Daft Kerplunk

Whoops. Not great. What a squad though. Top 6, automatic promotion takes care of itself. Oh, what’s that? Relegation fodder you say?

I still believe there is a hangover from previous years inside the club, because there are still plenty behind the scenes who still remain. Players are molly coddled and protected inside the Staplewood bubble, and then when they have to fend for themselves in front of a crowd, seem to fold like a cheap deck of cards. I, like most, was prepared to give RM plenty of time but fuck me does he need to find a way for a team to stop leaking goals and being so easy to play through. So many in football now seem to feel like they have to justify their high earnings by making it seem like they are doing something incredibly complicated. it's faux intellectualisation and it's ridiculous. People like Paisley weren't busy because they were sat behind their laptops analysing inverted transitions, they were busy watching other games, watching players who might add to their teams, understanding character and adding to their understanding of a living breathing game. Of course there are complexities, but that's mostly in human performance science to get people in shape but Joe Wicks is good at that, and he's no brains of Britain. Football is a simple game made complicated by people. He's on borrowed time, with fans at least. Sport Republic may just have yet another cock up on their hands unless Russ can be convinced that winning football is about finding solutions to get the ball from one end to the other and going in one net, and not your own.

Not bollocks at all. That’s not a quality team out there and I’m not in denial. The system could be better to get the best out of them but the experienced players out there are still carrying the low spirit of the past few seasons. Deny it all you want, and plenty agree with you clearly but the core problem remains. No fight, players hiding, weak mentality. We’ve had 4 managers in as many years and none have been able to sort that out. That suggests something underlying.

Not that he’s doing a great job at the moment but last night showed again that the belief in the quality of the players we have may be a little bit over the top. The squad is not that great in reality. Sulemana for one showed why he couldn’t get a move away as he’s just not proven he can. And that problem of commitment and spirit still remain and that’s been apparent for some time. Not a chance at this rate this squad gets promoted, regardless of the manager.

Anyone blaming Bazunu tonight wasn’t watching the absolute weak melts playing in front of them today. Piss poor by many, senior pros hiding. Not many positives at all. But Bazunu not to blame at all.

Not sure the nostrils would appreciate it 😎

Will do well on a December night fixture in Grimsby.

Clear shape, stays in position, particularly in the wind.

Perhaps those obsessed can add a new stat of xSO for expected sell on fees to get excited about. Expressed as percentages will make it even more legitimate, or just a .06 will create excitement.

A problem with McCarthy, and one that Bazuna needs to work on is communication. To be effective, keepers need be loud and communicative to their back line. McCarthy is more like he’s at communion.

Didn’t have it for awhile. Let the fans celebrate. Goal music belongs in the bin, or in rugby matches when a try is scored. Noddy.

I wouldn’t blame him for any goals today but if the club believe in him, then decent goalkeeper coaching is essential. I remember David Seaman being prone to errors but high-end coaching got him to another level. Positioning is coachable, but is critical as you’re in a better place to make saves when needed. Baz can make saves, he can play with his feet which is vital for modern keepers. He just needs focussed coaching on positioning to make an initial difference, then work on the other aspects of the game.

So, Russell, you’re saying there’s a chance that Prowsey still stays?

With any reported deals, that’s all it is. Reported. Apparently when we purchased Charlie Austin, we paid more than was reported because it suited us, and QPR. JWP has been a very good player for us, not to the level of others and given a bigger media role as he was the last player from a decent crop of academy players. Shame he has to go but that was inevitable once we were relegated. If the fee is £29m that’s decent for a player who is very good but not a player who is a game changer unless it’s for a free kick.

Erratic passing, poor positioning. Perfect 😂

Don’t worry fella, any Saints fan who doesn’t enjoy Pompey losing is an odd one.

Tells probably wants a go in the Premier League, which is fair enough. I think he’s a good championship player who may not replicate his form in the top league, and football-wise, it might be better if he stays but I doubt he gives a shit about a lowball offer. Same with JWP. The most important thing for a player will be playing at the best level, for the best possible team, for the best possible money, and then where he and his family are happy to go.

Reverse evolution

Saints can easily take this cringe and out cringe it with ‘our’ Secret Southampton’ video mini-series and the ‘Stop the count’ merch.

Oliver Bierhoff?

I am 100% in the know, but I don't know much about history, don't know much about science book, or the French I took.

FFS 🤦‍♂️

Promotion isn’t guaranteed. Newcastle are a massive amount above us and Tino is a Premier League standard player, purchased by us with the clear and signalled intention that he could move as soon as a better offer came in. No brainer for him, why spend any more time than you need to in the Championship and he was sold the club as the chance to get a quick move. Perhaps he’d have stayed longer if we were in the top flight but that wasn’t the model he was sold anyway. Good luck to the lad. Next.

Decent, and as someone who has been around decent players and played at a high level, hopefully he will continue the clear out of the crap at the football department.

Seeing as Manning is from Galway, perhaps he will be poitín on the shirt soon.