Saint Garrett

Tbf, you had to be a STH, and go on the website and buy a ticket, there were spare seats there so guessing they didn't sell them all. And with all due respect, proof was in the pudding last season at Swansea. Look at the last 9 games of last season. We have a budget to be able to offer him a good chance of promotion, whether it takes a season for us to build this style, but wouldn't be surprised if we went on a similar run towards the end of this season. And when it works we look really bloody good IMO. He's said we're not perfect at the moment, and we're still making mistakes, he highlighted the 20 min period at the start of the second half against Rotherham where the players did the opposite of what was asked of them. We found it too easy and ended up labouring a bit. It then took one moment from their Goal kick and it's in the back of our net, we will get better at that, but ultimately if that same game was played 100 times we'd win 98/99 of them. But atm, all of our stats and metrics (KPI's if you will) are heading in the right direction. They won't win a game on their own, but will give us the best chance to.

Also went…Think his main point is we are starting to see it in the last 3 games, and really should have got 9 points from last 3 games, Rotherham was a freak result which we should have won by 3 or 4. He was really impressive, stated we will get better as the season goes on but it takes time, the players are slowly learning and will get to the point where they are really confident doing what they need to, but he will be stubborn. And this is the way the club is going, so if you want to see a bunch of lads sprinting around after the ball, flying into tackles and “getting it forward” you’re going to be disappointed. I thought it was really great evening, I’m obviously aware this was a PR exercise mainly, but a really worthy one. Martin has done it at his last 2 clubs, and he wants to be really open with the fans. We’re in really good hands with Wilcox and Martin IMO. But fans will have to have patience and not groan at every pass backwards etc, there is method to it.

Think it's more likely Arma plays in the position he's excelled in, and Adams or Mara will start. I'm expecting Stewart to be on the bench. Can't see Martin moving Arma though.

He's done much more of that since he's come back into the side. but I'd say it's actually him that seems to slow it down, rather than the tactics. Teammates are shouting at him to move the ball quicker. He also needs to not start trying to take it round 5 players in the LB position, no benefit at all, I can't imagine Martin is asking him to do that.

Look at how awful and boring that football is. Why can't they "GET IT FORWARD" instead of passing to each other, would be much more enjoyable.

Is Arma injured then?

Fair enough on the auto promotion (I never expected us to be top 2 this season if I'm honest), but a point a Hull would be fine. To get in the playoffs you've needed 69, 75, 77, 70, 74, 75, 80, 74, 78 across the last 9 seasons, (avg of 74.66 points - an avg of 1.62ppg). We've started slowly, which I think most level headed fans expected us to given the turmoil and complete change in way of playing. We've currently got 1.55 ppg. In my opinion, we'll get stronger as the season goes on. We have 35 games to play, and 105 points to play for. We should need about 1.65ppg on avg for the rest of the season to get into the playoffs based on the avg of last 9 seasons. That doesn't require us to win every game. Clearly our home form needs to improve, and we need to be getting wins away from home, but to be saying it looks "less and less likely" if we lose away to Hull is just daft IMO.

There is a difference between constantly chopping and changing manager and style etc, to tweaking line ups because of injuries or tactical reasons. We can't play the same 11 players every game.

We can’t do it…yet… I think in time the players get more used to it, know when to play and when to not, it look Guardiola a lot of money and time to imbed his style, and that was a team that already played in a similar way. He’s also had 1 transfer window where the larger focus was out rather than in. I completely agree with the majority of what you’re saying, but, IMO, I’ll be judging at the end of the season. Until then he’s got my full backing. I’m fed up with chopping and changing constantly

Barcelona team late 00's was one of the best teams the world has ever seen. Similar to City more recently. They absolutely kill teams by relentlessly passing and tiring out the opposition. That's clearly the direction we are going in, but obviously at a far inferior level, but those foundations should still work. Clearly we are still very early in building these foundations and we've far from perfected it. There is no doubt that we need more quality and potency in the attacking areas but we are definitely heading in the right direction IMO. We need far more from the likes of Sulemana, Alcaraz, Adams. Arma has exceeded my expectations this season already, and looks very much comfortable at RW. We still have "the best striker in the division" to come in. It's highly likely that auto promotion is now gone, and I have to say I was never expecting that this season due to the turmoil. I say have some patience and enjoy the ride...

I've no idea if it's true, and I'm just speculating, but given we had all this chatter about us signing half of Swansea, and we ended up with a grand total of 0 of their players. my gut feeling is that they wouldn't play ball with us after Russell Martin deal animosity. Swans owner is known as a difficult bloke to deal with, but would explain why we didn't get Wood, Fulton, Grimes or Piroe. Grimes went as far as a medical too, and then signed a new contract at Swansea.

