kitch

Agreed, the squad wasn't good enough and a lot of managers would have struggled to keep us up, but that's not the issue with RM. He was a poundshop Pep who was in it for himself, and he took at lot of us in (myself included) because he talks well. The issue is that he put his 'belief' ahead of the good of the club, its staff, its players and its fans. He dogmatically refused to adopt any other means neccessary to grind out results here and there, which is what proper managers are supposed to do. Ipswich and Leicester ultimately failed, too, but especially in the case of Ipswich they did it with a lot more dignity than we did. The odds were against them, but they went down fighting. We went down with a whimper, packed with a squad full of emotionally damaged players who'd been hung out to dry and made to look like absolute clowns on the biggest national football stage in the world, all to satisfy one man's ego. We got away with it in the Championship, just, and nearly bottled it before scraping over the line with what must be the only case of him bending that I can remember. Even he realised his stupid approach wasn't going to work in the final, yet he didn't consider it might also happen in the PL, did he? It didn't matter that he got the boot when he did, the damage was already done. None of those players believed they could do it, thanks to him. It didn't help that SR replaced him with a personality vacuum who wasn't really any better, just in different ways.

Consistency is key.

He played his last game for Saints 10 years before I was born, and I'm middle-aged! 😆 Regardless of the semantics, the point stands. Tall Paul should be much better than he is in the air.

Agreed. Heading is much more than just the height you can reach, it's all about timing and awareness. He should be the best header of a ball we've ever had. As it is, he's worse at heading than you'd think he would be, given his size, and he's better at close control than you think he would be, also given his size.

You might get both 😆

Apologies if it's already been shared, but just caught this. Interesting viewing.

Very limited midfielder, which for an incoming manager who's reknowned for being very versatile, you'd think would be the end of his time at the club. Bang average, occasionally semi-decent in a strong championship team that dominates the ball, and absolutely hopeless at anything else.

Is it confirmed yet? Please, please, PLEASE let it happen 😆

Ones I'd want to keep for next season (regardless of likelihood or viability): KWP Matty F Ramsdale Dibling Charles THB Downes Robinson (and any of the other promising youth players that have been on the fringes) (eta: Edwards - forgot about him, he needs a run in the team) Ones I'd actively want to fuck off: Bednarek Smallbone Stephens Manning Sulemana BBD Ones I don't care what they do: Everybody not mentioned above. I know Arma and Archer score goals in the champ, but I'm just massively underwhelmed by them. Arma is like Bednarek in that he's been in and around one of the worst squads I can remember. Clean break wouldn't be a bad thing. Archer - meh, genuinely not arsed either way. Tall Paul is painful to watch, no idea how effective he'd actually be, so would be open to trying him but equally won't shed a tear if he goes. Ross Stewart I don't trust to stay fit, though ability-wise I think he'd probably be the best striker we have next season. Can't rely on him, though. Everyone else...I genuinely don't care. Will take a long time for any of that squad bar one or two to earn back the respect and trust of fans. Sad state of affairs to be completely non-plussed really, but here I am.

Will Smallbone, you're embarrassing.

WTF?! That's stonewall! Fuck off PL you biased cucks!

Just because PSG have never won the CL, doesn't mean the entire French league is poor. It's probably equal to Championship level, with a handful of prem-level teams, a host of champ ones, and a couple of L1 standard outfits. Not a bad place to have come from heading into the English championship with a strong club.

In the context of the season you'd give it to nobody (and not even hold an end of season award thing), but above that I believe Fernandes deserves some recognition for the shift he's put in. Class player, great signing, huge potential. The club almost doesn't deserve him.

Appreciate the kind words and suggestions, cheers chaps

Cheers, keep fighting the good fight!

You think we won't sell more than 1000?

That's kind mate, thanks. I'll speak to the family, though the kids suffer anxiety issues so may not want to sit with a stranger, but I really appreciate that offer. Good man.

Thanks. I've got a customer number but I've only managed a couple of home games this year. I think they're doing ID checks on anyone who goes (because Everton fans are trying to buy tickets in the away end)

My wife classes herself as Everton, but we've only been to a handful of home games all season, so would only qualify for general sale. Would guess they'll all be well sold out by then.

