Saints 1-5 Chelsea - Match Thread

[Whitey Grandad]

25 minutes ago, Graffito said:

There’s a small part of me that kind of gets why witless jack, who should get the sack, pulled that twat’s hair.

It's there to be pulled. 

[die Mannyschaft]

Boring football 70 mins a game, stupid passing to keepers who don't want the ball. How can a keeper be expected to be as skilfull on the ball as a midfielder? 

Edited December 5 by die Mannyschaft

[Whitey Grandad]

16 minutes ago, die Mannyschaft said:

Boring football 70 mins a game, stupid passing to keepers who don't want the ball. How can a keeper be expected to be as skilfull on the ball as a midfielder? 

The keeper is never going to score from there. He is as afar from the opponent's goal as you could get.

[SaintBobby]

It's not looking great, is it?

[Viking Saint]

Has he gone yet???

[Gloucester Saint]

6 hours ago, Appy said:

Maresca must love playing us, 14 goals in three matches against big Russ’ tactics. 

And said so many nice things about Russell beforehand again, which the two vain pricks (Martin himself and Rasmus) are totally mugged off by. As they have been all season. Fuck me, Rupert Lowe was better than this shower called Sports Republic. Massive mystery how Dragan got his money, must have won it in the same lottery BBD won to play professional football.

[Charlie Wayman]

8 hours ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Hopefully Jack called the ref a massive cunt this time, not just a little one. One more game ban for emphasis. 

🤞

[Chewy]

I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect any points before I went last night. But even so, that shit-show was far beneath anything any of us deserved to witness. The board, RM and our captain should be utterly ashamed.

we were 3-1 down before Jack’s latest pathetic childish act, so any talk of it changing the game is nonsense. We had played well and were probably the better side until their second but after that the heads dropped. That was when the game was done.

On 16 minutes the game was done. Due to our complete inability to protect our goal. And this is entirely on RM. We don’t have a set-piece coach because presumably we don’t bother practicing them. Why else would we be so utterly incompetent at both attacking and defending set pieces. Statistically we’re dreadful; in person it’s laughably bad.

And it doesn’t matter what choice keeper plays, if we insist on having our risky passing to break the press within 25 yards of our goal we will continue to concede a lot of goals. Statistically we are the worst. Statistically RMs teams concede shed loads of goals. It’s a fucking fact.

It’s also patently obvious. The players we have doing this are Centre backs and keepers, who aren’t our best passers. Added to which, all footballers make mistakes, misplace passes, lose possession. It has always and will always happen.
However, If the possession and ball are nowhere near our goal, it’s less likely to result in a goal-scoring chance.

And yet all we hear is how it’s not the system, it’s just individual errors. Utter cr4p.

It doesn’t matter if it’s our 1st or 4th choice keeper - we offer up freebies in every singlee game. Football is hard enough, especially at this level, without gifting goals.

I actually like some of our attacking play. But we can not continue with a footballing philosophy that is so defensively inept.

He has to go. And if he has to go, it ought to be done immediately.

Jack Stephens is an utterly pathetic bellend.

And all of this - relegation 2 years ago, cluster-fuck recruitment of players and horrific managerial appointments - is on the board. 
 

What a disgrace.

Edited December 5 by Chewy
Typo

[bangkoksaint]

Has anyone worked out how many points we may have if we took off the goals we have gifted to teams?

[Football Special]

13 hours ago, Football Special said:

A mate of mine on the way to the game has just turned around and started heading home 

This wasn't a joke by the way, shows what a sad state of affairs we're in when a fan who has paid for a ticket just can't face going in to watch their team. 

At least we got a light show. 

[StrangelyBrown]

Last night beautifully summed up everything that is wrong with Russell Martin.

He decided to play high risk football that gifts numerous chances to the opposition 

He decided that Captain Jack should lead our team and CJ has demonstrated poor leadership having been sent off twice because he's lost his mind

He decided to carry on playing high risk football with 10 men

He decided to bring on BBD to help us chase out the game despite BBD being one of the most limited footballers in the premier league 

He decided to start with Nathan Wood (a very limited championship defender) rather than ABK (a German international)

I can go on.

