gordonToo

Back in the 60s I recall an FA Cup match against MU at a packed Dell when Saints went in at half time 2-0 up thanks to a Martin Chivers goal and a (rare) Terry Paine header. The second half though was a different matter and my lasting memory is of Charlton taking over the centre circle and spraying exquisite passes left and right as though our defence had completely melted away. MU ran out winners 2-3.

As an aside, I glimpsed him again at the station as their train was about to depart and remember being shocked as he was sat by the window in full view ...... smoking a cigarette!!!! Different times I know but without doubt in my mind the best English player of his generation. 

A lightweight like one or two others. I'm starting to think RM must live in his own dream world.

No doubt in my mind. I'd sack RM right now.

Gone by Christmas? If Leicester score 5 as looks likely he has to go now. Clueless defending. 

26 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

So because of that I don't think we can afford to 'bed in over half a season' - it simply has to be bearing fruits before Christmas, otherwise as sad as it will be Martin will be for the chop. This team needs to aim for the top 2, and you don't get Top 2 by bedding in for the first half of the season

Exactly this but Christmas would be far too late. If RM can't organise an effective defence to deliver clean sheet wins before end October he has to go. Yesteday was as much of a poor performance as any I've seen in over 60 years. Absolutely appalling.

2 minutes ago, sfc4prem said:

So, what should the club do now?

Make it clear to Martin that it's a results based business and he'll be ditched pretty damn quick if we get another performance like today's. 

An horrific goal to give away on so many levels but the problem is not Bazuna on this occasion. The Norwich player is able to chest the ball down and lay it off unchallanged. Edozie is ball watching and fails to see the overlap. Bednarek is also ball watching, loses his man and leaves a simple header. An experienced CB that can organise a defence is badly needed and Stephens is not that man IMO.

3 hours ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Fuck me, I’d have hoped they knew we had a pile of shite before Tuesday. Surely the manager & Wilcox will have watched videos of last season, seen scouting reports & watched these clowns in training. If they came away from Tuesday surprised how god damn awful most of them are, then I would be worried. 

Not necessarily as they must have some talent to have been signed in the first place. Some do not suit RM's system, some are only want to play their own game and some think the Championship is too good for them. After Tuesday everyone should now know where they stand.

Tuesday's (non) performance clearly concentrated minds.

12 minutes ago, Smirking_Saint said:

I think we can question Martin for last night, up to a point, but at the moment its a freak result in isolation with mitigating circumstances

For me this performance was down to the manager. He picks the team and sets out the tactics. Once again we have a setup where players are shoe-hormed into positions they are not suited to with predictable results and then the manager blames the players! It's going to be a long hard season I fear.

Good to see an uptick in positivity but the game could easily have ended 1-1 without JWP's clever play to set up Adams and Tella was given far too much space for the opener. Possession is all very well but I want to see that turned into the goall equivalent on a regular basis.

The game ultimately is all about goals and we don't score enough of them as we lack the necessary talent in the final third. Pep himself would have struggled with last season's squad and so far not much seems to have changed. 

The club will sell before the window closes as that's the way it works with a decreasing asset. No room for sentiment. 

6 minutes ago, Mr X said:

This is a very last roll of the dice from sports republic they have to get this one right....... third time lucky maybe! To say the fan base is underwhelmed is an understatement just like Luton with jones, Swansea don't seem too upset to lose him. How exactly will SR save face if they get this wrong to? 

This all presuppposes Southampton is the priority for SR as it's certainly possibe Valenciennes in the main focus for management now.

1 hour ago, goodymatt said:

We read reports that Maresca was also on our list, if not our first choice. I appreciate Leicester have been more successful recently and had been in the top 8 the last 3 seasons before relegation. However, with our links to City, Wilcox and a big budget to build a team in your image, I struggle (even with SR taking some bizarre risks last season) to see why Maresca wouldn’t see us as a better fit for him. Jones aside we do often show more patience to managers than most too.

This makes me wonder if Martin was always our first choice and we had just sounded our Maresca as an option. Unless the treble win has given him an ‘I’ve completed it’ vibe to try something new/change his mind, and by this time we had already moved on.

Regardless, it will be very interesting to see how he does at Leicester. The Parma failure would be a worry, as was the Stoke experience for Nathan Jones.

The only Saints announcement I can remember dragging on so long was Rudi Skacel!

I read that Maresca turned us down which makes Martin second choice. Assuming he signs of course.

1 hour ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

If only he had a second tactic, for all those other clubs.

Inexperience.

Not sure why Elyonoussi gets so much bad press here. At least he tries and is professional about it in that he follows instructions which is more than can be said for some.

26 minutes ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

I want to be positive - I really do - but this playing out from the back malarkey might suit Barca and M City, but for clubs with mediocre footballers it’s suicidal. 
If this is Martin’s chosen style then it will end in tears and things are going to get a lot worse. Swansea fans comments have been illuminating. They don’t seem that bothered about losing him and that tells me loads. He seems like a nice bright bloke but not sure he’s the man to resurrect us. 

Exactly this but I'll reserve final judgement until we've seen the pre-season. 

Didn't get to the replay as it was a schoolday but can still remember the feeling of wonder and disbelief when the final score came over the radio. Also inscribed in the memory is of Kirby bundling Grummit holding the ball  into the net and the goal being allowed which led to the replay. Happy days.

It's all PR generated nonsense for the gullible.

Would be a positive appointment and a clear acknowlegement they've got it wrong so far. For that reason it's probably unlikely.

51 minutes ago, derry said:

Selles blew whatever chance we had of getting something out of the game. It wasn't a bad team and it did a decent job in the first half. Bringing on Armstrong, Elyounoussi, AMN and Walcott was total incompetence. All of them stroll, mark from ten yards away, have no workrate and would struggle in a National League team. The first half decent performance was spoilt by the short passing and giving the ball away in our half.  I think some players need to change their boots.

What would I do. I'd fire Selles tonight. Then I'd tell AMN to go back to London and we'd pay his money until the end of the month. I'd tell Elyounoussi to find another club, don't come back we'll pay up to June 30th. I'd tell Armstrong he was finished here. I'd wish Walcott a happy retirement. Then I'd pick a balanced team. Stop the backwards and sideways, keep three forwards up and give it a go. 

I agree with much of that but what's your definition of a balanced team? I assume it doesn't include JWP.

Too robotic and slow at this level to be truly effective. Southgate picked up on this early on which is why he's only been a fringe player for the national team.

Many factors but top of the list is lack of goals. I know it's stating the bleedin' obvious but it's so damn basic that for the problem not to have been properly addressed once Ings left almost defies belief. I'm increasingly of the view that the club is populated by staff and players that are essentially milking the system at the expense of the fanbase.

3 minutes ago, Baird of the land said:

Quite funny that selles subs alcaraz when he is playing well and leaves him on when he has his worst game for us.

Yes it's almost as though Selles is deliberately sabotaging the club's chances.