Saint86

We narrowly missed out on champions league football under koeman, so clearly a well run club can compete in the Premier league. The sad reality is that with the academy now starting to produce again, there was a pretty good future within reach - but that looks to have slipped away now, and we can likely look forward to ballard, dibling, and Co being poached by bigger clubs for peanuts, whilst we struggle for momentum in the 2nd tier. Its been all downhill since Kat cashed out to Chairman Gao - the rest is just a history of chronic under investment and non footballing people making bad footballing decisions.

The point about Ralph is debatable (reality is he just needed an ings replacement imo), but the rest is spot on and succinct. Absolute horror show from SR. We have finally got the academy back on track as well, with the first really good batch of top quality kids about to emerge... and we'll be relegated and financially stricken at just the perfect time to see them poached for peanuts and playing for Premiership sides. Deja vu. Cruel.

Should never have been sacked when he was to be honest. We'd have picked up points under him this January. Can anyone say the same about Jones with any kind of confidence 😭

I attribute a fair portion of the blame to the fans that wanted Ralph sacked frankly. The entitlement behind that thinking, and the toxic atmosphere that was generated by those fans, has led us directly to here. Nothing can change it now, but some need to consider that before having another tantrum over Jones... After all, those fans have got what they wanted, and how many times were we assured on here that we couldn't hire someone worse than Ralph...

Wrongly sacked a decent mananger. Now we'll reap what we've sown.

Interestingly he liked my posts querying whether the 5 at the back was being enforced from on high...

That doesn't seem to be the case though? We have stated we're innocent and made a case to state we're in compliance with the rules. No evidence has been provided to demonstrate that we have breached the rules, but we have accepted the "punishment" for the welfare of the player. Its not even a meaningful punishment... the Athletic provide numerous examples of other clubs that have breached the rules and have had far more significant punishments including lengthy bans on academy transfers - something that was not dished out to us, presumably because there is no evidence to show we are guilty of anything untoward. All in all, a bit of a weird one.

So you're saying that what most people think is meaningless? You're not pulling any punches there😅

No real surprises here - we are where we are basically because of our finishing, that and key injuries across the back and midfield. Without attacking additions, its hard to see how we get out of this mess - regardless of who the manager is.

Pendant alarm - Nathan Jones took control of the team before the world Cup and managed the side vs Liverpool. Therefore a ball had been kicked... Regardless, I can certainly see the points Steve (OP) has made above, and there are some concerning signs early doors. The reality is Ralph was failed on the recruitment front but would likely have kept us up if backed with a good striker/CAM in Jan. I'd go so far as to say that if we had signed a quality striker in the summer (and not had the injuries), that we'd have been pushing top 10 comfortably - even with this young side needing to gel. But alas, we have Che Adams, Adam Armstrong, Walcott and Moi as our main attacking outlets. We all know that without reinforcements, Jones is likely doomed to take us down - hopefully he was insistent on additions as part of taking the job. But Ralph is gone and Jones is here now - and he is clearly SR's man. That he's come in and we've gone straight back to the same (I would say doomed) 5-3-2 long ball (bollocks) that Ralph mysteriously started playing in pre season is interesting to me. Could be coincidence, maybe it's the state of the game tactically right now, or maybe it's how SR want us to focus our style and recruitment approach. Whatever the reasons, its a style of football that this squad has shown is is deeply unsuited for previously, I have my doubts it will work at this level (or indeed even vs Lincoln), and that the fans surely won't tolerate unless we start winning every game. I want to say there are mitigations for why we changed our typical style and started with 5 at the back and long ball football at home vs a league 1 side... But there are perilously few legitimate reasons I can come up with for that... And from a manager who said he wouldn't change things too quick as well. So when Steve voices concerns about it - he is not going to be alone... Credit to Jones though, he did change it up eventually, and here is to hoping that whatever formation Jones actually settles on is effective at anyrate. I think he's probably a decent manager in the making, but he's going to be up against it at saints - due to the situation we're in, the poor quality attacking options, and the fact that fans will expect a certain style of play from him. Looking forward to seeing us against Brighton at anyrate (have missed saints playing regularly even if we have been pretty dire 😂), and I'm curious to see how we set up and how effective we are.

Its also not very accurate. The back 4 is the strongest part of the team 😂. We are going down of we don't start scoring our chances. The end.

I agree with most of what you've put here.... except your use of the word "if"... 🤣 We could barely beat Lincoln, let alone the best club side in the world.

If its any consolation, Brighton are no longer the team they were under Potter.

We badly need to sign a good striker, and we cannot be playing that back 5 with those passes across the back and long ball bollocks... it offers no serious penetration at premier league level. Teams will just set up and wait for us to give the ball away... and one loose pass across the back/middle with those 3 CB's and we'll have a far better attack that ours through onto Bazunu. Stuff of nightmares - and we can all see it happening I reckon. Work to do!

So genuine question - anyone out there seen enough tonight to think we can beat a premier league side anytime soon?

Lets be honest - we all knew he was going to miss that...

WTF was that... embarrassing

Too much time spent training with armstrong and che....

Did anyone else see Lyanco doing his arms clenched/pumping celebration for that foul (by jackson in our box) being given... he clearly is not right in the head.

JWP isn't a winger, and for the first 60min we played an utterly retarded formation with minimal attacking outlets.

Just the kind of strike Adams is good at - one where he has no time to think where the keeper is... Incredible the improvement in our play since Theo, Armstrong, and Edozie came on... and we abandoned this nonsense 5 at the back vs a league 1 side.

Find myself wondering if the 5 at the back is a sports republic decision - start of the season it was a noticeable change that Ralph was wrestling with and didn't like. Now Jones is introduced and straight away is 5 at the back. Notable that we've abandoned the formation and immediately improved.

No chance, its headed onto his hand from directly behind him - Well refereed actually.

Have to say that first half was extremely concerning. Playing 5 at the back vs a league 1 side at home. Minimal penetration and making them look comfortably compact... and when the 3rd tier side attack they look more threatening. He's actually got us playing a worse 5-3-2 than Southgate used to play... and Southgate used to get away with it because we had one of the best squads in international football with Kane and co up front... I cannot even tell you the last time i watched a top flight side use that many long balls. WTF. The only mitigation i'll allow for that first half is that he's possibly using it to familiarise the team with a defensive shape for some of the more dangerous attacking teams in the prem... maybe... He talked in his press conference about needing to keep things tight, and then finding ways to get a goal. Looks quite worrying on both fronts in that first half.

Its just a friendly! No need to get defensive about it... not unless its really bad. The Robins' result is understandable imo. Important one is beating Bournemouth - hopefully a good marker against a good strength side.