Fundamentally we pay a manager to make good decisions. Russell Martin makes poor decisions. Irrespective of whether or not anyone thinks he's a complete tool he simply isn't good enough.

RM out.

[southamptonfc]

7 hours ago, die Mannyschaft said:

Boring football 70 mins a game, stupid passing to keepers who don't want the ball. How can a keeper be expected to be as skilfull on the ball as a midfielder? 

I expect Martin to dip into the under 21s this weekend to try to find a keeper who can play out of the back.

[Hairlesshero]

10 hours ago, Convict Colony said:

Talking of germany Ralph has Wolfsburg purring, won last 3 games and 8th at the moment not too far behind top 4

SR sacked Ralph after 14 games with Saints on 12 points - which after 14 games this season would have us 3 points above the relegation zone. Today after 14 games we are 4 points adrift at the bottom on 5 points.

[Saint Fan CaM]

I predicted a red card but didn’t think it would be given for such a stupid error and from our supposed Captain. Think everyone predicted a Russball fuckup and the resultant opening of floodgates. RM really is a complete knob with no clue, but there’s no indication whatsoever that SR have the nouse (or the money) to oust him. We’re going o be subjected to this torture week in week out for the foreseeable future which is frankly depressing. There’s no hope of us getting further points this season…it’s just a mess.

[Hemp]

Im a season ticket holder and i left at half time. Football is supposed to be enjoyable and entertaining,watching us is boring and painful in equal measures.

I really am not sure right now if i can be bothered to go again until this clown has been relieved of his duties. What a mess we are in.

[macca155]

Absolutely zero surprises from that game. Chelsea have some unbelievable talent and are a very well drilled side. I rarely notice opposition players I'm too one eyed on my own team for that. However Palmer and Menduka were very impressive.

I expected a defeat and it duly arrived. Jack's an idiot, he's supposed to be a professional. Up to then he'd played quite well and the side needed him. He should expect quite a lengthy time on the bench now.

Clearly we'll be relegated. The squad simply isn't good enough. The manager's naivety and inexperience, coupled with SRs weird recruitment and 'don't play ABK' philosophy, makes for a disastrous season.

I thought Wood did well, especially as he had to run that defence on his own for an hour. No doubt he'll take Jack's position now.

Archer looked lively and Fraser stepped up in an unfamiliar role. Manning gave 100%  we can ask no more.

Just grizzly, I stayed until the end, why I do not know, I just can't leave early. I clearly enjoy pain.

Forget this game but I sure as hell expect an improvement against Villa. No excuses there.

[Saint NL]

I still can't get over the fact that we had a player (the captain no less) get a straight red card for HAIR PULLING.

You don't even see that in kids football FFS...

 

[saintant]

8 hours ago, Appy said:

Maresca must love playing us, 14 goals in three matches against big Russ’ tactics. 

He knows exactly what to expect when his sides play Russell and he even blew smoke up his arse pre-match to make sure nothing changed.

[saintant]

1 hour ago, Chewy said:

I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect any points before I went last night. But even so, that shit-show was far beneath anything any of us deserved to witness. The board, RM and our captain should be utterly ashamed.

we were 3-1 down before Jack’s latest pathetic childish act, so any talk of it changing the game is nonsense. We had played well and were probably the better side until their second but after that the heads dropped. That was when the game was done.

On 16 minutes the game was done. Due to our complete inability to protect our goal. And this is entirely on RM. We don’t have a set-piece coach because presumably we don’t bother practicing them. Why else would we be so utterly incompetent at both attacking and defending set pieces. Statistically we’re dreadful; in person it’s laughably bad.

And it doesn’t matter what choice keeper plays, if we insist on having our risky passing to break the press within 25 yards of our goal we will continue to concede a lot of goals. Statistically we are the worst. Statistically RMs teams concede shed loads of goals. It’s a fucking fact.

It’s also patently obvious. The players we have doing this are Centre backs and keepers, who aren’t our best passers. Added to which, all footballers make mistakes, misplace passes, lose possession. It has always and will always happen.
However, If the possession and ball are nowhere near our goal, it’s less likely to result in a goal-scoring chance.

And yet all we hear is how it’s not the system, it’s just individual errors. Utter cr4p.

