is such that they aren't allowed to boot it so have to play a pass but we are under so much pressure, there is nobody to pass to.  We play too safely, don't take opportunities to get the ball in the box or down the wings and are so slow and predictable.

We needed a decent CF, we don't have one.  Why not play balls over the top of opposition defence for fast players like CA, AA to run onto to at least give the opposition something to think about and push them back.

I think RM has to go but who to replace him....

I found it hard to truly, truly enjoy last season, I'm not sure why - I've never really been able to put my finger on it. It could be because we never were really comfortable against anyone? It felt a bit of a slog, when it shouldn't have been. I can count on one hand our really comfortable wins at home, Blackburn home, Swansea home, Sheff Weds home, PNE. Swansea away should have been comfortable, but we also made hard work of that.

With the players we had available to us last year we should not have lost two games 5-0, and one game 4-1. It may be those results that also dent my feeling of the season.

For sure, promotion is promotion and days like that will live long forever, but a season like this will nullify the feeling I had of it for sure. I'll be honest I'm still surprised we are here because I never thought we were anywhere near good enough last year.

Edited October 1 by S-Clarke

[Osvaldorama]

Yep, our recruitment is consistently awful. Fernandes and ramsdale are good buys. THB is good and has a lot of potential, despite his slow start to the season. 
 

Apart from that we’ve signed duff after duff after duff. Then appointed the least pragmatic manager in the history of football. 
 

Bad players, and a coach that doesn’t play to their strengths. Fucking genius. Well done guys 

[Baird of the land]

3 minutes ago, The Realist said:

We needed a decent CF, we don't have one.  Why not play balls over the top of opposition defence for fast players like CA, AA to run onto to at least give the opposition something to think about and push them back.

I think RM has to go but who to replace him....

Personally i'd argue we should be setting up to take advantage of our aerial ability, get to the byline put in crosses. We must have the 2 tallest strikers in the league. 

 

[Football Special]

3 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

I found it hard to truly, truly enjoy last season, I'm not sure why - I've never really been able to put my finger on it. It could be because we never were really comfortable against anyone? It felt a bit of a slog, when it shouldn't have been. I can count on one hand our really comfortable wins at home, Blackburn home, Swansea home, Sheff Weds home, PNE. Swansea away should have been comfortable, but we also made hard work of that.

With the players we had available to us last year we should not have lost two games 5-0, and one game 4-1. It may be those results that also dent my feeling of the season.

For sure, promotion is promotion and days like that will live long forever, but a season like this will nullify the feeling I had of it for sure. I'll be honest I'm still surprised we are here because I never thought we were anywhere near good enough last year.

I don't disagree with you,  there were some particularly frustrating games, but last season was still a refreshing change after the previous years relegation and I do "miss" the championship (yes I know we'll be back there soon enough) 

[notnowcato]

10 hours ago, Bob60 said:

I would sack him for thinking aribo was outstanding. 

Man can't ever turn forward, can't control a ball. 

Always tried to give RM time but think it's up now.

One of the few players to come out of last nights game with any credit. 

[Kingsland Codger]

5 hours ago, Vancouver Saint said:

Had client meetings so watched a recording later. OMG how bad are we? That first half has to be the worst we've played for ages - and we've had some pretty bad performances. We are a laughing stock...'stupid football' playing out of the back from our goalline against more skilful opposition that know if they press us we'll cough it up to them in our own third. 

And to keep doing it again and again and again...doh!

We actually had the better of the first 10 minutes and it looked promising. But we completely deflated after that stupid first goal. And how are we ever going to win if we have no threat going forward? 

What really worries me is the lack of fight...we lost pretty much every 50:50 scrap in midfield. When we did get the ball to run with it there were few options 

I've been prepared to give RM the benefit of the doubt up to this point but enough is enough. Our back line are not comfortable enough with the ball at their feet to pay this high-risk pass-it-around the back stupid football. Do they realise we cannot score from our own third...but we can give it away to the opposition high up the pitch...and do, frequently. The number of time the tippy-tappy at the back ended up with a boot up the line where Bournemouth would lap it up and come back again. We can't defend set pieces. We defend way too deep. We seem to have given up our own high press. We have no target man striker (perhaps a match-fit Stewart)...we don't play KWP or ABK...! 

 

 

5 hours ago, Vancouver Saint said:

Had client meetings so watched a recording later. OMG how bad are we? That first half has to be the worst we've played for ages - and we've had some pretty bad performances. We are a laughing stock...'stupid football' playing out of the back from our goalline against more skilful opposition that know if they press us we'll cough it up to them in our own third. 

