Saint86

Its hard to say that SR haven't put money into the club and focussed on restructuring off the field - in that way they are good and have been good owners. Our other transfer do represent broadly good business in the medium-long term. The stick that they will be beaten with is going down without getting in a striker. But equally i would expect us to get promoted from the championship if we can keep most of this squad together - and equally they'll get a year of playing together, doing well, developing, and building confidence. Not ideal, but there are worse things. I still think SR will deliver a striker however.

Imagine that will bring some disappointment to the toon; they've been so please with the red card and Murphy's antics.

I am right in saying that DCC' suspension is served vs blackpool as it was a red card? But yellow cards count only in the carabao cup? I wouldn't want to murphy and on that pitch if we're most likely going out - can see someone going in on him hard late on for the sake of a meaningless yellow 😋

Look. You see. Optimism isn't dead on here. Someone thinks we'll stick it out until May 😂

I'm sure I read an article in the athletic criticising saints for missing out on this 😂

Now look, may just be me, but that seems an awful lot of words to just say, "you can book your free cervical screening today..." How would phrasing it like that be offensive...

I feel this may be a tad reactionary...😅🙃 Lets wait and see what the final week brings. I wouldn't write us off yet even without a striker. I reckon Mara and Alvaraz might be able to do the business if they get a run. Our core midfield 3 of Lavia, JWP, Alvaraz is solid. And frankly Edozi, AA, and Mara isn't that bad against the lesser sides. Ultimately if we can keep teams like Newcastle to one goal against, then with JWP on the field, Edozi (and our clear play for free kicks generally), then we've always got a chance... And at the end of the day, relegation scraps are strange things, especially ones with this many teams involved. With a quality striker and CDM i'd be confident of staying up 🤷‍♂️

They are selling Gordon to chelsea though aren't they. Watch us dither about for the next 5 days and then get smashed by Everton on deadline day.

Yeah agreed. I don't think Baz has been that bad and he gets a lot of flack on here when ultimately he's been hung out to try by the defence first and foremost. He's got a tough mentality about him and will improve all the time. Its not rocket science basically. If Ralph had been given a serious striker and CDM cover in the summer we'd still have him as manager and be sat in mid table. SR have sacked him and still not addressed the underlying issues - we make chances and do not score!!! And without lavia we simply do not have the required defensive cover in midfield without sacrificing one of our two best players to act as a glorified anchor man - And at least there is an acknowledgement that lavia needs to be protected by the club - If he winds up injured again we are down regardless. SR quite simply have to get a CDM and striker. If they don't and we get relegated, they are the only ones to blame - they will have failed two managers and spent a fortune skirting around the most important positions!!!!

Quite. Our starting team should be Mara up top, edozie and AA on the wings, and a midfield 3 of Alcaraz, Lavia, and JWP. The only way i would change that, is if we're up against someone with enough pace to nullify AA, in which case we add more physicality or skill instead of playing him. Still badly need CDM and a quality striker. We will go down without those. Absolute worst case, get Ballard/Dibling on the bench and give them some minutes late on to see if they can score. They're at least in form and scoring for the U18s / B-team!

Day 25 of the transfer window, still no goal scorer, no active links to a goal scorer, and a club that is telling everyone that we're happy with what we've got and don't want to risk it. 🤣

VAR was used properly and the pundits make out like we've done Newcastle. It's not clear whether it was or wasn't hand ball, so ref's decision stands. Simples. I can't see us winning as it stands, Newcastle are squeezing us out of midfield and we can't get out by long balls as they're all bleeding giants... Playing to stop them scoring and then either aiming for a good counter or penalties at sjp is our gameplan? That or a jwp freekick...🤔😂 AA is probably one of our best chances to get at them tbh, said it in the prematch thread - we need pace and mobility to try and find runners or a good counter. Saying all the above, game looks like Newcastle will score, and once they get ahead I thj m it's over sadly. Mara has done well, sali superb. Good and bad from diallo and Alvaraz. Orsic anonymous.

Thoughts on orsic in his games so far? Maybe he need to adjust to the prem, but he needs to get himself more involved, sharper, and more aggressive for me.

We can't even keep hold of the revitalised academy gems in the premier league. Imagine what will happen in the 2nd tier. SR should be all over this, some of the best u18s in the country are at staplewood, no need to spend tens of millions on other club's hand offs.

AKA - this 😅

I was sat in the chapel with my mate (villa fan fwiw) and we both agreed that it was notable officiating against saints in the game. This was the last decision of real note i think, and it was clear that the lino should not have raised his flag and instead allowed the play to continue. Mara looked like he was in line when he ran through. If we had scored then var could have checked. As it was the referee and linesman chose to abandon the rules and deny us another attacking chance.

That's where you're wrong hypo - its actually termed "insane hyseteria" 🤣

Is anyone up in arms that Jackson is going to Bournemouth? if so, I've managed to miss it. I thought the general consensus was fans were unhappy we haven't signed a quality goal scorer to try and keep us in the league?

I'd be happy with this provided Alcaraz and Orsic are fit and ready (if not then you have to seriously ask what they've both been doing in training!) Would fancy this team to have a good go - and as a minimum i would drop diallo and start alcaraz! Ironically AA might actually do quite well against Newcastle. They sit there with an organised strong defence and are tidy in possession. I can't see long balls into Mara/Che achieving much against the likes of Burns, Schar, Botman - When we get a chance we need to be quick (i.e. counter or quick through balls) so maybe pace and movement might be the way to get at them.

Would imagine this place will be horrendous if we lose tonight 😅

He's now being linked to the Everton job... Although, I don't think he's enough of a masochist to follow us up with that job - not unless he wants a big pay day in 6months or so.

Agreed. Var and the attacker's not taking their chances. And then as jones said post match - bad defending on one set peice. Suspect some fans are still mad at him for referencing Brighton's low xG against us in his pre match presser... Can't be easy to hear even the manager embracing the modern game 😊 😍

He had a few bad kicks vs Villa but i wouldn't blame him overly for the goal. Decent delivery, free header, and placed it low down with pace from 8 yards out. Keeper has to cover the trajectory of the cross and stop a header for the opposite corner. People just looking for someone to blame if they're being hyper critical of that - and there are plenty of places to start before you get to Bazunu.

I bet you wonder why we even have cup competitions...😅🙈

IMO the critical mistake was not buying Ralph a striker and CDM cover in the summer. Do that and we're comfortably clear of relegation this season and likely mid table given the bottom half league table. As it was, they effectively hung him out to try until fan sentiment turned and made him into a good scapegoat for SR's transfer failures. Similarly, everything that has followed (since failing to sign a ST and CDM) has basically been reactive fire fighting... And by that, i even mean down to where we are recently - i.e. Jones (or any manager) would have had a significantly greater chance of winning more points had a competent CDM been available for their first few games, ditto a striker who could finish. SR ultimately are responsible for our summer transfer business and the general upheaval of both playing and off field staff - they've tried to change too much too fast, and simultaneously missed the most important aspects. Repeatedly.