John Boy Saint

When I saw that yesterday I did wonder if that was something that lead to the funny arm dance he did walking back for the kick off after scoring..............of course being an old git, it might have been something what the kids are doing these days.

Not saying it shouldn't be discussed at all, just reading through comments on players who should be cast off to the wind, I am glad it ain't down to the 'experts' on this forum to decide who stays and who goes from the academy. There is a new broom sweeping through the club, and the door is open to those who want "to get on the train". As Ralph said the other day in the mini fan forum there are a few lads who just need polishing. Bayern Munich has a heap of nippers in their squad its become their way of thinking. They are prepared to pay, by Saints standards, eye watering money for Hudson Odoi from Chelsea, he can't get in the Chelsea team because his way is blocked by big money signings, and will be even further by the latest lad from Dortmund who has gone back to them on loan, who plays in the same position as Hudson Odoi and is a similar age. Why are they prepared to spend that kind of money? probably because they have seen he has the raw playing attributes that fit their blueprint, and is still enough of a blank canvas to honed and moulded into a Bayern style player. I wouldn't be overly surprised if none of that list is sent out on loan by the end of this window if Ralph believes they can be moulded into his style of player.

Obviously not one prepared “to get on the train”, what a shame......... not!

Glad it ain’t anyone on here’s decision. Glad the bloke making the decision seems to have a good idea of what he’s looking for!

Those boys will be like coiled springs by the time we play Palace!! Judging by the transformation we have all seen on the pitch, they are more than likely to be lapping it all up, and being athletes more than happy to be fitter stronger faster. Even more so with the academy door now being left unlocked.

Rose is a spawny horrible little toad.............couldn’t make up which bit of his head to hold.

Full House! Theres a storm brewing...........and its Red & White (with a bit of Yellow & Blue).

Watching MOTD - when is Salah going to get carded for simulation.

That was a sublime chip to put it on a plate for Ings. as has been said already what was Hughes thinking by playing Mr 50p Feet week in week out.

What no tongue in cheek smiley thingymabob? how can you lay the fault at his door, that ball was like a hot potato pinging around in our box, you could equally blame Romeu for not getting his fat backside out of the way of one of the clearances that ricocheted back into the mix, or young Jan for adding to his bruise collection for the day by diving on the ball like it was a hand grenade!

Cheers for that, my cousins are mad Shakers fans - so when we signed him then he vanished I did think “oh where’s he gone” now I know.

How did Alonso get away with giving the ref a couple of shoves with the back of his hand - and not even get spoken to?!!!!

Did no one spot that he had a bite on the grief he was getting from the crowd in the Itchen Chapel corner, when he judged Armstrong to have committed the foul despite the Everton player climbing all over the back of him. Never seen a Ref stop and stare into the crowd before!!!! Bad day at the office - which is a shame as today’s ref one is normally a steady Eddie.

I have to say that this season I have seen very little of that from him, if he has it’s been justified.

Fair play though she did get a very sensible answer - that is a typical question a media fed football fan would ask and hope for - what Ralph came back with makes perfect sense. Along with what I said a couple of weeks back about the nippers being a blank canvas and a sponge to soak up the ways of the Ralph, rather than some well worn pro who might play along but always in danger of falling back into their old ways, which is not the way the team plays. Sadly in these days, of order by 6pm and your 3 piece suite will be delivered by 10pm, - a lot of folks want it now regardless of what it will be like in a couple of months. Ralph certainly is a breath of fresh air.

Well he has pretty much said that about Hoedt!!

The bloke is a nutter - he was wandering around his technical area last night either talking to himself or a worm that had popped up out of the ground!!

Think a bit of honesty when posting is required regarding the opinion attributes of a player by "signing" the post with I watched this game from The Itchen Stand/ Back of the Northam - I watched this game on TV - Tablet/Laptop - Phone. If its the latter and always the latter get off your backside and actually go and watch the game with your own eyes rather than a TV lens, then you can see the whole game not just where the ball is......oh and whilst you are buying your ticket get one in the first 4 rows of whatever stand you chose to sit in, just to get a players eye view rather than a TV camera level view. Some of the comments on here about our youngsters make me wonder if my coffee from the concourse was spiked with Rohypnol!!

Ain't that the truth. If we could bag the volume of horse poo being shoveled in some of the posts above - we would be winning every category in the County Flower and Veg Produce Show come the summer.

I must be watching something else or others are watching Barcelona Real Madrid every week, from my seat in the ground thought he looked tidy throughout. Whilst some blaming him and Stephens for the second goal, I would toss into it that Gunn looked like he played with a “what’s the point” demeanour after McCarthy was confirmed as Ralph’s #1, and having seen Gunn play in a much more dynamic way, the pair of them whilst possibly guilty of a bit of “after you Sir......no after you” were expecting the keeper to come and clean it out as he has done previously. Yes we are in a perilous position in the league, I really don’t get this constant knocking of the academy lads when they are making their first steps in the team, yes they are going to be a bit green and wet behind the ears. Pretty sure that if they were pants the manager wouldn’t pick them then leave them on the pitch if they were having a mare. And in Ralph I am much more prepared already to trust his judgement, far more than the last 2 incumbents. Last night both Ramsey and Johnson looked far more capable than Armstrong in the first half, and Elyonoussi the whole damn game, both cost good money and both have far more game time miles on the clock.

Anyone else spot the confused faces around them when Derby made their 4th Sub in extra time?

Have you not spotted the accuracy McCarthy is getting with that goal kick almost out of play to the left side of the pitch, Fraser had that same goal kick nailed a treat.........straight over Whoever had been sent out there to receive it. The amount of times everyone has been motioned to the left and our right back has crept out right with acres to run into ahead of him, zero imagination from the keeper bomb one right into congestion time and time again on the left. Bloody ping one at the corner flag on the right now and again to surprise everyone. Bit concerned that after Saturday both Romeu and JWP looked jiggered tonight in the closing stages. Thought all the nippers did well, didn’t let us down, thought Ramsey was very tidy. Shame we fell ill at this hurdle, I was looking forward to the possibility of a trip t’up north. I had spotted that there was a chance of a double header, Stanley for lunch, then the Shakers v the Imps at teatime at Gigg Lane with my cousins. C’est la vie as a Saints fan.

Too bloody slow in 99% of everything he did tonight. I know these foreign Johnnies have to get to grips with the pace and power of the game in this country, but this is like a player in the mound of the previous 2 managers: keep doing the same thing and it will work eventually. Summed up nicely in the first half when the nipper Johnson played a Nice ball into space behind the defence expecting him to be there, nope he had his back pretty much to the ball wandering towards the D, Johnson just shot him a WTF look with upturned palms. I guess when a bloke states that his move to Saints has made him financially secure for the rest of his life that’s what you are going to get.

That is a surprise - like Batman just said troubled soul too. Shame for him really as getting to play for England and being sold a couple of times for what was then decent money, along with Klopp bringing him in to Liverpool on loan, even after a car crash of an outing against them for us, obviously shows that folks saw footballing ability in him. Then looking at the troubles that have plagued him alongside his age, the Devils of too much too young have had a field day with him.

Just saw the highlights, that WAS an impressive comeback from 0-2 down cracking couple of goals especially their first, but the 3rd looked like Stoke had just given up like they were 8-0 down. Bizarre!