Hull 3-1 Saints - Match Thread

[Gloucester Saint]

4 minutes ago, OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint said:

Matsuki, Robinson... two players that have shown a forward intent are nowhere near the team.

There just didn't seem to be any direction today. No urgency and no real purpose. Really think in a couple of games we'll be heading for mid table obscurity unless something changes.

Mid-table? I’ll have some of what you’re drinking. Paul Trollope Championship relegation double more like. 

[Toussaint]

What has Downs done to warrant selection for today’s match? Rhetorical question really as it’s absolutely nothing. Was Still told to play him because we paid a lot for him? 

[stknowle]

8 minutes ago, HKsaint said:

Rohl is the only one that could be worse than Will Still in the whole world. 

A bold statement there HK my old pal. That said, with this complete basket case of a club it would not surprise me one bit if he did do worse in the unlikely event we appointed him.

[Charlie Wayman]

Bloody hell, it's getting worse by the week. We thought last week's first half was rock bottom now it looks like a fairly good performance.

Just get Still out now no humming and hahing. He's clueless, miles out of his depth. He has no system of play, has no idea of his best XI and relies solely on his players making it up as they go along. 

The omission of Robertson is unforgivable. He'll be looking for out at this rate. Our back four must be the worst in the League.

 

 

 

 

Edited 2 hours ago by Charlie Wayman

[Hamwic]

Hit and hope passing, too slow and didn't seem interested. In the first half some looked as though football was new to them. I've seen some garbage from us over about 60 years but this was a new low.

[Hawkswood]

13 minutes ago, LGTL said:

I’ve done most games for the last two seasons, but missed Ipswich and Wrexham on holiday. Haven’t seen us win since November 2024 😂 might fuck off again. 

Fuck

[Harry_SFC]

I'm done with THB after that - get him out of the team. Manning and Stephens are both crap as well but we already knew that.

It really is mind boggling how we didn't sign a keeper and a proper CF in the last window.

It looks like two more losses coming up this week. If we then lose to Sheff Utd surely that will be it for Still. 

[AlexLaw76]

1 minute ago, Harry_SFC said:

I'm done with THB after that - get him out of the team. Manning and Stephens are both crap as well but we already knew that.

It really is mind boggling how we didn't sign a keeper and a proper CF in the last window.

It looks like two more losses coming up this week. If we then lose to Sheff Utd surely that will be it for Still. 

Why would it ‘it’ for Still?

 you do know who our owners are, right?

[saintstowin]

I keep hoping we'll show signs of progress but it's not looking good. Almost reaching the stage where pretty rubbish performances are standard. 

Our only win was the late show on day one. At least we attacked in that game. We've laboured all season. I was worried last week and today was worse. 

I don't know about giving up on Still but he's not showing us much.

[HarvSFC]

Bazunu - Wasn't good enough for us two years ago. Wasn't good enough in Belgium last year. Needed to replace Ramsdale, yet we're stuck with him.

Roerslev - Hasn't looked great recently. Very erratic on the ball and not great defensively. Another recruitment dud?

Harwood-Bellis - Has the reputation of a decent Premier League player, but plays like a Seaborne. Not good enough to lace the boots of Fonte/Hooiveld recently.

Stephens - If the club still had the standards it did 10+ years ago then he'd never have been good enough to be a starting centre-back for this club. Yet, here he is captaining this team because he's such a fantastic leader. As I said in the summer, being captain of this awful side isn't something you'd put on your CV.

Manning - Scored a couple of good free-kicks, but in open play he's just bad and always has been. Can't defend or stop a cross and offers little going forward.

Jander - Early, but from today his YouTube videos lied to me.

Charles - Probably been our best player this season, but isn't a player who can do it on his own and when the others are... Yeah.

Fellows - Early, but doesn't seem to have much pace out wide and hasn't created anything in his first two games.

Azaz - Early, but while he has created some nice moves he has always been missing a lot, as Middlesbrough fans warned.

Fraser - Doesn't have the pace or skill to start in an attacking position in this league anymore. Was a super sub two years ago, but now a permanent starter based on no end product, but a bit of endeavour when he's asked play full-back.

