cambsaint

I consider the endless criticism of Redmond by some on this column to be both inappropriate, unhelpful and it must be very upsetting to the player himself hardly the best way to instill self confidence. I look at it this way, he is obviously given instructions by Ralph as how he wants him to play. Presumably if the manager considers his performance poor, or not as instructed he will either substitute him or not pick him. Many many years ago the fans were exactly the same with Frank Saul (possibly deserved) and John Sydenham (definitely undeserved). I cannot understand why some Saints fans appear to need a whipping boy .I have never witnessed it to such an extent at any other club. Clearly it is the manager's decision as to who plays and fans should direct their criticism to him. If you support the team you should support the players. Clearly this dose not preclude rational considered criticism, but imo with Redmond some take it far further than this. PersonallyI think he's a reasonably sound squad member, certainly not outstanding but as good as his equivalents in the several of the other teams in the bottom half of the Prem, but I just wish he he could score goals, it must be a matter of confidence that he nearly always misses.

Still have fond memories of the 1967/8 season third round tie, drew at home after playing very badly, went to away match with mates on Weds night, fortunately the first Severn bridge had been opened by then. We didn't play particularly well but won. I remember mentioning to my friend what do you think those TV cameras are for. He replied rather too loudly "Oh it'll be just Welsh Git local TV, Fortunately we were sat in the stand and got out alive. When my uncle lived there Newport was a prosperous if hard, working class town, with huge docks carrying enormous amounts of Welsh coal, and a thriving marine based engineering industry (which employed my uncle), and a massive railway operation. It has suffered appallingly due to closure of coal mines and docks. The railway sidings and docks covered a huge area then. It's problems aren't comparable to Portsmouth. Imagine if Southampton docks and local industries had closed down over a decade or so, and it not being a convenient and popular area for higher tech industries.

Harry Kane isn't particularly fast but he's quick thinking and gets in the right place and doesn't miss many one to ones. If all you needed is pace then Shane Long would have scored hundreds. Let's just hope he is quick thinking enough to get in the right place at the right time, and hold his nerve when shooting.

In the cold light of day after some contemplation, after an initial shock and horror reaction I have come to the considered opinion that Saints did a piece of good business. We sold Ings, admittedly a very good striker and our best for a reasonable 25million, but considering he's in his last year of contract and appears injury prone, and probably only has two or three years left 9(perhaps even less) at the highest level it's probably not a bad deal. It is absolutely pointless trying to keep a player who wants away, if he were unhappy would he have played to his best? I suspect he is on a very generous wage, as rumour has it that Levy wouldn't meet his demands. As a bonus we don't have the humiliation of having to sell him to Levy, and can watch the shenaniagans surrounding Kane unfold.

Particularly when the Barmy Army sing "God save your gracious Queen" to the Australian supporters. I completely agrre that its not reasoanable adult behaviour but what can the FA do about it. Sweet FA is the answer to that.

England were so poor and lacklustre to be almost unbelievable. Scotland played their hearts out and by the end for the first time in my life I didn't want England to thrash the Scots (in any sport) and was hoping it would end a draw. On thes last two performances Levy won't be able to give Kane away. Is he completely unsettled?

I think that some of our younger supporters have delusions of grandeur and a hopelessly optimistic belief that some very hard headed billionaire is going to buy Saints as a novelty purchase for a bit of fun. Highly unlikely in the present Covid climate, even if it was before. There probably has never been a more inopportune time to sell a n average Premier League club. I don't know how Gao will get out of this except at a truly fire sale price. We just have to hope that the club remains solvent and tailor our ambitions to existing in the same cohort as the bottom half Prem clubs and the better Championship clubs Hopefully we still can find a bargain or two, and hopefully our academy will produce more good youngsters. Realistically our best hope is to remain mid table and with the glaring exception of right back and very sparse cover. The players we have if well managed and coached are capable of that. We will of courese remain a selling club. I can foresee a merry go round situation taking place with relegated clubs often returning due to parachute money which gives them a huge advantage over the bulk of Championship clubs. Hopefully post Covid we may become a more attractctive purchase. In the mean-time I shall console myself with the thought that when I started supporting Saints they were in the third division South

I don't disagree that Redmond has his manifold flaws (which could possibly be coached out). My point was that he doesn't pick himself, we have capable alternatives albrit inexperienced, so RH must think he's carrying out his instructions adequately. A team doesn't leak as many goals in defence or miss so many chances just because of a wayward left winger. My point was that he shouldn't be made the whipping boy for managerial weknesses and poor performances and mistakes by others. Last week McCarthy was responsible for two of the goals conceded, and othere defensive howlers contributed to our defeat more than Redmond's lack of end product. I think some of the derision is down to frustration with him, he is so nearly a very good player but lacks a cutting edge.

