Saint Fan CaM

It’s a bit like e-Bay. The seller puts a reserve on of £50m which allows bidding, but also sticks a ‘buy-it-now’ on of £50m. Towards the end of the bidding time someone comes in with a few close offers which don’t meet the reserve price. Everyone gets really fucking annoyed because actually the bidding part seems utterly pointless. Sometimes however, when the auction time has run out, the seller gets a bit desperate and goes back to the highest bidder and says, “err, £48m…fancy it still?”. 😉🤣

Why Grimes? If the JWP deal goes through then Downes seems the most logical name, unless Grimes was always going to happen anyway and Downes is by far from a done deal. Can anyone throw any light on the difference(s) between the two players for us uneducated?

You’ve misread my point - I’m not worrying about Martin and Wilcox leaving…not yet anyway. My point was that in our tenuous position now, those appointments are the most important in terms of stability. And that their decisions regarding new incoming players are critical to relative success and another disastrous season.

So when JWP, Lavia, KWP, Alcarez, Tella, Smallbone, Adams, Perraud get their moves over the next 3 weeks (as predicted by Pilchards) everyone should be relaxed about the coming seasons prospects? Interesting.

Exactly this. We are pinning hopes currently on Alcarez to score our goals…maybe Stu A…Arma may get a couple. Tella will score if he stays with us. Fact is there are not too many players in the squad skilled enough to play and score a lot of goals in the system employed. Man City on a tight budget…budget level goal tally.

Cannot help but be concerned about the instability wholesale changes to the 1st team (I.e. the 14 odd best players) may bring. However, the key is in the word team…they’ve not been that for three seasons now and the hope must be that Martin will be able to re-shape the squad in a positive manner and keep everyone on side with the re-build plans. Likewise Wilcox. And that brings me to my biggest concern. Players come and go, but it’s the chopping and changing of the key management figures during a long term project that can be super damaging. What’s keeping Wilcox here? It’ll only take a decent offer from a Prem or Euro club to tempt him away from Saints and that would leave the project in tatters (just like Shields). And if Martin starts having a modicum of success this year and there’s a Prem club struggling looking for a new Manager near Christmas, they might prise him away before the project is complete, leaving us once again with a squad shaped by a Manager no longer here. Then there’s the risk of further poor managerial changes, but recruiting in the Championship. The future is certainly looking somewhat ‘grey’ at the moment and to be honest I can foresee more than one season in the Championship - there’s too much change to expect promotion. The success or otherwise of the next 3-4 weeks will determine our fate, including whether another relegation is on the cards. It’s happened to other clubs our size…it’s not out of the question. SR’s new found wealth needs to be spent and very wisely too. #jurysout

It’s not the Prem as such, just that I’m not that keen on loans…I’m not convinced they invest completely in the club, the philosophy, the style of play or indeed the supporters. Downes may be a great character and it might be a loan to buy deal, which of course would be better.

Wasn’t it reported that Downes turned down the opportunity to join us?

When put like that it’s difficult to disagree. I think there are a few players in the squad who think they are better than they actually are and while JWP going will weaken our 1st team, if the right quality replacement is found it might be beneficial in the longer term. I’m not sure Downes on loan is the answer - why would a non-starter for an average team like WH put any more effort into his game playing for Saints? Don’t like it one bit…there must be better options to buy.

I think he was more saying that the senior players that didn’t turn up would not be getting a game again in his team. Pretty bold statement when as you say they’ll be hanging around stinking the place out and there’s not much to be done about it.

Have to say that’s a very honest assessment and fair play, he has admitted the buck stops with him for selecting the team. To risk that many changes is clear evidence that the cups are of secondary importance to the club…every focus is on promotion, which is fair enough, but winning games is a collective responsibility. Let’s see how things play out on Saturday.

