gio1saints

Maybe I underestimated how many there are 😂. And yeah I am totally biased! 😇

Yeah guess so. There’s at least half a dozen English top winger types ahead of him. But he’s in the top ten!😃

I’d bet THB gets his full cap first though.

Sadly true. More likely to be in the Eng squad as an unused sub who last played good about 18mths ago ( like Kalving Phillips) than playing well for Saints in the EPL.

Yep agreed, thry have to be in the EPL and performing at this level ( or better!)

Carry on at this rate they are getting closer. Think the euros is too early ( depending on injuries) but if Southgate moves on after that a new manager may very likely ( imo) make the call to include them in his first squad - assuming they keep playing well AND we go up.

That lofted pass for Che last night was simply superb. It shows we can go direct. Ie RM has not disallowed it! That the CB has got an eye, and the ability, to reward intelligent runs. Also shows why THB is going to be a bargain buy if we get promoted. playing brilliantly and were he to do this at EPL level his value easily doubles to £50m+ imo. I also think the uptick in form ( from a high base- he’s one of our players of the season for sure so far) is in no small part connected to his developing a good relationship with Jan - as well as the return to squad of JS and the positive motivation to keep his place that creates. RM taking him off for JS a few matches ago has coincided with several excellent performances thereafter from THB. There is a correlation in my mind so kudos to the man management taking place also.

I thought first half we were so dominant that it might breed complacency second half- and that we also might run out of confidence & energy if we did not score. We did score, deservedly, thank goodness, and that was a reward for all the patience and hard work put into the preceding minutes. The second goal especially was the sign of a good team going in for the kill after making the breakthrough. Sort of thing Man City do all the time. Only point of concern for me was the obvious fatigue - both physical and mental - evident in several of our players at the end. Not really seen that tiredness as much this season in any of them really - but there were a number of individual mishaps and mistakes- losing possession , getting caught in possession, missed passes, ( not just that Baz thing!) towards the end that don’t or rarely ever happen. The players looked physically tired. But in addition scoring two goals had mentally relaxed them - and that they dropped attention “ levels” accordingly. I hope it was because we were 2-0 up and not because they’d totally run out of juice. We are going to need a lot of mental and physical fitness for Norwich so recovery is key now.

I enjoy watch him close up first half from block41 when defenders still fresh and some think they have started to work out how he thinks and his positioning a lot better. He does seem to have the beating of most his rb’s all the same! And he only needs do it once successfully for it to be a good chance or a goal. Give him the ball wide 4 times in a match and we should get at least one good chance out of it, if not a goal. I’m sure there’s a ratio evident from matches played but the gist is : if in doubt give him the ball! Down side of course is if we give it Sam and he’s isolated then tries something & loses possession we are open to counterattack. Hence we tend to slowly press upfield gaining territory in rugby talk - then give it to him. KS for example would love the ball way faster. And thets possibly why he seems to look frustrated a lot of the time. And not deliver.

Little side bar on the topic of Ryan Fraser possibly being a permanent either jan or in summer: his Newcastle wages were c £42k pw ( source google) and he is out of contract in summer 24. And will be 30.5 years old. Carries on way he’s been playing we’d be mad not to take him on a free.

David Brooke’s is 100% an RM player. But crikey it looks curtains for one of : Charlie, Stu, Amo, Ryan , KS, as he is a right sided midfield /forward/winger type. Which of the current squad get shifted out of the team for him then?

It’s quite a small squad we have and when it’s already got Sam, RF, AA, KS, and Amo plus KWP all able to play on the right wing to a good standard and all with pace. I wouldn't have thought it was top Priority. I’d be concerned if Holgate went back to Everton so in that case would want an incoming similar replacement for sure. Id love Sekou to come good in next 3/4 games but if he’s not then I’m in favour of someone like that Miovski from Scotland broug brought into the squad and maybe sekou getting a chance elsewhere out on loan.

Our finance guy (Parsons?) hinted on squad solidarity mood being of great value when the recent article was published on OS. And not “ overpaying”. I did wonder though if that was in part a negotiating ploy to get teams not to go mad if we do actually enquire for someone. Miovski has gone from maybe £5m to £6.5m in a week. What would make moral sense ( to me anyway) would be “balancing” the squad ie a one in- one out approach somewhere.

Are you a qualified psychologist? If not thanks for your opinion that I am the problem - not those who sometimes use the forum as a means to spew personal abuse on others - but it’s telling you take this approach. Your comment is another example of how low some fellow supporters will go to put others down in a bid to win the argument. FWIW : Posting content that you believe to be true - in contradiction of a commentary that you feel is untrue, can indeed be brave. Especially when there are consequences such as personal abuse.

There is a Jack Stephens article in the DE today in which he alludes to exactly the issue of our FB playing narrower than last season. And it explains exactly the phenomenon you accurately described for Manning. For JS he said it meant playing at RB was easier ( after first 10 minutes) than if he had been expected to be bombing on out wide as a conventional wide FB. In other words it’s a deliberate tactic. We seem to want to overload the centre that way and find a way to turn get it to either Sam or Adam wide of the goals. Of course if it goes wrong you are spot on- invariably there is a big space on our flanks for opponents to exploit. It’s an interesting choice but I think it varies from game to game depending on if the opponents have got pacy wide forwards or not.

