Francis1947

I do accept that alot of fans here have reservations about signing Ings again for the club. Among them are he departed when the club offered him a very good deal and he intimated at the time that he was moving to a ' bigger club with more ambition ' That will undoubtedly rankle with some. However , to my mind,we have to be pragmatic now. We are in pretty desperate straits still despite the last couple of results. If we survive this season it will be by the skin of our teeth. 2 points separate 7 clubs. So, if we can persuade him to come back I would support resigning him. Anyone who goes to the matches regularly can see....I think....that this team has potential. But in my opinion it desperate needs 2 things. Some experience when the going gets tough and a striker that just might score 6 -8 goals in these 18 matches left. Those 6 to 8 goals could just turn losses into draws and draws into an occasional win. In my opinion, Ings provides both. Experience and goals. Just my 2 pennies worth

The signing of Kevin Keegan is a poignant reminder of those wonderful days for me. My Father and I both were Pompey born but when he came out of the Royal Navy in 1959 after 22 years service, including Atlantic and Artic convoys, he poined Foster Wheelers as an engineer when Fawley Refinery was being developed. He joined the Navy as a 15 year old boy sailor and left as a Chief Petty Officer. We were both Pompey fans but the family relocated to the Waterside in 1959 and after a short period of time rather reluctantly started to go and see Sainst matches at the Dell. They were in the old Second Division at the time. Days of Georgie O'brien and Derek Reeves ! We soon became avid fans and went to almost all home matches and many away ones for the next 20 years. When Keegan signed I was working on night shifts in a Grid Control Room. And my Father was so excited....which was most unlike him as like many of his generation rarely showed any emotion..... by the news that he phoned me in the Ops Room to give me the startling news. He and I could not believe it ! Sadly by then he had contracted asbestosis by being an Engineer in the Navy and working his entire service life in Warship engine rooms where asbestos was used extensively. He then was exposed to the terrible stuff in the Refinery. He sadly died six months later....so a very poignant time for me

I agree with you about Lyanco in centre midfield for Sunday. I have just written a post about him this morning in the Bournemouth thread. This current Saints side is in my opinion, too bland, too nice,too ordinary. There are no leaders in the side. Lyanco is different. A little bit spicy, a little bit dangerous if you will. . I wouldn't want him selected for every match as he clearly has limitations. But our side lacks alot of things and characters are one. So maybe, give him a go as there's not alot left to choose from at the moment. After the match, if it goes horribly wrong, then shoot me down 😇

Just realised that. Apologies.....so back to the drawing board regards selection for Sunday.

I agree with you about Perraud. He looks to me a tough little Frenchman. He's gritty and determined and...to quote Dave Merrington....gets stuck in ! 😁 It's what our side needs more of . I think this current Saints side look very bland. I dislike the word passion. It's bandied about too often in regards to football but we need a few more players to gee the side up I think. We are too easily bullied. I certainly do not want a team of the dreadful Bruno Fernandes carping on every bloody minute but I think there is a certain amount of character lacking in this current side. No real leaders. Oh for the days of Jimmy Case ! And I thats why I quite like Lyanco. He is different but he adds some spice and commitment to the side in my opinion. I clearly would not want him playing in every match, especially when we get a full side back again and he clearly has a mistake in him. But with Walker-Peters out for a while ,Livramento many weeks from selection, I presume Maitland-Niles is being considered for right back on Sunday. If that happens we need " a presence " in midfield, other wise we will be overun . ( we probably will be anyhows !) So, for me, from what we have to choose from, I would try Lyanco in mid-fied on Sunday. It could go disastrously wrong so shoot me down after the match. And anyhows, I will be out of the U.K, for 3 weeks,departing early Sunday morning for Germany. First overnight stop is a little hotel on the outskirts of Dortmund where they are footy mad. Sky Sports in every room plus the Stube. We expect to get there at approximately 2 pm so.....should be 1 up by then !!!! Good luck and have a great time to all Saints fans who are going to the Emirates.

