Ivan Juric

[Pamplemousse]

We are far more competitive, we actually look a threat going forward.

Defensively the issues are still there and that's because the players aren't very good.

I'd be inclined to stick with Juric tbh, he has a proven track record of delivering at the top level with smallish teams, and ship out most of the current team.

[Saint Fen]

The tactic doesn’t suit the players we have and is very long ball. 3 at the back never does well in English football and definitely is more defensive then offensive and then the wing backs drop back to make a 5, this then leaves a lack of options forward.

Personally I’d get rid. What does this guy know about the championship? We are heading there and need to get someone who is going to take us up and personally this guy isn’t going to do it.

Does anyone think with 3 at the back 2 wing backs and Aribo and Smallbone is never going to be good enough.

[Wade Garrett]

The midfield duo he picked of Aribo and Smallbone has to be the shittest centre midfield in the history of the Premier League.  Absolute dogshit.

I am far from convinced, but will not judge him just yet.

[aintforever]

Whilst it is harsh to judge him given the circumstances you would expect a bit of an improvement from a new manager by now. Think the summer would benefit from a full reset, we need someone to inject some positivity and I don’t think Mr Death Metal is the man. I would freshen up the whole place.

[trousers]

Has anyone worked out yet why Juric always picks Bella-Kotchap in his match day squad when he quite clearly has zero intention of putting him on the pitch? Genuinely baffled. 

[CB Fry]

8 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

The midfield duo he picked of Aribo and Smallbone has to be the shittest centre midfield in the history of the Premier League.  Absolute dogshit.

He could have not picked them.

I think we go into August with someone else. Someone not so rigidly obsessed with a system.

[Roo1976]

On 12/02/2025 at 21:49, Saint in Paradise said:

Well with the way things are at the moment I would be a tad OK if that happens. What I don't want is to

end up in the same situation as Luton are. I really don't want League One ever again.

cheaper tickets....and places we havent visited since 2005 again.

[CB Fry]

2 minutes ago, trousers said:

Has anyone worked out yet why Juric always picks Bella-Kotchap in his match day squad when he quite clearly has zero intention of putting him on the pitch? Genuinely baffled. 

On the Saints Podcast i think it was Alfie House said that he has played 24 Prem matches. Suggesting that one more appearance might cost us the next chunk of his transfer fee.

Seems odd but it's a theory. 

[John B]

On 08/02/2025 at 18:10, Sarnia Cherie said:

And who is that likely to be? Nathan Jones, Reuben Selles, Russell Martin and Ivan Juric. All on SR's watch. I have zero faith in their ability to appoint a decent manager.

Do you realy think any decent manager would want to come here

[Wiggles31]

It’s hard to identify many improvements. The one to one man marking/press just doesn’t work with the players we have. He’s not the man for next seasons promotion push. Yet another managerial failure on behalf of SR. 

[Forester]

35 minutes ago, Saint Fen said:

The tactic doesn’t suit the players we have and is very long ball. 3 at the back never does well in English football and definitely is more defensive then offensive and then the wing backs drop back to make a 5, this then leaves a lack of options forward.

Personally I’d get rid. What does this guy know about the championship? We are heading there and need to get someone who is going to take us up and personally this guy isn’t going to do it.

Does anyone think with 3 at the back 2 wing backs and Aribo and Smallbone is never going to be good enough.

Chelsea literally won the Premier League under Conte playing 343.  Alonso and Moses wing backs.  It’s about having good players

[Turkish]

Sounds like there are also a few issues behind the scenes with Rustys boys throwing a strop. Taking over a basket case club in terminal decline with a load of players kicking off behind the scenes it’s an impossible job 

[bangkoksaint]

1 minute ago, Turkish said:

Sounds like there are also a few issues behind the scenes with Rustys boys throwing a strop. Taking over a basket case club in terminal decline with a load of players kicking off behind the scenes it’s an impossible job 

And a team who are woefully short of fitness

[trousers]

24 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

On the Saints Podcast i think it was Alfie House said that he has played 24 Prem matches. Suggesting that one more appearance might cost us the next chunk of his transfer fee.

Seems odd but it's a theory. 

If that's Alfie's theory, it seems flawed to me. It still doesn't explain why he's in the match day  squad at all. Surely he's just taking up a place on the bench that could be given to one of our rising u21 players for match day experience? That Sanda lad, for example?

Edited Saturday at 19:08 by trousers

[revolution saint]

22 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

On the Saints Podcast i think it was Alfie House said that he has played 24 Prem matches. Suggesting that one more appearance might cost us the next chunk of his transfer fee.

Seems odd but it's a theory. 

 

1 minute ago, trousers said:

If that's Alfie's theory, it still doesn't explain why he's in the match day  squad at all. Surely he's just taking up a place on the bench that could be given to one of our rising u21 players for match day experience (for example)?

