Saints 0-4 Brighton - Match Thread

[SOTONSEASTSIDE]

Was behind Ramsdale in the second half, he was doing his nut in on the defending. He wont stay!!

Edited 21 hours ago by SOTONSEASTSIDE

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

1 hour ago, HarvSFC said:

This is exactly the same as the Selles era. Players just turning up in a formation that looks like they're playing for a draw. However, there doesn't seem to be any tactical plan, the players don't have any determination and barely break out into a jog as though they're too scared to put in a tackle, because it could cause injury and stop a summer transfer and they get soundly beaten each week without putting up a fight. Only players who dared carry the ball up the field today were Fernandes and Sulemana, and the latter can't do anything with the ball.

Came away from the Brentford defeat at Christmas thinking it couldn't get any worse and along came today! In hindsight, when the team is realistically relegated before Christmas, this type of performance is predictable. Nothing to play for except pride and what's that worth to these multi-millionaire players? They really looked like they didn't give a toss today.

As for ABK. It was laughable that he got the biggest cheer when he came on but that didn't last long. He promptly couldn't keep up with one of their players who eased past him and in fact looked like he's spent his time outside the team eating!

Where do we go from here? In the short term, I'd change the formation and stack the midfield and play some of the kids. Must admit, I'm losing faith in Juric. He looks like he's given up too.

[LGTL]

1 hour ago, Fabrice29 said:

I don't think detachment is on the fans. That's down to the actions the club has taken. I do think it manifesting itself in the form of the treatment of Smallbone and ABK is piss poor though and that is on the fans.

Crikey it was only some sarcastic cheering, I’m sure little William will get over it FFS. 

[Chez]

26 minutes ago, spyinthesky said:

And for the second time in a row, Juric replaced Welington at Half Time

He wasn't great. Getting megged and completely done didn't help his cause. No complaints from me when he was taken off. 

[Gloucester Saint]

1 minute ago, Chez said:

He wasn't great. Getting megged and completely done didn't help his cause. No complaints from me when he was taken off. 

Another player that arrived bright and dragged down in short order by the morass of doom. 

[East Kent Saint]

34 minutes ago, Badger said:

Some good points in here. Remarkable how Ratcliffe hasn’t turned out a saviour at Old Trafford (although some on here predicted it).

can only hope Dragan, and Spors live up to expectation. 

Utd have been bled dry by the Glazers , they loaded the club with debt when they ‘bought it’ payed themselves £M etc . Utd were running into money trouble which is why they wanted additional investment , hence Ratcliffe . Unfortunately his companies are starting to slowly drown in debt , he fell out with the America cup team , he is currently slashing jobs etc at Utd . Not sure there will be a happy outcome as Utd have been going downhill for a long time . The problem is more about the Prem and the insane amounts of money being spent but that is also now applies to all sports trying the big money professional route . Look at the state of cricket and tennis , players being payed absurd amounts in exchange for being flogged to death in endless tournaments . Rugby as well now unrecognisable these days but also teetering on the brink .

[Harry_SFC]

42 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Another player that arrived bright and dragged down in short order by the morass of doom. 

Even Fernandes is being dragged down now.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

2 hours ago, manji said:

I’m not enthused about Rohl but eventually a bigger club are going to take a chance with him. Maybe I’m clutching at straws but I don’t think so . I have no idea if Rohl is coming but if he does he will have had plenty of time to think about it . Maybe it’s a. “ fuck that and I couldn’t handle it " .

Your not enthused about Rohl? Literally a few posts above you said it would be great if he came here working along Spors. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

2 hours ago, Fabrice29 said:

We got promoted with the last mid to bottom end Championship manager btw and next season again that would be success. Its almost as if where you finish with one team isn't necessarily an indicator of how you'll do with another and that success in the PL is about a bit more than who you have as a manager. If people want me to stop having a pop at fans, maybe the fans shouldn't say silly things.

We struggled to get promoted last season in case you don't remember. Finishing 4th was not really the massive  achievement you Martin fanboys think it was with that calibre of squad. 

