saint michael

Glad they didn’t charge us for that today. More of that and they will not be able to give it away. Even Mark hughes looked embarrassed in interview

Cb’s playing too far apart and also not as a unit. Hoedt cannot read the game at all. Midfield running around like chickens with their heads cut off, losing the ball far too easily and unable to win it back. Forwards drop back to get ball. When they do attempt to run beh8nd the ball is never delivered. Too many backward passes again. Will the real Matt Targett stand up. Caught between full back and winger. Not going forward or going back. Think he did one good cross. McCarthy looked jumpy and I’m not surprised. I’m not one to get down but I see that none of the issues have been solved....reel battle here we come

Most of the people seem to be scared off or abused when sharing the bits they have heard. Real shame as think a few people enjoy reading them. Let’s hope we get them back.

Defence for me. It all starts around clean sheets and gives you chance to pinch games. That was Burnley strength last year too. Still want entertainment bu5 having to score 3 goals a game to get draws are not fun...in my opinion

Good replies thanks for comments. I just live in hope that we can buck this horrible trend of buying these merecenaries. There must be some middle position where we develop players that are good prospects. I know... bit of a dreamer on this but can’t see that our present track is any better. Second issue is we seem to have full squad of average players all very similar in their style to be interchangeable.

I still find it a little strange that players like Carrillo can’t be coached to become better. Are we better off not having them around as an option than to have nobody in as we cant afford them. What about players like McGinn for Hibs that Celtic are after. There must be hungry players that are looking to develop name and reputation. This is where we seem to have lost good reputation

City to win league Saints continue to struggle with poor defence issues just about avoiding relegation again Relegated Brighton, Cardiff and Huddersfield Our Chinese owner becomes disillusioned and looks to sell on Board departures happen.

Is that right. Interesting about motivation, would have thought he would have been good at that. He was really straight talking on what he saw was good and on what needed improving and didn’t get overly excited by progress others were getting toooo excite about

I have to say that it was good listening to Glen Hoddle on the tactics and what England need to do to develop further. It still feels like he has a lot to offer as a coach / manager.

I think it’s worrying that you can’t read... I don’t think I mentioned expectations of finishing top 8. I am talking about the link between what we watch on the pitch and board decision making if this isn’t sorted you can forget about any any upward trend

Ralph makes out that this season’s performance has been a single event of poor performance, because where we have finished, and that this season was saved by them taking the decision to change in time to save our PL status. So from a business perspective you could say he is correct. However, I haven’t heard anything that really demonstrates that they will change things enough to stop the underlying trend of decline that the on pitch performances show. He says going for more wins than draws is a learning....no **** Sherlock. I believe that his complacency comes from confusing business performance numbers as lagging indicators with current reality indicators of what we have to watch on the pitch... Same group making future decisions....worrying

He talked a lot about learning but not much about change. Let’s wait and see what does change...I believe not much will change.

The handball goal for Watford hardly got a mention. If that had been a top side you wouldn’t have head the end of it. Refs frightened to get it wrong for the big clubs so will keep giving... another feature of the prem I’m afraid

We are truly an unfit side. The gap between attack and defence and the inability to closedown and keep it going this year for the whole game is shocking. We have players receiving the ball and no players moving or within 30yards of them, which is why the ball goes sideways and back again. Look at how many touches each player has to take in order to keep hold of the ball and hold up play until there is an option. The alternative is solo runs, or the big lump forward. This bit isn’t going to change for the next 4 games so we better hope that we get lucky and some of the shots we take happen to go in. Think our defence is going to rely on poor opposition attacking

I agree I was sat at the back o& 126 too and there were half a dozen people around us stood up facing the back encouraging their mates to slap the roof panels. Live and let live, but think about other people around you. My first game was back in the 60’s and I guess I have mellowed a little. I like people singing and showing passion. I thought the saints fans worked hard to get the team going yesterday... certainly worked harder than some of the players and kept going until the moment where the outcome was inevitable

That’s really shocking and criminal mismanagement spending that much on this group. Can think of two or three proven premier players that would have made a difference for less than that

He’s clearly an ok manager and can do a job for us. The only question for me is why did he lose the players at Stoke. In the end not even being able to rally them against Coventry. He’s likely to be coming into a dressing room similar to the one he left which is low on confidence, the only difference I can see is he’s new to the team and their new to his messages so this might be the boost we need

So you think this happens overnight then? They have made decisions which in the long term has led us to where we are now even if in the short term it is masked. Culture has been slowly eroded

When was the poll taken? Clearly 42% of the people on here thought he was doing a good job not so long ago... This slide started in 2015 when we started really breaking the side up and selling and replacing the team and management too frequently for our own good. Not always with worse but different. Anybody who forms teams will tell you how difficult it is and how it takes time and that you have to have a blend of the right people. Skills and competency to do their roles well also forms a big part. I don’t believe we have done this well and now it’s biting our arse. We have now gone so far we have lost the culture of the club that the success was built on. It’s a long way back to restore it I’m afraid. We do almost need a clear out and reform around our beliefs. THIS is what the Board are failing to address

Interesting article thanks for posting. Probably the first time he has let his guard down a little to show his philosophy. He clearly thinks it’s about possession and quotes data which helps him look like he is making progress, another being the playing in their half as you say. He seems to have forgotten about what football is about and that his job is ALL about results. He speaks about Burnley as a negative because of their style of play and they just happen to be efficient in converting chances. He clearly believes in style over content...sadly we have neither. There is no recognition that when teams set up a defensively Saints have prepared and know what they have to do to break this down. What are your tactics MP not your structure

Strange isn’t it. People near me in Itchen almost look embarrassed to sing OWTS. Must be lack of history and attachment to club or just not cool. No chance of getting some passion to stand up and shout out the poor performance of the board. Or maybe people just feel we should just be grateful to be around these days .... constant reminders of remember where we’ve been..

Don’t think Fitz is blaming fans think he is saying team been **** all year. Somebody mentions a continuous and gentle slide into trouble rather than a sudden shock that might have United the fans in a protest. For me I have written to the Board. As a business man telling them that the contempt that they hold the 30k + fans in is unforgivable. Telling them that in no other business would they get away with such poor performance of their company. Simply put they are well out of their depth and are relying on hope and luck that they get away with this. Any decision to rectify the situation brings implications of their own performance which is unacceptable to them. Their is also this complete ignorance and arrogance that following their model is unshakeable. IF we do get out of this it will further build and strengthen their arrogance so don’t expect them to change direction. If they got rid of MP it would be another hire of that ilk. I did get answers and you probably can imagine what they said

Does anybody know what the parachute payments are and over what period of time, just wondering what we have to do if the worst happens and when the shi* would really hit the fan if we do go down and we don’t bounce back

So the club makes cabinet decisions. Consensus of like minded paople where people collude not to challenge each other in case it rebounds back. Also difficult to identify where the buck stops which is what he was implying when he says we all share the responsibility..... the role of chairman is far from being a ceremonial role and has corporate responsibility and accountability. if I was mr GAO I would be asking what he is doing with my investment in his role. I bet he doesn’t see it as a joke role. The only person I see that can break this cycle is Mr GAO.

Anyone care to revisit their vote now....shocking. I know no other business where this level of performance would continue to be supported. The only reason I can see is self preservation by the board