It doesn’t matter if it’s our 1st or 4th choice keeper - we offer up freebies in every singlee game. Football is hard enough, especially at this level, without gifting goals.

I actually like some of our attacking play. But we can not continue with a footballing philosophy that is so defensively inept.

He has to go. And if he has to go, it ought to be done immediately.

Jack Stephens is an utterly pathetic bellend.

And all of this - relegation 2 years ago, cluster-fuck recruitment of players and horrific managerial appointments - is on the board. 
 

What a disgrace.

You make lots of good points. Russell is clearly a very limited coach who thinks he is smarter than he is which is always a danger. Aside from the pointless playing out from the back his sides just don't know how to track or mark players, they allow opponents far too much space, have no solid shape and do not cut out the supply lines - no surprise that we leak goals like a worn out sieve. Palmer was given absolute freedom of the park last night.

[saintant]

52 minutes ago, Hairlesshero said:

SR sacked Ralph after 14 games with Saints on 12 points - which after 14 games this season would have us 3 points above the relegation zone. Today after 14 games we are 4 points adrift at the bottom on 5 points.

They are clearly sticking with Russell expecting some sort of miracle reformation in the future - I've got news for them, it aint ever going to happen because he is a very basic level coach.

[saintant]

44 minutes ago, Saint NL said:

I still can't get over the fact that we had a player (the captain no less) get a straight red card for HAIR PULLING.

You don't even see that in kids football FFS...

 

And he did it in the knowledge that Cucurella would certainly make the most of it and it would be caught on a barrage of cameras to allow VAR to check it. He should be fined by the club and made to train with the B side.

[kitch]

Away from the standard feelings/opinions from last night, I thought Archer, Aribo & KWP really put a shift in. Wood wasn't horrendous either. Matty F looked to keep trying when the chips were down.

RM's comments in the post-match interview annoyed me, when he said it's all about players fighting for each other, and style of play isn't important. No mate, it IS important because if your players can't do it, they all have to work twice as hard as they should have to and when you're overstretched is when you make mistakes.

The arrogance is mind-blowing. I liked RM last season, but can't abide his character now. Talks like he takes accountability, yet does the absolute opposite and hangs the players and the fans out to dry.

[OldNick]

Manning was pretty good, and is stepping up. 

JS so foolish to fall into Cuccaellas trap. When BBD fell to the floor at Newcastle the media were all over him ultimately destroying him, not a word about that greasy gits antics, I thought he had been elbowed or punches as he lay on the floor.

Perhaps we should practice kick offs as set plays as we do seem to have a lot of them and the players are left alone unmarked

[Turkish]

2 minutes ago, kitch said:

Away from the standard feelings/opinions from last night, I thought Archer, Aribo & KWP really put a shift in. Wood wasn't horrendous either. Matty F looked to keep trying when the chips were down.

RM's comments in the post-match interview annoyed me, when he said it's all about players fighting for each other, and style of play isn't important. No mate, it IS important because if your players can't do it, they all have to work twice as hard as they should have to and when you're overstretched is when you make mistakes.

The arrogance is mind-blowing. I liked RM last season, but can't abide his character now. Talks like he takes accountability, yet does the absolute opposite and hangs the players and the fans out to dry.

He didn't actually say that, what he said was the players are fighting for us regardless of style of play and they believe in what we are doing. They are fighting, they've not down tools no doubt about that. 

Without so many key players we were always going to lose, the issue he has is that if we'd have lost 5-1 and Chelsea had scored 5 decent goals then most people would have accepted we'd lost to a very good team, in form with almost a B team. The problem he has is that yet again we gave away silly goals due to how he's wanting the team to play when clearly the players aren't capable of doing it. His captain who he has backed and found a way to play despite pretty much every fan knowing he shouldn't be near the first team squad let everyone down yet again. When he serves his four match ban he'll have missed 7 out of 18 games due to suspension and been sent off in 2 others, that is ridiculous to even suggest he's been brilliant for us.

I read last night the most ever goals given away due to errors is 10, by Brentford. we have now given the opposition 9 goals in 14 games so almost there with 24 games to go. Absolute suicide football. 

[Saint Billy]

Good to see that RM is pleased with six players performances.