[Pamplemousse]

1 hour ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Another player that arrived bright and dragged down in short order by the morass of doom. 

He looked good against Ipswich, so fair to assume he's above average for Championship level. Just hope he can do it on a cold Tuesday night at Stoke

Edited 19 hours ago by Pamplemousse

[woodsaint1]

2 hours ago, Badger said:

The legacy of Russell Martin, and the dickheads who kept him here too long.

No. Things had turned sour in his last few weeks. Had to go. Problem being that we were left with a piss poor squad, that no one would touch. 

Even if we had've sacked RM 4-6 weeks earlier, we were still going to bring in Juric given how he was seriously considered before and the timing of his sacking by Roma. We probably would've still been on the same amount of points we're on now.

We've had zero uplift from Juric, apart from the first half against WHU. You can point the finger at RM, but Juric has been a disaster in his own right trying to implememt a mad system while we're in the middle of a relegation fight. But no matter who is in charge, it also highlights how poor the summer recruitment was. The club had given up before the January window (hence the lack of business) which must be a PL first

[notnowcato]

So desperate to play 3 at the back we go with Bree, Jan and Joe; no offence to those 3 but I honestly can’t remember a worse defensive line selection in the 45 years I’ve been following Saints… of course it did get worse later in the game. 

Fucking dog shit. 
 

 

[woodsaint1]

3 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

We struggled to get promoted last season in case you don't remember. Finishing 4th was not really the massive  achievement you Martin fanboys think it was with that calibre of squad. 

Still got promoted and still breezed through the playoffs no matter how much you want to downplay it. 

Doubt Juric would've got us promoted, but we'll never know

[Chez]

29 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

Even Fernandes is being dragged down now.

I thought he was good today. He seems desperate to win. He wants the ball all the time and is always looking to get things moving. He's a genuine leader. I guess the only criticism is opponents do run through our middle - and that's where he plays - but he should be playing with two quality CMs behind him and I'm afraid Les, Aribo, Downes and Smallbone just haven't cut the mustard.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

2 hours ago, manji said:

They can’t do big picture and need someone to direct thier anger Smallbone though as dedicated a player as you can get don’t forget RM had to get him off social media last season Smallbone is an easy target for the dumb he doesn’t look like a footballer even before he gets on the pitch. He looks wimpish . Bet he isn’t though. 

 

Dedicated? Fuck off. I'm dedicated to the club, should I be out there playing as well? He's just one of many that should have been moved on at the end of last season. Never in a million years a PL player. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

3 minutes ago, woodsaint1 said:

Still got promoted and still breezed through the playoffs no matter how much you want to downplay it. 

Doubt Juric would've got us promoted, but we'll never know

Breezed? Do you remember the shot from Dan James, last ten minutes or so? I think the outcome of the game would have been very different had that gone in. 

[Fabrice29]

18 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

We struggled to get promoted last season in case you don't remember. Finishing 4th was not really the massive  achievement you Martin fanboys think it was with that calibre of squad. 

Yeah we got promoted mate.

[woodsaint1]

1 minute ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Breezed? Do you remember the shot from Dan James, last ten minutes or so? I think the outcome of the game would have been very different had that gone in. 

Their only real shot of the game when they were in desperation mode in the last few minutes? McCarthy had barely anything to do, which says it all really because you might want to test a keeper of that standard.

And we breezed past a stubborn WBA side when most thought we'd come unstuck.

Leicester strolled the Championship last year but will be coming back down with us, so it really doesnt matter how you get promoted if your recruitment/performances when you get to the PL arent up to the standard required

[OttawaSaint]

5 hours ago, captainchris said:

What did Juric say afterwards?

I'm not leaving until everyone has had a game at CB.

[Whitey Grandad]

25 minutes ago, woodsaint1 said:

Still got promoted and still breezed through the playoffs no matter how much you want to downplay it. 

