sydney_saint

I think the idea of leadership is a bit overdone and pretty old fashioned. It is easy to stand out as a leader if you are a centreback because you are literally throwing yourself at the ball to stop it going in. You also occupy quite a small part of the pitch, and a vital part of the pitch that the opponents need to get through to score. So it is little coindence that the names of leaders been thrown about here are likes of Fonte, VVD, Coady etc. Sure there is the occasional one that is futher forward, but I reckon these are few and far between There is only so much influence you can have in any other position when the games starts going against you. You could be a leader in the right back position but they end up scoring 5 down the middle and left. Or you could be a leader centre mid but they just go down the flanks and into a weak defence. We used to have David Prutton snarling away in the centre of the pitch and still get tonked. How did Hojberg go as captain with all his arm waving and pointing around? For what it is worth I think JWP does a really decent job. He tries to make himself available when we are under pressure and he gets back and does the defensive work. There have many many occasions this season the opponents have got inside our fullbacks and yet JWP is there to clear it or shepherd it away. I do think he really does try to lead by example and stand up. Part of the issue recently is that teams swamp us down the middle. We only play with two out and out centre mids and most teams have three. We need to tactically adjust to this better when we lose control in the second half. Our two often do an incredibly good effort in the first half of games, but then flag, opponents press them. We need an extra man to match opponents and get back control

I just can't do this anymore No penalty No penalty Penalty

Good half that, although a bit worried that we tend to flag in second halfs whilst Wolves usually get stronger as the game goes on. JWP and Romeu utterly magnificant and also it's been great to see Armstrong back in form. He did dip around the time he got COVID. No idea whether that is coincidence or had an impact, but he is definitely back now. Redmond is well...Redmond. He does 1 thing in 5 right. Some will focus on that 1, and others will focus on the 4. I posted this in the Newcastle game but gonna share it again. Here are some stats as of last week. Redmond- 11,515 EPL minutes for us- 19 goals, 12 assists Armstrong-4,627 EPL minutes for us-11 goals, 7 assists Shane Long- 9,339 EPL minutes for us - 27 goals, 20 assists Tadic- 9, 617 EPL minutes- 21 goals, 30 assists Djenepo - 1, 735' EPL minutes-3 goals, 2 assists Che Adams - 2, 827' - EPL minutes - 8 goals, 7 assists. Boufal - 3, 072' EPL minutes - 3 goals 2 assists No player has been given as many chances over the last five years as Redmond which such a mediocre return. His game hasn't developed. He still plays like an enthusiastic nipper on his debut.

That shouldn't be how it goes. Redmond has had so many chances in this side (and over 200 EPL appearances) and apart from one purple patch hasn't done enough. He should be coming off the bench with some excellent performances and earn his way back into the side. I can't remember the last time he earned his way back in.

Redmond miscontrols the ball and starts to put his arms up to blame someone. Is that the most classical Redmond moment.

I like the cut of his jib. Bit of a powerhouse but there is finesse there as well. I can see why he is highly thought of. Shout out to Mcmananam. After Salisu's first mistake midway through the first half he yelled out 'Salisu has to wake up here' and 'Salisu has to sharpen up'. Fair play to Steve. You have to try to be that bad at punditry.

Solid performance. Very important to have KWP which also brings more out of Bertrand. Tella looked lively and that's probably the first signs I've seen from him that he may end up good enough. jWP and romeu did well to handle wolves strongest part of their team. I did feel we got the rub of the green but fuck me have we earned it. Some refs could easily have given the salisu penalty (and var wouldn't overturn it). Also JWP did 3 fouls in about 10 minutes and avoided a booking. Nothing really game changing our way, but we won our fair share of the close calls. I do find it amusing though. When villa beat us they acknowledged they got the slice of fortune, but felt like they deserved it particularly after the decision against City. We get our fortune against wolves. It always seems like the 'levelling out' happens against similar sized clubs. But sure as hell none of us are getting them at old Trafford etc But we fully deserved the win. If I were a wolves fan I would be livid at their lineup today and they deserved to go out just for that.

We've given our transfers some stick, but imagine spending 35m for Silva whose only talent seems to be rolling around and screaming. He should have done much better there and slid in the forward player. He's also looked pretty dreadful every other time I have seen him. Sure, he is 18, but if you spend 35m on an 18 year old you will want him to become a 50m+ player to make up for all the time spent developing him. He looks miles away from that.

I know Bertrand has been getting some stick recently for 'slowing down' but that's a couple of assists in the last couple of game. He is playing cute little balls in behind.

Sometimes the commentators have a story they want to narrate and will shoehorn it in. Clearly they want 'Salisu is rusty'. I think he has looked good today apart from that one error. But suddenly he gets a barracking "He's got to stop doing that' and 'He has to sharpen up'.

Let's make it quite clear- anyone who has sent him or his family a death threat should receive a lifetime ban from the game. The guy is corrupt, and egoist and I sincerely hope I never see him ref again at any level. He is a burden for other referees and him and Mason are going to bring everyone down with them if they continue. I want an inquisition on how he was allowed to continue refereeing in the matches that followed his howlers against Villa. Fuck i want an inquisition on how he has been allowed to referee for years when he has fucked over so many sides when playing a big boy. That should happen regardless of the threats. But if there have been death threats, and to be honest I wouldn't be surprised if there had been, then that is not okay. Nobody should feel unsafe because of football. Even a complete cunt like Dean.

I'm not convinced he is going to leave. Put yourself in one of the top club's position. He is a 28 year old striker with a history of injury issues and has had 1 full season of exceptional form in the premier league. I'm sure if he can bang goals in from now until the end of the season someone will take that risk. But if he continues his current form then I think it is way more likely they will just pass and go for a younger option

I would happily take another 9-0 beating in the league if we manage to scrap through to the next round with the winner come from a deflection off Ings left nut.

