Saint86

Will have to disagree with you there. That's like arguing if we had provided che adams with the most shots in the premier league, the fact he then scored more goals would magically make him a better centre forward. Also, Swansea's record is GD of +4 with 64 goals conceded - the 5th worst in the league. So what you've got is a bunch of teams that finished higher with more clinical attackers that allowed them to better balance their defensive/attack in games. Which ofc is one of saints' main issues in recent seasons - our attackers can't finish and we're forced to be more open / chase games. What might actually be of more interest from that is that our new manager is going to give us a lot of goals (at both ends) next season. Anyway, sorry if the underlying stats offend you though - You're absolutely entitled to think we'll get promoted if we sign a striker of average finishing ability from the championship, go gung ho, and end the season with a +4GD. I was merely offering some caution on people's Piroe hopes 🙃 And if we do sign him, i look forward to those stats being proved wildly wrong and his finishing being top quality.

He had the most chances most shots of any player in the league, and under the same manager that he'll have at saints... Is he really good enough to spearhead our promotion charge, let alone as an investment for the premier league / resale (aka the SR way).

He ranks 93rd in the championship for non penalty goals scored - (minus) non penalty expected goals ... 🤮 (For a comparison, Akpom of Boro is 2nd, Tella is 3rd, carlton morris of luton is 5th). In addition, he is: 77th for goals per shot. 1st for total shots. 1st for shots on target. Also, 6 of his 19 goals were from free kicks/penalties. Which means that he scored 13 goals in open play over 42 games worth of 90mins. Sounds like someone who needs a lot of chances to score / can't finish. But hell, didn't quite work out with Che and AA, may as well roll the dice, spend some more money, and see if its 3rd time lucky. https://fbref.com/en/comps/10/shooting/Championship-Stats Notable that Burnley, Boro, Luton, Milwall, and Sunderland all had great seasons and all had very clinical strikers. Funny that 😂 * I am aware that it doesn't just come down to striker accuracy, but also things like quality of chances created. However i think the above stats still speak for themselves.

Because one is a 20year old German international, the other is a mile off that. What was the point in spending millions on promising youth players on long contracts and getting relegated... if we then go and sell our best prospects to sign more 20year olds of a lower standard. I really hope that is not the plan for the summer. With 40% wage reductions and parachute payments, we should be digging our feet in and keeping our long contract prospects!!

You almost make it sound like we've done well to drop down a division and replace the likes of Lavia, KWP, Alcaraz, Prowsey, Adams and co with some classic 2nd tier players... 😆

Exactly this. He feels like a fall guy for Rasmus' absolute mare / cock up of a season... no 2 ways about it for me. Semmens did very little wrong in his tenure with cards he had, and if anything, he had a strong hand in keeping us up for longer than we probably should have been, clearing the deadwood on a shoestring, and keeping us comepitive... What do fans expect with zero investment, debts hanging over the club, and players like hoedt, carillon, lemina etc to shift. Him and Ralph take a lot of credit together on that front. In 12months of decision making, Rasmus/SR have largely dismantled all of the progress they made; and spent £160M to weaken the squad, saddle us with greater debts, get us relegated, and reduce our income... If you were picking ceo's out of Semmens or SR's side, you'd be a brave man to pick from SR - putting it kindly. Semmens was also very transparent with the fans... Good luck with that given Rasmus "I won't get too involved" is now in sole unopposed control - or maybe i am being too harsh on him there? I guess he did turn up at the fans forum and engage in debate 🤣

As others have said, you need to be agressive in this to get the required points. We will not get promoted playing more of this possession heavy nonsense and Dmpossibky even rasmus' beloved 5 at the back. I would much prefer a 4-2-2-2 or formation that entails more direct and attacking play myself. One of our biggest issues has been that we abandoned our high press attacking style when SR came in... That and squad / first 11 quality has declined repeatedly.

Everton and Leicester, not because i want to face them in the championship, but because i can't stand either of them and just want to see them suffer. Although in all seriousness, i think relegation will be a disaster for Leicester. And actually, i would expect similar problems for everton given they've already breached premier league FFP rules 2 seasons running (without punishment )

The only serious senior staff member in place is Wilcox? Barring a club and department wide recruitment miracle, we are absolutely fooked. People realise that right?

