Chewy

And this is why Nathan Jones and his family on here need to understand why the fan base are a little short on the patience they crave. We fans have watched this sh1t get worse for 4 years; the only good spell was in lockdown and we couldn’t go. We’ve just finished our worst calendar year, have taken a complete punt on an unproven manager, have no sign of the striker we should have lined up at least 8 months ago and have wasted 5 weeks of preparation working on a formation we still fail at. I know most of this isn’t Jones’ fault but they need to understand how pig sick we all are. Justifiably so IMHO. I knew I’d lost almost all joy in going to St Mary’s of late but this table is a stark reminder of how dreadful it is. Cant wait for the light show on Wednesday - that’ll help improve the mood 😶

I know some of this impatience is a little tongue in cheek, but in all seriousness will be interesting to see how long it takes to sign the striker we’ve absolutely obviously needed since we realised Broja wasn’t going to return (i.e. about last March). I don’t want to sound like one of those impatient fan tw4ts but this should be done - it should have been at least 90% of the entire board and recruitment teams focus since we failed so epically in the summer. The fact that we’re getting half rumours isn’t exactly encouraging but maybe it is done and it’s being kept out of the press? I know we do that sometimes so here’s hoping. Because the alternative of not having this sorted would be unthinkable, even by this board’s standards.

I thought we were when I watched us at Villa Park. It was the worst I’d seen in years, and we’ve been even worse at times since (Sheff Wed, Lincoln, Newcastle, Everton, Brighton, Liverpool). We’ve squeaked a win and a draw v League one sides at home and been spanked elsewhere. It’s a good indication of our level. We are utterly terrible at the moment. We were actually better today but still lost, are still bottom, still don’t look like scoring in open play, still have dreadful errors at the back and are mentally weak. Not even worth wasting an ounce of hope on this lot until or unless we have the mother of all transfer windows (and by that I don’t mean recalling a couple of centre backs from loan). This team, as it is, is down.

3 games in a row he’s picked Eli and not SA. 3 games in a row he’s picked our 4th best centre back 2nd game out of 3 he’s picked AMN at all. 2nd game in a row he’s completely isolated Che. And he’s either not picked a fit Lavia (our only cdm) or he’s picked a half fit player for the bench, who was rushed back to early last time and got injured again. Otherwise, it’s as good as we could hope for, yeah 🤦🏻‍♂️ Please may I be proved entirely wrong, of course

You need a player that will play week in, week out no matter what. So Ely it is then

When I saw the team v Lincoln I raised an eyebrow - starting Moi, starting AA, 3 centre backs, no Stuart Armstrong (the only creative player in our entire squad). I did wonder why a month of prep hadn’t seen us progress into something more different than the same bizarre decisions from Ralph that got us in this mess, but thought maybe the play would be improved. It wasn’t; also the finishing remained horrible, AMN was laughably bad, attitude and body language spoke of apathy not inspiration. Walcott from the bench was our best player (!!!). It was, let’s be honest, an awful start. So onto the first proper game, only 2 centre backs but not our best one, solving AMN by trying Diallo in a role he’s proved multiple times isn't his game, still starts with Moi, still benches Stuart, isolates Adams and adds the wildcard if Djenepo who fails as he does 70% of the time. Both eyebrows firmly raised. Still, onto the game … f*ck me. 2.5 games is too soon to write someone off, certainly if there’s a plan and a bedding in period. I do get that, and think a lot of people are loving the fact that their disappointment at his appointment in the first place is being vindicated so far so are making far more noise than they might ordinarily. On the other hand, a month of bedding in a philosophy, style, attitude and we’ve ended up with the same, if not worse, in each. Bizarre team choices, playing players who’ve consistently failed in positions they’re not suited to. Let’s be honest, I don’t think there’s one fan who would have started Moi in both, benched Stuart in both, picked Djenepo, or played Diallo in that role. We’ve seen it fail many times before- so why doesn’t he or the club know this??? On balance it does kind of feel too early, but the early signs couldn’t be any worse. He’s had time (without games of course) and it’s all still rotten. If we are rotten to the core it’s not his fault, but he’s not looking like being the cure. He was never going to get a honeymoon period - the fans are in a bad mood after 4-5 years of mostly sh1t. We need to attract players of calibre and have a board and manager incapable of doing so. We’re playing terrible football, made worse by terrible body language. The captain is in awful form and has never been a leader. Our strikers can’t score, our one creative player sits on the bench. You’d hope the new manager would spot and address this because every fan has and … nothing. It does feel too early, but this is never going to work so why waste months proving it?

Hope Chelsea sack Potter, appoint him and rebuild with a proper coach who can work with our crop of youngsters alongside whatever is left from the relegation fire sale.

Who are they going to spend the next 20 minutes interviewing about the 4 balls they’re each about to choose? And how they’re gutted it’s not Liverpool?

