Saint Fan CaM

I voted sack, however it’s with a significant degree of trepidation. I don’t think Still is bad manager as such…he could do the basic job, but he’s not capable of managing a club that’s in the turmoil SFC has been in for quite some time. Add to that that he’s not been given the tools to make a fist of decent job and it’s clear he’s onto a hiding to nothing. Now, is there a possibility that there’s a manager out there with the ability to take on the challenge? I’m not so sure there is - some of the candidates mentioned are laughable…they’d fail as quickly and spectacularly as Still has done. They’d probably soon work out that either they can’t trust back four to defend and/or find out that a ‘higher power’ stipulates that Jack fucking Stephens MUST feature in the matchday squad. As it stands I sadly think there’s as much chance of us going down again as there is of us getting into the play-offs. SR are so incapable of making the right decisions at the right times, I really think we’re up the creek without a paddle.

Let that sink in! 😉

I’ve lost track of how he’s doing at Everton - is he actually getting first team appearances?

Most clubs are selling clubs when the chips are down - only the top 1% may get to escape the system. However, we (SR) have made two fundamental mistakes repeatedly which have caused our decline… 1. Pre SR we nurtured our Academy and promoted the best from there into the 1st team. Theo, Bale, Lallana, JWP etc. The SR approach is to use stats to identify older youngsters and then drop them into the 1st team - Downs for example - to turn a faster profit. It works sometimes - Lavia for example - however it is fraught with risk when you’re relying on the youngster to hit the ground running and integrating seamlessly. 2. Ignoring significant gaps in capability in the squad and not replacing key positions. The most obvious glaring example is a CF striker who knows where the net is. However you could also point to positions where player trading has taken over - I.e. a desire to ‘overstock’ on wing-backs.

Amazing how quickly the season has reverted back to feeling numb to losing games just like back in EPL - that couldn’t care less attitude because you know we’re going to lose, but retain a glimmer of hope that something might click. All the talk about how easy the Championship would be - how our squad was so good a top two place was almost inevitable. I knew it would be a big ask to make the play-offs, but I had no idea we were as damaged as we’ve been shown to be. So…we’ll lose this…there’ll be ugly scenes. Score is largely irrelevant but sadly I’m going 1-2 PNE, maybe 1-3.

The trouble is they didn’t get the opportunity to finish the job. Edozie and Aribo not getting sold is indicative of a wider clear out that was needed - we knew full well that Spors had a massive job to do in the summer to eradicate the rusty scars and allow Still a chance to re-build. Unfortunately the longer a recovery took to be evident, the less chance a recovery actually was - we’re in a seeming spiralling doom cycle. There are some positive signs such as Scienza’s performances, but it’s not nearly enough. The appointment of Still was, in hindsight, a risk too far…not because he’s a bad Manager, but because he’s just not good enough to combat and arrest the severe decline we’re witnessing. A decline that started in its infancy from the time SR took control. A Still replacement will need to be experienced in the top two English leagues, a tactically superb coach and man-manager - who fits that criteria and realistically wants to commit to the poisoned chalice that is Saints right now? There can’t be too many, even if SR have the £’s and bollox to make a change (which they don’t). The indications are that Still could very well take us down into L1 - that’s the sickening reality of where we are.

Fixed it for you. 😉😬

Fair enough, but suggesting Manning is one of best is red rag to a bull for me. 😉😂

When was the last time a change of Manager made a positive difference to our fortunes? I’ll give you a clue - it was pre-SR. I don’t trust them to sack Still in a timely manner and I don’t trust them to find a better replacement either. It’s looking really bleak.

Not bad but do you really class Manning as a defender and one of our best players? 😂 And do you think Downes is better than Charles? Not sure about that.

Another defeat incoming and likely Still’s last game. Then we’ll be relying on fucking Lallana to steer us out of the relegation zone…can it get any worse?

Depends on the context and perspective. If Martin was the Manager Scienza and Azaz would more than likely be left out I the cold - they’re too attack minded and unlikely to pass sideways and backwards.

