Holmes_and_Watson

In his few games this season, I could see improvements in Edozie's game. He tried a variety of things in trying to take on opponents, get to the lines and hold up play. The end product wasn't there yet. Some of that is that he's less direct than Manning, SAA or Dibling. Some is having to wait for someone to appear, to pass it to. Cutbacks to AA, rather than having the more clinical Archer available. And some was just the decision making. So, not as direct as some, not having the pace of Sule and not having the experience of Fraser, AA or Cornet dropped him way down the pecking order. He got 6 goals in the Championship. So, hopefully he gets plenty of game time and develops this season, as that's where we'revery likely to be next time. By then a few others may have moved on, giving him game time with us again.

Stephens, Wood. Edwards, ABK and Taylor can all play there, if RM wants to keep a back 3. Hoping for a swift and full recovery for Jan.

We can only hope that the loss of Ramsdale and Bedders isn't going to disrupt our defensive possession too much. At least Stephens has been getting plenty of minutes, and the club did well in extending Alex's contract, meaning we've an England international to play in goal.

Cigarette

Surely can't be long before not so top managers of not so big clubs start giving compliments knowing we are no threat to them whatsoever. 🙂

Some of my favourite bits from today. While not ignoring results or outcomes, thoughts being offered on the purpose of what we do and why we do it. Stirring and thought provoking stuff.

#daretodream 🙂

Ramsdale KWP - THB - Bedders - Taylor Downes - Fernandes AA - Lallana - Dibling Archer is an okay team to at least be putting up a fight. Fight being exactly what we train them not to do, in terms of imposing themselves on a game if it increases risk of losing possession.

To be a football powerhouse, or not to be a football powerhouse, that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The thick lines and incompetence of outrageous VAR, Or to take to data analysis against a sea of defeats, And by opposing end them: to give death to old formations, to sleep No more; and by a sleep, to say we end The heart-ache, and the thousand natural losses That non possession play is heir to? 'Tis a consummation Devoutly to be wished. To cease old tactics, to sleep, To sleep, perchance to Dream; aye, there's the rub, For in that sleep of change, what dreams may come. Bill Shakesbeard, Saints Magic Sponge purveyor 1584 - 1605, upon the occasion of petitioning Lord Ankerson for patronage to develop a new style of The People's Game.

Needs more connections between CDs and GK. But the main principle of noone having any connection with the striker is there.

It's that perspective that allows the correct structures to be put into place for long term success and growth, eschewing short term, reactionary decision making. Those are the values under which we can really grow, fortunately with the very welcome investment of Dragon. If we all keep the above in mind, then hurdles are just things to jump beyond. We can watch and enjoy the path to success under Ralph... I mean Nathan.. um... where did Jesse go... Ruben... oh, I know! Russell!

I too have better footballing tactics than Russell Martin, and I know that this means more work to fix the turf. No wait, that's a double divot... I too have better tactics than the groundsman... 🙂

There's a vacancy on the club website for someone who knows how to put up a dart board.

Club branded boxes of tissues under every St Mary's seat. Another SR first! 🙂

I found that line particularly empowering. Fear not the short term humiliations, or even the risk of disaster. We have gazed into that abyss and been the stronger for it. Be strong. Be brave. Keep the goal in mind more than counting the steps needed to get there.

I ran to the window, worrying about the sky falling down, before realising I'd just read one of SOG's posts quoted. From the article linked, "Early indications are that Donald Trump has increased his vote among working class men, Latino voters and even women." Oh no! Demographics that the Democrats were in no way trying to convince so they could have a comprehensive win. "It was not an electoral college landslide of the order of Barack Obama’s in 2008 or Bill Clinton’s in 1996. But it was sufficiently decisive as to command a serious reckoning, and it may well represent a realignment of US politics." Conservative country elects a party across the board, giving them the mandate to implement changes more easily shocker. I'd expect a realignment too, just as we're doing that here, the other way. The mewling because it's someone disagreed with never seems to apply the other way. Democrats= Dancing in the streets Republicans= Existential threat Hopefully not another 4 years of Democrat supporters failing to understand that demonising, rather than understanding, is going to lead them to the same place in the future.

Opinion

Noone can accuse SR of not proactively responding to Tony Bloom's refinement of the Brighton scouting set up.

I will be pinching Ankernomics. But didn't want to do it before giving credit. 🙂

SR did replace the nicked Black Box. It plays Ride on Time, giving them something to listen to while they turn the decision making tombola.

2 is even more of a fantasy than 1. Martin has pretty much said he'd rather lose than change and that he would never change the fundamentals of his approach. That leaves 3. Martin would have to stay around the top places after the squad settled in, to stay at that point. Much like last season.

Have they been replaced by a data driven model?

SR were looking to reduce individual wages, to maximise sell on values. Villa were looking to pay players for league success. Just two very different outlooks, that extended to their managerial decision making too.

Listening to a Beeb cast where they were asked how they got the result wrong. They had said too close to call, and one said all swing state wins were in the tolerances, just that they went all one way. One response from Justin Webb was revealing. He wondered if they had obsessed on the issues that were so important to what he called "the chattering class" such as sexism. racism, and transgender rights, which just weren't as important to the electorate. He later said that the values behind their reporting are not shared by those voting. The BBC seemed to send a small army across to cover the election. As much as they tried to remain impartial, the sheer amount of coverage makes opinions and tones difficult to hide, and they were very much leaning to Harris. That podcast opinion was as honest as I've heard. However the tone of the programme still comes across as the values held by the voters being somehow wrong. One later voice using distinction between outcome and "normal" people. One of them had asked some undecided voters to get in touch. They all voted Trump in the end, but they didn't chase those views, not getting them until after the last show before the election. Too busy finding a spot clear of another media team in a swing state, to set up a pop up studio.

Opens thread, sees OP in a reply... when discussing abuse is an excuse for points scoring...