gio1saints

I’m wearing my lucky Saints sweatshirt for this one. Because of my poor memory I cannot remember if I’ve ever seen a defeat in it this season- but I’m not going to let a detail like that get in the way so am going to take a gamble and suggest it strongly to the world that it is indeed a lucky charm. In doing so I encourage the Universe to manifest Saints victory tonight and respectfully ask it it to take into consideration the vibes of winning luck that emanate from the #sweatshirt-that-has-never-failed. 😇😁 That should do it. Might be cold so an extra sweater in order tonight too.

Hi, Saints foundation published their impact report today. Hit the link if you are interested in the details. Has to be said- Well Done! We should all be very proud of what is being done in the name of SFC. https://res.cloudinary.com/southampton/image/upload//fl_attachment:6194_SFC_Foundation_Impact_Report_2022_23_ryswso//v1708336336/Saints Foundation/Supporting Southampton/6194_SFC_Foundation_Impact_Report_2022_23_ryswso.pdf?_s=public-apps

My only ( mild) concern In the game of possible consequences though is that it’s not impossible Newcastle consider JW if they lose Ashworth? Can’t really say no to that spending power? Only job I see RM being offered soon is the Scotland one post euros- but think he’d probably reject it if we were in EPL. Not sure replacing De Zerbi at Brighton is actually such a good gig for him as I previously thought and he’s not going to a top six team anytime soon. Has won nothing to date and that needs to change -starting with promotion to EPL.

Would not be surprised if a few of our most hard running players get a bench rest for this one- Will, Stu and AA. That might mean return of Downes, Brooks and Che. Or Rothwell, Aribo, Shea or Sam take your pick… What to do about LB though?

Tend to agree. Our last home match was a dire first half against a team this lot just beat away. Any repeat - or the Bristol not turn up and That may let hull score a few and 5 goal second half miracles are not a weekly thing we can rely on. Prefer straightforward win put to bed by massive first half but more likely, If anything, getting to HT NOT losing and then see what our better 5 subs can do against them in second half is what I think is most likely path to victory.

Nobody’s pinning their hopes on it. It’s just a what-if chat. The reaction of the piss on your dreams brigade here is what I cannot fathom. You know better than anyone you cannot express positivity about Saints without someone. somewhere giving you evils. What’s more avoidable ( and so sad ) is the sycophantic saints supporting stooges posting laughing emojis at obvious personal insults and abuse of other saints - just for having the temerity to imagine a “ what if” scenario even when full of caveats like “ but of course it won’t happen” that they disapprove of.

Hilarious and well informed as ever.😇 No didn’t realise that what people think has no impact on results. Thanks for the update. And just in case I was thinking I was someone else, again thank you for letting me know I’m not Rosa Parks. You are a kind person that’s for sure. Don’t know what I or this forum would do without you being so helpful - especially now you consider me a mate, what with your info knowledge and suggestions about stuff. 😇

Thank you @SaintJackoInHurworthfor the upbeat way of looking at these fixtures. It’s very unlikely but not impossible as you say. Nothing great was ever achieved without one person choosing to think differently. Never stop defying the prevailing paradigm! Especially here with the resident living dead that thrive on morsels such as your post.

Juve were terrible last night and despite that he never got on. Probably just as well avoided being associated with their worst perf all year losing at home abysmally to udinese 0-1.

Sun Tzu’s Art of War predates The Law of Requisite Variety - which is a NLP ( Neuro linguistic programming) foundation principle. Simply put it states that he who shows the most flexibility will ultimately master the system. In practical football innit terms it means that rigid PB dogma only gets you so far- being a one trick pony will not work endlessly. At the Championship level we play at our dogma is good enough, often enough, at present to be top two. But the theory essentially can be interpreted as a warning that we must be prepared and willing to adapt and evolve. Basic example: It may be very rare at present to go “route one direct long ball” for example but it may actually be the optimal route to win games in which teams overcommit forwards and attacking midfielders in a bid to press our PB play out from the back game.

I’d love to believe that’s true and for outward public consumption purposes I’m totally confident that it is. But humans are fallible and pride and ego sometimes can fuck yiu up despite good intentions

Yup he did indeed and that was very reassuring. He always takes personal responsibility and he also praises his players lavishly. With emotive language like “ love”. I’m 99% probably wrong to think things getting a little frazzled on the edges. Onwards and upwards!

Hope I’m wrong probably am so forgive my overthinking it but my somethings up / complacency radar is going off a little. Other stuff is maybe getting in the way. Maybe even some squad resentment that RM seems to get all the glory but but they sweated for it. All submerged under the drive to go up of course and all the words and actions contradict that narrative of course -but the kind of little fissures that can grown into big cracks if not dealt with seem to be there. For example the players taking the pee out of the RM fist pump celebration with Wee man few matches back hinted at that. That the team has been bollocked- and he told us he’d done so- at halftime the other week May irk. That supposedly the big match day emphasis is on not sloppy starting and yet two matches running that’s exactly what weve done - like the players been told and gone - duck it I’m not doing that. Just tiny probably nothing making something out of nothing little signs that got me a little questioning. 99% I’m wrong and the professional manager and professional players know and will do what’s required to win. Here’s hoping for a great result tonight! COYS😇

What’s confused you Charlie? You think we can start sloppy like we have last two and get away with it tonight?