He doesn't have a release clause for transfers. But there has been nothing regarding him having a relegation wage clause. Conversely its been stated by pet journos that the squad does has relegation wage clauses. So the only conclusion to make is that he'll be having the same wage reduction as other players (40%), but that he'll retain the clause re matching highest earners.

FFS Turkish, don't be tempting fate with stuff like this.... 😰

We aren't keeping him and Paul... i'd keep che, but suspect that wages and contract lengths dictate we'll be keeping Paul.

They all have 40% wage reductions allegedly. Most are young players on relatively low wages and long contracts. We get parachute payments. Its not the disaster it is for other clubs... But the disater for saints is that basically every department in the club has not only lost its upper management, but often several of our best staff as well. So even if we could persuade the likes of Lavia and JWP to stay, the chances of us efficiently shifting and replacing the substandard players we have had this season quite low... And thats before we even get to the biggest issue - which is the fact there is seemingly no one competent in place to challenge Rasmus on the appointment of our next manager - based on several rumours / press leaks.... and that is a huge concern.

You wouldn't want KWP and JWP to stay if we can afford it? or even Perraud and Tino? What about ABK, or Tella, or Smallbone? Adams as well would be a great one to keep in the championship. And lets not even start on the total shitfest that is every single department at the club atm. The less transfer shuffling we have to do the better imo. ....

It wasn't just that. Selling Romeu, and then injuries to Lavia, ABK, and ABK (plus Tino being out) effectively kneecapped us defensively for the entire start of the season. Paired with Bazunu in goal (young and developing bot not fully there yet) it just left us too weak at the back... And then yes, the "attack"... barely even justifies being called that. Some fans were flat out just expecting miracles i'm afraid - this really is an awful awful squad once you factor in a injuries to a handful of our better players.

Not a chance in hell that he would come back to work under SR, they have largely spent this season dismantling 4 years of his life's work.

And then turned around, looked at the bench and seen Moi and Aribo, and then summarily topped themselves...

In reality that run is utterly meaningless and looks a bit like cherry picking... Did you arbitrarily pick a 27 game run? Or go looking for one that gets 24 points? In reality - Ralph got 12pts from 14 games this season with this squad - a squad which had had a radical overhaul in the summer. That is a squad that was extremely young and inexperienced at this level, but which was bedding in and learning. A squad which had critical injuries in central midfield and defence (Tino, Lavia, KWP, and ABK), and one which was critically under strength in attack. Ralph had also played the tougher fixtures over those 14 games - with the likes of fulham, forest, and everton still to come. If you average that out its 32.5points over 38 games, a far more relevant extrapolation, and a total which might end up being enough as it is.... However i think it is also evident that after a winter pre season, strengthening in January, a return of the injury stricken players, and the ongoing development/improvement of the youngsters over that period - that we would have improved upon that total to be clear of relegation. The reality is his last 2 games with a full strength squad he beat Chelsea and outplayed (and was unlucky to lose to) United. It was a huge error to sack him when we did and is the most inarguable reason as to why we are going down.

He would expect a top 6 EPl salary... We're a championship club needing to sell players. Totally out of touch if people think this is the sort of thing that could happen.

Where is all this blind faith in Wilcox coming from anyway?

Harsh. But also....

Djenepo at left back would have been passable in that game to be honest. Has the pace to at least not get done on the counter (which was forest's only threat), and offers a lot more going forward.

Rasmus likes managers that have failed, we all know that? We're also waiting to make an appointment until the summer seemingly... He's got a proven track record in the championship as well.... 🤮

You should see MLGs unchecked arguments about why Potter will come to saints and why we are attractive and won't lose many players... If nothing else, its entertaining watching lots of people engaging MLG in what they think will be an open and fair debate on twitter (before ultimately losing their rag) 😄

Its obvious that jwp is class for us. I swear, the guy gets lynched for not being the perfect all in one midfielder by some... He isn't part kante, part kdb, and running the midfield of every Premier league game singlehandedly - and therefore he's seemingly utter shit... 🤔). Meanwhile he's been in demand by numerous Premier league clubs and consistently played by all our Premier league mananger from being a kid under adkins / poch / koeman, to being the main man under Ralph... Its not by fluke that be is our record Premier league appearance holder and still only 28. Let alone the fact he basically hasn't missed a minute in 4 seasons... I personally hope jwp stays to lead us back up - doubt it will happen obviously - but it would send a very important signal and he remains easily one of our best players.