Hard to tell which Plymouth it will be. Just watched highlights of when they got tonked 4-0 by LCFC and they had a fair few chances to make a game if it - though all the goals conceded were pretty poor. Doubt they will try that mode again. IF they did try it could be a 3-0,3-1, 4-0,4-1, 5-0 or 5-1 to saints but if, as I think more likely, they try to frustrate us it might be one of those 0-0 at halftime and hope the pressure eventually pays off in the end kind of matches. That we all hate. With hopefully no defensive brain farts on our side either. Call me old fashioned but I always feel better when we are leading at ht. especially if it’s 2 or 3.😄

Plymouth played a 343 away to Cardiff ( source : their website) and it seemed to work fairly well for them. Theyve not been good on the road but will bring plenty loud support. Given that I think they will try to do the same again, if it ain’t broke etc, and want to put in a good show for their travelling fans rather than an ultra defensive very low block / can they get a 0-0 draw or a breakaway or set piece goal type of match. Should play into our hands if so.

That back heel finish was worth so much more than 1 goal for Sam if that means his confidence is at 10/10. Now needs sustain it and keep this upward trajectory , esp the scoring!

We all remember the signing of Faustino asprilla and how that contributed to squad fracturing for Newcastle just when unity was going to be worth the Premiership title to them and KK. We get in someone tasty like that up front this window and it may have negative knock on effects on Sam, AA, SA, Charlie even KS and Che. It may have the reverse it’s true- but it’s a risk. If it was somebody with Ryan frasers humility and capability is another matter altogether. If this Miovski fella has got that humility dna (see how JS says he trusts RM and happy to play anywhere he says- THATS the attitude! ) then I’d be thumbs up but a big NO to big time Charlie’s.

I’m sry @Hypo not meant to imply you voiced that comment or that it’s been quoted here. It was a paraphrase of common sentiment. My misquote. @Charlie Wayman Good point though I actually think the reverse is just as likely. Ie he gets poached. I never would have thought it even ten games ago but RM is pretty damn vital/ fundamental to this winning squad and mentality. The belief and relationships he has engendered is enabling average players to play better and good players to really shine. And a feel good factor to be the mood feeling at the club. Long May it continue!

It should have been pretty clear that judging at how easily Burnley won this league last year especially the second half that the PB football style could dajfu. - if we learned it well. We are still Learning judging by occasional mishaps but these are fewer and wider inbetween given this run. Big question is will more teams figure us out before end of season? That’s why I’ve been encouraged last two matches in particular not just by actually scoring from the chances we nake(!!!) but with sone of the tactical flexibility changes. RM switching KWP to left back and putting Bree RB for example, and last week playing JS at fb and KWP as winger. IF we go up and even if we don’t then it’s that kind of bespoke flexibility that will keep opponents guessing and always rea ring to us not other way around . RM may be “ finally listening to what the fans demanded / want “ now (🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣) or maybe now his team has learned the basics of FB there’s room for a little bit more variation. I’d like to think the latter.

TBF all posters here just want Saints to do well and like a bit of banter ( actually that’s not 100% true- the hate mob actively abusing him, Saints and anyone who stuck up for the club back then know who they are and it was beyond vile) and the passion can overflow in the wrong way. When it gets to the point where loan players like Flynn are actually quoted at being in disbelief at some fan reactions at SMS and even RM noting the massive disunity at the club when he arrived you know this club was in bits back then. We all underestimated what a fucked up club we had back at start of season. To read the match day forums early doors since then you’d swear we’d just won the League and Cup double previous year not stank the place out week after week. Remarkable turnaround.

It was the other way Round. Sam started the season whilst KS was still unfit. But , apart from a few glimpses of skill was a bit underwhelming though obviously a talent. He then appeared to lose his man for two separate break away goals we conceded, was criticised and his confidence dipped. Enter KS. Who started brightly but also underwhelmed. KS Got injured again and now Sam has grabbed his second chance with both hands and will be very hard to dislodge from starting berth. Though frasers form is so good who knows!

Just checked out his Miovski recent goals. Would be a very makes sense signing for probably c £5m+. Insurance policy v anything happening to AA and/or Che leaving. He does seem to be efficient at converting cutbacks from either wing by foot or head m. A lot like the kind of service I’d hope he’d get from saints - and the type of goal / chance we seem to frequently make/score. IF Che leaves for any kind of nominal fee in Jan - ( you know £2/£3millions) then bringing Miovski in at c £5m and who may have upward mobility on his value if he does well at Saints plus would be on cheaper wages than Che would seem eminently sensible. Would essentially be our second striker and takeover Che’s job currently on the bench but coming on late to score or whenever we want an extra forward up top.

What so RM says get to team possession stats but don’t try to score once we have all that possession? Do you honestly Bellieve that?