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Thread | Moments of class
at 08:56 22 Sep 2024
It was a goal of pure class from Lallana and Dibling yesterday. It's no coincidence that they have both been key to the 2 PL goals that we've scored this season because they are our 2 most technically gifted players, which is what you need if you want to play the passing game in the PL.
One of our biggest problems is that our build up play is generally too slow and we end up having to pass our way through a packed defence. Only top class players can do that with any regularity in the PL. We're fortunate that Lallana and Dibling are top class (even if you still hate AL). Lallana has the technique to play for Man City and Dibling probably does too. Neither has the physicality to last 90 mins at the moment, but the technique is top level.
The problem is that we don't have enough of these top level players to play this way in the PL. But when it works, it's magic. |
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Southampton v Ipswich Town prediction logged |
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Thread | The players are losing belief
at 18:54 14 Sep 2024
The worst thing about today, for me, was that it said that the players are losing belief. We started well and seemed to have improved, but after the penalty (which was taken with no conviction) we just fell away and looked resigned to defeat. The team's confidence couldn't even survive the slightest dent. It's a bit early in the season for a team to be losing hope like that.
I'm sure RM believes in what he's doing, but I don't think the players share that belief. A team that had belief would have been encouraged by winning a penalty and kept going. They showed in the first 30 mins that they could compete if they played positively. The only thing that explains the change in performance after the penalty is a change in mentality (for both sides to be fair).
It will be very difficult to build that belief by playing PL games. If we were a stubborn defensive side, we could grind out some nil-nils and build from there. But any Russell Martin side is going to concede goals. A Russell Martin side has to rely on scoring plenty, but it is difficult to see how those goals will be scored when there is no belief in the side (except for Dibling who was terrific).
Although it is early in the season, the game against Ipswich may be RM's last opportunity to convince the players that we have a chance of surviving under him. He needs a win to change the mentality of the team. If he can't stop the rot quickly, it will just get worse.
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Southampton v Manchester United prediction logged |
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Thread | England
at 18:14 29 Aug 2024
Ramsdale dropped as soon as he's linked with Saints
No left back but Livramento in so maybe he will play there
Gibbs-White in deservedly. I remember us trying to sign him from Wolves. Shame
Carsley picks his U21 squad members including Angel Gomes!
Some interesting selections and some that shouldn't be there (Maguire) |
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Thread | Are we just preparing for the Championship?
at 13:49 28 Aug 2024
I think we probably are. I'm sure SR hope we'll survive, but they are preparing in case we're relegated, unlike last time we were in the PL. So, it could be said that they are learning something(?)
This means that rather than spending say £30m on one player, they want to spend £15 on two, because the £15m players will still be around next year, whereas the £30m player's wages would be too high to carry in the Championship, and they will have a release clause so that if we go down, they can wave goodbye.
At least this strategy should give us a good chance of bouncing back from the Championship again next season. We'll then have another crack at the PL in 2 years time without the burden of previous PSR losses hanging over us as they do now. So you can see some logic in it.
But this gives us lots of problems, primarily a lack of real quality in the side. I think potential relegation will also complicate other transfers we need. For example, Ramsdale we probably want as a loan with option/requirement to buy if we stay up. But Arsenal are probably looking at it and thinking that we'll probably go down, so they'll just get Ramsdale back with 1 year less on his contract, which they won't want. That might mean we won't get him unless we end up paying a serious loan fee. Hopefully we're now their only option, just as he seems to be our only option. |
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Southampton v Nottingham Forest prediction logged |
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Thread | 3 "relegation 6 pointers" coming up?
at 14:50 22 Aug 2024
It might be too early in the season to hear the term "relegation 6 pointer", but that might be what 3 of our next 4 PL fixtures turn out to be.
We'll need about 10 wins to stay up, and about the same number of draws. That's roughly a win and a draw in every 4 games overall, with a number of those fixtures being very difficult to get any points from. Although the likes of Bournemouth or Fulham may stumble, I'd say that these are the clubs we're really competing with and they represent our best chances of getting results:
Wolves
Everton
Brentford
Forest
Leicester
Ipswich
If we're going to survive, we'll probably have to finish above 3 of those, so our fixtures against them are absolutely vital. We need both to win the points and deny those other clubs points.
Although the start to the season might be fairly "easy", that just makes it even more important that we get the points. Forest and Ipswich at home might be as easy as it gets for us.
Although there's a long way to go, the course of our PL season may well be set over the next 4 games. I don't think we're really ready for these key games yet, but I'm just hoping that we get some results and that gives us confidence. |
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Newcastle United v Southampton prediction logged |
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Thread | Sorry but Russell must be either irrational or unprofessional or both
at 16:43 17 Apr 2024
RM decided that Baz should be in goal last night with Lumley on the bench. So, he'd decided that if Baz was injured after 30 seconds, Lumley was the right man to come on. Then, because Baz was injured in the warm-up, he decides AM should come on instead. In what world is that logical decision making?!? It doesn't make any sense, but then some of his other decisions have been pretty weird too.
The only alternative explanation that does make sense is that RM just didn't think about it beforehand. Despite the fact that he's had all season to think this through, the evidence suggests he hasn't really thought about it at all. Only when he's forced to think about it does he decide what he really wants and then he just decides on a whim. This is just unprofessional.
It must be one of those 2 things right? What other explanation is there?
We won, which is great and credit to all involved, but I do wonder what is going on inside RM's head, if anything much at all. [Post edited 17 Apr 16:45]
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Thread | Leicester points deduction?
at 14:25 7 Mar 2024
There is talk in the press today that Leicester have been in legal dispute with the EFL over financial losses putting them in breach of FFP. It seems that Leicester have won the latest battle but a cloud still hangs over them. The talk is of fines and potential point deductions. From what I understand, they can get out of trouble by making player sales in June - but that is hardly the way to prepare for the PL.
Before we wish too much ill on them, we should remember that we are up against the same issue. The limit that Leicester, Leeds and Saints face is a maximum £83m loss over 3 years. It seems that whether or not Leicester or Saints get promoted, the ability to strengthen the squad in the summer will be severely limited. |
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Thread | 81% possession
at 11:33 25 Feb 2024
I don't understand why people are so upset about the result yesterday. You can't get better than 81% possession and that's what matters, right? |
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Thread | Will we be promoted?
at 12:30 18 Feb 2024
The bookies think we will, but I think the odds are actually against us.
According to the bookies we're about 4/7 on, so saying that we probably WILL be promoted. But, to me, Leeds look the stronger side and have the advantage of the final match. We're the best of the rest, but missing out on automatic promotion means we're in the playoffs and that will be a bit of a lottery. Even if we're playing well at that stage and go in as favourites, our realistic odds will only be roughly 2/1 or maybe 3/2, so the odds go against us. I can easily see the likes of Norwich surprising people and going up via the playoffs.
The bookies think our chances of promotion are 64% and I think the real number is more like the other way round at 46%. What do you think?
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