Will Still

[hypochondriac]

1 hour ago, coalman said:

Rumour heard from someone with connections to West Ham is we've been touting out for loans to get his wages off the books. No idea how much truth in it.

That would be pretty mental given he's pretty much a guarantee to be great in this league. 

[Saint Fan CaM]

37 minutes ago, John B said:

I am not really sure that SR want real success on the field but want real success on the balance sheet

It would be easy to think that given the overall results of the last three seasons, however they’ve also made it known that they want to increase the size of the stadium and develop around the ground to increase revenue. You don’t do that if you’re in a downward trajectory towards the lower leagues - you have to inspire the fanbase with a very good, consistent product - one that can be believed in. The good news for SR is that Saints fanbase appears to be very robust despite the setbacks of recent seasons.

[saintant]

3 minutes ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

It would be easy to think that given the overall results of the last three seasons, however they’ve also made it known that they want to increase the size of the stadium and develop around the ground to increase revenue. You don’t do that if you’re in a downward trajectory towards the lower leagues - you have to inspire the fanbase with a very good, consistent product - one that can be believed in. The good news for SR is that Saints fanbase appears to be very robust despite the setbacks of recent seasons.

Then they need to match their ambitions to increase revenue with their ambitions to create a side/squad that can have a chance of breaking into the top division and having a decent shot at staying there. They will never do that if they continue to sell all our better players as soon as there is a whiff of profit. We all know the definition of madness and, if SR are to demonstrate sanity, they need to change the way they do things in terms of buying and selling players. If not the current cycle will just continue and we'll begin to slide backwards. They've brought in an ambitious new manager who has new ideas so, if they want to get the best out of him they need to back him.

[John B]

Yes I fully understand that but if you continually sell off your better players you are not going achieve success on the field and keep the fans happy

[ecuk268]

Just now, John B said:

Yes I fully understand that but if you continually sell off your better players you are not going achieve success on the field and keep the fans happy

It's very difficult to keep a player whose head (or his agent's) has been turned by one of the "big" clubs (see Liam Delap).

If you keep him against his will he will possibly sulk and be sent to play with the reserves where his value will go down. Also his contract will be running down so you run the risk of him leaving for free.

All clubs are selling clubs if the price is right.

[gio1saints]

Always going to be us not wanting to sell our best players versus owners needing/wanting to make a profit. The middle ground makes nobody happy. 
Those advocating keep the best players and achieve glory ( the Romantacists) we all agree with in our hearts. The reality is we MUST sell our best talents. It is the only way. The other way is highly highly risky - we do not go up player values slashed - that could put us into freefall. The pragmatic way- is shit- but it’s the only realistic way any owners gonna take a punt on buying a club like Saints. 

[East Kent Saint]

Interview in today's Guardian 

[It's There]

Already confident that he will lead us to promotion. putting on strikers and changing shape, going for it- justly rewarded.

Happy days

[bpsaint]

Was nice to see some proactive changes today from a manager when things weren’t working, and an all out attempt to attack the game towards the end. I’d like to think the little bit of luck we got with the result was due to the hard work they’ve been putting in with their fitness, as seen with Poch and Strachan.

I’m hopeful that if he’s as meticulous as we’ve heard he’ll analyse that match and drop the Armstrong at number 9 experiment. Was silly seeing crosses go into the box with one of the seven dwarves up front. If he wants to play that way then Ross Stewart needs to lead the line.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

8 hours ago, It's There said:

Already confident that he will lead us to promotion. putting on strikers and changing shape, going for it- justly rewarded.

Happy days

Nice to see us chase a game with purpose and intensity, rather than as if having to go a bit riskier was an alien concept.

Also good to see a fair, down to earth reaction pointing out lots of areas we all saw needed improvement.

Plenty of time left in the window for SR to help him out. Especially if Edozie, Aribo and Dibling are on their way.

[Willo of Whiteley]

Well worth a watch of the latest Pitchside Unseen of the Wrexham game. Brief snippets of the team talks, pre, during and post-match. The man management is very good 👏🏻

[Saint_clark]

3 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Well worth a watch of the latest Pitchside Unseen of the Wrexham game. Brief snippets of the team talks, pre, during and post-match. The man management is very good 👏🏻

It is, although the "don't take it personally if you got subbed off" felt a bit...amateurish. they're professionals they know not to take it personally.

