gio1saints

You guys wouldn’t recognise comedy if it hit you in the face.

2goals last season from 23 starts. He’s 49 years old- looks are deceptive. Will be playing African Nations Cup from December 25 until April 26 minimum. Then need a break. Won’t play in September cos of needing induction. Nor if it’s too cold in November either. Has got three words in English “ Where’s the money” . Aside from that looks like a sound purchase if only SuperSpirs can pull it off. He’s worth about £3m but hopefully we can pay £8m plus add ons. 😵‍💫

Or what’s happened to Sesay?

Massively this. 👆. He needs time but he’s a starter for me.

@coalman I mean that if eduard is our first choice and it does not happen - there’s a good chance it will end up like we are only left with a last minute loan of someone like the Cornet deal - which was a disaster. Fellowes or Rondoni are a different type of player we’ve looked at so if the Armenian falls through my hope is that we will push harder for one of those. Except neither look cheap - hence a last minute loan of someone we’ve not yet mentioned is still on the cards..…

I’d we dont get the guy this has got a Maxwell Cornet rerun written over it…

He’s on the internet 8 hrs ago post match for all the world -it looks to me - like he’s smirking about if there has been another offer. And his answer to that question was “ everyone knows”. As if “yes there’s another club interested and I’m interested “ more than “ yes and it’s been saints all along”. I think we been played. U less the “ other offer” is our upgrade. But I doubt that. He’s had a bigger club ask I’m sure

Players who will probably start : Bazunu, Stephens, THB, WeeMan, Charles, Downes, Fernandes, Robinson, Armstrong. Decisions for Still : Drop Quarshie for Edwards/Wood? Drop Welington for Manning? Unlikely to start either of two CF’s who have been sick even if they are recovered - but I would. My 3CB team : Bazunu THB Stephens Quarshie Downes Charles Fernandes. Wee Man Armstrong Downs. Robinson

On balance I think we will get around £40m for him. And the add ons - in time and if activated - will make it worth £45m-£50m. The add ons are not guaranteed. Only EPL clubs plus a small basket of CL others can afford to even contemplate this kind of fee package for a lower league up and coming talent. The realistic market is about 20-25clubs - at best. Take away the clubs that don’t need /want him ( though this can change day by day- Everton get blown away by Leeds tonight for example and there resolve to buy Tyler may reemerge ) and there’s probably less than a dozen runners and riders for him between now and end of window. It could be a tight call between him staying until the next window when clubs who have had a bad start and need a talent splash the cash- or clubs that have done well and wish to consolidate ditto- or leaving. My personal view : currently it’s 100% he’s leaving, 90% its in this window.

The Gamblers Paradox !

No Downs and no Stewart and yet even with multiple subs and an obvious need for, perhaps a chunkier guy to hold the ball up front a moment for us, BBD can’t get on. I think his selection on the bench, on live tv for the last two matches is what’s known as “player availability for sale or loan “ advertising. I’m surprised that when camera pans to the bench he’s not been told to wear a “For Sale” fluorescent vest.

Pluses: Thought best game I’ve seen Ryan Fraser play for us in a long while. WP! Glad for Robinson. His final product is improving match by match! Shea Charles love his attitude. And a very good player this level too. Jack Stephens was, surprisingly, our best defender, once again. He is stepping up. WP! Bazunu looking the part more and more. Minuses: THB and Quarsie will not be happy with their performances. Too many errors. Some good stuff but I suspect they’ve got higher standards than what we saw and won’t be pleased. Our attack looks and is lightweight in absence of a target man up front. All these illnesses and injuries stopping our big CF’s from playing are starting to hack me off. This 3CB formation I thought would get found out by a better team than Wrexham or Northampton. Ipswich away would do it for sure I thought but we got away with it. I hope the ostensibly good result does not blind club to the obvious squad deficiencies. It’s annoying we are clearly needing to sell before getting what we need. Just hoping we do not drop too many points waiting for these transfers out to happen and bringing in our lined up targets. Think this is a good point on that basis.

Apart from the perfect pace lay up ball for Fraser to cross into Jay Robinson. Apart from that piece of class yeah.

Wellington gets the nod ahead of Manning. Ryan Manning can feel a bit aggrieved that his performance in the last league match is rewarded by, being put back on the bench. Random thought perhaps but I’d say there’s a very good chance we will see Manning for Wellington at some point - and that Wellington is going to bust a gut for 60 minutes or so working for Jay Robinson.