After international break supposedly…

Just had a look. Under Ralph finishing with the 2-0 against Newcastle to go top... 25/10/20 - Everton (H) - 2-0 1/11/20 - Villa (A) - 4-3 6/11/20 - Newcastle (H) - 2-0

Thought Smallbone was very good last night, he does seem to be the whipping boy this season though. He's always available for the pass, and always quietly goes about his business. He will grow this season, but will play more than he doesn't IMO.

Should win, a third win in a row for us would be huge. We have the quality to go and rack up a win by a fair margin. BUT, as we know in this league, it's all about moments and fine margins. If we have a couple of fuck ups, and struggle to take our chances then it can go the other way. We should have far too much for them. Would go same team unless there are any injury concerns. We finally have found a balance all over the pitch. I did wonder if we didn't bring Adams on last night becuase he's due to start on Saturday, or just whether Martin thought it was an opportunity to give Mara minutes.

He's getting better and better, which I think most of us expected to happen this season. His confidence is growing which is absolutely massive for him and this side in general. His distribution is fantastic, and completely key to how we want to be able to play. I still have concerns about his shot stopping, but he will grow in that area too. He's still so young, a lot of keepers aren't playing regular football until they're 25/26 and their prime is seen to be around 30. He's 21.

His tactics seem to have a big impact against top sides. And possibly we were more focused. It was breaking teams down where we had an issue, apart from when Ings was scoring goals for fun.

Think we had just lost 5 in a row, and then started that game with a midfield 3 of JWP, Davis and Reed that day. Missing both Schneiderlin and Wanyama. I think we did have 5 at the back though from memory, Yoshida, Alderweireld and Fonte, Bertrand and Clyne at wing back. What I'd give for that quality these days...!

Who knows…will do the team good to be away from the expectation of St Mary’s, and the understandable groans…! Baz; KWP Bednarek Bellis Manning; Charles Smallbone Armstrong Edozie Adams Armstrong if Charly and Sulrmana can be arsed then they should play, but neither looks interested in the slightest for me. Such a poor squad still sadly …

I'm definitely surprised to see people putting Stuart Armstrong and Alcaraz in midfield. 2 players who give the ball away so ridiculously cheaply. With our current squad, I think it's probably got to be Charles + 1 of Smallbone or Downes, + one of Stu/Charly. The concerning thing about the last few games if we've played 1 "6" in there (Downes who has been nowhere near good enough so far) alongside 1 full back, normally KWP. but sometimes Manning depending on where the ball is. This shifts us into a 3-2-4-1 or 2-3-4-1 when we have the ball.It's not a surprise we are getting killed with the turnover when there is so much space. This system only works if we keep the ball and grind down opposition. We did it against Sheff Weds, and to an extent Plymouth, but we certainly haven't done it enough against Norwich/QPR/Sunderland or Leicester. It's a ballsy tactic, but I can't see us putting in a midfield 3 including Stu and Alcaraz when we have to keep possession.

Smallbone seems to offer more than Downes IMO, hopefully Bednarek fit at CB. Holgate or Downes…what a painful choice…!

Probably a good thing.

Will be interesting to see what happens after last nights shambles. IMO, we need to stop trying to be so clever, we are shit at it. Play a right back at right back, centre backs at CB, and centre midfielders in CM. Charles has to play DM, as he seems to be the only one that can do the job. Downes needs to step up, he was appalling last night. “It won’t happen again” well it just did, in the next game. 3 in a row and the fans are going to lose their shit, but this will be a very tough game against a very good side. We need to go into this game to keep it solid, we have shown we can score goals. Bazunu; KWP Bednarek THB Manning; Charles Smallbone Downes; Arma Adams Edozie/Fraser I’m taking my niece for her 14th birthday, who has really got the bug, despite only getting to see a few shit games over the last few years. Hopefully we can stick a result and performance together for her! I’m not holding my breath though…

Matter of opinion. I think he's absolutely dreadful. I dont think any other club will take a punt on him, becuase he goes and does a job in the Turkish league. He looked completely lost in the premier league, and doubt he's capable of doing a job in the championship, unless you're looking to stick on a big bloke to lump it to in desperate last 5 mins!

From what I’ve been told we were trying to push him back onto Genk, because we haven’t paid them for him yet. We’d still be paying them to take him back. It’s one of the worst transfers in Southampton history, up there with Carillo, forren, Orsic, and Ali Dia, utterly ridiculous