Downs - When a cross comes in he stands still ball watching, hence the two sitters missed this season. Doesn't do much, if anything. There were a few red flags around his lack of game time for the USA in the summer tournament. You don't have to be much good to start for them. The new Derby striker was playing ahead of him. The friendly goal gave us some hope, but he is looking like another recruitment dud.

Dire showing from the starting eleven this afternoon and hopefully some will finally get dropped as they've been putting in this substandard performances for well over a year now.

 

 

[Badger]

The reset needs a reset. 

[Sheaf Saint]

2 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Such a poor display.

Hull have a side built on a fraction of the resources we have. It's put together to be the best that it can be, as a unit, and they've had rumblings of transfer restrictions over them.

We, on the other hand, still go by SR's incoming mantra. Lowest possible individual wages. Buy potential. Make profit. 

So Hull have a core of experienced pros, capable of working together and digging out some progress in games.

We have a group of players at a stepping stone club, who aren't capable of filling key roles in a football team, following the latest set of mediocre instructions from SR's latest "project" manager. 

We are where SR set out their stall to be, from the moment they took over. A championship level side, that they are cleverly maximising the potential of to rake in profits.

Except, their appalling grasp of squad management, player and manager recruitment and the history of football has just left us with a championship level squad bereft of a clue, a structure and any cohesion. 

They have put in money, and have good intentions. Just let down by all of their decision making. 

Players who can look to be in the next team:-
Stephens - who offered a couple of runs, that at least forced Hull to think.
AA - Who looks frustrated at not being picked.
Fraser - Put in more of an effort than any of the others. 

The rest can be added to the names of the away fans today, and put into a selection tombola for next time out. 

Not sure about that. Their sole intention seems to be profit from player trading above anything else, including actually providing any entertainment for the fans.

I'm fucking sick of it now. I hate watching this team. That's what SR have done - they've sapped all my love of following SFC to the point that it has now become nothing but a chore. 

They're a bunch of incompetent, soulless wankers and I cannot wait for the day they finally sell up.

[Wade Garrett]

26 minutes ago, Saint Scott said:

Cooper is already the Brondby manager

That’s a shame.

[saintant]

1 minute ago, saintstowin said:

I keep hoping we'll show signs of progress but it's not looking good. Almost reaching the stage where pretty rubbish performances are standard. 

Our only win was the late show on day one. At least we attacked in that game. We've laboured all season. I was worried last week and today was worse. 

I don't know about giving up on Still but he's not showing us much.

Yeah, the time for excuses is over I'm afraid. Things have to start moving in the right direction very quickly or he's in for a very short tenure. Not convinced he has what it takes I'm afraid.

[explorer saint]

Clueless we are getting worse by the week he's out of his depth we all can see this 

[saintant]

3 minutes ago, HarvSFC said:

Bazunu - Wasn't good enough for us two years ago. Wasn't good enough in Belgium last year. Needed to replace Ramsdale, yet we're stuck with him.

Roerslev - Hasn't looked great recently. Very erratic on the ball and not great defensively. Another recruitment dud?

Harwood-Bellis - Has the reputation of a decent Premier League player, but plays like a Seaborne. Not good enough to lace the boots of Fonte/Hooiveld recently.

Stephens - If the club still had the standards it did 10+ years ago then he'd never have been good enough to be a starting centre-back for this club. Yet, here he is captaining this team because he's such a fantastic leader. As I said in the summer, being captain of this awful side isn't something you'd put on your CV.

Manning - Scored a couple of good free-kicks, but in open play he's just bad and always has been. Can't defend or stop a cross and offers little going forward.

Jander - Early, but from today his YouTube videos lied to me.

Charles - Probably been our best player this season, but isn't a player who can do it on his own and when the others are... Yeah.

Fellows - Early, but doesn't seem to have much pace out wide and hasn't created anything in his first two games.

Azaz - Early, but while he has created some nice moves he has always been missing a lot, as Middlesbrough fans warned.

Fraser - Doesn't have the pace or skill to start in an attacking position in this league anymore. Was a super sub two years ago, but now a permanent starter based on no end product, but a bit of endeavour when he's asked play full-back.

Downs - When a cross comes in he stands still ball watching, hence the two sitters missed this season. Doesn't do much, if anything. There were a few red flags around his lack of game time for the USA in the summer tournament. You don't have to be much good to start for them. The new Derby striker was playing ahead of him. The friendly goal gave us some hope, but he is looking like another recruitment dud.

