qwertyell

Jesus, we're so shit. That was route one, basic defending. Bednarek has been stealing a living in 2021. Lose to West Brom as well and we'll be in serious trouble. ARMSTRONG! Finally, FFS. Now wake up.

It is just Saints who struggle against this type of football even when the opposition have nine men, though.

I don't know why either. Burnley are exactly the kind of team Ralph-ball struggles against. They won't play out from the back - they'll hoof it long - so that takes away about 95% of our attacking ideas. They'll sit deep and compact and watch as we slowly do fuck all with the ball on the halfway line. It'll be 1-0, 0-0, or 0-1.

Don't think he'd played 90 minutes for us since returning to fitness when France U21s named their squad. Just one tentative 60 minute outing.

# doggingwatch

Hlozek and Sima are the big young attacking talents in the Czech league - and already both way out of our price range.

Missed a year with a serious knee injury in what should have been his "kicking on" season after breaking through under Puel. Sadly, that derailed his development massively and his moment passed. Not sure we could've done much differently - you can't legislate for injuries. It just shows how tough it is for a talented kid to make it: the window of opportunity can be very small and if you're unlucky enough to be injured when it's open, that's you done.

To be fair, the last game Vokins started he did well (apparently) and they won and kept a clean sheet. I'd guess he hasn't been a match squad since due to injury.

Loftus-Cheek would be a bad fit, if Hasenhuttl's still in charge. Lovely player on the ball but no engine; can't press. Laconic joggers won't last five seconds here.

Not sure I've ever seen Jack Stephens do anything deliberately.

Too much. His wage demands are beyond our reach as well. Unless we can wrangle a season loan, Abraham's a non starter.

If Aguero leaves they'll still need two strikers because Jesus isn't reliable enough through the middle. Ings on the cheap (also adding to their sparse HG numbers) and Haaland would be a great summer's business.

Probably too expensive now. Don't know where our recruitment team were looking when Sheffield United paid just £3.5m in the summer. Versatile attacking full back, could cover both sides and wing back. Not a world beater, but a very decent squad option with bags of potential. I doubt we'll be shopping in the Premier League or recently relegated. Frees, loans and trying to sniff out a bargain or two from around Europe and the Championship, I'd imagine.

We've beaten all three semi finalists in the last 18 months. So, something to cling to.

He does it for about two games per season, but then immediately loses the confidence to run at players when a couple of incidents don't pan out and retreats into his shell again. I guess we should be thankful for small mercies and just enjoy this fleeting moment of quality.

Absolutely woeful. Finished the game jogging around passing the ball backwards. Manager hasn't got a clue how to play when the opposition let us have the ball. Press and win the ball high or lose. Fucking useless.

Bednarek AGAIN having no idea where his runner is. Lost count of how many times. Another Saints second half special - we haven't come out. Adams misses a sitter...

Who's the side facing relegation? Apart from a ten minute period after Brighton scored we've been shite - they're by far the more threatening. Defensively we've been terrible. Bednarek is all over the place today. He's got no idea who's running in behind him. Forster couldn't move his feet for the goal but he's kept us in the game so far. Tella looks lost out there. Sheffield United's reserve defence this ain't. Hasn't won a single challenge. Minamino's had some nice touches, but there's not a lot of positives for us this far. Big second half. I'd take a point.

Classically Saintsy half. Played pretty decently. Didn't do anything with our good spells, then the opposition score and lead without getting out of first gear. City have only had four attacks. Two of them handed on a plate by Adams and McCarthy (should've been a penalty). Four attacks, three goals. Hopefully City will stay in strolling mode and the score won't get too out of hand.

Surprised he didn't try and finish everything at the near post then.

Needed that. Professional job in the second half, albeit with some terrible decision making in the final third to extend the lead. Great strike from Adams. Thought the defence was really solid today - has Forster only conceded once this season? Maybe we should stick with the big lump while he keeps putting up the numbers. 10 point gap with 11 to play sound a lot better than the 4 it could've been if this week had gone worse. Diallo much improved in the second half - think he's a quality player in the making. Phew.

Diallo's been rusty as fuck. H/T 1-0. Two crap teams devoid of quality, but we're ahead for a change. Can we hang on? We desperately need to. Imagine having to fight a relegation battle with our only striking options being Che Adams, Nathan Tella and Dan N'Lundulu. That's lower league shite. Tella's been lively today, to be fair. He can run and fall over. Not sure if there's anything else to his game.

Good thing he turned down our academy. He'd be a League one sub by now.

It's dogshit. It can't possibly be as difficult to implement as our officials are making it look. They've taken "in line" out of the game, based on technology that isn't fit for purpose. Put the fucking lines away and use your eyes. If the attacker is obviously offside, you'll see it. If he isn't obviously offside - the old "in line" or "it's tight" - then stick with the on field decision, whatever it was. The position of armpits - which you can't score with anyway - being forensically pored over is the antithesis of football.

Fulham are a decent team. Play some good stuff. I think they'll stay up. As long as it's not at our expense...