Forum
Thread

McCarthy
at 15:37 30 Aug 2024

Though I think McCarthy is a very average keeper he did help us get promotion and today must be a bitter pill for him to swallow. I know he will still get paid but it must hurt professionally.

Forum
Thread

Corners
at 07:54 19 Aug 2024

Watching the game on Saturday, I lost count on how many corners we had, especially in the 2nd half and I don't recall one creating a goal threat. We rarely beat the first man and we never appeared to attack a corner. This was an issue last season in the championship so we cannot say it is a PL thing. There was a time when corners were seen as an advantage.

Forum
Thread

My summary of yesterday's game
at 08:22 18 Aug 2024

The day after yesterday and my summary of the game is fairly straightforward.

A goalkeeper error cost us any points and a failure of any of our forwards to make any impact cost us the chance of at least clawing back a draw. Against 10 men and in that second half, for all our possession in and around the box and I don't recall forcing their keeper to have to make a meaningful save.

It was obvious that Howe would set up as 2 banks of 4 in the second half and just be happy to let us play around as much as we like knowing that they would limit our chances. Howe knows how to adopt the dark arts of football and he does it well - we may not like it, but it is effective. It is results that matter at the end of the day. You get nothing for tippy tappy football that has no impact.

It wasn't all bad though. The goal aside, the first half was a good watch and no one had a bad game until McCarthy inexplicably gifted them a goal. There is no excuses for that gross error. He was not under significant pressure, he had time to just get rid of it as we were merely closing in to the half time break. More importantly he is an experienced keeper who should not be making that sort of mistake. It is not one off with him, you know sooner or later he will do that. That goal aside I don't recall McCarthy being seriously tested. If that doesn't tell RM that we don't have a good enough keeper I don't know what does. The thing, is everyone has been saying it for ages. Why can everyone see it except the people that matter?

We showed good team spirit and grit and we were not a push over and those are good points as in the past we have been a soft touch at times. But, for all our hard work, our possession and forward play when we got near the box we offered no real threat. Even with the minutes being run down we did not make incisive runs into the box or create any real chances.

There were some good performances and none more so than KWP. He was priceless and we would be mad to lose him. We cannot let the best of what we have go when it is patently going to be a hard and difficult season. Sugawara was very good and I was surprised to see him hooked off. Our midfield worked well together.

Before the game I expected a defeat and a fairly hard defeat. The first half until the goal gave me unexpected hope. At the end I felt quite annoyed and frustrated because I felt we blew the game and handed Newcastle the win rather than lose by a better side. They were not better than us but they were professional and streetwise and whatever you may think of Howe he is tactically astute.

A final bit on our fans. Absolutely brilliant. We made an atmosphere, we were vocal and supportive throughout and the support was good.

Forum
Thread

2 signings that I believe will be good for the clubs that have grabbed them
at 16:47 6 Aug 2024

I have got it wrong when judging the potential of players and this is as much about gut feeling as anything else, but my hunch (for what it is worth) is that the signing of Smith-Rowe and Fullkrug for Fulham and West Ham respectively will be good signings and will make a difference to them. I can see Fullkrug being a Ricky Lambert type of player. They are not cheap but this is probably the area of spend you need to get someone of a level that can compete in the PL.

Of course, I could be completely wrong and they could turn out pants - well, lets hope so when we play against them.

Forum
Thread

Ryan Fraser
at 15:01 9 Jul 2024

I know I should know and I may have missed it when I was on holiday, but has Ryan Fraser been made permanent at Saints or is still awaiting an outcome? I know Downes is still up in the air.

Forum
Thread

Am I odd?????
at 09:05 29 May 2024

....now most people that know me would respond with a resounding yes and probably people on here who put up with my various missives from me on anything Saints and football would not argue with that too much, but.................

in this case am I odd in still feeling on cloud 9 over Sunday and it being one of the best footballing days in decades of following Saints, but (and here is the negative) I cannot get excited about being in the Premier League? I wanted to win, I loved the experience and the joy it brought and that can never be taken away, but no matter how I try I just cannot warm to the PL. The thought of attending games with little or no hope of winning, or dodgy VAR decisions or indecisions and the soap opera that goes with the PL, the tourist fans and diluted support as a result, etc.

Please log in to use all the site's facilities

A1079

Site Scores

Forum Votes:	322
Comment Votes:	1440
Prediction League:	0
TOTAL:	1762