gio1saints

Good spot. Given Stills’ logic no way THB or FD are playing Wrexham. We have cover at CB but in the FD role we are def short. Perhaps why Sesay has been brought along? I don’t know too much about him apart from Still seems happy with him so far and he’s done ok.

JR has shown more attacking intent in his minutes so far than anything I’ve seen of BBDAACARSSE. Our current forwards are not attacking or entertaining. At all. They are boring negative predictable and disappointing. And on bloody high wages too which makes it worse. All seem frightened to do anything effective or unable - to do anything effective - with or without the ball. The best players make it look like time has stood still for them. It’s effortless. MLT would drift past players without pace just skill god knows how but he did it. We seen glimpses of that with JR recently and TD last year. Occasionally KS did it. Never two games in a row though or even two halves. But rest of them? Pedestrian ball passer -backers frightened to lose possession. They Cannot run cannot time a run make space for anyone or anything cannot fight hard cannot bloody shoot are rubbish in the air and completely silent all match ….wtf are they doing up front then go and get a job window cleaning or something else useful.?!? Not one player looks like he’s loving it and bringing his game to the table. Not one. Maybe Gav- just.,Quarshie is giving it some but the rest, really?? Wake up Saints! Yeah - I’m getting Into posting froth form for the season ahead nicely. 😁😇

Our players looked half a yard slower everywhere on the pitch -again - so all I can assume - desperately trying to find positives - is he is still beasting them in training and all this will come good latter part of the season. It’s obvious physical conditioning is being prioritised much much more than we’ve seen, certainly in last two preseasons. Friendly Results in that case will be affected for sure. Without fitness all the other football stuff won’t work so I guess he is resolving the big problem first- triage style.

We are desperate for a player to be able to HOLD the ball final third- and that’s probably why we don’t pass to our forwards. None of them can hold the damn thing.

Well that was awful. Only bright spots were GB and Shea. Negatives? So many but our entire forward line is basically weak. JR was the only player took someone on tried to make something happen. I can see Bree made case for himself in the starting 11 but frankly our attacking intent-and ability to attack - was absolutely rubbish. The best players were those who didn’t play! No cohesive approach to our play in either half. Just looked hotchpotch and there were many times we were totally dominated. They were by far the better team and the draw was a real fluke for us should have been 5-1 or similar and would not have been unfair. 15th in Spanish 2nd division last year. Got to be a big wake up call. 😵‍💫

Definitely this is a big problem. They’ve had I think 6 shots on target first half. We’ve been shockingly bad final third. Woeful.

GB and Shea best players for us. Best I’ve seen of GB! AA and CA largely anonymous. We’ve conceded far too many chances. MF too porous. Play like that away in Championship could easily be 3-1 4-1 down at half time.

Scruffy first five minutes.

I wanted to remind myself on sone stats from last champs season: Saints conceded 63 goals from 49 matches. Or c 1.3 goals per game. We conceded c. 4 shots on target per match - so roughly one shot in three on target went in! With Ramsdale in goal, or a gk of that quality- all things being equal, he will save more of those shots. Im assuming the opposition have the same 4 shots on target every match as last time we played championship. IMO : Rambo will let fewer goals per game in than GB and AM. Those 2 were the goalies who played last time. How many fewer? If you said 25% better that might represent 25% fewer goals conceded. Ie from 63 down 47 - 16 less goals! Getting to under one per match - which is a figure a promotion achieving team should be aiming for. Conclusion : if AR leaves we must get a starting goalkeeper replacement.- not rely on the previous goalies.

Really? I had no idea.

Because they are less likely to be chatted up if they are in Spain with teammates. And they might feel the love more surrounded by mates. Especially Tyler. Psychologically speaking it’s not brilliant. I can swallow the they are injured so leave them behind argument if you like but quite literally the only person not “injured” who is not there is Jan. Him leaving is hardly a revelation. Still seemed to suggest who was or was not going would be meaningful - I think it is despite the “injured” cover story thats developing as the bona fide reason. Sry to be suspicious on this just don’t look right to me.

leaving TD and THB out are the big surprises for me. I would not leave either alone in the UK away from the squad whilst we go on tour in a million years. I wont buy any they will heal /recover better in UK crap either. They needs to be bonding with the team not isolated from it. Bringing them to Spain -though unfit- would be a STATEMENT of faith in them and squad solidarity - not bringing them is the obvious opposite. V Disappointed as it means they are even more likely to depart, that’s clear enough-to me anyway.

Quite right @Chez! My factual errors aside I Just thought forum was sounding a bit boring and pretty much an echo chamber re. Jack Stephens so just put out a few reasons why maybe it’s was not such a crazy idea after all to not only retain but extend him. If there was ONE player GUARANTEED to get it for the local derby it’s Jack. And he is currently the Captain. ✅👍. I cannot imagine he will be saying “ just another game lads”….

