Season Over, Start Preparing Now

[washsaint]

With absolutely nothing to lose, and this first team squad being completely gash and almost certain not to get us another point, now is the time to try somehting different in preparation for next season.

Play Payne and Bragg - KWP is off, Sugawara has been dreadful and time to see if Payne can do a job at RB (always looked promising and did well on loan).  Likewise would Bragg be any worse than Lesley, Smallbone, Aribo or Downes?  Somehow I very much doubt it.

Bring in the young French guy at CB and drop ABK who is the tin man from Wizard of Oz.

Play Jay Robinson up front (or at least have him on the bench).

Start seeing how many of the U21s could possibly do a job next season in the Championship.

Man Utd have not been shy of introducing plenty of Academy graduates this season (although some were forced due to injuries) and they have helped turn Utd's season around.

I would be more than happy to never see the majority of this first team squad every play for Saints again.

ABK, KWP, Sugawara, Manning, Lesley, Downes, Aribo, Sulemana, Archer, TP, THB (amongst others) have no backbone and are awful.

 

[badgerx16]

Given how badly our first team squad have faired against PL opposition, even the mediocre teams, surely this would be throwing lambs to the lions and destroying what confidence they might have.

[Saint Fan CaM]

Agree that the first team is gash, but then so are so many other aspects of the club - the management/coaching team, recruitment, supporter interaction, etc. Personally I don’t see any benefit in changing anything now, basically letting the culprits of such a poor season get away with their high salaries and not receiving the criticism from the stands on match day. Not only that, but what the squad needs is more experienced, stronger, better built men - not kids who will get bullied and run over in arguably the best and most physical league in the World. I would argue that the best approach now is that a consistent 1st team is played with a back four defence in place…no more moving the deck-chairs around.

We need to take a deep breath, suck up the last nine games (defeats) and hope that Spors is furiously planning behind the scenes on a rescue strategy that will arrest the terminal decline that appears to be continuing after 4 years + of sub-standard stewardship.

Edited March 17 by Saint Fan CaM

[Lighthouse]

I was starting to think we’d run out of ways this season could possibly get worse, but I think throwing kids to the slaughter and watching them ship double figures every game would probably do it.

[Toussaint]

27 minutes ago, washsaint said:

With absolutely nothing to lose, and this first team squad being completely gash and almost certain not to get us another point, now is the time to try somehting different in preparation for next season.

Play Payne and Bragg - KWP is off, Sugawara has been dreadful and time to see if Payne can do a job at RB (always looked promising and did well on loan).  Likewise would Bragg be any worse than Lesley, Smallbone, Aribo or Downes?  Somehow I very much doubt it.

Bring in the young French guy at CB and drop ABK who is the tin man from Wizard of Oz.

Play Jay Robinson up front (or at least have him on the bench).

Start seeing how many of the U21s could possibly do a job next season in the Championship.

Man Utd have not been shy of introducing plenty of Academy graduates this season (although some were forced due to injuries) and they have helped turn Utd's season around.

I would be more than happy to never see the majority of this first team squad every play for Saints again.

ABK, KWP, Sugawara, Manning, Lesley, Downes, Aribo, Sulemana, Archer, TP, THB (amongst others) have no backbone and are awful.

 

I agree with a lot of what you say, regarding binning players. it’s particularly disappointing how KWP has given up given how long he has been with us, but I disagree about Manning, I have never seen him be less than 100% committed. Given where we are heading he will be valuable. I also think THB will become a very good player with more experience and within in a properly organised team.

Edited March 17 by Toussaint
Clarification

[Saint Fan CaM]

3 minutes ago, Toussaint said:

I agree with a lot of what you say, it’s particularly disappointing how KWP has given up given how long he has been with us, but I disagree about Manning, I have never seen him be less than 100% committed. Given where we are heading he will be valuable. I also think THB will become a very good player with more experience and within in a properly organised team.

When I think about Manning and a significant number of other players featuring in the first team, I don’t think about ‘commitment’ - that should be a fucking given with the amount of money they’re being paid for the privilege of playing in the best league in the World for one of the founding clubs in the English game!

What I do think about is ability to deliver a performance fitting of a top level pro footballer and the resilience and fitness to compete at the top level of pro football. The dichotomy with all this is that individual players are not to blame for being effectively promoted into jobs they are not competent or fit enough to compete in. There are just too many in this squad that fall into that category unfortunately. Then you have players of KWP’s standing and given the excellent service he’s given to the club, it’s not surprising he’s probably feeling somewhat despondent being an integral part of the worst team in Premier league history, when he’s largely been nothing short of a dedicated consummate professional to date.

[Osvaldorama]

43 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

I was starting to think we’d run out of ways this season could possibly get worse, but I think throwing kids to the slaughter and watching them ship double figures every game would probably do it.

