austsaint

I completely agree; Poch was a much superior Manager/Coach than Puel. I'm the last person to be influenced only by numbers and tables - they are nothing without the qualitative eye for what's happening on the field. My opinions too come from watching on TV and my once-a-year trips home. You were the one who cited points tallies, anomalies and historic table positions, not me. The thing that is beyond dispute is that at this point - Claude Puel (whose Football style I disliked) has many more runs on the board than RM. And if RM doesn't find a way to get Saints promoted from the lottery of the play offs, I doubt he will get the chance to match Puel's record. For what it's worth, I agree with your 1 to 5 table of Managers - I'd have Puel ahead of Martin - otherwise, good call.

Get back to me when RM takes a side to the EFL Cup Final and accumulates enough points to comfortably maintain Saint's Prem status.

All very well except for the small matter of Puel managing in the Prem and Martin in the Championship - very different standard of competition. As Martin will find out if he's snapped up by Brighton.

He certainly lacked quality compared to his predecessor, Ryan Bertrand. I take your point that the recruitment staff should have eyed off someone better - it's a been a trend though, hasn't it.......Ing's not replaced by equivalent quality; Romeu another example. I wasn't at the Bournemouth game - I'm a Hampshire ex-pat who gets back to the UK once a year. I think that was the game Perraud copped a serious ankle injury. I do remember him getting up and down the flank with good pace in several games; there are many wide attacking players in the Prem who will make many full-backs look short on pace. Manning superior technically? We differ there. You might recall Perraud regularly displayed a gun left foot with goals at the highest level and also high standard crosses and free kicks. You call Perraud a Championship standard player - I'd argue he was like most of our Prem side at the end of the 22/23 season - just short of Prem standard, but very likely to be very useful in the Championship - Lavia, Livramento, KWP and Ward-Prowse excepted. How do you think Manning would have gone in the Prem that season? Anyway, it's an interesting discussion. I've got a feeling that Meghoma is going to be a very good LB, and he represents the future of the Club.

Calling for captions.

You've never liked him Chez. Agree with most of your assessments, but not this one. Perraud has some pace; was technically ok at Prem level and would be a very good performer in the Championship. Not clear cut that he wanted out for any other reason than Martin didn't fancy him and had Manning in his back pocket. I don't expect him to return under any circumstances but I'm sure we would have been better off with a back four of KWP, THB, Bednarek and Perraud.

That's my recall too. Serious ankle injury from memory. Perraud may have wanted out, but Martin didn't make it easy for him when he regained fitness, with that out-of-position Cup game about his only opportunity. He was solid enough for us at Prem level, has a sweet left foot and got stuck in. As a specialist LB he would have been a real asset this season - a definite upgrade on Manning.

Particularly given the Club paid 12 million pounds for him (a bargain) in 2020. No way is KWP on 20k pw.

I made the claim before the Ipswich game that he's a better attacking mid option than WS, and I think he proved the point. Just has a greater set of skills and attributes, and speeds our attacking game up a gear. He has improved, but most of all he is like a number of our players - very good at Championship level; not quite up to it at Prem level.

Yes, I thought that was a crucial mistake by RM. Should have freshened things up at about the 65 minute mark. Not just because Bednarek was injured, but Ipswich were pressing and threatening at the time. Yet on 82 minutes, with us needing to win the game, Martin brought on Smallbone for Aribo (one of the best players on the pitch today). Why not bring on someone like Sulemana and go for the three points rather than a steady-as-she-goes midfielder? Were we trying to win the game or save a point? The omission of KWP also needs explaining - player-of-the-season by a mile; crucial game.....where's our best player? Also thought the Jack Stephens as an inverted LB or hybrid midfielder confused things today. Our best Football this season has been with THB and Bednarek as CB's, KWP and someone like Bree at LB. Such a blow to lose like that, after playing much great attacking Football - The Armstrongs' goal a thing of beauty.

Has to be said - that was an awful miss. Photographic evidence is damning.

Yep, well put. I've been a patient supporter of Che; particularly at this level - but in a season where we've needed an on-song striker he's been a grave disappointment.

It's not true in your mind - it is in mine. Truth and opinions are two different things.

I doubt many will take up your question about Will Smallbone, and why he seems to be an automatic selection. There's a solid base of praise for him on the forum which is hard to understand. A steady mid-table Championship midfielder who wouldn't get into the Leicester, Leeds or Ipswich starting line-ups. Why ours? Aribo has demonstrated, at Championship level, he is a much superior attacking midfielder, better at retaining possession and more dangerous in linking up with our front four. Charles has shown himself to be a better holding mid, though far from the finished article. If we are not promoted this season it's a valid question to ask of RM's team selection. Why so much faith in Manning and Smallbone?

There's a case for believing that Fraser and Rothwell are our most clinical finishers.

It's like re-living a nightmare. Bertrand's early red card v Leicester didn't help, but it is remarkable to look back at our midfield that day - JWP, Romeu and Hojberg. In the Man U debacle Jankewitz got the red card after two minutes, and only JWP was left from that strong midfield we paraded v Leicester.

Yes, Adams and AA worked well together - plenty of evidence that neither on their own up front is effective. Like to see the THB/Bednarek combination restored and if KWP can’t play, Bree at RB and JS at LB.

In the end it was one of those "hail mary" results, even though on the balance of chances created and shots on target, it really should have been a comfortable win. Worrying that Brum looked a fairly mediocre side, even before the red card, yet we made such a struggle of getting the three points. Stephen's had quite a good game at CB, with an interesting spell in midfield. Just the same, THB and Bednarek have to be restored as a combination. Once again the weakness of Manning's defensive and positional game were there for all to see. Quite a few praising Smallbone - I thought he was a peripheral player again (bit rich to call the Brooks goal an assist) and Aribo was unlucky not to start in his place. Interesting how opinions on WS vary so much! AA was busy and creative all afternoon; Stu A had his moments and Downes immediately made our midfield stronger. Adams could/should easily have had a hat-trick. Crucial three points - maybe Gareth Bale was right; we should all have defibrillators close by!

I fully support every word RM said about the vile abuse WS copped on social media. My view is entirely down to the limitations I see in Smallbone's game and the suspicion that RM grossly overrates him.

I'll be amazed if THB doesn't start - and disappointed if the midfield isn't Downes, Aribo and Stu A. Smallbone definitely needs a spell.

Looked like he was injured after stumbling. Let's hope not.

We will disagree on that. But between us I think we've identified the two players RM has shown too much faith in.

Solely Smallbone's error.

Happy with that side. Maybe Meghoma should start at LB - he's earned the chance. Touch and go with Brooks?

I doubt King Midas would have shown as much faith in players like Will Smallbone and Ryan Manning. That's his most damning error in my view.