saint michael

5points in nearly half a season… as another loss to come at Leicester yet…. When you say everyone said saints were for the drop Ralph how does this form prove them wrong? Imagine this is our start to next season 😬

I would be interested to know how much people think we will spend this summer and on how many players. I can’t really see this summer being much different than the last ones. They’ve stated the same business model is in place when they took over. Ralph is still in charge so will be similar players to what we have recruited recently. Most likely youngsters from bigger clubs. Out of contract GK. the most important info will be, is our squad better than 3 others for another year of fighting to stay in the super premier league

I’m afraid Ralph is going nowhere. At every opportunity they the boardalign to approach and continuing the journey. Maybe if next year starts with a wipeout they may change their views, but I hold little hope of a change. I think the Board alignment with him is part of this problem don’t feel like there is any real challenge to poor performance. The only real thing which will change this is financial impact. We look at it from football perspective they look at it from financial. Until the two meet failing football and financial impact…I think things will stay much the same. Will be interesting to see how season ticket renewal goes. For the first time in all my time I’m thinking of not renewing.

He simply takes no responsibility for poor performances. A complete detachment from his tactics, coaching, selection and in game changes. He reports on what he has seen as if an independent reporter. I believe that in his eyes he thinks he’s doing a great job but the team aren’t

The players either aren’t doing what he is coaching them in, or asking them to do, or he is asking them to do something they can’t because they haven’t the ability. This makes the continuance of these tactics even more bizarre. Does he just keep on in the hope it will all suddenly click and deliver the performances he clearly expects. I think he lives in cloud cuckoo and it’s time for him to go home. We’ve been shit for ages and he sees each week as a blip and doesn’t see the cumulative performances.

If you take it he has kept us up and never looked in danger this year then I think he deserves credit for this. We’ve comfortably achieved what probably was his target of staying up. I’ve supported saints for too many years to mention so my expectation isn’t unrealistic but I have to say he annoys the fuck out of me. Defence has been a problem since he has arrived and never been properly addressed. I mean tactically and coaching wise. Stats maybe show better this year slightly, but that can just be that the mix of teams are different this year. I don’t see any real development. starting teams, tactics and approach can be awful…that’s on him. I kinda know within a few mins what sort of game it’s going to be (Brighton was a cheery exception). Signing Walcott permanently, what was that all about. Not changing team v Chelsea until 4 down, then taking Romeu off. his antics are that after one of the awful displays, he doesn’t come out and explain what went wrong and why and what he did to change them..he describes all the events we have just watched… we started slowly, the players didn’t track back, we were poor defensively, etc. etc. no shit Sherlock many have asked how good the squad is, and I too don’t really know, are they out performing or could another manager make a difference. It feels like a real fear to change him out because of this question. My belief is there needs to be more than one tactic, the one trick pony for me is awful.

I think it’s the nature of the losses and the complete capitulation and lack of tactics organisation and the manager histrionics on the line as if it’s a complete shock to him that really sickens me. I find myself now always waiting for the slide to happen and never let down by them. being in the prem is not the be all and end to me… I know I will get slated for that but seeing a side that looks half like they know what they should be doing and capable of doing it would be an improvement. Change needed for me

We all get into arguments about Ralph. Can the Ralph supporters please explain to me what he is doing right as I have lost the plot

Our key stat is how much our players run, the fact that they all look like chickens with their heads off seems to pass Ralph by. once again frantic and individual. No team strategy and tactics or approach. Travel in hope, live in despair. still the after match survey will show that all is ok because the cushions are soft and the pies tasty

I think we played as well as we could have. Couldn’t really fault the players. Yes big error by Salisu but under huge pressure all match and probably aware couldn’t afford to let anyone pass him. Under pressure people will make mistakes For me the really sad thing is the complete gulf between the two teams and the realisation that I’m never going to see saints win anything again. 21st century sport where not everyone can compete and win something. I’ve grown to hate the big club cash rolled prem. They may well spend on buying Haaland for the same money as we were bought for. Wait till the geordie fans get going too. god knows how the team must feel after putting in that effort week in week out.

A good analogy. We have the worst defensive record of goals conceded. Do we believe that in 2021 we have had the worst set of players. They may not be great but I don’t believe they are the worst players, so the tactics and coaching must take a big slice of the responsibility.

