gio1saints

So definitive like you have the answer to everything and know all details about the squad how they trained their fitness etc. You don’t. There’s plenty reasons why he might do that. I’m not in favour myself - but to say it’s indefensible is exaggeration. Unless it’s just to you personally otherwise- yes I can see the reasons why he @ might@ keep the back three. I don’t think he will- but there’s reasons alright.

At last common sense not insane conspiracy theory paranoia! Like it or hate it, with the players he had, the 3CB’s solution was what he thought gave him best chance of building a reasonable start to the season - certainly until all the transfer stuff calmed down. Anyone thinks he was TOLD to play that way by senior people and just complied like a nodding dog needs to check that their tinfoil hat hasn’t slipped off. 🤡 IF he persists with the system there IS a defendable argument for it tomorrow. Pkaying the cynic card here - if he plays 3cb and we draw or lose he can always revert to his supposed “favoured” approach with a back four next match and say- well that experiment has not worked. If he plays a back four though, and we draw or lose, he won’t get too many saints fans going yeah good effort but back 3 is the way to go- so he’s shafted both ways but marginally less so by continuing with a back three- certainly for start of the match and then perhaps shift it second half. Many fans want to see the four at back under the impression it’s more attacking - I thinks that’s arguable - I think four at the back is more solid defensively -but not necessarily more attacking so be careful what you wish for!

At this rate we might be able to pick up hamer in January ( if he does not go epl) in a deal with sufc that includes one of our forwards that’s not had much game time on loan or sold but rated going other way plus cash.

Throwing a pint of beer and acting hard in front of a bloke who is holding his obviously frightened son’s hand is simply pathetic behaviour. You want to have a fight - have a fight - but leave the kids out of it. Shameful really and that apparently saints fan is not big nor clever not a tough guy for his threatening behaviour - just an embarrassment. As for that That Westwood fella never met him in person but I suspect he has got a deep seated desire for notoriety - that’s no secret - so this kind of stunt does nothing but feed into it. All the same I find it pathetic. You want to have a meet up do it proper not this throwing pints of beer at dads with there kids chicken shit. Fecking embarrassing .

It was actually. I’d got a little bit too excited bout them two and that negative debacle has now altered my perception. Indeed they looked tired to me and I would not now be surprised to see them “rested”- they’ve done a fair bit of travelling what with transfers and Dublin & Armenia and back to Soton and families etc. In any case i managed to win £xxx on England on the basis that it was time to stop playing turgid football and I expected decent goals supremacy. TQ Spreadex. 😎. As for the ROI match - it was a rubbish performance by them especially our two. 😤. BUT id rather watch ANY international match with a Southampton player or players than England without if on a same time. Nb yes I know they were not but you know what I mean. Jelert & Scienza might just get some minutes yet come Sunday..

Both thoroughly anonymous. Disappointed for them - and Saints! Ireland looked clueless whenever Armenia pressed hard. Oh- and that Spertsyan guy- he’s a good player it’s obvious.

Spertsyan playing on the right hand side if a two man CM - with 4 more advanced players ahead of him. Interesting. Thought he was a more offensive #10 style player but looks like they want him to have as much ball as possible. Let’s see what the fuss is all about!

Interesting..they are playing Ryan at left back instead of the lm he ( successfully) played last match….they putting a left midfield in front of him…

Put your vpn onto IRELAND.download the RTE player. Go to RTE2. It’s on live and free.

I’m not certain he had all that many really good options that would push his WC case. Newcastle were probably the biggest club came in for him playing the highest level football. Another season of picking balls out of the net for a bottom half team was as likely imo to damage his chances as much as staying in Championship might/would. No choice if he wants to get paid his serious ££ as well but to take the challenge at Newcastle.

Just hope both Ryan and Finn play well, ideally Finn scores from a Ryan assist, the ROI win and they get rested early second half so can come back undamaged.

Joe Aribo has the ability to hold the ball in crowded areas of midfield and is hard to dispossess. He showed that characteristic multiple times in the promotion season. He’s not flashy but he retains possession, at this level, very well. He is also willing and able to play almost anywhere so he could make match day squads with injuries etc. Sam Edozie, as has already been mentioned is a LW pure and simple. He will be battling it out with Jay obviously but also the new guy Leo - who will surely get first /second dibs - and then there is Ryan Fraser who has rediscovered the form that saw him ultimately take Sam’s place last time we were here. I suspect Sam is currently going to be fourth choice and not making the match day squad for now.

I hope we do not need to use them but the fact that our reserves will 100% be stronger than most others means that in the depths of fixture congestion we should prove stronger and stay “ up there” in the table fingers crossed.

Damian Downs did not get off the bench in usas recent dismal 2-0 defeat to South Korea. He IS likely to start or play a decent part of the match tomorrow v Japan. That will be worth watching. Quarshie only played a half for Germany u21’s v Albania away other day but from highlights he looked like he was central of a back 3 or at the least he seemed to touch the ball a lot and well - more than I’ve seen as a more advanced CB. He looks the part I must say. Liverpool just bought Leon who is 18 and also 6ft4 and I think there’s an evident euro movement in coach thinking towards BIG CB’s - long throws- long balls happening / in which case we may have caught the zeitgeist early for once in capturing this lad! Tuchel saying that’s how England should look to play says a lot!

Nice spot. Think you are right. Certainly watching that Ireland match with Saints players instead of another episode of same old boring boring England.

