Southampton Banter

19 Sep 2024 17:44:50
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new podcast entitled, New Ed1 Podcast on Youtube

18 Sep 2024 15:36:00
I haven`t posted for a while because I wanted to see RM reaction to events unfolding. It was apparent before the season start that his possession game would not be successful against premier league opposition, their coaching/technical/analyst departments are way to tactically proficient not to find a way to win against us especially as we are so one dimensional. What has been surprising is just how inept his player selection has been and his stubbornness bordering on arrogance not to accept error and try to rectify it during the game.
Examples, Brereton Diaz is a forward who favours playing slightly on the left of either a 2 man or 3 man attack NOT a left winger OR left midfielder. No height or power in attack, Onaucha offers both until Stewart is match fit. Lack of serious pace in the centre backs, ABK is lightening quick. Archer is NOT a centre forward OR penalty taker. Substitutions are often like for like and not impact or game changing. Man Utd were there for the taking in the first half but we dallied about after the penalty miss, gave them a goal and suddenly their confidence grew and ours just disappeared. MANAGERS FAULT!
Try going toe to toe in games where the team has a chance of winning and maybe experiment a little in games we would be expected to lose. Ramsdale Sugawara ABK Bednarek Taylor Downes Ugochukwu Dibling swapping with KWP (free roles but in wide positions cutting in) Onaucha/Stewart Archer. On the bench Llallana Diaz THB Fernandes Sulemana Fraser Smallbone Cornet McCarthy/ Bazunu. In December sell AA Aribo Manning Lumley Stephens and Loan Larios Edwards Amo. Keep Bree Wood as cover players. That would bring in about 8 million in sales but save 300, 000 a week in wages and employer NI contributions. The loans, including Charles and Edozie, are players who need first team football and should return in 2025 better players for the experience.
In December bring in an experienced striker in his early to mid thirties to help the team.

19 Sep 2024 14:41:08
There is so much frustration in so many of our posts, and yours 2408 has hit the nail on the proverbial head.
I am shocked at how bad RM is at the fundamentals of football.
If his footballing brain matched his rhetoric, we’d be European Champions… but having said that, his words are quite simply drivel, self indulging nonsense. He is watching a different game to all of us.

Added to that his team selection is very personal, he picks players he likes rather than for football reasons.
His substitutions are without reason.

I really don’t know what else to say. We all knew his tactics wouldn’t work in the EPL, we are seeing the evidence . but he still carries on regardless.

He may have changed this up recently, but wrong players in wrong positions playing the wrong tactics .

And he NEVER adjusts tactics throughout the game.

He needs to go now …
His belief in himself and his way, far outweighs Southampton FC .
His ego is all that matters . and the rhetoric makes Jones’ nonsense look rather less nonsense . and that’s saying something!
Get big Paul in . get ABK in .

19 Sep 2024 15:49:14
Surely they should at least give some sort of reason as to why ABK isn’t getting anywhere. There must be something going on in the background.
I don’t except a personality issue as that’s the managers job to manage that. Clues in his title.
If he has been exiled for that reason then the manager has failed doing his job.
If it’s something to do with an underlying injury and we are hoping to keep him fit and ship him out surely staying in the premier league is more important financially then getting £10m in for him in the January transfer window. Nothing makes sense.

19 Sep 2024 15:53:33
Also he talked about loyalty and loving some of the players who got us promoted in his recent press conference.
We have no time for that now.
Pick the best team.

18 Sep 2024 04:20:58
I don't know what to say tbh. Sure we won a cup game but in the league we are garbage. B-TEC Pep tries using possession ball and it clearly doesn't work I'm starting to realise he will realise his mistakes way too late or not even reaged his mistake.

15 million for Archer or around that mark and he really hasn't proved to be worth that much imo. I still don't think we have a team that scores goals. Possession ball doesn't work for us let's use the wings get crosses in big Paul could header it in. Start using players we paid for we aren't in the champions league to give our 'best' players a break.

18 Sep 2024 11:29:20
The good news is that we scored 7 goals in one game, which is 2 more than we scored against Cardiff in the previous round - ok, don’t get picky!

I think one of the decisions RM did get right was dropping Armstrong for last weeks clash against United. I thought Armstrong really struggled last night. When your confidence goes, so does your first touch and that was evident last night.

You’re probably right about Archer AlwaysASaint, but for me Diaz was even worse when he came on. I think we’ve been sold a couple of pups.

Others have said it, but surely last night was the time to go with Tall Paul. Whenever (and let’s be honest - it’s a rarity) we break down the bye line and swing a cross in, there’s generally only either Armstrong or Arxhet (not both) in the box and even if they stood on each others shoulders Tall Paul would tower over them.

