Saint Fan CaM

It’s been a while since I’ve been to a game and I’m not enjoying the experience much. Still is making the same mistakes as his predecessors. The team is playing in the same manner as it did under three previous managers. And to cap it all the Northam have turned sour before the games over booing and jeering - I don’t blame them in a way but it’s indicative of how broken this club is. Horrible. Need Still to fucking ditch whatever is making him play 5 at the back. and as I type this Edward’s is off.

Can’t get out of our half yet - wonder why?

You’re absolutely right of course, however loan to buy deals could be used. Spors needs to start earning his salary and get some tough deals done…not just the ‘easy’ ones, after all he’s supposedly the SME on that part of the business.

So - Charles out for several weeks with a hammy injury.😳 Fellows is a hybrid wing-back apparently and yet football is a simple game! 😂 Still loves 4-2-3-1, but has not been able to use it. If he can on Saturday then he will. 5 at the back it is then. 😉

Think you’ve also got to factor in who would want to come here for the wages on offer comparable to other clubs - with few options open to him, Downs was obviously a last minute high risk deal to attempt to plug a hole which has clearly failed horribly. Who knows, having been tarnished with the SR shit-stick, Spors may have put out a “come and get me” message to the footballing world in general.

I’ve snagged a ticket for this one so hoping for a great performance and a win. Oh wait…it’s to watch Saints at home…never mind, I can enjoy the carnage outside the ground in the fan zone. 😏

I’d go for both of them, that way if one is a dud there’s a fall back option. Sell Archer, Stephens, Aribo, Edozie and loan out Downs to fund it.

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?