Anyone else feel like me and think the mood on here and in the media has changed significantly in the last few days over whether Ralph is on his way ? I'm not a prolific poster but I did write a couple of pieces in the last few weeks about my opinion about Ralphs tenure here. I still am of the opinion that he is a good and honourable man and we have had some mildly decent times under his leadership. Went on to bemoan his tactics, strategy and selctions like most here. However, the thing all of us cannot get away from now is his record. I'm no statitician but his win ratio is apalling and on that basis alone, I made my mind up 2 weeks ago that it was time for a new face at the club. Every Manager has his time and I think Ralphs time is now up and we can say goodbye and thanks with no acrimony at all. I attended the Everton match which was utterly dismal. The mood gathered and I honestly thought he was on his way. Then we had Man C which we can forgive ! And then we had last Sundays match v West Ham. And once again the prevailing mood was if we cannot win against a depleted W Ham team at home it was time. Once again we had a reasonably first half and a throroughly predictable apalling second half where we were overun. And so I and I suspect along with many others, looked towards some news coming out of the Club on the Monday. However we have had nothing....zilch ! Everything has gone quiet and complacent and the mood in my opinion has become almost resigned that he aint going anywhere. Ralph is still here, churning out his anfathomable pre match Press Conferences and I for one am starting to despair ! I feel we have got him for the season and if we have, then we are bloody doomed in my opinion. And I'm sorry if I sound like Private Frazier but that is how I feel. ( By the way, I'm almost as old ) What happens if we lose tonight ? Anyone ? It's another of those "must win " games....that will dictate Ralphs future !.....but it never ever applies does it. In my honest opinion, we are in deep doo doo. I know it's after just a few matches but that is how I feel. If we get detatched from the clubs above us in the next couple of weeks it's a hells own job to get those points back in the Premiership. So, for me, if we dont win tonight against a Club who who we should be so much better than.....is that Arrogance Mr.Blackmore !.....he has to go....in my opinion. But this does sound like a never ending record doesnt it. S

Regards whether the time has come for Ralph to go yet I'm ambivilent about. Up until last week , I think my thoughts were that we should give him a little bit more time, to bed this new team in and see how we go. However, as may have already said on here, Last weeks match against Villa was a real turnover for me. As Saints fans we have allgot used to pretty decent performances, often followed by pretty poor performances. But last week, we were absolutely abysmal. For the firts time ever I switched off with about 30 minutes to go. Otherwise my missus thought that I might just have seizure ! And in over 60 years of watching Saints hame and away I have never left a match early before. All the Ralphy traits were back there on view in that match. Wierd and inexplicable selections to start the match. Poor tactics and strategy. No motivation throughout the team. No decisive movement or decisions from Ralph and the coaching team to change things up. Just static woeful stuff. Two more points if I may. I think the decision to allow Romeo to go was a truly dreadful one. The reasoning supposedly was it was in gratitude for his service to our club. But he was our player on a contract still and his loyalty was to us still and although most of us who attend St.Marys reguarly last season could see that his legs had gone a bit, we could have managed him wisely still and boy was he important to us. I sincerely hope we dont look back at the end of the season and think....what if ! And then add in the signing of Maitland-Niles. I have a friend in his 60's, a life long Gooner and season ticket holder. He told me we are getting a really useful player who could be used in that central mid-field role. He said that it looked as though he just didnt fit in with Arteta plans. And what did Ralphy do....well a bit of Ralphism again ! He makes a strange statement about M-N not being ready yet for " our" system !!! Could somone plaese tell me what that actually is at the moment. So a 25 year old who played a bit for one of the bigger clubs in the PL .....and who had 5 England caps I believe.....needed time according to Ralph to " fit in ".....yet he throws 18 and 19 years old on who seemingly have had that time to " learn our system " Bloody bizzare ! So, is it Ralph in or out ? For me , it depends on who's out there that we can persuade to come to our club. Poch and Tuched are merely pipe dreams in my opinion. Rant over !

