coalman

Leeds well on top here.

The tone has definitely gone down since the Internet took off across society. It's always a red flag when people make it personal rather than talking about the behaviour that they don't like. It's possible to disagree with a decision someone has made without attacking them as a human being.

Compare the two YouTube highlight reels

There may be better ways to make that point than the "big clubs know what they're doing" argument. Particularly when the big club in question is Man Utd.

Your argument is that Man Utd is a big club so they must know what they're doing?

Possible? Yes. Probable? No.

It's possible for Martin to be shit and us get promoted and for him to be great and us not get promoted. Outcome bias leads to poor decision making. We should be able to say whether Martin is the right manager without needing to know whether we've been promoted in the same way we could tell Jones wasn't a good manager for Saints before we were relegated. The question remains "Is Martin right for Saints?" and probably in Martin's mind "Are Saints right for me?"

I think Shea Charles will come good. I think we should stick with Martin. I am unfussed over Wilcox going though if it were done when 'tis done, twere well it were done quickly

The two goals from the other night should have been disallowed for handball. He gets in great positions but I don't think I can remember a Saints centre forward I have less confidence in finding the back of the net when he finds himself with just the keeper to beat. I have sat watching hoping that now is the time he's going to come good but am resigned to it not happening. Rumour has it he's already signed for another team and all the best to the lad. He always put in a shift. Just think Saints can or should do better up top.

Wherever he wants? We seem to be good at stopping teams on a run in their tracks so I'm going for 3-1. Che's banjo has tasted the sweet kiss of a cow's arse and now it wants more.

That's a great question. I'd say it usually takes a year for a new leader to start establishing a culture within an organisation. So we'd be right on the cusp of that starting to bear fruit if he saw succession planning as a key part of his job. I'd also argue that his organisation hasn't been wildly effective thus far so change might not be such a bad thing. We really need to get someone in for more than a few months to see returns from it. Joe Shields disappeared pronto and now Wilcox looks to be doing the same.

I was just reminded that Wilcox was also responsible for bringing in Mason Holgate. Of his signings so far - 3 loan signings have been good - Harwood-Bellis, Downes, Fraser Of his permanent signings - Shea Charles hasn't lived up to his price tag, Joe Lumley may well be a poundshop Baz, Ryan Manning is Ryan Manning and Ross Stewart has been crocked all season. He's also brought in David Brooks and Joe Rothwell to unbalance a midfield that was doing well. He did a great job of getting maximum value for Lavia and managed a recoup a lot of money from outgoings over the summer. We still have a lot of players out on loan that we're going to make a loss on.

Re-watching the highlights. Che moved his hand to the ball so I think we got away with one there. He put his hands above his head and handled it during the goalmouth scramble for the second one as well. I think VAR would have disallowed both of those.

To be fair to the officials I'm pretty sure Adams knew nothing about it until it hit him.

Adams celebrated. Give him the goal his clinical finishing deserves 😉

Nope you're not seeing things. Second looked like some handball in it too.

Having watched Ralph's swan song, the madness of King Nate and nice guy Rubens - it feels like it's something.

It's certainly not the only factor. We haven't put our chances away which has cost us points. We've also conceded soft goals and invited players into tons of space.

I'm not saying he's transformed players into top ones. Just that the team is more cohesive than the end of last season.

We really are going to be lacking a spine to our team if we don't go up. Not getting Downes/THB will really hurt us. We'll have no bite in midfield, a defence built around Jack Stephens at centre back and Baz in goal. Plus the no-longer hilarious and well documented lack of a recognised striker. I would say it's an opportunity for our recruitment department to really shine but they're pretty much picking players with a pin and a blindfold these days.

I can't believe this forum, of all places, isn't getting my classical literature reference. 🤣

January, last August, the January before, the August before etc etc 😉

He really has. Always had that ability to beat his man for fun but he's added end product. During our run teams were double teaming him which left space for other players. Then Fraser could come on when the full back was knackered and tear them apart with his directness. Don't get why we brought in Brooks. Or Rothwell for that matter. Dibling was getting minutes and looking like the real deal.

With Adams one arse cheek away from his perfect hat-trick it would've wrong to do a straight swap. It's clear he doesn't like Edozie and Sulemana. Rothwell needs to get minutes for some reason. So clearly he needed to square peg it.