Greenridge

Shame the club didn’t tell Ralph who was lining up players to bring in during January. What a shambles.

He hasn't swerved them whatsoever. You stated the only thing Gao has done that fans don't like is not throwing money into the club Benji responded with his reasons. It's not that complicated.

Stephens has a habit of being equidistant from all the opposition in his box. It's uncanny, it's like he's playing his own game of zonal marking but no one told any of his teammates. At times he looks completely disorientated as if he's just played the spinning-the-broom on your head game at a BBQ after a few beers.

If you are the owner or CEO or whatever top dog then you are ultimately responsible for the performance of that asset. Always has been and always will be that way and rightly so.

Let’s say it was on the commercial side.

I don’t think we have any. A good friend of a friend who has a fairly senior role at the club was made redundant very recently. All ties in with the club not doing what Ralph had indicated would happen in January.

People are basing their opinion of Valery on all his games not his horror mistake yesterday. He may well improve, in all likelihood he probably will but he’s not good enough right now. And by the way, Maximin did him pretty much every time yesterday.

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/18279971.southampton-captain-pierre-emile-hojbjerg-contract-2021/

He has that combination of pace and power that we pretty much struggle with every time we encounter it.

I think you are mistaking his 'passing' for miscontrolling.

What I watched was absolutely dire. Virtually zero quality on display other than Cahill doing a good job.

Yep, he's rubbish hence why he's the first name on Ralph's team sheet and the team captain that is (apparently) wanted by clubs 'better' than Southampton. But, huh, what do they all know!

That’s McCarthy’s weakness too.

You made no mention of the building towards match fitness until later in the discussion after I had raised that point. You said he played for the U23s and was fit. Now it turns out it wasn't even a full game and he's certainly not match fit. Sometimes it's best to just stop digging.

Reminds me of Les’ now infamous quote...

Just in the pub after the game. Decent performance against a very poor team. Djenepo is entertaining that’s for sure. His stepovers just before half-time when the oppo defender was 15yrds away was particularly funny. Ings was not quite there today but Long ran and ran. Mention for Smallbone who was calm, composed and assured. Should have won much more comfortably.

It’s two and a half years old

No one said otherwise. We are talking about this weekend. But coming back to your irrelevant point. Being fit and being match fit are not one of the same. With their lack of any first team action neither were match fit last weekend and neither would have payed ahead of Cedric.

Metaphorically it is. It has little resemblance to the demands, speed and quality of the Premier League. He will not be match fit due to his prolonged absence but I’m sure you understand that.

The problem is you obviously didn’t read the post you are replying to.

Two capable / fit ones. Not asking too much I guess.

It’s a good job Ralph ‘likes’ to have a small squad to work with as that’s what we’ve got now.

Genk wing-back Joakim Maehle discusses blocked €11.5m Southampton bid https://apple.news/A-tDFOrmFS_SN-qALjpEbcw

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/18228012.southampton-wait-till-summer-bring-new-face/