Saint Fan CaM

To be fair anyone with half a brain cell could nail our issue 100%.

Reckon Russ is banking on packing midfield to go in at the break 0-0. All to play for in the 2nd half - 60th minute change to 3-2-5 to flood their box. Genius!

Absolutely - it does stink of a Manager under pressure but not really knowing his best team or how to get a result. Having said that, I’ve no real issue with Cornet as he has pace, can shoot and has been known to score goals in the Prem. It also introduces an unknown entity and so might release space for Dibling. We’ll see.

I predict a lot of angst and gnashing of teeth on here over the next 3-4 hours. How fantastic would it be to actually come away with 3 points? As always with our beloved club, it’s the hope that hurts the most.

Yeah but that’s my point - it’s not necessarily part of playing out from the back. If we transitioned the ball forwards more successfully more often, the fewer opportunities would be presented to the oppo’s press because we’d moved the ball forward faster. We play out at such a pedestrian pace the opposition press is allowed to build to a point where the options to get out of the press are next to none and our players are then panicked into a mistake. The media commentators tend to simplify everything by stating that Russball equals ‘possession football’ or indeed ‘playing out from the back’ and so that’s what needs to be changed, which may be true in essence, but it does nothing to address the actual problem. In my opinion this is pandering to a lack of responsibility being shown by the coaching team. Classic pre-cursor to a managerial sacking.

Excellent post, especially the bit highlighted which fits nicely with my post the Bournemouth match build-up thread where I explain the flaw with Russball being the phase of transition from the back to midfield. Having said that, I also believe the manner in which we put teams under pressure in the final third is sub-standard too. The lack of chance creation is shocking.

I understand the sentiment, however it’s not playing out from the back that’s the problem - many teams do this even in the lower leagues. The problem is the endless recycling back and across in front of our penalty area not taking responsibility to move the ball forwards…THAT’S the problem. The coaching applied to the system with regards to transitioning from goalkeeper to midfield is extremely sub-standard - it invites pressure (which is part of the reason for the system), but has no clear flags that enable the players to make the right decisions to move into the next phase. Having no real target man doesn’t help, because at the times a defender needs to clear the ball rather than lose it anyway to a pressing mob, there’s no options…it’s pass backwards or lose the ball. It makes the players lives easier - i.e. it’s not my problem it’s yours, now I’ve passed it to you, rather than taking responsibility to turn and pass the ball forwards. Yes there is risk in employing Russball, but the risk factor is amplified several-fold because the phase after the initial play-out is flawed. The quality of the players we have may be partly to blame perhaps, but in my mind 90% of it is in (lack of) decent coaching.

Yeah mentioned by Russ in the Bournemouth presser. They’re making a decision on whether he returns to Saints for rehab or stays at Blackburn. I’m probably wrong, but it seems players we loan out get injured all too easily and I wonder if that’s because of their conditioning (or lack of it) when at Saints. Hope Dom gets back fit asap…best of luck to the lad.

Who’s right and wrong is irrelevant (despite these two being completely different players). Fact of the matter is Russ has frozen TP out to the point where there’s more chance of Lucy Pinder being recruited for half-time ‘entertainment’ in the centre circle. 😜😂

There’s growing news of Potter looking at a Prem return. Not saying that could be Saints, but there’s every chance he’d do as good if not better job than Russ with the players at his disposal right now and I think he’d be wholly welcomed if Russ and Co can’t muster a win by the end of October. SR would be daft not to explore him as an option.

No team to fear there whatsoever. It’s just a game of football…11 vs 11. Anything could happen. 😬 But yeah, a humiliating reaming is highly likely and we’ll be gifted a chance to “concentrate on the league”. 🤣

Very sorry to hear of your sad news and hope you and the family are able to repair as soon as possible. Our boy, who I’ve appreciated even more since I retired two years ago, turned 10 earlier this year and while he appears healthy, for some reason there’s not a day that goes by now that I don’t think of how things will be when he passes. It’s tough, but they enrich our lives so much it’s definitely all worth it.

Blimey - a result that’s gone our way…things are looking up! lol

Things have changed for them - better team and management. Plus we’re an easy push-over to figure out and play against. 2-0.

I remain of the opinion that while we’ve not exactly got a team of Worldbeaters, there’s enough there with the right tactics and coaching to survive. Unfortunately I’m not sure Russ and his team have shown enough to provide confidence that they’ve got the solution(s). A big telling point for me will be if he picks a consistent starting 11 for the next game. And also makes some more sensible sub decisions - 57 minutes is too early to change a winning side and then pulling the trigger on 2-3 subs at a time, provides the oppo manager with clues on where to target our more tired players / weaker areas. We’ll see, but I’m not hopeful.

To be fair the shot took a massive deflection from Aribo - who fucking wimped out and turned his back. Ramsdale didn’t stand a chance.

Because 90% of the coaching effort goes into learning Russball and not defending properly or attacking with intent or shooting accurately. Apparently.

There we go - THATs why our game is so shit - NEVER rely on one goal!!!

Watch the skate score.

Think Russ has gone a bit too early with these changes.

Disgusting yellow for Bednarek there. Edit : it was to Lallana for kicking the ball away!

Taking too long and too many risks now, right from the off. Keep going and we’ll lose. As I type a massive opportunity for Archer.

Come on Saints - WTF?

Please Russ - don’t play for a 1-0!!!

Yeeees!!!!!