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Comment | Southampton At Leicester The Debacle
at 08:25:15
I meant is something wrong with the way they operate.
Markus reinstalled pride in our club - this rabble have hollowed it out and made us an embarrassment |
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Comment | Southampton At Leicester The Debacle
at 08:21:46
This result is a culmination in the lack of investment where it has been required for the last 3 + years. Lack of decent keeper, CBS and an out and out number 9/goal scorer.
Sports direct have got ever big calls wrong since they took over from not investing sensibly in the premiership to selling off the majority of talent last summer - including a proven goal scorer who's now got a German league winners medal.
While sports direct are in charge we'll remain, like their other clubs, playing lower league football for some time. They're more like hedge fund managers than football club owners. There isn't something odd about their business practices. |
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Comment | Southampton Need 8 Points To Secure A Play Off Place
at 18:53:50
Are sports republic actually interested in promotion ? They are a very curious organisation with interests in lower league European clubs where financial security probably isn't as high profile as it may be in top flight divisions. Maybe that's suits their business play book. |
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Comment | Southampton V Middlesbrough The Verdict
at 10:39:32
RM is a limited manager but the big issue at the club is sports republic. They've made several odd decisions in the short period they have been around and seem to hedge bets when buying and letting players go. It also seems like their director of football also wants a day in how the team plays which is not healthy for the club - the manager should be left to make on pitch decisions.
Sports Republic also prefer buying potential potential youngsters and the aforementioned hedge bets (Ross Stuart) which for a club like us partially makes sense, but we've not had a solid reliable old hard at the back for several seasons or a reliable striker which sent us down.
Letting the Tella leave last season reaked of profiteering after over spending on several flops the season before and the cash from ward prowse would surely have covered a large percentage of the losses from the previous season.
If RM was given a decent CB and a proven championship striker (Tella) RMs style of play may have paid dividends.
The reasons why Sports Republic operate as they do isn't something we'll ever know but they make seemingly odd decisions for a team supposedly chasing promotion |
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Comment | Russell Martin Must Stop Shoehorning Jack Stephens Into The Saints Side
at 08:47:01
Massive fan of JS and he's a ball player but he's not a CB. A sweeper would suit him more but can't imagine little pep would consider that role. As others have said the absence of Downes has been the main issue over the past month and of course Pep-Martins risky dogmatic playing style.
Playing Bednarek and JS together doubles the chances of mistakes being made in an unforgiving position on the pitch. Plus breaking up a settled CB partnership is simply foolish with a dose of arrogance thrown in.
COYRs |
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Comment | Southampton At Birmingham City The Verdict
at 22:10:32
Making hard work of it again. As much as I do not like RMs methods, and particularly messing around with the two CBS a win is a win and the team are playing for each other.
COYRs |
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Comment | RIP Chris Nicholl A True Southampton Legend
at 22:04:57
Brilliant article Nick, spot on. Saw him as player in his later but great years and appreciated his thankless task managing the club on a very limited budget. Sad news Indeed. |
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Comment | Southampton V Millwall The Verdict
at 18:46:53
As mentioned before we've got a decent squad but an average one speed manager. Swansea and MK Dons is his level. During the unbeaten run we rode our luck in several games and could have lost the game due to RMs over self confidence.
There have been several voices on this forum who have never warmed to RM as his one way of playing is high risk. When it works fine but when it doesn't and opposition don't let us play that way we're stumped.
RM has done a great job in creating a united squad in a pretty quick timeframe. He's also incredibly young (38) so is essentially servicing a managerial apprenticeship. I can understand the call to replace him with a more experienced manager but this squad isn't good enough to survive in the top flight so I think it's worth keeping him into next season and give him time to prove the likes of me wrong.
Will he change and adapt possibly - if his methods ultimately don't achieve his idea of success then he'd be a fool not to change and his time in the game will come to an end quickly.
He of course hasn't been helped by injuries, particularly to Flynn, but ultimately he has to get the big calls right 95% of the time at least. Also as others have said we need a few players who don't mind sticking the boot in when necessary.
