Midfield_General

One of our other best chances in the second half came from Sugawara absolutely pegging it up the right on the overlap. There was a 1-2 in the box, and then a low cross across the 6 yard area that we couldn’t quite get on the end of. That sort of run though is exactly what Suga wants to be doing and is very effective at. It could be a real weapon for us. It’s frustrating when the handbrake of the system is put on that sort of thing when presumably that’s what we saw in him when we bought him.

Positives: - Archer took his goal really well. Playing off the shoulder like that is clearly his game, so if we're going to play him then we should play to his strengths and give him something to run onto - Onuachu looked good when he came on. Not just for his height, which we actually didn't really play to (surprise), but some really nice touches on the ball and generally looking like a good, confident footballer. Would definitely at least give us a focal point, hopefully this is the beginning of us giving him some game time - Bednarek is never going to be the most cultured player but made a lot of important blocks and challenges, especially in the first half - Dibling is class and when played in his proper position on the right will cause anyone problems, which made the decision to move him from there into the centre-forward role against Bournemouth, ahead of five other centre-forwards, even more barking mad - Fernandes has definitely got something about him and looks like a good signing. I just hope we don't break him.

The commentary on the stream I had said it was a calf strain, and that it was apparently a new injury rather than a recurrence of one of the previous ones.

I missed the first ten minutes but from what I saw after that - First half - we did exactly what you'd hope an underdog recently-promoted away team would do and put 10 men behind the ball, defended like bastards, rode our luck a little and frustrated them. They had a lot of pressure but for all that they only had one shot on target and you could see they were getting rattled. Exactly what you want. Second half - as soon as we got a goal we started playing 'our way', and then we almost looked too confident if that makes sense, basically trying to play Arsenal at their own game, which is exactly what they wanted. Rather than just trying to keep on with a massed defensive shape and hitting on the break, we immediately became much more open, started trying too many passes, started the suicidal playing out from the back against one of the best pressing teams there is, pushed too many people up and just played straight into their hands. Overall, we deserved to be level at half-time for sheer effort, and although our goal was obviously completely against the run of play, you could argue that once we scored it was set up to be a perfect backs-to-the-wall away performance smash-and-grab. We just needed to keep defending like we did in the first half. But conceding immediately, down to a poor individual mistake, put paid to that. Ultimately two of their goals were down to individual errors by us, and you just can't give a team of their quality chances like that. In summary - individual errors killed us, and we tried to play too much football and predictably got picked off when we should have just shithoused it for 90 mins.

Stewart was a calf injury. New injury apparently, nothing to do with previous ones. Not sure if that’s good or bad.

Re: The conversation on TalkSport: It was interesting - it seems that someone at the club is now leaking to the press because they were giving a direct quote attributed to "a senior source behind the scenes". I don't have the quote word-for-word, but to paraphrase it was along the lines of "There is concern over the way that results have gone at the start of the season. We are looking to Russell Martin to rise to the occasion and prove that he can make the changes necessary to improve. The club wants him to succeed and he's got the support of the board for now." The two bits that really leapt out were: - The bit about looking to Russ to make changes - suggesting to me that they are not happy with the style of play and the gifting of goals and aren't prepared to sit back and let that continue. Which is slightly awkward timing, given that Ramsdale has also done an interview today talking about how Russ won't change the way he plays for anyone. - The little 'for now' kicker at the end. On the radio that was something that they jumped on and mentioned several times over, as it feels like it has been very deliberately mentioned in that quote to show that the microscope is very much on him Overall, it felt like a 'real' quote that was being read out, rather than Crook or some other knobhead giving it their 'I've been led to believe' nonsense. What we don't know of course is who at the club might have said it. Could have been the tea lady. But it seems that the club are very much watching how we do in the next few games and are looking for change and improvement, and want that to be known enough that they're now briefing the press on the quiet.

I sincerely hope you're not 21

No we didn't, we played the first half in a 4-4-2 / 4-2-2-2 with Dibling and Fernandes as the two up top. Dibling looked poor in that game because he was taken out of the position he's been consistently far and away our best player this season (down our right, running with the ball at his feet at isolated full backs) and put into a position he can't play (in the centre, trying to win headers and first balls, being battered by centre halves). Because of course he was. Fernandes was sort of playing off him as a strike partner, also looking completely lost and ineffective because he was being played out of position as well. In terms of team selection and tactics, it was genuinely the worst I've ever seen from a Saints manager. And I saw Branfoot try and replace Matthew Le Tissier with Paul Moody.

