Ralph Fastenbüttl

I don't especially like contributing to the overly-negative sentiment that riddles these boards, but surely everyone understands by now that neither AM nor GB are rounded enough to be No.1s in the Prem? I'm perfectly happy with AM being our No.2, but it's hard not to remain unconvinced by Bazunu, no? I do tire of our ongoing inability to get a 1st choice keeper of sufficient quality into the club. I'm generally a pro-Russel Martin guy, but I do get the impression he's a bit of a pack animal - fiercely loyal to the tribe and attributing perhaps a little too much importance into the idea of "keeping the gang wot got us back up togevver". It's the sort of thinking that means we're in danger of going into next season with AA and Che as our top strikers. Loyalty is an admirable trait, but our Prem return necessitates fresh blood at both ends of the pitch. As has been the case for a while.

MLT is definitely the most naturally talented player I've ever seen in a Saints shirt and arguably I've ever seen in the flesh. He was my hero for over two decades. All of which explains why his outing as a fucking helmet is really, really sad. It's easy to write him off as a idiotic numpty but the truth is that the sort of messaging he's peddling is more than just daft nonsense - it's actively damaging and dangerous. That doesn't become untrue because he performs magic with the football and visited a lot of hospitals. But at the same time, the fact that he's Solent's village idiot doesn't change the fact that he was a generational football talent. Safe to say I much prefer the pre-critical-thinking version of Le God, as this current incarnation is a fucking tool.

"Wesley Hoedt, he scores for fun"

I watched much of the second half. Lots of folk whinging about our play but I thought we looked pretty good tbh. We certainly were quite clearly a class above Stoke when it came to skill on the ball. KWP looks like a world beater in this league.

Notice how much quieter the match threads are when Saints are winning. Wonder if that says anything about this forum? Anyway, good stuff Saints. Let's have a little run of good form to settle the ship now, please x

You're in dreamland, mate. Well, not about Leeds ripping us a new one. But even if things stay as bad as they are now, Martin's going nowhere for a while.

I mean, if one thing's true it's surely that we've got the funds sitting there to pay for a decent manager?!?!

I suspect this is correct. I've no idea how long this current run would need to continue before the club started thinking about a change, but I would guess the answer is longer than anyone would like.

I watched it and I disagree. But, y'know - opinions, arseholes etc. Regardless of how well we did or didn't play, we're really looking like a team that's forgotten how to win games, unfortunately.

The worrying thing about today for me was that we're now losing while playing largely quite well.

Lovely passage of play and finish. Good, positive stuff thus far.

I can very much understand frustration at our current defensive failings. I'm frustrated. What I don't understand are the people demanding the manager's head in early September. When we've won more than we've lost. Do we want better? Yep. Should this squad be capable of delivering better? Undoubtedly. But there is a long ol' season with plenty of twists and turns ahead. Let's just fucking give RM and the team the slightest chance to bed in FFS, yeah?

Seriously you lot, come on now.

I'd not actually watched the goals because, well, why the fuck would I. Plus, I think you lot are very unfair on Baz sometimes. But... Fuck me, that is some woeful shit. Regardless of the defensive errors (which were admittedly dreadful), that's gotta be one of the worst keeping displays I've seen for Saints. Making excuses for this shit is starting to get pretty tiresome. It doesn't feel like an exaggeration to say that the lad might cost us promotion.

A shocking debut, yes, but you just cannot write a player off after a single performance. It's insane. Let's fucking hope he's got it all out of his system now.

Our best hope after today is that any and all complacency is slapped out of the squad, the manager and the club. It's a long ol' season in this league and the strength of our team guarantees nothing if we perform like that. Hopefully the shock will do them some good.

Still, at least we all here on these boards can show the boys how it's done by maintaining a calm composure in the face of adversity. Right?

Yeah, Kasper Schmeichel!

I know it's bad form to quote someone twice, but I can't quite get over the glory of this post. We're undefeated, we've got 10 from 12 points yet after one bad half you're how long the manager, who is currently overseeing his fifth competitive game for the club, has left before being given the boot? Both the very worst and very best post.

I couldn't resist popping in to see how everyone was coping. You're hitting expectations, SaintsWeb xxx Seriously though, after all this week's excitement and the unprecedented positivity seen from some normally right moaning minnies on these boards yesterday, a feeble capitulation was gloriously inevitable today. Honestly, I'm amused. It's been an unusual week, I think the lads largely get a pass. Tho Baz is pushing it, from what I read (I've not followed the game thus far).

Oh fuck yeah, Tall Paul's still here, isn't he? Still time to ship him out to a league where the window's still open, I guess. Can't the Saudis have him or something?

Fucking slammed like a motherfucker.

I wanted to see Ballard get a lot more action this season... although preferably for us. Really hope a season under the expert tutorage of Management Mastermind Selles doesn't fuck the poor kid over.

Well done.

Please mate, yeah.