St Louis

Sorry if I've missed it, but where was Jack Stephens yesterday? Total Saints Pod said he was eligible to return for Boxing Day, but he wasnt even on the bench. Were they wrong? Was he injured/ill? Or did he just not make Ivan's squad? I havent seen anything about it anywhere.

I'm not saying this is true (and in actual fact I doubt it myself as it doesnt make sense to me), but I have heard from a decent source at the club, that we have had discussions with Man Utd about the possible transfer of KWP to them in this Jan window. This may explain why we are bringing Wellington in now.

Doubt it. I know from first team coaches mouths, that he stinks the place out, and has done since the last relegation season. The club are desperate to be shot and he's desperate to leave.

Is Tyler attempting to escape relegation or just escape the club?

What a strange way to look at things, is that honestly how you feel? You only want to attend when its the good times? I love going to watch Saints (win, lose or draw... although the wins are far more preferable and enjoyable!) I think the games sell out, because like me, many enjoy the whole 'day out' and catching up with family and friends, as much as just the game itself (often more tbh and the game ruins it). I wont stop going to watch them just because the last 16 weeks have been a bit sh*t!? I've committed too many years and am wedded for life sadly... and didnt realise there was an option to just dip in when things are good (as I wouldnt have attended much over the last 40 years if so!) 😉

Just back from the game. We were really good second half, after a poor opening half where we created little. Support for the team and Martin is still strong at the games, with 3,000 singing his name at the end, compared to so much negativity on here. I was in corporate (sorry) tonight, so socialising with Brighton fans after, and they were very complimentary of how we played, unlucky not to beat them, as strong as anyone they’ve played at home, surprised we are where we are in the league, etc. Keep the faith… for a little longer anyway!

Rishi's wealth (even when combined with the very wealthy Mrs Sunak) is apparently £650m, Dragan Šolak's net worth is listed as £1 Billion. So sadly not the knight in shining armour we need

I think he's still too important as a player for us to take that on. Player/Manager's rarely play themselves, and we definitely need him on the pitch for the remainder of the season! He also said in the summer he wants to keep playing as long as possible, so I cant see it happening yet personally. He'd maybe cover a few weeks until we get another in, but I dont think he'd keep it (or want to yet), regardless of results.

You may be referring to others, but I certainly havent told anyone they should be a Russball convert or even enjoy watching it. I just enjoy it personally, and literally couldnt give a monkeys that others don't, I completely understand that. I dont think I'm alone though, as unless we are giving away tickets, the sold out stadium suggests its not the worst spectacle to spunk £100 on every week. Results this season are abysmal, and I'm certainly not enjoying that, and if they continue this way then I would want a change too. I'm just saying that I hope it turns around and works out, as I personally have enjoyed watching Saints since he took over. Surely thats OK isnt it? Or have I missed a forum rule where we all have to be on the 'hate it' side? This place would be pretty boring though wouldnt it, if we all agreed on everything all of the time?

🤣 Sorry must dash, I've got a Friday morning press conference at work to prep for, and my spiced latte is getting cold.

Haha, calm down. Clearly stupid enough to not click on my profile and see I'm not that 'new' as I've been posting on here for nearly 19 years, and The Saints Forum for many years before that. It doesnt bother me one bit that you have a different opinion and dont like this style, good on you. And you shouldnt care that some of us do, why would that bother you? I'll assume you're just joking and that you aren't just a complete d*ck who cant accept that different people might enjoy different things. Ive been a ST holder and watched most home games and many away games for near on 40 years, so wind it in a bit and let people have their own opinions. You make yourself come across as very bitter, and maybe you could try a different sport or different team that you can enjoy watching? Or just try enjoying supporting Saints, like most of us who go to the games do, whether we win, draw (or usually) lose! It's a real shame you can't go to games anymore because you have such disdain for the young manager and "wont continue paying to watch his ego trips", as you'll be sadly missed by those who sit near you I'm sure. In contrast, you are aware that the "vanity project that nobody wants to look at" which you talk of, sells out every week home and away arent you? So please dont speak for all of us! If you read my original post you'd see I expect we will we go down, and I'm as disappointed as you with the results (obviously), but I'm enjoying watching my team play with a style and I'm enjoying the ride, last season and this. And whats the worst that could happen, we go down and I will still love watching us in The Championship (whoever the manager is). And who are you to tell me I can't? Like tastes in football, music, movies, women or anything else in life.... we will all enjoy different variations. Maybe try and understand that before you tell us all you arent stupid 😂

