gio1saints

If playing an attacking line up means we keep getting stuffed you can understand why RM has picked “ conservative” players even if the formation. remains same ( unless it’s a shock 3CB’s approach ! ) Did not expect both Edozie and Manning to get dropped but if E is not scoring and M not defending well enough then it’s logical. Che needs to have his scoring boots on today. Fingers crossed COYS.

Please, LOS Saint. Supporters are NOT the reason we are so abject at present and nobody has ever argued they are. People who spend all match perpetually abusing our players are out of order - and undeniably unhelpful. Thankfully last night Northam in particular was brilliant especially 2nd half, bloody brilliant. You seem to be taking it personally. IF you are someone who spends all match calling Baz a useless cunt or Smallbone is shit or Manning is a tosser on and on then, guess what, I say go support your local team - pompey - instead as you are doing a great impression of a skate with numpty straw man arguments. the issue is we are not learning and made innate the RM playbook quick enough and or ( and this is way more bloody obvious) RM needs to let the very good players we have actually play without or with less shackles. They often look in slo mo as if they are trying to remember where they should be what they should do - when it’s well known that flair players in particular need be allowed to let that instinct for football determine the play. Simple example 2nd half Sam had the ball half way line potential breakaway but he was maybe 10 m from RM on the sidelines. Instead of driving forward causing chaos he stopped turned around and it was back in our 18 yard box again. Given His instincts you know he wanted to be running forwards with that ball - but he didn’t. RM needs to introduce more Independent t flexibility into this possession based football end of.

Shout out to the Northam tonite. Amazing difference in approach. Much better. Proper support.

I am in the process of moving my ST but I will be there tonight for sure in Northam. I do not expect people to think like me. I ( and I think the players and fellow supporters) just do not expect to have to endure the almost non stop abuse of our players by some supporters around me. I’ve made my point enough now for everyone to understand I’m not against freedom of speech - but there are limits and for some reason at SMS anythingabusive to our own players - and constantly - goes for some of the crowd. It’s normalised. It just makes me sad. It’s happening in plain sight and there are too few calling it out and saying it’s not on. Like me probably worried about repercussions.

Lord Duckhunter. I agree it’s the players responsibility to play better but that does not justify the non stop often vile abuse they are getting almost all game from some supporters. Do you agree ? that argument is like saying it’s the actors responsibility on stage to act better - or else - and the waiters responsibility in the restaurant - or else- even the check out operators responsibility at Tesco - or risk sustained verbal abuse from the customer is justified… When that check out operator at Tesco mispacks your tea cake do you berate her for the next 90 minutes from the bread aisle calling every nasty name under the sun surrounded by your sniggering mates because you can “support” Tesco however you feel? I doubt it. And that was the point I was making. Yes you are entitled to what you call support however you want - and it sounds like you’re an old timer - but when it turns to outright incessant abuse it’s not on. It strikes me that those signs commonly seen saying “staff abuse will not be tolerated” is directed at exactly someone with attitudes I’m seeing at SMS. Have the incessant moaners considered what the impact of constant verbal negativity is on other supporters around them who have also paid for a ticket ? Does there ticket spend entitle them to ruin their enjoyment of the match? Does it? Do we go to the theatre and heckle if you don’t like what Hamlet said “ Oi Hamlet you’re a fucking disgrace to your country” ad infinitum all performance? Do we sing at the waiter who brought you the wrong order for 45 minutes that he’s a ducking wznker/ donkey/useless price of shit and expect to get away with it? Do we? Some “ supporters” Giving themselves permission to behave atrociously because they paid for a ticket is poor excuse, M’lord.

Yup that’s fair. It’s clearly a big factor /reason why it’s seemingly become normalised around where I am in Northam for some individuals to spew a constant stream of vocal abuse, unopposed, at our own players each error or mistake. what you have described frankly is a fan base suffering from PTSD. So, how to reduce it? It will never disappear because, as others have said, it’s been part of the game forever. And we cannot all get counselling, like talking therapies or take happy pills Perhaps shift it entirely to the players as per Lord Duckhunter and hope that works? Blaming someone else for our shortcomings is a staple of society today. Presumably if they don’t play better we keep replacing them and Manager even owners . We don’t need to change or do anything different it’s the players job to do that. We are paying to be entertained and we are not happy with what’s being dished out. Sound familiar? Except supporting your team is NOT only just consuming an entertainment ticket - much as that’s how it’s been commoditised as per Turkish’s summary-. It is still ( for now..) something participatory and that participation CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE - both ways. So- How about Saints supporters forgetting the past and just living in the present tonight participating by giving as much positive energy the full 90 or 100 minutes as they are capable of - but equally exerting a measure of disappointment control if it does not go well? By that I mean cut out the negative commentary and personal abuse of our own players. 😇.

