Saint Fan CaM

Nearly all of Leeds attacks came from the fast movement of the ball and a lack of guile from our defensive players. Djenepo is not a defensive player...and frankly he is not being played to his best abilities in attack either. Redmond is a waste of space and a shirt. We need Romeu back alongside JWP. However, the biggest issue for me is game management by Ralph and his coaching team...they are not getting something right. I’m no expert, but whatever game plan and style of play is being employed is just not working. One last thought...Theo is twice the player Redmond is and I’m pleased we’ve signed him. I hope we sell Redmond... he needs a change and so does our attack.

A tough game no doubt...Leeds look good at the moment. Whatever the game plan has been for the last two games, let’s see more of that. Interesting that it seems we’re less obsessed with high possession and more about effectiveness when we’re on the ball. I know many are wishing Armstrong will play further forward, however his partnership with JWP is looking good as he offers an attacking option from a deeper position. I definitely want to see Salisu and Tella start too. Pleased that I’ve got one of the 8000 tickets. If we’re at our best, 2-1 win. Otherwise likely 1-3.

Just when Redmond seems to be at his worst, he suddenly pulls extra special shitness out the bag to prove he really is pathetically outclassed in the Prem now. FFS get the joker off Ralph!

Brilliant from KWP and Tella!!! That’s how to do it Redmond!

I was about to say we look as bad as Fulham, but then a little bit of quality shines through. Redmond needs to find another team...I’m sick of watching him have awful non-descript games.

Ings May as we’ll be playing up top on his own...Adams a ghost. Put Tella up with him and really change the pace of the game...he will supply Ings without fear. Redmond despite the defensive blunder is doing ok...just. Overall I just wish we’d play the ball a little f-Ing faster!

Utter shit. We’ve lost this one.

So Ralph has his strongest side...let’s see what he can do. Something tells me we’ll still lose. Why? Because that’s the mentality around the squad, perhaps the entire club, at the moment. The way we play, tip tap practice pitch football...grown men playing a teenagers game. Jeez I’m not THAT disillusioned surely?!😳😂 In truth this could go any which way, so hey let’s say 3-1 win.

Feeling a little sorry for Fulham - that's probably us next season.

Perfect game to test 2-3 youngsters, particularly if Fulham lose tonight. Sadly Ralph will not do this, possibly because contracts get in the way. Think we’ll lose though unless Ings is providing a threat....just got so little threat up top. Head says 0-1, heart says 2-1.

We just dont look like any kind of threat except to Fraser as we've passed it more yards backwards than forwards. Utter shit. And we get nothing from a JWP set piece anymore - he's not all that.

Not sure he’s any better or offers anything different than Redmond and Redmond is hot and cold at the best of times. I don’t think Taki is a bad player, it’s just we need something different...more Armstrong than Redmond.

Well there’s only one way this is going to end and it’s not favourable for us. If we had enough about us to beat Pool, there’s still the Ref, two linesmen, a fourth official and VAR to contend with so it’s extremely unlikely we’ll win because the Prem/Sky etc will not allow it. Or something like that.🤣🤣🤣

Well that’s blown...only one way this going now and it’s not Saints way. Be brave Ralph.

What the very fuck is that about?! No way is that a red...he took the ball very clearly!

Oh dear. Ralph’s finally cracked and gone full circle mad. He is the definition of “let’s try the same thing and expect different results” by bringing Stephens back, but to play him at LB is truly stunning. And Redmond in attack. My prediction for this game? Another horrible loss, horrible performance, by largely horrible players, playing a horrible system that only Ralph understands. We will lose...probably lose by a large margin. 0-4. But I’ll still watch the debacle from start to finish in the vain hope that by some miracle we’ll steal a point.

There’s a stat that’s been produced showing how in a number of games the oppositions number of passes before interception increases dramatically in the second half and this has led to us losing games. It was the same in the Spurs game. There’s a reason for that - basically the players stop the pack style press...possibly to conserve energy...and the result is we play deeper, more defensively in front our pen area and allow more pressing time for the opposing team. Then we go behind and suddenly the press and urgency return. I’ve also noticed that we triangulate passing very well to play out of defensive positions, but often fail to do that in front of goal. We rely far too much on individual player ‘skill’ to open defences, cutting in from the flanks more often than not. Other than perhaps Ings, we don’t have that level of quality in the squad. This comes down to poor coaching...don’t they watch how other teams operate successfully and put the lessons into training? In my view if we were to solve the two above issues we would start seeing better results...I don’t necessarily think wholesale changes are needed to the squad. The only other possible issue is the 4222 formation, which does not suit a wing back style of play well, even with DCM’s like JWP to run everywhere to provide cover.

Moss and co wanted desperately to give that as a free kick then a pen. Didn’t look like either as Djenepo went for the ball and the striker kicked him!

Lucky to get that offside, but right decision. I blame our poor 2nd half on Ralph completely...we were on top of them until the Ings substitution which was unbelievable. Now we don’t look like scoring.

To be honest so far I’m liking what I’m seeing in this changed team...more urgency and speed in the pass. On the evidence so far we can win this, but it depends on the application of the players. I think Ralph has got this right.

Their goal came from a fluke and not much to suggest they were a better team, however Saints were terrible...very, very negative football and to have so few chances on goal in an FA Cup Semi is tantamount to criminal! I don’t think Ralph has got what it takes to be a successful manager at Saints unfortunately now. Thank fook I didn’t pay to watch that!!,

Ralph’s plan to contain them in the first half has worked! Just need to switch on the magic now. Be nice if the ref actually remembered that he can use the yellow card on Leicester players too! Some of their fouls have been cynical attempts to nibble our players - shocking that they’ve not been booked. COYS!

Think Djenepo could be the key to unlocking the door either by way of a pen or a JWP ‘special’ from a free-kick outside the box. This will definitely be a more entertaining game than the City / Chelski game, but it’s difficult to call. We’re definitely the underdog and the team without good form, but Leicester are not looking everything themselves lately. I think it could be a 2-1 to them, but if we’re exceptional then we could pull off a shock. COYS!

Watch us give a third away on the break...it’s bound to happen. Big Sam knows how to protect a 2-0 lead against a side in poor form. Can’t see anything to suggest we’ll get anything from this game.

Perhaps it’s tactical...let Brom win and allow them to catch Newcastle so the ’strongest’ team goes down? 😉🤣 Seriously though, this performance matches our 9-0 games but WB are more rubbish and VAR is their enemy. KWP in particular seems to have lost it...half the player he was 3 months ago for some reason. I’m starting to hate the formation Ralph insists on...I just don’t think we’ve got the quality in the side to play 4222...JWP and Diallo are just not good enough to support the attack and Redmond is not at the same level as Armstrong so the midfield is not functioning effectively. Have Ings up top and put Armstrong in a more central position to provide an outlet from JWP and Diallo. One thing I know is something needs to change or we will get embarrassed at Wembley. Again.