[Oldandtired]

On reflection this morning I don’t know whether to laugh or cry…I mean grown men hair pulling? Come on, it’s not the Under 7 playground league. How does that even cross a professional, supposedly (haha) elite PL player’s mind?

Another thing that amused me last night is I sit in the Kingsland with the other old people just forward of the edge of the goal area Northam End. I noticed on at least three occasions Lumley had the ball towards the front of his area but even he passed it backwards. 

It made me smile…I needed it last night.

Edited December 5 by Oldandtired

[kitch]

17 minutes ago, Turkish said:

He didn't actually say that, what he said was the players are fighting for us regardless of style of play and they believe in what we are doing. They are fighting, they've not down tools no doubt about that. 

Ah fair enough, I only heard a snippet on the radio this morning. Agreed they're still fighting, but for how much longer? Getting embarrassed week in, week out is eventually going to test even the most loyal players.

[wild-saint]

10 hours ago, Teamsaint1 said:

We”ll presumably not get a great deal more than what we still owe on THB and Ramsdale. Well make some good profit on MF and a big chunk on Dibling, but with the loss of PL income, we’ll do well to add very much to the remains of the squad I should think ? 

Dibling £60m, Ferdy £25-30m, THB 25m Ramsdale totalling  120-140m. You really think we wont have any money to rebuild the side? whether we spend it wisely remains to be seen bit i certainly dont think we will be in as bad a place as last relegation. 

[Lone ranger]

It seems that no matter how dire our situation the present manager will keep his place. 
so let’s accept that fact and look if there is anything he can do to salvage something. 
I think there are signs of improvement in forward play which needs to be praised. We’ve actually created some chances and scored some goals. This has happened by playing forward at pace through some good passes and energetic running. Keep that up!

But one simple change might save us. Alex is our best goalkeeper so play him regularly but forbid him to do any short clearances. They have caused our bottom position. A well placed clearance gets the team moving forward. Then we can do the passing game RM loved but let’s do it well outside our penalty area. Hope for a miracle from the Saints. 😊

[Teamsaint1]

18 minutes ago, wild-saint said:

Dibling £60m, Ferdy £25-30m, THB 25m Ramsdale totalling  120-140m. You really think we wont have any money to rebuild the side? whether we spend it wisely remains to be seen bit i certainly dont think we will be in as bad a place as last relegation. 

I agree, I also think we will be in a better place than after the last relegation. And I think this was factored into the summer recruitment , ie putting together a squad that will be very competitive in the championship next season.

But we will still owe a lot of money  on THB and Ramsdale, and if Ferdy goes for £30m the profit would be maybe £20 m.

Dibling, who knows what he will go for, but hopefully a huge sum, around  your figure. So yes, I think we will have enough  money to replace  where we need to, and plenty of very good Championship players, but  a good chunk of  any transfer profit will be eaten up in liabilities still owing on transfers, and loss of PL income.

 

Edited December 5 by Teamsaint1

[musesaint]

It is clear that the Board’s key tactic this year is relegation at all costs. Once you get your head round that it all makes complete sense. 

[southamptonfc]

Even though I think he deserves the sack, I think he would get us promoted and play good football in the Championship next season.

We are doomed anyway, we don't have the firepower to stay up. Save the money on sacking Martin now, spend the time making a plan for somebody else and then sack him a day after we win promotion next year.

[Appy]

19 minutes ago, southamptonfc said:

Even though I think he deserves the sack, I think he would get us promoted and play good football in the Championship next season.

We are doomed anyway, we don't have the firepower to stay up. Save the money on sacking Martin now, spend the time making a plan for somebody else and then sack him a day after we win promotion next year.

The feel of Martin still being here after a disaster of a season like this going into the Championship would be horrendous. Would suck any optimism out of the fanbase to start next season, it can’t happen, so it probably will. 

Edited December 5 by Appy

[OldNick]

35 minutes ago, wild-saint said:

Dibling £60m, Ferdy £25-30m, THB 25m Ramsdale totalling  120-140m. You really think we wont have any money to rebuild the side? whether we spend it wisely remains to be seen bit i certainly dont think we will be in as bad a place as last relegation. 

Dibling is great but I doubt we will get 60m for him.

