Holmes_and_Watson

Perhaps, like a modern day Samson, Grealish's man-child attitude was all in his hair. I doubt it, as I doubt seeing the restraint shown by Romeu to not rearrange more on his head than his hair, will have had an impact either. We'll see.

It didn't look good for him. It's unfortunate, but I'd have fancied Broja, on current form, and in the way Coventry playes, to have more of an impact on the game. And impact was needed. There is the question on there being too many starting changes prompting the need to bring him into the game. But then, he was one of those changes. Had he started and got crocked, I'm sure the manager would be getting questioned too.

Disapointed that, from what I'm reading, Small didn't have a good game. Hopefully, he'll be taught/ learn from that game. Disapointed about Walcott too. We're probably going to have him for another season, and I'm sure everyone was hoping he'd have more of an impact.

Two good bits of skill to get us the points. At the end, Coventry were coming forward and Long, Armstrong and Redmond looked to control it. But no excuses for the 5 mins before that, when in the lead gifting opportunities for Coventry to equalise. Good 'keeping and an offside kept us in the lead. I didn;t see the first half, so can;t say if Saints played with more intensity. They seemed to lack drive even when 1 down. Some things to learn form this one, but got there in the end. Yay!

Oh for ....

I can only hope that would have been offside.

Yay!

Not really anything to suggest Saints are going to finish this off. They need to step it up to avoid pens. Coventry have had some moments, that didn;t come to anything, but were more likely to than anything we were doing.

Some Broja run...

I only got back to see from 50 mins on. Not lots of momentum, in either exploiting Coventry when they tried to counter, nor in working their defence when they sat back. Redmond coming on was an improvement. But it took a super Armstrong strike to get Saints back into this. I'm not sure they would have been able to without it.

I'd like to think that The Diver Formerly Known As Alice Band Boy would have wound me up had he played for us. But if he'd come up through our ranks with goals and assists...

Not to mention allowing endless rolling subs to allow a better reflection of a club's true xG potential for those 90mins. Offside can go too. If that still isn't enough to stack the deck, big clubs should go into games with xG bonuses based on their last season plus a bonus based on their TV audience draw. The future of football! 😊

Stand

U-Turn

Submarine

That was my first thought on it too. Put the proper badge on it. If you're trying to merge it, then it's not really our badge.

Dusty

It's okay, the Fifa ethics committee are investigating. That's all right then. 🙄

That's the way I look at it too. It might be a little more flexible going forward, for certain deals, following the takeover (for example another bright other team's academy prospect, just on the verge of the first squad). I doubt we'll have a bloated squad, which I'm fine with. If McCarthy and Stephens have penned new deals, there may be even less movement. A quick peek at the contract thread:- 2022 - McCarthy (?), Stephens (?), Long, Caballero, Broja, Lewis, Forster, Chauke 2023 - Romeu, Redmond, Djenepo, Elyounoussi, Walcott, Valery, Ramsey, Watts, 2024 - Adams, Small, S Armstrong, Smallbone, Salisu, Diallo, Vokins, Ferry, Nlundulu, Simeu 2025 - Walker Peters, Lynaco, A Armstrong, Perraud, Tella, Bednarek 2026 - Ward-Prowse, Livramento New Keeper: A McCarthy/ new Caballero contract duo doesn't fill me with huge confidence and since Forster will undoubtedly be on his way (I like him and think we could have done a lot worse.) New Striker - A Broja replacement really, whether another loan or a buy (easier said than done). Ideally Broja himself for at least another year's loan. I'd like to see extensions for Romeu, Salisu and on current levels... Redmond (ducks behind bunker). Wages being freed up on the other 22/23 expirees leaving, to help bring in a number 10. Someone to provide extra midfield cover would be super too (if smallbone isn't ready to make the step up). But with the wages of Premier League players, we may well have Elyounoussi,Walcott and the others expiring in 2023 for the next year anyway.

I remember seeing BFS on a Saturday morning show alongside, I think it was Peter Reid. BFS was light years ahead. Reid had taken Sunderland to 2 7th placed finishes (and I think they fell to finish 7th in those seasons), not that long before.

Rubbish

There's just not the words Minsk. There really isn't. So, so sorry. All our love to you and your family.

Romance

I surely must have had expectations going into a football match at some point. Repeated viewing of the teams I support must have long since got rid of it. 🙂 As mentioned, it was tougher opposition. Hopefully seeing some league games will either:- 1) Be better value for you, as Saints are on an upward curve. You get the added bonus of saying "I was there" in years to come if they repeat the feats of the men's team. 2) Repeated viewing isn't any better for you. But after a while it does remove transient things like hopes, dreams and expectations, and you keep returning either out of sheer habit, or just for an afternoon out, some fresh air and to give some support while you're there. 🙂 A win-win all round!

Really sorry to read your post Minsk. I can only wish you all the very best with whatever has happened. I can only hope to see you post again, and that whatever challenges you have, can be overcome. As above, thanks for this thread and your posts, which I always look forward to reading.