And to keep doing it again and again and again...doh!

We actually had the better of the first 10 minutes and it looked promising. But we completely deflated after that stupid first goal. And how are we ever going to win if we have no threat going forward? 

What really worries me is the lack of fight...we lost pretty much every 50:50 scrap in midfield. When we did get the ball to run with it there were few options (Dibbling would beat three men and look up for the pass that wasn't there).

We have no plan. BBD is not the answer to any question I can think of except "who dives at every opportunity, hides on the wing, can't score and hasn't won a Premier League game in 21 starts?"...hmmm

Positives? Thought Charlie Taylor was our MotM. Aribo was good when he came on. Lallana classy but not the solution. Lesley good. Stewart put a shift in.

I've been prepared to give RM the benefit of the doubt up to this point but enough is enough. Our back line are not comfortable enough with the ball at their feet to pay this high-risk pass-it-around the back stupid football. Do they realise we cannot score from our own third...but we can give it away to the opposition high up the pitch...and do, frequently. The number of time the tippy-tappy at the back ended up with a boot up the line where Bournemouth would lap it up and come back again. We can't defend set pieces. We defend way too deep. We seem to have given up our own high press. We have no target man striker (perhaps a match-fit Stewart)...we don't play KWP or ABK...! 

 

When you put it like that it’s hard to say anything except … “you have a very fair point”

[OldNick]

10 hours ago, cloggy saint said:

After 1/6 of the season we have one point and are well on course to smash Derby's record. History awaits.

Oh joy awaits when the 'whats the difference between Southampton and a Xmas star, the star has 5 points ' etc etc etc

[Jack]

31 minutes ago, OldNick said:

For their first goal with the quick free kick, their player was still on the floor and the ball was forward by a couple of feet and 6 ft away from the foul. Normally the ref would not allow that. Good quick thinking but Im sure Oliver would usually bring that back.

I said this on the first replay I saw, a lot of refs don’t let that slide. He was awful, and in their favour a lot I felt. We’d still have lost comfortably but it didn’t help. 
 

RM needed to set us up to play to our strengths and he did the exact opposite again, and played right into Bournemouth’s hands. Sick of it 

[notnowcato]

I didn’t like what seemed to be a front 2 of Fernandes and Dibling but we started alright, couple of half attempts on goal in the first 15 minutes. Bournemouth hadn’t really caused us a problem (from a hazy memory) until that quick free kick, which was brilliant from Tavernier and Evanillson (sp?) and not so good from THB. The really concerning thing is our reaction to that set back, it’s a recurring theme now and is very disappointing to see. We go from being in the game to being completely out of it, unable to wrestle back the control or at least parity in the game and look so fragile that the oppo can score with every attack. 
 

We did look better in the 2nd half when the shape changed to a more apparent 4-3-3, even when it changed again to a 3 at the back but unfortunately I think that’s more to do with the state of the game, it was done. 
 

Clearly the team and management group are hurting, I genuinely hope they can turn things around so we don’t capitulate at the first set back but I’m not seeing any signals that is happening any time soon. 

[Jack]

30 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

I found it hard to truly, truly enjoy last season, I'm not sure why - I've never really been able to put my finger on it. It could be because we never were really comfortable against anyone? It felt a bit of a slog, when it shouldn't have been. I can count on one hand our really comfortable wins at home, Blackburn home, Swansea home, Sheff Weds home, PNE. Swansea away should have been comfortable, but we also made hard work of that.

With the players we had available to us last year we should not have lost two games 5-0, and one game 4-1. It may be those results that also dent my feeling of the season.

For sure, promotion is promotion and days like that will live long forever, but a season like this will nullify the feeling I had of it for sure. I'll be honest I'm still surprised we are here because I never thought we were anywhere near good enough last year.

The sheer quantity of shit goals conceded last season and poor draws away from home was it for me. Outside of the top 4 that league was dross, and we made a right meal out of it due to poor tactics and game management IMO

[qwertyell]

Obviously not the main issue of the day and probably wouldn't have made a jot of difference last night, but I'm going to keep banging the drum for how depressing it is that we bought in two declining journeymen wingers who haven't done shit in this league for a few years, and binned off our second brightest prospect back to the u21s. 

[saintant]

2 hours ago, drd said:

I thought Aribo and Lallana were good for you, and Dibling has talent, but maybe not as CF.

