VectisSaint

Perhaps we could play Shane Long as CB.. Oh wait.

How would we do that with 10 men.?

There was nothing wrong with what you said. Takumi has spent 6 seasons playing in the Bundesliga, in Ralph's home country. Ralph would certainly have known about him there. You've only compromised yourself since by mentioning Germany. The attempt at pedantry was a dismal failure. 😊

Not if Romeu and Diallo are out he won't Showed on Saturday that he is too much of a missing MF to be wasted at RB (and isn't very good there either).

Thought we had been told that KWP injury is not too bad, not ready for tomorrow but sounded like the weekend. Walcott would be out for at least 6 weeks for hammy, that's a given.

Maurizio Pochettino has joined Watford from Spurs. Not sure he was actually officially ever on our books, but he certainly used to train with our Academy when his old man was in charge.

Firstly, a word of advice, don't judge other people by your own standards of behaviour, just because you are a fanboy and think supporting other clubs is something that you would do, other people have a higher regard for the team they have supported for over 50 years. If I had wanted to support some other team than the one I first went to see when I was 11 and have followed all over the country ever since I would have done so many years ago when other bad performances may have tipped me over the edge. I certainly wouldn't have supported Liverpool at any stage, who would want to? Its a great shame that last night's refereeing issues overshadowed the rest of the game, because it detracts from the fact that we were very poor. Having one great play near the end of a game that we are chasing because of how poor we have played doesn't mean we played well, and whether you agree with the offside decision or not (and I don't) in the end it didn't count, so can't be classed as a great move. Its not unusual to have great chances in the last few minutes when chasing a gam, but you have to consider why we were in the position we were, for 80+ minutes we were toothless, wasteful, error prone, lacking in energy, suffering from players playing in unfamiliar/wrong positions, not pressing, giving far too much room to Grealish (due to players playing out of position). we were dreadful. Of course there are mitigating circumstances, our dreadful injury crisis for a start (as I mentioned we missed KWP more than anyone). But having an injury crisis doesn't mean we can't criticise the team that was out there and call out that they were mostly dreadful (actually I have to say that I was perhaps unfair on Romeu, because last night he was superb, until he went off injured at the end, and showed starkly what we had missed in his absence, sorry but Diallo my be good but he is not in the same class as Romeu when he is on song). To be fair the defence didn't play bad, Bednarek, Stephens and Bertrand did well, but then they were only up against Aston Villa. We couldn't handle the little shit Grealish though, but that was largely inevitable given that we didn't have anyone available who could do a job on him (playing JWP at RB was a double whammy, firstly he is not a RB, we have seen before, too slow, but also it took him out of the position where he has been superb this season. Sure, this is a criticism based on our injury crisis, but unfortunately it is something we have to live with, we can't just say we played well given what we had, we didn't. Ralph does have to address the issues highlighted in this game and a few others recently, we have lost the energy and the pressing game is not functioning. we are not getting in and around the box and creating good chances like we were. Having a good go in the last 10 minutes isn't what its all about, we need to be doing that in the first 80 minutes, and scoring goals. One clear issue we have at the moment is that Ingsy is clearly not fit (not to his high standards). He has not really been right since his injury before Christmas, and I suspect the Covid infection has made matters somewhat worse. His game is not just about scoring goals, its much more than that, its about his energy, his making space, its about his tracking back, helping out in defence, there was little sign of any of that last night. That's not his fault, but it explains why we played badly (please don't mention his contract situation, clearly this is nothing to do with that). In the end, we were as i said very poor, abysmal last night. There are extenuating circumstances, of course there are, but papering over the cracks and pretending we played well and it was only those horrible nasty referees were the problem is to completely miss the point. There were some terrible refereeing decisions last night, but in the end we scored nil goals and nil points because we weren't good enough against a very average Villa.

Do you think we were good then? Honestly? No energy, never looked like scoring in first half, despite huge possession advantage. Sure, one or both decisions could, maybe should have gone out way and maybe we would have got 3 points, but it would have been papering over the cracks. We were very poor, really missed KWP especially. Our passing was all over the place. We didn't press. Blame Mason and VAR all you want but we were rubbish, again. On top of that 3 new injuries.

We lost because we weren't very good, in fact we were abysmal. Decisions didn't go our way but really it didn't matter, we were poor again.

6 Jan 1968, Saints 3 Chelsea 5. Big Ron (2) and Mick Channon for us, Ossie amongst others for them. Martin Chivers last game. Helluva game, dreadful weather if I recall stood in the Milton. Hooked. My old man took me to the game, which was difficult for him being a Pompey man, afterwards he said, I've done my bit took nipper to his first game, never setting foot in that place again (he was true to his word). Palled up with a few other travellers from the Island for future games.

All this talk of bringing a loanee in flies in the face of Ralph's previous line that it takes several weeks to get someone up to speed with our system (I think he said it with regard to Salisu). Now we are looking at bringing someone in and slotting them in immediately. Sounds like an old Les Reed 'philosophy' situation to me.

