CheshireSaint

Mike Dean was terrible when officiating us, and is a clear winner. Kevin Friend was indeed a 'special' friend to Brendan Rogers mind and he is a close second for me.

Not going to happen with Aribo on the pitch. He is absolutely sh1te

I know. Hence my comment 'I suppose that whilst the Asian masses are loving it, it will trundle on.' The sooner a Super League happens the better. Yes, it will reduce money significantly, but it would be across the board. That way, money from gate receipts would increase as a percentage overall with the clubs outside of the top 6 being more or less on par in terms of capacity (30 - 40k with the odd exception) and with equal TV coverage of all competing teams, there should be more likelihood of parity across sponsorship deals too. Imagine a league where all 20 teams could aspire certainly for the top third of the table or maybe even the title. Imagine a league where once left, there was no going back to so if the Super League floundered for whatever reason, tough. You could have all the money in the world but no one to play. Effectively, a massive concert venue. One can dream.

The teams outside of the top 6 are nothing more than fences to be navigated by the top 6 to decide which of the moneybags teams do so the best. Saints are just another fence. Fortunately, we both grew up in what was a hey day of football, where pretty much any team could compete, including Saints. Other provincial teams such as Leicester, Wolves, Stoke, Derby, Coventry, West Brom, Ipswich, Norwich, Forest etc. could all do well and push for Europe. They were truly halcyon days. Obviously Leicester went on to fluke (harsh perhaps) a title recently but generally, we've turned into the Scottish League, that we all used to criticize. If the top 6 went their own way, yes it would be part of an elite league with other top teams across Europe but surely, if the product (what remains) is competitive, then TV rights will reflect that and money wouldn't necessarily disappear. Yes, it may be significantly reduced but its relative across all remaining teams. FFP is sh1te now as it prevents challenges to the top 6 because it has come into place whilst there is such a chasm between us and them. It maintains the status quo. FFP would work without the top 6 as all teams would be starting from a similar financial position, and it would prevent rich owners from coming to any team and creating an imbalance that we currently see. I really can't see why the Premier League is so marketable, given how imbalanced it currently is. City have won 6 out of the last 7 titles (runners up in the only one they missed out on). In the last 32 years, only Blackburn and Leicester have won it, outside of the top 6. I suppose that whilst the Asian masses are loving it, it will trundle on. Personally, I can't wait until it implodes. Get rid of the top 6, replace them with Rangers, Celtic, Hearts and Hibs, introduce some form of financial controls to keep it competitive and go from there.

This. Many people on here are resigned to going down, irrespective of what the Manager does. I don't agree. I believe we have a lower / mid table competitive team. The vast majority of goals conceded, were entirely avoidable. Playing in a more practical way, may have prevented those (we will never know for sure). If that were the case, we could be on 6 points perhaps and looking fairly comfortable. As has been pointed out previously, we 'aim' to play a high risk / high reward game. The idea is to bring the opposition on, create space and then exploit that space with fast, passing and moving. We play the high risk bit but don't even attempt to exploit the very thing we are aiming to generate. We plod up field and then go back. It's actually insane. We play high risk, low reward. It was pointed out last season by all on here and is now being pointed out in the football press. Obvious to all. We wouldn't need a genius Manager to either adapt the current system to include the high reward bit or remove the high risk bit altogether. RM under performed last year (ironically until he scrapped the high risk bit in the play offs) and is doing so this season so far. Worryingly, he seems to be reluctant to admit, the current system doesn't work. Likely because he is defined by it. The system doesn't serve him, he serves the system. It takes some serious self reflection and some balls to accept everything you have invested in, isn't working. Not dissimilar to the Jack Stephens situation. He is too invested in the whole Captain thing, again reluctant to change it, in case of it seeming like an acceptance of failure. The more we as fans, claim that we were always going to be relegated, whatever, the more we infer that RM isn't failing. The less likely RM is to see it as failure, less likely to he will be inclined to change. If he changes it around against Bournemouth and we get a positive result, great. If not, with Arsenal next up, we could be 1 point from 7 games. For me, that would be the tipping point.