Genius sir 🙌

Well I think that he’s been one of our better players this season.😁 If asked to say who is the most improved player for saints this year the answer, for me, is Fraser or Jay then Ryan. Cam fourth. Shea was not here last year.The rest nowhere. Perhaps you do not consider the low base from which he started as relevant but I do. Given his relative unpopularity on the terraces overcoming that as well shows he’s got guts and ability. Add in a very good high pressure WC international performance v Hungary as well plus two excellent goals and the assist that sparked an fightback for his Country and he’s got a good case to being our best / most effective performer this season! But yup- opinions will differ or vary!No worries. He’s not Roberto Carlos or Paolo Maldini and his defending is not very good I totally agree! 😁 On your comment regarding not playing him in a back four - and simultaneously not wanting to see a back 3 versus pfc. Don’t need to be a brain surgeon to work out that you’d be dropping Ryan Manning for the derby in favour of someone else presumably the new signing Jelert at LB in a straight four? If so it’s a bold decision dropping manning especially after last nights success and I have no idea about jelert apart from he is speedy danish a bit injury prone an international ( but not in latest squad) but well regarded - and Caspar made him look like a dustbin in training the other day 😂

Could you clarify what you mean please? My understanding of a #10 is he generally plays behind a front one or front two and goes where he likes. playing next to Charles in a 5 man CM I presume you mean Charles is his minder and Finn still goes where he likes- or take it in turns? Is it that Finn is better when he’s got players close by? I’ve not really grasped the alternate position you suggesting for him? Ah- no need you explained it above. Yes I think you are probably right.

Memory is working fine @trousers. Ryan was very unfairly and stupidly tainted by association with RM - but also by not being very good defensively and often not good enough offensively during most of his saints career. And, despite his work rate the consensus on this forum andNortham was generally meh and groaning whenever he was playing. He also suffered badly by comparison with another not great defender but much better offensively FB in KWP. This season he is a revelation. He has been doing exactly what he likes to do- and is good at - maraud left flank put crosses in - safe in the knowledge that he has defensive back up and managers got his back. A couple if free kicks and assists later and the bloke is obviously in the purple patch of form - of his entire Saints career. Unless injured he’s undroppable at present and must start v Pompey. NB. He may or may not be undroppable in a back four however in which a better defensively LB is required. Manning form, in the position he’s currently playing, may be the deciding factor in whether we go 3CB or not v Pompey. My personal view is play a back four with him in it - but ensure the defence shuffle across to a back three ( Mads, THB, JS) when he marauds.

Nice work thank you. 🙌

It “should” pan out as follows: Fellows takes Aribos #7 shirt Scienza takes Edozies #23 shirt Caspar takes vacant #8 shirt Jelert takes whatever number he likes not already taken. If neither Sam or Joe leave then the newbies can choose a number - or in what might be a tough move- they are asked to give up their squad numbers to the newbies. Don’t think it will come to that if they stay though. Not good for team morale. Or maybe it is. I’m not convinced. Depends ob Sam and Joe training attitude if they stay but not make squads - which I have 100% conviction will be totally professional.

It would be a bold statement starting Casper instead of Flynn or Shea. Ditto starting Jelert instead of Manning and Scienza instead of Jay or Ryan. Of the newbies only Mads Fellows and Azaz are nailed on starters - for me. I think Fraser will start and be replaced last 30 by Jay whilst sane with Scienza for Azaz and Charles/Flynn for Caspar same time. if we need goals the other subs are going to be attackers but if it’s an easy win Jelert may get a run out for Manning or Mads..

I like the idea of having a bona fide dcm. We sometimes appear lightweight in middle of the park because we use a “ player” who can “defend” ( Flynn/ Will for example) there instead of a “defender” who can “play”. ( like perhaps Ronnie ). Now we have more specialist attackers/players up front the chance to install specialist dcm arises. We don’t need quite as many multitaskers.

Ive never seen Flynn Downes nor Shea Charles do what Caspar did to Jelert. I thought fuck! When I saw that. Shea is 6ft 2/3 so I give him benefit of the doubt cos for his size he’s a very good dribbler - and he has that athleticism and physical presence also. I’d say Flynn is more at risk than Shea purely because of Sheas size - even if Flynn is a little dynamo and best expert ball recycler in the league. Flynn never does one on ones. Thats not his game. His game is harassing off the ball and passing passing passing between defence and attackers ( though rather too often for some it’s from defence to him then back to defence ..) Add in that Shea has previously been used to playing the quarterback holding MF in any case (Flynns job) - it means someone like Caspar may have opportunity to do exactly what he showed in training higher up the pitch - and Shea takes up Flynn role. Random thought but I reckon Ronnie Edward’s can do the DCM job as well in extremis. He has the ball skills.

Yes I think the evidence tends to show Jay should stay in the final third - and especially penalty area itself. His job instructions ought to be to find space to receive ball in or around penalty area and then make something happen. Thats it. The rest of the team instructions ought to be- if there’s a chance of a pass to Jay in or around penalty area - even if he’s surrounded- give him the ball. Bit extreme perhaps but young lad like that given simple instructions like that I think he’d get it - we should not try fill his head up with 101 tactical subtleties. Thats for others who do not possesses that X factor to create something out of nothing/ the team watercarriers. ( aka the team domestiques) Essential though they are as well let’s not forget!