Absolutely spot on 
 

Playing the kids would be absolutely insane. We’ve already ruined the first team squad… let’s leave the young lads alone. Don’t want to wreck their careers before they’ve begun 

[Chez]

Normally, when I read posts saying "play the kids, they couldn't do any worse" I roll my eyes and think shall I respond with a "of course they can"...but never do. This time I will. They can do worse. So let's not do that. However, if we genuinely know that Sugawara, Taylor, Manning and or Wellington will be here next season, then playing them ahead of KWP (assuming all hope of him signing a new contract have been extinguished - I'm not sure how high his stock is right now) for the last five games does makes sense. If Onuachu is to be retained along with Archer (with Armstrong and Brereton-Diaz departing), lets see them. However, I am not sure it's all that clear who is going to be here both in terms of manager and players, so don't see how its going to work.

[Gloucester Saint]

16 minutes ago, Chez said:

Normally, when I read posts saying "play the kids, they couldn't do any worse" I roll my eyes and think shall I respond with a "of course they can"...but never do. This time I will. They can do worse. So let's not do that. However, if we genuinely know that Sugawara, Taylor, Manning and or Wellington will be here next season, then playing them ahead of KWP (assuming all hope of him signing a new contract have been extinguished - I'm not sure how high his stock is right now) for the last five games does makes sense. If Onuachu is to be retained along with Archer (with Armstrong and Brereton-Diaz departing), lets see them. However, I am not sure it's all that clear who is going to be here both in terms of manager and players, so don't see how its going to work.

 

1 hour ago, washsaint said:

With absolutely nothing to lose, and this first team squad being completely gash and almost certain not to get us another point, now is the time to try somehting different in preparation for next season.

Play Payne and Bragg - KWP is off, Sugawara has been dreadful and time to see if Payne can do a job at RB (always looked promising and did well on loan).  Likewise would Bragg be any worse than Lesley, Smallbone, Aribo or Downes?  Somehow I very much doubt it.

Bring in the young French guy at CB and drop ABK who is the tin man from Wizard of Oz.

Play Jay Robinson up front (or at least have him on the bench).

Start seeing how many of the U21s could possibly do a job next season in the Championship.

Man Utd have not been shy of introducing plenty of Academy graduates this season (although some were forced due to injuries) and they have helped turn Utd's season around.

I would be more than happy to never see the majority of this first team squad every play for Saints again.

ABK, KWP, Sugawara, Manning, Lesley, Downes, Aribo, Sulemana, Archer, TP, THB (amongst others) have no backbone and are awful.

 

Re Lewis Payne, he did have some good games at my local EFL club Cheltenham Town, and the odd bad one. They are mid-table League 2. Could be a back-up next season unlikely to be a Champ regular from what I’ve seen yet. So to pitch him into the PL as a starter with Saints heading for the worst season in top flight history - that’s even worse than Lowe’s madness of 08/09 in a division lower. 

Understand the frustrations with the current Ankerson and Russell Martin acquired 🗑️ and will be delighted to see most of those names gone but in terms of the Man U comparison, this isn’t a Saints Academy Moran/Wallace, MLT/Shearer/Maddison, Bale/Walcott/Lallana or Shaw/JWP/Chambers/Reed crop. 

[ally_uk]

Yes let's get battered 10-0 each week 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Oisin]

I do understand and largely sympathise with the sentiment but as others have said, playing only kids would be feeding them to lions - grossly unfair on those who’ve done nothing wrong and probably very damaging to their development.

Im actually inclined to go the other way and force the senior pros and wantaways to play every second of this shit show in abject misery. We’re having to endure it, so should they

Edited March 17 by Oisin
Typos

[Daft Kerplunk]

Let the failures own it and don't drag the kids in to this season.  

Mass clearout needed on the pitch, first team staff and behind the scenes on the football side.  Plenty of people there still associated with the failures over the last period. Same on the board side, people like Tim Greenwell slimed his way to the top, surrounded himself with yes people and has been involved in plenty of poor decisions over the past 7 years, and very much part of the swamp that needs to be drained.  

[Huffton]

Hopefully the preparation hasl already started. They know who the manager will be, they're already talking about which players he wants and doesn't, and are identifying possible transfers in the summer, ready for a good clean sweep at the end of the season and a new start with a strong squad. But then again this is sports republic, so we'll probably appoint some unknown ex-Mongolian national team coach the day before the start of the season🙄

[hypochondriac]

The team is going to be utterly unrecognisable next year. No point throwing kids in, most players who play now won't be here next year and those who are should look half decent with the lower standards. 

[Charlie Wayman]

4 hours ago, washsaint said:

With absolutely nothing to lose, and this first team squad being completely gash and almost certain not to get us another point, now is the time to try somehting different in preparation for next season.