I think they assumed after the World Cup there’d be 35 minutes of injury time. Or else Carragher is paid by the word and has missed out this last month. Even worse, he’s paid by words that non-scousers can comprehend. In which case we’ll be here until Christmas

There is clearly a significant gap between championship and premier league these days - we’ve seen it with Adams and Armstrong, Ollie Watkins hasn’t done it at Villa. Mitrovic only succeeded at the third attempt. I don’t think Tellla’s recent form suggests to me he’s suddenly going to be a premier league standard finisher. That said, a lot of football, and especially goal scoring, is a confidence thing. Given our dire need for goals and the complete lack of options I’d honestly be tempted to risk recalling him this January. I don’t think it would be best for the player - I think a permanent move to championship level or a less competitive European league would do his career wonders, but selfishly I think we’re pretty f•coed right now and would rather see him on the pitch than Armstrong, Mara or Walcott.

Moi???? No youth prospects on the bench? Not exactly what I was hoping for but still … bring on the new era!

It needs a tweak but I can still comment? Thanks. Unlike the poster you earlier told not to comment? Are you the forum dictator? It’s a question, not an accusation, BTW. Like my question about still being drunk. Plus I didn’t call anyone thick. Moron. Anyway, forgot to rant about my favourite criticism from all the above - a lack of JWP for that late free kick. Like the 2022 JWP should be anywhere near the England squad. F•cling idiots.

Southgate didn’t seek MLTs (not even remotely qualified) psychological help due to wokeness? Are you still drunk?? Honestly, reading this thread reminds me of why I don’t come on here after saints defeats. Utter morons publicly proving their complete lack of footballing - or pretty much any - intelligence. We lost to the world champions in a tight game, largely due to Kane missing a penalty and the officials missing another, plus a blatant foul in the build up to France’s first. We outplayed them for most of the second half, kept the worlds best current player quiet, all while playing with an utterly inept ref. But none of that matters - Rice passed it sideways twice in 45 mins, we didn’t swap on 5 strikers and Southgate is a worse manager than any we had in the 70s, 80s and 90s (Graham Taylor anyone). We haven’t won any of the last 3 tournaments so Southgate is incompetent (there are some other fairly decent sides trying as well, you know). Of course, yet to see any mention of who might realistically take over and do better (I mean, I guess it’s possible Guardiola wants the gig …). I know we all indulge in naval gazing after every major tournament to an extent but some if you are absolute fucking idiots.

Every knew it’d be a close game and so it is. Both sides have had possession and moments without any major threat. All that’s in it is a couple of questionable decisions. No need to panic, I think we’ll score. Whether we win or not, however…

I don’t. I hope it’s against a humiliating defeat against us in the final 😉

Yeah … I’m not in love with Neymar either. If he’s got that far I might get sentimental about Messi winning the only trophy left to confirm him as GOAT so would probably cheer them on. But to be honest I’d just love to see that game, at that stage. Loads of skill and loads of animosity. Possibility of being an all-time classic. (Of course, if we’re still in the hunt I’m not cheering Messi on!)

Bit of both. Mental tactics from Korea, but a couple of very good goals. I really hope there’s an Argentina v Brazil semifinal; that could be epic!

I haven’t been this confused since we beat Denmark 3-0 at the same stage in 2002. My body is used to being flushed with stress hormones in a 90 minute panic attack. I don’t understand

Noble sentiment, but a lot easier to say when your home town is Rome than, say … Portsmouth?

France play Poland?? in a World Cup full of upsets the only second round game I can’t envisage a shock in any circumstance is Argentina v Australia. I think USA and Switzerland in particular have chances. I actually think Senegal will be tough. Took extra time and 2 penalties v Cameroon in 1990; imagine it could be equally tense tomorrow

Have to agree; France have the best player in mbappe but are not world class elsewhere. Very good but not world class. I think our attacking options are the best in the tournament. Kane’s not scored yet but already making an impact (top of the assist charts). Portugal and Argentina are being carried by people past their (admittedly exceptional) best; Netherlands aren’t a patch on some of their past teams and Brazil are being hyped but honestly man for man I’d not swap any of our front five with theirs. My two concerns are a) the defence (cb and gk) and b) the fact we’re England and always f*** up somehow. I do think this is our best chance since 2006, possibly better given the weakness of the opposition sides, but years of experience tell me to not get my hopes up.

Milik as well. We need a lot of goals so let’s get all their forwards

Isn’t that the same for every weekend between now and eternity?

Go for the Del Amitri “nothing really matters”. plenty of space to add “he hates Pompey” in that song too 😉

Sorry but that’s a cliche. We watch Grealish, Foden, Mount, Sterling, Rashford, Kane, Saka, Maddison versus Richarlison, Fred, Rodrygo every week in the premier league - we have as much if not more flair than Brazil this year. Play to your strengths - we have no defence but attacking options every team is envious (and scared) of. I don’t expect flair players to turn it on every game (remember Le Tissier 😉) so I’m not fussed a few of them had an off day, but swap them early enough to make a difference. If Southgate made his changes 10 minutes earlier, and had added Foden for Mount, we’d have won that last night. And everyone could have been given a rest for Wales. And quite frankly so what if the risk cost us defeat. Avoid defeat against Wales and we’re through anyway. Get beat by Wales (as well as USA) and we deserve to go home. Sorry, bit ranty but we had a chance last night to positively impact a game we’d been poor in and we were too chicken. What will last night do to Fodens confidence? We’ve got great attacking players so trust them and use them.