gio1saints

I guess so. You are not wrong. Being complimented by most of the league of opposition managers after the match they just lost or drawn with us probably means very little. It’s a very safe comment to trot out post match. Covers their butt so to speak. If they said we were rubbish what does it make them?

It’s the kind of match in which think saints favourites obvs to win but both teams to score might be a good bet. 12/5 if interested An ultra aggressive SW press “ may” catch us out once, perhaps even twice but by same token we like playing g through such high presses and shown many times we can be devastating. A 4-2 ( 40/1 looks tasty) would not surprise me at all.

He will start every week at Hull be there superstar player and likely they will accommodate for his talent and play FOR him - not other way around. He might play 20 full matches between now and end season that way. I strongly doubt he plays that many for Saints. I strongly doubt we make him our main man either. He has to buckle down and win and keep his place in our first 11. With strong international quality competition there. Given same money for both I know which looks better to a kid. ( though possibility of getting a medal with Saints is a factor I guess?)

Thank you @VectisSaint and Duncan for the correct details. I would never have thought that night at the Priestfield that Saints away form could be record equalling or breaking this season! Even if we do not get promoted - but ESPECIALLY if we do, I think some measure of acknowledgement of this record breaking/ equalling from us is worthwhile. We get precious little to cheer and celebrate about as long term Saints fans to be fair! From the club POV I imagine Club Shop merch should be all over this - T-shirts, mugs DVDs, duvet sets etc. 😍. You know the kind of thing - “ 12X years all time league and cup matches unbeaten record - and we still hate Pompey” T-shirts should sell out 😂. From the supporters POV - I doubt a massive banner or banners would be allowed but it’s worth asking ? Or one of those mosaic type signs or pictures made up of hundreds of A3 pieces of paper to hold up at both ends might be fun and get around that. What they say or reveal - argue amongst yourselves! More likely to get a “yes” might be a parade of surviving old time Saints players on the pitch before our last home match kick off for example to get a round of applause. Might be a nice touch to record both our past and current history making? Just a thought..😇

Next season in the Championship OR the EPL will be a massive challenge for one reason or another - as everyone rightly points out. But its hardly a revelation or cause to cast shade on what’s being delivered today. THIS season was guaranteed to be a massive challenge and, to date, Saints have found most of the answers, most of the time. And increasingly so last 19 matches. Im sure there’s work been put into the alternate scenarios of promotion or not. Whats undeniable is that Saints ( SR, RM, JW and all the others that have been vilified) have delivered and are delivering a strong reaction and response to the desolation of bottom of the league multi manager nonsense of last season. Yes they can be blamed ( well, the SR can) but the response is there. Mark of a person is not failure - we all fail - but one’s response to failure. By that measure, in this current season, Saints get a big ✅. And its as good a preparation for whether we go up or not for next season as I can think of.

Agreed. When RM talked about the “process” and the “bravery” required to play this style of football many supporters previously loudly deriding him are rightly turning their opinions around 180 degrees. Whats remarkable is that it’s taken only 3-4 months to convert a shambles FC into a 19 games unbeaten team. From top to bottom we exude a confidence and class as a club unthinkable last Summer. We have our team spirit and much of our pride back. Even our stewards are getting complimented! ( see Walsall forum - v complimentary about club in general and our team - more so than here!) Not one post match interview by an opposition manager on this run has failed to say “Southampton are a very good team”. We are winning matches by 4-0 like it’s normal now. Nearly half our home matches we score 4 goals now! Anyone still wants to hang onto belittling comments for what Saints are doing are welcome but I feel that I’m watching probably a once in my lifetime thing happening right before my very eyes and I’m grateful I’ve been able to watch and participate as a supporter in it. COYS! Stay present and enjoy it! 😇

