austsaint

Ankersen, not Anderson.

Oh for a Wanyama, Schneiderlin or Romeu to partner Downes. That, a clinical striker, an Andersen replacement and a different manager would be a good starting place for change.

You’ve got to better than that.

Just on the subject of corners, it was claimed by the commentator tonight that Saints have earned 66 corners this season and not scored from any! Another Prem record to the credit of Martin and his coaching staff.

Yet, how many transfer windows has Martin had - and finances provided - to re-shape the squad. It’s obvious he has had a big influence on who has been retained; let go and recruited. So many of the massive squad of Championship players you speak of are at the Club because of his poor judgement. It’s another area of culpability he has to own. In any case I’m not convinced that a team with the likes of Ramsdale - Sugawara - Bednarek/ABK- THB -KWP -Airibo-Downes-Fernandes- Archer- Dibling - Lallana isn’t good enough to have accumulated more than 5 points. A clinical striker the obvious urgent need.

You better check that comment out with the Farmer; he’ll have all the inside information.

Your post sums things up nicely. There are enough good footballers in this side to have significantly more points. KWP, Archer, Fernandes and Airibo in particular all outstanding. The Martin era at Saints should have ended weeks ago. Shame on you Rasmus and co.

Yeah, well we have all that in spades, don’t we. Leicester have shown some bravery in replacing Managers, and have an immediate return on that brave decision. Meanwhile our lot sit on their hands. Interesting to note Van Nistlerooy’s comments after the Hammers game. “I am not a romantic manager who will put style in front of results”!

I’m not sure whether the Lino put up his flag late, (which does happen). When the VAR came into play I was just hoping that the inches fell in Archer’s favour - which they did. I don’t think anyone watching the game live even considered the possibility that AA had attempted a back heel invoking that technical ruling of off side.

It’s not hate. It’s a belief the Board should let-him-go.

Auto-biographical?

Exactly. The class and natural ability of Dibling and Fernandes have diddley squat to do with the Manager’s “principles”, or coaching. They are just precocious talents providing a clue to the style we need to play. Without them we are threadbare. Unwittingly, they are keeping Martin’s fragile reputation pulse beating.

Yes, hard to argue with that.

I still rate that Smallbone substitution v Leicester (bringing him on) after Martin had been quoted as saying he was happiest when Will Smallbone was on the pitch as the dumbest, ill-thought-out statement and decision I can recall. Right up with the craziness of Nathan Jones.

He speaks a lot of sense though; suggesting (to me) your own contributions are characterised by hubris and look at me in-the-know claims.

And in any case the linesman had flagged for offside meaning that without VAR’s intervention or existence the goal wouldn’t have stood anyway. Under VAR, a technical, yet correct ruling was made. Without the technology, the goal was chalked off immediately. It was a gut wrenches, but not the big Club bias some are suggesting.

It was a much improved second half. The tempo was quicker; the ultra short passing at the back stopped and there seemed a purpose to our play in attacking areas…surely this should be the blueprint. Through my eyes we were one attacking player short. Playing Manning again in that wing/back role looked a mistake. Yes, he delivered a good cross and a few decent corners, but I counted six passing turnovers and a lack of both defensive or attacking quality. Just about everything worthwhile came through Dibling (what a player he is already), and Fernandes. If only Lallana was 26 and on the pitch - a trio like that, and a change of manager could revive the faint hope of staying up.

Can Martin just put Manning out of his misery and replace him with You can say the same about Manning. Should be nowhere near the Prem and it’s a damning indictment on Martin that he has overrated the likes of Manning, Stephen’s, Smallbone, Armstrong for so long.

If you had downed your tools and put your ladder away earlier Trousers, you’d be doubling down on your conclusion. The players are good enough to be in a better position on the table. The “seen it before” embarrassment of McCarthy’s rolled short pass (clearly under instructions) to an under pressure Fernandes was clear evidence of the destruction Martin’s dogmatic instruction has foisted on the Club. A better manager ; a different manager would immediately remove this absurd practice.

Gio, there’s some good material here which someone like Ricky Gervais might be interested in. You never know, could be a fat wedge for you in prospect from Netflix royalties. You’d never have to go back to that public facing organisation again.

While I agree with you to a point; I’d take Edozie at left-side wing rather than -the last three games featuring- Ryan Manning everyday of the week. Wouldn’t you? At least he has the attributes of an attacking player; has youth on his side and may yet show improvement to at least be an influential Championship player; particularly with a different Manager, ie not Martin.

And yet it seems he keeps his job, no matter what. The thing I found baffling about yesterday’s disappointment was the way the team was set up. Against the bottom side, a side which had conceded more goals than any other RM plays five at the back and deploys Manning as a hybrid winger, AA as the other wide player and Archer isolated up front. This left the impressive Fernandes with a bit of help from the ageing Lallana as the only creative players …little wonder there was such little threat on the Wolves goal.

Loved Niemi and Ramsdale is every bit his equal in my view. With a different Manager (soon) and a tweak in defence and midfield, Ramsdale could still be our keeper 25/26.

Well said Charlie. The Club needed a slice of luck and fortune to “get on the board”, and got it today while playing some nice Football mixed up with the familiar mistakes. It was apparent early on that Everton had come to play conservatively; let Saints boss possession and look to mount occasional counter attacks. It was therefore, a surprise to me that we persisted with three CB for so long, even if Stephen’s drifted into midfield at times, Manning as a wing back for 70 minutes also struck me as odd - it just seemed to stifle our attacking quality. That said, replacing a spent Lallana at h/t was the right decision and holding Dibling back after recent exertions fair enough too - though perhaps Dibling on earlier and Stephen’s off earlier was the better approach. Thought KWP was outstanding - got forward, picked out progressive passes and defended well when called on. Ramsdale made some key saves, Fernandes again impressive as an attacking midfielder, Armstrong’s goal well taken and he played well in the wide role. Harwood-Bellis the pick of the CBs and the Airibo, Dibling Sugawara cameos all contributed something positive. You’d have to be a complete meanie not to feel some relief and happiness towards RM getting his first Prem win, yet fair to say there are many continuing doubts about his capacity to manage at this level.