I know how this will read to a lot of people (I'd be one of you, myself) but this 100% genuine. It's a bit candid for 10am on a Saturday, but there you go! I'm hoping someone might know who to contact at the club (and how best to do it) regarding 5 tickets for the Everton away game. I realise that's a tall ask, but here's why: My father-in-law was an Everton fan his whole life. I myself am a Southampton fan, which by traditional default afflicted my three boys (15 (twins) and 13). My boys were very close to their grandad, and though they'd often take the piss in the way we all do with Everton, they respected his devotion to the blues. Aged 60, he was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer in autumn 2022. He underwent a gruelling few years of treatment, but the cancer was aggressive (contained a mutation, or something?) We tried to make memories, as you do, and one of the plans was to take the boys to Goodison to see an Everton game, but being that he lived down here and hadn't been a regular since the 80s when he lived up there (he was from Liverpool - Everton would be a weird hill to die on if you were from round here), it meant getting tickets was nigh-on impossible, even as a home supporter once he moved down here (Navy). Think we have it bad down here? Think again! We were putting plans in place over Xmas last year, but in January of this year his condition worsened. He made it to Goodison in January to see a cup game (which they lost) having managed to blag a ticket allocation from a STH, but only managed to get two tickets, so took his son with him. The weekend of the 5th April was a rough one for my family. Our relegation was confirmed, and he died on the 7th. My kids (and wife) have taken it hard. He was 63yrs old, and a young 63 at that. Was kicking a ball around with them only last autumn. What I would love to do for them is to find a way of buying tickets for this game, as a way of 'sending him off', if that makes sense? We approached Everton about this back in February, when it was clear things were going downhill fast. You know Everton, the "People's club?" They didn't give a shit. So I know it's a long shot, but if anyone could think of a way to be able to buy tickets for that game, I'd be all ears. I'd even buy four and just send the boys and their mum in, and wait outside. I realise it's a tall order, and that writing personal shit on forums isn't a great look, but I'm stuck for where to go. I looked for an email address on the website and it's just the generic 'contact us' type. Just putting my faith in the club that despite the horrendous season, they might be able to show some class in contrast to "the People's club!" But I also appreciate it's a limited number of tickets and a lot of dedicated travelling fans have priority (our away support this season has been immense, they all deserve the tickets) Anyways, that's enough. Thanks!

I've gone from loving the man at one point, to liking him, to being frustrated by him and now, finally, angry with him and his ego. Why? Because if you are wedded to a style of play - above all else - you can't lose. He cannot be criticised. He can lose a game and then have the nerve to stand there in an interview and tell everybody how beautifully we played, and how brave the players were, and how their courage shone through, and other bullshit like that. By telling everybody the way of playing is more important than the result, he can only lose if the players stop playing for him. The results can't be used against him. This style of play comes ahead of EVERYBODY else's interests. The fans, the boardmembers and staff of the club, and even the players themselves. In fact, particularly the players, because despite the fact it being obvious to anyone with eyes that they are not able to do the things he's asking them to do (when he himself couldn't have done these things, either), he persists. It has to be HIS way. As a result, our mentally delicate squad ended up being made to look like absolute donkeys in front of viewers of the biggest domestic league in the world. He hung them out to dry. I don't know the guy, but I don't think I need to. He has a desire to be loved. He wants to be popular. He wants to be the main character. His insatiable need for attention came ahead of the players' (and therefore the club's) best interests. He's not supposed to be their mate, he's supposed to be their boss. They're supposed to respect him and to a degree, fear his wrath! He talks brilliantly - an excellent communicator - which means he was able to hoodwink so many people into believing the issue was anything other than the 'system' he himself was implementing. Even today, there are people who weirdly believe we should have kept him. Really?! The only person who should want that is Ralph, because the ignamy of the 9-0 defeats would probably have been eclipsed by a larger scoreline had he stayed. He set in the rot for the worst season in living memory, and it was all because of his ego. Those players are all broken (and many of them weren't brilliant to begin with), but I don't blame them one bit. They were led up the creek with no paddle.

Would be happy with: Rohl Cooper Dyche and I hate to suggest it, but Gary O'Neil would be a good fit. Know nothing about Rosenior. Don't want Frank Lampard anywhere near the place.

I dunno, maybe I need to see it again. Was too busy punching the sofa, but it looked to me like Ramsdale would have needed to pull off (another) worldy to stop it.

Bit harsh on Ramsdale, I think. Stephens let his man get infront of him (quelle surprise) but Ramsdale was miles from it. I think the fact he got a hand to it actually made it look worse for him, whereas most keepers wouldn't have even got a touch as it went past.

Bold of you to assume we'll come back up!