Saint Fan CaM

Absolutely brilliant tactics by Ralph, especially putting Valery on to help protect KWP - incredible performances from EVERY single player, but Ings showed his class and KWP was incredible against Mane. Diallo is a revelation...Romeu may struggle to get his place back...I thought he was fantastic. Only slight niggle was Tella who I thought looked a little lost at times, but still a 7/10. I think that was one of the best professional top level performances from Saints since Koeman. Absolutely elated that we beat Liverpool and convincingly too, despite what the supposedly neutral commentators will say. And to see Ralph in tears - oh boy, magical moment.

This is rubbish...we’re being totally outclassed! (...ahem...)🤪

And your knowledgeable contribution is...?

Understand why you’ve said that, but I don’t think any of those teams set-up to play like we. We try to play proper football and generally tend to do OK against the better teams, but only if we move the ball fast and utilise the chances which is not happening enough lately. That will make a huge difference to the outcome of the game IMO, so the likes of JWP, Bertrand, Djenepo and Adams all have to really be firing on all cylinders. Unfortunately I think the tactic will be ‘hold the ball to limit their opportunities and try to counter without causing risk’ and that conservative approach will fall straight into Klopps hands.

Only one way this is going...0-4 L’Pool. We’ll knock it around a bit and take at least 50% possession, but ultimately not score because of the ponderously slow build-up play allowing 11 men to get behind the ball. They’ll hit us on the break...0-1 at HT with the remainder coming as we try to catch the game. We just don’t have the quality I the team to match them.

Left back - a starter to replace Bertrand who despite being a great servant to the club is now past his sell-by date. He is not linking well with ANY of the left sided attacking midfielders and consequently the balance of the team is poor. Need to contrast how effective KWP has been since embedding himself in Ralph’s system. If there is such a player within our grasp, he would be 21-26 years old, experienced in a top flight league, definitely a left sided player with the potential ability to switch to RWB if the need arose, proven ability to drive forward and get back quickly to defend counter attacks. All of which sounds very obvious, but good LWB’s are hard to find or cost a fortune, so not holding out much hope. Loan to buy seems to be the best hope of getting the player required.

I guess we need to remember that we’re actually tied 5th, with the difference being a lack of goals. Where’s the problem? IMO it’s the imbalance on the left caused by an aged, slow Bertrand and an unreliable Djenepo. This also renders the right hand side less effective because our play is so predictable. We cycle the ball the same way nearly every attack...it’s no surprise we’ve been found out! Make no mistake - West Ham pressed us better, won more 2nd balls and had more attacking intent. We were lucky to survive Stephens mistake, but to be fair he did well again...certainly not the worst player on the pitch.

Trouble is his legs will not let him to push forward and run at younger fast wing backs...if he did we’d likely be undone by the counter. What this amounts to is an unbalanced team and our forward attacking play very, very stale and predictable. We need to exploit the central areas and that’s most likely going to happen with Ings and Theo driving forward into the box. Knocking it out wide every single time is just too damned easy for WetSham to defend.

Djenepo is wasting a shirt at the moment. They’re too strong in midfield and then there’s the usual passing backwards from JWP and Bertrand. Can see us losing this 0-1 with a moment of brilliance from Wet Sham.

I don’t usually have us down to beat Wet Sham and this game is no different. They’re a bogey team and Antonio in particular is the type of player our defence always struggles against. We go behind, we lose. We go one up and don’t close the game down, we lose. 0-2 loss I’m afraid.

Garbage up top. Diallo had a good game as did Stephens. Ref and VAR utterly shocking as we should be been awarded a certain pen for an obvious handball and KWP fouled just outside box would have been a definite JWP chance. Can’t be happy with 0-0, but clearly better than loss. Dread to think how we’ll fair against a better team.

Front four rubbish....looking like low-end Championship players. No creativity, no drive, waiting for something to happen which it will not with the midfield of Diallo and JWP. Can see us losing this 1-0. Hope Ralph completely gives them hell at half-time and puts N’D on ASAP.

