gio1saints

I did not say or imply he was young hungry and guaranteed to improve. You’ve imagined it. I simply set out circumstances that might work in our favour from his signing before then saying that if he was rubbish we might still get some or all our money back. I had no idea it was so hilarious.

I don’t think there’s much downside buying a 20 year old player who will likely be in the US World Cup squad - and as their #9. He scores two or three for Saints early doors, does same with some international goals for the US in the preliminary friendlies then performs well @worldcup and that £8m will become £30-£40M in no time. If he’s no good he’s still only young and we can get some or all of our money back at least by selling him to an American or German team. Difficult not to say this is good business all round by SR.

Fair point. A probably meaningless point of distinction to most ( but I feel it’s relevant) is that RM did what he had to do under sufferance for the playoffs ie relax the dogma. Was not the way he wanted to play but he had to. That he then reverted to his predictable style of play in the EPL shows not that he had not “learned” anything - he’s far from stupid - but more a calculated decision which went wrong. His reasoning was that the quality of his squad was probably inadequate for survival so I think in his mind we could play a season like plucky Luton - and get relegated - or take a chance and see if the system that had generated play offs and unbeaten runs could overcome the reality of his relatively poor squad. And that even when it was obviously not working nor going to work he felt that we may as well get hung for a sheep as for a lamb. His name is become synonymous with a style of play. If he had chopped and changed likelihood was we still go down and he’s become anonymous instead of notorious. Call that ego or call it bloody minded defiance but I genuinely thought we had a shot playing that way in a league loaded against the smaller teams like us. He failed, we failed. I actually respect he held to his principles not flip flopped like a no principles politician s we all despise. He lost. That season. The season before he won. This season with Rangers- who knows?

No it’s his younger brother -22 187cm attacking /creative mf left footer. Grok thinks he might be useful and a good buy ith.😁

BBD was just a horrible literally pointless signing. Did what he was signed for in his match v Lazio - cut in from the left and score with right foot plus generally be aggressive and physical up front - but after doing it once he promptly stopped. His “ performances” consisted of getting paid for goals and performances of his past-not the present. Bloke needs to lose some of that timber imo and buck his ideas up fast or Still will “ outsource” him pdq.

To those who want shot of Sam Edozie I’m wondering who on earth you are expecting Saints to buy to replace him? It’s so easy to say “ yeah sell him show pony” but who you got in mind for that role then that’s not? IF that alleged Bruges bid is taken seriously I’d expect TWO decent incoming wingers. Players like Sam are amongst the most disposable easy to blame in football - yet mediocre mfs and defenders who never risk anything can get pencilled in every week without fail. Saints lose him, Tyler and Mateus I’m wondering wtf I wasted my season ticket on- a team of nil entertainment value

When you say show pony do you mean that as a criticism of him? His job was to, bravely, isolate the full back and go round him to create a dangerous opportunity -often whilst the rest of our team just watched and held their spaces. In a team with an iota more attacking initiative -and not just let’s retain possession and pass opposition to death - we might see a lot more dangerous output from him. We may literally have nobody with flair left if both he and Tyler go that will be worth paying ticket price for. NB: his replacement was BBD ( Boring Beyond Description ) who would you rather see? I think we need another as well as SE -but to unload SE without having two good ones already in the house -very bad.

Agree with @Holmes_and_Watson as usual, He was dangerous and scoring last time he played championship and I kept a close eye on him from that side of the Northam in particular where he plied his trade. When he got the ball it was usually the only moment of one on one skill we got to see at SMS from one of ours so I was grateful! Now KS and KWP have gone we only have TD and SE who can actually dribble round a player and, call me old fashioned, but I like to see individual skills on occasion. All this team shit is great but I also want to see individual flair…and Sam has got that.

I was not all that serious, as usual, but given the effing useless composition of this bloated squad maybe we should do an Estate agents style Open Day on unwanted forwards and FB’s. You turn up at SMS on a certain day by appointment and the players all line up maybe do a few tricks got shiny boots and fresh kit on hair washed and cut that kind of thing maybe even have a chance to do a meet and greet have a selfie with a potential buyer. If we need to shift a few it’s worth a try I’d say. 🤭

And one reason I think it’s a good chance we start out with three forwards on pitch is that we still got loads of them to shift and probably will have a few left over come start of season. Plus Still will want to start as offensive as possible. Essentially, TD and JR are forwards. RF and SE ditto. CA, RS, AA BBD and DD same. And ditto Ballard. Total 10 - And that’s with two taken out! I think we will end up with 6/10. A couple loaned out and a couple sold.

Yes true BUT ( and I’m in favour of starting with CA but think only fair to point something out first … …That rather fails to point out that CA’s most recent goal scoring spree record is 2 goals…from 1071 minutes……and for those out there who prefer it as goals per game that’s a magnificent one goal every 17.5 matches : 20 starts and 15 sub appearances. Yes EPL is tough I get it…oh it was in a bad team I also get that ….but I watched most those games and did not get the impression here is a player going to take the game - ANY Game - by the scruff of the neck and turn it around for us. Game changing he was not. Prolific in running into spaces where the ball isn’t - he was. My only hope is that if he plays alongside DD his runs into Outer Space will leave DD with a tad more time and space to do a shoot and score things that we used to see long time ago from our centre forwards before it became unfashionable. All imho of course. NB. Think I’ve just created a new nickname for CA: “Spaceman” and we all know the song…😁

That quote is straight from “The Managers handy guide to answering reporters questions”. There are 3 possible answers to the reporters question “ are you going to overhaul the squad ” 1. Yes. ( Unspoken - I’ve already seen some of the players are weak) 2. No ( Unspoken - I’ve already seen some of the players are weak but I don’t want to undermine morale early doors - or let them know I’m ditching them until I’ve got someone else lined up) or 3 “There does not need to be a massive overhaul “ etc - this is essentially the same as (1) but put more diplomatically.

