CanadaSaint

Firstly, if Jones was able to outline to our “Board” what he would do here, as Reddit-dude did, I can understand why they didn’t look much further - even though they must have known they’d get hammered for lack of ambition. Secondly, if we actually have a decent squad of players (which some of us believe - caveat on missing striker), Jones’s philosophy will liberate them - and probably pretty quickly. Same players, much better tune, far more enjoyable to watch. Thirdly, what a joy it was to read something so thoughtful, balanced and positive. He may not be a typical fan, but it was heartwarming to read something that didn’t have the sneering negativity and self entitlement that are commonplace on forums. Just reading that, from a Luton fan, explains why some folks think footy is much more enjoyable outside the PL. Thanks to him and good luck to them.

How difficult is it? There's a page where you can voice your opinion on whether you want Nathan Jones here. This is a WELCOME thread. If you want to post negative, manic depressive shit, and set yourself up for "I told you so" posts after the first bad result, go to the first one. If you want Jones - and therefore Saints - to succeed, use this one. It's not rocket science. Good luck Nathan. We're behind you. Well, most of us.

We don't need to be world beaters - we need to improve on the style-less dross Ralph has been serving up, which shouldn't be difficult. And I very much suspect that Ralph's reputation in the agent community is not good, so they'll steer their players away from us while he's here. The new guy would have one month and four winnable games to make us more appealing before the window closes. If he's already well regarded, that in itself would make us more attractive to potential signings. I'm not saying that I like that possible strategy, but that it may be much better than keeping Ralph or a knee-jerk hiring.

While we are, understandably, growing more anxious and impatient by the week, it's not beyond the realms of possibility that SR have a clear strategy in their minds. It could involve hanging on until the WC break, and bringing in a new manager who they may have already identified (perhaps even from a WC team, or one from the managerial shake-up that could happen when the WC managers become available). Then we would use the period between the end of the WC and the opening of the transfer window to establish a style, improve results, and make ourselves more attractive to potential January signings. We know from the Gakpo pursuit that some significant funds are available, but Ralph isn't exactly a magnet any more. Sure, it feels horribly risky from our side, but the SR people aren't idiots. They've been very successful, and they did that by taking calculated risks, and by playing the long game, not the short game. Some of the names being mentioned on here as potential Ralph replacements are far more risky than that strategy. Between now and the WC, we have Bournemouth (a), Arsenal (h), Palace (a), Newcastle (h) and Liverpool (a). Even if we only pick up a couple of points from those fixtures, I can't see us being cut adrift at the bottom. And I think we have the squad to go on a good run, given decent management.

I stuck with Ralph for as long as I could because his style, on the good days, was great to watch and very effective. I was blinded by the good days and by his "nice guy" facade, but gradually came to realize that he's arrogant, obstinate and disinterested in alternative views. I had a real sense of foreboding after the West Ham cup game, when Ralph - after picking a crazy starting lineup, seemed to view the freak result as confirmation that he knows everything and the fans know nothing. He hit 100 on the arrogance meter after that game. Under Ralph we were always quite bipolar - "when we were good we were very, very good, but when we were bad we were horrid". Increasingly, it was the latter. Now our style seems to be a ludicrous amalgam of the very things that made us horrid. We're back to shuffling the ball around sideways - at the back and in the middle, and it's utterly futile because we then end up hoofing it. And Ralph persists with starting lineups and formations that pretty much nobody on here would select. I was livid before the Everton game when I saw he'd broken up a CD duo that had been dovetailing well. How the hell can the squad dovetail when he keeps shifting shapes and roles? It has seemed clear for some time, from the outside, that there were issues behind the scenes. The smug, knowing grins exchanged between Ralph and Semmens at the forum suggested that they knew where the Mail leak had come from, and that reprisals would soon be taken. Again, Ralph saw it as validation of him. That grinning moment suggested, to me at least, that Semmens has been part of the problem and is unlikely to be part of the solution. That seems like a bleak picture, but if there's a club with the personnel to change things completely under new management, it's us. We have some very good players, but we will not see their best when they're just minions in Ralph's master plan - one that very few people at the club or in the seats are buying into.

Every weekend we’re there in person or watching on TV hoping to see something special. Of course, we want it to come from the side we support. Sometimes, though, it comes from the other side, but that doesn’t stop it from being special, and we stand there for a while in grudging admiration. The weekend postponements are a good way to pause for some well-earned admiration, grudging or not. I’m fine with that.

One of my favourites, too. There was a conspicuous Oriel-shaped gap when he didn't play, but we're working to address that. What will be much harder to replace is the example he set for those around him. There aren't many class acts in football these days but he was certainly one of them. My hope was that we'd keep him around so that he could take Lavia under his wing and pass on the importance of commitment and lifestyle. But not shooting. 🤣 There aren't many players who have left Saints over the years with as many well-wishes as Oriel will have in his backpack.

Do you think City would let him go to Spurs? I don’t.

Lots of 3-D domino games going on, so anything could happen. At least we’re in them.

