gio1saints

I think that is excellent as his “score a goal or do something special on the pitch song”. 😇 Can’t be singing it as he walks on or heads it out for a corner. Fuck it. Of course we can. It’s even better if it’s just a 3 yard square pass - or similar simple ball - if somewhat ironic. 😃. Might change the lyric slightly though- either “ don’t you wish you could play like David Brooks” or “ I wish I could play like David Brooks” I’m in - if he plays next home match I’m singing it whenever he gets the ball. 😂

It used to really annoy me as well. 👍. Still does. But then I found a way to turn that frustration into quiet acceptance and even content - because I realised what it actually ( usually) means: 1. We have intimidated the opponents - they are already happy to not lose or “ hold on” rather than proactively win. Psychologically speaking playing not to lose or hold onto a narrow lead is much weaker than playing to win. Suggests we have the upper hand / mental advantage - they have conceded this to us and we should take advantage of that mentality. 2. On this unbeaten run we have been ahead for the overwhelmingly vast majority of the time - so it’s actually their own time to equalise or somehow get back into the game that these teams have been wasting. Even before we are ahead. It seems counterintuitive when we are drawing ( or very rarely, behind) but overall this default time wasting that so many teams are doing v Saints is actually working in our favour. 3. Another factor also in our favour when opponents timewaste is the number of goals we score v conceded in the last quarter. Generally speaking, The longer the game goes on into injury time this season the greater chances we have to score more than we concede. 4. Our style of play means opponents are chasing the ball most or all game. By the last quarter some teams have been out on their feet physically. If the game is prolonged even further our better fitness / legs becomes even more potentially important. 5. The longer the game the more likely we will play all our substitutes - and probably the opponents will do too. On balance we have one of the best squads in this league ( if not the best!?) - so our subs are typically better than opponents subs. This also gives us advantage in the latter stages of prolonged by time wasting matches.

I used to go tofrannies cafe in Portswood ( opposite the big sainsburys and is some kind of vegan place now I think) and order liver egg bacon chips two buttered toast mushrooms tomato cup of tea and loads ketchup for about £2 pre match on Saturdays early eighties. Play the pinball a bit there then stroll on, sometimes via the Mitre but not always. Greasy spoons are the epitome of cool nowadays.😎

So did I just asking if anyone noticed anything that looked “ goodbye” about it. Sincerely hope not.

IF Stu and Jan play the next match v Rotherham they both complete 200 appearances for Saints at the same time. Would be nice to recognise this at the match and especially by Saints social media…😉

Potentially last time seen in a Saints shirt. Was his on pitch farewell Sunday poignant in that way ?

It is NOT totally counterproductive. Sure we learn from wins but you insinuate we learn nothing from defeats learn nothing from tough draws. Often the defeats and the tough draws teach us more than the easy wins. About players about styles about a whole bunch of things. The match result is merely ONE of the the many objectives - team coaches and individual players - set out for each Saints match, albeit the most important one.

Turn up and ask him yourself about tin hats etc - entirely valid. It’s a democracy. I can disagree with the content, tone the implication whatever but it’s your and my right. Just to give an alternate pov - Question I would ask is - how much money do yuu reckon you raised for charity in your lifetime and through your auspices and How many hospital visits how many good causes have you supported in your lifetime? And what do you think is the value of the happiness you gave to millions of football supporters around the world by your play?

it would certainly help if we knew if Burnley are playing exactly same as last year when they bullied this division. If they are - then potentially BIG lessons for Saints to learn by an intensive examination of what-went-wrong in the EPL for Burnley. Ditto if they are not. Would suggest whoever the new saints tactical analysts will be that he or she do a big paper on this for preseason analysis - if we go up that is.

Arguably our greatest ever player. A idol to thousands of Saints fans Respect what he did for your club and keep your sarcastic virtue signalling comments to yourself -because supporters like me will defend his right to say what the fuck he likes that’s not illegal EVEN If we disagree with the views.

