gio1saints

Thanks @notnowcatobut I’m happy to oblige. - I think Che is best served staying at saints until the summer. - I think it’s also in saints best interests that happens. - IF we go up Che can take his £££ best choice - but from the footballing perspective our style seems to suit him much better than the way we played last time in EPL. PS. I know some / many of my posts read more like articles than quick points. Apologies if that means they are too long for busy people wanting a condensed pov. 😇

Also noticed that our stats from then are not the usual obviously superior to opponents we been used to. I wasn’t at match but it seems we were not at our fluid best. Can anyone who went confirm (or deny) that? And/Or wa. It simply the absence of Flynn? Point I’m getting to is might it be an opportunity for RM to change formation up a bit and surprise Watford?

Was looking at the formations for the 9/12 match and saw Aribo (and Shea) started. Adds weight to why RM has said Rothwell will start- and probably in exactly that RM position too.

Please do not “Oh dear” me because that kind of passive aggressive comment is simply childish. And I don't think you are a child. “Surely” was used in the rhetorical sense. It was not meant as definitive or definitely. And I explain that in my posts elsewhere as you can see ( but ignore) If I posted “96 points is definitely going to be enough to get automatic and here are ten years stats to prove it “ - that’s obviously easy to dismantle as an argument - without incidentally personally abusing me in the process - But I did not so I’m not getting your indignation. How many points do YOU think will be enough for automatic. And why? 😁

Getting “ pelters” for my posting stuff like the above says more about the pelters than about me. A reasonable discussion about how many points might be needed for automatic using some historical info for context attacked and sneered at for “ using logic” like it’s a swear word. 😂

Getting what you call a “pelting” from the likes of you and the couple of other obvious trolls is somewhat of an occupational hazard here. FWIW I was not referring to you or the obvious trolls in the post above. There IS a Luddite faction on here that any time you use stats or data or even modern football jargon will just use it as excuse to vent personal abuse on the poster. Just try it - say “ “ Expected goals” or even a prediction of how many points we might finish on, God forbid- by looking at what’s happened in the past as a guide - and somebody will come on to attack the poster not the post. Just like you.

Quite like that way of looking at it. A goalscoring winger would take the pressure off. If I remember correctly a common criticism of Che last year was that he rarely scored one on ones. Has the unerring ability to shoot straight at the keeper in those situations. This year he’s scored a few tap ins and had to manufacture a goal or two but in those split second situations he didn’t seem to have the coolness required to slot ball away. Similar to Adam as well which is why when early doors this season I saw him dink the ball over and past keeper for a few goals it was both surprising and a massive delight! He can do it! And seems to have moved on from there.

If RF does not start for the good reason you stated do you not think Amo is the more likely replacement rather than Dibling? I think it’s nailed on that Lumley, Rothwell, Holgate, Stephens, Meg and Shea will all start. At least six changes therefore to usual starting line up and possibly more of RM fancies giving Tyler and Mara starts also. I think six is enough. More than that cannot see value in it.

So. Suppose when you go buy your new house you don’t check what it last sold for and what neighbours sold for in order to come to a better understanding of what the par price is? Only mathematicians take the view that history is irrelevant. They have the most exacting standards for fact verification of any discipline. For most normal humans historical facts are not the bible- but they do offer at least SOME idea of what has happened previously. And on sites like these that can be entertaining Of course this year is exceptional blah blah blah last year irrelevant I get it. But if you don’t know your history then……

It is remarkable how many points Leicester have got compared to above. Record breaking. And the historical data for getting promoted from this league also makes for interesting reading. For example Pompey are in the top ten most points to get out of this league ( I think with 92) and for me that’s an interesting secondary target for Saints in back of my mind😂😇. Though be prewarned - by posting “ statistical data” on here guaranteed some misery guts will pipe up with “ those stats are BS and only tell you what happened then - not what is going to happen now”. They failed History at school as well btw. 🤭.

The alternative to selling Che for c. £5m and the #9 sized gap that creates in our squad at the business end of the season is a “new deal” that Che might get or ask from Saints. It can come in a variety of forms : For example : 6mths, 1 year , 2year + extension deal, on an augmented salary , and including a re-signing on loyalty bonus or specific other benefits. Such as a “get promoted to EPL” £1m bonus. All plausible. His agent can ask Saints for that now - and i would be surprised if it’s not already happening - or Saints can suggest it to his agent - and the closer to automatic we get the more likely it is we will - and Che might accept - or more likely still his agent will see what other clubs have to say first and say “ I’ll get back to you” . Acceptance would temporarily end the speculation in this window and enable RM to plan last 19 games knowing his settled strike force. Which is a big plus of high value. £5m worth? EPL promotion worth? It’s a guess but I think overall most of us would say “yes” and prefer that in particular given he’s started scoring again. The most likely scenario (for me anyway) is that Che prefers to stay until end of season, on his current salary - or augmented for 6 months - and enjoys a promotion campaign with Saints not a relegation battle for a bottom six EPL club he’s just joined for the money. He would then be free to accept whatever offers are put on the table in the Summer including any new deal offer from Saints. His positioning would be strong as a strike force leader of a team that got promoted scoring loads of goals not passing saints on the way down if he joins a relegation bound team. IF Che stays until end of season AND Saints get promoted then it’s decision time. His stock would be higher imo. A 2 year extension deal, on EPL salary and a re-signing on loyalty bonus might all be on the table for him from Saints. No question. At Championship level he is very very good player. At Premiership level he’s arguably going to be better suited playing for saints in our current style than playing for others in a different style. But His level in other styles is not top top striker imo - from our own experiences in the epl with him and his international form - but rather , at best, a mid table EPL teams striker. If we go up I certainly would want an upgrade. And to keep Che anyways. Whether that is RS or another new striker I don’t know.