I completely agree with every word of this, well put. I know it goes against the tide on here to say you enjoy watching this style, but I agree with you wholeheartedly and am also enjoying the 'way we play' (not the results so far of course) and I've enjoyed watching Saints these last couple of years more than I have for a long time. The results have been atrocious and need to pick up of course, but I personally hope we dont just pivot away from this team or style, and my hope is that we do turn it around with this management and team and do enough to stay up (looking unlikely I know) and then build further next season and beyond. Its exactly what teams like Brighton, Brentford and Bournemouth have done in recent years... stayed up and built further each year, with a clear football philosophy and style. Like you, I would also take our squad and style of play over Everton (or several others) and I also think we've been unlucky to not have more points on the board and things would be 'OK' if we were sat in 17th, fine margins and all that.... *Time to put the tin hat on I think* P.S I've been watching Saints since the mid/late 80's, so am not just a new 'modern' football fan who likes latte's and watching games from home. P.P.S I am not Russell Martin, Russel Martin's Mum, Rasmus Ankersen or Lucy Pinder 😂

Wow, is this really the way you look at football? Try and enjoy it man! Hopefully we win and Martin and the lads turn things around, thats how I feel about it anyway.

It just shows what a sorry state of affairs we find ourselves in. We are leaking goals left, right and centre.... and not one of us thinks that our longest serving Centre Back and CAPTAIN of the team can help us (even one bit) to fix the defensive issues, and instead we unanimously call for him to be banned for longer 🤣

What's his philosophy and style? What makes you think that a current player with zero coaching or management experience, might be a good idea to guide a Premier League team? Honestly this forum drives me mad sometimes. Weve had a poor start to the season and suddenly EVERYONE on earth is better than our current manager and would be winning these games, whether that be Adkins, Lallana or the dinner lady 🤦‍♂️

I know we were crap and I hate looking for excuses or blaming the ref, but.... I was amazed this wasn't highlighted by the commentary or pundit team on Sky. The freekick was about 10-12 feet from where the foul was committed, and that would always be called back normally to be retaken. Their opening goal then completely changed the atmosphere and game, and that really annoyed me as we were on top at that point. Yes I know we were dreadful after that (for the rest of the game), but had that been called back, I wonder how the game might have panned out!? #Clutching

Confirmed for Tues Oct 29th @ 7.45pm

He's scored 2 league goals in 5 games.... 1 more than our (fullback) Sugawara has in the Premier League so far. Good luck to him, but not sure he's thriving just yet!

I’m guessing Arma didn’t react well to being dropped at the weekend, given THB has the captaincy tonight! Or am I putting two and two together…

We were really good for 35 mins, then miss the penalty and they score 2 completely against run of play at end of half (they’d not had a shot!) mental how a game can flip in a minute. TNT highlighted how poor Stephens was today, Stephens playing them onside for one and not marking De Ligt for the other. He then gets sent off for a stupid challenge which definitely killed us. I thought we were a lot better than the scoreline and if we’d scored the penalty and gone in 1-0 up at HT, who knows? Good to have Stephens suspended now though for a few games.

Even a contract with an existing player is difficult. A friend of mine is the father of a Bournemouth player, and his son has been negotiating his contract with them for nearly a year now. He tells me bits and pieces, mainly how unbelievably complex these things are, how many people are involved and how many moving parts there are, and thats a player they already have the ear of and full focus of (he wants to stay, shouldn't be complicated etc). Can you imagine that with a player you've only just shown interest in and are trying to buy. On top of the player contract BS, you'd also have the negotiations with the club too, as well as competition from other clubs, FFP, PSR, etc... all offering different challenges to the buying club, the selling club and the player. We will have been working for weeks/months to secure our targets, some you get and some you miss out on. As the team tipped to finish bottom of the league (and the 3rd best team promoted from The Championship in theory) it makes it even harder for us when other clubs are sniffing around. Martin said himself at the Fans Forum this week that they had a recruitment meeting that day and that we have loads of plates spinning in the transfer market (https://youtu.be/sJgXGV08tXo?si=QXNswgACGT-VgTiD&t=3265), I just dont believe the narrative here and on social that they arent trying to buy players or are being tight... we are trying I'm sure as we want to stay up (but its hard) and we dont have the finances to pay what we might need to for certain players. I love playing a bit of Football Manager myself, and I wish it was that easy for the real Saints to just go and buy players and pick up out of contact players on huge wages. I'm not trying to be clever or condescending, but it's really not simple.

Wolves wanted Che Adams leading the line this season over him (and he was already their player!), says it all really.

Real world football doesnt work like this. I knew 6 months ago that Solanke was 99% going to Spurs this summer (through contacts at AFCB), so Bournemouth would have had plenty of options lined up and ready. Players and their agents get spoken to months before an offer gets put in, just to gauge interest, affordability, etc and we all get to hear about it as its about to happen. Do you honestly think Saints havent been looking for and sounding out strikers for months now, knowing Adams was probably leaving and Stewart probably not fit!? Its not simple to just point out a player you want and just get it over the line, its so complex.

You need to be in Spain, or using a VPN to make it look like you're in Spain. I'm struggling to find a free stream.

Does anyone have a stream? Without the need for a VPN? Cheers