Doubt Juric would've got us promoted, but we'll never know

That’s stretching things too far. Leeds hit the bar if I recall correctly.

[Gloucester Saint]

25 minutes ago, Chez said:

I thought he was good today. He seems desperate to win. He wants the ball all the time and is always looking to get things moving. He's a genuine leader. I guess the only criticism is opponents do run through our middle - and that's where he plays - but he should be playing with two quality CMs behind him and I'm afraid Les, Aribo, Downes and Smallbone just haven't cut the mustard.

If 99% of the squad, and actually the club’s management, coaching, scouting, and boardroom as well, had Fernandes’s attitude and will to win, whilst I’m not suggesting we’d stay up but we’d have a million times better chance and the nonsense of falling below Derby’s low points record would be exactly that. 

A lion amongst jellyfish thieving wages.

[macca155]

4 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

...This season will be damaging long term to this club, let's not be naive to that. We don't just recover from a year like this and turn into beaters next season, it doesn't happen like that.

Great post,nailed on in my opinion.

This season is going to do a lot of damage and it will take several years to recover.

The squad will be hollowed out of any remaining talent. Forget promotion it will all be about survival.

Nobody will want to be associated with Saints for a while, we are way too toxic.

However for me the real damage will be amongst the fans themselves. They are being switched off, and many will be lost for ever. Season ticket sales next year will be a shock for SR.

I've watched them for 60 years. Seen some desperate stuff over the years, but have always remained positive. Today I was relieved to be elsewhere. I can't say I'm looking forward to the Wolves game.

I'll be there of course but boy do I need something to cheer.

[Gloucester Saint]

Just now, macca155 said:

Great post,nailed on in my opinion.

This season is going to do a lot of damage and it will take several years to recover.

The squad will be hollowed out of any remaining talent. Forget promotion it will all be about survival.

Nobody will want to be associated with Saints for a while, we are way too toxic.

However for me the real damage will be amongst the fans themselves. They are being switched off, and many will be lost for ever. Season ticket sales next year will be a shock for SR.

I've watched them for 60 years. Seen some desperate stuff over the years, but have always remained positive. Today I was relieved to be elsewhere. I can't say I'm looking forward to the Wolves game.

I'll be there of course but boy do I need something to cheer.

I agree, forget Sheff Utd comparisons, this isn’t a club going into a new season with a legend ex-player and former promotion winner at the helm. Making sure there isn’t a double relegation is priority one. The only way they can avoid this scenario is going for a tried and tested name at that level who could compete in the PL as well - Steve Cooper.

Would delay his start until after final game but as a signal with a new DoF in Spores it might give us some kind of glimmer. Get plenty of business done early in the transfer window and clear out the strongest stenches of failure although the smell and taint of this season won’t leave the club for several decades. 

[Chez]

11 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

If 99% of the squad, and actually the club’s management, coaching, scouting, and boardroom as well, had Fernandes’s attitude and will to win, whilst I’m not suggesting we’d stay up but we’d have a million times better chance and the nonsense of falling below Derby’s low points record would be exactly that. 

A lion amongst jellyfish thieving wages.

I could watch him play all day. He's got the quality needed and the heart. I wish we had a Romeu and/or a Morgan behind him.

[Gloucester Saint]

4 minutes ago, Chez said:

I wish we had a Romeu and/or a Morgan behind him.

To think an 18 year old Lavia, however talented with a boy’s body, was going to be an Oriol replacement shows the naivety and stupidity of these buffoons. I don’t know why Ralph didn’t bag them in the press for that along with the striker failure, I would have done as Rasmus fully deserved it even at that stage, but I guess Ralph was just too worn down and fed up with life in the circus tent. 

Edited 19 hours ago by Gloucester Saint

[Lighthouse]

4 minutes ago, Chez said:

I could watch him play all day. He's got the quality needed and the heart. I wish we had a Romeu and/or a Morgan behind him.

I’d have him in front of Morgan and Wanyama in the role Davis used to play.

