gio1saints

I think its interesting with Armstrong up front alone first half we regularly punted long high balls to him. None of which he controlled. THATS the kind of ball Downs or Stewart would be more competitive with. Second half we put on two 6ft + strikers and stopped hitting the ball long. Yes Ryan put crosses in but we never went direct quickly despite our obvious height advantage. Why?? When Stoke went down to 10 men we then totally forgot about any pass over 5metres and began a football by numbers routine from the book of “how to play against ten men.” Which incidentally we are shit at. See Newcastle away last year. In retrospect we should have started the way we finished, and finished the way we started. And changed it when we saw was not working. Players played bad ✅BUT, Manager played BAD also ✅

Think your observation is correct. It’s why they don’t play them when under intense transfer speculation. Fernandes looked great in warm up but on the pitch was just off it sufficient for casual observers to conclude his performance was impacted by the speculation and he was not fully present in his head. Think that’s the last we will see him in a shirt myself.

Downs was desperately disappointing yesterday poor service or not. He looked frightened to me. What runs he attempted looked weak and unconvincing. On the ball he looked rushed and swarmed. He did not exude confidence and simply did not cope. He was never in control of the ball. It was a bad performance. We DO need a big centreforward - and it’s either him or Stewart. Nobody new is coming in until either or both are proven failures. And that will take more than one bad half of football. So, if there’s a new CF don’t expect it until the Jan window - which should be long enough to ascertain whether either of those two are worth persevering with. Or indeed Cam and Adam.

The reason they largely do that is not necessarily muscle-memory, though admittedly you’d understand if some ( Downes!) seem on autopilot playing that way. I’d say it’s more likely they are not imaginative enough to see a killer pass. And/Or not technically capable of delivering that killer ball. It’s far easier to pass it to a same shirt sideways in front of 30k fans than to do the mental gymnastics of putting the ball into a place where your same shirt can be in a position shoot/head/score - and take responsibility if the pass goes wrong. This is true. Saints fans- like all after such a defeat - ARE too reactionary - but some of the chances missed to date are going to be the same, better system, more creatives and a back four or not. For me it’s plausible that none of our players can play a killer pass to our forwards, or enough killer passes. Plausible but not really as likely as the elephant in the room; for me, it’s more likely they are simply frightened to. The consequences of a mistaken pass can lead to a goal conceded - and that fear for our players currently, is greater than the desire to win. Not losing > winning at Saints and that needs addressing.

Agree. If I was him, playing and losing to ten men, at home, against Stoke bloody City I need no further encouragement to get the hell out. You simply cannot get beaten at home by a team plays with ten men for half an hour and not expect a big dose of career introspection in your star players. Mat Fernandes does not get picked to play International football if he’s playing for a team loses at home to ten man Stoke City. He does not need his Portugal Manager to tell him that or his agent not even his barber or the guy who washes his car. If a final straw were needed - which in fairness it was not as it’s pretty clear he’s going (to me anyway) then this was it. PS : upset as we all are at the defeat- and manner of defeat more to the point - sometimes a result and performance like this are what’s needed to give everyone - obviously the fans but absolutely including SR- a reality check about this squad and its prospects. My Three word summary: Better. Players. Required.

Agree we dealt with the crosses reasonably well but putting Quarshie on was surely a no brainer. If there’s a team designed to suit Quarshies attributes it was Stoke. I’m livid a team could beat us with such a basic plan - go long lob crosses in the box : repeat.

Quarshie would have caught the fucker before he got the ball. That goal was EXACTLY why we bought him to stop happening. It was a straight foot race and Quarshie’s extra pace would have won and it would have been a draw not a loss. And he was benched instead. Fecks sake. Oh and all those 359 crosses that Stoke put into our box? And the 15 quick kicks Down the middle to isolate a CB against there quick forward? Who is the biggest fastest guy in our squad who will eat those all day? Why didn’t Still know this was a tactic and play his best player against that tactic instead of benching him? Got to go down as manager error. Stupid error too. Quarshie was born to play against Stoke ffs.

Our attack , a review. Adam Armstrong started well first 5mins- and then - well he totally disappeared. Yet again. Demand the fucking ball mate you were captain once. Bollock everyone when you don’t get given the ball. No, none of that- just acceptance that he, we, are shit. Not happy at all with the attitude. Or performance. Ross Stewart’s miss was God-awful. He had one job and a great cross from Manning to do it with - and blew it. He had one hanging cross he could have taken himself but instead let it go out for a goal kick. Sorry mate but you are there to take responsibility for scoring. Not Good Enough. I think I’ve seen Enough of The Invisible man aka Cameron Archer too. Game after game he plays or comes on, usually instead of AA - and does nothing nothing nothing. It’s like we have ten men when he’s on. He’s got as much threat as a dead sheep. Please get rid. The new guy Damion- for a big guy he looked like he was shitting his pants out there. Speed of a glacier legs of lead what happens to these guys when they get on the pitch? Can’t run can’t shoot cant jump can’t fight? Jay Robinson : Thank fuck he’s not been infected by those others-yet. THB - not his best game but nearly scored twice. Ryan and Fraser - good efforts. The rest of you - I’m very very disappointed with you. I’m not going to stop supporting you but you’d better show more bloody fight and will to win. Not this weak shit you are getting overpaid to deliver. Fucking team and manager should be apologising to supporters for that shite against a technically mediocre team who we made look like fucking Champions league contenders.