Massive doses of humility required all around. It concerns me the number of puff pieces Russ is getting in the press atm and the nominations for manager of the month etc. it’s a good thing but also it can backfire. Im hoping him and team start this match better than the last two- and that’s by EARNING the right to be regarded as the better team in the pitch - not by “ reputation” or fancy names on the team sheet. With captains like JS around I’m confident that’s going to be the case - but the minute we start believing “ we are better than these” , expect to just turn up to win we will get battered. This team were not beaten by Nottn forest over two matches so they are no mugs. And at home especially. We only beat them with a wonder goal last time. Make no mistake - very tough match. Sleeves up and work your bollix off time you want to get anything out of this one.

Might get a start tonite for Juve or at least get on. Think I might watch that. Discovery+ have it.

It’s not often Managers are “surprised” at how the opposition initially set up. A surprising amount of work goes on behind the scenes before matches and indeed all season analysing other teams matches so that Manager can be as best prepared as possible. It’s a guess but that’s why he’s the manager and not you or I - he will get that guess right more often.

It would be very hard / almost unthinkable NOT To start Joe Rothwell after his match winning performance Saturday. If so then that conveniently allows time for Flynns injury to repair itself- hopefully in time for WBA. IF Flynn is fit he must always start, he’s that important to how we play. I would also, more controversially, rest Stu for this one and put Shea in but as the DM. Stu has been ok - but not quite at his top level recently. Time for a breather imo. I would also, consider resting Che and playing either Sekou central or more preferably Brooks RW with AA going central. I say more preferably because I loved that pass Brooks made to Joe for second goal and I’d like to think they got an instant understanding already PLUS Sekou has showed he comes on as a sub- he scores. Much dependent on how Bristol set up. It should be there expected sitting back with a low block but maybe Huddersfield has given them ideas in which case Russ may adapt accordingly. NB if it IS a low block then expect Che to start as his hold up play will be at a premium when there’s not much space in behind.

Very true. Im just one of those many people seen suffering and am grateful for the absence of it - when I can remember to be grateful that is. Usually I’m just as peed off at something or other like everyone else. A cynic might say that supporting Saints IS suffering. A Buddhist believes life = suffering so maybe we are onto something being Saints fans! When Saints were rubbish ( that’s a controversial trivia comment/question!) I did not feel personally more rubbish- or less- so frankly there’s no reason I should feel better- or worse now they are doing really good. EXCEPT it seems to me that’s there is a shedload of reasons out there for every single one of us to be unhappy. Life is tough for a lot of people in a lot of ways. Reasons to be happy are sometimes few and far between. Saints unbeaten run is one of those few and far between things…so……celebrate good times come on, we gonna have a party….😂😇

I hear you but that way thinking is shortening peoples lives. If one cannot celebrate the good then will not ever be happy. There will always be something bigger and better. It’s not cause to defer enjoying what we do have, and be grateful for it. Saints unbeaten run is a perfect opportunity to show gratitude in the present. Forget that we are usually not good for just a moment and will get beat Tuesday or lose 9-0 if we go up again. It’s quite literally a once in a lifetime thing.

Just a gentle nudge to Saints fans out there who have been known to associate the fortunes of the club with their own lives sometimes : cherish these moments. Live in the present and enjoy the NOW. Because- If history is anything to go by you will never be able to say your team is 25 matches unbeaten again in your lifetime. Mention it at work, mention it to your family, mention it to your friends, most of all enjoy it in your head. Walk with a spring in your stride breathe deeper smile wider because your team are unbeatable. YOU are unbeatable. Supporting saints is NOT always like this. It may end Tuesday night but today - 25,undefeated…25 undefeated. Sing it, enjoy it, live it and love it. 😇

Was there. Mental scenes. I think. I cannot remember far back much anymore but I remember going mental for a ruddock goal. It was a bit of a wtf is he taking a penalty moment and now of all times. One of a kind I guess

I’m not sure my heart could cope with giving sides a 2 nil lead at half time or letting them back into it at 2-3 with ten to go. How often do you think we can score five in a second half then? I’ve only ever seen it done once live in over fifty years following saints!

I suspect most teams will now play like Huddersfield against us - home or away, with exception of LCFC, LUFC and ITFC. Oh, and Liverpool. Which means we better get better at playing v this high and intense press because Huddersfield are not the best attacking team in the league and despite that they caused us a lot of problems- and scored three goals. Shea if Flynn unfit is the proper decision for that if RM wishes the team structure to remain as usual. He has defensive DNA. And it’s our defending thats been a bit hairy recently not our goalscoring. NB it’s been noted elsewhere that Burnley have struggled this EPL season with the intense press as they attempt to play out from the back. I think we got a glimpse of what it might be like next season if we go up yesterday… except EPL players are better - so it’s lessons that need learning fast.

I do not feel Gav nor Manning were at conspicuous fault for any of the goals. I think much of the finding-a -player-to-blame thing is simply reactionary emotion talking - and in the rush to pin blame ignores the fact that all the goals were communal - not individual - error failures. Manning got criticised in the DE for the goals - which I thought was poor “journalism”. I don’t have a prejudicial grudge against the bloke (unlike a lot of people slagging him off do seem to have- his name was even booed in Northam when came up in starting line up😟 - talk about disgraceful support!!! ) so Ryan is on a hiding to nothing each time he enters the field of play. Anyone there and who was bothered to watch the goals highlights several times like me cannot come to the conclusion he alone was at fault for any of the goals. Nor that he was our “ weak link”. The whole effing not-a-team was the weak link first half ffs! That he and Gav are being singled out - shows how strongly emotion can sometimes override objective reality. The facts are that team failures led to all three goals. But team success led to five goals scored.