Maybe. Given their league position I’m tempted to say it’s more than just MB’s style of play that’s not suited to the EPL. And if he is not suited to the way Burnley currently play that’s not actually such a bad thing! Are they still PB based? I thought they were but we’re getting swarmed? I think there’s something else at play as mentioned above but it does not really matter as long as he arrives buzzing as they say 😁

Vincent Kompany his fellow Belgian manager does not seem to value or want him despite his apparent popularity with some Burnley fans for what he did last season. Could it be there’s a little bit of an issue between the two of them and it’s in everyone’s interests for MB to play elsewhere?? Bit like Howe and Fraser? IF MB comes to SMS as fired up as wee man it could be spectacular!

RM preference for left wingers to be right footed and vice versa seems an interesting but extreme example of his dogma at play. Sam Edozie ( right footed - plays LW ONLY) Kameldeen Sulemana ( right footed - plays predominantly LW occasionally early season told to switch) Ryan Fraser ( right footed - plays LW ONLY) KWP ( right footed - often dribbles down & around the right wing area and can use Left foot to score when cutting in - which I suspect is the exact template RM is looking for in this window) AA : ( right footed - but, contrary to RM dogma asked to play the right wing side of a front two) The only naturally left footed players we can use on the right, potentially, up front are Manning and Sam Amo ( both left footed ). Our transfer policy is possibly very transparently a requirement for a left footed attacker playing right wing who can cut in and score. Obvs MB is the prime example but there’s others I’m sure on back up. It’s just a little odd that if that was so important to RM I’d have thought Amo would be getting more chances at RW or indeed KWP was switched to LB and Ryan to right back more often. Probably feels too early for the former and we need our defence to be as solid as possible the reason for not doing the latter ( more often). In all this it’s Amo chances that will be most impacted by a new recruit but I guess he’s young enough - but does MB start ? Evidence suggests he’s a last thirty minutes substitute type against tiring defenders. Hopefully he’s happy with that because in my eyes he’s not clearly and obviously an immediate starter- Useful and game changing addition that he may be ..

Have to say this - I did not know Stuey could run so fast! Seeing him chase back and overtake that Watford player who was on a breakaway- after he’d taken the corner don’t forget- was something for sure must go on his career highlights reel- let alone the clever goal. Last Scot I saw that fast won an Olympic 100m gold 😂. BRILLIANT ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT. IF Stu needed to remind anyone out there who doubted he’s still got the legs and the goals in him just check that out! Was like a greyhound catching a rabbit. PS. To save you the trouble it was Alan Wells 1980 Olympics and I’m sure Stu would piss himself at the comparison! 😂

Just shows how important to the team is the understanding that Flynn & Will have created as our central axis unit. We should not take for granted what they do - on and off ball - but it’s only when they are replaced by others that the obvious drop in quality sticks out.

Personal opinion : The Best result of the transfer window would be keeping ALL our best players. You know, “ The Unbeatable Saints”. Retaining ALL our best players = major continuity, consistency, morale and momentum boost to our promotion hopes. The team & the squad know who they are and what’s what and where they play, how & with who in what units - and even when. Focus is solely on promotion not learning a new guys ways or new position style or movements etc. The alternative is tinker about buying and trading our best player (s) - which is often a gamble. Why gamble on our team momentum, team consistency, team continuity and unit morale right now? I argue we’ve more to lose than to gain by first team player trading - given the current squad are literally currently unbeatable at this level. To paraphrase Clint Eastwood I’d be saying” Well, do you feel lucky, punk?” ( 3 pts for guessing the film 😁) Is it worth taking that risk, right now? For me NO.

Try Vinted seem to have a lot of saints fc kits clothing new or in vgc.

Few observations: 1. Very true about the back half is the noisiest part of Northam. It’s a myth ALL the Northam are massive singers 2 At the FA cup match recently I was in the uncomfortable felt-guilty situation of being in Block 42 close to away fans but was standing as usual all match - except right behind me were a family of sit downers including a child who couldn’t see unless I and my son too sat down. What to do? 3. In the proposed situation that the upper is standing - and likely still v noisy- and the lower is seated - and maybe less noisy, that seated/standing thing “ might” not happen so often. Which seems an ideal compromise if those below happened to be from elsewhere in the ground. That the seated supporters are probably going to be less noisy than the standing supporters And less likely to stand up all match and obscure your view it might not be so controversial a suggestion to encourage seated-preferring season ticket holders elsewhere in SMS - specifically those who might need to move to make way for new away section - to relocate there. I think the positive aspects of the Red and White wall concept never mind it would look and sound visually fantastic including the holistic other stuff like enhanced fan zones improved under stand concession solutions etc would make a ST in the new Northam ( or discussed Markus) stand very desirable.