No way was that a red. Now Azaz looks knackered. Robinson is not great to be honest - doesn’t know how to pass to a Saints player - just trying too hard to do it all on his own.

2-1. I’m in the Still out camp now - it’s a disgraceful performance from the Manager and the team.

Fucking Manning. Ducks away from the ball after not closing down as usual. Goal. Twat of a defender.

Do you honestly think a new Manager will do any better with our squad and if so, why? Personally I’m hoping every waking minute of Spors January window (and some days beforehand) is concentrated on searching for and signing a competent, big, CF. That way Still has a fighting chance of keeping us in the division.

Re-build from league one you mean? Not a bad idea, although I seem to remember a similar call when we were relegated to the Championship…re-build for the EPL they said…it’ll all be fine they said.

Any precedence in a top European league stealing a DoF from a lowly Championship club? Who knows, maybe SR reckon it’s job done with the squad and Spors is just an unwanted overhead now that can be let go with some compo?

Yeah the problem with Downs is that his role in the team requires him to get near to and then touch the football. Were it not for this he would definitely show some promise. 😉

Sounds simple right? It’s not…why? Because whatever combination of players chosen in midfield and up front will come unstuck because they’re nearly always attempting to play through 11 men. The act of “feeding the ball through” is easily defeated by 11 men behind the ball - we’re just so damned predictable. I don’t have the answer but I would bet a hefty sum that most Championship goals are scored on the break and/or through quick transitions to a striker who has a pair of shooting boots. When we manage to do that we look very good value - the problem is we rarely do it because of the snail pace manner in which the ball is moved out of defence and/or because we’re overrun in midfield with a higher risk of being turned over.

This with spades. There is a very real lasting malaise within the club - possibly at all playing levels - which has subscribed to the view that recruitment of nice, well spoken lads who are capable of passing OK (usually backwards under pressure), but have suspect fitness so can’t play at pace, is the way to go and that therefore the system of slow build-up play is of paramount importance to suit the recruitment strategy. Every game for years under different Managers we’ve seen the evidence of this. It’s Pep-lite except even Pep got found out and has changed his system to allow long balls up to a big target man. It needs to be eradicated. Then there’s the inability to coach systems of play that provide quick transitions out of defence to the forwards to attempt as much as possible to attack with fewer than 11 oppositions players behind the ball. This is where I think Still is slowly trying to make a difference, but is hamstrung by inconsistent defenders and the lack of a big CF. Then there’s the suicidal reliance for 4-5 seasons on CF’s that are made of glass, relative midgets or just plain incapable. See above. Perhaps Still is not the man, but my feeling is there’s too much wrong within the club to allow ANY Manager a fair crack of the whip and any change now will ultimately be another disaster in waiting. On the other hand, get the right CF Stewart replacement in for Still asap and wait until at least March before pulling the trigger.

This is true, but my question is why? Finishing obviously is due to the club repeatedly not signing a decent big striker. Personal mistakes is a bit more complex - take their first goal…you could argue that the scuffed attempt at a clearance by Wood was unlucky and let’s face it, Wood has looked good value lately. But when you look at where the entire defensive line was when he had to kick the ball (almost on the halfway line), which in turn allowed their striker in, you have to question the tactics or at least the coaching of tactics. Why did the defensive line need to be so high? Well because that’s the way we’ve played for 4-5 seasons now - every forward ball HAS to start with a CB who then passes out to a wing-back who invariably goes backwards to a CB ad Infinitum. This method of play persists - who is stipulating this? It’s a massive big deal because not only is it losing us games, it’s instrumental in not allowing the new players to make a positive impact on performance. I’m no tactical expert but to my mind it simply has to be stamped on or we’ll keep falling.

Don’t want to lose another manager, but it’s difficult to support Still’s position now.

90 minutes 3-1 down and we’re passing it around at the back. Atrocious!

Gotta say Still is not the answer, but the chances of a replacement now are minimal. And anyway, these players are just not good enough even to mount a play off challenge. It’s very bleak.