Saint Fan CaM

Not sure if that makes it better or worse to be honest! Actually it makes no difference - Captain Calamity managed to get himself on the team sheet again today even after that conversation, which clearly was not…“sorry Jack but you’re just too shit to be anything other than a sub”!

You’d think right? But that recent shot of Still, Spors, Stephens and the Asst Manager huddled in deep conversation after training tends to suggest to me that Stephens has the ear of the important people at the club and somehow will be a first pick on the team sheet regardless of the sanity of it.

It was posted a little tongue in cheek to be fair and I was largely reflecting on others reports as I didn’t watch the game myself, but the warning signs are undoubtedly there. I really don’t see anything at the moment that resembles a team pushing promotion or at least not the autos.

If Bazunu or McCarthy start ahead of Rambo - season over. If Manning starts ahead of Welington - season over. If Edward’s is started at RB ahead of Bree or Sugawara - season over. If Stephens is started over Any of our other CB’s - season over. If Spors doesn’t get a quality, starting attacking CM in - season over. If Still continues to play the same front 3 (AA/Archer/BBD/Fraser) over starting Downs - season over. I’ve maintained for some time that the majority of the shite from last season needed to be cleared out or we’d be looking at a mid-table finish. Looks like lessons have not been learned…maybe. Perhaps Still is now realising he’s going to have a very mediocre season if he isn’t very judicious in his team selections, including dropping his club Captain. The concern also is that we’re lower than mid-table come October-November and the club feel pressured to sack Still which will set us back even further.

That guys got hidden layers in his game.

Matchday 15

With his heart condition a factor, he’ll need his agent to revise his salary demands otherwise he’ll go next year for free, but be lucky to get a job outside of the lower leagues. His reputation as they say will precede him.

I remember watching our last Championship season opening match at Highbury (a SW supporting friend had a spare ticket in the home stand) and saying to my mate that I couldn’t understand why the SW manager was not getting his team to press us harder…we were bossing the ball (of course). Then as the season wore on it became obvious that more and more oppo managers were figuring out how to combat RM’s possession biased system - the risks increased and our weaknesses were exposed. That’s the problem with RM - he puts his players in proverbial straight-jackets.

Buying talent prior to sales is possible, but only for those clubs that have a large budget and are an attractive pull to top players (promise of trophies etc) - risk is minimal. We have neither of those attributes sadly, even when in the PL, although it becomes marginally easier. That’s not to say a clear-out is not required or indeed possible - after last seasons debacle it’s imperative.

Nobody is saying he’s a bad Manager. He gives the best cuddles. Football style however is as boring as [insert expletive of choice here].

That lad looks class and just what we need. Way out of SR’s budget I suspect and he looks like he’d be more likely to get into a PL side.

Fantastic. Next stop Goztepe.

Takes an analyst to know an analyst you could say. 😉

In terms of squad size and wages, we could afford to lose Wood or Stephens, Manning and BBD and bring in a Tadic type player (assuming one exists and is willing to come here). It’s not rocket science - is it?

I was got by auto-correct 😉 - meant to say Archer rather than Fraser actually. AA - BBD - Archer…one has to be shipped out and the other two never being on the pitch at the same time. I actually don’t think it matters a jot which one goes. Don’t disagree with your point on Fraser, but I think Still might be panicking a bit with the lack of genuine creativity on offer in the squad and Fraser is one of not many that can get around defenders, shoot or pass. Basically he’s looking for options which are quickly diminishing.

Oh we’re starting to prepare for that eventuality already, don’t you worry. Mid-table beckons for Saints this season unless a surgeon’s knife is taken to the squad.

Not looking too promising is it? This equates to mid-table mediocrity with the players at Still’s disposal. In AA, BBD and Fraser we have players that are too slow, with no footballing brain - they’re poachers…opportunists. Having all three on the pitch at one time means we’re missing at least two creative, skilful players. The squad is still a dogs dinner.

Strange given Suga and Bree both waiting to be used. Perhaps he wants to see what Edward’s can do at FB if needed? 🤔

Dibling replacement being lined up? Plays like him - lots tricks, fails to see an obvious pass, no end product. 😉

Stephens doesn’t think that fast and has no inherent footballing brain to instinctively know what the least riskiest play should be. In his own mind he has all the time in the World to choose his pass. He’s as thick as…

Talk about simple! I didn’t say don’t sell players, but it’s certainly a recipe for continual decline if you keep selling your best players and replace them with inferior quality. If you don’t believe that is the reason we’ve just witnessed the worst season in the history of this club (and indeed almost the entire history of the PL), to find ourselves relegated with a bloated squad, then you my friend are not just myopic - you’re blind! By the way, we’ve been successful before without incurring the wrath of FFP (and so have plenty of other ‘smaller’ improving clubs).

See, I just don’t get this logic…in my mind it’s utterly bonkers, even if it were possible to raise that much from three mediocre PL level players, which I don’t think we would. I mean what benefit do you think supporters will get from that? Even if £100m were raised, how much would be spent on new players - 20%, 50%…it’s never been 100%? We should be doing everything possible to keep hold of our best players and replacing the weaker players with better. It’s how a team advances, improves, stops the endless roundabout of managers, wins competitions, etc…etc.

There’s Aribo too that could do the #10 role.

Take out Wright, Bednarek, ABK, Lawrence, Sesay, BBD, Fraser, Dipepa, Ballard = 9 = 27 man squad to go. Easy. Personally I’d take Fraser instead of Manning or possibly Taylor, but I doubt that’s going to happen.

Exactly what I previously said - he can shoot (hit the crossbar with a lovely strike in the Gills game), pick out a pass and I think Stills will value those attributes.