Convict Colony

7 hours ago, so22saint said:

I've got a boat at Ocean Village and Ralph was my neighbour there (amusingly, Che and KWP are almost my neighbours in Winchester - 2 doors down and he told me not to tell them).  He was a lovely bloke, if you spoke to him, though very serious about football.  I liked him as a coach but sometimes people stay somewhere too long and I think that happened with Southampton (the true greats, Pep, Sir Alex, reinvent themselves every few years and their teams around them).

His boat was a big old Prestige but ugly as sin.

1 hour ago, SaintsLoyal said:

I dont wish Hassenhuttl any luck whatsover, useless manager that has three club records of shame.

Lost the dressing room and happy to sit on his six figure weekly wage, over 12 months on gardening leave sucking millions out of the club.

He is the main factor in relegation, alongside the clowns in the dressing room that failed to sack him numerous times.

Boys going to need to know what theis boat looks like, think he is going to be having a different view in the wolfsberg dock.

Based on yesterdays game fenerbache played I think SR should get the Gozteppe boys some kick boxing lessons.

3 hours ago, ChristopheVAFC said:

Resume of my local press this morning:

 

 

Next year Valenciennes will be undefeated in the league.

You heard it here first, might even come down for a home game as I have just seen its only 3hrs from where i live.

Tried the streams but was late and saw you were already 2-0 down at half time.

Unlucky mate, not sure how many matches you have left but its not looking good.

48 minutes ago, ChristopheVAFC said:

Thank you very much for supporting my team.

I have 2 other streaming links if you need them:

http://www.fawanews.com/

and

https://livetv767.me/

Check them out by the end of the afternoon.

Legend thanks, will watch tonight then 👍

2 hours ago, ChristopheVAFC said:

Hello everyone.

My team travels to En Avant de Guingamp (Brittany) this evening.

I'm expecting a draw between the 2 teams.

At home, we're mainly thinking about our French Cup semi-final on 2 April.

It's looking more and more complicated to maintain our position in the league... 

Allez VA !

Allez VA

If there is a stream for tonight it will appear here, I will watch for sure if it works.

https://vip.soccerstreams100.io/event/fra-2/valenciennes-vs-guingamp-live-soccer-stats/676944

5 hours ago, SuperSAINT said:

It'll be interesting to see how Sport Republic ramp-up their transfers when/if they get promoted.

Tall paul inbound

15 hours ago, VectisSaint said:

I:m slightly bemused where this sudden love in for NT has come from. Don't get me wrong, I really rated the guy and wish him all the success he deserves. But the facts are that so far for Leverkusen he has started 4 League matches (stats actually say 3 but that looks wrong), has played 90 minutes once only in the League and has 2 assists in all competitions. I get that he has scored 4 in the Bundesliga, but to be frank he has hardly broken through as yet, and he will do well to do so with Frimpong ahead of him. It is great that he will likely pick up a Bundesliga winners medal, but the hype seems a bit over the top at the moment. Just an observation.

What we cant be happy for someone ? 

I like to see people do well, haters hate upwards look at how much grief the COT get every transfer window.

Fairplay to them, great run, that change of manager they did really did make a difference if they have 8 games left and 10pts ahead then they are nailed on to go up.

1 hour ago, notnowcato said:

Yeah but the bundesliga is a bit shit

Lets not throw stones too much, Freiburg who are 8th in the bundesliga beat West Ham last week.

I cant believe Leverkeusen can keep up this unbeaten streak but I saw they have managed to get a man sent off from the opposition over their last 3 games, thats gotta help.

8 minutes ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

To be fair and balanced, Manning made a good recovery then. 

Yeah manning playing well this game - covering his space well when defending and also still pushing up and he usually annoys me the most.

Just now, OttawaSaint said:

Ah it's too bad we had those 2 sticky patches. 4 losses in a row and 3 in 4. 

All we can do is win the games vs those 3 and hope we have enough at the end of the season. 

Wouldnt worry about it, we have just got to do the best we can and whatever happens happens.