I’ll admit that in the Prem I was not convinced he had enough about him…didn’t like his version of ‘crab football’. But he is a much better prospect in Martins system and the task to get promoted, so if he leaves I feel certain the overall squad quality will take a marked dip once again and with that our chances of promotion this year will be diminished. There’s not another player in the squad currently to replace what JWP brings and I’m not sure Saints have a replacement lined up of equal or better quality. Sad to see him go.

Oh I don’t think so - a catastrophe would indicate there’s no hope and that’s not what I’m saying. There is a big question mark over the lack of winning mentality in the squad and there are a considerable number of players who are just not suited to play Martins style. The worst of this is some of the ones that are OK are likely to depart before the window closes and there’s no guarantee that we’ll replace with as good or better. The outlook is not as rosy as some like to think but it’s not a disaster yet. A couple of losses and the window closing without squad repairs (e.g. a decent dedicated CB and striker) might give further cause for concern.

Not only that, but we zonal mark meaning that the oppo team can move their tallest men into areas occupied by our shortest players. Double bubble in loading risk into set pieces. He’s got a massive challenge on his hands.

You may be right, but surely it’s contradictory to his statement that he wants us to re-create and maintain a winning mentality. Does any Manager genuinely deliberately risk defeat in that scenario? He and his coaches should know from a full pre-season who he can trust in to deliver and who the strugglers are. Not only that, but I would wager that there are some decent players in last nights team selected, but it’ll be more difficult weeding the wheat from the chaff in playing an almost completely changed team.

To be honest I’ve got no problem with him going…never felt like he would provide long term service and in particular, his injury is an on-going risk Saints can live without. Mostly though my feeling is that KWP is a better all round player, more suited to the style of football Martin wants. My biggest concern is what’s left if KWP leaves - Bree is OK, but not good enough to contribute to a strong promotion team IMO and we would need better - not sure if that would be Aaron?

Absolutely. Thing is, with a squad the size we have you would expect 2-3 changes in a cup game would not overly affect the team performance, but Martin chose to change 11 players last night which clearly didn’t work. He’s introduced a problem for himself as there are a good number of players who he’ll naturally have lost a lot of trust in and heads will be hung low, even if he blames himself. Needs to be nipped in the bud this Saturday which I’m sure he’ll attempt to do, although what players will still be available for selection could present an issue. There are not too many outside of the first 11 that can cope with the style of football Martin and Wilcox want, so he’s got a man-management headache of significant proportions.

The concern is tonight’s opposition have demonstrated to every other competitive team how to take apart and nullify Martins system. Wednesday were not great and didn’t press enough, but still managed to score - Norwich will be more competent still and know exactly how to hurt us. The hope is that (a) our first team is getting better in the system and (b) that our remaining best players stay with us. The importance of Saturdays game to repair tonight’s selection shambles and re-store some belief cannot be under-estimated. Martin is right about one thing…this club needs to get that winning feeling back.

Well done Gillingham…you did your homework and executed the game plan perfectly to get a deserved win. I’m taking my young Grandson to the Norwich game for his first Saints match. I hope Martin and the players come up with the goods to produce a win or at the very least a draw, otherwise I fear his interest will be short-lived.

Excuse me? Who chose this dogshit team? The Manager. So you fuck off.

On this evidence a good proportion of the team AND the Manager are dogshit too. And now Martin gets a yellow card! Oh dear the wheels are starting to come off. Changing room is going to be frosty at full-time! 🤣 Alcarez pulls one back…our best player now.

Nearly 4-0. Players losing their heads…a red card beckons with Lyanco a prime candidate.

3-0. This is evidence of the concern I had during the summer break…nothing has changed with Martin same tip tap, time wasting, toothless display. 11 changes to the team that only just won away from home Saturday. This squad of players are just not good enough to play like Man City and anyone who thinks we’ve got a good chance of promotion when our best players are leaving needs to think again.

Absolutely - normally you’d play 2nd string players against a team two divisions below, but here is a massive need to gel the first team and get the winning feeling back. This is going to be a terrible, terrible result for everyone…players and supporters.

Two changes at half-time…Aribo and Doyle. Oh goody.