gio1saints

I get what many of you are saying - especially the esteemed FF. There’s us and remains a palpable sense of disappointment from that match. My opinion is that the outcome was disappointing but I was satisfied by the by the general standard of our play - especially put into the broader context of last 18 months. More accurately I was satisfied that the style RM has installed is - gradually- bedding in . Becoming what Ralph used to call “ auto-instinct”. A long way off being what we could be but - for me- we are on the right path stylistically, and what is needed is not full scale changes but rather tweaks and the addition of a decisive CF. RM does and will make tactical mistakes - he’s no Ancelotti- but on balance his perseverance is more admirable to me than to have a constantly flip flopping non style. Pragmatic football can win games and Jose is a master of it - but the style we are attempting to play wins Champions Leagues and EPL titles and is considered the optimal current way to play the gam. And it’s a beautiful way too which is the bonus all saints fans would love to have.

As ever a wide range of reactions to the result. I’m personally sanguine but there was a lot of abuse hurled at the team , individual players and RM at the end from some around me. some here will say it’s well warranted. To those I say I respect your opinion but not the ways it was expressed on Saturday. That was out of order. My impressions from Block 41: 1. Probably our most dominant and skilful home display of the season. Some of our football was wonderful to watch. I loved the way we moved the ball up the pitch and made 15 ( I think) chances. 2. Support around me often concurring with delight at the way we finally seem to have cracked the dilly dallying on the ball around the penalty area issue - though it did resurface once or twice. 2. Canny work from the Rotherham manager to shuffle his team set up early to adapt and try to restrain us. It stemmed, but did not abate, our much more incisive than hitherto this season play. 3. Rotherham are a very limited team - relegation material imo- but this result was deserved if only for their defensive performance. Fair dos to them. 4. We failed to win due to not scoring from excellent chances. Excellent chances that in normal circumstances would be converted into goals. No one player was most at fault - they ALL misfired at the we critical moment - CA, AA, KS, SA, RF, SE all of them. 5. Any team, player or RM criticism of the performance up until shooting on goal in general is ill-conceived. Criticism of our finishing on the other hand is extremely fair- we were well below par. 6. IF we play like that every match between now and end of season we will ( surely) be putting a hatful past some opponents at some stage. And I’d guess that’s more likely away than at home as teams may feel obligated to open up a bit more when playing us at home. I can see a set of big away wins on the cards for us. 7. Kamaldeen and Sam are still Learning but both obviously ridiculously too quick too skilled for their opponents - they just need add end product ( or, frankly, have a striker to pass to after they beaten their man who just scores not misses) 8. I thought the midfield four did well. 9. Che Adams was relatively ineffective after a promising first ten minutes. I thought he would bully such teams as these but he looked subdued. 10 AA worked hard. Again. Failed to score his chance (s) (again) but still put max effort in -which is the minimum. He’s limited and not the greatest player I’ve ever seen in a saints shirt but he works his butt off so he’s ok with me. 11. Manning and KWP both had sound games. Manning in particular has to adapt because KS still does not know what to do out of possession so Manning needs curb his attacking instincts ( look at his goals and assists last season) - which is a shame because defensively he’s only average rather than good or great and I’m sure we recruited him for that rather than as a defensive player. I can see his football intelligence and experience is their though so he’s OK with me too. 12. SA was good in fits and starts he does things others don’t do- notably his direct running from midfield central areas - a bit like Charlie. Defensively they are average however. Both are very good players at this level if others can do the defending…Charlie is the more dynamic more technically skilled and has more promise and better goal instincts imo but Stu does also put a shift in which Charlie sometimes only belatedly remembers out of possession hence he seems to always be involved in flare ups due to having to be overaggressive to regain possession. 13. My personal view is that long term Shea Charles should be playing instead of Stu. I like Stu AND I know Shea, Flynn and Will are unlikely goalscorers- whereas Stus scored 2/2 but with them in midfield we will concede even fewer ( but Stus goalscoring record is sketchy overall) and with AA, KS, Charlie and our new CF to come they should take care of the bulk of the goalscoring. 14. Baz is become s fan favourite. Who would have thought it. 15. AA gave armband to Jan when he went off - NOT Che as he has done previously - the situation and implication obvious. 16. Our twin CB ‘s played well, again. That’s them set for rest of season. 17. Shout out to Rotherham’s goalie. Some simply excellent saves. He will be playing for better team shortly for sure. 18 Aribo - looked clumsy as usual but it’s difficult to get the ball off of him. It’s weird but I’d be tempted to put him in at CF sometimes as a CF so he can hold ball up a bit- Michel Antonio style. 19 Some “Supporters”abusing RM and players at full time. Disgusting. Appalling. Ignorant. Short-sighted. Anywhere else in society you behave like that to staff in public you get prosecuted. At football it’s supposedly ok. It’s not. It’s disgraceful & shameful. Aggravated by the public nature especially when in front of kids. Plus ca change. I don’t consider them supporters. Just vile customers. Saintly regards Giordano

Delighted for him and proud for Saints. I’m not sure it’s accurate to call him understudy to Messi as there are one or two other Argentinian players who might feel it’s there title but he is obviously considered one of the best 3 or 4 Argentinian players in the world in his attacking midfield/ false nine / no. 10 type position. Which is a remarkable thing for the World Champions National team! 👏.