[notnowcato]

Loads of negatives, previously covered. Trying to pick out some positives:

Nathan Wood - can’t work out if I’m marking Nathan as a positive due to the low expectation I had or because he actually looked alright. Showed a bit of pace, competed well enough and was good with the ball at his feet. 
 

We moved the ball really well in the first half hour, progressing up the field with ease on several occasions. Tried to carry that on with 10 when Stephens went off and 9 when BBD came on. 
 

Manning is looking more and more like a Premier League player. 
 

Captain Aribo. 

[Scummer]

How is their fourth goal not a foul on Manning? He's about to try and clear it and gets wiped out from behind.

[The Realist]

Last night was a tough watch.  I wanted to leave at HT.  I predicted a 4-0 defeat but when JS got sent off, I feared 7 or 8 going in at least, so I'm grateful it didn't get to that.  I didn't disagree with the subs like others on here have done.  BBD was the right call as we needed more height and Fraser/Arma had run their races.  BBD still is no footballer and poor recruitment getting him in. Strange game as we did have quite a few chances.  So did they of course.  This is the issue with RM's football.  It offers up chances at both ends but in the PL, better teams will always win out in the end and that is what we are finding. For the players that stayed on the pitch last night, well done, you worked hard but just are not good enough for this league. Manning played well (given limitations), Fernades excellent again, even Archer looked bright.  So what to do with the manager?  Do the board resign themselves to relegation and then stick with RM as he is probably the most qualified to getting us promotion again or do they still believe there is a chance of survival?  If the latter, they should probably try something and that can only be a change in manager.  I don't think anyone is better as we should remember last time when we sacked Ralph only to get one of the top European managers followed by Selles who didn't have a clue. Tough decision... 

[6ft8saint]

2 hours ago, kitch said:

Away from the standard feelings/opinions from last night, I thought Archer, Aribo & KWP really put a shift in. Wood wasn't horrendous either. Matty F looked to keep trying when the chips were down.

RM's comments in the post-match interview annoyed me, when he said it's all about players fighting for each other, and style of play isn't important. No mate, it IS important because if your players can't do it, they all have to work twice as hard as they should have to and when you're overstretched is when you make mistakes.

The arrogance is mind-blowing. I liked RM last season, but can't abide his character now. Talks like he takes accountability, yet does the absolute opposite and hangs the players and the fans out to dry.

I also was positive about him last season but know i wonder if it was some sort of smoke screen effect caused by how utter shite nathan jones was. If you look back at the 21 game unbeaten run. I have to now guess that was more luck than judgement. There were alot of draws and not enough super convincing wins. More than a 1 goal scored. 

The team got us promoted and he took the glory. 

 

Hes had an opportunity..... failed..... I feel we have been overly patient ...... time to get shot of him.

[Cabrone]

RM blaming the sending off for the outcome. Sums him up.

I hope the board is looking for a new manager and being as relegation is all but mathematically certain they have the luxury now of being able to take their time. They need to get it right, another bad appointment and things could slide quite quickly.

Trouble is that leads us to the biggest problem - the board itself. I don't trust them to get it right and unlike RM they are harder to get rid of.

We are in a bit of a state at the moment.

[OldNick]

26 minutes ago, Scummer said:

How is their fourth goal not a foul on Manning? He's about to try and clear it and gets wiped out from behind.

Exactly what I thought, although as I had Palmer as my FPL captain I kind of let it go lol.

[notnowcato]

2 minutes ago, Cabrone said:

RM blaming the sending off for the outcome. Sums him up.

I hope the board is looking for a new manager and being as relegation is all but mathematically certain they have the luxury now of being able to take their time. They need to get it right, another bad appointment and things could slide quite quickly.

Trouble is that leads us to the biggest problem - the board itself. I don't trust them to get it right and unlike RM they are harder to get rid of.

We are in a bit of a state at the moment.

Not sure RM blamed the sending off for the outcome. In the interview I saw he said we were 3-1 down at the time but not out of the game…(or words to that effect) I don’t agree with that, we visibly shrank when the 2nd went in. 

[OldNick]

5 minutes ago, Cabrone said:

RM blaming the sending off for the outcome. Sums him up.

