ant

Sunderland on near enough 1.5x our points from last season after just 9 matches. Not an 'I wish we were Sunderland' post. More that they were a basket case club before their current owners sorted shit out. Yes, there's going to be worse suitors out there than what we've got. But fuck me, I feel ready to twist.

This is where I'm at. If I were pay-as-you-go, I wouldn't be handing over more money to be spunked by these morons. As a season ticket holder I'm leaning towards continued attendance but giving SR hell. Though if we decided en masse to stay away I certainly wouldn't scab.

Not sure what he was saying to Welington after his red card, but the body language appeared that of a mentor. He's enigmatic, but with the talent to back any swagger; passionate, but appears level-headed with it. Going by SR's record, a capture of blind luck. Enjoy him for the season.

I feel for Blackburn, who have had issues with their owners for bloody ages now. They were in good voice against Venkys today - we're a bit soft as a fanbase, but I hope it's inspired us to follow suit. We need SR gone, ASAP. We can stay away from St. Mary's or make it vile for them. But no more of this meek acceptance.

Shambolic mismanagement, and I maintain it isn't going to get better. Whatever the challenges of this squad, how the fuck have we contrived to end up facing a potential relegation battle?

We don't buy success, we breed it (out of everybody that walks through the door).

'Pathetic' is the only word. At this point I wish I didn't care so much.

Why are our players SO thick?

The Bristol Beer Factory taproom is only 5 mins away and well worth checking out. Personally I'd probably go to Wapping Wharf as there's tons of food and drink options, then a 20-ish minute stroll along the river. OR (time allowing), head from Temple Meads to the exceptional Left Handed Giant taproom on the river, then crawl down King Street. (Beer Emporium, The Famous Royal Navy Volunteer, Small Bar). You can get a bus from there that takes you more or less straight to the ground.

Agree that there ought to be more pressure on SR, but from what I've seen at St. Mary's it'll be tough to rally. Many have long since given up hope. And fair play, really. That stat Turkish posted is enough to drain the life out of anybody. Others seem more at a point of 'acceptance' - we are where we are, and they'll clap the team off no matter what. Tricky to rouse a slumbering fanbase.

Same number of league wins in 8 games as we've had since we got promoted, FFS.

Given prevailing opinion is that Russell Martin cost us the autos in 2023-24 (and it's our most recent comparable season), I thought I'd take a look at the match-by-match comparison. There's some flaws to doing it this way, as we aren't playing teams in the same order. But let's do this for starters; if I've time I may do a more like-for-like breakdown later (RIP Minsk). Match 10 - Martin W5, D1, L4, 16 points (10th) After losing the first four in September - and dropping as low as 15th - we finally broke the streak in match 9 with a crucial 3-1 home win against Leeds. Match 10 was a 0-1 away win at Stoke. In which Stoke had less than 35% possession yet managed over twice as many shots on goal. How apt. Match 10 - Still W2, D6, L2, 12 points (TBC - 15th in live table) So yes, this is caveated by my notes above - but equally I don't feel we've had a particularly oppressive set of opening fixtures. From a depression point of view this is the wrong time to start this thread, as match 9 of 23-24 commenced the unbeaten run (22 matches: W16, 6D, 54 points, or 62.1% of our 23-24 total). Closing thoughts I've no intention of making the Martin season seem more grand than it was. Just thought it would be vaguely interesting to compare and track. Competition at the top is unlikely to be so tough as it was last time. But my god, we've got to start turning some of these draws into wins.

I didn't say that. Merely that I don't believe Still will turn it around. It's another crap no-win situation. Ultimately I'd love some stability. Unfortunately we're burdened with owners that make about 1 good decision for every 4 poor ones.

Fair opinion. I still saw it in them, but let's chalk that up to individual perspectives. On about 75 minutes I did realise I'd rather we bloody went for it and lost than to bugger about and limp to the point. Something about that old adage that a win and a loss from 2 matches is better than 2 draws.

Yeah, I saw - but any attempts are nowhere near paying off yet. And as I say, I currently don't see him as the one capable of inspiring them out of their shells.

Sadly seeing almost nothing to suggest that Still is capable of sorting us out. For all his chat about setting teams up to win and not being wedded to specific tactics, we continue throwing cross after cross into the box with nobody there to benefit. Too many of the players look scared. Scared to surrender possession. Scared to make a mistake. The irony being that playing so passively only invites increased pressure. Are they being coached to do this? Or not being adequately emboldened to go out and murder the opposition? I keep waiting for it to click; I'm increasingly less certain it ever will.

Might be good if we stop selling out so easily. Our fanbase can't do nasty, so dwindling attendances are probably our best form of dissent. Mind you, with Sports Republic's track record they'd interpret half-empty stands as a sign to fast-track expanding the ground. 🙄

Does Minamino count as a 'defector' if only ever on loan here? Scored the first goal for Japan as they overturned being 2-0 down for their first ever win over Brazil.

Selfishly glad it's an early one. I'm on annual leave, so if we fuck it at least there's plenty of day left. The sad part is that through thick and thin it's rarely felt such a chore.

Even better - Selles has been freed from employment just in time to return as his assistant. Perhaps we can coax Rusk back to work in a supporting role? Or maybe it's time to tempt Eric Black out of retirement. Christ, Redknapp as director of football? Redemption arcs for all!

4 points off 2nd. Not claiming we're magically fixed, nor suddenly flying. We've still not identified our best XI, and there's a buttload of work to be done. But bearing in mind how we've faltered thus far, it gives some perspective on this ridiculous league.

Right, well if Stewart is hitting his stride THIS emphatically, you can disregard my previous comment. 😁

It's a sad state of affairs that I can barely muster a celebration when we score at present. Just feels inevitable that we'll still contrive to fuck it up one way or another. Usual caveats; hope I'm wrong; hope this is a new dawn. All tempered by not believing it until I see it.

Blasted it off target due to all the player unrest. 😉😭

Brooks is still cup-tied, so we're allowed one exception.