I wrote a post last night after watching the match on the telly and I was angry at the sheer ineptitude of the Saints performance last night. We can all question Ralphs selections and his substititions. This has been going on for a very long time. Last night I seriously questioned Ralphs coaching ability. The man is paid 7 million pounds a year and it seems to me that the PR that surrounds him, tries to convince us that he is a fine coach with a " playbook " that he has devised over the years that adapts to how a game develops. I went on to mention one simple thing that happened last night and has been used for most of last season.....the infamous Salisu throw ins !!!! That to me doesn't look to me to be any part of a innovative and adaptable coaching system as it never changes, despite it getting us nowhere. May I point out another thing that happened in last nights game. Maybe 6 or 7 times Villa either had a free kick or a corner. Each time they put upTyrone Mings and each time Bazunu managed to catch the ball. On each occasion Bazunu feinted to clear the ball quicky. Mings is out of postion surely....so the Ralphs coaching playbook should surely have dictated that this would be the time to hit them on the break. Isnt this sort of thing what they discuss and plan at Staplewood in the days leading up to the game. Havent they videos of Villa constantly doing this, of using Mings when they have a corner ! Other teams have done this to us in the last 2 seasons when we have thrown both centre halves up at a corner, they have broken away and scored. We have all seen it at St.Marys ! However every bloody time, Bazunu did not take that option. After 30/40 seconds of faffing around, he rolled the ball to one of the central defenders who went up the pitch 30 yards....who then passed sideways to his mate....who then passed it back to Bazunu...who then hoofed the ball up to Adams, who by then was marked up by Mings who had got back in position.....and the opportunity was lost....again !!!! Now does that look to anyone on here an example of fluid imaginative coaching that takes an opportunity to attack when the opposition isnt settled. It certainly doesnt to me. I have been a modest supporter of Ralphs in the past. However last night was a turning point for me. The side looked utterly rudderless last night, bereft of any ideasor tactics. Maybe it is time for him to go.

A few weeks ago, I wrote here that I was prepared to give Ralph a bit more time. I argued that we had had a few highlights under his reign and many more low ones. I argued that this summer he had at last been given some funds to sign players he wanted and to mould the side.....and then tonight against Aston Villa we watched probably the most inept performance by a Sainst side for many seasons. Does anyone here, on tonights performance think this side is well coached ? We pay this bloke 7 milllion pounds a year to coach. Tonight they looked an utter shambles. We do the same thing time andtime and time again. We can all see it ! How can Ralph not ! Tonight the wrong players were selected to start, ( Diallo, Elynousi, Djenepo ) we lost the midfield completley and we could have played 3 bloody matches tonight with Adams alone up front and not scored ! The Salisu throw ins !!!!!! Every time we have a throw in within 40 yards of goal, up rumbles Salisu. The throw is never a good one. It generally loops up in the air, doesnt go to far and almost everyime goes to an opponents head who clears it !!!! But...we continue to do it time and time again. We Sainst fans know whats coming so I am pretty sure all our opponents do....but we still continue it !!!! Oh....Ralph has thrown a little " clever ploy" into it this year and uses Djenepo as a decoy !!!!! But no one actually buys into that do they !!! Now the game tonight wasn't lost on the failure of Salisu thrown ins. Of course it wasnt. But I was just trying to illustrate in my opinion how poorly coached this side is on this one simple unsuccessful ploy. You can see sides in the Division who are well coached and are tactically adept. Spurs are one under Conte. He earns his corn. Not sure Ralph knows what he s doing in comparison So, tonight for me was an eye opener. We were pathetic. Very worrying what we saw out there tonight j

Congratulations to JWP for being included in the England squad. But baffled by KPW's exclusion ! Just looking at the full/backs/ defenders who have been chosen in front of him and to me, it is inexplicable why he isnt in front of at least a couple of them. In my opinion, KWP is a better player than Alexander Arnold, Chillwell,Shaw and Trippier. In my mind, only Walker would seem a more effective player than him. Bitter pill to take for him isn't it when we all see the performances he puts in for Saints....either on the right or left....for most games. You get suspicious that not playing for one of the " big six " has worked against him. Very disappointing.