All by car as there’s no return trains…

The equation is thus: Saints - TP + athleticism + potential + modest fee and wages = DD. References: See : Joachim Kayi-Sanda.

Do you think we will start with Gav in goals again? IF AM is the starting gk v Wrexham would mean Gavin will probably want to go out on loan to get playing time…And so we’d need another goalie- in which case I’d like a new starting #1 imo - not another reserve whilst we wait to see if Gav gets better. We know what AM brings and it’s plenty good enough for the Championship so I’m fairly calm about the situation but overall I can sense a new #1 incoming later in window somehow…

Plus Sammy Saint had to take a cut don’t forget.

It’s only strange because EVERYONE and his dog knew how we were going to play under RM. If it seems like it’s unclear what system Still is going to use I’d say thats a good thing and I hope he keeps everyone guessing all season. It may just be you’ve identified his system - no system just do what’s specifically needed to win v each opponent. WRT to transfers I think we have a very good idea of the player characteristics SFC will prefer in general : height, pace, athleticism.

Yes I think so too. It’s was like he’d memorised a bullet point about each player so he could appear informed. Like when he calls out “ Shea” during the rondos. FWIW here’s my version of post it notes to help Will : AM: an experienced starting goalie - until I find a better one. GB: is it true you are an overrated gk. Show me otherwise. Or bye bye. James Bree : nobody liked him at first. Right footed FB. Ryan. Nobody liked him either much apart from his exboss but he’s competent and willing. But is he good enough to start? We will see. Shea : He’s been playing well. Potentially a good un. Be nice to him. BBD: Spanish speaker used to score, bit of a rep but that’s not going to fool me if he’s past it. So he’d better work hard. Be good. Or it’s adios Ben. AA - same as BBD except speaks Northern. SE: ex Man City. What you got son apart from weird hair and an expensive price tag for this league? RF: old dog Scottish c@nt of a shorter winger bit of a joker. Popular. But overpaid. Deliver or go. WS: easy to recognise but what does he do? Keep an eye on him & see when / if he disappears. Is he a lightweight? FD. Cheeky chappy cocky cockney and popular in squad - be good to get him onside but also make sure I’m not having any of that pass back negative shit this year. JS: Captain but I don’t have to play him if I can find better. Which I think I can. But he’s Influential and could be an enforcer for me in dressing room. AL: he is a God of football compared to the rest but I’ve got to treat him like the cone man and bib collector that he’s gonna have to be. But I will always talk with him cos he’s, well, Adam Lallana! Paul Trollope. He can be my Mr. Nasty until I find my shouty voice. About 4 weeks or so. Tyler : would you like a sweetie Tyler? Mateus : How about you? Cameron: small young and runs a lot but rarely impacts a game so it’s a mystery. Of unused talent. Might have to bin him if he does not get on the bus quick and sort out his shit. Joe : nice song and scored in a euro final but been told you are out so sorry fella. THB: posh sounding name are you posh? heard you a baller. Had you in one of my online teams. As the Clash once remarked time for you to decide if I should stay or should I go. If you stay you’re my likely first choice CB maybe Captain. If you go please eff off quickly. Jan : respect to a good Polish pro. But I understand you are offski so good luck! CT: were you pushed around last year? Well - what you got? Old dog new tricks or not? RS: always a crocked one in the squad. I will help you up to a point but your contract is ticking down. Play and play good don’t be injured- or eff off. Jay: I’ve not got anymore sweeties left cos Tyler and Mat took them but here you can have my top trumps Wayne Rooney gold card edition if you like. Wellington: Brazilian. Must be technically good, right? Yuki : the smiley Japanese player who is going to translate for the other left footed Japanese player can’t remember his name. Must remember to learn Japanese word for “ attack!”. There’s a few more notes on the rest of the players but they fell out his kit bag so gonna have to retrieve them..

No I’m sure it’s not - I used him as an example of someone that the managers might be talking about over there paid for by the club lattes.

Thanks @Farmer Saint. That’s about as top as top gets when it gets to its snippets, short of you posting a TikTok of DD shaking hands with Spors and giving Will a hug. Appreciated, nice gesture to a forum which can so often literally show no receipts. Here we have the receipts! Kind of. Very nice work, please thank agent and no need but if you wish confirm it’s not a lack of discretion simply a show of something that’s already clearly in public domain so no harm done. 💪

I think Tired Legs got sold by Wrexham so he won’t be there on opening day. Bit of a shame if you ask me as the tussle Armstrong v Tired Legs has got tabloid back page news written all over it..

No it does not I’m afraid. But they did have a mobile craft beer set up outside Saints end entrance last year so there’s compensation!

We have lost two forwards- KS and TP. And three of the current forwards we have were playing elsewhere last season ( SE, BBD and AA). And RS, RF and CA may as well have been on loan for all the minutes they played. DD, for all his critics above, does seem to have characteristics missing or that we could benefit from in this squad. Height speed and strength basically. Breakthrough USA Full International. It’s a no brainier buy for me if it’s £8m. Plenty upside. Moderate downside. NB : caveat : I do not expect all of AA, BBD, SE and CA to be with us for start of season. So, If one or two go I’d want a proven goals scoring (as they were/are) replacement - not a project. There’s no guarantee they will go because of their high wages relative to our league - so assuming they do not get shifted adding DD to the mix makes sense and is not a bad idea either way.

I think it’s not unreasonable to think Downs may have been given a positive heads up by his National team boss, MP on Saints. In which case thank you Poch!

Anybody see BK in the pre season training testing? I’m pretty resigned to him being unsellable! BUT if physicality is going to be our new thing, well, he fits the bill…