Think you are correct re BBD. Robinson looks like he’s being viewed as what used to be called inside left - pretty much like Armstrong is being used as an inside right. So we are winger-lite. I think the general consensus to qualify as an great out and out winger is that, minimum, you MUST have footballing intelligence, pace, close ball/one on one dribbling skills, a good cross and a good shot. Being two footed is a great advantage as is being able to compete physically in the air or in ground. But #1 and so often overlooked is surely football intelligence. And I think that’s why Ryan Fraser is seemingly flourishing - of all the wing/forwards he’s probably got the highest footballing IQ in our squad. And that’s not truthfully a high enough bar- no disrespect to Ryan at all love the wee man.

Fair enough. £7m. Whatever he cost the team needs to pass it or cross it or feed him the ball however they can - more than anyone else but also the other forwards - much more often. I simply want to see DD get more of the ball, more of the time. Show us what he can do. He’s there to score goals. So, give him the ball!

Got pushed for the Stephen’s goal and yes missed a sitter.v Northampton. Obviously he’s a work in progress but if you are happy with the poverty of forward passing our team delivers for the forwards - and especially a big athletic centre forward - we are going to disagree. You got to feed the big guy otherwise if you expect one chance one goal I think you need to shop in a slightly higher price band than £3.5m or whatever it was

He’s six foot three. Athletic. I’m certain He can hold the ball in final third better than any of our much smaller and shorter other forwards. Use that skill. Don’t just play him as if he’s Adam Armstrong mk two or Cam Archer mk 2. its going to take some time for team to unlearn their habits of not giving it to the CF and instead playing pass the parcel with the ball. Kiefer Moore gave Ronnie and Saints a torrid time. Wrexham got foothold in our last third too often simply because he’s too strong. There going to be matches and opponents where having a guy capable of doing that- for us- is going to be match winning.

And to be passed the ball. IF our team can shake off that “don’t look to pass the ball to our big centre forward “ hypnotic suggestion they’ve had implanted into them that is. We didn’t pass to Tall Paul either. Who scored the only goal winner on his debut in Turkey btw. Less ball recycling more give it to Damion quickly is my motto for this season!

I’d prefer to see Jay Robinson playing left wing even if he is more the archetypal inside forward that Will Still alludes to. IF Jay Robinson is playing - as he should - then a flat back four makes sense. A more defensively minded full back is more appropriate than a flying wingback given Jays skill set. That he got picked to play was correct - but the best structure to minimise the downsides of when he ( inevitably) gets dispossessed is with a full back who tends to be BEHIND him not flying off ahead of him leaving massive gaps behind.

👋 @Crab Lungs Sperstyan and Rudoni seem good footballers in positions we are weak in. Dibling on the other hand, is the closest thing to MLT I’ve ever seen for Saints. Objectively, what he probably needs - and sadly it’s been ever thus for Saints - is to be surrounded by better players, in a better team, and in a better league. He will get kicked the shit out of this season for sure playing Championship. Do that in the EPL and VAR will get players sent off. Do it in the championship he will just get injured. Every logical thought says he’s going and he is right to go. It’s not if he’s going it’s simply how much. It will dismay sentimentalists like me but that’s the state of this shitty game nowadays. There’s no more heroes nor can there be - only transients that wear the shirt for a season or two then depart.

Can I come and make an offer on your house please? 😁

I agree -that’s a fair observation. He IS suffering the press conference like they all do out there and appears impatient with it all but his mannerisms are very revealing. No great revelations but he really did not want to be put on the spot today. And minding his words very carefully. It’s a fairly regular behaviour of his. I’d rather that than he being bragadoccious though. I think he’s a talk softly but it will be more menacing / effective if and when he does raise his voice type of Manager. He’s only 32 don’t forget.

Have we signed Max from Sturm Graz yet? What’s the hold up? Or have I been misinformed?

I think 433 or similar is worth a try. Experimenting with it at Ipswich away after two wins in a run ( albeit lucky) may not happen though.. I think surrendering the centre midfield ( which is my personal opinion of the weakness in current set up) v Ipswich is asking for trouble. They are much better than Wrexham or Nthhampton. So- even if what players we currently have available are probably better suited to using 3 CB’s - on balance I’d change it up for this match. I’d rather flood the midfield and invite them to hit it long ~ and back our Cb’s especially Quarsie or FB’s to win the ball the header or the race to the ball.