Saint86

There is no pressure until we're in 6th. Everything else is failure. After the recent performances i would suggest the team are fully aware that the only option is to win and get into playoffs - so tbh i'm not concerned. They're motivated, playing well and for each other, and starting to believe - and that was the case before Watford, let alone Leicester. The momentum has been building for a few games at this point. and it will take a lot to stop us now... i.e., another Eckert "new manager" pitfall where we try to playing with 9 and a half men (Archer as a target man and a knackered Jander etc) from kick off again. Brainfart's aside, we finally look like a proper championship team - i.e., solid at the back, effective up front, and with the quality to force teams into mistakes and punish them.

Surely not.

He'd be walking into an absolute shit storm and deserves better. That club is poisoned and its a thankless task for whoever goes there - all that lies ahead is cost cutting, wage cuts, and a struggle so survive whilst they weaken the squad iteratively over a couple of windows. I don't want that for Hassenhuttle, all amusements at them signing him (after the 9-0, bertrand, Vestergard) aside.

That's fair enough, but honestly its not just down to Peretz. The formation change, and the tactical difference between a target man and archer/aa are big factors in our upturn in form. Oppo shots on target from total No. shots, xG, formation/setup: (W 4-3) Leicester - 3 from 8 total and 0.65xG (4-2-3-1, Archer 1st half, Target MAN second half - with Leicester almost entirely nullified 2nd half) (W 1-0) Watford - 2 from 11 total and 0.68xG (4-2-3-1, target man) (W 2-0)Stoke - 3 from 10 total, and 0.87xG (4-2-3-1, target man) (D 1-1) Portsmouth - 3 or 2 from 14 total, and 1.66xG (the goal was handball, so 2shots on target in truth, and really a significantly reduced xG given handled basically on the goal line) ( 4-2-3-1, AA) ************** transition to 4-3-2-1 ************** (W 1-0) Sheffield united - 4 from 16 total, and 1.04xG (3-4-2-1, Target man) (L 1-2) Hull - 3 from 9 total and 0.62xG (3-4-2-1, AA) - we had 22 shots and tbh should never have lost this game, not great from Peretz in truth, but was only his 2nd game for us (Doncaster in the cup being his debut). ************** Peretz ************** (L 0-4) Boro - 5 from 22 total, and 2.27xG (3-4-2-1, AA) (D 0-0) Millwall - 3 from 12 total and 1.5xG (3-4-2-1, Archer) (D 1-1) Birmingham(a)- 4 from 20 total and 1.71xG (3-4-2-1, AA) (L 1-2) Oxford - 6 from 17 total, and 0.92xG (3-4-2-1, AA). For me, the general trend there is that 5 at the back results in us struggling to get up the pitch and break out of presses, we struggle to retain possession in damaging areas away from our 3rd, and generally it allows the opposition to push up and come on to us more. This is worsened by playing a smaller target man who struggles to hold up the ball or provide an outball. The net result of that is us leaking more shots against, more shots on target against, and giving up more higher quality (higher xG) chances against. With 4-2-3-1, and particularly when we play a target man, it gives us greater strength in midfield and allows our 3 best creative players to have the ball in and around the opposition half - which allows us to keep possession in a more meaningful way further up the pitch and towards the opposition 3rd where we carry more threat. With a target man it also allows us to mix it up and break out of opposition presses or for us to counter - and in a better way that the 3-4-2-1 formation as we can centrally hold up the ball, have 2 proper wingers there for width (as opposed to wing backs that are busy defending our own box), and azaz in behind. As for Peretz, i like him, but he has limited impact on the numbers of shots against or the xG of those chances. I agree he's an upgrade on Baz and has made key saves, but equally the hull games and Leicester games indicate that he's still more than capable of a bad day at the office and letting in chances.

4 wins in 5... partly down to Peretz, but signifianctly down to abandoning 5 at the back and adopting a proper footballing tactic with a target man and out ball, and pushing our 3 best creative players (scienza, azaz, fellows) into their actual positions and allowing them to play off each other and the central striker (pinning the defence).

I would say that any teams within 3points of the last automatic spot have to duke it out.... Remove a bit of certainty / make it exciting every year 😅

They play each other for the last game of the season i believe - could be a relegation dogfight between two former prem winners.

Listening to that, they are in huge trouble - regardless of whether they stay up. 8min on just discusses the training ground costs and wage/PSR/TV money side of things. On the 14min mark, it discusses wage budgets and how Leicester were essentially unfairly doping theirs vs the competition. Apparently Leicester's player wage bill was £107M, Leeds were £84M, Saints were circa £100M. This is the season they ultimately won the league and got promoted. So £23M more than Leeds, £27M more than us... and at that time, the average Championship wage bill was £28M 🙄. And obviously they were in breach of PSR but essentially have faced no punishment other than retrospectively being handed a 6point deduction that likely won't make a shred of difference because Oxford and Wednesday are both terrible, and their squad really is too good to take the last spot.

He's a good squad player for us and clearly loves a stepover, but he shouldn't be starting, and really he shouldn't be playing on the wing (like he was last night). Edozie and Jayrob are both better natural picks for that position.

I mean, don't get me wrong - i'd take it... but the reality is that Convetry aren't going up and Lampard is going to bottle this hard. Besides, we're doing a McDermot inspired push for the title...

Well... he got away with a pretty bad clanger last night 🫣😅. If he learns from it then great, and the second half was a superb turn around in fairness... (although not sure we'd get away with that with most sides in the league rather than the mess that is Leicester). He did revert back to what is clearly a stronger 11, so he is learning - although equally he did wait until halftime to make any changes when frankly it should have happened nearer the 20min mark. And it was frankly a huge error to play archer and not change tactics... Also mad that that was the rotation he made when clearly other players were tired and not on it (Jander, fellows etc). Anyway, a proper Jekyll and Hyde performance from him as manager really. Its stating the obvious that he is young and inexperienced, but he seems to walk into every pitfall with his eyes wide open. I'm prepared to accept that there is something there, but i am far from convinced we can afford to have such an inexperienced manager when its basically a case of promotion or bust for us this season (it will be a lot harder next year, and we will be into our final year of parachute payments).

Lets be honest. Neither of them are really players that are likely to thrive under Moyes.

By done well. Do you mean putting the strongest 11 on the pitch (basically)... I'll give him credit, he did turn it around. But that first half was so bad the 2nd half cannot fully excuse it.

Just amazing 2nd half, but imagine if we played like that in both halves ffs. 🤣

Saturday, 19 November 2005 might be entering the chat....

Can't help but feel like Edozie or Jayrob would have been more effective as a winger than Matsuki though...

Just want to reiterate that the first Leicester goal should have been ruled out for offside for interfering player, that and our manager is an idiot.

Fuck me.

Captain Jack!!! Are we about to do a leeds?

Well done Peretz there. Made himself big and didn't over commit - good hand to it. Stephens and THB though 🤣

Well played Scienza and stewart. Why did we play 45min with 10men?

He's completely responsible for picking the players, the setup, and the tactics. That first half is entirely on him. And what, he knew enough to change it at half time? But not at 2nil or 3nil? Give over. Must win match and he spaffed it.

Yeah, WTF was all that tippy tappy rubbish around the box whilst the clock ticked down? No interest at all to put it in the box - almost like the players didn't know what to do without a target man, funny that...

Wrong thread 🤣

He very clearly isn't good enough to be manager of Southampton Football Club.