Yep you got me. The difference is I swore out loud, once, - in fact I said FFS- and that was it. I did not then consider AA the antichrist and consider him a tosser out loud constantly rest of game. There’s a difference. It’s not binary. I do not think you have to be sheep or consumers at SMS but I also don’t think just going along with a negative agenda is the right thing either. Silence is consent in those kind of situations. You know we all know it. All it takes is good people to shut TFU when those “ supporters” get their kicks out of abusing our players all match for it to become “ normalised”. It’s not good it’s not clever and I go further and say it’s not how a real saints fan should behave.

Interesting how many times RM referenced the negative energy our crowd emitted in his press conference. How some players on the bench wanted to turn around and respond to someone shouting the usual stuff behind dugout. I wonder how that 17 year old wonder kid of ours feels about it knowing that when he comes on if he misses a pass then he too is a useless fucking waste of space disgrace to the shit overpaid cu t. I bet it makes him want to die for the shirt, I really do. Best thing for him, man up and take the punishment. Except that kind of Victorian era personal development approach has long been discredited and in fact I simply breeding the societal losers, bullies, abusers and prison population of the future. There really are no excuses for it unless being a cunt is a valid excuse.

I do admit to slagging players occasionally if it’s deserved. I swore at Armstrong last Friday after that pathetic attempted shot I must admit. But that’s football. By and large Saints fans are pretty good I find. Maybe it’s just your immediate area? Just my random thoughts really. as did I when he missed that ( easy) chance. 😎. Perhaps I’m too idealistic in believing that If the players can’t or won’t do it then me as a supporter I step up my support even more. In fact if I think back at my Saints supporting history it appears that it’s been the bad times that have galvanised my support more than the good. I was at Portman road when Alan Brazil scored 4(?) against us one evening many moons back and got ejected from the away end for my troubles but I never turned on my team. I’m stilll here many de ades later and if tomorrow we get a similar result I won’t slag off players during the match though I will write a stiff letter to SR (😂) about it.

Thanks for your summary Turkish. You’ve stated the harsh reality of life today as applied to football supporters but youve somewhat missed my point. Please allow me to clarify. Just to be clear, Im not advocating for clapping the players off after a bad match/ performance. Neither am I advocating no booing at full time either nor justified criticism of the team in general. What I advocate is that, to use a hypothetical example if Edozie ( but insert any Saints player ) Tuesday, gets the ball but fails to do a wonder dribble / pass/run/goal /tackle then its disgraceful for someone calling themselves a “ supporter” aka some nauseous cunts around me, to start shouting/ wailing that he’s a fucking useless overpaid donkey waste of space disgrace to the shirt etc etc. constantly, all match, and then only shuts up if Ed, say in this example, then does something good. The “ supporters” that I’ve been exposed to latterly however remain on a trigger almost willing the next mistake in order to fuel the hate. In pyschology there is such a thing as manifesting - you focus so much on for instance fucking up that hey presto you fuck up. Some of our “supporters” at SMS are doing a great job of proving that theory. Thats what I find appalling in some of the so called “ supporters” I find myself surrounded with in Northam. I believe the support is part of the team. Not there to give instant judgement on every play but to encourage wherever possible. And to resist the downward spiral effect. When the players are doing bad and the tactics are not working yes we identify and make changes - but the supporters cannot kick the ball during the match so our loyalty to SFC means we give or we withdraw support because anything else just makes it worse. If we fail play bad etc then do not applaud, do not sing do not cheer express your total displeasure in full at full time - but, as an example, the relentless singling out of players during the match in particular during play is a nasty path that we are on at SMS. Those who know me from SF days know I’m not a happy flappy clapping consumer. It’s not a binary choice - consumer/ happy flappy or moaning hater. There is a better way We don’t have to be like that at SMS regardless of whether that’s the way it is in society today.I argue our mood can be a choice. To encourage or not to encourage simple as that. Perhaps all we can do is give example - but for the kids and younger adults in Northam what kind of example are they getting. Where’s the love of the shirt eh?

Chris, don’t you find it a little contradictory to call this kind of red fan on red player abuse “ support”? It’s not really supporting the team or the player is it, let’s be honest. It’s something else. A chance to let off steam and get relief from all the big stresses of modern living with a £32 ticket to the shouting therapy that is coming to SMS. Criticism of our team is totally justified. But we are way beyond that now with what I’ve already seen heard experienced this season. Just Six games in. It’s just plain nasty and senseless.

I understand all the frustration anger and vitriol. I just don’t like it and wish they wouldn’t. You don’t need qualifications in pyschology to work out what the impact of your own fans abusing you ( say, when you’re about to take a corner ) or when you’ve tried to take a man on and failed will ultimately be. Yes they get paid to deal with it but, honestly, instead of being the twelfth man we are actually cutting their legs from under them with this approach. When we were year on year a very average team but had a small but close stadium called the Dell it used to be intimidating for opposition teams. Now we may as well go play all our matches away for all the benefit playing at home and the “ home support” effect has on games. The non stop hostility is ridiculous. I’ve only gone to one away game this year ( Gillingham) yet even that had better supporting atmosphere than SMS give - especially from the apparently super fans of the Northam. I’m confident our away support are the true super fans. And that those in Northam whose only aim on match day appears to be constantly mouthing off how bad we are and repeating blindly ignorant tone deaf views are not.

