Saint Fan CaM

And Downes has the Captains armband - will that be the difference?

Commentators already got a bias going on for Ipswich - anything Saints related is negative. They’ve mentioned the two losses last season three times already.

Bookies and history are on the side of a Saints loss - COYS, let’s make it a first in our favour for once!

Think you’re still thinking of the Lallana of old - he’s admitted himself that he’s a different type of player now. And anyway, if you’ve a got a player in midfield that can retain high possession Russball is more likely to work.

Think the team sheet is brave from Russ actually - looks like he’s actually trying to give the home fans something to be excited about. Of course that’s only half the story - if they’re told to continue with the suicidal passing backwards and sideways in our own half, then the crowd will grow more and more restless and play right into Ipswich’s hands. Fingers crossed the team will be switched on enough to really go for goal.

Thinking Lallana might be partnering Downes - he’s capable enough and has the ability to control midfield. Maybe.

Apart from not moving on style, I’m of the opinion that Russ doesn’t really know who is best team is and even if we snatch 1 or 3 points today, he’ll still not understand why, so will stubbornly make further changes to either personnel and/or shape. Difficult to see how we’ll score a single goal let alone the number sufficient to win a game based on what we’ve seen so far. Head says 0-2 loss - heart says faltering 1-1.

He’s a very naughty boy. (Sorry, couldn’t resist…) 🤣

Perhaps it’s not Martin specifically that has an issue with ABK. Perhaps there are contractual or other business related reasons why he’s not being picked/played? Anyway, even if it’s something he’s said or done, Russ isn’t going to just fess up to the media that the guy is a bad’ un…that could knock a large chunk off his re-sale value.

Understand, but sometimes you gotta speculate to accumulate and I think even the most conservative of on-lookers can see the lads a cut-above.

It seems inevitable that TD will leave us for a big club move sooner rather than later, however it’s at this time we NEED players of his skill and ability to drag us out of the mire we’re currently facing. To weaken an already struggling side will serve to drive another nail into the proverbial coffin. SR need to step up to the plate and get that lad a very attractive new contract with a big release clause (think he’s worth £70m in today’s market).

I think there’s something to what you say here, however my feeling is there is not enough information available to draw that conclusion. We have two new forwards in BBD and Archer - three if you include Cornet - who can score goals. If we were to find a system that allowed those players to click…to get into goal scoring opportunities and score goals, then it would not be a personnel issue. We’ve yet to find that system, so for me it’s this at the moment that is the burning problem…we just don’t move the ball in a way that creates goal scoring opportunities. The formation MAY have an influence on that because it may need to be a certain pattern to allow the system to click.

You and I and others might like to see him play, however you’re wrong to think a player is going to be picked if he’s disliked by his Manager and/or fellow players. In a team sport at this level that can make a difference when small gains help. And my interpretation of how Russ views his team would mean ABK is not favoured over more ‘loyal’ players despite his positive attributes.

Well he’s hardly going to say he’s physically and mentally knackered and not available for selection is he? The point is, once you’ve disrupted team harmony and sought to get away, it must be very difficult getting back into the fold and he’s clearly got way to go to persuade Russ to drop one of his favs, despite the fact that he’s probably the best CB on our books.

Not sure the lad has done enough to convince Russ that he’s worthy of a place. Not in terms of performances, but in terms of being a proper team player who has some respect.

I do wonder if he (Dibling) could operate as a second striker actually, playing just behind the primary striker…think he’s got more in his kit bag than any of what you’d call our usual strikers. Even if he didn’t score many goals, defenders would be scared of touching him and giving away a pen.

It’s a tough one to call, but I just don’t see enough dynamics and guile in our forward play to score the number of goals necessary to win a game of football. Ipswich have a good coaching team and they look good value. They’ll know how to counter high possession and be aggressive in their press. Think this will be the first nail in RM’s proverbial coffin sadly. 64% possession. 0-2.

