Holmes_and_Watson

There was that article that pointed out that the idea isn't to actually win the header from the throw in, or heaven forbid, score from them. It's to increase the chances of winning the second ball from them. It helps us prevent break aways from our own throw ins, apparently.

It's not Ralph's fault that other teams turn up and look fitter, work harder, don't faff around with their selection and have a structure! 🙂 Can we not just invest in renovating their living rooms, to give them higher ceilings...or something...🙂

Warning: Your will to live will be sapped with prolonged viewing

Livramento, someone further up the park allowing it to get that far, and Salisu. C'mon Forster! 🙂

Whew. Glad Long managed to pass that back. I was worried one of those Saints players was going to get on the end of it...oh...hang on...

Livramento looked to have all the mobility of a freighter in the run up and throw in. Salisu takes out Forster allowing a tap in. Feeble allowing to get to the throw in as well.

Oh bloomin' heck.

The future will be xP where we look at expected post numbers and reminisce about it being higher in the old days.

Of the squad we have. (Contract expiries in brackets.) GK - I'd not mind seeing Forster (22) stay, but it seems very likely he'll be going. McCarthy (?) as #2. Caballero (22) and Lewis (22) going too. Full Back - KWP (25) & Perraud (25) to start, with lots of Livramento (26) minutes. Small (24) as developing back up. Ramsay (23) and Vokins (24) probably surplus now. CB - Salisu (23) either signs an extension or the club should try to sell him. That leaves Bednarak (25), Lynaco (25), Stephens (?) & Valery (23) CM - JWP (26) but, as with Salisu, Romeu (23) extends or the club looks to move him on. Diallo (24) is not really a Romeu back up. Smallbone (24) still not shown enough. 10s - Armstrong (24) and Mo (23) will be okay, but we could really do with an update here. It seems the club would prefer Redmond (23) Djénépo (23) & Walcott (23) all to move. They might look to cash in on Mo, if possible, too. Striker - I'd be surprised if Broja (22) stays on. Long (22) going. That leaves Adams (24), Armstrong (25), Tella (25) and Nlundulu (24), with only Adams showing starting form. With so many with not long on their contracts, and the club probably only too happy to listen to offers for a lot of other, non regular starters, there could be a lot of changes in the summer. We could really do with... #1 goalkeeper #1 CB, (esp. if Salisu goes, but we need to upgrade in the position anyway) #1 CM (esp. if Romeu goes. but we need to upgrade in the position anyway). #1 10 (esp. if Mo goes, but we need to upgrade in the position anyway) #1 Striker (esp. if Broja goes, but we need to upgrade in the position anyway) That's a *lot* of first team players to be bringing in, expecially with not the biggest budget. We could be doing with moving on a number of others to fund this.

Game

We get a director of football who knows him. There's one at Man Utd. Just ask for... Ralph. 🙂

Crash

Good night John Boy Good night Jim Bob Good night Ben After another torrid defensive display, Saints bring in the Walton's back line from the MLS... 🙂

I thought offside too. Also that JWP got clambered over, but I saw some posts that suggest otherwise.

Foam

I'll need to take another look at the second. I didn't think he had a chance with it.

I'd add Forster, based on tonight. Pope stopped one straight at him and saw a JWP free kick over. Other than that he just stood there as if he had nothing to worry about. 🙂

I thought all the posts auto typed Broja into them and, like the emojis, they are fidgety to replace. 🙂 I'd look at his contributions at the end of the season. He had a great spell when he was an unknown and we were playing dynamic, pressing stuff. It's a lot more inconsistent for lots of players. Is 6 goals in a season a concern? Yes. But more so when no one else is getting many more. We're not going to know if AA, Tella or Long would have got more. Presumably Broja has shown it in training, and is considered the best fit for the tactic. When/if Broja goes it's only Adams who looks likely to score, and he's got, is it 1 more league goal? It's maybe not a Broja issue.

Was there context on what the second half xG was better than? Our first half xG? The xG of 2 goal ahead opponents, who didn't need to attack, but who still looked most likely? The xG of a group of septuagenarian strangers who had never seen a ball before? As long as he's happy he finally brought on Adams to raise it up a bit, then I guess that's a positive 😃

I was thinking that it would be easier to judge if he got a decent amount of chances and support. That support also creating some space for him, now our opponents know more of his game. He, and nearly everyone else is on poor form, and we're struggling across the board up front.

I could have saved myself a *lot* of typing, if only I could summarise as well as you. 😊

I liked the effort of Cork and that JayRod chap. Could they do a job...hey...wait...

At least we've some games to go. Focus on keeping that winning mentality. At lower levels in men's football you've got some teams with a game to go and others with 7 or 8 , due to earlier call offs. I'd rather be playing, than cooling my heels waiting for the big day.

Just popping in to remind myself what a 2-0 victory from a determined, well drilled Southampton team looks like. Pretty good 🙂

That was poor. Out run, out tackled, out thought and out fought. Poor right across the team, with only Forster getting credit from the game. Burnley might have something to fight for, in terms of just staying in the division. But that we have nothing to fight for is often self inflicted, and no excuse for that level of performance. I have a concern that Ralph doubts his tactics. Beaten so easily by Chelsea, where Tuchal gave a how to guide for it in a couple of paragraphs. Getting a result against Arsenal didn't mean we had to approach this game in the same way. It took Burnley all of 5 mins to adapt and get the better of us. Broja needs support. He needs Adams for that, or at least more options from midfield. 3 at the back for most of the game was a waste, and and questionable to begin with, we never looked like getting back into it. Slumping towards a lower than mid table finish. Pretty much where my start of season expectations were. But that doesn't make it any easier to watch.