Saint Fan CaM

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?

We’ll, I agree that Adams and Armstrong are poor options, however I more strongly believe that the manner in which we play (i.e, style) does not match the strengths of any of our forward line. And if there were improvements in the playing style and tactics, I also believe we would see an improved goal tally from a number of players in the team. Ability is there - lacking direction.

Absolutely agree with the above two posts. I don’t think our best 15 players are worse than Villa, Wolves or Everton’s. I do think that those teams have tactics and playing styles that are significantly more suited to EPL survival than ‘Ralphball’. It’s the coaching and man-management of the team that needs an urgent overhaul. The performances as well as the last 28 results bear witness to this, not to mention the bizarre team changes such as the latest splitting up of our best performing CB pairing since VD left us.

I was thinking more November 5th…do they burn well? 😜🤣

I thought he was and no, we probably haven’t got the budget, but then again can the owners afford a costly and damaging relegation? Right now that decision must be on a knife edge!

Frank is the only available and logical man at the moment.

Well let’s start with how many goals we’ll likely score? None. Then what the possession stats will likely be? 72% City. How many goals have City got in them? Judging by the Utd game and examples of our inept rudderless defending, at least 7. Think is the easiest game of the season to predict a sound loss…they are just too damn good and we’ve got clowns for a management/coaching team.

I think the point with Romeu is that he and JWP had formed a good understanding in terms of who covered who and when. The high press clearly had started to take its toll on Romeu’s older more punished body. Lavia looked to be the ideal replacement, but a young body is always going to be susceptible to injury when faced with EPL pace.

Think it could be a very, very bad result for us. But Ralph will still survive. Thank fuck I’ll be on an aeroplane and oblivious!

Dropped more points from a winning position than any other team…still got that record hanging over us. Thanks Ralph.

Wrong side for him to score from there. How the hell did we get a corner there?!

Utter utter shite. If they don’t sack Ralph we’re down. 100%.