Finn Azaz

[skintsaint]

7 minutes ago, trousers said:

It's "I have my tortoise" actually

(sticking my neck out there)

Feeling a little shell-shocked after this revelation. 

[trousers]

1 minute ago, skintsaint said:

Feeling a little shell-shocked after this revelation. 

Turtley understand

[Gloucester Saint]

1 hour ago, trousers said:

It's "I have my tortoise" actually

(sticking my neck out there)

Not about to release some otters are you? 

[Patches O Houlihan]

No - but I like the cut of her beaver

[Saint Fan CaM]

Welcome Finn.

Well, all of a sudden things are looking up - a significant number of new signings that on paper appear to strengthen the squad. One note of caution - when we signed BBD, Archer, Onuachu and Sulemana we all thought how great it was that we had signed forwards that had previously been prolific…fingers crossed these guys are a cut above that. Looking forward to seeing them play in red’n’white.

[skintsaint]

1 hour ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

hen we signed BBD, Archer, Onuachu and Sulemana we all thought how great it was that we had signed forwards that had previously been prolific…

I think they all had their doubters when they signed tbh.

[Lighthouse]

3 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

One note of caution - when we signed BBD, Archer, Onuachu and Sulemana we all thought how great it was that we had signed forwards that had previously been prolific

None of those players were anything close to prolific at PL level, which is where we signed them to play.

[CB Fry]

4 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

One note of caution - when we signed BBD, Archer, Onuachu and Sulemana we all thought how great it was that we had signed forwards that had previously been prolific

BBD was widely seen as an OK signing for a low price having just scored a decent amount for a relegation zone Prem team for the previous six months. Onuachu and Sulemana had been prolific in different leagues and were panicky signings, everyone knew it. Archer was nothing more than a decent Championship prospect similar to when we signed Armstrong.

Today's deals really not comparable.

[Saint Fan CaM]

1 hour ago, Lighthouse said:

None of those players were anything close to prolific at PL level, which is where we signed them to play.

I didn’t claim they were ‘close to prolific at PL level’…we signed them as we embarked on the last EPL campaign thinking their past performance could be repeated. That didn’t happen You’re getting worse than MLG.

[Saint Fan CaM]

51 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

BBD was widely seen as an OK signing for a low price having just scored a decent amount for a relegation zone Prem team for the previous six months. Onuachu and Sulemana had been prolific in different leagues and were panicky signings, everyone knew it. Archer was nothing more than a decent Championship prospect similar to when we signed Armstrong.

Today's deals really not comparable.

Unless you’ve got a crystal ball we don’t know whether today’s deals will be as shite as those previous players were in terms of fulfilling expectations. That was my point.

[CB Fry]

4 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Unless you’ve got a crystal ball we don’t know whether today’s deals will be as shite as those previous players were in terms of fulfilling expectations. That was my point.

"Yeah, but what if they all turn out to be shit? Then what? Sack the board."

[Toadhall Saint]

For me the 3 signed so far are game changers ie they all individually have the ability to change a game. The more of those type of players you have in your team the better also if they click, the sum of the whole will be way more than the individual. Just got to get them to click and that is WS’s job.

[benjii]

7 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Unless you’ve got a crystal ball we don’t know whether today’s deals will be as shite as those previous players were in terms of fulfilling expectations. That was my point.

Top point.

[gio1saints]

This is true of every incoming transfer - fan expectation always super high. 

How often is that expectation justified on their debut? I think Aaron did well on debut but before that gotta go back to Rickie Lamberts double day after he joined!
Moral of the story - do not expect him to be Messi. If he can run and kick a ball in the right direction without falling over and it does not go into Row z theres a fair chance he’s better than the player he replaced - so give him time. 

[Matthew Le God]

1 hour ago, gio1saints said:

This is true of every incoming transfer - fan expectation always super high. 

Was it for George Long? 😉 😇 

[gio1saints]

Just now, Matthew Le God said:

Was it for George Long? 😉 😇 

Ahead of the signing I think the answer is 100% yes.
After signing there was this grand denouement but, and the performances for saints in recent years should back this up - when a substitute goalie has had to step up he’s not done as bad as his previous critics would have you believe. Alex Mc in the playoffs a good example but two clean sheets in Carabao cup another. And  that weird time when he was not even on the bench. Lumley did not appear totally bad on the few times he played either. So. Maybe low expectations are a good thing sometimes high expectations not such a good thing. I know certainly from a player sporting psychology perspective so much work takes place on lowering that extra layer of self imposed performance stress Fan expectation only feeds that. 

[Matthew Le God]

3 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

Ahead of the signing I think the answer is 100% yes.

It really wasn't. Just take a look at the transfer thread from before he signed. Not even close to being "fan expectation super high". 

[gio1saints]

You may well be right. But then again opinions are like acorns - only a few come to much. 
I thought new gk would be a challenger in waiting and hoped it would be. I knew we could not sign an immediate starter when we still have AARON on the books but I’d hoped for a bit more competition. So, my personal expectations were logically but not unreasonably high.  Long does not hit that expectation but if true to form, when/if Baz is rested / injured/suspended and Alex gets a knock I’d bet Long plays a decent match for us - In the Carabao cup final v Chelsea where he saves 5 penalties to our 1 scored 3 missed  😆. It’s about that likely too.😇

[Tommy Mulgrew]

On 27/08/2025 at 23:38, Whitey Grandad said:

Steve Palmer went to my college at Cambridge

Christ! Christ! Christ!

😉

[Whitey Grandad]

3 minutes ago, Tommy Mulgrew said:

Christ! Christ! Christ!

😉

Souvent Me Souvient

[Tommy Mulgrew]

I prefer mine:

 

Perhaps she remembers me.

[verlaine1979]

12 hours ago, gio1saints said:

You may well be right. But then again opinions are like acorns - only a few come to much. 
I thought new gk would be a challenger in waiting and hoped it would be. I knew we could not sign an immediate starter when we still have AARON on the books but I’d hoped for a bit more competition. So, my personal expectations were logically but not unreasonably high.  Long does not hit that expectation but if true to form, when/if Baz is rested / injured/suspended and Alex gets a knock I’d bet Long plays a decent match for us - In the Carabao cup final v Chelsea where he saves 5 penalties to our 1 scored 3 missed  😆. It’s about that likely too.😇

Why not refer to players by their last name? Especially those that have left the club temporarily. No point evoking a chummy fraternity with someone who doesn't even play for us at the moment.

[gio1saints]

8 hours ago, verlaine1979 said:

Why not refer to players by their last name? Especially those that have left the club temporarily. No point evoking a chummy fraternity with someone who doesn't even play for us at the moment.

Because Saints are family to me. HTH. 

[Sheaf Saint]

Thought he had a decent debut yesterday. Always looking to play a forward pass or a through ball, and might well have got an assist to put us 2-0 up if not for an incompetent lino. Looking forward to seeing more of him in a stronger midfield once we've finally scrapped the 3 at the back formation.

[Patches O Houlihan]

Looked tired at the end - apparently he had a small injury that disrupted his pre-season. I looked at his stats playing in the Championship for Middlesborough he competed a full 90 mins for them 30 times in 67 matches

Might have scored as well with that chance he had from the right.

[chownie20]

Can't help but think there's a song here with that Azizam Ed Sheeran song... Need some creativity which sadly don't have.

[maysie]

6 minutes ago, chownie20 said:

Can't help but think there's a song here with that Azizam Ed Sheeran song... Need some creativity which sadly don't have.

Neither does Ed Sheeran.

[chownie20]

4 minutes ago, maysie said:

Neither does Ed Sheeran.

Good job Finn does.