The accomplishments since SR arrived have been amazing: Outline a sustainable business model for a club of our (current) size - CHECK Don’t place too much power in one set of hands - CHECK Strengthen the coaching team (move out the deadwood, rectify the manager’s weaknesses by introducing a team approach to decision-making) - CHECK Commit to a high-intensity style of play (our "identity") that utilizes our strengths and is hard to match (regardless of who we’re playing) – CHECK Increase squad quality and depth in all positions, ideally with young, high-potential players – CHECK Implement a talent acquisition model (and the staff to operate it) that allows us to quickly replace the players we inevitably lose to the big-spenders - CHECK Play the kind of football that gets St. Mary’s electrified and makes things much harder for opponents (and referees) - CHECK Who’d have thought that our most challenging issue this year would end up being the pitch? We seem well on the way to a tectonic shift. And not a Saudi in sight.

Fabulous result. Adams, ABK and JWP were heroic. Mo very impressive. So pleased for AA. The Lavia injury underscores the importance of keeping Romeu. We need to enjoy this kid while we’ve got him.

Well, that win should significantly help our recruitments efforts.

Gakpo seems like an exciting prospect but Maitland-Niles would be an excellent acquisition, too. Our starting lineup is much upgraded but it’s a long hard season, especially for the younger players. Having someone like AMN, who can play multiple positions, single-handedly gives us a big boost in depth. I really hope we can land him.

Are there more fixtures after the January window than before this year, because of the WC?

Completely agree. He’s become pretty reliable in the middle third, and he’s exciting in the front third, but he can look like a lost sheep in the defensive third - as he did today on United’s goal. He’s an unpredictable enigma who brings things that Elyanoussi can’t bring.

I can’t help but wonder if Broja developed a negative mindset when somebody in the dressing room got in his ear. He seemed all set and then things went pear-shaped. The smirks suggest that Ralph and Semmens know exactly who that was - and also the person behind the Mail leak. When shit like this happens inside a club, it’s seldom resolved with a public airing. More often, someone falls out of the squad selection reckoning. Just saying…

Diallo reminds me of some of the knobs in my car. I've had it for a few years and I'm still not sure what they do.

I think we have to be really careful here. ABK and Mara are both 20 and Lavia is 18. They look like outstanding talents but young players can lack the physical durability and mental fortitude that a gruelling PL season requires. We saw that with Tino. While I'm happy with our starting lineup I think we need to bear in mind that they're unlikely to be playing at their current standard all season - and we can't over-expose them, so we need to keep some older heads around. I hope we don't sell Adams, but if we let Romeu go we MUST sign Garner or someone similar; Diallo is too lightweight for me, and I'm still not sure what he's good at. There's also a good case for keeping Redmond, even if he's seldom a starter, and I have more faith in Lyanco than most on here. Selling Bednarek - not loaning him - could well be critical for the first half of our season.

It has been a while since we've had multiple options to freshen things up and apply tactical tweaks or even significant changes - largely (but not solely) because we haven't had the depth to do it. It has also been a while since we've felt any confidence that the coaching staff would a) recognize the need for those changes, b) implement them in a timely fashion, or c) implement them at all. It really helps if we don't have to use our substitutions to rectify errors in selecting the starting lineup. Ralph is looking like a much better coach for listening to those around him.

Absolutely. Bella-Kotchap and Salisu are dovetailing really well and it’s clear that they (and Bazunu) are communicating back there. We need that to happen with JWP and Lavia, who have yet to develop the understanding that JWP and Romeu had - but it will come. The goal we conceded was frustrating because it looked like a mis-aligned wall - something we can also work on. We’re clearly a side that plays better on the front foot, and we’ll get better when the Coaching staff and players have the courage to start that way, instead of absorbing pressure and waiting until we go behind - at least against non-Top 6 sides. Again, it was great to see Ralph having huddles with his assistants.

I don't buy into the notion that this is now "Ralph's squad". His input is considered in the target identification process but, in the SR model as I understand it, that's a much broader process involving other people and lots of analytics. This is the Club's squad, and Ralph is expected to get the best out of it, which he hasn't been doing - even this year, already. It would be foolhardy in the extreme to build a squad around the wishes of a manager whose future is uncertain - either because he's underperforming or because of his stated intent to retire in a couple of years. In fact, choosing not to start some of the new players, only for them to look good when/if they do get on, could be seen as inconsistent with the Club's goals. Defiant, even. I think we now have a much-improved squad, and the pressure is firmly on Ralph to get it dovetailed and performing. Ralph has some major talents but he also has major weaknesses. It's a very good sign that the coaching staff (similarly recruited) include at least one person with the courage to take him on when it comes to tactics - or even replace him if he fails to deliver. When it comes to the much-needed striker, the temptation is to consider them based on their standalone abilities. But the Club, I'm sure, is more concerned about how well they are likely to dovetail with those we plan to keep - Adams in or out?

Hopefully Ralph can park his ego and obstinacy and learn the fundamental tactical lessons that today’s game provides. If he doesn’t, we can at least be encouraged that someone in that coaching staff knows how we need to play. I don’t think that will be lost on the club hierarchy.

When was the last time Ralph had a multi-coach tactical pow-wow during a game? It’s not in his DNA, so that was either pre-match direction from above or humility and fear in progress.

Arrogant, pig-headed obstinacy 0 Leeds 2 Basic common sense 2 Leeds 0

I think the ref should make Leeds change their shorts because several players have done double-takes looking at pass options. I can see a tired-mind mental mistake coming from someone. Hopefully it’ll be Leeds.