Well, the statement just released by Redmond is a deeply impressive one. For me, of all the players in a Southampton shirt that appeared in the last 6 years, Redmond was the one I was most exasperated by. He clearly had talent but as the seasons went by, he seemed to just fade away, in using the one talent above all else that we the fans wanted him to show.....the ability to take a player on and get round him and cause danger. He did have that but as the seasons went on he just stopped doing that in my opinion. In the end we had the tappy tappy stuff where he would take the ball up to an opposing defender and tne almost without fail turn back and pass the ball either sideways or back. Now we can inquire why that happened.....was it Ralphs coaching where he wanted the ball to be retained at all times....or....just an ever increasing lack of confidence on Redmonds part. Who knows ? May I also add that being a season ticket holder, I always detected that Redmond was one of several players that reacted badly to team mates if they made a mistake or things went wrong. Bednarek was another along with Ryan Bertrand. We all have an opinion over whether that's a good thing for morale....showing passion on the field....whatever that means ! In my opinion, it wasnt a very impressive trait in the bloke. He seemed to pass the buck very easily and on many occassions seemed not to take responsibilty himself. Compare that to say....KWP.... who just gets on with it and does his very best. I'm an old guy now and old school. The statement for me is a redeeming feature for Redmond. His views on his time here and his affection for our club seem heartfelt and genuine.. So, I wish him the very best in Turkey and thank him for his service to our club. Oh....and if for not anything else, I will thank him for that wonderful goal he scored at Fratton Park a few years ago. I attended that match and that evening will stay with me forever.

I have a good friend who has been an Arsenal season ticket holder for many years and in a chat with him today, he confirmed what others have said on here about Maitland-Niles. That he is a big,strong, effective player who had been messed about a bit by Arteta. It seems the two had disagreements on how and wehere he might pay and he seemed to have fallen away on Arsenals books. I think he could be a very important signing for us as he adds some physicality and athleticism and can play in mid-field as a defensive unit and aslo cover both full back positions. It looks as though Lavia will be out for at least 6 weeks with a hamstring and the obvious thought is that this guy can go straight into the sdie at Wolves to take his place. However, knowing Ralphs previous reluctance to select players who have only recently joined, I'm not too confident that this will happen. We shall see

Not much to add really to all the excellent posts on here regarding Saints in this transfer window. Just to say, what a refreshing change the past couple of weeks has been. After years of underinvestment and having to sit and watch other clubs, many a similar size to us, sign players that we wish we could have gone for. The last couple of days and weeks have been a revelation. So, congratulations to our scouting network and the coaching team in picking and selecting the young gems that we have signed. Also a big thankyou to Sports Republic in having the courage and the confidence in our club to invest a rather substantial sum of money in our future. Add to that is the amount we have actually paid for these exciting young guys in comparison to the quoted fees that other clubs have paid. All look a bargain. Now we wait for Ralph and his coaching team to bed these young guys in and I look forward to this season. Add in to the signings, we have done ok in letting some go who just never looked right in the Premiership. Valery for one and maybe Jack Stephens. Can I add about Stephens that I dont think he was quite good enough. Dont think he deserved some of the more brutal criticism he got here and to my mind and when I watched him , he did have a bit about him when the going got a bit tough. In a Saints side in the last 2 seasons, in games when we often looked too easy to be bullied and physically overwhelmed, Jack was one of the very few in the side.....in my opinion....who tried to stand up to it. So, I wish him well at Bournemouth. Of course, the other bloke who never took a backward step for us when times were tough was Oriel Romeo. He has been a wonderful player for us....strong in the tackle,commited,brave and skilled.....and often took the yellow card punishment , when all else had failed ! So, thankyou Oriel for your brilliant service to our club and I wish you well back in your beloved Spain. Not only was he a fine player but I believe a good man too....which is even more important I think. One final thought. We seemed to have tried very hard to sign a CF. However, in the set up we have here with so many very good young players now available...someone on a past post said quite correctly I think, that we can now concentrate on winning games 1-0. 😇 It only takes one chance to be put away When the match ended on Tuesday against Chelsea , I did notice that Ralph came out onto the pitch, as he does to shake hands and congratulate his team and for a few short seconds, he had a word with Broja. And maybe, the old optimist in me, thought....is he saying....try us again....on loan, or maybe a permanent signing. But this time....you have to show willing in every match you are selected and not be seen to not to be bothered as he undoubtedly did in those last 4 / 5 matches of last seasson. I wonder what happened there ? Did he start believing his own hype ? It's a shame as I think he could be a great talent and I hope he doesnt waste it. So it's a great time I believe to be a Saints fan . Heres to 3 points at Wolves