17 Sep 2024 17:29:49
RM continues to blunder on in his own inimitable style.

Tonight's pre match interview has RM talking about giving fringe players a chance to stake their claim and resting others.

For God's sake man - play your strongest team and use it as a chance to bond and build together.

No one needs resting at this stage of the season and we need a win.

In other news, some elite players are talking of going on strike because of pressures of extra CL games.

Tell it to the NHS (and others) you pathetic spoilt overpaid self serving cretins.

17 Sep 2024 20:36:56
What an absolute load of rubbish - remember that one about watching paint dry?

Bree doesn’t want the ball - only way is back.

Wood - should have played rugby - he will give pens away if he insists on bear hugging everyone.

Taylor - Championship at best.

Even Lallana’s caught the disease.

It’s even worse than dire!

17 Sep 2024 23:24:59
Hi Millertime. I completely agree with your post. I would have loved to have seen a full strength team play tonight and give a dominant performance to boost the teams spirit and the clubs morale. We had the opportunity tonight to set out our strongest lineup which in my opinion would have prepared us better for a must win game on Saturday. We have a relatively new group of players that need as much match time as possible to get them connected as one. I know we ended up winning the game but once again our performance was mediocre at very best, and against a more organised team I don’t think the result would have gone our way. Thoughts?

16 Sep 2024 07:39:16
{Ed's Note - lesleee has posted a new article entitled, Current Thoughts On Southampton FC

15 Sep 2024 08:14:57
I propose we seriously shake it up against Everton and experiment. It's a free roll of the dice.


Ramsdale
KWP. ABK. THB. Taylor
Downes. Ugochukwu
Sugawara Dibling. Ameyaw
Onuachu

SUBS
Fernandes for Ugochukwu
Lallana for Dibling
Cornet/Fraser for Ameyaw
Armstrong for Sugawara
Stewart/Diaz for Onuachu

Two young CBs but Ramsdale, KWP and Taylor add experience around them. Two solid DMs.

Sugawara, Dibling and Ameyaw have been the players to get me on the edge of my seat, so let's throw the kitchen sink and experiment.

Diaz, AA, Archer and Stewart have fallen short so let's give Onuachu a go and get balls in the box.

15 Sep 2024 19:55:05
That requires our manager being innovative - haven’t had one of those since Koeman!

16 Sep 2024 06:18:24
I think these young lads need a very experienced coach because mentally they are caving and we will fall as are already in a dog fight. If we get nothing in our next to games then I would bring in Moyes.

Not pretty football but very effective and I would rather watch well drilled boring football then this. That’s if he’s not already been tapped up by Everton which is likely.Or Potter but either way you need serious prem experience.

16 Sep 2024 09:18:30
I know I bang on about him but for me, Sulemana should be given a chance (if he’s fit)

16 Sep 2024 10:01:24
The start from Saints v Utd. was impressive and so much better with a revamped team (with a further 2/3 improvements still necessary) to give us a fighting chance of survival. A pity to heap the pressure on Cameron Archer in the ‘cauldron’wherehis phsychological state of mind (particularly after a lengthy wait) contributed to the horrendous miss which ultimately triggered the ensuing collapse.Being that Utd.first two goals were attributed by our defenders playing Utd.on side.The next weeks training session should be to teach our defenders how to position themselves to avoid such a repeat Expect RM to be quite traumatised having to remove Stephens name from next Team sheet so early.! It will be very interesting to see how Russell Martin performs tactically against another Rookie Coach Kieran McKenna of Ipswich Town (not withstanding Saints Home advantage) Keep on Marching!

14 Sep 2024 16:46:18
Oh and Miller time .

I'd like to draw your attention to the table and that of Nottinghams current position and ours ;)

JWP in the starting lineup that's beating Liverpool too.

14 Sep 2024 21:18:10
It’s a marathon not a sprint my friend - but I take your point!

While I’m here - just saying that I agree with the consensus - the first half hour up to the pen miss was as good as we’ve played and there were signs that we can at least compete with teams outside the top half of the table.

Answer me this though - Diaz has taken 7 pens and scored all of them. Archer has never taken a pen in over 100 games - until today that is. I’m still trying to work out the logic of that?

So if we continue with this run of defeats I reckon a new manager will be in place by the next international break as someone else predicted on this forum.

On the bright side - the Northam end rocks (up until we go 2-0 down that is) so thumbs up to the club for getting that right.

Still no clue as to best starting line up but for me it would include Lesley and Downes in the middle and Dibling - what a player he is! Good to see Stewart back although I have no idea how prolific he will prove to be.

Oh, and if we go 2-0 to Everton on Tuesday night - don’t get too alarmed!