Saint Fan CaM

So you’re confident that Ralph does not have the final say and Selles plays a significant part in the management of the first team? Really?!? And by that logic, changing Ralph alone will not make a difference…mmm, not sure about that.

My fear is that the club (and maybe SR) decided some time ago to adopt the style of play we’ve seen from RH’s tenure and that any change will expect a new Manager (or caretaker) to adopt the same sideways/backwards boring shite. Having said that there are some incredibly straightforward basics that I’m amazed RH is not getting right. For example, WH had the ball on their right wing attacking Perraud but he positioned himself to invite the player down the wing to then put in a cross. Given that we play narrow and they have more strength in the air, this seems an obvious issue that should have been drilled into him in training. Also, defenders standing off centrally placed attacking players just outside the box allowing time for a shot, as in their goal. Whichever way you cut it, RH is a busted flush and so are the tactics/training. We need a fresh injection of style before this young team completely collapses.

Completely predictable in every single way. Just like our relegation if RH is not shown the door…there is no salvaging this team and his tactics after three years of dismal performances.

Still recycling the ball too much, but looking a little more about us. JWP set pieces still poor.

Even if we were, he would chose the alternative. That’s how we roll.😏🤣

Marked lack of activity on this thread given the importance of the game…is there an apathy creeping in? Wouldn’t surprise me to be fair…just look at the dire football being dished up by Ralph and Co. Apparently Ralph was angered by the sideways and backwards passing in the last shambolic performance(s). Well what is he - the Manager - doing about it I wonder? There doesn’t appear to be any answers and my bet is that there’ll be none on display at Wet Spam either. We have been consistent in displaying all the attributes of a relegation bound team.

Stinks a bit this one - we’ll never know, but with just one years contract and now he’s off there’s been some skullduggery going on. Perhaps stretching it, but I wonder if he had an adverse hand in Broja not coming back here? But now the damage has been done with a less than completely successful summer window thanks to this charlatan, the critical future for the club lies not in the recruitment department right now but in the results on the pitch. We’re truly at a crisis point and I suspect there are some very squeaky bums around the Saints Boardroom and beyond right now as the master plan for the first team appears to have been written on dissolvable bog roll.

Unless Ralph goes, this will result in a predictable loss and that’s mainly due to lack of tactics leading to no goals.

I just don’t get it. What advantage will it bring other than risking injury in ‘friendly’ games? If these guys are not motivated to play EPL football for Saints given their high salaries, then perhaps they need to re-think their career choice! The whole idea is a distraction from the real problem - the quality of coaching and management of the first team.

Again, not the result we wanted but stock horror it’s the one we largely expected. I’ll not bother repeating player ratings because until our Manager/coaching team change the style of football we play, those stats are largely meaningless IMO. I do think the summer missed out on two critical positions (in the hindsight Romeu was going)…DMF and Striker. Ralph needs to go with immediate effect and his replacement needs to be pretty damned good to be able to shake the squad out the stupor Ralph has installed in them. It’s not looking at all positive or promising.

I honestly think that we’re looking as bad as I’ve ever seen us and there’s little or no chance of survival. If we claw a point from Bompey it’ll be papering the cracks. There is some potential in the squad, but Ralph is definitely not the man to find it. The Board have to act quickly now and get him out…

4-0 and 20 minutes left. Could still be an even bigger embarrassment.

And there it is. He’s got a goal - can we stop the game now please? There’s more chance of finding life on Mars as us scoring. The gap in class is huge. It’s like watching a mediocre Prem team going up against a non-league side.

Pathetic. Commentator: “And perhaps now they’ll run away with this game! “ WTF?!?! They’re butchering us at a canter FFS!!!

Zero attempts on goal - absolutely shocking at EPL level. Edit: there’s one.

Not #Saintsy

Once again, Bazunu passes to their midfield and three passes later it’s in the back of the net. No slow build up play…no recycling of the ball. Oh, on another note,why are we not playing in our home kit?!

We’ll it’s going pretty much to plan. Long kicks from Bazunu to a City player, recycle. Lucky it’s just one behind at 30 minutes. We’re so spaced out around the park there’s never a pass option except backwards for a hoof upfield. Add to this the fact they are so much faster in their passing and there’s no way back from one down. Mid-managed again and that’s why Ralph needs to go.

I think that’s Ballard in the front and Payne behind?

Should be interesting if you’ve any interest in Saints Academy and how the lives of lads who embark on a football ‘career’ are affected.

Agree - can’t say Cooper fills me with any glee whatsoever, but who knows he could be the next best thing.

I can’t see them pulling the plug before Saturday now, so suspect that whatever the City result he’ll walk Sunday or Monday if he’s going. Personally I don’t think it would make any difference to the outcome of Saturdays game in any way as a caretaker wouldn’t be blamed for a City drubbing, so might as well get on with it now.

I think there is some doubt whether Adams and Armstrong are of the right quality to be classed as EPL standard strikers - neither have exactly lit up the league in the same way they did in the Championship. However, equally it’s clear that whoever gets to play in the front line (and in midfield) are hampered considerably by the style of football we play and this has to be directly attributable to Ralph (and his coaching staff). Whatever they’re preaching in training is in general just not working and I don’t think anyone who’s watched the last 20-30 games can argue with that. Further to this, wins we’ve had have been at least to some extent because the opposing team have had a bad day and the planets aligned in terms of us having a fully fit squad with our top players starting. Or in other words, a broken clock can still be correct twice a day. 😉

Ever hopeful Saints fan: "...so if I put £10 on at 22-1, that means I could win £220?!" Realist: "...no, it means you'll win nothing." 🤣

I'm suspect you're trying to be clever here - I'm no qualified coach that can provide a detailed technical explanation, however purely by watching how other teams play you can see a distinct lack of cohesive, organised style and tactical nouse - for example... passing (triangulation), movement off the ball into space, running channels to invite passes that are actually made, executing more forward passes than sideways/backwards, pressing as a unit (for some reason this feature has diminished dramatically lately and even in defence players stand-off attackers). We've progressively become the most boring team in the league and even our most exciting players have regressed. Have you seen how many times even a simple pass is made BEHIND the receiving player so slowing down any momentum - surely that's just a basic facet of play that should be drilled in training? I assume you watch the games - what do you think?