I'm an old Saints fan.....born to worry and fret.....it's in the DNA eh ! 😇 However, I am concerned with our inability, with 2 games gone now, to have not been able to get a striker in who could, just maybe, score 8-10 goals for us this season. From all the messages that came out from the club in the last 4 weeks, it was pretty clear to me that Delap was our first choice target as a loan with then an option to purchase. And now for many reasons, that has fallen through and he has signed a loan deal with Stoke. The news on alternative options does not seem to be good. Maybe the club are playing a cunning,waiting game and will surprise us all with 2 weeks to go before the window closes. But knowing our club and their seeming ability to always disappoint us fans, I am starting to fret ! These are crucial games and weeks now. We have 1 point from 2 games . Early days I know but I do fear we will be in a catch up situation before too long. Sainst always seem to do this dont they. You hope that the long term planning and strategy has been discussed and planned all summer and by the season start we would have everything in place and we have a settled side and things are stable. But it never ever works out like that for our club does it ! Am I right in hearing Adam Blackmore say that we have only won the opening game of the season once in 14 years. Why is that ? And then factor in the continuing rumours about Adams and now Romeo departing. In my opinion we can ill afford to lose either. Anyone who attends matches reguarly know both have their strengths and weaknesses. But I like both and if they are let go , I am concerned about the lack of experience or resolve in the side. Especially about Romeo. For all his slight slowness and maybe a hint last season that his legs were going, he is still the only bloke in the Saints side, in my opinion who.....and may I use a Dave Merrington here !.....gets stuck in ! He is the glue in our midfield. Our mid-field enforcer if you will ! Certainly Diallo cannot do the job he does as he is too lightweight And then factor in that the lot down the road have started well in Div 1. Is it too whimsical to factor in that this just might be the season that we go down and they come up and we are both in the same division again. What a nightmare that would be. Apologies for the downbeat mood of this post but it is how I feel. And as I said, being a Saints fab for over 70 years, it's just in my DNA now to always worry 😁

