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Comment | You Can't Buy A Ferrari With Fiat Money ! Saints Owner Tells Trabzonspor
at 14:38:48
No one ever knows the full story and whole truth about transfers and velues of players. But if we dont acquire some proven and future talent for scoring goals pretty soon, we are going to be right back in the Championship, where to be honest the curent squad and manager belongs. If the manager doesn't rate Onuachu, then for goodness sake move him on, or pay someone to take him away! Why did we pay all that money for him in the first place, dont play him, and then say he's worth a fortune! At the moment the forward, those that can stand up, are not going to frighten anyone in the Premier League. |
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Comment | Saints Can Now Start Planning Their Transfer Strategy For The Premier League
at 10:12:33
I have never been a true fan of Russell Martin's preferred tippy tappy style of football, but he has earned the right to continue as manager, and perhaps, JUST perhaps, he has started to find a Plan B, for occasions such as the final Leeds match.
Our transfer strategy has to provide the manager with the players effective at using his possession based tactics. In previous years the number of crazy mid season transfers and signings has failed to follow a carefully planned strategy, and RM must now be given the backing to bring in the type of player his chosen playing style demands.
We must be aware that Sheffield Utd, Burnley and Luton were promoted only to be relegated the next season; I'm not convinced that the prospects for Leicester and Ipswich remaining for more than one season in the Premier League are much better! As things stand we should be aiming to put together a squad at the very least capable of reaching mid table next season - Bournemouth and Brighton are proof that this can be done.
RM has to be ruthless and remove from the large existing squad the players that simply are either not good enough, or not suitable for his chosen style of play. We desperately need to find some proven goalscorers to play alongside Adam Armstrong who, although a great success story this year, is yet to prove he can be as effective in the Premier League .. We need to bring in an experienced Leader, possibly as a new Club Captain, to help organise our in-play changes in strategy.
There is plenty more that could be included in any 'need to buy' list. This is the beginning of a new chapter in the history of our football club and although RM insists he will not change his favoured playing tactics, he is going to have to adapt his style of play when taking on sides in the Premiership. If not- we will join the long list of failing Clubs that returned the very next season to the Championship. |
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Comment | Southampton Have Double Striker Injury Worries Ahead Of Wembley Date
at 11:22:19
Clearly the final will be a tremendous occasion for both teams. Expect many rumours and stories before the end of the week.
For me it will be fascinating to compare the two managers Daniel Farke and Russell Martin. The players have to do the business on the pitch, but I have a feeling the two managers will have an enormous influence on the eventual outcome! |
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Comment | Southampton At West Bromwich Albion The Play Off Verdict
at 21:37:17
So many interesting and perceptive comments above about the match tactics and individual performances, especially the references to McCarthy, Bednarek and Downes(positive); and Mara, Armstrong and Manning (mostly negative). The tippy tappy risky football at the back we got away with this time - but that will not always be the case. Our boys are going to be so nervous on Friday, while Albion will probably feel as outsiders they have nothing to lose. Whatever our feelings on the main protagonists whether they be our players or management, we will stand together on Friday night and hope for a major step forward to the beginning of another great chapter in the history of our Club. |
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Comment | Southampton At Leeds United The Verdict
at 12:21:56
you just dont know what will happen next! the form of the top teams is so up and down and no two matches are ever alike!
the play-offs will be a lottery and I wouldn't count Leeds out but at least Saints fans must be feeling better after this game.
I think we all agreed for the remaining matches we must get behind the players, hope the players put in the effort, and pray that Wussell doesn't change things too much and try to be clever. Was that really OUR midfield charging its way through the opposition instead of playing tippy tappy? So much better to see KWP attacking the opposition with other players providing defensive cover - most of the time - to allow him the freedom to operate e when necessary as a winger.
So who knows what will happen next? 4 teams all with a chance, with Saints and Leeds clear favourites. |
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Comment | Southampton V Stoke City The Verdict
at 13:44:12
Well Wussell was right about one thing. Play Captain Jack and we dont lose 0-5. Probably more down to McCarthy than Stephens but nevertheless a fair call!
Surely its best now to wait and see how the last few games play out for Saints ? Nick is calling for supporters to get behind our team and lets still believe in promotion. I presume the other three clubs involved will be thinking along the same lines!