[Gloucester Saint]

9 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

I’d have him in front of Morgan and Wanyama in the role Davis used to play.

Stephen Davis, there was another serious player from the early-mid 2010s. Superb engine, intelligent and could link up play wonderfully. 

Edited 9 hours ago by Gloucester Saint

[Holmes_and_Watson]

41 minutes ago, OttawaSaint said:

I'm not leaving until everyone has had a game at CB.

And that includes all of us. Book your flight OttowaSaint! 🙂 

[austsaint]

1 hour ago, notnowcato said:

So desperate to play 3 at the back we go with Bree, Jan and Joe; no offence to those 3 but I honestly can’t remember a worse defensive line selection in the 45 years I’ve been following Saints… of course it did get worse later in the game. 

Fucking dog shit. 
 

 

It was the final straw for me today - with Juric.   Bad enough to be so rigid about playing the 3 CBs, but when it repeatedly includes Aribo and Bree (God almighty he’s an awful player) then alarm bells must ring.  Likewise, the continuing inclusion of Smallbone?

Juric can’t be next seasons Manager.

 

[Dragon_man]

1 hour ago, woodsaint1 said:

Still got promoted and still breezed through the playoffs no matter how much you want to downplay it. 

Doubt Juric would've got us promoted, but we'll never know

LOL. Were you at Wembley? Look, we scored the only goal that matters but were second best and I would never say we 'breezed' it. 

[Dragon_man]

5 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

This is different, the rot is deep. The ownership can't do anything right.

I just don't see how we can be competitive next season going by what we see every week. The levels are different, sure, but it's hard to lose every week to then start winning every week. 

We're not going to be walking away with any league next season, maybe a playoff push at absolute best if everything goes right - but that requires SR making the right calls, which they obviously won't.

So true.

We are way way worse than we were the last time we were relegated. This is an average championship team if I'm being generous. The best will leave in the summer and we'll be left with a sub standard championship team. There will be incomings but given SR's success in recruitment you can see how most are fearful for next season.

[Sir Ralph]

Is there a reason we aren’t saying to the club that we should have season ticket renewal discounts for next season because of the disgrace we have had to watch this year? Genuine question 

[CB Fry]

6 hours ago, Dragon_man said:

LOL. Were you at Wembley? Look, we scored the only goal that matters but were second best and I would never say we 'breezed' it. 

Er, we weren't second best at Wembley by any measure and we certainly breezed past WBA.

[woodsaint1]

8 hours ago, Dragon_man said:

LOL. Were you at Wembley? Look, we scored the only goal that matters but were second best and I would never say we 'breezed' it. 

Second best 😂😂😂 I suggest you go watch the game again. Leeds had a 0.56xG for all you hipsters that love those stats. In other words McCarthy could have got a deck chair out and enjoyed the May sunshine

[Chez]

11 hours ago, SOTONSEASTSIDE said:

Was behind Ramsdale in the second half, he was doing his nut in on the defending. He wont stay!!

The save he makes near the end was absolutely tremendous (added to several others yesterday) and another reason he won’t stay, he’s too good to play championship football.

[gio1saints]

I saw little to no sign of Juric ‘s preferred man for man marking style on Saturday. IF that was our players attempt at implementing that style it was a 0/10. There was no Press and no intensity no evident group collective endeavour to swarm the opponent and regain possession.
 

We neither attacked nor defended with any evident cohesive plan. Unless you can call passing the ball back to Aaron from kick off so he can launch it high and long to the right back who marks 5ft 4” Kameldeen a tactic.

I was expecting aggressive, hard pressing high pressing physical kind of pressure to be put onto Brighton ( and every other match we’ve played under Juric ) to make up for our skill deficiency. But it appears obvious the squad of players we have don’t want to do it - or cannot do it, or both. 
 

This squad is going to be completely turned over if he is still Manager next season. He will need less artists more athletes first and foremost. 
 