Declaration of being subject bias. I like Sekou and I think once he has graduated from the schooling he’s currently getting he will be a fine player. Furthermore in which case he will be great value for what we paid and are paying. Whether the playing results from him will be fully realised at Saints remains to be seen - but I, and hopefully everyone else except his most frothy haters, sincerely hope so. I know this might sound odd but to me it looks like he is still learning his position. It seems like he’s been at Saints learning his craft ages and the logic goes we should have more evidence that he’s been “ improved” by our coaching. And that what we paid for in terms of skill goals talent and potential has not been delivered enough to date. I can fully appreciate and understand why many here feel he has made inadequate progress. By those criteria his general “improvement” is relatively scarce - a few goals and nice touches aside . Like his match day appearances. It’s pretty obvious he’s not mastered and is fluent in the disciplined style or approach or thought or physicality or concentration or positional sense of our game - yet. And you can add any number of other important details that are necessary to be the #9 in this PB system. Or the #10 as RM has occasionally tried and has said he’s used Sekou as in training. That can and has made him look out of sorts when we do (occasionally) actually get a chance to see him. Lazy is a word used a lot here for him but I personally strongly disagree - you need only look at his face to see the frustration within. That’s not lazy that’s it’s not clicking in- yet- and he desperately wants it to be : result he misses chances and looks inelegant and fails to shine consistently - and that’s a self defeating psychological factor called a barrier to performance NOT laziness. Calling him “ lazy” is frankly lazy criticism ( no excuses for that pun I know 😂) RM has alluded to psychologically informed reasons ( what others will undoubtedly call excuses ) for unnamed players apparent underperformance in previous matches. Choose to ignore that as psycho babble and call him lazy all you like might but I genuinely feel under RM he has got the ideal coach to help him release the ( invisible) mental shackles on his ability. Basically cut him some slack. He’s a kid learning to be a man, my sons age pretty much and ge has got a lot of growth ahead. Writing him off now - as many here do - would be a waste and a bad mistake. Have faith. If he makes our squad and gets on the pitch it’s not because he’s useless in training. Remember that. 😃

One notable feature starting to become more apparent to me (anyway) is how most teams coming to SMS this season set up deep and stand off defensively - allowing us possession- but then once they go behind, and especially start of second half, they attempt a high press more often. This has caused quite a few scares in quite a few matches. we look not very good sometimes but it’s quite often the oppo are putting in extra energy to regain possession early. And then what happens is, assuming they don’t score or we don’t f&vk it up somehow, is that there is a cost to this in terms of oppo energy - and we find breakthrough spaces more often. And from these we often score late goals - like yesterday. Ive seenThis pattern kind of repeat itself even away from home. Not every match but enough to be noticeable. Amd I guess that is a big factor in why we persist with the playing around at the back. We end up winning or drawing more matches that way - this season at any rate. So carry on!

Ryan Fraser just nailed his place in the starting line up next week no ifs no buts! Sam is going to have to work very hard to dislodge him. And KS. As it should be. Great loan move that - 10/10 for Saints recruitment and management.

Note on Dibling : maybe it’s just me but the way he runs with the ball, kind of ramshackle way but the ball keeps up, and he gets that bit of time and Space to himself…and then looks up and easy as you like delivers a premium quality pass….last time a young player with that kind of body shape and look did that that I can recall his name was Matthew something when he was playing his early matches for us and had that rep as being a bit special when he came on. Tyler may well be an absolute gem in the making.

I think the main difference is Shea has bee training and playing with us all season. Has got matches u set his belt and is improving. We’ve seen it can take time to get used to any position in this team and playing style ( see Mason holgate debut) let alone that critical pivot role in MF. No doubt highly regarded however

A Back four of Stephens,holgate , THB and Manning should be strong enough to stop Walsall scoring and experienced enough to do what’s required to win. Much as I want our kids to play Id rather they play up front or midfield as starters - and in the ( imo) key defence positions only when/if we are winning.

RM noted that Bree is unavailable until Feb. Any number of possible permutations arise out of that if you assume KWP is “rested” IF JWP is rested I’d rather Meg gets a chance at LB and either Stephens or preferable Manni g starting at RB. If Manning is RB I’d be happy with Stephens at CB Wh THB for example. NB not to rule out Mason but I’d rather one of ours normally starts this type of match.

It is interesting but makes sense. He is obviously thought of as a high value asset. I don’t think many big clubs however would want to take a chance on a kid in such a pivotal position.. In any case the player is probably not essential at SFC . We sold them Lavia and we already have Shea, Flynn and Will in this DM position. And for such an important position I don’t think we would just chuck a 19 year old in anyways even if he came. He’s better off actually playing for someone like Birmingham or QPR imo.