That's pretty revisionist. He wasn't 'very good' last season. He picked up a whopping 4 goals and 4 assists from 32 matches- nearly all of them he played a full 90 as well. And whilst he did get player of the season previously, it was in a season we were particularly dreadful and looks more like a purple patch when you look at seasons previous and since. He has now made 151 premier league appearances for us with a return is 19 goals and 12 assists. Now compared to some other players during that time who have played in a similar position or up top: Redmond- 11,515 EPL minutes for us- 19 goals, 12 assists Armstrong-4,627 EPL minutes for us-11 goals, 7 assists Shane Long- 9,339 EPL minutes for us - 27 goals, 20 assists Tadic- 9, 617 EPL minutes- 21 goals, 30 assists Djenepo - 1, 735' EPL minutes-3 goals, 2 assists Che Adams - 2, 827' - EPL minutes - 8 goals, 7 assists. Boufal - 3, 072' EPL minutes - 3 goals 2 assists As you can see, he is closer to the Boufal end of the spectrum than the Tadic end. I know football is more than goals and assists, but after 151 appearances he should be way higher. Has he really earned the right to keep playing to turn it around? Others have. Bertrand has earned the right to turn his form around. Ings has. Bednarek has. Redmond has been given more than enough time in his Saints career given he has played more over the last five years than any other of our attacking players.

I'm starting to get a little twitchy here that we are going to lose him. I know he hasn't been linked anywhere and he recently signed a new contract. But we have taken on a decent sized loan which will be burdening the club. And before MLG comes in, I know we don't have to repay it just yet, but it has big interest and frankly the club would be irresponsible not to try and start repaying it and they almost certainly will. JWP must be our most valuable asset at the moment. Ings form is dreadful, and has come at a bad time. At his age he is a bit of a risk for a big club and he could be playing his way out of a move the way he is going. Vestegaard we could get decent money for but as a defender it would be considerably less then what we could get for JWP. I'm sure JWP is happy here and would keep his head down and keep going. But I could also easily see the club scoping out whether anyone is interested in him, which as a home grown player that can play in a number of systems, I'm sure there will be. And now there is little chance of us qualifying for Europe there is even more need to cash in the door.

The difference is a lot of those players have credit in the bank. JWP has been one of our best performers this season, scored a cracker today, tried to lead the team forward and a couple of passes fell short on a waterlogged pitch. Bertrand wasn't good today yet still got an assist and got some decent balls into the box. Stephens was diabolical and getting plenty of stick for it. And bednarek I think most people recognise has just had the week from hell. Redmond on the other has been living rent free in this side for far too long. Newcastle even recognised this and gave him space. The reality is with Redmond, who is nearly 27, is that it isnt just a confidence crisis. He just isn't good enough, and one purple patch a few years ago doesn't change that

Pretty sure we won't lose ings now. Why would a big club take a punt on him at his age and form? Ironically he has played his way out of a move when trying to play into one

Its been going back wayyy longer then today. It's way more likely that his one decent season in a saints shirt was a purple patch, given how mediocre he has been since and before.Look at his record. It's dreadful considering how many matches he's played. And if you dig deeper most of his goals and assists have come when the team is already winning. He was an integral reason why we didn't get a point today. Newcastle gave him half the pitch and instead focused on defending our left and centre. With that much space, with that much time, a senior player like him should be doing far far better. I wouldn't start him again until he has earned it. Get him to come off the bench and change the game

I was less willing to blame Ralph for the 9-0, but I will here. Redmond should not have played the full 90 here. The guy has over 200 EPL appearances and yet can't hit a first man with a fucking cross. Newcastle were happy to give him half of Tyneside knowing full well he won't do anything with it. If Djenepo is fit to be on the bench, then there is no excuse that he didn't come on. Also the decision to let go of Valery looked crazy at the time, and still does. We could have done with a full back overlapping on that side. Also how fucked up is it that we play with two strikers, yet only have two senior strikers in the squad. It means when Che and Ings are out of form, and the latter is woeful at the moment, we have nothing to draw upon. But Redmond- what is the point of him? He rarely beats a man, has little pace, little tricks, little end product, and is actually just shit. When has he ever played he way back into the side? He gets dropped, waits for someone to get injured or dropped, and gets called up again

I never want to see Redmond in a Saints shirt again. Would happily see him in someone elses though

It's almost like playing against 8. Pretty sure S-M has run out of gas

Time to take off one of bednarek or Stephens. Get djenepo on. And it is a must to get at least a point

That belongs on xvideos

I have loved out 4-2-2-2 over the last 18 months. It is a great system that suits us and give us real identity. But we need to start mixing it up more. Frankly, teams have sussed us, particularly our attacking play. How often do we rely on a magic piece of finishing (like today) or a JWP set piece? Pretty much ever since Arsenal game in December we haven't really looked like scoring. This was okay whilst I defence held. But now it is creaking we have been shown up. Let's mix it up a bit, there are other systems where you can still press.

God where to start. Bertrand should never be on set pieces. Sure, maybe in another side he could be. But JWP is one of the best in the league and it is beyond dumb that he doesn't take each one. Redmond did nothing to earn a place back in the side, and should not be in the side. He is nearly 27 with 219 EPL appearances with just 26 goals and 18 assists. That is appalling. He makes wrong decisions all the time. I wouldn't care if when he got it right it resulted in goals. But it doesn't. I don't know whether Djenepo is gonna make it, but I sure as hell know Redmond ain't. Bednarek atrocious today. As for what was going throught McCarthy's head? There are like 30 seconds left, booting it was the only option. Ings form has fallen off a cliff. The longer he goes without scoring, the less change a big club goes in. Which means he is just putting pressure on himself and making it worse.