Saints 3-1 Stoke - Match Thread

[Gloucester Saint]

1 minute ago, hypochondriac said:

We better win today or I can feel a proper meltdown coming on. Really it should not be acceptable to field such a weak team. Central midfield in particular is really bad.

Yep, another defeat and listless display and a change probably needs to be made. Spygate was on Tonda at the end of the day. The unbeaten run didn’t result in anything so I’m only judging him on this season.

[hypochondriac]

Just now, tdmickey3 said:

You seem to be losing confidence in the signings despite lecturing me 🤣

Nope. I called you put for your idiotic comment that you don't know if we will replace THB. If we replace him with someone of the required quality is a different matter entirely as is the timing of his exit.

[James]

Just now, hypochondriac said:

They mostly only got away with it because they said all the right things and got the fans excited again. That's only going to last until the end of the window if they don't get the right signings in. Have to win today or they will be in trouble.

A lot of fans put a lot of faith in what Solak said about having a team as strong or stronger. Coupled with the fact that we went most of the summer without any sales I think a lot started to believe we might be propelled to automatic contention off the back of a “f*ck you” attitude and the same team as last year. As it is, we are still selling players but are selling them late and, at least in the case of Charles, without an imminent replacement. It’s a concern as we are still on -4 with a weak looking team/squad. If THB is sold we need good quality replacements asap, really no excuse with £50m banked in the last few weeks. 

[egg]

4 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

We better win today or I can feel a proper meltdown coming on. Really it should not be acceptable to field such a weak team. Central midfield in particular is really bad.

Yep. Although I blame Tonda for dropping us in the shit, I don't blame him for that team - it's about the best available to him. 

[bugenhagen]

20 minutes ago, ant said:

Shouldn't overlook that the bench is especially lacking for supposed automatic promotion contenders. 

Huge pressure in the coming week to shift some deadwood and to reinforce.

 

19 minutes ago, tdmickey3 said:

A hell of a lot to do in what remains of transfer window

Yeah, this was my initial thought when I saw the team.

[Saint NL]

5 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Stunner of a backheel volley as well. Tolaj has also looked very handy. 

Cracking finish tbf 

 

[newyork]

2 minutes ago, SouSaint said:

Agree with this. Shambles that the club got away with null and voiding an entire season. 

THB is way overated. He was complicit with our opening defeat. Good riddence but we need a No 1 replacement.  I forget the name of the chap we had but gave away who now plays for Spurs (Austrian)  but someone like him will be needed unless we plan for another 5 years in the Championship. The ladder is being raised and our status as a club is under threat

[James]

Just now, Saint NL said:

 

Cracking finish tbf 

 

Could have had him back for next to nothing…

[James]

Just now, newyork said:

THB is way overated. He was complicit with our opening defeat. Good riddence but we need a No 1 replacement.  I forget the name of the chap we had but gave away who now plays for Spurs (Austrian)  but someone like him will be needed unless we plan for another 5 years in the Championship. The ladder is being raised and our status as a club is under threat

Kevin Danso? 

[AlexLaw76]

Just now, newyork said:

THB is way overated. He was complicit with our opening defeat. Good riddence but we need a No 1 replacement.  I forget the name of the chap we had but gave away who now plays for Spurs (Austrian)  but someone like him will be needed unless we plan for another 5 years in the Championship. The ladder is being raised and our status as a club is under threat

Got to love the recency and bias of football fans..."good riddance" to the best CB in the league lol

[captainchris]

Fellows 😂😂😂😂

[tdmickey3]

2 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Nope. I called you put for your idiotic comment that you don't know if we will replace THB. If we replace him with someone of the required quality is a different matter entirely as is the timing of his exit.

Nope, you got upset because I called your ridiculous comparison on gravity and football transfers, that was idiotic.

There is no guarantees we will replace because we may not get the quality we desire so may not bother if we cannot improve on what we have.

Quality is needed not another Captain calamity type

[hypochondriac]

4 minutes ago, egg said:

Yep. Although I blame Tonda for dropping us in the shit, I don't blame him for that team - it's about the best available to him. 

