nta786

Gutted. Oh well, should signal the end of Walcott's involvement surely barring the last 10 minutes of a midweek PL game of which there aren't too many anyway. Other than that, excellent performance from the team, need to convert these performances into 3 points starting from this Saturday. MOTM goes to Lyanco, great game and I'm loving the passion.

FT 1-1

a little bit pony, slightly noddy but long may the cult of teflon ralph live on.

He hasn't played 90 minutes yet has he though - tonight has been a good shift and I'd like him back this weekend. We've made all 5 subs now

We get 5 subs tonight may as well use the another 2 more now if Long and Walcott are being given a run out. I do hope this goes to penalties now and Long scores the winner

Well done Saints! Is it straight to penalties tonight? I think it is right for all rounds of Carabao cup until the semis?

So are we playing a back 3 with KWP and Djenpo as the wingbacks? Chelsea are not playing 3 at the back either! They are playing a 433 I think? Despite that being largely their 2nd XI, their front 3 CHO/Havertz/Ziyech will be dangerous against our defence

I genuinely think the club have sneakily changed that in the article - pretty sure when I first read it a few months back, it said October! See articles below here: https://insidersport.com/2021/07/30/southampton-reveals-2-5m-stadium-improvement-plans-to-elevate-fan-experience/ https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/19481484.saints-fans-react-2-5m-investment-revamping-st-marys/ http://www.insideworldfootball.com/2021/08/01/saints-go-large-2-5m-st-marys-stadium-improvements/ https://www.thestadiumbusiness.com/2021/07/30/southampton-marks-20-years-at-st-marys-with-stadium-improvements/ https://www.uknewsgroup.co.uk/southampton-fc-announce-upcoming-improvement-plans-to-st-marys-stadium/

Would be beneficial for a lot of teams if it got cancelled! Liverpool would be impacted most I would say with Salah/Mane, others could just about cope though Aubameyang, Zaha, Ndidi are big for their clubs. Benrahma/Mahrez/Cornet/Dennis (for Watford) shout out too. Others could perhaps just about cope.

JWP cannot play tonight - he's back for this Saturday vs Watford

Kevin Friend is the referee. Also apparently there is no VAR tomorrow. Slightly ironic in that if we didn't have VAR in the PL game we'd likely have gone into half time 2-0 down but wouldn't have had JWP suspended.

Not in the UK, however it is being televised elsewhere around the world so there will definitely be a stream about.

So the best way to convince him to sign a new contract for us is by not playing him? Some 4D chess going on there...

I'd go as far as saying people don't appreciate how good any PL player is, myself included. I mean, if you are the starting GK in any of the top 5 European leagues, you are one of the 100 in the world out of c. 7.9bn people which is crazy when you think about it.

I think I read in the Athletic that he was on £150k a week at Everton, and he agreed to stay with us for £75k. Whoever sanctioned that if true needs their head checking, I don't think any other club would have offered that. I guess from Saints point of view though, a 2 year contract at £75k a week is roughly a total outlay of £7.8m. Could we find someone better than Walcott for that sort of fee? (and that is without factoring in the wages!) However, that is still no excuse for Ralph not to sub him off slightly earlier when he was having a below par game

Yep very hypocritical given his Salford side have replaced like 3 managers or something in last 3 seasons. Pundits are meant to be non-partisan and analysing the game objectively but he is just defending his mate.

Agreed - and it's why he will be with us and not a top 4 team. I bet Les Reed at the time had high hopes he would be our next big £50m/£60m sale when we bought him at the time but his decision making seriously lets him down

What I think Ralph will play: Forster Tino, Bednarek, Salisu, KWP; S. Armstrong, Romeu Tella, Djenepo Adams, A. Armstrong If Tino is tired, then Perraud to come in or Djenepo fullback w/ Diallo in No.6 and Stu in right mid.. I just cannot see Lyanco or Valery playing this, not sure they are good enough although I think I prefer Valery in a 5 if he has to play. I'd say our likeliest chance of getting through is sneaking a draw and winning on pens; but Chelsea should put in a second XI with the likes of Barkley and Loftus-Cheek but even then that might be too much for us. Still, no Werner and Lukaku helps.

You could argue both our goals came from mistakes too then... no one marking Tino for our first and that awful pass from Tarkowski led to our second. Their first goal was worked well, Dwight McNeil drawed to of our players into the centre before working it out wide to Taylor who had time and space to put a good cross in. Also whilst Bednarek should have dealt with the ball better for the 2nd, Cornet still had a lot to do from there and executed it well. In the end regardless of what the xG and other stats say, I will begrudgingly say a draw was fair, but they were there for the taking if we knew how to finish. Leicester drew 2-2 at home to this Burnley team too, they will get results against many a sides regardless of the table.

Not when it costs money to open the box and buy another one. Either way, Ralph is staying and my prediction is he would only go if we were for example at least 5 or more points adrift from 17th.

Tino only cost £5m though? I'd understand your argument if we spent £30m on him or something but ultimately if we buy a £1m squad filler in CM who is better than Romeu/JWP then I don't think anyone would be complaining if he started every game.

I don’t think we will - we have 4 centrebacks on the books + Simeu too. Need to hope Lyanco can show something to be a better option

Bednarek again should be dealing with that, just too easy. It didn’t feel like it had the most power though I wonder if Alex could have done better but what a kick in the teeth

They hoard all the talent but realise you can only have 11 on the pitch. It’s a good tactic for them though, they raise decent money selling their academy players so their net spend isn’t as bad as you expect.

BROJAAAA