I went along yesterday and it was a totally gutless display. Looked like the team are clueless. They make an effort when they have the ball but are absolutely clueless in how to defend when they don’t. Long balls to each wing just killed us and the second goal think it was Tierney had 4 chance and time to get the cross over. Ridiculous eventually hitting our player on the back as he turned away. I think it is 50:goals shipped in 2021 which is a prem record. There was a period in the second half where we were lucky to only ship 1. Should have been 4. Rather than make a tactical change to help Ralph (even if it didn’t work out) continued to stand and watch. Look at the zonal marking tactics. 4 at the front post all not moving or aligned with their zones. So easy to break. Interesting that he is starting to blame injuries and mistakes and players. He is absolutely clueless. I don’t care who we get I would rather feel we are moving forward than watch this every week. I wonder if and when the fans will start to voice displeasure at games

I think the vast majority on here don’t just want to see managers go, but are sick of paying for and watching this repeated awful performance game in and game out. I’m a saints supporter it’s not about winning every game but my frustration at watching us make the same mistakes every game in the 2 nd half is really growing. I’m not sure the players are as bad as the 2nd halves show but the tactical nouse certainly is. It’s like knowing you are going to crash and just not stopping it.. that’s Ralph’s job. Whether he is up to it or not can be debated, but it seems to me that he is not as he just can’t stop it happening.

It seemed so inevitable the late goal. We were on the back foot trying to contain them in the second half and the team looked really tired. Team given no help or direction to shake it up or regain control.

All very predictable and score doesn’t really reflect how bad we were. I loved seeing Ralph really smiling and hugging klopp at the end. We could have saved ourself a few bob by just giving them the points and saving on the expensive travel. No soul or identity in club. That is not based on winning or losing but on style of way we play.

Fair enough. I just knew what Norwich would do second half and we looked unprepared… again. It doesn’t seem to be fitness. First half movement and organisation good. Just Norwich pushed higher and longer ball and we collapse. That’s tactical. Then some changes that I personally found bizarre again and others might find ok.

How can you say we were the better team? What we had more passes or touches or….. we played great in first half. We were badly prepared for Norwich in the second half and the changes they made. Ralph made some very strange changes which made things worse and yes there were again some personal errors. All this can be forgiven as all teams have off days…. This second half was not an exception, it’s what we do and haven’t managed to change. It also will continue unless we address the issues that underpin these things. I voice this as it’s frustrating as F and I see and feel it happening and know how it will end its like watching Groundhog Day

Hasunhutl at his bizarre decision making best…. The guy must think he is some sort of tactical genius

This season is all a gamble on there being 3 worse teams than us over 38 games. we are being chased by the croc. We just have to outrun 3 others. Like it’s been said above. Question for me is not so much us but who are the other 3 weaker teams.. clearly Norwich look nailed on. There always seems to be a team that falls like a stone. And then a real fight for the 3rd from last spot. like it or not I think Ralph will stay. I may be wrong but didn’t the real good run under him that everyone quotes happen in those really strange times of no supporters? What we have seen in the recent past is more my expectation think this rollercoaster is in for the remainder all the way to the line strap in

I think we have let less goals in. I don’t get the sense that our defence issues are solved. Corners shaky, crosses again shaky, zonal marking all over the place. Hope you are proven to be right fingers crossed. by the way not saying Howe had good record defensively

Neither can Ralph

I thought they were taking Cole to Newcastle 😬

Ways of playing does not only mean formations. Every bit of what he does is the same even though formations change. Pressing, passing sideways and backwards, zonal marking….formations change possession opportunities. Changing formation does not mean Armstrong will score more. Changing formation does not effect our ability to defend corners…… to make it clear it has to be about his ability to upskill and coach individuals and create different outcomes

I think everything about this guy is wrong for us. He has a way of playing and clearly has no intention of changing it regardless of players available or situation we find ourselves in. All the stats show we are in a tail spin. We can leave it another 10 games I personally don’t believe it will make any difference. We always pin hope on the ability to turn it around against “lesser” teams. I think our ability to stay up will be based on there being 3 worse teams. We will pick up points we will be filled with hope and we will struggle as will not be a team that will be able to build continuous good form. He talks about good performances not results. I almost reach the point where I don’t care anymore really sad. I watch matches waiting for it to go wrong. It’s like ground hog day. I have been a saints fan for many many years. I never expect much from them so not a fan expecting to win every week… but oh dear we have lost that real small team with teeth to go into games with hope.

Saints play top sides. They don’t win. We say they played well it’s good we are playing lesser teams now and then we lose to them. We then get into dispute of whether mgr should be sacked. it doesn’t matter how good we play it does matter that we find a way to win.