I am more annoyed by our shit finishing as our goals werent exactly clincal.

Goal 1 down to their defender and it still was saved by the goalie from beders point blank header before stuey tucked it hom.

Goal 2 - good work from manning and then still armstrong tried to fuck it up.

Good to see sunderland top scorer clarke isnt playing

The bigger problem is on the other side of the pitch with Manning

Hahahahahaha Cardiff get in

The 49m isn't for juves benefit, it's to set a price for the wider market.

Not read the thread recently but assume someone has already done the joke that the football league has already caught Leicester.

Since we've been a defensive shit show from when I got my 2-0 prediction right for the first time in 2yrs I'm bringing it back.

2-0 saints

The charge to the title starts Saturday 

9 hours ago, egg said:

Agreed that he needs a holding player alongside him, and Downes is the best we've got. It's a shame that Charles has flattered to deceive as, on paper, he'd be a great pairing with Smallbone. On that, I find it surprising that Smallbone gets so much flak but that Charles gets an easy ride despite costing a fortune. 

Captain Jack was the best in all the pirate films

Imagine you'd flown to the uk from aus and this was the only game you could get to.

23 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

@Fabrice29is not saying Ryan is the best Left back in the league or even in the team, he’s explained why it sometimes appears the left back is a weak spot. It’s Russell’s call not Ryan’s. Blame Russell if you don’t like the tactic that, occasionally, encourages the direct ball exploiting the space ( often ) available in our left back area. 

And it might not be amiss for some of you to chill with the exaggerated negative comments on Ryan. Makes you sound like Pompey fans. 

It’s been explained very clearly by @Fabrice29 and by @The Cat but one last time : 

When KWP goes forward with ball running - wherever he likes but usually on RH side and central - it is because he and the team know he is allowed to do so. He is a ( arguably THE) key disrupter for us of opposition defensive tactics. He is specifically told and allowed to do this by Russell. 
 

KWP attacking triggers an immediate response for the rest of the defence. They shuffle across - which means the LB ( Ryan Manning) tucks in more centrally, and the right CB - usually THB but can be Beds pops out a little for a temporary back three. In that moment space - and plenty of it - is obviously visible in our lb position. Less visibly so on the rh side because thats the side of play being disrupted. 
 

Given that there’s a good chance KWP will get dispossessed and a “ breakaway” is possible via a direct long ball, usually lofted, if I was an opposition manager I would reckon my players chances of successfully executing a direct pass to a forward who had to face Ryan in the obvious left hand side was higher than on the ( disrupted) rh side, where, incidentally our best defender awaits : THB. So target left back. 
 

Straight away from a height and strength and defensive ability perspective it’s no contest. THB >RM. So target left back. 
 

So blame Ryan all you like but were you to replace him with Meg - and with KWP in same free role role as before with same RM tactics - then some of you lot will be calling him “ dog shit “ etc and destroying his career before he’s even really started. RM is a pretty seasoned pro and can take the criticism - I doubt Meg could.

Who else for LB instead of Ryan?  Well obviously Bree - but I bet you willbe all over him like a rash the minute a goal goes in from that area. 

It’s up toRuss to solve that problem. Player bashing pundits like some of you far too keen to scapegoat players like Ryan, Will, etc when it’s as much /majorly our tactics that’sfundementally at the heart of the issue. 

Not defending the tactic - it’s clearly an Achilles heel of sorts- just trying to explain why in singling our Ryan you are largely missing the point. 

I would agree with a lot of that if most of the time the ball isnt played over his head as he minces around ball watching near the halfway line.

Yeah just caught that myself, his assist was a lay off so not exactly a awesome one but they all count.

Watching the highlights Juve couldnt finish and also Napoli missed a pen - all in all its like watching us.

6 minutes ago, The Cat said:

Don't they play 3 at the back?

Still, amazing numbers.

I have no doubt that Manning will overtake them both by the end of the season, all sparked by the world class hat trick he's going to get on Wednesday.

Lets play 3 at the back 🤣