Saint Fan CaM

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.

Personally I think this is another must win game, however Villa look confident and gaining ground in mid table where we normally would be. There’s a reason for that and it’s all to do with the persistence in a failing system. Given the new additions and hopefully a striker this week, Jones may be able to lift the players once again and achieve another win. Lose and relegation will be in the minds of many again, although its so tight at the moment in the bottom six. The upcoming cup games will hopefully not be a distraction that costs us. I’m going 1-1, but hoping 2-0 to start addressing the GD.

Mmm, sorry but disagree. His corners always have same trajectory - high and looping up so easy for keepers and defenders to adjust to. I do agree we’ve not got enough intelligent movement in the box though…i.e. nobody arriving late to meet the ball. Not saying take him off all corners, but mixing it up like we did when Redmond was around might not be a bad thing, particularly as it gives JWP the chance to get on 2nd balls on the edge of the box.

JWP is a bit of an enigma to me. He’s definitely better in a more forward midfield role, but he’s not a natural ball carrier. His corners are not really effective (why persist…mix it up?), but of course he’s one of the best dead ball free kick specialists in the Prem. Under Jones I think he’s becoming more of a leader, but sometimes still comes across as an educated son-in-law (which might be a good thing?). He’s definitely one of our better senior players and his loyalty to the club is commendable, but is he a ‘luxury player’? No, not based on his goal return which we’ve desperately needed, but this season really is a defining one for the lad IMO.