kitch

Oh shit, there are still games left? Can't we just call in sick?

We have to take these things seriously 🧐

Attitude and committment, forgoing ability: Baz: 9 - looks like he cares. Mature for someone so young and thrown into the lion's den. McCarthy: 7 - never looks like he's bothered about anything. The kind of guy you'd want in a crisis, just not a relegation battle. KWP: 6 - he had more to offer this year. Bree: 8 - looked like he worked hard, just didn't have much to offer AMN: 4 - looked like he was trying...twice. Looks like the game is an inconvenience to his evening all other times. Lyanco: 8 - no explanation needed ABK: 6.5 - if he's not slightly lazy, he's slightly dumb. Sprints when needed though. Sali: 6 - meh. Don't think he was fully at it all season. DCC: 6 - didn't look totally fired up, but hasn't been treated all that well since he arrived, in fairness. Bednarek: 8 - might be an own goal merchant and turns like Shieldhall on a windy day, but he does care. Perraud: 10 - the guy literally busts a gut until he breaks himself. Ability? Meh, but A for effort. I quite like him. Lavia: 10 - Only reliable player on the pitch all season. World's at his feet. JWP: 9 - we all know. Diallo: 5 - there's a player in there, but god knows how you unlock it. He doesn't look like he knows himself. Moi: 8 - I think he tries, he's just really, really shit at most parts of being a footballer player. Stu: 6 - he had more in the tank, though potentially carrying injuries. He's definitely on the decline now. Orsic: No idea. Only time I saw him play at SMS, I don't think he ever actually touched the ball. Aribo: 3 - I forgot he was on the pitch in all his PL games. Pre-season, he looked class...but when the season started, he carried on a pre-season pace. He hasn't deviated. He can go. Alcaraz: 8 - very inconsistent, but I don't think it's down to effort. Can be unplayable on his day. Djenepo: 7 - I think he tries too hard, if anything. Sulemana: 6 - I've seen what he can do, but we rarely see him try it. Walcott: 6.5 - Maybe he's just getting older, but it doesn't look like he's busting a gut from the stands. Edozie: 7.5 - A bit like Moussa...tries too hard sometimes. Arma: 6 - I think he tries (ran his little socks off against Man City in the cup), it's just he's terrible. Mara: 7 - His runs and movement can make him appear lazy, but I'm not sure he is. Any time we scored, even if it was him, he's the first one in the net to pick up the ball and get it back to the centre spot again. I think there's a hell of a finisher in there, but he's very young. Adams: 9 - He always tries his best, can't deny that. Tall Paul: 7 - Might be the same as Mara where he looks less interested than he is, but hard to judge when we set up to play almost in a way that alienates his abilities. There aren't many I'd be upset if/when they leave, though, tbh. I'd love to keep Adams. Think Mara and Djenepo could be pretty dangerous in the Champ, but equally every chance I'd be proven wrong.

Larios was the one Ralph was most excited about, by all accounts.

This has been an absolute clusterfuck of a season, no mistake. Wet, limp, lifeless & turgid. It's not a great time for most people at the moment, let alone being a Saints fan. I've actually stopped watching/listening to games now. My mental health doesn't need the metaphorical kicking anymore. In 2005, I remember being angry at the board more than anything. The players, if I remember rightly, poured everything they had into that season. They just didn't have enough of it. That's not what's happening today; The board aren't as clever as they think. They players are better than they're showing. The manager is just hopelessly out of ideas. This is ALL on them. The manager, is an employee. The players, are employees. The majority of the medical team, are employees. Of all the employees at this club, there will only be a small number that go through what it is that we ALL go through when it comes to caring about this club. Aside from one or two exceptions, they didn't grow up supporting this club. They may feel the way we feel about a football club, but it's not this one. There may be other fans you can't stand. There may be other posters on here that you believe to be morons. We may not all see eye-to-eye politically, or morally...but we're ALL in the same boat. We're all being depressed, game in, game out. We're all supporting a bunch of overpaid men (I'm not including the women, they're doing pretty well, and they're not overpaid) half-heartedly kick a ball around, and when they do their job badly, WE'RE the ones go home feeling horrendous. We're the ones who buy the tickets; the shirts; the memberships, all from our hard-earned. We're the ones who feel the embarrassment of being beaten 9-0...TWICE! We're the ones who get a horrible sick feeling when we watch a player blossom into something special, only to know that the club will already be figuring out what his pricetag should say. We're the ones who pay for a media package that SO HEAVILY favours the 'bigger' teams over our 'inferior' club, it's not even funny. We're the ones who feel bad when our children tell us they've been picked on again for supporting a shit team. Yes, their friends are all plastics, but they are greater in number in the playground. Things won't always be this bad, but we will always be in the same boat as each other. However low you feel, remember there are thousands of others feeling the same way, you just don't see it. Don't let the bastards grind you down. You support the club, not any individual, or their actions. One day, things will be good again. Up the Saints!