I hope the board is looking for a new manager and being as relegation is all but mathematically certain they have the luxury now of being able to take their time. They need to get it right, another bad appointment and things could slide quite quickly.

Trouble is that leads us to the biggest problem - the board itself. I don't trust them to get it right and unlike RM they are harder to get rid of.

We are in a bit of a state at the moment.

That is a major concern, Ankerson couldn't judge a jam competition if there was only 1 entry. he will look for an off the wall appointment

[OldNick]

2 minutes ago, notnowcato said:

Not sure RM blamed the sending off for the outcome. In the interview I saw he said we were 3-1 down at the time but not out of the game…(or words to that effect) I don’t agree with that, we visibly shrank when the 2nd went in. 

I think when you have battled back into the game, it is demoralising that your keeper rolls the ball for them to score. A similar move to when Liverpool seized on the ball.

It is such a shame as we looked pretty decent up to then. They were rocked back until we gave it up agin

[tdmickey3]

12 minutes ago, notnowcato said:

Not sure RM blamed the sending off for the outcome. In the interview I saw he said we were 3-1 down at the time but not out of the game…(or words to that effect) I don’t agree with that, we visibly shrank when the 2nd went in. 

He said it change the game, it didn't, we were getting stuffed and the the idiot that is Stephens would have made zero difference

We were lucky Chelsea were wasteful it would have been 10 -1

[notnowcato]

1 minute ago, tdmickey3 said:

He said it change the game, it didn't, we were getting stuffed and the the idiot that is Stephens would have made zero difference

We were lucky Chelsea were wasteful it would have been 10 -1

Of course a sending off changes the game, doesn’t necessarily change the outcome. I’ll let that whistle between your ears and await the laughing emoji. 

[tdmickey3]

17 minutes ago, notnowcato said:

Of course a sending off changes the game, doesn’t necessarily change the outcome. I’ll let that whistle between your ears and await the laughing emoji. 

I know you are one of the cheerleaders and anything detrimental the man you idolise, just goes into the vacuum in your head.

He was using it as as an excuse for the thrashing, he always offers up an excuse for the obvious shit show he is overseeing, but its never him at fault. 

Most of us can see this and accept it bar you and the other pom pom wavers

Edited December 5 by tdmickey3

[Oldandtired]

But we were brave and he's proud and zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Doctoroncall]

59 minutes ago, notnowcato said:

Loads of negatives, previously covered. Trying to pick out some positives:

Nathan Wood - can’t work out if I’m marking Nathan as a positive due to the low expectation I had or because he actually looked alright. Showed a bit of pace, competed well enough and was good with the ball at his feet. 
 

We moved the ball really well in the first half hour, progressing up the field with ease on several occasions. Tried to carry that on with 10 when Stephens went off and 9 when BBD came on. 
 

Manning is looking more and more like a Premier League player. 
 

Captain Aribo. 

Not sure Manning is Pl material. He does give 100% and doesn’t shirk away from contributing. 
 

I wish the players were better able to move and support. You could easily see how Chelsea were more fluid in moving the ball forward. It just seems they were thinking ahead and not resetting when receiving the ball. 

[Nordic Saint]

47 minutes ago, The Realist said:

 So what to do with the manager?  Do the board resign themselves to relegation and then stick with RM as he is probably the most qualified to getting us promotion again or do they still believe there is a chance of survival?  

Martin's tactics won't work next season. The last time we were in the Championship, most teams thought we had better quality players than them, showed us too much respect, sat back and let us build from the back without any pressure.  We still finished 9 points off the automatic promotion places. Next season, every Championship manager will instruct their players to press us and pick off the passes we make in front of our goal, just like every Premier League manager does now. 

[Lord Duckhunter]

Unfortunately 😂, I couldn’t make it last night as I’m working away. I sold my ticket on, so some poor mug got rinsed. 
 

Can't comment on the game because of this, but it didn’t come as shock to me that we appear to have given a couple of goals away playing RussBall. The shock would have been if we hadn’t, and unfortunately that’s not a joke or a cheap dig at the Lego headed cock, but reality. Can anyone honestly say we won’t do the same again Sat? 

Edited December 5 by Lord Duckhunter