east-stand-nic

Pretty sure I read a few days ago that the club has already confirmed Selles will not be retained for next season. Can't find the article now, but certain I saw it.

I know, but as I said, in my lifetime supporting Saints. I was born after 1966.

I don't like to get involved in conversations about this sort of thing or politics as there are already too many people in the world with polarised and myopic views, incapable of even considering a different view. However, in Matt's case, I feel he makes a lot of valid points and cases. If you truly believe governments care and act in our best interests, you need to really open your eyes a little more. Remember, 99% of the media is controlled by the elite like the much hated Murdoch. People hate him, but they seem to believe everything his media channels spew out. Odd.

I know there are many nay-Sayers when it comes to our chances in the Championship, but with a decent, dare I say NORMAL manager who plays to squad strengths and plays attacking football, we already have a proven top drawer goal scorer at that level in Che Adams. All he needs is a good boss to get his confidence back and a playing style that suits him and he will bang in the goals. But here is my main positive slant on it all....A chance for us to actually win something! In my years supporting Saints we have been promoted from the second tier twice. Both times we were runners up when we should have damned well won the league. Time to put that right!! Let's come up as champions. Yes, I know it won't be easy....maybe it takes 2 or 3 years. But it is something tangible to aim for, whereas in the PL tangible is 14th. The top section of the table (top 6) is just impossible pretty much. I for one am really looking forward to a revisit to the second tier.

JWP is very divisive, but I genuinely believe we would be better off without him for many reasons.

Genuine questions. 1. For how many of you on this forum will this be your first relegation from the top flight? (Last time 2005) 2. How many of those of you over 50 knew we were down a few weeks/month or so back? It's quite interesting to know who are those that still believe; the oldies or the newerbies?

Saints, Forest & Leeds to go down.

Got to be honest, totally missed that. Who have we left for the CB partnership for this game? Salisu, I read is dropped with an attitude issue.

Impossible to call as we never know which Saints team will turn up. I cannot for the life of me understand why Selles is not giving McCarthy a run. Firstly, he has a lot more experience in big six pointers. Secondly, Bazunu probably need to be taken out of the firing line. I have a feeling even if we win we are still going down to be honest. But knowing Saints and this season it will be a draw. Why? Because Bournemouth know we need the points more than them and will come to park the bus and we all know we cannot break teams down. It's got 0-0 written all over it. So likely it will be 3-3 or similar. Just so unpredictable. McCarthy KWP Bednarek ABK Perraud S.Armstrong Lavia Djneppo Suleman Acaraz Adams To hell with defence.

I think I said it before on another thread, that if we get a decent proper football manager, we do have some very good championship level players. Both Che and Armstrong are proven at this level and I think their confidence would soon come back if they had a decent manager playing proper attacking football and they started banging in early goals. For defence and GK it really depends who leaves. I suspect Salisu and ABK would be gone, so yes, we would need better than the rest we have left. Would Banzunu be OK in the Champsionship? Not for me as it is a lot tougher with more direct styles of play. He would be flapping himself into orbit. All in all, I think with a a load of sales, some clear out and some decent defenders and GK we would be top 10 material, probably better. But the crucial part without doubt is manager and getting shot of the awful management in the club.

Honestly, does anyone on this forum still believe we WILL stay up? I appreciate mathematically we CAN. But does anyone believe we WILL? For me, not a chance in hell and has been that way for a few games now. It's not the points difference or the GD, it is the performances and the fact that I just know they will not improve enough in every game for us to win 4 games. No way.

I am not one for ever claiming to be in the know, but in this case I have news for you. I have a very good friend who is a Brighton fan and knew Potter well. He said he would love to manage Saints as he loves the south coast and still has a home down here or very close by. I am not saying he will come, but my mate says he likes us, likes the area and the set up. Let's wait and see.

We nee to act decisively and quickly and get Potter before Leicester do.

Down with us will be Forest and Bournemouth. I wish it to be Everton and Leicester, but they would probably out muscle us to come straight back up. So better we have clubs similar to us going down so there are no giants in the league so to speak.