Fraser was brilliantly rubbish, but looks like Messi compared to BBD

You have to bin off Martin to give you any chance of survival, playing those tactics against our pressing game was suicidal. 

You are preaching to the mainly converted - most of us on here know that but the manager and coaches clearly don't.

[Sheaf Saint]

6 minutes ago, Jack said:

I said this on the first replay I saw, a lot of refs don’t let that slide. He was awful, and in their favour a lot I felt. We’d still have lost comfortably but it didn’t help. 
 

Especially when you consider we had a virtually identical scenario in the second half (almost exactly the same position) and Archer wanted to take it quickly but Oliver blew his whistle and stopped him. 

Like you say, it still wouldn't have changed anything. But at least be consistent FFS.

[OldNick]

11 hours ago, Saint86 said:

PSR. Basically stops relegation by default. We were just unlucky enough to go down as it came in. 

Clubs that get relegated get wrecked by the turmoil it causes, then get promoted and can't spend the same as the worst surviving prem club. And clubs coming up from lower leagues (that avoid that mess) don't have the infastructure to really threaten because it takes years of funding to establish squad depth, commercial revenues, and quality training / academy setups. 

PSR is one foot into the world of removing relegation. 

 

could we do what Leicester did? seems they have got away with breaking those rules

[saintant]

18 minutes ago, Jack said:

I said this on the first replay I saw, a lot of refs don’t let that slide. He was awful, and in their favour a lot I felt. We’d still have lost comfortably but it didn’t help. 
 

RM needed to set us up to play to our strengths and he did the exact opposite again, and played right into Bournemouth’s hands. Sick of it 

Disagree I'm afraid. What it proved was the Bmuff players were far more switched on than ours. Whilst they got on with it and played a quick clever ball into the box we stood and watched - Big Les was the most culpable as he should have stood right by the ball and prevented them taking it so quickly. We were very naive and paid the price.

[OldNick]

As mad as this may seem I wonder if Gao's tenure of ownership was better than SR. He left the club to run and not get involved, this lot took a team that could just about stay up and tore it to pieces. Going down that season was a disaster as the PSR came in and the following season it was easy to stay up. Unless 3 teams goes into meltdown we are doomed 

The bunch of clowns have found a backroom team who couldn't find a gem in a Indian princes strong room. The players coming through and purchased are not of a physique and pace to compete in this league.

Perhaps we should have kept Macca at No 1 and used the 25m extra to add to the £9 or so million we had to buy a decent striker.

Not a criticism of AR but perhaps the focus should have been there. What happens if Flynn is unable to play the holding role????

[OldNick]

4 minutes ago, saintant said:

Disagree I'm afraid. What it proved was the Bmuff players were far more switched on than ours. Whilst they got on with it and played a quick clever ball into the box we stood and watched - Big Les was the most culpable as he should have stood right by the ball and prevented them taking it so quickly. We were very naive and paid the price.

I can guarantee you that more than once this season we will be stopped/called back from taking a similar quick free kick, and no doubt Oliver will do it in a game on TV

[warsash saint]

58 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

I found it hard to truly, truly enjoy last season, I'm not sure why - I've never really been able to put my finger on it. It could be because we never were really comfortable against anyone? It felt a bit of a slog, when it shouldn't have been. I can count on one hand our really comfortable wins at home, Blackburn home, Swansea home, Sheff Weds home, PNE. Swansea away should have been comfortable, but we also made hard work of that.

With the players we had available to us last year we should not have lost two games 5-0, and one game 4-1. It may be those results that also dent my feeling of the season.

For sure, promotion is promotion and days like that will live long forever, but a season like this will nullify the feeling I had of it for sure. I'll be honest I'm still surprised we are here because I never thought we were anywhere near good enough last year.

Fuck me, if you can't enjoy a 20 odd game unbeaten run & a promotion then i suggest you follow another sport fella!!

[saintant]

1 minute ago, OldNick said:

I can guarantee you that more than once this season we will be stopped/called back from taking a similar quick free kick, and no doubt Oliver will do it in a game on TV

You miss my point - I'm stating that the Bmuff players were switched on whilst ours were not. Whether Oliver should or should not have allowed it is a different matter entirely. Instead of standing on the ball Big Les turned his back and just let them take the quick free kick - that sort of thing should not be happening at this level.

[miserableoldgit]

Anyone got a link to the Alfie House interview?

[OldNick]

Just now, saintant said:

You miss my point - I'm stating that the Bmuff players were switched on whilst ours were not. Whether Oliver should or should not have allowed it is a different matter entirely. Instead of standing on the ball Big Les turned his back and just let them take the quick free kick - that sort of thing should not be happening at this level.