Che is pretty much a known quality - and quantity. We’ve seen what he can - and cannot, do. Even in a rubbish EPL team he failed to particularly shine - players like Ings etc still showed class playing in our rubbish team. At Champship level he looks very good. I think he’s found his level. Next season in the EPL a new #9 with higher ceiling please. Next season in the championship Che is an excellent choice.

Watford is gearing up to be a master class in the best- and possibly the worst - about our PB style from out 2nd eleven.

I thought it was strange putting him on instead of Shea or Charlie as we have often previously seen. If we wanted to keep offensive pushing forward Charlie should have come on. If we wanted to shut up shop it should have been Shea. Putting Rothwell on was neither and actually something of a confusing vote of no confidence in the other two. That call made for good reasons but seriously contributed to our scrappy last twenty. All on RM imo. But that’s what he’s paid for I guess.

Disagree. Geel that’s harsh. He is more vocally demonstrative than either. RM regularly talked about how quiet team was as a negative - with JS back there’s much more and better communication. When he started playing again I lost count of times at SMS he was commending Baz and encouraging others around him - off the ball - That was noticeable by its absence previously. RM feels JS as skipper adds value. Maybe it’s the CB union but on balance I agree. There’s a case for THB but until he’s our player it would be weird for a loaner to be captain.

Im not sure what you think my argument is? That he’s not as bad as some make out? I’d go with that. If you disagree -fine. From the data and from my own eyes it does much appear that he is the epitome of a Russell Martin ball playing Centreback. Every other CB in the league is programmed to pretty much clear it yet he, uniquely is a stand out in not doing so. He shows immense leadership and example in refusing to boot it long. VERY Often when it’s by far the easier option. Im not sure if we ever have had such a ball playing CB with that iron will ( you might call it stupidity or lack of ability or poor choice making) to NOT just hoof it. There’s a time and a place for just clearing it and we must do so, of course I get it. That JS after 530 minutes does not appear to do so is not an accident though and dies not undermine any argument. Rather it confirms that as Captain he has been told, and personally understands, that if this PB football is to work it needs 100% commitment to retaining the ball. And as Captain he must show the ultimate leadership in that. If he falters they all are allowed to falter. I hope that explains it a bit better for you. I’m NOT agreeing it’s right to not clear it. I AM explaining why he does not- and my take on it- which is that it’s awesome he has that stat!😇

Swans have to play Leicester away, Leeds ant hone and Ipswich at home yet. If they can harness the confidence From the second half of yesterdays match and avoid being dominated like they were first half v Saints it’s not out the question they may take a point or more from those three matches, unlikely, but a draw v Leeds or Ipswich at home for them if they play like second half does not sound a crazy result.

Jack Stephens came on and almost gave an assist to swans. The whole team looked ragged last twenty. Some might argue it was him that caused the team being ragged but realise that it was more a collective failing - including from RM- that led to that dip in our performance. Added to that a substantial uplift in Swanseas tactics and performance. I know people need a scapegoat every match but honestly if you look at the big picture Jack Stephens way of playing football epitomises the new ( 21 matches undefeated ) saints style. Bold brave risky but still doing it approach. Sometimes it doesn’t come off. Sometimes it does. For those interested in JS scouting analysis check below. It’s only 530 minutes for him but interesting all the same ( for some - and might make you review your meh views on JS and tell you why he’s playing) . If you think they are meaningless BS don’t hit the link https://fbref.com/en/players/6adbc307/Jack-Stephens NB. My favourite stat from the link is that he is virtually bottom ( I think he IS actually bottom), for clearances. Jack simply does not do clearances. 😁He says it’s not in his job description so he’s not doing them. 😂. Think on it. A CB that doesn’t do clearances! 🤫

Head says draw heart says Ipswich win. Frankly, praying for Ipswich to falter and Leeds ditto is weak. Better to be strong and go for the top place not be satisfied with second and others fucking up than whimper along on our knees last few gages to get second or worse a play off position. That attitude is best for getting max points from all the games we should between now and end season.

Unless Swansea scored twice or even thrice when we were down to ten men. Which was rather the point.

Have your opinions on players is fine. But a guy calls YOU an arsehole idiot and clown - repeatedly - for sticking up for your captain and your team and you give it a pass do you? No I call it.

I think RM Showed signs of tiredness and emo overstretch. Team played a bit like it too. Full throttle first half then emptied the tank lost direction and match mental purpose focus for last 20m. He said so in interview. He and team needs to recover that mental and physical energy and match focus this week. Now the monkey that was the 21 record and a return to Swansea is off his back I hope that the intensity that we are used to seeing from saints late in matches returns. Need intensive recovery for sure.

Send RM a memo to that effect. You seem to know your football. I think “even”RM might change his mind and agree to only play JS in Cup you seem so knowledgeable. To call JS average is hardly a criticism btw- he’s third choice CB - what do you expect - Virgil Van Dyke to come off the bench ? Even I know that. 😂😂😂

RM said in interview THB was taken off cos was on a yellow. To avoid a red and us being down to ten. JS has been the go to CB since return from injury. No mystery. Im sorry if you feel RM is a bullshitter for giving his reason for replacing THB as above. I’m sure he’s gonna be devastated at your opinion.

WOW . Congratulations John! If my math is correct that’s 62 years a Saint! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