[sfc4prem]

3 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

It is, although the "don't take it personally if you got subbed off" felt a bit...amateurish. they're professionals they know not to take it personally.

Yeah that was proper Tyro league shite right there

[23rdSaint]

3 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

It is, although the "don't take it personally if you got subbed off" felt a bit...amateurish. they're professionals they know not to take it personally.

Weird comment when you consider how many professionals across the game strop when subbed off. Given the past few years, I would not be surprised if players did take it personally. 

[Willo of Whiteley]

I don’t think it was weird, it’s how professional footballers react back.

Some think they’re entitled, I’m sure all take it personally but it’s depends how they react, it goes one of two ways: some probably try to go one better and prove themselves, the others throw a sulk.

Just brings it back to a human level.

[hypochondriac]

23 minutes ago, sfc4prem said:

Yeah that was proper Tyro league shite right there

It's tyro shite if he's losing and brilliant if he's winning. No one would be calling that infamous cringe clip of Nathan Jones a PE teacher lesson if he had been successful. 

[Saint_clark]

2 hours ago, 23rdSaint said:

Weird comment when you consider how many professionals across the game strop when subbed off. Given the past few years, I would not be surprised if players did take it personally. 

Yeah fair enough, maybe my expectations of professional footballers levels of professionalism is a bit unrealistic.

[saintant]

We won tonight but not sure Will covered himself in glory with the starting formation and the refusal to change when it clearly wasn't working. Surrendering midfield to Northampton is not a good look.

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

22 hours ago, saintant said:

We won tonight but not sure Will covered himself in glory with the starting formation and the refusal to change when it clearly wasn't working. Surrendering midfield to Northampton is not a good look.

He's gone 5 at the back twice now and I'd like him to have 3 in midfield. Especially as yesterday Matsuki looked pretty accomplished in midfield without doing anything spectacular.

Think it's refreshing to have a manager who talks a lot of sense and who's not an arrogant, plant-eating knob, mad or clueless. Just hope he doesn't call it quits now he's got a 100% record.

[Thereisonlyonemickychannon]

Just think. Russell ego tippy tappy bollocks or fight until the end Will Still?

He ls a good un.

Even if we finish midtable.

Let's have some exciting football for once!

Edited Thursday at 14:58 by Thereisonlyonemickychannon
Misspelt

[Thereisonlyonemickychannon]

Just now, Thereisonlyonemickychannon said:

Just think. Russell ego tippy tappy bollocks or fight until the end Will Still?

He ls a good un.

Even if we finish midtable.

Let's have some exciting football for once!

I love my post! Will Still has brought some pride back to my beloved Southampton FC!

[Thereisonlyonemickychannon]

Edited Thursday at 15:02 by Thereisonlyonemickychannon
Why not

[miserableoldgit]

Just watching the presser for Ipswich. Can't watch WS without thinking that he should have a small white terrier dog sat on the desk next to him.....

[trousers]

6 minutes ago, miserableoldgit said:

Just watching the presser for Ipswich. Can't watch WS without thinking that he should have a small white terrier dog sat on the desk next to him.....

Sounds like a job for AI to me...

 😁

[saint michael]

2 minutes ago, trousers said:

Sounds like a job for AI to me...

 😁

Whose Al is it one of his coaches?

[miserableoldgit]

3 minutes ago, trousers said:

Sounds like a job for AI to me...

 😁

With a certain Captain Haddock asking questions......if only I knew how to use AI.....

[Bakovnetski]

1 hour ago, miserableoldgit said:

Just watching the presser for Ipswich. Can't watch WS without thinking that he should have a small white terrier dog sat on the desk next to him.....

Surely some wag can come up with a Will Still chant/song using the Thompson Twins...

[Saint Fan CaM]

2 hours ago, miserableoldgit said:

Just watching the presser for Ipswich. Can't watch WS without thinking that he should have a small white terrier dog sat on the desk next to him.....