Wussell has two or three times recently called on our players for maximum effort and to show a fighting spirit. Clearly the manager has inspired few to heed his call and bust a gut for their team. Leeds, Ipswich, West Brom and Hull will throw everything at the play-offs if they are involved. I get the impression that several of our players will go through the motions, but couldn't really care - their futures could be elsewhere so they'll soon get over any disappointment!
I'm not sure that we will ever really know just how good our current squad is. They are being asked to play a style of football that they are not good enough collectively to play,, and still after a long season, few players seem to have a clue just what's expected from each of them.
I've seen it written here by some that we should be grateful that we have a team capable of reaching the play-offs, and that Wussell has given us an exciting season to enjoy and should be given more time. The next two or three games could still be interesting and change a few opinions. If the players believe in the manager and that promotion is still a distinct possibility, then hopefully they will give the fan base the performance and effort we can all be proud of. I'm sure the Saints supporters will not let them down! |
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Comment | Southampton V Stoke City The Preview
at 15:21:28
" Protestations that the fan base are bereft with the current side are way off the mark (in my opinion)."
Not so sure of the truth of this statement.
If we lose to Stoke and/or go on to miss out on promotion through the play-offs, I hope the vast majority of our fan base will realise the utter stupidity of playing the RM tippy tappy stuff with players neither good enough nor happy to play it.
We are not a Premier League side and it was not asking a lot extra from our players to win more games this season in the Championship. If next season we lose our best players and get a new selection of spares from the likes of clubs like Bournemouth, we shall soon start to struggle. Playing Stoke at the weekend might help remind a few supporters that their decline started when they failed to gain immediate promotion back to the Premiership. |
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Comment | Southampton V Stoke City The Preview
at 15:11:38
" Protestations that the fan base are bereft with the current side are way off the mark (in my opinion)."
Not so sure of the truth of this statement.
If we lose to Stoke and/or go on to miss out on promotion through the play-offs, I hope the vast majority of our fan base will realise the utter stupidity of playing the RM tippy tappy stuff with players neither good enough nor happy to play it.
We are not a Prelier Lea |
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Comment | No Togetherness No Character No Fight
at 12:27:32
I think Russell Martin's comment about leaving Jack Stephens out was an appalling admission. Apparently RM doesn't read the criticism of his management style (so HE says), believes in Captain Jack, but then leaves him out of one of the biggest games of the season, and then ridiculously claims after the match to have made a mistake! Another one!!
Martin is clearly out of his depth and our current squad is not good enough or comfortable enough with his possession style of play. Martin isn't capable of playing any other way (again his words) and we need a manager better suited to the challenge of getting our players back into the Premier League.
I agree there should be no change for the rest of this season - but it appears that several of our better players will be on their way out of the Club at the end of the season, and it will then be necessary to start again. I would look for Steve Cooper or Graham Potter - and I've been saying this all season so this is not a knee jerk reaction on my part.
Through all this I haven't heard much from Sports Republic. Ultimately they will make the final decision about the manager for next season. What is clear however is that RM is losing the substantial support that he enjoyed from our super loyal fan base. At the end of the day that is the danger signal even Sports Republic cannot afford to ignore.
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Comment | Southampton At Leicester City The Preview
at 12:31:55
Well it looks like the play-offs and I guess the best anyone can say is - what will be will be! Four potential clubs going for the Premier League and just ONE is going to miss out!
My main regret if we dont get promotion, would be to see us lose a number of players who could really have formed the nucleus of a really useful squad going forward.
If we are stuck with Russell Martin it has to be recognised that his brand of football requires quality players suited to his possession style, and those are most likely to be the ones that we will lose come end of season.
Lets hope we perform well against Leicester and Leeds: but I doubt these games will tell us anything we dont already know!! |
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Comment | Southampton At Cardiff City The Verdict
at 10:20:36
Adam Armstrong and Che Adams are among the leading goalscorers in the Championship, but in truth their failure to kill games off by scoring more goals has been a major contributory factor to our present plight. This thread greeted Brooks, Rothwell and Fraser with high hopes of providing more goals from other positions. but they were players who fell short at their previous clubs and they are quite simply not the answer for Saints. We went for Stewart to be our salvation - took an enormous risk with his fitness- and look where we are now!
We can make other justified criticisms of the team and the manager, but if the strikers had performed and justified their reputations and early promise, we would be home and dry by now. As for our massive collection of wingers - well if the finished product isn't there then they count for very little when it comes to winning matches.
