Saint Fan CaM

I think what some are concerned about is that rather than spend £15m on two average players that may well be unimpressive at EPL level, why not spend £30m on one outstanding player (by our standards) and utilise Academy youngsters as backup? That’s surely as close to the club philosophy as any other approach.

Tell you what, when you write something that’s remotely interesting I’ll get back to you.

That’s true - he has it in him perhaps, but think about the number of times that happens as a percentage of all the passes he makes…it’s a very low number. Why do you think he doesn’t do that more? I think it’s because they’re conditioned to always look for the perfect pass and don’t position themselves in a way to create enough chances. The emphasis is on possession…not chance creation. Great management saying - ‘don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good’.

I think he’s getting better at it - possibly learning from Downes - but neither have the front facing killer pass in them.

If the 1st team stays as is we can expect the type of bad performances and results from last season, but amplified in goals against and frequency. Last night I watched several attempts from Arma and Charly to run between defenders and no-one took a chance to thread a ball through, preferring instead to re-cycle the ball backwards or sideways. Then we had Manning attempting to be some kind of Declan Rice, but with no spacial awareness of what’s around him or more importantly what’s in front of him. He’s just too Poundland to have the skills to operate in that position or any position in the Prem. McCarthy is a disaster waiting to happen, which means a defence lacking belief. Many of the players in possession don’t look around them or get a call from a team mate to turn and pass the ball in the opposite direction to that which they received the ball…that is they only seem to pass for the sake of passing in the direction they are initially facing. Consequently the ball gets passed backwards or sideways ad infinitum. The lack of creativity is frighteningly poor, with Alcarez being the one bright spark. Sulemana and Edozie have no end product…Tyler is a little the same, but at his age/experience he can be cut some slack. Mara is just a waste of a shirt. With all the talk of spending millions on the next best attacking forward, I do wonder why the club don’t push to offer a better deal to KWP and put him in front of Suga. He can terrorise defences with his mazy runs and can shoot very effectively coming in from the right. Might actually save a few £’s. In summary, huge amount of work to do and the new season is just around the corner.

Maybe. By what - a week or two? And what about the supposed higher level of the players or did our lot turn into lazy slouches since Wembley? I mean surely we should have at least matched Oxford. Let me say that again….Oxford Utd.😏

And I guess that would suggest Oxford were not suffering pre-season exhaustion as they were superior in many ways?

I think this evening we’ve seen why Saints should push - very hard - to get O’Riley over the line. We desperately need his creativity and goals. Otherwise BBD and any other potential forward will be stood around waiting for a chance that never comes.

All true, however what worries me is Oxford looked a better TEAM, whereas our lot looked like a bunch of strangers. Most Prem teams will have enough quality in individual players that would see them through and produce twice the performance that Saints showed tonight, but no, somehow we conspired to make Oxford look superior to us in EVERY conceivable way. That worries me more than replacing McCarthy, although obviously that’s a big concern too. On tonight’s showing we’ll get hammered this season - a very long way to go Russ. One bright spark - Suga looks to be a great KWP replacement.

Oxford looking the better team all over the pitch.

Fuck me Manning is a waste of a shirt. Still. Edozie looks ok.

Only one change at half. Arma on.

It’s what’s left behind…a cats turd.

Not sure I agree - many of that team have played the system before many times…they should know their roles. Fact is, they’re not good enough, although what the fook Manning is doing as a general sweeper/playmaker I don’t know - he’s just not good enough and because they’ve been told to put everything through him it slows the game and we end up passing it backwards…rinse repeat. Let’s hope he puts out a decent team in the 2nd half.

And again McCarthy near;y gifts them another goal. We’d be 5 down against a Prem team. Edit: even as I typed the above he makes another mistake to give em 2.

Utterly crap - Oxford go ahead. Why? Yep, pissing about at the back.

Yeah, as @Wsaint said, the one I’ve ordered is the normal one (per his link) - not the Starling logo. Nevertheless for £16 delivered I think I’ll be able able to live with it!

Given it never reached mainstream we may never know, but the chances are it’s bollox.

Think this has the potential to be a great signing providing he’s not lost the high level of movement in the box we saw from the UT clips. Feels like an upgrade on Adams. Welcome and good luck BBD.

If he has rejected a move to Celtic, who can blame him? The lad had a dream of playing in the EPL and like it or not, he had a (small) part to play in getting Saints back there. Plus it’s pretty obvious we’re light in the DM dept, so why would he not think he’s got a right to fight for a place?

BBD having medical in Winchester today apparently. Wonder if it’ll be signed sealed and delivered today then?

Not at all - I just don’t think your analysis makes much sense.

And can be purchased ‘elsewhere’ for half the cost.

Yeah Saints have done well in qualifying for UEFA over the years…we must be a much better proposition. Oh…😅

A 19-year old getting regular starts? Not too sure that’s true with the other players we’ve potentially got at our disposal.