It was Steve Grant (not Alfie House) and he was also guessing that there was probably a clause in his contract which stated he needed to be in the match day squad as well as a further instalment when he hits 25 games.  Seems a bit far fetched but who knows?  I think we're all just guessing but on the surface it's bizarre to have ABK on the bench and then play anyone but him in defence.  Fairly certain Juric would have used Sam Amo (if we still had him) over ABK.

[trousers]

1 minute ago, revolution saint said:

 

It was Steve Grant (not Alfie House) and he was also guessing that there was probably a clause in his contract which stated he needed to be in the match day squad as well as a further instalment when he hits 25 games.  Seems a bit far fetched but who knows?  I think we're all just guessing but on the surface it's bizarre to have ABK on the bench and then play anyone but him in defence.  Fairly certain Juric would have used Sam Amo (if we still had him) over ABK.

If only there were some journalists that could ask the club this question.... 

[Farmer Saint]

1 hour ago, tdmickey3 said:

It isn’t worse but very similar 

Apart from the last couple of games it is worse. For the most part we were on games with RM, as we kept hold of the ball. His issue was passing it out cost us so many goals that could have won games for us. We're not even close to being in those games under Juric.

[trousers]

2 hours ago, Farmer Saint said:

I finally think that the fans are starting to get that the players are absolutely fucking appalling, irrelevant of who manages them.

Yep... for example, that Alcaraz fella was woeful... the manager at the time did well to get shot of him...

Edited Saturday at 19:24 by trousers

[Saint NL]

Moyes looks to have turned Everton around. Amazing what can happen when the right man is appointed.

 

(Alcarez scored as well)

[Farmer Saint]

8 minutes ago, trousers said:

Yep... for example, that Alcaraz fella was woeful... the manager at the time did well to get shot of him...

What are you talking about - not sure anyone was overly happy with him leaving, but writing was on the wall when he left in the Jan window.

Edited Saturday at 19:32 by Farmer Saint

[trousers]

Just now, Farmer Saint said:

What are you talking about?

The price of fish

[pimpin4rizeal]

6 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

Apart from the last couple of games it is worse. For the most part we were on games with RM, as we kept hold of the ball. His issue was passing it out cost us so many goals that could have won games for us. We're not even close to being in those games under Juric.

I think we are better under juric we have improved attacking wise.. keeping hold of the ball counts for nothing when it’s just slow and predictable like under RM..

im still of the opinion the squad isn’t as bad as the results we’ve had all season again I’m not saying the likes of bednarek are good but him Stephens kwp ramsdale etc have all played plenty of premiership football without being totally destroyed every week like we have been this year ..

it’s either the midfield is so bad and offers no protection or both managers haven’t been able to create a solid defence of maybe a combination of both 

[Farmer Saint]

Just now, pimpin4rizeal said:

I think we are better under juric we have improved attacking wise.. keeping hold of the ball counts for nothing when it’s just slow and predictable like under RM..

im still of the opinion the squad isn’t as bad as the results we’ve had all season again I’m not saying the likes of bednarek are good but him Stephens kwp ramsdale etc have all played plenty of premiership football without being totally destroyed every week like we have been this year ..

it’s either the midfield is so bad and offers no protection or both managers haven’t been able to create a solid defence of maybe a combination of both 

When Stephens, Bednarek and KWP have played PL football for us (under a number of different Managers and styles) we have had a dogshite defence. I think that says everything I need to know.

[trousers]

1 minute ago, Farmer Saint said:

When Stephens, Bednarek and KWP have played PL football for us (under a number of different Managers and styles) we have had a dogshite defence. I think that says everything I need to know.

All 3 of those players were part of a "dogshite" defence that helped get us to the top of the premier league not so long ago...

[Farmer Saint]

Just now, trousers said:

All 3 of those players were part of a "dogshite" defence that helped get us to the top of the premier league not so long ago...

I'm sure we've had that discussion already...how did we finish that season? And also was that the same dogshite defence that conceded 2 against Champiknship Brentford, 5 at home to Spurs, 3 at Chelsea and 3 at Villa in that small selection of games?

 

 

[Lighthouse]

12 minutes ago, Saint NL said:

Moyes looks to have turned Everton around. Amazing what can happen when the right man is appointed.

 

(Alcarez scored as well)

Everton have always had far better players than we have, their problem was Dyche. Whilst some like to pretend he's a no nonsense, old school, tough pragmatic manager who's teams are well organised and hard to beat, in actuality he's just a bit crap. That's Burnley and Everton he's now taken to the brink of relegation, only for them to have a massive improvement in form when he was sacked.

Juric and Martin between them have scraped together nine points. An absolutely excellent manager who's highly unlikely to come here might have managed fourteen or fifteen but ultimately, we're still finishing bottom.

[Saint Fen]

51 minutes ago, Forester said:

Chelsea literally won the Premier League under Conte playing 343.  Alonso and Moses wing backs.  It’s about having good players

Yeah I knew someone was going to say that but one season in 20 plus years. 
 