You would have thought so - but there are examples of a Club Captain not being an automatic starter. Or indeed not making the first team much after being displaced. FWIW I’d make him Captain if he was playing - but I don’t think he will play as much as some think - my on pitch Captain in his absence would be AR - if he’s still here. I did not rate FD or AA or JB as Captains so as an alternate ~ and proviso is it’s someone who will def be playing if fit ~ I’d make MF - if it helps him stay another season with us - the captain. He would be a Lead by example captain rather than a shouty shouty. No shortage of energy running and skill or fight in him. Voice possibly only downside. But if he can play and skip as well as his compatriot at Man Utd does…

FWIW to those bemused at JS contract extension. 1. Club Captain for a reason. 2. Experienced academy product and a winner at this level. Shows you can make it through the Academy. 3. When he last renewed his wage was c £35kpw. I’m not certain if that included the relegation cut clause - but if not it means he would be on 40%-50% of that in this last year ie c£14k-£17.5kpw. 4. He (or his agent) negotiated a three year contract NOT got given and I’m certain with his age, experience etc he would be looking for at least that £14-£17.5kpw figure. If not more. How much more? (5) Otherwise-he gets a free transfer to practically any other Championship Club for a likely same or bigger wage plus a sign on bonus. (6) Try recruiting someone with his age credentials experience know how etc and pay them to baby sit a load of young players -plus be captain - it’s not easy it’s not cheap it takes time and oh btw probably a transfer fee is involved and higher wages.The only player close is Jan- and he’s leaving. (7) Bin JS anyway cos he’s rubbish? Why? Cutting out nose to spite our face He is Someone who, if THB stays if Wood stays Quarshie RE and Sanda turn out good will prob be on the bench all season? And be a happy team player. You just will not get find or get that package all that easy. Keeping JS in context was a very easy decision for Still and Spors. Get promoted he may even be sold at a profit for those of you still on the ££ issue.

Dont forget We’ve still got our potential MLT / Gascoigne at the club. I’d give him the #10 shirt. If he stays that is( Tyler). Don’t reckon him as a RW or a LW cutting in - but as an attacking MF -8 or 10 he could become ridiculous. With right coaching and support he’s the best we have.

Nicely put together analysis @SaintJackoInHurworth. 🙌. I found that really helpful in thinking about who may or may not be on the plane so to speak. FWIW : (1) Could Aaron (strategically) stay at Staplewood? Big clue if he does. (2) I think THB, RE, JB and MF may stay at Staplewood for (also strategically revealing) “fitness testing” purposes. Putting them into match situations overseas when he’s not had a proper fitness evaluation of them is a nice plausible deniability cover story. But it also suggests sellability. BK - surely not! (3) For that reason I think Quarshie and Sanda travel. (4) The experienced utility defender evaluation of CharlieTaylor by WS seems to be high - or is he being fluffed up publicly to be sold? That he was babysitting two kids at CB last match was relevant. (5) Trying RF as a kind of #10 was interesting. With Matsuki injured and still an unknown IMO it’s got to be TD and MF for that kind of task - so RF is a very distant third. Unless the latter two are being sold - hence let’s see what RF can do..can def see a purchase in this position as I feel JA -the next obvious one is gonna be sold despite his capabilities. (6) Has to take JR! (7) who he takes or leaves out of the rest of the attack will mean end of saints careers possibly. A shock is possible imo.

Not taking a young player like Tyler on the Spain trip is a massive message. He would/should be desperate to go. Even if he’s not fit I’m taking Tyler to Spain if i was Manager. Leaving him at home sends a “ i dont care” message about him and I’d rather Still did NOT give him that message. Even if he is likely to be sold take him to Spain is my view.

Still is basically saying those not selected for Spain are offski. Much of the speculation will be resolved in next 48 hours then I guess. Anyone else caught that part where Still mentions it was interesting to see who went into there own little islands under pressure? Who do you think he meant? It could be the kids but I’ve got my suspicions it might include BBD and SE - but frankly it could include AA and CA and RS - the whole front line seems to go missing under pressure.

Rangers will be ok whoever the manager is. But my personal view is that they may well sack RM by Xmas if he’s not started well! They are not a project or a potential team - they are RANGERS and Rangers fans are not Saints fans… The level of opposition and the quality of their squad vs the rest means he’s got a similar situation to when he took Saints up in his hands. He should do ok given enough time - but in this case though it’s certain Rangers fans will only want the title-runners up won’t do- so if they drop cheap points early doors and lose a derby his job is in jeopardy. I’d make him favourite for first sacking in Scotland myself.

