Saint Fan CaM

NJ has probably seen Pep or Klopp change out three when it’s going tits up. The difference is they have three quality players on the bench that understand exactly what their job is and how to execute it. Our lot (entire squad) look like they don’t have a clue what they’re supposed to be doing and if you’re a forward player you’ve given up picking up the scraps hoofed at you anyway.

Cup games can be exciting affairs, however this is more of an ‘exiting’ affair. Newcastle have better players, a better manager, have better tactics, better discipline on and off the ball and last but not least, they score goals. Then there’s the VAR decisions that will thwart even the briefest glimpse of a good game for us, such is the bias nowadays. Think we will head into the 2nd leg 0-2 down…possibly 0-3. Oh well never mind, the apathy is starting to take hold so I’ll try and convince myself it doesn’t matter.

It’s wrong to label a pro player shit…even in the Championship they’ve reached an elite level in relation to the pyramid of the sport. The right question is, are they capable of returning a good performance in the context of (a) the league and opposition they face and (b) the instructions of the Manager they play for. Che (and Armstrong) achieved well in the Championship under those conditions, but moving to Saints changed the context. A change of Manager has not improved their fortunes because NJ has even less off a clue how to utilise a squad lacking in EPL quality than Ralph did. We might have got away with one of Che or Arma…two failing in the same position is a recipe for disaster, as we’ve seen.

It’s an interesting insight and AB asked the right question, but the big issue is around the appointment of Ralph’s replacement which is an impossible topic for them to explore in a public forum. The style and substance of how the team plays and the team sheet will dictate whether the project is a success or not in the short, mid and long term. This is where the key investment needs to take place, however despite some fortunate wins, they’ve demonstrably got this wrong in my opinion with Jones appointment. That and not improving the pool of striking capability in the SUMMER, but that’s a function of them either backing or sacking Ralph at the end of last season. Everything has happened too late…Semmens is behind the curve when you need to be on the front foot to match or better every other club in the Premier league. My biggest fear during Ralph’s reign to date is the deficient style of football we’ve witnessed over the last 3-4 years. It’s not always been this bad, but the substance of how we play has deteriorated due to the quality in the squad being eroded. One goes hand in hand with the other. Where has the pass and move gone? Where has the ‘press as a pack’ physicality gone? Nathan Jones is not a bad Manager - he’s just one that does not know how to be successful in the EPL and now even decent player signings will not get us out this mess. The squad we’ve got is capable- they’re just being managed wrong and the buck stops with the weakness inherent in the Board.

A clinical striker yes, but using an excellently delivered ball to score. When does that ever happen for our dead-ball wonder boy JWP? Never is the easy answer!

Poor starting line up. Poor tactical setup. Poor performances from starting attacking players. Shit officials. Slow to make changes when things not working. Squad thread bare on quality. 37% possession AT HOME!!! This is a team that is showing all the signs of going down.

Another shit JWP corner and no guile from the players to get on the ball.

Utter shit. We’re going down. There’s just not enough about us, either in the bank, in the squad or in management. Why did we think otherwise?

Oh come on … VAR will rule this out…corrupt officials.

Get the very fuck in!!!!

Lavia and Edozie off??!!!?? WTF?!?!

Bazunu is an absolute bell-end!

Wouldn’t touch Edozie, but if I were Jones I’d tell the lad to get his head up a bit more and look to thread a ball through once in a while - completely ignored opportunity’s to put JWP through. Armstrong is not working in his current role - get Orsic on as an unknown. Diallo is having a bit of a mare so Lavia is not able to assist in the forward line, but too early to swap Jim out yet. Lyanco is a red card waiting to happen, so Perraud on and KWP to RB.

Saints doing their best to give away a goal just before half-time.🙄

It’s not much more than a fooking toy FFS! Yes get the players into the tech areas, but down the tunnel?! Daft.

Stupid to take the players down the tunnel. Pathetic really.

Something is not working here - they’re starting to get control of midfield and we’re not getting near their goal. Jones has to seriously think about a change and soon.

Really huge game this one…a win would really show Jones is starting to work well with the squad and get his ideas across. And of course there’s the small issue of us lifting away from the bottom of the table. I hope SMS is an absolute fortress and scoring the first goal will be so important in this…go behind and the fans will go quiet and turn, as the previous wins fade into history. COYR!

Think the club is resigned to not signing a proper decent CF this window…there’s no suitable name out there available and in our price range. That’s ideally a player between 21 and 26 with high level league experience - big money even in the summer window. So Jones is needing to setup expectations based on Che and Mara being the key players. Arma isn’t seen as forward, but a wide player it seems. I also think the Villa game will be a big indicator of what Jones can do with the two new players at his disposal and so also the subsequent need or otherwise for more additions this window in the forward positions. Suspect Tella has told Jones he’s not coming back, but I could be wrong. There are definite vibes around a replacement right back, as it seems we’ll not be seeing Tino back anytime soon…probably not this season.

The Jackson rumour is not going away and there are suspiciously few other teams linked I think, so seems like this guy is the next young player Jones/Semmens are intent on risking our Prem status to sign. Having said that it’s all gone a bit quiet and so I don’t think there’ll be fireworks and a big reveal tomorrow! Will a result against Villa see the foot come off the proverbial pedal - it wouldn’t surprise me?

He’s almost certainly going to end up at Wet Spam but I’m not sure our interest is finished yet.

It can’t be knocked indeed…if a striker knows where the net is and how to make it bulge then you just need to supply him and we seem to be signing players who can provide better supply now. It seems crazy to me that Saints would not be going all out to ensure they get the right man and asap.

Watch the incoming news channels reports now that West Ham, Leicester, Wolves and Bournemouth have all shown interest! And that quickly followed by a complete lack of news on a further Saints offer. It’s the way we roll. 🤣

No. According to many on here who sway like reeds in the wind, we’re winning games, invincible and ready to climb the Prem to the dizzy heights of midtable. 🤣

With games coming thick and fast we really need to sign a really good striker sooner rather than later, especially for cup game rotation. Failure to do so will potentially leave us with nothing but a likely relegation. Fingers crossed it’s done this week.