Difficult game to call this - I think Fulham are a team that have a lot more potential than their points tally would suggest. We should be good for the win and a convincing one at that, but if their coach gets the tactics right we seem to struggle to successfully find a plan B. They love a draw, so that seems a likely outcome ... 1-1. Heart says let’s have an overdue stuffing and we win comfortably 4-1.

Fulham play some nice football, but I’m hoping we’ve got too much for them especially with two key players out. Reed will be looking to shine that’s for sure, but he can be a bit rash in the tackle so a good bet for free kicks on the edge of the area or even a pen. Diallo will start obviously and I think we’ll see Armstrong back in too with Theo up top. 2-1 Saints.

Man City we’re not at their best but nor were we to be fair. Shame about Ings, but I wanted to see DN on before Tella. Redmond was a waste of time...so inconsistent it’s laughable. Djenepo is not much better and gives a vibe of believing in his own legend. Thought Vestergard and Romeu were superb. It was not a disaster of a performance and I think we deserved a draw. Overall I’m more disappointed in the slow build up play (that characterises nearly every attack) than the loss itself and for a team that plays 4 2 2 2 we play incredibly wide for large parts of a game, which City exploited. As the season wears on, the better team managers will work out how to keep us boxed in and quiet. Onwards and errr...downwards probably.

Not looking like we’ll be getting anything from this...we’re not putting enough pressure on their keeper, as usual too pedestrian in attack and they’ve simply got too much quality. Need to find another 20%.

In relation to our performances and Arsenals form, that has to go down as a disappointing game. After scoring we were just too damned pedestrian and didn’t look a threat. The disallowed pen was a complete injustice which deserved proper review - I just cannot see how it was not given...Djenepo landed on his arse! Having said all that, I did predict 1-1 and that’s what happened. Another game with dropped points in the second half. But we’re up one place and still in touch with the leaders. What’s not to like?

Frustratingly too much pishing around with the ball when we should be peppering the goal.

Not playing well at all...most of the team having a mare...Adams and Ings terrible...as for Armstrong why did he even get picked to start? If we come out of this with a win it will be a miracle. And yet there are some on here that would claim we’ve looked like Prem title contenders! Ha! 😉

Think Ralph should be able to get the tactics right but we have history against us. Arsenal are there for the taking but my feeling is 1-1 or possibly 2-1 loss as they will get the key decisions go for them.

Completely dominant performance. Vestergard my MOTM with Che a close 2nd, but the whole team seems to be firing on all cylinders at the moment. I’m confident of a favourable result on Wednesday, although maybe a 1-1 draw. Good to see Redmond hit the ground running - gives Ralph a nice selection problem. I’m wondering what will happen to Long, Stephens and Obifemi now...will they be sold or put out to loan or perhaps they’re the squad depth needed for a Euro push next season?

We should smash Sheffield Utd. But they are fighters and looks like they’re setting up to match us. So moving the ball at pace and not sitting back will be key...do that well and we’ll be good. Love to see us 3-0 up at 75mins and giving Dan N a good 15 minutes to show what he’s about. At the back of my mind I’m thinking Saints of old would gift them a win, especially with Sharp starting, so I’m going a conservative 1-1.

I would be quietly confident of a win, although if we judge form by the last game only I can see a problem. Would think Theo and Redmond as AM’s with Ings and Che up top. Think it would be madness making changes at CB, but it could be an ideal game to blood Salisu. Hoping for a 2-0 win.

Thought Potter did a good job of tactically nullifying our play in the first - they were trying to stretch us wide and exploiting the holes. It was working well until Ralph made some changes which helped us get a foothold. Vest was immense and so was Romeu. Djenepo didn’t have scoobie and had a stinker...think we may Redmond next week or perhaps Ings/Che up top and Theo on left. Loving the performances at the minute.

Well going on the first 22 minutes we’re going to lose this. Djenepo is back to his old rubbish self. Armstrong is having a mare. Not getting any kind of passing consistency going. Pretty damn dreadful to be honest.