Saint Fan CaM

They’ll want him until his medical results and psychological tests come through, then they’ll back off quicker than a rat up a drain pipe. Unless we’re incredibly lucky or we pay someone to take him, he’s going to stink out the place until his contract runs down. Another masterclass from SR in how to recruit a shite player/individual.

Good luck to him - he was a Saint. Now he’s not, so the only thing on my mind is whether the funds will be invested wisely to increase the overall quality of the 1st team. If Spors signs someone for the future now I think we’ll all give up!

That’s not exactly how I would see it - why couldn’t Moody play U21 games AND be a backup to the 2 senior keepers? That would appear to be a win-win for all concerned and kept the squad tight.

This is a tricky one. Do I think Bazunu is a great keeper - no, but clearly those at the club think he's good enough. Given that and we don’t want to clog up the squad with unproven players, a loan of a keeper that is as good as McCarthy seems a sensible choice. Do I think there are more important positions to sort out? Damn right I do. Raising the overall quality profile of the squad needs to be done in attacking midfield and striker positions. If Spors can do that then the GK position means less. If he can’t then we’re still going to end up an inconsistent mid-table club.

My concern is that there’s little to separate Still’s tactics at the moment with anything we saw last season or indeed the season before that. Slow ponderous football with a team set-up to deliver exactly that. Flat lines of players in the final third - strikers too distant from other team members - no creative passes to break defensive lines….the list goes on. Then there’s the insistence to show-horn 3 CB’s into the starting line-up, including the ever-asleep Stephens. Is there someone telling our Managers how to select a team and play in a certain way - are their hands tied? Probably not, but you’d be forgiven for thinking so.

Maybe - he didn’t play the full season of course and I feel certain his stats were tainted by the kamikaze passing around in defence that RM insisted upon. He’s certainly not a great keeper, but then he’s also not worthless either.

Don’t agree with the ‘he’s shit’ or indeed the ‘he’s sufficient’ opinions. Bazunu is a mid-low table quality keeper playing for a mid-table team. And irrespective of release clauses, why would Johansen come here if he doesn’t want to? He’s better off playing for a club that looks like it has a shot at promotion.

More movement than any of our strikers in front of goal.

Yeah ok…my bad. Note to self - don’t drink heavily during a game then try posting rationally on a forum. 😬

Yep, you’re right, I’m wrong. Point still stands - Reed (and Sims) better than what we have now. Well good for you numb nuts. 🙄

Makes me laugh this - Reed is (or was) a cut above the current dross we’ve seen in the squad. Think back to his lung busting run and superb pass to assist Long’s winning goal against Liverpool. It’s another example of how successive seasons have seen a significant drop in squad quality and fans forgetting how past players were actually better than they were thought of at the time. It’s the old case of be careful what you wish for I guess.

There may be a case to be had that Downes and Charles struggle because they’re being asked to do too much in midfield because of the coaches insistence in using every fucking CB on our books in every game. Go back four - play a three or even four in midfield with either one dropping deep if the other plays forward to protect the CB’s - problem solved.

You’re have thought Still would be using all the also ran players in this. What we can be sure of is Cap’n Jack will be there or thereabouts. Its going to be another defeat let’s face it.

The concern now in my mind is not necessarily in specific player positions (although there are glaring deficiencies in quality across the squad), but in the pathway to transform the squad. The turnaround is not going to happen in this window that’s clear and it’s probably not going to happen in the next window either. In the meantime Still has to contend with delivering to high expectations with a poor quality squad and so my biggest fear is that he will be the scapegoat when results leave us mid-table nearing Christmas. And then SR / Spors are suckered into another managerial change to cover up self-inflicted longer term problems. Remember - when we think about quality we’re not talking about PL level players necessarily, but players that are suited to playing at the top of their game in this league. Is your supermarket plastic bag a quality bag? Yes it is, if it gets your shopping to the car and then excels if it gets it from the car into the house. We’re talking about players that are able to gel and play under the manager of the moment, delivering the basics well and consistently. Look at Stoke if you want an example of this in action - the footballing equivalent of a supermarket plastic bag! By the same token our squad is not fit for purpose!

Thanks. Doesn’t make me feel good about it, but surely there are some at the club that can’t see the fucking wood for the trees!

I called this. Way back. The squad was so broken after the last Championship season that it was clear there was a massive deficit of quality. And today showed it. We don’t have a single striker of the quality needed. We don’t have enough quality in midfield. Five at the back is not working and Stephens is at the heart of the problem in defence. Those questioning Mads quality are fools - he’s probably the best player on the pitch today behind Fernandes and that’s says something!

Team of strangers - still.

Manning has put in so many short crosses - shite!

Great cross from MADs - shit from Downs.

FFS - this is a masterclass in counter attacking. Stephens utter shite. Baz utter shite. We don’t know how to score. The squad is still crap.

Looks like Saints have 9 men against 10!!!

OMG - Stewart puts it over unchallenged 6 ft out.

Fuck me Wood off for Ross.

Ross the saviour coming on. Who’s off?

Utter shit from Downes!