Sulemana can play down the middle I'm sure his injury's not too bad, and we need an attacking bench, so if we don't name a reserve keeper we can squeeze him on 👍

Anyone could pick a Russell Martin XI. Just put five centre forwards on the bench with no recognised striker on the pitch, drop a top quality full-back, freeze out a German international, make Stephens captain, force them to play out regardless of how much they're being pressed, substitute four of them at once on 60 minutes and then throw them all under the bus afterwards. There you go. I'll do it. Now we can sack him without worrying about who will manage this all-important fixture.

Why do people keep going on about some poxy charity match, like it has any bearing on anything? Who gives a fucking shit

Any sensible person would abandon any thoughts of trying to play out against their world-class energetic press, put nine men behind the ball, station someone quick on the half-way line to try and nick a breakaway, and just try to get out of there without a humiliation so we can move onto trying to get something from the Leicester game. After last night's absolute shambles, Christ only knows what Russ will do. He's lost the plot, so if he sets us up in a mental way, we concede early and our heads go down again they like keep doing, then it could be a cricket score if they're in a ruthless mood. I hope we're keeping Ramsdale wrapped in cotton wool this week because he might be the only thing keeping it vaguely respectable. Genuinely dreading it now.

At least there's a connection there, from when he was on Saints books as a kid

Yep we played two strikers first half. And with Onuachu, Stewart, Archer, Brereton-Diaz and Armstrong on the bench, the players we put in the two striking roles were Fernandes and Dibling. Weakening the striking positions, midfield AND creative/ wing positions in a single stroke of insane team selection, in a game we had to win, with not far off a full, fit squad to choose from. It was mind-bogglingly fucking mental, and was the moment I realised that for as long as RM stays in charge we’re just not giving ourselves a chance. It’s a limited squad anyway, but to wilfully choose to deploy the resources we’ve got like that is somewhere between incompetent and deranged.

I think Jim Smith is unlikely

Not only that - we actually played two up top in a 4-4-2, and with 5 actual strikers on the bench the two we played in the striker positions were an out of position winger and an out of position midfielder. Not only was it mad in terms of weakening the forward line, but it was a double-whammy in that it also removed two of the only other bright spots we've had this season, namely Dibling on the right and Fernandes in midfield. I literally can't begin to understand the thought process for doing that. It doesn't make sense on any level at all. It's absurd.

Aitor Karanka, Malky Mackay, Brian McDermott, Paul Lambert, Ian Holloway, Owen Coyle, Phil Brown, Aidy Boothroyd, Ian Dowie, Gary Megson. All perfectly decent managers who were good enough to get their teams promoted, sometimes very convincingly, but ultimately didn't quite have what it takes to be able to take on the elite managers of the Premier League. Based on the evidence, I think Russ probably belongs in this group. Everyone has their ceiling, and the PL is the most competitive and unforgiving league in the world. Not everyone is going to be able to succeed in it. There's no shame in that at all. In my opinion he comes across as a decent and likeable man. Promotion last season was amazing and he'll always, quite rightly, have a special place in the club's history for that. But for everyone's sake I think it's time to shake hands and move on now, and let's try a different approach that might give us a chance of grinding out a few results, because this just isn't working.

Absolutely fucking embarrassing from start to finish. Can't even be bothered to analyse it. I've really tried to give Russ the benefit of the doubt, and have advocated for giving him time, but we're getting worse not better and unfortunately he just has no idea how to win games in this league. So many awful, mad decisions tonight. The players look confused and lost, and Russ looks lost too, so it's best for everyone if we leave it there, get someone in who can coach a defence, and try and build something that is at least a step up from humiliation every game.

Having four centre forwards on the bench, then playing two up top, where one is an out of position midfielder and one is an out of position winger. Genuinely one of the maddest things I've ever seen at this level.

I was all for giving Martin more time but I actually think it would be better for everyone, him included, if we parted ways after this.

This is genuinely traumatic to witness.

I know! And what are these 'footballs' and 'boots' that these damned hipsters keep going on about? What's wrong with a pig's bladder and clogs? World's gone mad

Going down Megabowl after. Three games for a fiver on a Monday

Onuachu Stewart Archer Brereton-Diaz Armstrong Cornet Aribo Lallana Taylor Sugawara Ramsdale If the full-backs can get forward and get some crosses in, 7 centre-forwards should give them something to think about

Aaah fair play