Just saw it confirmed on twatter. Working a notice period, apparently.

Initially I thought we might have rushed into something here, but on reflection, it's the best we can do. He's liked by the players by all accounts, we saw a totally different display against (an admittedly poor) Chelsea to what we've had recently (bar City in the cup). He's a likeable guy and comes across very well, which although not the most pressing element of a manager, for us Saints fans it's nice to have somebody representing us who doesn't sound like they're three phrases away from a public breakdown, or becoming a meme. The main point, though, is that who else was going to come in and do better? He's here, he knows the club, he knows the personnel, and there's not exactly a plethora of desirable candidates out there right now. And who'd want to come in, in this situation?! Knowing what we know now, I'm much happier about this than I was about Marsch (and NJ, for that matter). So yeah, I think when all is considered this is probably the most sensible thing the club could have done. He's got my backing 100%, nothing left but to go for it!

I actually came on to give Diallo a shout out as for me was our best player overall. First half he was the only one who seemed to know what he was doing (other than Che's wonder-goal), and basically suffered through being massively outnumbered trying to protect a 5-man defence. He think he did well. You wouldn't use him to get an attacking move going, but he breaks up play well and working alongside a Lavia (or similar) he's a useful asset IMO. Steady player; great at some things, poor at others. Lavia changed things when he came on, partly because it meant Diallo had help, but also because he's just a different level. Going to be some player, him. Enjoy him while he's here.

First half he looked like a fish up a tree. Second half he looked alright. Bit of an unfair game to throw him in at, to be fair. Should have been KWP on the right, Perraud on the left.

Rennes' top scorer this season is a winger, maybe their board and ours share 'ideas' 😄

That'd be sound, St Mirren are 'my' Scottish team. I can actually watched him and see if he's any good. I haven't rated him so far, but my FIL is a bluenose, and he was raving about him when we got him in.

Rennes have good recruitment, they go under the radar a lot. Lovro Majer is another they pulled in a while ago, absolute baller in midfield. I'd have quite liked Santamaria to be honest, decent holding midfielder, but with Alcaraz I reckon we've probably covered that now. Alcaraz certainly as good if not better. Their academy is class, too. Camavinga came through it recently, and he's going to be one of the best midfielders in the world soon IMO. Yep, if Rennes identified them as a good wide player, they probably are. They tend to buy lightning-fast wingers with tricky feet. Like us, however, they struggle with strikers!

Yeah but we were already up 1-0 on aggregate too!

Into the crowd, you mean?

Sulemana pretty much replaced Raphina (you could argue Doku did, but really it was a combo of both) who himself replaced Sarr at Rennes. Same pathway.

Wins pretty much every header, most 50/50s and looks to go forward much more quickly than the other defenders.

TL;DR

Got a horrible feeling we'll drop the ball against these lot. The first 20mins are key - get in their faces like we did against City and their fans will start to quieten down. Until that point, they really will be the 12th man. There's a toxic feeling around there at the moment, but remember last season how the fans turned that into energy. Just have a feeling that what'll happen is Lampard will eek out a point or three, and stay on until Potter's sacked, at which point Everton will take him. Until then, their fans will continue to go through the myre and our little burst of form will die off. 2-1 Everton, DCL getting them both and ending up the talking point on MotD. But, I hope I'm totally wrong. Play like we did on Wednesday, and we'll finally break that Goodison curse.

Stalling on a new deal, according to TalkShite just now. Can't same I blame him, tbh. He could aim higher.

Aaron & Darryl grew up in Thornhill (Byron Rd). Aaron's grave is in Quob Lane cemetary.

Sounds like my in-laws place.

Ralph started that shit at the beginning of this season, in fairness. Not as bad as it is now, granted, but we looked a very long ball-based team as soon as Bazunu went in the sticks.

Nothing really. It's a bit embarrassing for the club, but it's his business (unless he starts preeching in interviews). Lots of players are in the god squad these days, they think they're only footballers because of the man in the sky.

Harsh on AMN, thought he was part of the changes that improved things second half.

Forgot about that! Yeah, that too.