Edited 9 hours ago by gio1saints

[Gooderz]

On 31/01/2025 at 22:09, Gooderz said:

 

we,re not keeping a clean sheet 

 

 

11 hours ago, notnowcato said:

So desperate to play 3 at the back we go with Bree, Jan and Joe; no offence to those 3 but I honestly can’t remember a worse defensive line selection in the 45 years I’ve been following Saints… of course it did get worse later in the game. 

Fucking dog shit. 
 

 

couldn't agree more.  I remember Aribo playing for Rangers in a Europa cup final not long ago playing the position he loves . if he can't play that with us don't play him at all.  Shambolic defence .  

[rallyboy]

 

🙃

Edited 7 hours ago by rallyboy

[rallyboy]

This has to be the best way to get relegated, literally no hope of staying up since maybe December?

Every defeat is dull and predictable, all other matches are totally irrelevant to us, and our own performances are so pathetic that it is now bordering on funny.

Compare that to the worry of needing to win three out of the last four in a desperate last chance saloon or going down on goal difference - nah, this is the way to go, make it your own early doors and enjoy the bumpy ride to oblivion.

 

 

Though it would be cool to beat Derby and perhaps drag some other fucker down with us...

 

[chivvy]

4141 with a dedicated anchor midfielder is the best formation we could try just to try and stop some goals...

[Thripp87]

So I’ve scanned through the last 6 pages and I haven’t actually seen Rasmus specifically be called out yet.

This is the man who is most accountable, a man who goes on record saying he appoints failed managers because they have learned by their previous mistakes. Well this utter incompetent clown hasn’t. Dragon has actually put up some decent money, it’s just been completely wasted by this loser Rasmus, someone who clearly doesn’t learn from his own mistakes. The only thing I am excited to see Saints related now until the end of the season is him getting questioned at the fans forum. 
Talking of the fans…..why are 30,000 still turning up every week? Why do people still buy crap drinks at that shit bar with live music they created, why don’t the fans actually do something productive, have a pop instead of minor booing and stop putting money into the failure that is SFC. Until that happens nothing will change.

i told Talk Sport in October we wouldn’t get to 11 points, we won’t get off 9.

 

 

[Matty's Caddy]

From here on in, pack the midfield, tall Paul up front and try to get a few clean sheets, maybe even nick the odd goal. If ramsdale is gonna hoof it up the park, it was madness not to play the big man up there to maybe make it stick. 
juric makes some proper weird team selections and subs. 
dibling bringing nothing to the party yesterday, takes Lesley off

[beatlesaint]

I have to say for me Ramsdale is an odd one. He is a top keeper......sometimes........but he is prone to errors or just plain lapses. 

Yesterday he kicked the ball out of play near the halfway line when he was under no pressure and the guy behind me said "if McCarthy had done that he would have got the dogs abuse chucked at him" and I agree, he would. Ok, yes he saved us from a 6 or 7 goal defeat as he has done a few times but he does let a lot in that you look at and think "umm shouldn't he have got that?"

Ramsdale has now got three relegations on his CV. Ok you can argue the clubs he's played for it would be expected but Arsenal saw something in him, or not mores the case, that made them go out and find a replacement.

It will be interesting to see what type of club come in for him over the summer and whether they would want a season long loan before comitting to buying him outright.

Edited 7 hours ago by beatlesaint

[S-Clarke]

2 minutes ago, beatlesaint said:

I have to say for me Ramsdale is an odd one. He is a top keeper......sometimes........but he is prone to errors or just plain lapses. 

Yesterday he kicked the ball out of play near the halfway line when he was under no pressure and the guy behind me said "if McCarthy had done that he would have got the dogs abuse chucked at him" and I agree, he would. Ok, yes he saved us from a 6 or 7 goal defeat as he has done a few times but he does let a lot in that you look at and think "umm shouldn't he have got that?"

Ramsdale has now got three relegations on his CV. Ok you can argue the clubs he's played for it would be expected but Arsenal saw something in him, or not mores the case, that made them go out and find a replacement.

It will be interesting to see what type of club come in for him over the summer and whether they would want a season long loan before comitting to buying him outright.