Strange to send him to Sunderland. Is Lee Johnson considered a good coach (he might be, I don't know) who will help Vokins develop? Surely there was a more local club or somewhere a bit higher up (Championship) where we could have kept an eye on him more easily and even got him back to Southampton on occasions as we used to do with with Stephens and the other guy when they were at Swindon. A lot of our other loans have been to Gillingham (where ironically Sunderland are playing this weekend). True Joush Sims went to Donny, but Sunderland, thats almost a foreign country 🙂 By the way I don't think Vokins did too much to be worried about on Tuesday, sure, made one (big) mistake, but really looked quite reasonable otherwise (better than Valery, who also wasn't really that bad). I think people expect too much when one of the younger players is drafted in, unless they score a hattrick (striker), make a couple of goals or get a clean sheet they seem to be considered failures. It takes time to get up to speed (as Ralph has told us several times).

KWP still out (wonder how long this will go on, with no access to recovery facilities). Presumably Valery will continue at RB. Romeu and Djenepo back.

I must admit I didn't realise that John joined to help Ted, I had always thought he started with Lawrie Mac. Nice piece by David Bull on the OS that relates his early days. https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2021-01-28/an-appreciation-john-mortimore-southampton-football-club-28-january-2021

I suspect he was not sure because the injury had only happened in training shortly before the pre-match presser, and probably hadn't seen him since. It takes a while to assess an injury, possibly needing scans etc. The concern for me is what Ralph alluded to last week, recovery from muscle injuries is a big problem at the moment because the players are not allowed to access some of the facilities due to Covid. So something that in other circumstances may have been innocuous turns into a bigger problem (cf Romeu).

Think you'll start to see more of this. The Academy system really doesn't work for so many talented young players. These kids should be playing competitive senior football at 18 or so, not languishing in some u23/reserve team playing occasional games in a non competitive league looking for an occasional scrap to fall from the table and be given a 5 minute run out in the 1st team. They don't get the chance in the PL. I see the same thing is happening with a Polish kid at Man U. They are looking to go back home, not because they are home si k but because they want to play proper football. So often now a kid really doesn't start their career properly until they are about 23, 4 or 5 years wasted. Meanwhile the Club (I don't mean us in particular) buys in talent of the same age and they go straight into the 1st team.

Sad to hear today that John Mortimore has passed. Former President of the Club, and a long relationship from when he was coaching back in the Lawrie Mac days. Good man, will forgive his links with the Skates. Playing career was with Chelsea as a Centre Half. Managed in Spain and Portugal as well as that lot down the M27. RIP John.

Doesn't even mention poor old Sam McQueen.

Don't think he meant tonight, but that Diallo could feasibly play LB/RB if needed when all three of our CMs are available.

The concern with KWP is what Ralph referred to last week, not being able to use the recovery facilities because of Covid. What would have been an innocuous muscle problem pre Covid now becomes potentially a longer term issue as with Romeu etc.

Seems to me some (most) on this thread need to listen to the Semmens interview with Adam Blackmore https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p094xq72 (about 10 minutes in). In summary all the talk of Danny's contract, him not being happy, demandiing a release clause etc etc is bollocks made up by the media (my words). Danny is perfectly happy at the Club, and will be at the club until (at least) the end of his contract (2022) in his view. Danny doesn't want to discuss his contract at the moment more interested in playing and scoring goals. There is and will be no Release Clause in his contract (or any other Saints player, as far as he is aware), Release Clauses are pointless in the Southampton FC Business Model. If a Club comes in with a substantial offer for Danny or any other player then the Club will not stand in their way. No interest, offers or enquiries of any sort have been received. Danny hasn't asked for anything beyond the normal (that means release clauses). End of story really. From what I heard if people want to continue worrying about this situation for the next 6 to 18 months then that is their business but really there is nothing to worry about and anyway there's not much you or I can do about it, so why worry. If you believe the Club (Semmens) then you are best just putting this to bed and find something else to worry about. If someone comes in with a massive offer and Danny and the Club think its right, he will go. Having discussions about things which we are told are nonsense seems to be a futile exercise. Of course if you don't trust what Semmens says, then you can go on pontificating and putting your personal health at risk by worrying. Personally, Semmens has always been pretty straight and I have no reason to doubt him and I never considered that Danny would want to leave anyway (at least not before his contract ends). Ralph seems pretty relaxed as well.

Was taking the corners for a while. They weren't very good (though to be fair neither were JWP's when he took them later). Thought it was strange Vokins was taking them and not JWP, as did the commentators, unless it was all part of a plan to give him some experience.

Possibly because he's injured. 17th December, out for 6 weeks with hamstring injury, reported Darren Moore (https://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/sport/football/doncaster-rovers-boss-delivers-injury-verdict-josh-sims-3071875)

Good win, always good to beat the Gooners. The 49 year wait for Gabriel's 28th goal for Saints is finally over.

What the feck are you on about statto. Injuries and reports on them are bread and butter for football clubs. No one said anything about the 'personal matter'.