After a bit of deliberation, may I make a last few observations on Ralph and his impact as our Manager in the last 3 years. I'm 74 years of age and been a commited Saints supporters since I was 11 years old and we were in the old Third division, Ted Bates was our Manager and Derek Reeves and Georgie O'Brien were scoring goals aplenty at the Dell. I also attend all home matches and a few away fixtures. So, just in case a few on here accuse me of being a "wet fanny ".....whatever that actually means, this is my honest take. I attended the match against Spurs last Saturday and I'm not making a judgement on whether Ralph should go right now , merely on that match alone but rather over the last 12 matches. When the side was announced I along with many thousands of Saints supporters thought.....what and why ???? He slected Djenepo at left wing back rather than a perfectly adequate and rather nuggety and commited left back in Peraud. And if anyone gives the excuse of fitness, he was on the bench and would have to have played any number of minutes in the match if Djenepo had been injured early on. I have watched Djenepo quite closely at St.Marys and I dont think I have ever seen a more unlikely footballer than him ! We have 5 centre backs on the books in Bednarek, Salisu, Stephens, Lyanco and the new guy Bella- Kotchap. And Ralph selects Valery !!!!!. Watching him closely again I think he is crude, clumsy,slow with little match awareness. And then , the greatest mystery of selection in that match....Armstrong to play up front....alone ! Now in the limited time he has had on the pictch with us, I would question whether he is big enough, strong enough and/ or skilful enough. And so in trepidation I watched the match unfold at Spurs and within 15 minutes you feared the worst. There was a moment....I think in the firts half, when we actually had the ball around their penalty area. We did what we have been doing for quite a while under Ralph now and moved the ball slowly from player to player. I actully said to my mate, that we are going to lose it here and Spurs will sweep away and score against an unorganised defence. And they did ! The sight of Djenepo, racing back, fully 40 yards behind the play was comical ! Please tell me....anyone on here.....have we not seen that before so many times under Ralphs reign . So,,my unease at Ralph continuing as our Manager for the rest of this season is his selection, his strategy, his tactics and his use of substitutions. A prime example of the last one is not bringing Adams on for Armstrong in he second half. The guy never seems to learn or adapt. This is not hate Ralph by the way. I actually think he is a good and honest man. However, I do think he has an ego and will not adapt. In 40 years of working my experience showed me that most people who get into postions of power have an ego. It's part of the makeup. So, my personal opinion.....and that's all that it is.....is that I would be a little reluctant for Ralph to now go afer 1 solitary match. But you have to take in the last 11 or so matches of last season too. He now has to show to us fans that he can change from making these seemingly inexplicable selections. I would like to see what happens over the next 4/5 games. I think they will be crucial on how we progress this season . If we then need to change ,we need to make it then as we coud be languishing in the bottom 3 and it would take a huge effort to make up those early points. Two last points. I wish Ralph well if he does go. Putting it into a bit of perspective too......I have been a Saints fan for more than 60 years. Ralph has been here for 3 . I will still be here when he eventually goes so I think I have a right to an opinion as it is my club. And....please understand I am not making a political point here ! Ralph earns a reported £7 million pounds per year as Saints manager plus I presume add ons. I very much doubt whether too many CEO's of FTSE 100 companies earn that much as a salary. Oh and our Prime Minister....whoever that may be....earns £164,000. I believe. Makes you think eh

OldNick I believe you make a very good point about our Manager. I've watched him quite closely over the last couple of seasons and it seems to me that he likes to dominate our technical area and insists that no one is to join him. Other managers with huge egos come to mind here.....the " Special One " for one. Last season many on here who supported Ralph, bemoaned the fact that he desperately wanted support from an inadequate coaching staff. So, now he has new staff and not once at Spurs did anyone on the bench deem to join him to have a word when it was all going badly wrong. Now Ralph clearly has an ego. And it is my honest opinion....and I have no evidence to back it up....that Ralph and Ralph alone insists that he bestrides that technical area in all his glory ! Be it in extremely tight track suit trousers or natty waistcoat with pockets to keep all his bibs and bobs ! 😇 You see many Premier League managers turn to their staff and have a quick chat. You aslo see staff get up sometimes under their own volition to have a word with the Manager who is standing in the techical area. In all the games I have attened, I have never seen that happen with Ralph. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