I think it's been mildly refreshing to have a goalkeeper in between the posts who is capable of making saves. We expose him so much, so he'll always let in a few, but he does actually make saves which is light and day between Bazunu who isn't capable of making saves.

He's the least of our issues, but I'd say he's more of a Villa level GK than an Arsenal/City etc, but he's a very good GK and way, way, way too good for us. We'll miss him next year, trust me!

[beatlesaint]

1 minute ago, S-Clarke said:

I think it's been mildly refreshing to have a goalkeeper in between the posts who is capable of making saves. We expose him so much, so he'll always let in a few, but he does actually make saves which is light and day between Bazunu who isn't capable of making saves.

He's the least of our issues, but I'd say he's more of a Villa level GK than an Arsenal/City etc, but he's a very good GK and way, way, way too good for us. We'll miss him next year, trust me!

Oh yeah, I agree, he is the least of our problems and over-worked isnt even in doubt. For me he isnt Niemi class I guess is what I'm saying. 

[davefizzy14]

Ramsdale was immense yesterday. Made some incredible saves. 

[chivvy]

Ramsdale is out best player . Niemi was good shot shopper with great reflexes but didn't command the area that well..    Ramsdale is premier league quality player easily.

Edited 5 hours ago by chivvy

[Lighthouse]

1 hour ago, S-Clarke said:

I think it's been mildly refreshing to have a goalkeeper in between the posts who is capable of making saves. We expose him so much, so he'll always let in a few, but he does actually make saves which is light and day between Bazunu who isn't capable of making saves.

He's the least of our issues, but I'd say he's more of a Villa level GK than an Arsenal/City etc, but he's a very good GK and way, way, way too good for us. We'll miss him next year, trust me!

He's a competent PL goalkeeper but saying he's too good for us is the wrong mentality if we're serious about being a PL club. We needed to sign a solid half a dozen players of his calibre in the right positions to have a chance of staying up and instead we signed two, Fernandes being the other.

Our problem is that signings like Lallana, Wood and BBD were so pathetically far below the standard required that the couple that are half decent look out of place.

[Osvaldorama]

2 hours ago, beatlesaint said:

I have to say for me Ramsdale is an odd one. He is a top keeper......sometimes........but he is prone to errors or just plain lapses. 

Yesterday he kicked the ball out of play near the halfway line when he was under no pressure and the guy behind me said "if McCarthy had done that he would have got the dogs abuse chucked at him" and I agree, he would. Ok, yes he saved us from a 6 or 7 goal defeat as he has done a few times but he does let a lot in that you look at and think "umm shouldn't he have got that?"

Ramsdale has now got three relegations on his CV. Ok you can argue the clubs he's played for it would be expected but Arsenal saw something in him, or not mores the case, that made them go out and find a replacement.

It will be interesting to see what type of club come in for him over the summer and whether they would want a season long loan before comitting to buying him outright.

Of all the players to level criticism at, Ramsdale is bottom of the list by a long way. 
 

Outstanding saves yesterday and it would have been another 9-0 without him. 
 

Why the FUCK did we play an attacking midfielder at centre back?

Juric can criticise the players all he likes, and he does have a point about the low quality, but he is the one setting up the time like a fucking moron 

 

The midfield was so open and the defence that HE PICKED was ridiculous.

Fuck the lot of them except ramsdale and Fernandes 

 

[S-Clarke]

21 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

He's a competent PL goalkeeper but saying he's too good for us is the wrong mentality if we're serious about being a PL club. We needed to sign a solid half a dozen players of his calibre in the right positions to have a chance of staying up and instead we signed two, Fernandes being the other.

Our problem is that signings like Lallana, Wood and BBD were so pathetically far below the standard required that the couple that are half decent look out of place.

To rephrase it slightly, what I meant is that he's way, way too good for us in our current guise. I agree, we needed Ramsdale level players in at CB, CM and ST to really stand any hope (the same will go for if we are ever promoted again).