Saint Fan CaM

Striker and attacking midfielder/playmaker early doors in the window. Forget the DM - I think we’re OK there and I’d rather we focus entirely on getting those essential forward positions sorted. If I see us trying to sign a DM or another full-back before securing a better strike force I think I’ll lose it!

Yep, like that one he managed to miss at his near post against Sheffield Wednesday. A L1 team, with L1 strikers. It’s a weakness that he’s just not been able to improve on, irrespective of the standard of the opposition.

I think Sheffield Wednesday’s strikers showed more dynamic movement and willing than our lot. Certainly their buildup play was quicker and their goal was a really great move/finish. They must be sick losing on pens.

Good summary. I think most would agree this is the season where we’re in a precarious situation. The unknowns of injuries, a World Cup break, change of Manager, a critical transfer window and not too many clubs being out and out dreadful. Some of those things could be big positives for us IF it all goes according to plan. For me there are three absolute essentials we need to nail to have a chance of avoiding the drop… 1. Getting Tino and KWP back into contention and on top form. A big ask before our crucial run of games early in the new year. 2. An outstanding transfer window where we upgrade our attacking options significantly. Probably the most important improvement - if you don’t score goals you don’t win games of football. It will be the toughest as many other teams will be looking to upgrade too and we’re not a good option right now sitting in the relegation zone. 3. That Jones can get this squad of players to (a) be more dynamic and free flowing in attack, (b) be more aggressive in the press, which also means more stamina. Time will tell, but time is of the essence when realistically there’s little margin for error now. If you’re a betting man would you put money on Saints getting things sorted? It’s not something you’d risk your house on that’s for sure!

Totally agree - if you look at that Everton goal it will show what we don’t do enough of and to my mind is completely different to the manner in which most of our attacking moves take place. Much more dynamic, with the scorer arriving later into the area and receiving a well placed pass allowing a clinical strike.

“My strikers score goals”. Mmm, well one of doesn’t, so either AA needs to shape up or ship out. My bets on the latter as he’s just not getting better…same lack of positional sense and not dynamic enough. Blimey, the Wednesday strikers had a better go.

Hopefully precautionary - he’s run himself ragged.

Where the fook are the yellow cards for their cynical fouls?

OK we’re 3-1 down, but already this is looking more positive.

AMN looking very handy at RB

F-ing foul on Edozie as he clears on the edge of the area and Ref ignores it.

So Che nicks the ball off a sleeping Pool defender and Ref calls a foul?!? WTF?!

FFS. Shit defending again but the difference between our strikers and theirs is a World apart. We don’t stand a chance.

On a plate for AA and once again nowhere near it. Just so poor.

CC’s long range passing is shit!

Not getting near the ball at the moment. That’s going to tire us quicker. Need half-time now.

We’ve stopped pressing as a pack which is allowing them more freedom to move the ball.

Armstrong really doesn’t have a footballing brain does he?!?

Lovely Che goal!!!

COYS!

Couldn’t have asked for a better draw to be honest, especially with Pool and City playing each other. Big opportunity for NJ to make an early impression on the team and the fans at home. Bet it’ll be a sell out.

If we don’t get a striker capable of scoring 7 or 8 goals in half a season we’re likely to go down. The only possible exception is if NJ can magic goals out of Adams and Armstrong. It’s as brutally simple as that.

Can’t see us getting too much out of this…possibly a draw. Would like to see a win, but a goal or two playing on the front foot and getting a draw would raise the spirits a bit.

Good useful summary, although it’s strange to read that he’s not interested in playing youth under 23 years - can’t believe Saints Board went for that with reliance we place on players 19-22y!

Welcome Nathan - I hope you’ll do well at our club and achieve the success we all crave for. You’ll get my support if I see better more dynamic performances from our team. Like others this seems an underwhelming appointment - one born of dogma and belief that the ‘Saints way’ is the best and only way, which has seen us steadily decline over the years since Koeman and Poch. So my biggest concern is not Nathan as such, but that he will continue with the same footballing philosophy and system employed by others…i.e. slow build up play. When I saw Sheffield Wednesday last night it was immediately apparent that even a L1 team moved the ball faster in transition and attack than we did and that was shocking. It’s the essence of why we’ve lost so many games and score so few goals. Our new Manager has got a huge task therefore in turning our fortunes around. He also needs significant backing early in the January window at least in a very decent 15 goal a season striker. It’s another rollercoaster for us Saints fans I feel.