I agree with all that you say. My one caveat is your thought that we ought to wait till the end of the window to see how it looks. The Club has had all summer to frame their strategy regarding new signings and who to let go. This transfer window ends in approx 4 weeks time. Bu then we will have played a number of games without an adequate " front man " if Adams is let go. Avoiding relegation.....and in my opinion, that is all we can hope for again this season....is achieved by very small margins. Sometimes even goal difference. I attended the match against Spurs on Saturday. Apart from the opneing 15 mins or so we were abysmal. The way we were opened up again and again was shocking. I think Spurs took their foot off the pedal with 30 mins to go ot it could have been alot more than 4. The thing that stood out again and again in that match was Armstrongs inability to hold the ball up when we did try to get it to him. He is neither big enough, skilful enough or strong enough. It was crying out for Ralph to replace him with Adams.....and he didn't and the reasons have been dicussed enough on here. So if Adams is let go and an " adequate " replacement is not found, then we could already be 5/7 points adrift at the bottom of the table by September. And we wont be able to get that back I believe. So, it seemed the summer transfer strategy went quite well and has now fallen away and is looking suspect. We clearly haven't been able to getrid of some players ( you choose ) We have signed 4 promising young guys without alot of premier league experience. We set our stall clearly on Delap and that now doesn't look promising. We seem to have given up on Broja. Our side desperately needs goals and if we allow Adams to go.....and I know he wont ever score 12-15 per season......I think we will be in the deepest doo. Just my 2 pennies worth as a fan of over 60 years.

For those of us who have been Saints supporters for many years, this has been a strange and rather unique summer transfer season. We have spent some dosh !!!!! And I admire the way the club has decided to put their faith in 5 young guys who have little or no experience . It could be a brilliant strategy and it could be a recipe for disaster. Lets hope for numero 1 and I am looking for ward to next weekend. However there is a caveat to this. Firstly, we haven't been able to move anyone on. Clearly the club would like to get rid of Bednarek and Djenopo but no takers as yet. Also it seems that Walcott and Redmond might be considered too. But much more worrying with 10 days to go is the failure, as yet, to get a striker in. And as someone who goes to all home matches, the team needed above all else in my opinion, someone who could score maybe 10-12 goals per season . It seems as though we put everything in the locker to secure Delap and it isnt there yet and the chances in signing him seem to be slipping away. Also Broja might be of some interest again seeing the situation at Chelsea and West Ham signing an alternative player. So, it is a worry that it hasn't gone to plan.....as yet.

Many of us here think that the season to come will be a critical one for us if we are to survive in the Premiership. Reasons are that clubs who we thought we were on a par with have now clearly moved away from us with bigger budgets than us and 2 of the 3 promoted clubs look stronger than the norm. So, we might just be fighting for that one last relegation spot. Very fine margins will decide. So, in my opinion, if Ings does re-sign......and I realise it will be down to fee and wages.......if he plays say 15-18 games because of his fitness. And he scores say 6- 7 goals in those games, they might very well be key to our survival. Bearing in mind that the rest of our strike force....Adams, Armstrong and whoever else plays up front can barely manage 10-12 goals betweeen them. So, yes, if the deal is right, I would have him back in a heartbeat. He is a proven goalscorer and boy do we need one of those ! I have no ill feelings against him wanting to move on last year. If we are all honest it is what most of us would have done if offered a bigger salary. And I think most Saints fans would welcome him back too. Just my 2 pennies worth

Disco Stu.....you said everything I wanted to say.....but in a much better way ! 😇

I agree with many of the points you make regarding Ralph and the players we have here in our club. I believe this summer and the season that will follow will be our most crucial for many years. We will find out how different our new owners are with regards to investment compared to our last one. Any regular Saints supporter clearly knows that we desperately need a new goalkeeper, a new central defender, a replacement for Romeo who is starting to falter and.....above anything else a forward who can score 10-12 goals a season. All hard to find I know and what half a dozen other premier league clubs are looking for too. My problem with your conclusions regarding staying with Ralph, is that even if we are able to improve the side significantly, the likeliehood in my mind is that Ralph cannot and will not change his strategy regarding managing the side. I think that all managers have a finite time at a club before it's time to move on. In my humble opinion I think that time has come for Ralph now. Who we would replace him with is another very difficult problem. We here are all Saints fans. I have been on since I first attended the Dell with my old Dad in 1959. We have had some great times. But mostly we have got used to feedin off scraps. After 3 and a half years of Ralph, here we are bloody 15th in the league. We have avoided relegation by the skin of our teeth. Where is the progress under Ralphs tenure ? Thet has been none in my opinion. We have always depended each and every season for many years that 2 out of the 3 promoted clubs would go straight down again and 1 establshed club would have a bad season. I fear that might not happen next year. So for me , it's time for change.....and tactics....with hopefully some new signings. I am a Saints fan. Its the hope that kills you isn't it !!!