That issue is something I know SFC are VERY aware of. Virtually the #1 challenge to resolve basically. Saints do have internal professional expertise ( from West Hams move & others) - of the pluses and the cock-ups to learn from when moving ST fans from A to B inside a ground or indeed to another ground altogether - but fans voice vital to be heard first and foremost. There was much discussion in and around it from the fans present as you’d hope and expect.

Capology estimates salaries for four loan ( or with O’Hare / Abada loan or buy) players linked with Saints as follows: D. Brookes : £50k pw 26 yes old. M. Benson : £25k pw 25 yes old C. O’Hare : £10k pw 25 yes old L Abada : £16.5k pw 22yrs old Who represents best value £4£? Why? Who would contribute the most to promotion in the last 19 games? Integrate into starting first team quickest? For me the answer is Brookes but I cannot help feeling the market has fully priced him in- whereas players like Abada and O’Hare may be on the cusp of breakthroughs and represent better value. Both Brookes and O’Hare I feel would hit our first team running - Abada would need time. Manual Benson is just a mystery to me- I keep asking myself why don’t Burnley, a team struggling to score, at bottom of league, not want him- if he’s really that decent? What’s the problem?

I do not think Saints will change or adapt their approach at any stage of the season including Leeds away or a Play -off Final if it comes to it. For the very simple reason that, in RM words, if you do not commit 100% in our way of playing there is no plan B. The team will carry on playing this style and if it’s good enough we will get enough points to go up The minute they start trying to “ protect” a lead or a draw we just fuck up. So, inherent in that “ absolutist”philosophy if you like is that Saints are focused 100% on going for the title, nothing less.

Yes it’s an obvious sign of the “ development” of the game. Those days of local lads playing for your team are gone for the reason you mention. Something of a tangent on that but if fans really want to support “ one of our own” they could do worse than try advocate for a “ State of Origin” match approach in Australia. Mind you it might mean Pompey players in same team as Saints so perhaps not! 😳

Just back. There were two meetings- one earlier today with mainly family and chapel Itchen ST and the one tonight more Northam etc. Very professionally handled. Three SFC management / director Present - really nice decent people - and 7 or 8 of us supporters in the 1885. Never seen the pitch from there or the Halo especially with the grass under special lights. Was awesome tbh and made me think that a splash out for a match or two might not be such a bad idea! Re the safe standing etc I’m Much better Informed as to the possibilities now - but will let saints release what they want to release from these focus group things onto website etc. Hopefully very soon. Very open minded conversations and tough questions asked but overall I came away genuinely excited at what-might-be. Cannot talk for others but certainly those two hours or so brought a smile to my face! 😇

Think there’s a chance Emanuel Denis will get a start for Watford. * link below. Was recalled by forest ( he was in turkey) and been sent to Watford on Loan today. He was a pretty tasty left winger/forward in conjunction with ismail sarr 2 years ago. Think KWPmight enjoy that challenge / or JS at RB less so.😄 *https://breakingthelines.com/player-analysis/emmanuel-dennis-the-menacing-hornet/

SFC was in a state of free fall chaos barely a year ago. A shambles. Multiple managerial changes and horrible football. As a promising Academy / u21 player at that time one might be forgiven for thinking “ what’s the point” of graduating to a Saints first team that’s relegation bound and with no idea of what it how to play football anymore. What exactly were they learning and being able to aspire to? Saying “become another JWP” was already starting to lose its currency and the more likely outcome was NOT making the squad of a championship team going nowhere fast - at best. Not making the squad in an EPL team is another thing altogether. In that context it’s actually surprising we held on to what we did and unsurprising that our young talents take opportunities - if and when they arise - to go to settled EPL sides like Brighton. Id like to think that the brakes have been put on and we’re heading once again in the right direction football-wise, which means that young talents CAN see possibilities with Saints that were obviously less likely a short time ago.