Good to see most on here are not going overboard with euphoria of a goal and a win. Everton were poor and we were no better to be fair. In fact given the goal scoring chances created from 70% possession it’s still a huge concern how limp we are in attack. Some key observations… 1. Alex did a very good job most of the game. I’m not convinced he made any error with their goal - the area was so crowded. 2. Dibling once again showed what a massive talent he is. Starts every game as a CAM…build the team around him. Be brave. 3. THB took his chance in this game - looked v good for the most part. Nice touch from RM to give him the Captaincy in an “I trust you Son” motivational type action. 4. There’s no point having 3 strikers on the pitch when they get so little sight of the ball. It’s desperately obvious we are in need of a coach who can provide the team with some creative ideas in the final third. Over 90% of the time ball receivers have their backs to goal meaning there’s only one way to pass - backwards or occasionally sideways, unless your name is Lallana or Dibling who can actually turn a player successfully. Last thought. If nothing else - hopefully - this will give the team a taste of what it’s like to win a game against Prem opposition and be the catalyst for more.

There are a number of issues with the club and the standing of the first team - they’re not mutually exclusive… Over a longer period than Russ has been in place, the recruitment has been extremely second class, not really getting to grips with key areas (except the hiring of Ramsdale) and particularly the strikers. We’ve loaded the squad with Championship level players hoping they’ll come good in the Prem which they don’t. Possession football is nothing new or particularly rare in the Prem, but it’s use is apparent in degrees - that is, the Man City level teams employ it most of the time because they’ve got the players with the skill to step up a gear in the last phase of attack. As you work down the league the deployment of the system is less apparent, with a more counter-attacking approach being taken because this, coupled with a high press, is the best way to keep shape and stand up against the better teams. Russball does not appear to have enough flexibility to recognise this and especially that our players lack the skill to play such a high level of a possession game in this league (it was only just achieved in the Championship). The key problem is not Russball, it’s that Russ and his team don’t have the ability to coach a system that matches the skill level of the players at their disposal. They’ve been schooled in ‘Pep-ball’ and while they’ve tried ‘tweaking’ the system recently, all it’s doing is taking fewer risks within the same system. It’s still requiring the team to pass its way through 11 players and it’s not providing the team with the tools to do things differently. There’s only one player that has the ability to break the mould - Dibling…and he’ll be gone the minute a big offer comes in. It’s very difficult to see where this will lead other than a very humiliating relegation - when’s the earliest nailed on relegation date…Christmas? Russ is operating a system with the full backing of SR, so can’t see him being given the heave-ho anytime soon.

Is there any point to this game? Yep, you bet there is. RM should pick his best team and coach them to score a goal and win a game of f-ing football. They must know how to pass the ball now!

Did we really try to play differently, or just a case of telling Ramsdale to clear it if there was no clear route out (or similar)? The lower possession stats might suggest we did play differently, but was that because Utd were just better than us playing that type of game? And anyway, playing with high possession, in itself, is not enough…we know that. What is needed is some nouse moving forward at pace - players making themselves available to receive the ball - accurate passing in triangles - someone actually having the balls to shoot at distance - etc etc. It’s this part of our game I believe we are absolutely getting wrong. Russball has us trying to play through 11 players every single time and almost every single time failing. This is what needs to change and fast.

So wrt the above, are you saying with your ‘contacts’ you know this is the strategy? If that’s true and there’s some kind of inevitability to the season, then a lot of fans will need to re-adjust their expectations and prepare for another run in the Championship. I’m not buying it though - I don’t think any serious business model will adopt a plan to fail strategy.

Yes, but what I meant was if there were no further goals (or positive results) from now on, which frankly is looking highly likely.

Maybe but that’s history and before anyone witnessed the shit show we’re seeing now. Things will be different come end October if we’ve still no points and worse still no goals from open play.

Think it boils down to one thing - do SR want (need) the club to stay in the Prem? If they do, then RM will be gone well before Xmas because the evidence screams that there’s very little chance his system or indeed his ability to coach the team to success, is going to win or draw us a game of football.