I think this point has been put to bed recently. In summary; NO it’s not the fault of the fans. It’s RM and JW’s fault - but we would be one-eyed if we failed to give due credit in same measure if it goes right. This squad should get promoted playing whatever formation and style you can think of. They are all top footballers at Championship level - there can surely not be much unbiased dispute about that. That being the case, it’s surely a matter of HOW we get promoted. The RM playbook is considered the best long term get promoted stay promoted approach for Saints. It’s What we as supporters argue about constantly. I’d rather 3 points playing crap than zero playing Brazilian - but I want my cake and to eat it too. I’d like both , ideally, and the road to that is rocky and filled with 5-0 and 1-4 mishaps! And that’s if we even arrive!

I’ve had a road to Damascus moment ( I think!) as I try to understand the RM philosophy. Martin is relentlessly positive. He name checks his players constantly in a positive manner when interviewed. In interview whenever asked about one of our guys there is barely a sentence where he does not express how great, brave, brilliant, amazing, excellent, professional, or insert any upbeat adjective you like, one of our players is. I can understand why players would ultimately come to love him as the gaffer as his major philosophical weapon is to give all his love, belief and trust in them. I really wish him all the best in this approach. I can recall players once used to say same about Mourinho at Chelsea and you can name others. Of course you can name (winning) others who motivate as much by fear as by love - Ferguson a good example but in an era in which this kind of approach is increasingly understood to have fundamental psychological benefits ( I’m talking mental health here) I think it’s good to see and refreshingly progressive.

RM said taking Sulemana off was premeditated on Saturday to preserve his fitness recovery. But does that mean S has saved enough juice to play from the start again tonight? IMO If he’s fit he should start - i can see the temptation to continue this apparent rehab but it should be resisted and our best players should be on the pitch now showing why they are our best players. Before we drop too many more points. IF he’s not fit to start then the most like for like is Sam….

Far from being only a tippy tappy lightweight team many of our tactics Saturday were predicated on drawing opposition towards us prior to a very long ball to either of our two nippy wingers. They also included professional al fouls were necessary. Bazooka pinged at least three 50 yard balls straight to wide players. It’s clearly in our script and he has excellent skill at it. His save was textbook and I think this may be his best match for Saints to date, certainly this season. The Northam were chanting his name several times and that was seemingly helpful to him. Some of our bookings were obviously silly but showed we are not happy letting players go past us - which was a welcome innovation! Carry on!

Still trying to work out what was different about Saints today not in terms of players but in terms of the tactics. Others have helped on that already but my general perception was that 1. we appeared more dynamic in attack. My personal view is that Che is a relatively stationary striker not super fast or a devastating finisher and not all that powerful at holding the ball up either - so dropping him and putting on more mobile attacking players made sense and meant we looked more dangerous. 2. we appeared to be happy to go long quicker 3. our defenders passed into midfield or further much quicker. Less backwards passing. 4. Baz played best game I’ve seen him play.

Nice improvement with the vibrant forest taproom concession in the inner foyer. 😊. Generous free samples ( oops I’ve had theee already) and the Black Forest Porter pint in front of me is delish. £6. I think that’s made an important contribution to the pre match discussion. 😃

Seems like there’s a major incident near me in Bitterne just as I’m about to leave for sms…I e counted 3 engines 6 ambulances 5 emergency y cars all sirens blazing and a helicopter hovering atm. Pray it’s not a coach and there’s no fatalities ..🙏

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I’ve still got money on us being top six and perhaps much more laughably on Charlie to be leading goalscorer. Well in my defence I put down £20 for a chance to win nearly a grand. Which I thought was not unreasonable. Except he does not even play atm! Guilty of having eternal optimism about Saints. I guess it’s just a metaphor for how I look at life overall so I’m not worried about being right or wrong. As RM might say - - “ it’s the process” 😇

I should realise by now when I see your name as the author of a post that what I’m about to experience is a read of unrelenting negativity. Yet, there’s something beguiling in your oft repeated dismay & the disgust you express so often- and so well I might add - and all because SFC are not playing football the way you want. I’ve no doubt you will consider turning your well honed skills of the online public evisceration kind onto me for this post but perhaps you might not be bothered because RM, SR and the currently hapless players are a much bigger and easier target. It’s ridiculously easy to criticise SFC atm. You can bash them all day long and no Saints fan that goes to the matches can really argue that you’re wrong. And that’s why some saints fans, namely me, don’t. When it’s easy to bash then the bigger thing is not to bash. When it’s easy to hurt, the better thing is not to hurt. Instead of a stick or an online rant about how cowardly shit and useless they are May I suggest you try to put that admirable eloquence and energy of yours into coalescing us currently grieving fans into a force for good. For positivity. Maybe just turn up on Saturday and sing support for 90 minutes to show what those “useless” so and so’s on the pitch and in the boardroom. are meant to be bleeding on the shirt for and what being a Saint is all about.

Saints are 9/4 and 11.1 to win 1-2. Yeah I’m on that. 😇. Faith it will improve in the face of constant disappointment is the primary criteria for supporting this club. 😁

I think they are too much of a defensive risk at this stage. Surely RM is heavily focused on not getting beaten by end of first half. All being well they both come on later on in the game…

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?