The Kraken

Just for clarity (and because I’m genuinely interested) when you say ‘preventers’, what does this mean? I’m obviously aware of the puffers that asthmatics keep but I’ll readily admit I really know nothing more outside of that.

When you say “the club” has committed to this, who do you mean? Bazunu was signed when Hasenhuttl was in charge and with Joe Shields seemingly pulling the strings. Both of those are long gone, the goalkeeping coach has changed too. Who is left that is driving this ambition for Bazunu to be number 1? We’re currently having a refresh of the whole squad and looking to move on players who we spent money on and who aren’t cutting the mustard. If Russ Martin is getting direction from somewhere that Bazunu is a must have, and he isn’t being allowed to bring in someone else as it’s deemed a long term Saints project, then I’m really intrigued (and concerned) where this direction is coming from.

Another option would be to acquire a keeper who is very good at shot stopping and general glovesmanship, and then go to work training him on the distribution side of things. I still can’t believe I read a post on here yesterday that was intended as a defence of Bazunu and it stated that shot stopping was his only weak point. I’m quite aware the game has changed in a short number of years and distribution is much more important now, but ffs at least get the basics right first.

Well done fella. Some people on here have been moaning for years about the Northam/Itchen home singing sections, and that there’s no proper home end, yet they’ve done absolutely nothing themselves to improve the situation. The obvious answer has always been to get a singing section going on in the Chapel, it just takes a good number of people to actually get on and do it rather than squinny about it. Hopefully it’s something that will grow organically as more people get to hear about it. Good on you.

*shudders* I’d almost forgotten just how utterly cringeworthy that video was. Players who just looked confused and disinterested at the weird little man barking out nonsense instructions at them.

Just seen that Neymar is looking likely to join the Saudi bandwagon. Just the small matter of £130M a year to find in wages for him. That’s £2.5M a week. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66495833

I’d rather stick him in goal.

The bloke can’t run and he’s knackered after about 15 minutes on the pitch.

I watched Leicester against Coventry and I thought their defence looked terrible. Coventry seemed to be able to get through their defence at will and perhaps should have scored more than their 1 goal. That said I thought that, in posession, Leicester looked really good, especially as the game went on. They also were able to bring on Iheanacho for Vardy, Dewkesbury Hall had a really good game too with a good goal to show for it. I def think Leicester will be up there, and if they sort out their defence in this window they could run away with it.

“Could let him go free”. Imagine actually getting a transfer fee for him 🤪

Dunno where that stat of 32/39 is from, his wiki page says 18/39.

Call me old fashioned if you will, but IMO being good at shot stopping is pretty much the bulk of being a good keeper. The other parts are very useful to have in addition, but that’s the fundamental you need to have first. I don’t think he’s a good keeper, but maybe if he can start actually making some saves then it might build him up a bit as I can’t see us signing a replacement for him unfortunately.

To be clear, I don’t disagree with that. Just saying I could potentially see the logic if it enabled Martin to bring in someone he prefers. As it is I think Smallbone fits the system well and I reckon the manager would be reluctant to lose him.

I’d hope we keep him too, but I’d understand the logic if he went and we used all the money to bring in a proper replacement to fit Martin’s mould. Hope it’s all just agent agitation but any player is going to sit up and listen if/when a PL club come in with an offer. £10m is also an awful lot of money to spend at this level, the Championship record for a fee spent is £16M.

He’s only got a year left on his contract. Given that, £10m is a very decent price for a Championship midfielder, especially if the club feel they can use that money to bring in someone they prefer. There has been some noise around Smallbone but some of it could be his agent playing the media to negotiate a new contract.

That’s my point, I don’t think his starting position is very good considering it’s pretty obvious a cross is coming in, once the cross is hit Bazunu is obviously struggling and scrambling to get in position. In any case it’s a moot point as there’s various other players who are much more culpable for that goal than Bazunu, just a horror show all round and the lack of marking is simply atrocious, unforgivable. Look how much space the striker has from the moment the cross is hit, it’s pathetic defending.

I wouldn’t say Norwich’s goals were excellent. Goal two was an absolute thumping strike but all four could have been prevented, our whole team’s defending as a unit was risible. As for Bazunu, as I said above I think he has no chance with goals 2-4 but goal 1, I’d be critical of his positioning. Crap defending to let Norwich get down the channel so easily then be allowed easily again to get the cross in, and Bednarek was totally hopeless doing his job. But look where the ball has come from and where it’s being headed from, imo a keeper has got to be dominating his 6 yard box, that was a floated cross. Just piss poor from gk, defenders and midfielders.

Just watched the highlights. Bloody hell, our lot really need to learn how to defend as a team. Goal 1, so easy to allow the cross in then minimal defending, the lad just nods it in at the back post. Number 2, all three of our central midfielders just allow them to play straight through us, hot knife through butter. Goal 3, appalling defending from a corner, free header from 8 yards out. Goal 4, hapless defending from Manning just gifting the striker a clean shot. All 4 goals were entirely avoidable, it’s not just the defenders that were culpable, we just don’t look very good at defending as a team. Hopefully we can get the Downes signing over the line and Shea Charles can get up to speed and give the midfield a bit of solidity, we look extremely porous based on that showing. Also, I’m absolutely no fan of Bazunu, I think he’s absolutely terrible, but I wouldn’t be blaming him for any of those goals. He wasn’t positioned all that great for the first one, but aside from that he couldn’t do much about the others.

I asked my West Ham supporting pal about him, he said: “I rate him. Not an exciting player but a very consistent one. I was surprised he didn’t get picked ahead of Soucek towards the end of the season but I think Moyes was just hoping Souey would chip in with the occasional headed goal”.

Stu from Romsey wore a Ben Sherman shirt to Derby away after someone called Paul Allen dared him to. Wonder what happened to him…..

Lad 😎

You seem to be a very angry man.

I bought a Mars bar at the snack kiosk, i found my seat in the stand then rested the chocolate on my head as my pockets were full. Next thing I knew the whole crowd were chanting at me about it. Banter.

Also we saw it with our own eyes when Saints were in league one, Pardew got sacked and Dean Wilkins took the reins until Nigel came in. At the start of October we had lost 4 games, drawn 3, and we were in 17th position. It took a monumental second half of the season but it was done, in the end we were 5 points clear of third place. No ideal but very daft to say it’s almost certain we can’t go up after a stumbling start.

Weren’t you the fella who just a week or so ago got really angry with people being negative and said “If you do not want to get behind the players piss off to the Pompey forum”. How that positive mindset has drizzled away so quickly. So sad.