My problem with the manager is that our possession based football - to give it its polite name!-inevitably produces tired legs! ; Thats understandable, but he's had all season to plan what comes next, later in the game when substitutions have to be made. The substitutes only seem to create chaos and confusion and often are a greater threat to our team than to the opposition. He still doesn't know his best team or have an effective plan 'B'.
Maybe he can sort it out, but his after match comments leave me with many reservations about his ability and suitability to lead a team to the Premer League. Until the Cardiff game, he insisted on labelling everyone 'brilliant' or 'amazing', and I also doubt that the tippy tappy style is appropriate for our current squad.
The play-offs will be a lottery and poor compensation for a season where we worked hard to reach a promising league position and most observers felt that we had the squad capable of going all the way to the Premier League. |
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Comment | Southampton V Preston North End The Verdict
at 11:11:19
"Hopefully Russell Martin has learned a lesson, he returned to the foundations of the side that took us into the top two, before he tinkered with the side and cost us some dropped points."
A quite outstanding first half from the Saints demonstrating just how good we can be when we get the team selection and balance right.
Up front Adams and Armstrong were given better service and we got the ball forward quicker on many occasions. We certainly need these two to remain on form for the final push.
Felt sorry for Lumley but I guess the manager went for experience over youth. The four at the back looked comfortable and with McCarthy in goal surely there will be less tippy tappy play in our penalty area. KWP was involved in everything early on - another plus from not playing three centre backs!
I am sure the manager will use tiredness and the need for rotation as excuses to squeeze his favourites back into the starting line up at some point in the run in, but whereas we could have been home and dry by now, we are fighting a battle royal with three excellent but stuttering sides! |
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Comment | Southampton At Blackburn Rovers The Verdict
at 10:03:57
"This was a team lacking in everything, the confidence has been shot, there is no discernible pattern to our play and more to the point there is no leadership from the manager."
Well I guess there's not much else left for me to criticise! From the very beginning Martin thought he knew best and how the team should play. He has an enormous ego and superior opinion of his management qualities, and now the sight of him parading after a game clapping furiously, is beginning to make me feel sick. He is exceptionally stubborn and determined no matter what happens to stay with his one chosen approach to prove himself right!
This constant fiddling with the team means there is no consistent pattern to the defence and our attacking players can manage just two shots on target between them against a team with one of the worst defensive records in the League. The tippy tappy sideways and backwards pattern of football is all Russell Martin can deliver, and we simply do not have the quality or understanding in our squad to make it work.
I refuse to discuss Stephens or any other individuals - we all have our favourites and those players we want out. Many of the players must be totally confused as to their role and function during a match. Now that Jason Wilcox has gone I cant wait for this total misfit of a manager to be shown the door, and lets start to enjoy the player talent that we probably have at the moment. I say, at the moment - by the time Martin has been sacked we will have lost most of our best players who must already be forming a queue behind KWP at the exit door!!!
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Comment | Southampton At Ipswich The Verdict
at 13:49:23
As I have repeated many times there really is very little between the top four sides in the Championship. Saints can play eye-catchingly well at times, but even the weaker Championship sides have identified our weaknesses and areas of vulnerability.
Our defenders are not poor as individuals but they have been moved around and messed about so many times, its no wonder they forget their individual and collective responsibilities. Bazunu is an accident waiting to happen but much of his weakness at the knees is a result of the indecision and hesitation in front of him.
Our midfield looked temporarily better with Aribo replacing Smallbone, but the former seemed to tire badly and with Stu Armstrong rarely great at defending, Ipswich found their encouragement to launch attack after attack.
Although both Adam Armstrong and Adams found the back of the net, it was so predictable that our attackers would still manage to miss so many clear cut chances that once again it looked ominous for our chances of holding on. You can excuse this fact once or twice, but it is the same thing happening every time we play.
Our substitutions once again were at best baffling and totally ineffective, unlike those made by Ipswich. Their substitutes changed the game.
The truth is we are at least as good as the three teams above. But Leicester, Leeds and Ipswich have managers that make all the difference with their team selections, ability to change tactics and their substitutions.
How anyone could leave Walker-Peters sat on the bench for the most important match of our season so far, is way way beyond baffling. Martin has been the architect of his own downfall, and the main reason we have no chance now for automatic promotion. |
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