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Thread | Was it wrong to dispense with RM this season?
at 13:19 18 Feb 2025
This is a question that is now arising in my mind from a football and SFC perspective.
There was no doubt that having got us promoted,(albeit through the back door of the play-offs), RM was right to be given the chance at this level. It had become clear though, that his tactics (or some would say a lack of them) and refusal to adapt was resulting in the same outcome. Now, how much of that was down to him or the quality of the players that he had at his disposal is a moot point.
I have seen that Ramsdale and other players recently indicate that they were bought into his style and regretted his departure. Now some could read that as RM being "soft" with the players and that is why they liked him!
I think it is fair to say most Saints fans were realistic about this season. I doubt many, other than the deluded, thought we would have anything other than a relegation fight on our hands. But, equally, I doubt that many of us foresaw or expected the nightmare shambles of a season that this has become in every quarter of Southampton FC - both on and off the pitch.
The appointment of Juric appears to have only served to make things worse in terms of the team and players. It could be said that he was given a poison chalice (and maybe I am being harsh), but at the minimum you would have hoped he would have brought some unity and cohesion even if the results did not change. What I see is a disorganised shambles, with poor man management and players that now appear to believe in nothing and can't wait to get out of this season and probably out of the club. This is then reflected in the supporters who must wonder what it is exactly they are supporting?
The booing of Smallbone was awful and whilst he was having a poor game so were many of the others and many have been poor now for the best part of a season. But, really I believe that booing was a reflection of the frustration now amongst all fans. I actually wonder why we are bothering to turn up? - there is no joy or entertainment or fun in watching this car crash of a mess.
Kat Liebherr to Gao to SR have an awful lot to answer for. Between them they have managed to bring a once proud club down to the level of embarrassment even more so than the administration years. [Post edited 18 Feb 13:23]
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Thread | Burnley and yesterday
at 22:39 9 Feb 2025
I have supported Saints since being a school boy and attended to games to various degrees for almost 50 years.
This weekend I travelled the 240 miles down south and just got back this evening after seeing family as well.
I can safely say that yesterday's game is probably my final one for this season. There is no way that I am investing any more money into the club with what remains of this season. May be it is just me, but yesterday almost highlighted the abject state of our club, the team, the players as individuals.
Walking to the game I cannot recall an FA Cup game on a Saturday afternoon where there was no atmosphere, no sense of interest or appeal in the city or to the supporters and as it so proved with a crowd of around 15k.
The game itself was fairly mundane though both sides did engineer some chances with little real cutting edge. What was the defining moment though was the Burnley goal - not that they scored a scrappy one to win it - that almost seems to be a given when we play Burnley - but the lack of response and the attitude of our players - you would think with minutes to go and 1-0 down in a cup game they would show some effort, desire and passion - but no, not a scrap of it. With 3 minutes on the clock they were pointlessly passing it around the back with no sense of urgency to move it or thrust the ball forward. The moment Burnley scored they visibly gave up - all of them!
In all my time of supporting and watching Saints I have never seen such an abject group of players to wear our shirt and carry our badge.
I am not convinced by Juric any more than I was of the previous recent incumbents. Nothing has changed that much, if at all, but I am starting to wonder whether these players, this club is becoming unmanageable. There is a whole malaise running through every sinew of the club. I was always proud to be a Saints fan but right now I am embarrassed. These players, these owners, the guardians of our club have turned it into a sham. |
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Thread | The difference between us against Man U and Bournemouth against Newcastle today
at 23:17 18 Jan 2025
I know to praise Bournemouth is now almost sacrilege but there were clear differences in attitude and approach.
- Bournemouth did not sit and rely on one goal and put their chances away
- they did not sub the players that were on top
- they did not stop running until the final whistle
What a manager they have as well. Has to be the best signing they have ever made. |
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Thread | MOTD
at 23:18 4 Jan 2025
I dared to watch MOTD. Danny Murphy (who I am not a fan of and always has a downer on us even when we are ok) and Micah Richards assessment was so right. The players attitudes stank today. As both pundits said, they did not even do the basics which you should expect no matter who the manager or style or tactics.
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Thread | Feeling of desperation for our club.
at 17:32 4 Jan 2025
I have seen all sorts of highs and lows in my lifetime as a Saints fan but I am struggling to think of a time where I have felt as low and depressed about our team, our club and SFC as I do now. I don't think I even felt like this during the Branfoot era or the administration and points deduction period.
I really see no hope whatsover. The players have given up, if indeed they ever started, the morale and motivation is beyond rock bottom. We are clearly heading towards beating the Derby record - another sorry record to be apportioned to our club for our rivals etc to take years on the p*ss out of us.
I see no indication and have zero confidence in those supposedly managing and running the club and as long as they are in charge I cannot see anything changing/improving - but like looking for a shining white knight on the brow of a hill all is see is a grey sky. Marcus Liebherr did so much for us, sadly his daughter was not careful about who she handed the reigns to - first Gao and then this sorry lot.
I have never been in favour of it before because I always felt you had to get behind the team but I am not even sure the players give a jot for Saints or SFC. They show no fight, no resilience, no interest and therefore I think it needs a total boycott of a home game. I know that will be nigh on impossible to achieve but somehow we need to show enough is enough.
Quite where we go from here, I have not got a clue.
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Thread | Is there anything positive about SFC at the moment?
at 11:49 2 Jan 2025
As I was driving into work this morning, on the radio there was something about footballing sculptures and what is the best and worst...........surprise, surprise there was a resounding view that the initial sculpture of Ted Bates was considered the worst (though it has since been replaced).
The other day Danny Murphy (can't stand the guy and he hates us) was saying that Saints are the worse side since Derby to grace the PL.
We cannot get a win for love nor money.
We are languishing and firmly routed at the bottom.
We have the 2 x 9-0 record defeats
and it goes on and on. No one could ever accuse us Saints fans of picking an easy team to support and watch. I know we have had some good times in the past and I have been lucky enough to witness some of them, but I cannot recall a time where the brand and name of SFC seems as low as it is now........I am not even sure it was as low as this during the administration years?????? |
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Thread | Will today be the day?
at 08:07 20 Dec 2024
Will today be the day or will it just be imminent and if it is imminent how imminent is it imminent? |
| | A1079
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Site Scores| Forum Votes: | 216 | | Comment Votes: | 1524 | | Prediction League: | 0 | | TOTAL: | 1740 |
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