MY thoughts are; last year with a full team and a largely fit Ings he did very well, but the more tactically aware managers soon worked out how to bypass the high press and exploit a defensive structure which his tactics allowed or even encouraged to be pulled out of place, I consider him to be an inept defensive coach, and the old adaege that if you don't concede you don't get beat always applies. I admit he has been unlucky with injuries but to keep on playing the same way was foolish especially as we had good defensive players. I have always thought that after Salisu got used to the league he should have played three at the back, Bednarek, Vestergard and Salisu, with fout in front. KWP, JWP, Dialleio, RB, then two, Armstrong and An other, we have a surplus of players for that position and Ings up front. I really don't see many other teams outside the top eight ot nine significantly better than that, if you include Romeu. I believe that he isn't flexible or open-minded enough to change a system that is quite honestly no longer fit for purpose at this level. His substitutions have always been bizarre in the extreme, refusing to strengthen the defence when we are leading, and many other examples. Yesterday, where did WHU 's third goal come from-where one of our best players KWP had been covering. Fianlly although I don't necessarily think Redmond has a particularly good tactical appreciation, to make him the whipping boy for our ills is nonsensical and also very cruel to hm. He is presumably picked and sent out to follow his manager's instructions and for him to be picked so regularly suggest that RH is satisfied that he does that.I accept that he can't hit a barn door from five yards most days, but I think this may be a conjidence thing and he;s certainly not alone amongst our players in that department. His standing still offside on Sunday was inexcusable but perhaps he had had it with this season. I hope it wasn't because RH has lost the dressing room, but there were certainly a few others who didn't look very happy. If so then we face an exodus of our best players and certain relegation. To conclude that unless RH very quickly gets an assistant who can coach and organise a defence and has his advice listened to on substitutions then I think RH must go. Also as has been commented on we have the most physically imposing goalie in the PL and we don't play him against physical teams. Bamford wouldn't have got near him on Tuesday, and he would have been much better against WHU. He still has a weakness of getting that massive frame down to low balls near his feet that the best forwards can exploit, his kicking out is dreadful, but he has two CBs who are good at that, and he is a superb shot stopper.

I remember Brian O' Neill once going in full pelt, studs up into some poor sod's thigh. Nastiest tackle I;ve ever seen and to our amazement he wasn't sent off. Presume he must have annoyed Brian as I only saw him go in quite as viciously as that the once. I rather suspect that Jimmy Gabriel was actually the hardest player we ever had, as I remember that much to the amusement and delight of the Milton Rd end when the officials were racing up the pitch he trotted up to the oppsosing centre forward and chinned him and wasn't seen by officials. He carried on trotting innocentky up the pitch and got away with it. Can't remember who it was but might have been Astle or someone like him who tought he was hard.Mc Grath was hard and strong but never really dirty but very intimidating. He always came out last with a shirt one size too small accentuating his barrell chest and high cut sleeves to show off his biceps like the bouncers at Winchester Lido.

Once again we played a lot if intricate interpassing very well but when we get to the penalty area most of the time the opposition defence is well in position. we were cut to pieces three or four times by fast counter-attacking play. I'm sure that Forsters immense physical presence would have preventrd Bamford scoring the first. We obviously really miss Romeu, ans Ralph's tactics just don't work without a solid defensive midfield player. Either Hassenhuttl rethinks his tactics next year or we just struggle again. Man City can get away with a possession passing game because they have several world class strikers and the best footballer in the world in De Bruyne, we can't and must try to leave space in the opposition penalty area. Another striker who instinctively knows where the goal is would be helpful, but of course everybody wants them. No I think we must be happy with mid table obscurity unless or until we get a very rich owner. With the players at our disposal I would play a 3421 system

If Moussa really said that then my opinion of him has risen immensely. I thought at first it was great and there was a point to it, for instance Lewis Hamilton possibly irritated the corporate (expletive deleteds but it's onomatopoeic), and the later T shirt was priceless but now I agree with every word of the quote and it's getting embarrassing for all concerned. Racism is a pernicious, insidious and disgusting; but it certainly won't be affected by a few overpaid sportsmen bending the kneead nauseum. The only answer if any is education, imo. BTW I'm old enough to remember the sickening window signs, NO blacks, no Irish no dogs near my first job at KCH Camberwell.

I find it somewhat amusing that nobody picked Bednarek in their preferred team, and yet on Sky's stats tonight he tops the number of interceptions made by some distanve.

I agree completely with your comments on VAR, and particularly about cricket and rugby. Of course in cricket you still have umpires call for marginal decisions by=ut everybody understands and accepts that. That is why I had high hopes for it but it just goes to show that a a bunch of buffoons can cock anything up. However I completely disagree with your comments on that foul and many others where follow through contact has been interpreted as a deliberate foul play. Perhaps our lawmakers and officials should be given a tutorial on Newton's Second Law of Motion which shows there is a force called momentum and is equal to mass times velocity. IMO unless there appears to be a deliberate attempt to catch the opposing player after contact with the ball, as long as the tackler gets the ball first, unless he is standing still there cannot be a foul unless they go in studs first and obviously recklessly.or go over the ball deliberately after contact with the ball which regrettably was commonplace in my youth.

hopefully our esteemed manager will now realise that it's better to defend well and get a oint rather than attack at all costs I am now even more convinced that with the players we currently have fit 352 is the best set up. That could change with a fully fit Romeu, when 442 might be better. It looks as if Salisu may b very good, rather like KWP who did a great job on Vardy tonight restricting him to one clear chance. As I have previously said one definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing and expect a different result. I thought the whole team really did well tonight against an opposition of 13 at times.