Dire showing from the starting eleven this afternoon and hopefully some will finally get dropped as they've been putting in this substandard performances for well over a year now.

 

 

Yes but these are all the positives - can you pinpoint what is going wrong?

[Zorba]

30 minutes ago, Saint Scott said:

Cooper is already the Brondby manager

Potter will be available soon though and his stock should be suitably low enough for us now.

[saintant]

4 minutes ago, Badger said:

The reset needs a reset. 

When is a rest not a reset? Answer; When it is presided over by SR.

[Gloucester Saint]

Just now, explorer saint said:

Clueless we are getting worse by the week he's out of his depth we all can see this 

💯 sometimes a performance tells you all you need to know - Jones v Lincoln and Forest, Martin v Forest, Brentford and especially Bournemouth. Today was worse than any of those. However many games they want to give Still as a benchmark to improve, he isn’t going to. 

[saintant]

Just now, Zorba said:

Potter will be available soon though and his stock should be suitably low enough for us now.

Why is his stock low? Asking for a friend.

[saintant]

Just now, Gloucester Saint said:

💯 sometimes a performance tells you all you need to know - Jones v Lincoln and Forest, Martin v Forest, Brentford and especially Bournemouth. Today was worse than any of those. However many games they want to give Still as a benchmark to improve, he isn’t going to. 

That's pretty damning but I fear you may be right.

[SWLondon Saint]

Watched most of that, bloody depressing.

- There was clearly a plan to hit high crosses in to the back post - both THB and Stephens just got bullied by McBurnie. Baz should still be holding that header or getting it miles out.

- THB was absolute crap today, diving into silly challenges, stupid yellow card, couple of random giveaways and hoofing it straight out of play once. Too easily beaten for the knockdown for their second. Stephens didn't even jump for the third. Wtf is going on with them, honestly, we'd be better off with Edwards-Wood-Quarshie in a 3 than this crap.

- Azaz and Fellows totally anonymous. Robinson surely has to play over those 2, likewise at least Scienza tried to make something happen when he came on. Armstrong as well.

- I know there's a plan but when it's pissing it down you can do a lot worse than have a big man - little man combo up front and play it long. You could see the surface was heavy and our play was so slow trying to play it on the deck. Horses for courses.

- Early days but that Sheff Utd game looking like a bottom of the table 6 pointer, bloody hell.

[AlexLaw76]

Just now, Gloucester Saint said:

💯 sometimes a performance tells you all you need to know - Jones v Lincoln and Forest, Martin v Forest, Brentford and especially Bournemouth. Today was worse than any of those. However many games they want to give Still as a benchmark to improve, he isn’t going to. 

Bang on.

the Pompey game was very alarming, but this just demonstrates he is so far out of his depth, with him staying, winning a relegation fight is as good as it gets.

 

[Maggie May]

1 minute ago, SWLondon Saint said:

Watched most of that, bloody depressing.

- There was clearly a plan to hit high crosses in to the back post - both THB and Stephens just got bullied by McBurnie. Baz should still be holding that header or getting it miles out.

- THB was absolute crap today, diving into silly challenges, stupid yellow card, couple of random giveaways and hoofing it straight out of play once. Too easily beaten for the knockdown for their second. Stephens didn't even jump for the third. Wtf is going on with them, honestly, we'd be better off with Edwards-Wood-Quarshie in a 3 than this crap.

- Azaz and Fellows totally anonymous. Robinson surely has to play over those 2, likewise at least Scienza tried to make something happen when he came on. Armstrong as well.

- I know there's a plan but when it's pissing it down you can do a lot worse than have a big man - little man combo up front and play it long. You could see the surface was heavy and our play was so slow trying to play it on the deck. Horses for courses.

- Early days but that Sheff Utd game looking like a bottom of the table 6 pointer, bloody hell.

Wilder’s Sheffield United, too. We aren’t winning that. 
 

[Zorba]

3 minutes ago, saintant said:

Why is his stock low? Asking for a friend.

You have a friend?

[SWLondon Saint]

Just now, Maggie May said:

Wilder’s Sheffield United, too. We aren’t winning that. 
 

They just lost to Charlton at home, they're a mess too. Big player turnover too so this is not the team he had last season.