Oh I totally agree, he is a lummox doesn't read the game imo. He is big and looks powerful but to me he doesnt use those to our advantage. To be fair Flynn was too busy arguing than staying switched on.

[saintant]

Can anyone who watched the game explain what our formation was because I didn't have a clue. When I saw the team he picked I assumed we'd be setting up as a 4-2-3-1 but there was no sign of that. It looked like a poorly executed 4-3-3 but I'm not entirely certain. We did start reasonably well and the commentators were saying Bmuff hadn't got going and were struggling to work us out - it didn't take long for their smarter manager to put that right.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

8 minutes ago, OldNick said:

Oh I totally agree, he is a lummox doesn't read the game imo. He is big and looks powerful but to me he doesnt use those to our advantage. To be fair Flynn was too busy arguing than staying switched on.

Why the fuck was he arguing with the ref though? Not as if he is going to change his mind. Showed a complete lack of discipline as a captain. 

[TheAlehouseBrawlers]

I think we were all hoping Big Les was going to be our new Wanyama or Romeu but maybe we’re forgetting his age/experience and will need more time.

But the team clearly lacks a backbone, the way our legs buckled after conceding the first last night and after the penalty miss against United shows we’re lacking the resilience required at this level in particular. Tough few weeks coming up.

[Jack]

27 minutes ago, saintant said:

Disagree I'm afraid. What it proved was the Bmuff players were far more switched on than ours. Whilst they got on with it and played a quick clever ball into the box we stood and watched - Big Les was the most culpable as he should have stood right by the ball and prevented them taking it so quickly. We were very naive and paid the price.

I completely agree that we switched off and shouldn’t have given them the opportunity to take the free kick quickly. But also you see quick free kicks like that get pulled back all the time as it was taken several yards from where the foul was 

[chownie20]

2 minutes ago, TheAlehouseBrawlers said:

I think we were all hoping Big Les was going to be our new Wanyama or Romeu but maybe we’re forgetting his age/experience and will need more time.

But the team clearly lacks a backbone, the way our legs buckled after conceding the first last night and after the penalty miss against United shows we’re lacking the resilience required at this level in particular. Tough few weeks coming up.

Les certainly didn't have the best night.  At fault for 2 goals I think. However,  he has been pretty strong in other matches. Against Everton in the cup for example. But maybe age and experience and playing a different formation with different players every 5mins might mean he might not get there every week just yet.

[OldNick]

Just now, Jack said:

I completely agree that we switched off and shouldn’t have given them the opportunity to take the free kick quickly. But also you see quick free kicks like that get pulled back all the time as it was taken several yards from where the foul was 

Just read on X that Olivers wife is a Pompey fan, he will of got a 6 finger toss off last night, she may have put her front teeth in as well

[Fabrice29]

11 minutes ago, saintant said:

Can anyone who watched the game explain what our formation was because I didn't have a clue. When I saw the team he picked I assumed we'd be setting up as a 4-2-3-1 but there was no sign of that. It looked like a poorly executed 4-3-3 but I'm not entirely certain. We did start reasonably well and the commentators were saying Bmuff hadn't got going and were struggling to work us out - it didn't take long for their smarter manager to put that right.

 

On 22/09/2024 at 11:57, saintant said:

I'm convinced Dibling is the answer and should be playing centre forward not out wide.

 

[OldNick]

2 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

 

 

oops

[Sunglasses Ron]

2 hours ago, PJ said:

Rarely post here. A few days ago my 7 year old said to me "why do I support Southampton? Can't I support Arsenal"?

We live in Essex, he's never lived in Southampton, we have no family there anymore, and so he has no connection with Saints apart from through me. We go to St Marys when we can. Long all-round trip. Honestly, after watching last night with him on TV, I felt guilty that he supports saints. He doesn't enjoy the games, and why would he? He's 7 and wants to see his team score goals - or at least take a shot every now and then...

I'm really close to letting him choose who he wants to support. Arsenal or whoever.  

Maybe a poll on here: should I force my son to keep supporting saints, or let him enjoy football instead?

Dig your heels in man for no reason other than supporting Saints is a much better reflection of dealing with life than the rose-tinted world of supporting Arsenal.

[beatlesaint]

2 hours ago, PJ said:

Rarely post here. A few days ago my 7 year old said to me "why do I support Southampton? Can't I support Arsenal"?