The best ChatGPT came up with. But where’s he got his hand?!?. 🙄

Edited Friday at 17:07 by Saint Fan CaM

[Colinjb]

Working on the Press Conference, but the likeness is uncanny

Edited Saturday at 15:41 by Colinjb

[Colinjb]

Here we go.

Edited Saturday at 15:41 by Colinjb

[Badger]

2 hours ago, miserableoldgit said:

Just watching the presser for Ipswich. Can't watch WS without thinking that he should have a small white terrier dog sat on the desk next to him.....

Lost on me, what's that a reefrence to ?

[Colinjb]

22 hours ago, Badger said:

Lost on me, what's that a reefrence to ?

When Skynet takes over..... we will be no loss as a species.

Edited Saturday at 15:42 by Colinjb

[Badger]

Just now, Colinjb said:

Thanks. Good one.

I did wonder about the Tin Tin (Belgian) connection, but didn't recognise the image put up earlier. 

[Willo of Whiteley]

There’s something about him that I stills a lot of confidence.

His man-management seems very good for someone with little “experience”.

[miserableoldgit]

2 hours ago, Badger said:

Lost on me, what's that a reefrence to ?

Tintin, the boy reporter, and his dog Snowy 

[CSA96]

On the topic of his tactics... he was quite open in discussing tactical flexibility in the written part of today's press conference

on his early season tactics and swapping 4-2-3-1 for 3-4-3 and 3-5-2...
It's been 100 per cent down to personnel. I think to play certain systems, like a four, you need certain profiles of players that we're not quite there on yet. And with wingers... with Tyler not being available, we've not got any out and out wingers. We've got a lot of inside forwards and players of that profile. So it's more a question of managing this month - with the transfer window still open - by being pragmatic, by being adaptable where we can be but also getting the best out of the players that we've got and ultimately, winning games. We just felt that for the last two games that it was what we needed to do and what needed to happen.

But I think I've always said it, I'm not fixed on one shape or one formation or whatever it looks like. For me it's just about getting the best out of the players that we have available to us and that we can use moving forward. Ipswich play a back four for example, it's a proper 4-2-3-1 and so we need probably different profiles of players to play against that and to upset them. That's what we'll do, but we won't always adapt to everyone because we do want our own style and way of playing but there's a level of pragmatism and adaptability that we need to show to pick up points and that's what I'll do.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

8 hours ago, CSA96 said:

On the topic of his tactics... he was quite open in discussing tactical flexibility in the written part of today's press conference

on his early season tactics and swapping 4-2-3-1 for 3-4-3 and 3-5-2...
It's been 100 per cent down to personnel. I think to play certain systems, like a four, you need certain profiles of players that we're not quite there on yet. And with wingers... with Tyler not being available, we've not got any out and out wingers. We've got a lot of inside forwards and players of that profile. So it's more a question of managing this month - with the transfer window still open - by being pragmatic, by being adaptable where we can be but also getting the best out of the players that we've got and ultimately, winning games. We just felt that for the last two games that it was what we needed to do and what needed to happen.

But I think I've always said it, I'm not fixed on one shape or one formation or whatever it looks like. For me it's just about getting the best out of the players that we have available to us and that we can use moving forward. Ipswich play a back four for example, it's a proper 4-2-3-1 and so we need probably different profiles of players to play against that and to upset them. That's what we'll do, but we won't always adapt to everyone because we do want our own style and way of playing but there's a level of pragmatism and adaptability that we need to show to pick up points and that's what I'll do.

Such a breath of fresh air from the bollocks Martin spouted. 

[AlexLaw76]

56 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Such a breath of fresh air from the bollocks Martin spouted. 

It is if we see the flexibility.

 

[StrangelyBrown]

21 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

It is if we see the flexibility.

 

Are you implying he won't be flexible?

The way I see it is that he's inherited a squad that is built for a certain style of play and to adapt he needs some new players capable of doing different things. This isn't on Still - it's on Spors and the recruitment team. Hopefully Rasmus is nowhere to be seen ...

[AlexLaw76]

1 hour ago, StrangelyBrown said:

Are you implying he won't be flexible?