I was at the semi final at WHL where we lost to Liverpool in extra time and Mark Wright broke his leg. Unlike the 1984 semi, we always new we were likely to lose this one, but still very disappointed on the day. Anyone else there?

Personally I expect Dragan will come over and shake the hell out of the place. He will not be happy that he is losing tens of millions in income streams next season. With any luck he will listen to sage advice and look to hire proper football people at the higher levels in the club. I have no idea who we could attract as we will not be such an attractive prospect for the big hitters. But it cannot be worse than what we have endured this season in terms of decision making. Personally, I still think we would have stayed up had we hired a proper football manager with experience and not messed around with NJ and Selles. For me though there is clearly something wrong within the club. The players moods and efforts are up and down like a yo-yo. This is not just managerial. I think there are some kind of issues in the club behind the scenes. Perhaps those at the top are thoroughly dis-likable? Perhaps they have just had the skills coached out of them and are downbeat. No question almost every player should leave as they have had enough of SFC. Sometimes you just have to move on for the sake of your mental health in life and i feel a lot of our squad have that kind of issue. Even without some of our so called big names, we have a good team for the championship and proven players at that level. With a broom to get rid of the crap and a decent manager in place, I for one am looking forward to nest season, though i will reserve judgement on that until i see what takes places in the summer.

I kind of admire those who still believe we can stay up. But is it just positive thinking for the sake of it or a fashion thing to support till you die sort of thing as there is no doubt whatsoever we will go down this season now. I felt we were down a few games ago, but a couple of false dawn draws and people get excited again, naturally. West Ham loss sealed our fate and personally I am glad. I truly believe we will have an interesting season in the championship as we have proven strikers from that level and some great youth team players we can blood in the league. Roll on next season, but then up pops the issue of promotion. Do we really want to straight back up and be fodder again?

I appreciate the opinion of others and kind of understand those that say it will not be a disaster if we draw. But, with 10 games left the time has come I think, to stop thinking like this. If we win, we have gotten a massive jump over them and taken 3 points away from a relegation rival. It also takes pressure of the team to have to win harder games. In my opinion, this simply is a must win. A defeat and we are down. A draw and we have made no progress and just got ourselves a harder task with one less game. I think we need at least 4 more wins.I think 36-37 will be needed to stay up. We need to win THIS game.

The hardest thing to predict is how many points will be enough? If Palace, Bournemouth, West Ham, Leicester and Forest keep up their recent form, they may only get something like 7 more points each at best. So, could 34/35 be enough? Personally I think we are down. Looking at the remaining fixture list and being as honest as i can be i see this... West Ham v Saints - Draw Saints v Man City - Lose Saints v Palace - Win Arsenal v Saints - Lose Saints v Bournemouth - Win Newcastle v Saints - Lose Forest v Saints - Draw Saints v Fulham - Draw Brighton v Saints - Lose Saints v Liverpool - Lose 9 more points. Total 32 and gone.

I believe the opposition makes little difference when we are at home. The players clearly have issues playing in front of the home crowd. Nervous, lacking confidence and hearing those negative remarks from some in the crowd. All these factors means we are crap at home and that ain't gonna change anytime soon. FWIW, I think we could well win this if we get Spurs on one of their flaky days and we are up for it. But with our negative bunch at SMS we really need to go in front early on to get the crowd onside. If I had to call it, I would go 1-2 sadly.

Unlikely as they are in with a real chance of Europe.

We should keep him as he has already confirmed he can score freely in the championship and that is where we will be. So we should keep him so he can help us to come back up the same as Burnley. As Champs!

Not seen a line up yet but going 4-1 United today.

Did he have a wrong foot?

Caballero KWP Bednarek. ABK. Perraud JWP. Lavia. Armstrong. Alcaraz. Che. Paul. An old experienced head in goal. Get at them with an attacking formation also. Let's not go there scared and defensive as it never works.