COYRs |
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Comment | Southampton V Millwall The Preview
at 22:13:32
I think for those of us who are not convinced about RM the issues highlighted above are the reasons why - the lack of faith in his tactical flexibility and selection processes.
This league isn't particularly strong but by the same token the teams with better players (Leeds, Leicester and Saints) need to get team selections right 95% of the time otherwise even in the league they will be punished.
In addition to the last couple of losses the Swansea game could have gone badly wrong when RM committed the cardinal sin of an unforced change of the CB partnership. Note how Leeds demolished Swansea 4 -0 and didn't give them a chance to get back into it.
RM will tinker and made odd decisions between now and the rest of the season and that's a massive flaw in a manager of a team chasing automatic promotion.
He's done a decent job pulling together this squad into a hardworking team but his decision making at crucial times will be the difference between promotion and championship football next season.
COYRs |
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Comment | Southampton V Hull City The Verdict
at 22:07:59
Ian RC, the answer is no. Probably not. RM is an average manager who has bought into the Pep/Spanish 2000s/Dutch 74-78 total football philosophy that can only get results for top class squads and tacked it onto our club.
We have got a very good squad for this league, probably equal to Leeds and Leicester, but we have a manager who, for all his hard work pulling this squad into team, is still learning his trade (he's only 38) and will make mistakes.
The main issue of concern is that on the unbeaten run we had our fair amount of luck and favourable referee calls in our favour and the last few games the issues have been homegrown i.e selection issues. That needs to change. If it doesn't then the playoff's beckon and I think we'll fail that test. But is this squad ready for the top flight - the answer is a definite no.
An RM with this squad in this league for another season might be the making of him and this squad - COYRs
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Comment | Juventus Confirm Carlos Alcaraz Signing
at 23:37:49
Bit of a surprise and a shame as he seemed settled after a wobble earlier in the season. Maybe Martin just doesn't fancy him for what ever reason. Either way you don't loan out players you value when chasing promotion.
Who knows what goes on behind the clubs closed doors |
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Comment | Southampton V Watford The FA Cup Preview
at 11:38:22
Another important factor of who goes up is RM knowing his limitations and his squads strengths. Thankfully this league is full of average teams but if RM starts changing personnel, particularly the defence, on a cocky whim (I.e. at Swansea) we will be punished.
It's a shame that the FA cup has become a second rate competition but that's modern football. A club like Saints would love to win it but let's face it getting the millions of pounds and playing in the richest league in the world is much more important for owners of teams.
COYRs
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Comment | Southampton V Cardiff City The Verdict
at 13:12:40
Very pleased for Adam Armstrong, he's kept focussed after what must have been a confidence sapping few years but has shown incredible mental resilience and both and saints fans are now being rewarded.
RM is winning games so it would be churlish for anyone to complain after the last few months.
COYRs |
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Comment | Southampton At Preston North End The Verdict
at 15:28:35
RM is getting results which is ultimately the most important things in the immediate term. Longer term the squad is a bit thin in terms of cover in important positions which will be an issue due to the number of games played in this division.
When we start with the likes of S Armstong and Sulieman it put us in pole position (i.e. Leeds) in matches as they are our most creative players. Once the lead is established it makes sense to swap both out with less creative players to hold a lead rather than bring SA and Sulieman to chase the game when the opposition get behind the ball and close any space. However we can't keep starting with our most creative players otherwise we risk injury to them.
I'm not convinced that we have enough quality through-out the team to play intricate passing, particularly in defence and deep midfield, as others have said it costs us possession too often. I can see what RM is trying to do in terms of integrating a certain style within the squad which aims to improve the players but with the pace of A. Armstong and Sulieman and the passing ability of Downes and S Armstrong quick counter attacking football would play to the inherent strengths within the team and would reduce the risk of conceding goals from losing the ball in our half.
Things could be better but they could also but much worse COYRs |
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