We live in Essex, he's never lived in Southampton, we have no family there anymore, and so he has no connection with Saints apart from through me. We go to St Marys when we can. Long all-round trip. Honestly, after watching last night with him on TV, I felt guilty that he supports saints. He doesn't enjoy the games, and why would he? He's 7 and wants to see his team score goals - or at least take a shot every now and then...

I'm really close to letting him choose who he wants to support. Arsenal or whoever.  

Maybe a poll on here: should I force my son to keep supporting saints, or let him enjoy football instead?

Do a deal, say to him "whoever wins Saturday is your first team, the loser is your second team" and have a brand new Arsenal shirt in a bag ready for him at 5.00.

If a miracle happens you can always take the shirt back and your boy can go to school and taunt all his glory hunting Arsenal mates!!  Win/Win 😄 

[notnowcato]

42 minutes ago, saintant said:

Can anyone who watched the game explain what our formation was because I didn't have a clue. When I saw the team he picked I assumed we'd be setting up as a 4-2-3-1 but there was no sign of that. It looked like a poorly executed 4-3-3 but I'm not entirely certain. We did start reasonably well and the commentators were saying Bmuff hadn't got going and were struggling to work us out - it didn't take long for their smarter manager to put that right.

First half looked like a 4-2-2-2: 2 pivots, 2 wide and 2 up top. 
 

Second half I think we started 4-3-3, 1 pivot, when Lallana came on it seemed more of a 3-4-3. 

[Sheaf Saint]

1 hour ago, OldNick said:

I can guarantee you that more than once this season we will be stopped/called back from taking a similar quick free kick, and no doubt Oliver will do it in a game on TV

He already did, in the second half last night.

[Turkish]

3 hours ago, PJ said:

Rarely post here. A few days ago my 7 year old said to me "why do I support Southampton? Can't I support Arsenal"?

We live in Essex, he's never lived in Southampton, we have no family there anymore, and so he has no connection with Saints apart from through me. We go to St Marys when we can. Long all-round trip. Honestly, after watching last night with him on TV, I felt guilty that he supports saints. He doesn't enjoy the games, and why would he? He's 7 and wants to see his team score goals - or at least take a shot every now and then...

I'm really close to letting him choose who he wants to support. Arsenal or whoever.  

Maybe a poll on here: should I force my son to keep supporting saints, or let him enjoy football instead?

He'll grow out of it. Mine went through a similar stage about the same age. We live in a Leeds area and have a local league 2 side. When he got into football and all his mates support Leeds, Man City, Man United or Liverpool he started to ask if he could support another team. I went down the anyone but Liverpool line with him but within a few months he was a full on saints fan again. He's 11 now, knows what we are but doesn't care. One of the best times was when he turned up to his first training session with a new team he joined in about March time in full saints kit. All the other kids had Real Madrid, PSG, Leeds, Liverpool or Man U shirts on and a few he didn't know immediately took the piss. He spent the next hour running rings round them, it was a joy to watch and shut them all up.

Edited October 1 by Turkish

[Midfield_General]

8 minutes ago, notnowcato said:

First half looked like a 4-2-2-2: 2 pivots, 2 wide and 2 up top. 

Yep we played two strikers first half.

And with Onuachu, Stewart, Archer, Brereton-Diaz and Armstrong on the bench, the players we put in the two striking roles were Fernandes and Dibling. 

Weakening the striking positions, midfield AND creative/ wing positions in a single stroke of insane team selection, in a game we had to win, with not far off a full, fit squad to choose from.

It was mind-bogglingly fucking mental, and was the moment I realised that for as long as RM stays in charge we’re just not giving ourselves a chance.  
It’s a limited squad anyway, but to wilfully choose to deploy the resources we’ve got like that is somewhere between incompetent and deranged. 

[Patrick Bateman]

3 hours ago, PJ said:

Rarely post here. A few days ago my 7 year old said to me "why do I support Southampton? Can't I support Arsenal"?

We live in Essex, he's never lived in Southampton, we have no family there anymore, and so he has no connection with Saints apart from through me. We go to St Marys when we can. Long all-round trip. Honestly, after watching last night with him on TV, I felt guilty that he supports saints. He doesn't enjoy the games, and why would he? He's 7 and wants to see his team score goals - or at least take a shot every now and then...

I'm really close to letting him choose who he wants to support. Arsenal or whoever.  

Maybe a poll on here: should I force my son to keep supporting saints, or let him enjoy football instead?