Yep. Nothing Tonda can do really and he's said all the right things (though tbf the club have stuck with him so you could argue he owes them big time.) I expect he won't be overly happy today having to start with a CB pairing of wood and Stephens and a CM containing Matsuki.

[tdmickey3]

2 minutes ago, newyork said:

THB is way overated. He was complicit with our opening defeat. Good riddence but we need a No 1 replacement.  I forget the name of the chap we had but gave away who now plays for Spurs (Austrian)  but someone like him will be needed unless we plan for another 5 years in the Championship. The ladder is being raised and our status as a club is under threat

He’s now overrated because he’s gone, standard rubbish 

[hypochondriac]

3 minutes ago, newyork said:

THB is way overated. He was complicit with our opening defeat. Good riddence but we need a No 1 replacement.  I forget the name of the chap we had but gave away who now plays for Spurs (Austrian)  but someone like him will be needed unless we plan for another 5 years in the Championship. The ladder is being raised and our status as a club is under threat

He's not though is he. I know it's a bit of a coping mechanism to downplay how good some of our players are but he was probably the best cb in the league.

Edited 3 hours ago by hypochondriac

[James]

I’ll say it again, spending £9m on Dobbin as our only signing of the window looks extremely strange at this point given how short we are in other areas…

[captainchris]

4 minutes ago, Saint NL said:

 

Cracking finish tbf 

 

Sums up our thought process in using Goid players or not and letting them go…. Weird this one was….

[newyork]

1 minute ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Got to love the recency and bias of football fans..."good riddance" to the best CB in the league lol

Im not a football fan. I support Southampton FC.  Its a very poor league where he is the best. His best attribute is attacking corners, which is great, but aside from that...

[leesaint88]

Just now, James said:

I’ll say it again, spending £9m on Dobbin as our only signing of the window looks extremely strange at this point given how short we are in other areas…

I still genuinely believe this was to either cover off a Scienza transfer, and/or they were concerned about Azaz and his fitness over the summer. 

[hypochondriac]

1 minute ago, tdmickey3 said:

Nope, you got upset because I called your ridiculous comparison on gravity and football transfers, that was idiotic.

There is no guarantees we will replace because we may not get the quality we desire so may not bother if we cannot improve on what we have.

Quality is needed not another Captain calamity type

You're still talking shit probably best you drop it. You were unable to name a single recent transfer that didn't result in us replacing the player sold. We will replace him 100%. The fact you think otherwise is mad. 

Your sec is bd point about quality is a separate one and one I agree with. Selling our best players near the end of the window without replacements puts an awful lot of pressure on getting the incoming right. Spors needs a similar hit rate to last year or this season will be a proper scrap.

[hypochondriac]

4 minutes ago, James said:

I’ll say it again, spending £9m on Dobbin as our only signing of the window looks extremely strange at this point given how short we are in other areas…

According to some posters that's called writing him off...

Edited 3 hours ago by hypochondriac

[James]

Just now, leesaint88 said:

I still genuinely believe this was to either cover off a Scienza transfer, and/or they were concerned about Azaz and his fitness over the summer. 

If Dobbin is a Scienza replacement (if he goes) then I think many will be sorely disappointed. That’s not the level of replacement required for auto aspirations. 

[Gloucester Saint]

1 minute ago, leesaint88 said:

I still genuinely believe this was to either cover off a Scienza transfer, and/or they were concerned about Azaz and his fitness over the summer. 

He can’t actually play in Scienza’s position though - all the scouts needed to do was watch a few videos. Hopefully he’s better as a 10 than the poor displays so far. 

[James]

Just now, hypochondriac said:

Affording to some posters that's called writing him off...

I think Dobbin is a decent player, he’s a good Championship player that stood out for an average team last year. Is he a worthy addition to the squad? Absolutely. Is he a replacement for someone like Scienza? Absolutely not. Was he a priority if we needed to sell to buy? Not for me.

[tdmickey3]

Just now, hypochondriac said:

You're still talking shit probably best you drop it. You were unable to name a single recent transfer that didn't result in us replacing the player sold. We will replace him 100%. The fact you think otherwise is mad. 