He is not the best CB in the league. - but depends on who you are comparing him too. For the Championship he is plenty good enough imo. And as third or fourth choice he’s excellent. ✅ Summary — Championship Centre‑Backs 2025–26 Who is better than JS out if these : Birmingham City: Marc Roberts, Nico Gordon Blackburn Rovers: Scott Wharton, Dominic Hyam, Ashley Phillips Blackpool: Marvin Ekpiteta, Andy Lyons Bristol City: Tomas Kalas Derby County: Matthew Clarke, Curtis Nelson, Callum Elder Ipswich Town: Luke Woolfenden, Cameron Burgess, Jacob Greaves, Elkan Baggott Leeds United: Diego Llorente, Pascal Struijk, Max Wober Leicester City: Wout Faes, Conor Coady, Caleb Okoli, Harry Souttar, Jannik Vestergaard, Ben Nelson Middlesbrough: George Edmundson Millwall: Jake Cooper, Japhet Tanganga Norwich City: José Córdoba, Shane Duffy, Ruairi McConville, Kellen Fisher Oxford United: Michal Helik Preston North End: Jack Whatmough, Jordan Storey, Lewis Gibson, Matthew Olosunde Queens Park Rangers: Liam Morrison, Jimmy Dunne, Jake Clarke‑Salter Rotherham United: Richard Wood Sheffield United: Anel Ahmedhodžić Sheffield Wednesday: Ben Heneghan, Jaden Brown Stoke City: Aden Flint, Morgan Fox West Bromwich Albion: Kyle Bartley, Torbjørn Heggem, Nat Phillips, Caleb Taylor, George Campbell Wigan Athletic: Steven Caulker, Tendayi Darikwa, Joe Bennett, Ryan Nyambe

Well it’s NOT always him but I totally agree with the sentiment. Horizontal passes across your own penalty area and especially in between the goals are a NO-NO in the Gio book of how to play football. But they still happen. God even the World Club Champions think it’s a good idea! Good players can pass the ball and retain possession. But not 100% of the time. Every rondo they practice in training eventually breaks down. This modern obsession with rondo style football- in your own penalty area / own six yard box sometimes - is just some kind of crazy mind virus. No fan likes it and as for the players- is it a machismo thing ? Is it trying to turn football into a bungee jump or a parachute dive for the sake of it? Can we score from our own six yard box by showing how clever we are at keeping possession? Does outwitting the CF in your own six yard box directly lead to plentiful goals? No it does not. Being clever in the opposition half and solid in defence leads to goals. Try telling that to kids today and they won’t believe you( with acknowledgements to Monty Python). 😁

Excellent work @Whitey Grandad. Those quotes are still true today! I was/am a big fan. “I understand that if I am not completely satisfied then I have been had"- said every Season ticket holder at SMS last season! It was the best social commentary /satire disguised as a comic book ever published imo. Certainly well ahead of its time and following in the footsteps of people like Swift etc. More contemporary is Hislops Private Eye but that does not present its messaging as well as MAD did and VIZ on the more comic side was /is a very blunt instrument. Maybe that’s what I enjoy about this saintsweb forum. Occasionally, some of the posts here are brilliant social commentary disguised as Southampton football club chit chat. Occasionally. 🥰

The Athletic did a nice article today on the six different types of running fitness tests most commonly used by teams. None were 8 or 9km so does not sound like a structured fitness test kind of run. And, frankly, running 8-9km for a pro footballer should be a walk in the park ( it probably was with RM but that’s another story) a warm down. TBH I did not like to hear it after the relatively bad performance v tier 3 VFC. It sounded like a convenient excuse, nicely lined up. I want to buy the idea of our players playing in “ exhaustion” territory like never before - but running 8k thursday befire without explaining context is not that.

@Holmes_and_Watson did you ever read editions of a magazine /comic entitled “ MAD” by any chance? Or even contribute to it writing for them? Probably back in the seventies? Your dry, occasionally disturbing humour reminds of that style. You have a knack of making even the banal sound, well, mad, and it’s usually well constructed comedy prose as well ( as long as you don’t mention the footballing stuff, nobody can make that funny). Unlike some who I shall not mention by name you are obviously made of superior humoured mental mettle. Think it’d be called dry humour sometimes verging on the side of sick occasionally the weird or tangentially mental but often very accurate in a cruel to be kind of way. Please do carry on posting. Think it’s worth the £5 just to read some of your stuff. But then there are others who are worth the entrance money also I hasten to add. @trousers is one - I always enjoy reading his nice pieces and seeing him agreeing with everyone on everything makes me believe that World Peace is, truly, possible. 🙏