The way I see it is that he's inherited a squad that is built for a certain style of play and to adapt he needs some new players capable of doing different things. This isn't on Still - it's on Spors and the recruitment team. Hopefully Rasmus is nowhere to be seen ...

We easily have a good enough squad to not surrender midfield to Wrexham (and Northampton ), let alone play so many defenders 

Edited Saturday at 09:37 by AlexLaw76

[Ted Bates Statue]

18 hours ago, miserableoldgit said:

With a certain Captain Haddock asking questions......if only I knew how to use AI.....

I guess Spielberg will do, seeing as the film looks like it was AI generated

 

 

[Osvaldorama]

On 12/08/2025 at 20:46, Saint_clark said:

Yeah fair enough, maybe my expectations of professional footballers levels of professionalism is a bit unrealistic.

Have you watched the club in the last couple of years , lol 

[StrangelyBrown]

3 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

We easily have a good enough squad to not surrender midfield to Wrexham (and Northampton ), let alone play so many defenders 

I'm genuinely interested in your perspective btw (not trying to be a dick)....

I'm assuming you are thinking we should have played a back 4? In which case who is the extra body you would have picked in midfield and who are the players who you would have played wide in midfield or would you have gone narrow?

From my perspective we're really lacking in wingers. Arguably Frazer can play wide and Dibling and Edozie can but the latter 2 aren't really featuring. Armstrong, Robinson and Archer are more like inside forwards, which is what I think Still is referring to when he says he hasn't got the right squad yet.

[Fabrice29]

5 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

We easily have a good enough squad to not surrender midfield to Wrexham (and Northampton ), let alone play so many defenders 

Didn't really watch the Northampton game but the idea that we surrendered the midfield to Wrexham just isn't true and doesn't really stand up to any kind of scrutiny other than purely numerical. We dominated possession, created the highest XG in the whole of the EFL that weekend and had them penned on the edge of the box for the majority of the 2nd half at least. Not entirely sure how anyone thinks we surrendered it.

[Give it to Ron]

6 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

It is if we see the flexibility.

 

The last ten v Wrexham was flexible the only striker not selected was BBD!

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, Fabrice29 said:

Didn't really watch the Northampton game but the idea that we surrendered the midfield to Wrexham just isn't true and doesn't really stand up to any kind of scrutiny other than purely numerical. We dominated possession, created the highest XG in the whole of the EFL that weekend and had them penned on the edge of the box for the majority of the 2nd half at least. Not entirely sure how anyone thinks we surrendered it.

xG 😅😅😅

I can only assume that you weren't actually at the game. There was a big gaping hole in the middle of the pitch where our midfield should have been. If our xG was that high why was it that we only managed to scrape a couple of goals in virtually stoppage time?

[Fabrice29]

1 minute ago, Whitey Grandad said:

xG 😅😅😅

I can only assume that you weren't actually at the game. There was a big gaping hole in the middle of the pitch where our midfield should have been. If our xG was that high why was it that we only managed to scrape a couple of goals in virtually stoppage time?

Because we didn't take our chances. And yes, fwiw, they had a high XG too and also created chances.

Glad I could help.

[Lord Duckhunter]

29 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

Because we didn't take our chances.

Nor did they. 

[Fabrice29]

1 minute ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Nor did they. 

I know...that is why I wrote it?

33 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

Because we didn't take our chances. And yes, fwiw, they had a high XG too and also created chances.

Glad I could help.

 

[Fabrice29]

I know it's fashionable on here to pretend that you don't enjoy seeing us dominate games, creates lots more chances than the opposition, score more goals than them and pick up more points than them in this league but I really think people should learn to embrace games in which we have 75% possession, 27 shots compared the oppositions 10, score 2 compared to their 1 and pick up 3 points compared to their 0 because that is kind of the whole point?  

Edit: Enjoy might not be the right word tbh. Maybe "pleased" is a better word because picking holes in that kind of performance just seems to be pre meditated or deliberately focusing on negatives. And yes, I will happily spend a whole couple of years defending a manager who delivers football results and performances.

Edited Saturday at 16:35 by Fabrice29