The two issues for me are Decency and Aesthetics. Decency - Rollbit don't seem to be a company we want to be partners with, at any level. Aesthetics - Even if we must* partner with them, how big of a drama would it have been to make the 'O' chip, red for the home and yellow for the away? Yellow on red and black just kills it as a design. *Imagine if those with the power were to see the overall responses (they surely must have had an inkling of the reaction) across social media and cancelled the sponsorship as a consequence? Imagine how much positive publicity Saints would receive? The have shot themselves in the foot massively and it just didn't need to happen. Surely we could have just gone for the next best financial offer and took the hit? What price on standards? This company are banned in many countries, do we want to be associated with them for 30 pieces of silver? Not me chef. Probably not as easy as just cancelling but surely there is a way. All we can do I suppose is boycott and hit sales. The 30 pieces of silver would soon be cancelled out. What a complete and utter f^&k up.

Certainly, a Plan B. Especially given we have so many wingers. Call me old fashioned but a more direct Plan B 'straight into the big man' wouldn't be bad, especially with AA lurking.

That back four is exactly what should have happened all season with JS, JB and RM stepping in to cover injuries and suspensions only. Dibling should have been on the fringes, with more playing time than has happened. A rotation of Downes, Smallbone, Armstrong and Charles would have improved all and given us more flexibility rather than excluding Charles for instance. We have a plethora of wingers so could play one of Adams or Armstrong up front or both depending on opposition. When defending a lead, we could lose a winger, shift across the midfield and use JS as defensive protection. Loads of options yet Martin just messes about when not required and does nothing when changes are absolutely necessary.

Got a few old shirts (unused) up on Ebay, starting with this little beauty - Southampton FC 2010 Football Shirt XL 125 Year Celebration | eBay Rather then post individual links, please feel free to look at 'Seller's other items' as there are a few more too. Cheers all.

Was he an irritating WASP perhaps?

To add a further contemporary football link, the German team Armenia Bielefeld are named after their Chieftain Armenius, responsible for their victory. All very interesting.

Excellent post. Summed up perfectly.

Being brought up on a Liverpool overspill council estate, 20 miles from Liverpool and with a Liverpool born father, I think I am likely in a better position than most to have a view. They are generally shithouses who present 90% of all the stereotypes we associate with them. My dad was there for 2 days before being brought up in Southampton (his mum was Liverpool through and through) and he thinks less of them than me. Obviously a lot depends on personal experience and some are really decent but generally speaking, they are bell ends.

Done. Good luck.

I was born in Chester, live in Chester now too. Dad from Southampton and most of my paternal family still live in Southampton. At 51, I have had to grow up with gloating Liverpool fans, then Everton, then Liverpool, then United, then Liverpool and now City. Chester is a mix of all of them to varying percentages. Despite that, I am famously Southampton despite never living within 200 miles of the place. Supporting Saints has definitely been a labour of love. Not sure someone coming up to me and telling me I am not a true fan, would end too well.

Didn't Bielsa want to change Everton 'root and branch' when they were looking for a Lampard replacement? I believe he was happy to go down on the basis that he would get rid of the dead wood and instead, build a young and hungry new squad ready to come back up in a season or two, thus rendering the team, overall improved, admittedly after relegation. This wasn't what Everton wanted to hear and so it went no further. For me, this sounds like a great plan. We are down anyway, Bielsa getting us playing aggressive and bright football whilst marching up the league sounds just the job. Bielsa wouldn't tolerate fidgeting and BS from Rasmus either so double whammy.

Anyone that picks Moi is a dick. Those people will point to the fact that successive Managers have done the same, should also reflect on those Managers have all been sacked, largely because they've been dicks. Selles could have been a breath of fresh air but nothing has really changed. it is madness that someone in authority cant see and have the wherewithal to insist anyone new actually try something new. Despairing.

Or 'stuff' and 'things' like 'that'.