My son at 6/7 wasn't interested in football at all, just didn't like it - I took him to St Marys in the Championship quite a lot in the last 2 years, we did most of the home matches last year for example and he's loved it. He still likes the bigger players (Haaland, Grealish, Saka and so on) and that's fine, I haven't ever said "you can't support that team or enjoy watching that player" but I pretty much made it clear it's Saints first 😂

He walks around in either a Saints shirt or a Bayern Munich shirt. He loves Musiala, so I said it was fine to have a Bayern shirt too.  But last night, after the second goal went in, he actually said to me "I'm going to bed" and took himself to bed rather than watch the dirge that was being dished up.

So anyway, yeah, I'd say to your son "it's always Saints first, but no harm in watching other teams/players, but always Saints first". Just don't let him support another premier league team, too many of those types already.  I rolled my eyes at a Man United 'fan' at work the other day.  "I'm a huge Man United fan" he tells me, never been, barely watches on TV, didn't understand my 6-3 reference. Bore off. I hate the premier league. Anyway ... 

[Kenilworthy]

2 hours ago, OldNick said:

For their first goal with the quick free kick, their player was still on the floor and the ball was forward by a couple of feet and 6 ft away from the foul. Normally the ref would not allow that. Good quick thinking but Im sure Oliver would usually bring that back.

Not that it affected the game but Oliver was awful. There were at least two clear yellow card fouls against us for which he did nothing. I blame our defence for switching off for the free-kick. But there was some justification when a player is writhing on the ground seeking attention and the ball isn't in the right place

[Totton Saint]

I feel sorry for the people  who have wasted their money on season tickets. They will feel compelled to attend most  the rest oft he matches, not withstanding risking witnessing more shambles.

[Totton Saint]

1 hour ago, TheAlehouseBrawlers said:

I think we were all hoping Big Les was going to be our new Wanyama or Romeu but maybe we’re forgetting his age/experience and will need more time.

But the team clearly lacks a backbone, the way our legs buckled after conceding the first last night and after the penalty miss against United shows we’re lacking the resilience required at this level in particular. Tough few weeks coming up.

We are missing Smallbone despite his antagonist's opinion of him.  New goalie is suspect IMO 

[Midfield_General]

24 minutes ago, Patrick Bateman said:

He walks around in either a Saints shirt or a Bayern Munich shirt. He loves Musiala, so I said it was fine to have a Bayern shirt too. 

At least there's a connection there, from when he was on Saints books as a kid 

[M271]

36 minutes ago, Totton Saint said:

I feel sorry for the people  who have wasted their money on season tickets. They will feel compelled to attend most  the rest oft he matches, not withstanding risking witnessing more shambles.

If you are a TRUE Saints supporter you go and support the team through good and bad times. It is never a waste of money to watch your team play even though some of the time you are left disappointed, frustrated or even angry with a performance.

[ScandiSaint]

 

[St Louis]

3 hours ago, OldNick said:

For their first goal with the quick free kick, their player was still on the floor and the ball was forward by a couple of feet and 6 ft away from the foul. Normally the ref would not allow that. Good quick thinking but Im sure Oliver would usually bring that back.

I know we were crap and I hate looking for excuses or blaming the ref, but.... I was amazed this wasn't highlighted by the commentary or pundit team on Sky. The freekick was about 10-12 feet from where the foul was committed, and that would always be called back normally to be retaken. Their opening goal then completely changed the atmosphere and game, and that really annoyed me as we were on top at that point.
Yes I know we were dreadful after that (for the rest of the game), but had that been called back, I wonder how the game might have panned out!?
#Clutching

[SambaMaverick]

22 minutes ago, ScandiSaint said:

 

A decent point about the trade-offs in our system.

We draw teams onto us but don't attack at any pace at all. 

Even last season, I'd bet the majority of our goals came from us being camped in the oppo's half with them trying to contain us. It's clear we don't have the quality to play through teams. We don't have the quality in defence for the ball to be in our half for more than 60% of the game.

We may, however, have the quality to try and engage teams higher up the pitch and then try and pen them in. But whenever we actually play a striker, they are too isolated to hold the ball up.

Martin has got it wrong again and again. I still don't think he's as stubborn as he says he is, he's clearly tweaked things for different opponents - but none of those tweaks have worked, and that is worrying.

[Football Special]

34 minutes ago, M271 said:

If you are a TRUE Saints supporter you go and support the team through good and bad times. It is never a waste of money to watch your team play even though some of the time you are left disappointed, frustrated or even angry with a performance.

You can only truly appreciate the good times once you have experienced the bad. 

Philosophy.