Saint Fan CaM

Yeah, there’s something weirdly nuts keeping that formation in place for every game - looks like it’s to enable use of the huge number of defenders on the books and/or to utilise the talents of KWP, Suga etc., but that always leaves us short in central midfield, doesn’t assist our attacking play and usually has our wing backs and CB’s stranded too far up-field.

What’s the point in entering into the competition in the first pace then?

That all sounds lovely, but where’s the road map? Nothing of any substance is going to happen to the waterfront unless the cement works is relocated and even then there will be a huge amount of work necessary to clean up the site which could take years. I’m certainly not saying it’s not an exciting prospect, but Southampton City Council are not the best at bringing about positive change to our City.

Has been a good servant to the club, however when you compare his contribution as a target man/goalscorer in the EPL to others such as Woods, Semanyo and Delap, his limitations are a stark contrast. Having said that, I think a fair amount of blame can be levelled at the system(s) we tend to play with an isolated front line and very weak link up play.

It’s interesting to see so many players do better once they’ve left us, but maybe that’s because they’ve found ‘their level’?

Why do you think they can’t win it? Or why do you think they think they can’t win it? Do you really think Saints can win it?

I doubt they’ll play a weakened defence - that doesn’t happen too often at this level and they’ll see us as an easier top tier scalp to claim. They’ve got a good defensive record so far this season. As I say, a definite banana skin fixture.

Reckon they’ll be better than many think - tough game which may be beyond us now.

As I said, maybe it could, but what does that say to staff about the investment in time and focus of what might be considered the most important person in the footballing side of the club at what is in my opinion a critical year ahead?

Maybe this guy is the perfect answer…maybe. Personally I think there’s such a huge re-build job required to re-set the footballing side of the club, it needs the full-time focus of a DoF, not some half-baked solution (unless of course this chap is an absolute genius rather than a chum of Ankerson’s or Solak’s). As I say, time will tell. The upside is that it seems Juric knows exactly what he needs and importantly who he doesn’t need in his team. It strikes me that players like Manning favoured by RM were chosen because they’re NOT brave or skilled enough to anything adventurous in terms of passing forwards, taking the easy option of a pass backwards to relieve pressure on themselves and placing it on the player they pass to. It would appear that Juric is not tolerating any of that bullshit thankfully, hence the appointment and immediate inclusion of Welington.

“Appoint in some manner”….sounding like some half-baked shoe-in job. Not sure I’m getting good vibes about this, but time will tell I guess.

Does it change nothing or change everything? Somewhere in between perhaps. Well done Saints. On balance we probably deserved that.

Fernandes is very very good at taking the pressure off when moving out of defence.

Called the 8 mins - they don’t want us to win.

Don’t worry - there’s 8 minutes of stoppage time coming!

Fuck me - Sully and TP have done it for us!!!!

Aribo did well there to take the ball out of defence. There’s a decent Championship football player in there.

That’s 3-4 times TP has been called off-side. What a donkey.

Lallana on for Les. Here we go - 2-1.

Ref allows Ipswich to take a FK 15 yards forward of the foul. Desperate. At last Dibling on??? Nope.

FFS get Onoachu off!

Can see Bedders seeing a red - Delap is all over him. And all the way TP is so rubbish as a striker.

WTF is Dibling not on for TP.?

Feels like we’re really trying to hang on to a point now.

My word, it’s no wonder these two teams are where they are in the league.