At the very best gross incompetence, they say refs don't cheat but that one makes you wonder.

It's often said that a working definition of insanity is to carry on doing the same thing and expect a different outcome. I think that Romeu missing has blown Ralph's 442 out of the window. THere's no shame in being mre defensive if it gives results, and our attacking high press certainly isnt any more. IMO its time to go 352 : Forster Salisu Vestergard Bednarek KWP JWP Armstrong Redmond Bertrand Che Ings Would be my prefered team without Romeu. It would partially free JWP from defensive duties and Salisu looks much quicker than most central defenders which would guard against break-aways.

I think we are missing Romeu very badly as he is such a combative solid player that our midfield doesn't get steamrollered often. IMO we must start playing Salisu in hid position to put some backbone into the defensive lidfield which is pretty non existant. JWP should be a constructive midfielder and not forced to defend deep. For the life of me I cant imagine why Ralph didn't get Salisu or Stephens on after twenty minutes when we were being overrun. It is the manager's job to analyse and adapt but he seemes to be very blinkered im his tactics. I'm losing faith in him. Compare WBA before Big Sam got hold of them to now, no comparison. In his pre match interview he openly ststed they were going to go hard at us from the off.

Offside,should e a rule that offside ony applites in the last quarter of the pitch, amd most importantly there must be clear daylight between the players, it wasn't controversial before VAR, the officials usually got it right, and marginal decisisions should always favour the attacker. It's difficult enough to time a run with good defenders and making it so that the tip of your nose can count against you is just ridiculous. we should have a clear understanding that referee's call is the judgement in marginal decisions like cricket. Handball should be an intentional use of the hand or arm to control the ball in the referee's opinion who should be best placed to make that judgement. Immediate yellow card for disrespect to officials, only the captain allowed to question a decision, and sin bin for 15 minutes for twi non dangerous yellow cards, but remainin as red if a tackle deemed dangerous.VAR to stay but all marginal decisions to be left as ref's call.

Everything Ralph said is within a manager's remit. We'll have to see how things go in a much less pressuriesd game against Bournemouth and less midweek games. No point playing a system that exhausts your players.

I thought Saints looked mentally and physically exhausted today. Armstrong usually so reliable and many of our good things was either off form or marked out of the game. Ward Prowse looked tired, as did Bednarek. Ralph doesn't seem to be able to alter tactics successfully. Overall an average performance in the first half and abysmal in the second. We hardly won any fifty-fifties were bundled off the ball countless times and too many passes went astray. Another sign of exhustion. I'm not sure about Ralph,can he can really cope with the intensity of the Prem and the tactical awareness of other managers. Very disappointing indeed and absolutely no excuses, they aren't a better team, the ref was good, wew were at home and had both full-backs back,. I think Potter completely out-thought Ralph on this one as well particularly in the second half.

After what I cosider to be an outstanding result with several stand out performances and allowing a top team very few clear chances and almost getting a win, I am absolutely astonished by the negativity on this board. For goodness sake why oh why do some Saints supporters have to have a whipping boy (Redmond) and go on about the few platers who weren't outstanding. Djenepo and Salisu were outstanding and the skill that Minamino showed was amazing. I thought we were going to take a real drubbibg but after 20 minutes or so we began to play well. Personally I would like to see a bit more of solid defence with an incisive break and goal rather than the near manic high press which as players tire doesn't work, and also clogs the space in the last half up giving no room for the incisive pass. Please watch Man City Ralph, they don't press all the time. Also consideing we have a paper thin squad and players are starting to get stress injuries this was a brilliant result. Al,l I can say is great stuff Saints players today, you all worked your socks off and well done Ralph for at last changing your tactics, for a more realistic game plan.

I think this topic is amazing. How can anyone who hasn't played in the team know whether he is an effecrive captain or not. There are many differerent ways of man mangement and it isn't one size fits all. Different personalities require different approaches. Mike Brearley is probably the best English captain of any game and he used his brains not his mouth. Having said that when I played rugby I found that Welsh or particularly New Zealand captains required much more committment than English captains but it wasn't necessarily done by shouting, more by encouragement, although of course a captain has to be heard, Non constructive criticism is imo a negative influence. Unfortunately a certain section of Saints fans are the experts in that.

I agreer about unsettling a winning side, but look how many games we've lost from winning positions. Particularly Man U where an extra defender may have at least saved a point. The high press must be physically and mentally exhausting and possibly the reason for mistakes in the last quarter,, but its only my opinion. If you're legs get short of oxygen they ache, but if your braingets short which it does much quicker than muscles you make mistakes.

I completely agree about Armstrong, one of our unsung heroes who usually makes a classy thoughtful contribution to our games and deserves more praise than he gets.