First half : Stoke aggressive and getting it forward very very quickly. We’ve defended multiple crosses. Shea has had a mare. Like the Ref. Wee man has done well. Mateus is class. Jay playing decent. Flynn best he’s played in ages. Manning has put some crosses in but we need a taller forward..rest of the team fairly average. Especially expecting more from Adam Armstrong. Our 3cb system is currently working- just. Could be anything second half but I’d say it just favours saints because these have got three yellows already and I don’t think they can keep up this pace all match. Expect late goal or goals and maybe a sending off to help us.

Have to mention Mattie looks full of beans and very up for it today if his rondo performance is any judge. Made everyone else look pedestrian. Like- this is the top top player with instant reactions and the rest of you just play at about two heartbeats slower. First time I seen this in these pre match efforts. Impressive given the noise around him. C’mon Mattie give us a goal- and 3 points!😇

Ahhh. Loves first bloom. It’s a beautiful thing @Saint_clark. Always better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all - as many Saints fans can testify to - or, as John Lennon said ( though I’m not sure he had Will Still or Saints in mind, probably it was Yoko Ono but there you go) “Love is the flower you've got to let grow." 🙏

This is a toughie. I’m normally good at these. Is it to do with sea shells and nuts? If so I think the answer is c*nts - C for the sea bit and nuts for the nuts part. It’s quite obvious when you know how to work these out.

Agree with @Midfield_General here. I think having three players from a team associated with multiple relegations would be at least one too many for the Hammers fans to stomach. Fan opinion is very strong very vocal- and still relatively influential at West Ham. I don’t think Mattie is going to do himself any favours going there. Get loadsamoney -yes-improve his career and International prospects? He spent a season with a struggling club last year in EPL how is a repeat going to do that? There’s better clubs out there for him * and he will still get paid well at Saints until they come knock on the SMS door I reckon. * Villa, Spurs or Palace for example.

There are two decent attacking mf/wingers playing for stoke, probably relatively cheap (highly regarded Sth Korean winger/player and I think German origin mf) plus the goalie of course. We will get a chance to see them today. And if Will Smallbone recovers it’s not impossible he’s involved in any deal..

Stoke staying at the usual place and Will still has just turned up outside in a taxi. He’s accompanied but uncertain who there were . I’m a little intrigued.

Yes I think you are probably right and Mateus non attacking ability may have only been made more conspicuous by necessity last year! He is clearly - to me- our best #10. But he’s had to defend more than a #10 usually has to!

Agree that will bolster price resolve. A certain propensity to sell him exists at high level though. It has to in real life. It is also simultaneously contingent on how offers for our targets proceed. I’ve only heard of firm interest in attacking midfielders/wingers /10 - none of which really seem to match Mateus characteristics - so, if he is sold, then that’s a possible gap. This may undermine that propensity to sell as his engine, willingness to run and defend and tackle PLUS his strong attackIng characteristics are a special combo. That’s why he is an high value young player basically! Unsure any of the interesting names we’ve heard possess his package.

Nope. Steve Williams was already one of the best midfielders in the first division and everyone knew it when he joined Arsenal. There was no potential about him because he was already very very good and had already proved it match after match in proper football like what they used to play back then. Tyler is potentially an excellent player but nowhere near delivered at top level English football what Williams had. Our captain as well !

Chelsea are smashing West Ham after going a goal down. Think they won’t finish with 11men either. WH look for all the world like relegation favourites already. Hopeless defending. Mattie watching this cannot want to join this shower..

Cough cough 1-2…😁

The squad, including Mads if he is there not getting the logistics of relocating out the way, will be doing the usual pre match session, of course: This is usually : A light game of ping pong, some darts, sandwiches and salad hot day like this then followed by an instructive talk on ancient Mesopotamian cuniform tablets I think it is this week in the afternoon to exercise those brain muscles as well. I’d imagine if Mads has the stamina he may then go back to his digs at the Harbar on foot, picking up some chips along the way (on the QT of course). Well, that was the Friday pre match prep last season but I don’t know if Will has mixed it up a bit? Maybe they willdo the informative and mentally stimulating lecture in the morning and darts /pool in the afternoon? Your guess as good as mine. What do I think Mads will be doing after that? Tough day so early night I expect.

I think Hamer is more likely to have a positive impact on saints than Cam this season. Or BBd. Or Sam despite his purple patch couple years ago. Hard pushed to have less! Too many of our players are impact-lite and zero personality.

Agree with people saying don’t judge get too happy or too angry too soon. IF Will is going to stay true to “ it’s all about winning” - the reverse side is forget about style - Machiavellian ends justifies the means is the new catchphrase nothing about bravery..🤣 In which case some posters on Here better forget phrases like “he doesn’t know his best team” or “he flip flops like a tinker man too much “ or “the players dont know what to do” if we should god forbid drop points and he starts to change the way we play accordingly. I can see some then demanding consistency and continuity as the best pathway instead of chopping and changing each week. He cannot please all of the fans all of the time is the moral of that story I guess! 😁

I know I’m sorry Sam but if it’s between you and /or Cam plus £10m for a Russian champion playmaker or the championship player of the year playmaker I’m doing the deal now.

Well you may be right. Change the values and then tell me what you think one of the best championship players in the league is worth in this market. £20m?£25m? Then bear in mind Cameron has not had a fulsome goal return since we bought him and I don’t think his value has risen- it’s dropped. is he a £10m player now probably at least imo. Him plus £10m for Hamer is a win win deal imo for both sides.