There is no doubt the players are towards the bottom of the league but as bad as we are with the points return is utter shite. Martin and Juric should both have achieved more points by now. Juric is doing a terrible job just like Martin. I have no doubt we have a bottom 3 squad but with this points tally people have to take a look at both players and managers. 7 home loses on a spin. No draws etc is absolutely criminal. 

Edited Saturday at 19:55 by Saint Fen

[saintant]

1 hour ago, trousers said:

Has anyone worked out yet why Juric always picks Bella-Kotchap in his match day squad when he quite clearly has zero intention of putting him on the pitch? Genuinely baffled. 

Me too. He'll never use him so it's a waste of one substitute. Very strange.

[trousers]

32 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

how did we finish that season?

15th. Not bad for a "dogshite" defence...

[Farmer Saint]

Just now, trousers said:

15th. Not bad for a "dogshite" defence...

Ok, you win, they're clearly Premier League quality players.

 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

I really wanted Jurc to be a success here, but not sure how he can continue going into next season. Maybe if he has the players needed to play his system it would make a difference. 

[Farmer Saint]

3 minutes ago, trousers said:

15th. Not bad for a "dogshite" defence...

By the way, we conceded the second most in the League, 68 goals, that season...

Edited Saturday at 20:21 by Farmer Saint

[trousers]

2 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

Ok, you win

Yay! My first ever Saintsweb medal #proud 

[trousers]

1 minute ago, Farmer Saint said:

By the way, we conceded the second most in the League, 68 goals, that season.

A late Farmer equaliser in extra time. Let's call it a tie 

Edited Saturday at 20:22 by trousers

[Farmer Saint]

1 minute ago, trousers said:

A late Farmer equaliser in extra time. Let's call it a tie 

TBF you lost this argument the moment you decided to defend our "dogshite" defenders.

[trousers]

3 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

TBF you lost this argument the moment you decided to defend our "dogshite" defenders.

Poor old Trousers clutches defeat out of the jaws of victory 😭

(Point of order: I wasn't defending them, just pointing out a fact)

Edited Saturday at 20:29 by trousers

[Whitey Grandad]

3 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

I don’t know why anyone would want him out or what anyone thinks he’s supposed to be doing with these players. Whether he’s the man to take us up next season I don’t know but you can’t blame him for this.

He’s supposed to pick a coherent settled team. Not 5 at the back and a different line up every time.

And definitely not Smallbone.

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, John B said:

Do you realy think any decent manager would want to come here

I’d settle for an indecent one right now.

[Farmer Saint]

3 minutes ago, trousers said:

Poor old Trousers clutches defeat out of the jaws of victory 😭

(Point of order: I wasn't defending them, just pointing out a fact)

The fact that they were the second worst defence in the division that year?

[trousers]

2 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

The fact that they were the second worst defence in the division that year?

No, the fact that they were top of the league at one point. 

 

Edited Saturday at 20:32 by trousers

[Farmer Saint]

2 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

He’s supposed to pick a coherent settled team. Not 5 at the back and a different line up every time.

And definitely not Smallbone.

This is the problem when the team is so bad and they feel they need results - they start to tinker and then get all out of kilter and eventually don't know their arse from their elbow.

There is one main problem we have - shit players.

[Farmer Saint]

1 minute ago, trousers said:

No, the fact that they were top of the league at one point. 

 

But that's not really relevant is it? We could have conceded 80 goals in 8 games, but scored 88 and been on maximum points. Doesn't mean the defence has been any good though.

[trousers]

Just now, Farmer Saint said:

But that's not really relevant is it?

Most things I say are irrelevant 

[Lighthouse]

22 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

He’s supposed to pick a coherent settled team. Not 5 at the back and a different line up every time.

And definitely not Smallbone.

Have we tried four at the back since being 3-0 down after 14 minutes against Spurs? We seem to be compensating for the fact that most of our defenders and our central midfield are, to put it mildly, sh*te.

[SaintNewForest]

1 hour ago, trousers said:

If only there were some journalists that could ask the club this question.... 

They have; Juric said that he's fit and training well, but he isn't a left-sided centre back ... 

I mean, nor is Aribo, but that was the explanation 

[FarehamSaintJames]

Another masterclass.

Five at the back, again. 
The defence is no more solid than it was under Russell Martin and four at the back.
 

[AlexLaw76]

Aribo playing LCB

 

massive LOLz

[Sheaf Saint]

1 hour ago, trousers said:

Yay! My first ever Saintsweb medal #proud 

[Jack]

Juric is not the man for the job, clearly. SR can add him to the list of duds 

[Gloucester Saint]

1 hour ago, Whitey Grandad said:

I’d settle for an indecent one right now.

Avram might want to return to the UK and specifically Hampshire. He enjoyed his Thai massage in Horton Heath.