Seems fair enough at this point but largely depends what sort of contract we agree to. Positives - Knowledge of the Premiership so doesn't need time that we have not got to adjust. Knows Leeds inside out and we have still to play them. Will have some knowledge of our current players, including the new ones as Leeds fish in the same transfer pond as us. Allegedly plays a similar system as Ralph and it was a good system when implemented well. Doesn't make a tit of himself in interviews. Very 'up and at 'em' which whilst short term, maybe exactly what we need. Willing to come to us in our present position. Probably relatively cheap. Negatives - Not a fancy name that some would like. Has a sketchy CV. 'Failed' at Leeds although apparently he did have them playing well. Overall I don't think it is as crazy as some think. Some Managers fit with some clubs and not others. He may well be a decent fit. With Jones, it was abundantly clear that he would never work. So much so that RA must truly have something missing not to see it. At least with Marsch, there is some logic and potential to work out. Fingers crossed.

I largely agree with the above but one thing of concern for me is his inability to use his left foot. Couple of opportunities to shoot with left that he chooses to open up his body and fails with his right. When he does 'shoot' with his left (at 3.18), he makes a pigs ear of it. Same with his left footed cross near video end. Are their many successful footballers that are so one sided I wonder? He does look a right handful though and wouldn't be easy to defend against.

I said to my missus prior to the draw that Newcastle (3rd in league) and Man Utd (4th in league). will be kept apart and both will have the advantage of their home ties in the second leg. Cup draws seem entirely predictable these days. Between now and the home leg, likely to be Tuesday 24th, we will have played Everton away and Villa at home. Positive results in those games and we will be in the ascendancy. Newcastle in comparison have Fulham at home and Palace away. Negative results against those and Newcastle will probably be in league position more akin to their level. They are third currently and fair play to them but they are not the third best team in the league (I reckon they will finish 7th). Their 3 results prior to their Quarter final victory have been draws against Leeds and Arsenal and a loss to Sheffield Wednesday so we shouldn't be too alarmed. Will be down to who plays well on the night(s) and if we can replicate last nights performance, we should be grand. Newcastle are not suddenly some elite team. They are entirely beatable if we play to our potential. Up the Saints!!

Indeed. Back in my Army days, someone strong was known to have 'Arms like Garth' in homage to said cartoon character. I have used the term in civvy street only to be faced with some quizzical looks.

He is at his usual nonsense again. Quote from this week's Team of the Week - Granit Xhaka (Arsenal) This can't be happening. Granit Xhaka, once the most unpopular player ever in an Arsenal shirt, is scoring goals, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka are playing out of their skins, the Gunners are still top of the table and I can't see anyone stopping them at the moment. It's like a nightmare unfolding in front of your very eyes. Thank goodness Arsenal are having to play three games a week including European football matches. Fortunately the Saints played the Gunners at the right time. A fresh Arsenal would have destroyed Southampton. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63368172 This is after Saints played 3 times in a week. Bloke is stealing a living.

I agree. This 'natural position' nonsense is exactly that. When a player runs and turns and jumps etc., the body uses limbs to compensate and maintain balance. During this activity, arms especially, can be all over the place but they will always be absolutely 'naturally' positioned. We don't decide where our arms go as we run left then right and then jump for a ball. If you break your arm and it is hanging backwards at a right angle, that would be unnatural. Stupid rule and another one that was introduced to make things more simple and instead, has created a monster. Back in the day, 'ball to arm' was considered accidental and 'hand ball' was considered to be deliberate. The only grey area was judging if a players hand / arm went toward the ball as a conscious decision or whether it was a natural, subconscious movement. Unfortunately, that grey cannot be sanitised into black and white and we have to accept that, but in a bid to make everything black and white, we are off down another rabbit hole where neither black or white exists. Still, decision makers get paid to review and introduce new interpretations to laws, additional refs get paid to monitor VAR and so there is a market for this shy-terry to be further exploited. We could go back to basics but the gravy train would have to come to a halt. Mike Dean by the way....where do I start? The Tony Blair of refereeing.

Chester here. Walked into a tool hire shop this morning in Ellesmere Port (about 5 miles from Chester) and on the counter, was a Saints mug. The chap behind the counter lives up here but was originally from just outside Southampton. I shall use that branch more often as a result. I used to always go to the local away matches and some home but admittedly don't bother so much nowadays with the dodgy box showing all games.