I think the point being made is that you can independently appreciate the character of a man without having to connect it to the team performance for which he is responsible. It’s quite often the case, not just here, that a persons character is conflated with their job performance : for example Manning makes a mistake = he is a pr&ck. It goes the other way too - Manning scores a winner = he is brilliant bloke.😄. Many during or after match posts here seem to follow this what you might call logical fallacy. We all do it. 😇

??

AA is Southampton’s most successful captain in our entire history.

Where is it available to watch / read? Cannot see it anywhere on OS or online

I’m meant to be reffing in Hamble Sunday…should I bring a snorkel? 😄

I like the look of Mao Hosoya linked by the DE. Always good to have a J league star in the squad for International profile. And if he scores some goals even better. 😇. Transfmkt it has him as a £1m - for current full Japan International. Cheap. But Sunderland also interested. Surely we’d make that back in international shirt sales alone 😂

Kwp being rested in this cup tie might be a double edged sword..

Pointing out one rare and unique exception does not change the point- which is that it’s incredibly rare for deals to close on NY day. So we probably should not read too much into it that we did not sign a Striker accordingly. Not denying it would be well received by fans but that it did not happen by now is, frankly, no surprise at all. More of interest to me is who gets left out of squads so as to not get cup tied on Saturday!!! That’s worth looking at.

I think this is an excellent point. KWP is the best RB in this league bar none.Attack or defend. Every team we’ve played have had to work hard to keep him at bay. If I was an opposition manager I would concentrate on the other flank wherever possible. By his own admission Ryan has played poorly at times early on - BUT - has got his place back via injury and the last two matches have shown more of what was expected and playing better. Small but unpopular point, : much of his apparent deficiency is arguably ( means maybe not necessarily so before you go full abuse mode) due to KWP having more licence to go wherever he likes up front but mainly right and centre. Ryan has clearly been told to stay narrow by default usually to support the defensive set up in case of counter attacks and interceptions etc. It’s rare he overlaps at LB for instance. His defensive responsibility in that regard is a curb on his natural attacking strengths and may explain in part why he’s got most yellow cards this season for us. - and not looked as good because this role is not optimal for his skill set m. If he plays v Walsall and KWP rested and allowed more freedom I would not be surprised if he scores or assists. Will check the price out as should be good. 😎. Fire away all you who hate him Happy to discuss with normal fair minded Saints fans though. Think proof should be in the pudding because- in light of above he’s not as terrible as many of you make out. In fact he’s a very decent player who supports our system well and selflessly.

Interesting Echo article on him today. I had not remembered his goal or assist stats from Swansea last year but if the last two games chance output is a thing to go by he may just lose his scoring Cherry very soon ( hopefully!) I’m not sure if by “chances” they mean shots on target or merely shots- but, on average this season, saints would have scored at least one goal from 9 shots and 3 goals if those 9 shots were on target. So, Ryan, and Saints, are rather unfortunate to not have an assist or two more to his name from last two matches. From the Daily Echo: He notched five goals and provided ten assists in a Swansea shirt last season, but has only managed to make two assists so far at Southampton. Across his last two appearances, Manning has created nine chances (four against Plymouth and five against Norwich City) - the most of any player.

Think @Wade Garrettand @Dusicare both right. I think we already bought that goalscoring Striker we absolutely need - but he’s out for the season. I think we are very unlikely to buy another - UNLESS he’s relatively cheap - and UNLESS we lose Che. In which case then who is to say wether keeping Che but losing his fee is better than buying a cheap unknown striker, more money spent but no guarantee? At least with Che it’s the devil you know might go the reasoning. Overall I’d hope we plump for another striker myself - as it’s not just for January but hopefully next season in the EPL. As well as- and this has not been mentioned previously - god forbid AA gets a bad injury - In which case someone complimentary to a squad that may include a still unfit Ross Stewart.is not just a maybe idea but sound squad management.. Does not mean Sekou is out but it does mean we have an alternate to Sekou up front - instead of no proper goalscoring striker alternative and forced perhaps into a makeshift solution which may- or may not - work at a critical part of the season.. it’s an insurance policy but basically. A Very Sensible but optional one. We could save money not doing it. Though and still go up. Wonder who wins the argument in the Office? Or we could try carrying on this false nine thing which to me is not our best solution albeit we are unbeaten with it. Arguments for and against I guess.