Play Payne and Bragg - KWP is off, Sugawara has been dreadful and time to see if Payne can do a job at RB (always looked promising and did well on loan).  Likewise would Bragg be any worse than Lesley, Smallbone, Aribo or Downes?  Somehow I very much doubt it.

Bring in the young French guy at CB and drop ABK who is the tin man from Wizard of Oz.

Play Jay Robinson up front (or at least have him on the bench).

Start seeing how many of the U21s could possibly do a job next season in the Championship.

Man Utd have not been shy of introducing plenty of Academy graduates this season (although some were forced due to injuries) and they have helped turn Utd's season around.

I would be more than happy to never see the majority of this first team squad every play for Saints again.

ABK, KWP, Sugawara, Manning, Lesley, Downes, Aribo, Sulemana, Archer, TP, THB (amongst others) have no backbone and are awful.

 

Best to let the bitterness and bile ebb away slowly before making such a ludicrous comments. 

[OldNick]

Next season is going to be tough. Looking at Leicester last night, they still will have probaly the best mobile midfield in the division and likewise up front. I know they are not scoring this season but Daka etcwill do so again next. ALso that winger who tore us a new one when he came on at SMS earlier in the seaosn will be back from injury. Ipswich will also still be good for that league, let alone all the other improving sides down there. Whilst we have a battered and disenchanted squad that the semi precious players will be sold and we will bestripped bare. Quite a job for Spors to rebuild

[Farmer Saint]

This thread's gone well...

[Challenger]

Let all those responsible for this fuck fest face it to the bitter end , it's character building.

[saintant]

If we're going to start the prep for next season let's begin by identifying and admitting that the current squad is well short of having the requisite number of players who have the physique, size, stamina and running power to compete. Put that right by swapping weaklings for power houses and we just might start resembling a football team rather than a bunch of feeble light weights. It's been this way for far too long. Every game is men against boys literally.

[HKsaint]

Trust me, change the manager, whoever, our players will be upgraded. 

[warsash saint]

On 17/03/2025 at 11:58, washsaint said:

 

ABK, KWP, Sugawara, Manning, Lesley, Downes, Aribo, Sulemana, Archer, TP, THB (amongst others) have no backbone and are awful.

 

Didn't most of that get us promoted from the Championship last time though!!??

[Andy Hill]

It is frightening to look at our squad and to see how bloody dreadful it is - even if we kept all of them I still think it would be mid table at best next season. Depressing.

[die Mannyschaft]

Watching championship highlights you don't have to be that good to be in top 8. Mainly launch it out of you box and don't be stupid passing to keeper. The chase the ball in air, control it, 2 passes and the person up front kicks it towards the posts with a net attached. Hardly any of the decent players are big money. If Saints can't build a squad with it's 150 academy players and £25m budget then they shouldn't be in championship.  Look ar Newcastle v Liverpool,  clear the ball out and run at opponents,  it's that simple out manager can't work it out.

[Whitey Grandad]

2 hours ago, die Mannyschaft said:

Watching championship highlights you don't have to be that good to be in top 8. Mainly launch it out of you box and don't be stupid passing to keeper. The chase the ball in air, control it, 2 passes and the person up front kicks it towards the posts with a net attached. Hardly any of the decent players are big money. If Saints can't build a squad with it's 150 academy players and £25m budget then they shouldn't be in championship.  Look ar Newcastle v Liverpool,  clear the ball out and run at opponents,  it's that simple out manager can't work it out.

Very true. And none of this two-touch rubbish. Get it forward at every opportunity.

[aintforever]

3 hours ago, Andy Hill said:

It is frightening to look at our squad and to see how bloody dreadful it is - even if we kept all of them I still think it would be mid table at best next season. Depressing.

I think you’re forgetting how shite the Championship is. We need to freshen the squad up but there are plenty of decent Championship players in there. 

[spyinthesky]

On 17/03/2025 at 12:23, Toussaint said:

I agree with a lot of what you say, regarding binning players. it’s particularly disappointing how KWP has given up given how long he has been with us, but I disagree about Manning, I have never seen him be less than 100% committed. Given where we are heading he will be valuable. I also think THB will become a very good player with more experience and within in a properly organised team.

I must firmly disagree about your claim that KWP has 'given up'
He may have occasionally fallen below the 7/10 level he normally plays at but his performances are generally better than most of his team mates.
I agree with you re Manning who may not be a Premier level player but I think he has been OK in recent games especially as he arrived on a Free,

[Saint Fan CaM]

On 18/03/2025 at 18:32, aintforever said:

I think you’re forgetting how shite the Championship is. We need to freshen the squad up but there are plenty of decent Championship players in there. 

The issue is not that there are Championship level players, it’s that the construct of the team is flawed and many players will have developed a losing mentality that they cannot shake. The next Manager and his coaching team have a significant re-build to accomplish.