I am 74 years of age and not prone to losing it. However, this bizarre team selection has done it for me. None of this nonsense by Ralph makes any snse or logic to me anymore. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt still and sort of back him but his has got to stop now. You can question the reasoning and logic behind many of thos teams make up. 1. If the reason Broja has not been selected because he knows he wont be here next season, then why is Djenepo on the bench when they announced they are looking for offers for him this summer ? 2. Why is A Armstrong now selected when being utterly ignored all season. You have to feel sorry for this bloke to be put in such a situation today. 3. Why is Romeo now selected today but not against Liverpool. All of us who attended that match saw how desperately out of touch Diallo was that almost from the firts minute. And Ralph left him on until we went 2-1 down. 4. Why is Elynoussi selected again when he offered almost nothing against Liverpool. 5. Stu Armstrong has had a pretty poor end of season. I admit his form has dropped off....BUT....he is in my opinion, almost the only player we have who can create and beat an opponent. So play the bloke just in case he can create something. So he doesn't play against Liverpool but now gets selected against Leicester. Please someone explain why ? 6. So Broja isnt selected. Our next best strike is Ache Adams. He has limitations we all know....but why Armstrong....now, finally....gets picked ahead of him. 7. And finally why Walcott on the bench aagain and not a young guy....just to test a young guy today in the final match. THAT might make sense !. I've had my fill with Ralph with his selections where the team is changed significantly every match. His strategy is poor. He is never pro-active re subs. He only uses subs when we are losing. That's my 2 penneth. Apologies for the minor rant. I've had enough. Please go Ralph. We need change now and you have been paid handsomey in the last 3 and a half years and most of us have been supportive and sympathetic.

Good God, that was dross this afternoon. Lots of people here now calling for Ralph to go. I still cannot make my mind up.....mostly becuase if we do let him go in the summer, who do we get in to replace. My main gripe with him is the selection process, game after game. To play Long this afternoon against a side who were lower in the league than us, at home.....is uttely inexplicable. Please explain Ralph what the thinking and logic here was ! What the heck did we sign Armstrong for if he isn't selected againts Crystal Palace. And why is Broja now excluded ? We have all seen the drop off in form over the last couple of weeks but to my mind, he presents much more of a threat of actually scoring a goal than Long. The team now look jaded and tired. And may I make a further point. I have been a Saints and a football fan for over 60 years. I have also been a great supporter of rugby, both league and union for the same length of time. On Friday night I made the journey to Frankln Gardens Northampton to see my other Saints team play Harlequins. It was in front of a full house of 15,000 and it was a pulsating match that Northampton Saints won by 1 point. The commitment,courage skill and determination shown on that pitch last night by both teams would shame many of the players who trotted out in a Saints shirt this afternoon. Now I know that Northampton Saints and Harlequins have a chance of making the play offs and had a reason to lift their game. Harlequins were much the better side and were winning with 5 minutes to play. But you could see the Saints players didn't or couldnt accept that. Through sheer strenght of will, they made play afer play, marching further up the pitch, were awarded a penalty and Grayson slotted it over and they won by 1 point. It was magnificent to watch I have never seen a Saints football team have that same strenght of will and resolve to do that ! I will continue to support both of my "Saints teams " .

No, I did perfectly understand that my vote for KWP is for " player of the year " I clearly put in my first post that he has been " commited,brave and skilled all season " And in my opinion, he has shown those qualities more than any other player in a Saints shirt. Now added to his playing excellence on the pitch , I also added that.....in my opinion again.....he seems a good young lad who tries his darndest and just gets on with it without moaning or griping. Important qualities to me. Hope that has clarified things for you