VectisSaint

I was thinking more Julius Caesar than Wuthering Heights. The semaphore flags might get confused with the Linos, though they don't use their flags much these days. The Aldis Lamp has the added advantage of dazzling the opponents. https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DsZEeBqZsmQM&psig=AOvVaw2Jt93kSY_Lw3Pv-2mJiT9f&ust=1605130160799000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCKCVm_r1-OwCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAI

Can we not just get an Aldis Lamp?

You sort of wonder whether he actually watched us play at all. I didn't have too much of a problem with the article, it was on the whole quite positive, until I read about Theo "it was a delight to watch him — back playing on the wing where he was born to play". Now I watched the match, and I got the impression that Walcott was playing through the middle behind Che, getting into the red zone as Ralph likes to call it, I don't recall him playing on the wing, unless he is referring to when KWP and Him stole the ball back from their defender to set up Adams' goal. It was in fact the first game where Walcott didn't play on the wing, but this tit thought otherwise, unless I am mistaken, and terminology these days means wingers are those who play through the middle.

Rohl did not come back after the end of the season (2019), was not involved in pre-season, true there may have only been 2 league games missed, but that is hardly the point. Rohl signed for Bayern on 6th August but that was weeks after his no-show for pre-season.

Don't think there's a test for Mink Covid, that's the problem.

He did say that he thought he had broken it in the post match interview last night, but didn't really seem to know how it happened. They strapped two fingers some time after the first goal, they added a bandage/strapping presumably at half-time. I missed him getting the fingers strapped, he must have been off the pitch for some time getting that done.

Was that before or after he played 90 for the Bs today? Not much of a "knock" if he played a full game less than 24 hours later.

Do you really think Gao made the decisions to hire and keep Ralph? The only involvement Gao has is to rubber stamp the suggestions presented to him by the Directors.

Only if you believe we are merely customers. We aren't customers, we are supporters. I haven't been a customer for about 3 years now, I still continue to be a supporter, as I have for the last 54 years. It is clearly our business, not as you say. Doesn't mean we should learn any more, but to say it is "none of our business" is just dumb. If you had said we should mind our own business I would tend to agree with you, but you didn't.

Rubbish. He is part of the product, professional footballers are not straightforward employees, and we are supporters, not simply customers, a professional football club is not the same as Tesco's. Of course it is our business. I'm not saying all of the personal details should be openly made public, but to deny it is our business is simply effing gross stupidity. Its a difficult situation but some sort of explanation is certainly owing, or at least an acknowledgement that there is an issue, just as a holding position. Sadly this Club, in the guise of its current and recent ownership, has a history of keeping the supporters in the dark, ask about Sam McQueen (at least until last week).

Of course it is our business, it is almost the definition of being our business. Doesn't mean they should blurt it out everywhere, but some sort of holding statement with some well though out weasel words would do a lot for cutomer confidence and customer relations.

We didn't start very well this season.

Actually there aren't. International Break, so actually this is about as good timing as it could be.

There's a lot to be said for this. Ralph gets many plaudits for how he gets the team working, and rightly so, but sometimes his game and player management do leave a little to be desired. Surely it was a clear opportunity to give someone else a run out. I'm not a fan of wrapping players in cotton wool, but there are times when it can be used as an opportunity to give other players minutes on the pitch.

Based on half a game, highly debatable whether he was at all culpable for any of the 3 goals, although he should be awarded the 3rd as an own goal, not much he could actually have done about it.

2nd half against USA friendly in 2018, clean sheet (England won 3-0)

His Europa league season was no great shakes, he played less games the following season, but don't think he regressed to any extent, trying to progress under Pellegrino was always going to be a problem (or Hughes). Don't think there was much to choose between Targett and McQueen (personally thought McQueen had a bit more about him and was more flexible being a MF really) but in the end its about opinions. Really don't care too much, what irritates the hell out of me is the secrecy, he's still our player, and one of our own, and would still have made a decent player at Championship level or above so we have lost out on what would probably have been a half decent fee.

Don't know where you got that he "drifted". Season after Europe he was battling with Bertrand and Targett for the LB slot, played 7 times in total and then was sent out on loan where he got injured after 5 Championship games. Always thought he was better than Targett but was always going to struggle to displace Bertrand, as it turned out we could have done with him when Targett was sold as backup, and still could, but I doubt that he will ever get back to the level he was at when he was injured. Good to see at last some news on the lad, really can't understand the secrecy from Saints about is progress (or lack thereof). Pity I can't read the Athletic report, no intention of subscribing to it.

Need to be clear what he actually said. Reading the OP's remarks could mean we are losing 3million from our income, not that we are making a financial loss of 3m per month. You might also note that he apparently said if this goes on beyond the end of NEXT season we will be in big financial trouble. To be honest if this goes on beyond the summer of 2022 the state of a football club's finances will be the least of our worries.

Basically Saints are saying that they are wah ahead of the game already, the only club to have achieved the existing standard. Now the FA want to move the goal posts and Saints want time to consider how it affects them. The headlines will be otherwise but the fact is (apparently) that Saints are already the best in this field.

I see Alex Crook is touting Ralph for Man U on Talksport.

Bloody hell, almost as if the reporter was actually watching the game (unlike Alan Smith or the Boy Lineaker). Whatever next.

Glad someone else saw that I thought perhaps I had dreamed it. Taters tried to claim there was no intent, my arse, Digne had every intention of getting KWP after he had failed to stop him the first time. I suspect the red was actually for the two actions combined, he would probably have got a yellow for the first challenge had play stopped. Digne had the red mist and was going to stop KWP come what may. Should get an extra match suspension for his antics when he left the field.

I suspect Alan Smith (who normally I quite like, mainly because he isn't obsessed by Liverpool) was shocked that he had to pick a Southampton player and realised that he hadn't been watching Saints at all, as he was slobbering over Everton all game. So just tried to remember the name of one of our players. No one had a bad game, but Redmond was probably the worst of a good bunch. Romeu for me (and he didn't even get a yellow card, let alone red).

Thank you Thomas Gradgrind.