Your sec is bd point about quality is a separate one and one I agree with. Selling our best players near the end of the window without replacements puts an awful lot of pressure on getting the incoming right. Spors needs a similar hit rate to last year or this season will be a proper scrap.

I said it wasn’t guaranteed and it isn’t unless we just buy for the sake of it.

Gravity 🤣

I feel it will be a huge scrap

[hypochondriac]

Just now, James said:

I think Dobbin is a decent player, he’s a good Championship player that stood out for an average team last year. Is he a worthy addition to the squad? Absolutely. Is he a replacement for someone like Scienza? Absolutely not. Was he a priority if we needed to sell to buy? Not for me.

That's the key bit for me. He's further strengthening an area we are already pretty good in. He's not where I'd be spending the 9 million that's for sure.

[swedish dave]

14 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Agreed. For a number of reasons.

.as if starting - 4 points wasn't bad enough, we must start pulling back those points PDQ before 

we stay stranded in the drop zone. 

[hypochondriac]

1 minute ago, tdmickey3 said:

I said it wasn’t guaranteed and it isn’t unless we just buy for the sake of it.

Gravity 🤣

I feel it will be a huge scrap

You're incredibly thick. Like I said best you move on.

[Gloucester Saint]

1 minute ago, James said:

I think Dobbin is a decent player, he’s a good Championship player that stood out for an average team last year. Is he a worthy addition to the squad? Absolutely. Is he a replacement for someone like Scienza? Absolutely not. Was he a priority if we needed to sell to buy? Not for me.

Not even sure on this although PNE got a decent season out of him last season. Doesn’t have any pace to go past people nor Finn’s vision to play people in. Must be able to finish but has had chances in first two games and didn’t look very composed. 

Hope he proves me wrong but he looks like squad filler to me and the club had loads of that already. 

[hypochondriac]

Just now, swedish dave said:

.as if starting - 4 points wasn't bad enough, we must start pulling back those points PDQ before 

we stay stranded in the drop zone. 

Plus Tonda needs to get some results in order to move on from spygate, fans need to have some belief and feel more positive about things, potential signings need to believe we can achieve something this year. A win here is very important.

[St Chalet]

11 lads wearing Saints colours about to go onto the park, need our support.

If we can all see the Stephens and Wood are not a top 2 CB pairing then so can the analysts, manager and ownership.

We'll should buy, 1 or 2 CB's and another CM before the window is over and it reduces the chance of Jander or Leo going.

[James]

Just now, swedish dave said:

.as if starting - 4 points wasn't bad enough, we must start pulling back those points PDQ before 

we stay stranded in the drop zone. 

I refuse to believe the -4 isn’t putting some targets off joining us versus other promotion contenders. That and the uncertainty about Tonda. It’s choosing to join an unsettled environment. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if we wanted that Anel guy and he just decided to join Burnley ahead of us. Adds to the importance of a win today to start wiping the minus out.

[SNSUN]

8 minutes ago, James said:

I’ll say it again, spending £9m on Dobbin as our only signing of the window looks extremely strange at this point given how short we are in other areas…

To be fair, I never thought we'd see Peretz or Larin again so there is that. 

[sadoldgit]

You know the bed is well and truly drenched when people talk about the second game of the season as a “must win” match!

[Gloucester Saint]

2 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Plus Tonda needs to get some results in order to move on from spygate, fans need to have some belief and feel more positive about things, potential signings need to believe we can achieve something this year. A win here is very important.

Must win game today or needs to be a shake up in the club. I wouldn’t have kept Tonda, but they have, and should be backing him. Gross disorganisation not to have replaced Charles and THB. 

Stoke ought to win comfortably but hopefully Saints can pull off an upset. 

Edited 3 hours ago by Gloucester Saint

[hypochondriac]

2 minutes ago, St Chalet said:

11 lads wearing Saints colours about to go onto the park, need our support.

If we can all see the Stephens and Wood are not a top 2 CB pairing then so can the analysts, manager and ownership.

We'll should buy, 1 or 2 CB's and another CM before the window is over and it reduces the chance of Jander or Leo going.