 

On 18/03/2025 at 19:22, spyinthesky said:

I must firmly disagree about your claim that KWP has 'given up'
He may have occasionally fallen below the 7/10 level he normally plays at but his performances are generally better than most of his team mates.
I agree with you re Manning who may not be a Premier level player but I think he has been OK in recent games especially as he arrived on a Free,

There’s a reason Manning came on a free. He’s wedded to a certain style of system - one that allows him to be lazy in his decision making. He’s a very limited player.

[ally_uk]

Agreed 👍 

Reset the whole squad, get maximum amount of money we can. 

Tyler dibs wants to go get the best deal done. Same for Ramsdale, KWP, Bellis,Etc 

Stephens, Beds, Kotchap, Time for a change. 

Tell the likes of Smallbone either buik up or piss off.. 

Armstrong If be wants to stay keep for championship only. 

Tell Ross Stewart to retire. 

New manager in Cooper, Rohl, Rosenior. 

New coaches 

First point of attention building a spine, We want a couple of absolute tough tackling no nonsense units. Attributes such as height, physical presence and strength. 

Next a proper Romeu replacement, again no nonsense straight in with the boots no pissing about leader. 

Midfield wise again, get some height and straight in the engine. 

And a new striker, possibly keep Archer. 

 

 

 

 

[Lighthouse]

9 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

The issue is not that there are Championship level players, it’s that the construct of the team is flawed and many players will have developed a losing mentality that they cannot shake. The next Manager and his coaching team have a significant re-build to accomplish.

We managed to shake our losing mentality fairly quickly when we beat Swansea 3-0 a couple of months ago. The Burnley game showed that we will have to improve to be among the top teams in the Championship but you’re only ever as ‘confident’ as your last result. Start the season with a 4-0 win and this campaign will quickly be forgotten.

[Saint86]

On 18/03/2025 at 15:15, Andy Hill said:

It is frightening to look at our squad and to see how bloody dreadful it is - even if we kept all of them I still think it would be mid table at best next season. Depressing.

If we kept most of them, then the squad would be even better than last season's squad... who came 4th in what is widely regarded as one of the toughest championship seasons in recent years. We barely even saw the likes of ABK, sulemana, Onuachu etc., last season, so selling them wouldn't even impact on squad comparisons.

[tdmickey3]

2 hours ago, Saint86 said:

If we kept most of them, then the squad would be even better than last season's squad... who came 4th in what is widely regarded as one of the toughest championship seasons in recent years. We barely even saw the likes of ABK, sulemana, Onuachu etc., last season, so selling them wouldn't even impact on squad comparisons.

Its going to be very similar, minus Leeds

[Saint Fan CaM]

14 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

We managed to shake our losing mentality fairly quickly when we beat Swansea 3-0 a couple of months ago. The Burnley game showed that we will have to improve to be among the top teams in the Championship but you’re only ever as ‘confident’ as your last result. Start the season with a 4-0 win and this campaign will quickly be forgotten.

Tell you what - this current team wouldn’t / couldn’t deliver a 4-0 win in the Championship if their lives depended on it. It wouldn’t surprise me if the first game of the season ended in a nervy loss. Let’s re-convene and compare notes after the first game shall we?

[Charlie Wayman]

On 17/03/2025 at 16:13, hypochondriac said:

The team is going to be utterly unrecognisable next year. No point throwing kids in, most players who play now won't be here next year and those who are should look half decent with the lower standards. 

They're pretty much unrocognisable now. Only the colour of the shirts offers a clue.

[skintsaint]

9 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Tell you what - this current team wouldn’t / couldn’t deliver a 4-0 win in the Championship if their lives depended on it. It wouldn’t surprise me if the first game of the season ended in a nervy loss. Let’s re-convene and compare notes after the first game shall we?

Well it will be fixed that one of us coming down will get Wrexham away just for 'the story'. 

[Saint Fan CaM]

1 hour ago, skintsaint said:

Well it will be fixed that one of us coming down will get Wrexham away just for 'the story'. 

Yep, with Jay R scoring against his old club…what a story for the film-makers eh? 😕

[Lighthouse]

16 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Tell you what - this current team wouldn’t / couldn’t deliver a 4-0 win in the Championship if their lives depended on it. It wouldn’t surprise me if the first game of the season ended in a nervy loss. Let’s re-convene and compare notes after the first game shall we?

Yes they could. With no additions to this squad we’d be solid playoff contenders at the very least. Our players are better than 90% of those in the Championship and would win far more than they’d lose at that level. Stick half the teams in the Championship in the PL and they’d struggle to get to five points, let alone nine.

[SaintsBarry74]

Season's not over until we avoid beating Derby's record.

Edited 13 hours ago by SaintsBarry74