[Saint86]

Hard to see where the next win is coming from... And that is a ridiculously alarming thing to say.

The defence is just appalling - Martin seems to have terminally damaged all of the ones that played under him.

[captainchris]

25 minutes ago, miserableoldgit said:

As I said earlier, Matsuki must be worth a try after his performance at Norwich.

Matsuki should be playing!

Harwood Bellis and Basuno - forget it both not Goid enough. 
The new right back - What the hell is that all about fgs! He is really quite poor. 
Jenkar is it? Every pass backwards.

Robinson nowhere and he’s another player that should be playing…

What is WIll Still up to…?????

Defending is completely amateur.

Come on son you need to sort this out pronto because clearly we are way off where we should be.

[Dark Munster]

11 minutes ago, explorer saint said:

Clueless we are getting worse by the week he's out of his depth we all can see this 

All of us, except Ankersen and his SR bunch of clueless morons. 

[saint michael]

Still interview on bbc was also alarming. Thought we were in control and seemed surprised that we gave away 3 easy goals to lose. Same old same old. Needs to understand the difference in role. He was reporting in what happened and not why 

[Badger]

2 minutes ago, saintant said:

When is a rest not a reset? Answer; When it is presided over by SR.

Good question.

Which leads me to wonder “how many Sports Republic management structure does it need to change a lightbulb?”.

I’ve calculated 8 although may have missed someone 

Presumably:

Dragan to pay for it.

Spors, Lederer and a software bloke formerly of Barclays Bank , to scour the market for the best one available, probably a prototype that’s still in the early stages of development and not widely known to the rest of the market.

A technician to give it a check up, but if it doesn’t work now it’s not an issue as it may be okay in about two years, even if it doesn’t shine as brightly ever again 

Then, another one, the person to implement it functioning , if it was Martin he’d  make sure it was a eco friendly, or Still to check how it would function on FM or his X-box. And he’d be assisted in this pursuit by a bloke from Luton, because they’ve dealt with light bulbs before. And Nivea, because he’s there. 

[stfrancisofbenali]

27 minutes ago, trousers said:

As founder member of the the Bazunu fan club, one assumes @Lighthouse will chip in a contraian word or two ..?

Picking on one player is pointless and counterproductive when they were all so terrible. 

[hypochondriac]

Unfortunately will still is basically a kid. I thought he'd be some tactical maverick but he's just out of his depth so far with no idea how to change things. His latest interview after the game he sounds like he's given up. saintsfc- where good players go to die. Who was the last player we signed and actually improved them? I'm struggling to think of anyone over the past three years.

[stfrancisofbenali]

2 minutes ago, saint michael said:

Still interview on bbc was also alarming. Thought we were in control and seemed surprised that we gave away 3 easy goals to lose. Same old same old. Needs to understand the difference in role. He was reporting in what happened and not why 

Mousinho’s post match, in contrast, was extremely impressive. 

[hypochondriac]

3 minutes ago, saint michael said:

Still interview on bbc was also alarming. Thought we were in control and seemed surprised that we gave away 3 easy goals to lose. Same old same old. Needs to understand the difference in role. He was reporting in what happened and not why 

It's not losing it's the manner of the loss. Six games now and we've barely had any meaningful chances from open play. Our style of play is a lot worse than I expected and I was tempering my expectations for the start of the season.

[hypochondriac]

I wonder what this place is going to be like after we're tonked by Liverpool and Boro.

Edited 1 hour ago by hypochondriac

[Costa del Solent]

I’m very realistic about things taking time and not sacking another manager everytime you’re in a sticky patch. 
 

At the same time, that was really quite atrocious.And Still’s interview didn’t fill me with confidence, following the game. 
 

the real frustration is that, as usual, so many fans read the situation. Bazunu is not good enough. We needed a new goalkeeper, not some third place bench warmer, a keeper to improve the teams straight away. 
 

We needed a striker. So many called it. None of our bunch have shown anything close to consistent form over the past 12 months and it was fairly apparent fairly quickly that Downs is, to put it politely, not very good. 
 

there were gaping holes, we all saw them, all apart from our illustrious leaders, so it seems - I’d take mid-table obscurity at this point 

 

also, I’m just so bored of feeling shit about football. No joy at all at the moment with this team 

[Gloucester Saint]

5 minutes ago, stfrancisofbenali said:

Picking on one player is pointless and counterproductive when they were all so terrible. 