If we are serious about top two and it's not just bullshit for the fans then we really need two cbs, a top quality cm option and probably another attacking option and lose no one else.

[James]

3 minutes ago, sadoldgit said:

You know the bed is well and truly drenched when people talk about the second game of the season as a “must win” match!

It’s important given we are on -4. These conversations wouldn’t be happening in a regular season where we’d just lost the first game. This season is unusual as we are on a penalty and also realistically need to go up before the parachute payments run out. It’s pretty understandable why fans are tetchy…

 

Edited 3 hours ago by James

[OttawaSaint]

Those responsible for spying are fucking dipshits. We could be royally fucked for years (or for good) due to such a mind numbingly dim idea.

Trouble is, they'll be long gone while we bumble around in 16th place for years to come.

FFS!

Edited 3 hours ago by OttawaSaint

[DT]

Might as well get this post over with now.

What on earth was Stephens doing for that goal?

😉

 

[hypochondriac]

4 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Must win game today or needs to be a shake up in the club. I wouldn’t have kept Tonda, but they have, and should be backing him.

Stoke ought to win comfortably but hopefully Saints can pull off an upset. 

Don't agree with that. We need to put a shift in today and not just play well for half a game. The performance is as important as the result for me. We all need to believe we can move on from last year and the longer we go without a performance and result the harder that's going to be to believe.

Edited 3 hours ago by hypochondriac

[OttawaSaint]

4 minutes ago, St Chalet said:

11 lads wearing Saints colours about to go onto the park, need our support.

If we can all see the Stephens and Wood are not a top 2 CB pairing then so can the analysts, manager and ownership.

We'll should buy, 1 or 2 CB's and another CM before the window is over and it reduces the chance of Jander or Leo going.

We've had years and years of them blind to our deficiencies. No striker, crisp packet wrist goalies, CBs that turn slower than an oil tanker.

[Gloucester Saint]

1 minute ago, hypochondriac said:

the pinger we go without a performance and result the harder that's going to be to believe.

Need one of those today for whenever the ball goes near Jack Stephens around our own penalty box.

[tdmickey3]

5 minutes ago, sadoldgit said:

You know the bed is well and truly drenched when people talk about the second game of the season as a “must win” match!

It is. We need to get going but I know you are only posting this because Hypo agreed with me that it is must win

[die Mannyschaft]

2 minutes ago, OttawaSaint said:

Those responsible for spying are fucking dipshits. We could be royally fucked for years (or for good) due to such axmind numbingly dim idea.

Trouble is, they'll be long gone while we bumble around in 16th place for years to come.

FFS!

It was very odd not scack those responsible before 2nd leg SF. Club obviously new whi fudge what and thst it happened but tried to get awsy with the impossible with EFL

[Winnersaint]

3 minutes ago, DT said:

Might as well get this post over with now.

What on earth was Stephens doing for that goal?

😉

 

How about "Manning FFS!" 

[Winnersaint]

Estimates to when the first single word post with either the word Shit or fuck appears on the match thread?

[Jack]

1 minute ago, Winnersaint said:

How about "Manning FFS!" 

“Downes loves a booking”

[ant]

4 minutes ago, sadoldgit said:

You know the bed is well and truly drenched when people talk about the second game of the season as a “must win” match!

I get where you're coming from, but we'd do very well to not lose. 

Last season's 10 losses would be a fair aim, given the -4. Burning 2 of those straight away would raise legitimate concerns about the season's direction.

[hypochondriac]

Ultimately the club is bigger than any manager and Tonda will be under pressure for results even if sales aren't necessarily his fault. He needs the fans 100% behind him if we are going to achieve anything this year and that means he needs performances and wins.

[tdmickey3]

4 minutes ago, OttawaSaint said:

Those responsible for spying are fucking dipshits. We could be royally fucked for years (or for good) due to such axmind numbingly dim idea.

Trouble is, they'll be long gone while we bumble around in 16th place for years to come.

FFS!

Spy gate is not why we are not in the PL , it’s because we appointed Still and the kept him to long, one of the many SR balls ups.
We are now in what is likely last chance saloon for promotion