I’d say that’s true not it’s not full reason. If you supported saints long enough you will realise that we are never far away from a shocking performance or string of them. Has that stopped you supporting? Or has it turned you into a cynical perpetual moaner? The kind of entitled match day ticket holder guy that makes constant nasty disparaging abusive comments surrounded by sniggering buddies out loud in block 41 towards your own players manager and club? It’s a choice. Support the team in good times or bad or just don’t come and make the atmosphere so toxic it’s a horrendous experience for all. Maybe RM is wrong, maybe xyz players are shit and abc players lazy and dug players crap and so on and on. Maybe so but if the match is that distressing why not stay in the pub and drink it off? Save the money you “ waste” on your ticket for self medicating pints.

Ermm. What do I expect? I expect that I’m with fellow Saints supporters as I’m a ST in Northam block xx. As far as I’m aware that’s supposedly Saints only. Apart from this phenomenon of “ fans” getting a ST or match ticket then going to the match to slag your own players Manager and club loudly and constantly all match.

Thank you for the tip. You are correct about it’s not my block. What I intended was get out of the home supporters end but it got shortened. Your point taken of course. Still bemused after five games I’ve attended at this new thing - of shouting abuse at your own players from our attacking corners and when we are in possession generally. Never really known or experienced that before. Apart from when away fans do it of course. ( or home if saints are the away team). Seems to be a new cool thing to slag off your team loudly during play. Cunts.

Never felt so much hate and anger directed at our own players and manager by our own fans as last match. Felt like I was surrounded by Pompey fans. I come to support the team and especially when it’s bad times and especially when we are playing bad. That’s when they need my support as obviously they are fucking it up on the pitch. instead, I’m surrounded by wise guy big mouths giving a constant negative commentary shouted out into my ears on every facet of the match. If I turn around and have a word - like I appreciate you think saints are shut but can you just leave out the nonstop abuse all match and try, you know, support your team. You are not helping and making it worse in fact….how do you think it will go? ive asked SFC if I can be moved but I’d rather the non supporting “ fans” GTF out my block and buy tickets in away end where they will feel right at home and surrounded by fellow believers.

THB putting it about really well. I like this guys attitude! Edozie playing well as is AA. We are better than these.

Glad I’m going to see another debut. Also glad Vestergaard is playing. I’d fancy any of our front five or six to go round him. I did not think at this stage we’d have so many “ new” players starting but it’s real. Patience is needed. They are good players but need bed in By : “new “ players I mean : Manning, Will ( yes I know..), Flynn, Fraser, Shea, THB, and Sam ( yes I know..). That’s 7/11 different to the standard team that lost almost every week last season..And a new Manager who is a top bloke. exciting times. Win lose or draw tonite this team/ squad can do stuff to make us proud this year. COYS

Have a bet on it. I even think your subs are right. 😀

Exactly. Makes defender look stationary. He looks fit to me. IF he is fit then he must be ready to play off the bench today. Would love him to come on last 15 or 20 and show what he’s all about on live TV.

I agree with you but the quickest way to get Che scoring again is for him to be on the pitch not the bench. He’s got the guts for it I’m sure and if he plays and scores the whole mood changes. Each match he watches not plays costs Saints £15M/c 40 matches - that’s c. £375,000 per match not to play!!! Leaving him on the bench to get his head straight after we did not sell him is a high stakes play! I think it’s what RM will do on balance but it would be a hell of a statement if he started!

Given how many goals we have been conceding one suggestion could be: ————Bazunu——— KWP—Holgate-Beds—Manning ———-Flynn-Shea——— Ed——————————Fraser ——————AA——————— ——————Che——————- 1. I think it’s right to give Mason his debut but there’s an argument for keeping the Shea/Beds duo which worked well second half of QPR. 2. If so then his MF slot is up for grabs. I think RM would prefer Stu for his experience in this kind of game but not playing Charlie may be controversial. 3. Che should play in this game BUT RM has left him on the bench a lot so who knows. If RM decides Che is better as a sub later in game then it makes a space for Charlie, Mara or even Joe. Or even drumroll…..Kamaldeen! This team should be good for at least a point probably three. That’s a sure sign for seasoned saints fans that we will get beaten but I remain ever hopeful! If any recent team can do it I have trust that this new look, newly reset saints can.

I think the crowd will be extra vocal and extra nasty towards us tomorrow. It’s gonna need wise professional heads to cope with the atmosphere. I think that points to a more experienced starting 11 than last time ie Ryan Fraser to start, Flynn to start, Stu to start (C) and Holgate to start. I’d hope there’s a place for Shea to start but it might be at expense of Charlie which I’d rather both were on the pitch! AA to play wherever he likes frankly except conventional 9..

Mildly gutted.

Ross. Stew. Art.