It really isn’t counterproductive he’s been the worst ever goalkeeper at the club for the last 2 seasons and a bit. Our fans need to do the club’s job for them (yet again) so he can clog up someone else’s wage bill. At a loss as to who’s though at the wages we are paying him to be Tommy Forecast for the 2020s. 

SR and their fucking projects. 

Edited 1 hour ago by Gloucester Saint

[hypochondriac]

3 minutes ago, stfrancisofbenali said:

Picking on one player is pointless and counterproductive when they were all so terrible. 

No it isn't. I said during the summer that success in the window for me would be replacing Bazunu in the starting 11. Our defence is awful and that starts with the keeper I'm afraid. No one has any confidence in him.

[Badger]

1 minute ago, stfrancisofbenali said:

Mousinho’s post match, in contrast, was extremely impressive. 

Credit where it’s due, I thought he played the media quite well last week. Even taking into account he was making sounds to appeal to the skate audience ( and I didn’t agree with him on some of what he said).

[SWLondon Saint]

5 minutes ago, saint michael said:

Still interview on bbc was also alarming. Thought we were in control and seemed surprised that we gave away 3 easy goals to lose. Same old same old. Needs to understand the difference in role. He was reporting in what happened and not why 

Well we were, we had all the possession and conceded absolute crap goals frankly. High ball to back post, knock down, goal for 2 of them, and a free header from a set piece. 

[SW11_Saint]

Just now, hypochondriac said:

No it isn't. I said during the summer that success in the window for me would be replacing Bazunu in the starting 11. Our defence is awful and that starts with the keeper I'm afraid. No one has any confidence in him.

You’d blame him for the second goal?

[tdmickey3]

30 minutes ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Bloody hell, it's getting worse by the week. We thought last week's first half was rock bottom now it looks like a fairly good performance.

Just get Still out now no humming and hahing. He's clueless, miles out of his depth. He has no system of play, has no idea of his best XI and relies solely on his players making it up as they go along. 

The omission of Robertson is unforgivable. He'll be looking for out at this rate. Our back four must be the worst in the League.

 

 

 

 

Robinson is Januarys cash cow

[stfrancisofbenali]

1 minute ago, hypochondriac said:

No it isn't. I said during the summer that success in the window for me would be replacing Bazunu in the starting 11. Our defence is awful and that starts with the keeper I'm afraid. No one has any confidence in him.

I’m no Baz fanboy and wanted us to sign Viktor Johansson from Rotherham when he was available but today’s abject display was not about one player. 

[SWLondon Saint]

2 minutes ago, SW11_Saint said:

You’d blame him for the second goal?

I don't think anyone's doing that, but the first goal he has to do better on. Him, THB and Cap'n Jack all need a spell on the sidelines.

Edited 1 hour ago by SWLondon Saint
Too many thbtbhbht

[tdmickey3]

4 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

I wonder what this place is going to be like after we're tonked by Liverpool and Boro.

Nothing special, just acceptance as we are so used to crap it’s nothing surprising 

[hypochondriac]

2 minutes ago, SW11_Saint said:

You’d blame him for the second goal?

Not every goal is his fault but he makes too many mistakes and just isn't good enough. I can't believe I have to watch him again for another whole season. He's shit for where we are.

[hypochondriac]

2 minutes ago, stfrancisofbenali said:

I’m no Baz fanboy and wanted us to sign Viktor Johansson from Rotherham when he was available but today’s abject display was not about one player. 

I didn't say it was but he's a big reason why we are seeing these sort of results. He shouldn't be in the team.

[Ralph Fastenbüttl]

On the one hand, I think the people calling for Still's head this early into the season are insane alarmists.

On the other hand, you look at the team and can't help but wonder what it is they're actually trying to do? We're playing with the same lack of identity we had under Mark Hughes. It honestly looks like he's just sending them out there with instructions akin to "just get stuck in, lads". Except they're not even doing that. 

What is the objective? What is the system? What is our style of play? I couldn't answer any of those questions. And I'm already exhausted by it all.

Edited 1 hour ago by Ralph Fastenbüttl

[tdmickey3]

A while ago a few of us said we will turn into Stoke but we are not it’s more like Blackpool