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Thread | Paul Onuachu yesterday
at 21:29 6 Oct 2024
This showcases what Paul can do!
Are you watching RUSSELL MARTIN!?
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Thread | Southampton Football Club
at 07:11 1 Oct 2024
We have a Championship level manager who is an upgrade on the last two who are now in League 1.
Downes, KWP (who has been dropped) and Ramsdale aside we have a team of Championship level players.
Let’s not forget if the Feyenoord keeper had passed his medical we wouldn’t have Ramsdale.
What really do people expect? |
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Thread | Bye bye
at 10:04 21 Aug 2024
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Thread | Ralph Hasenhüttl - The Magic Man
at 17:10 30 Mar 2024
Life long Southampton fan and Legend Ralph Hasenhüttl started life as Wolfsburg manager with a 2-0 win at Bremen.
The only mistake Sports Republic have made is sacking The Alpine Klopp.
For our last away game at Leeds we should all wear Wolfsburg shirts in his honour.
HE MARCHES ON |
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Thread | Must Win Monday
at 22:07 29 Mar 2024
Shit or bust at Ipswich on Monday.
Win only.
WE MARCH ON |
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Thread | Midland Saint - WBA game report
at 21:29 16 Nov 2023
SAINTS 2 WBA 1
“…Sometimes when we're as close as this
It's like we're in a dream…”
In my minds eye I see West Brom as a quintessential second division fixture. A view probably skewed by us beating them three times in 75-76. But actually we hadn’t played them at this level since 2008. I was a little concerned that our team depleted by injury and suspension might struggle against a team who were in good form. In the event, we achieved a good result from a very good game in which both teams tried to play football. Far from being a weak link, Holgate stepped up to the challenge of replacing Bednarek – with a huge help from the magnificent Harwood-Bellis. We did of course have to go through the routine of winning the game twice. Pleasingly, the winner came at a time when West Brom looked the team most likely to get the three points. It was a great way to go into yet another international break.
Since I was driving down on my own I made an early start. That meant diverting through Banbury to avoid the chaos of the M40 closure did not show me down that much. Lunch was in the Steingarten.
Remarkably, the crowds at St Mary’s have stood up very well. Over 30,000 again today, with a large travelling contingent from along the Handsworth Road.
The away team did not change their kit and turned out in a very nice early 70s style strip of navy and white stripes that is a tribute to the late Jeff Astle. The Saints team was as you would expect, with Holgate in for Bednarek. Surprisingly Bree was available after having to go off injured at Millwall.
Before kick-off we had the silence for Poppy Day, followed by an extremely quick taking the knee.
What struck me about the West Brom team was that they seemed to be ripped giants, with a decent turn of speed. They certainly proved a string test. But Saints looked to be their equal, playing some fluent football with the ball zipping around the pitch.
The lead came very quickly. Stuart Armstrong crossed in from the left. Adam had a shot that the keeper blocked. Smallbone followed up. The ball was cleared but was already over the line, so far that Mr Nield probably didn’t need the help of goal line technology.
The neat passing continued without really creating any decent chances. A couple of times it looked like Adam Armstrong was away only for the flag to be up for offside. We didn’t seem a lot from Sulemana as the defenders were keeping a close eye on him. Generally, when he did get the ball it was to his feet, rather than a yard or two ahead where he is most effective.
West Brom came into the game and it was time to do some defending. Holgate very sensibly took a yellow card for the team to stop a break. Just before the break he made an amazing block to divert a certain goal-band shot past the post.
As we expected, the away side came out with resolve and caused us some real difficulties. It felt like we were holding on from the restart. Smallbone had to go off in only the 55th minute and was replaced by Fraser, it shows how much the stock of the number 26 has risen in recent weeks.
In the 65th minute a corner from the left ended up on the other side of the goal. It was retrieved from going out in a manner that would have had Arsenal howling. When the ball was played back in it was headed against the bar. It dropped vertically on to the foot of the potentially offside Bartley who ran it into the goal without knowing much about it.
The trio of subs who had been watching from the touchline then got on the pitch. Adams replaced Sulemana’s activity with indolence, Charles replaced Downes to strengthen midfield and Manning was on for Bree who we reasonably could not have expected to last the whole game.
It looked worryingly like West Brom might get the winner, especially when another header hit the bar. But unlike the awful atmosphere back in September the crowd were fully behind the team and the players rallied.
With 10 minutes left the team did what was needed and made the most of a rare attack. Fraser crossed from the left. Stuart Armstrong climbed but it may have been a defender who flicked it on. Close in at the far post, Adam Armstrong took a touch and then calmly fired the ball through the small space available in a crowded goal – just like he couldn’t in the Premier League.
A few minutes later the goal scoring hero made way for the semi-mythical Stewart, making his debut at last. In the limited time available he did look useful.
There was still quite a lot of defending to do as the game went into an extra 7 minutes. When Bazunu produced a magnificent save to spoon the ball up and out of the goal we knew it was our day.
West Brom were a little unlucky and will win games playing like this. That made our victory all the sweeter. It was a smooth and enjoyable drive home, thinking about the 30 points that felt beyond our wildest dreams in mid-September.
Saints team: 31Bazunu 2Walker-Peters 6Holgate 21Harwood-Bellis 14Bree (Manning 66') 17S Armstrong 16Smallbone (Fraser 55') 4Downes (Charles 67') 22Alcaraz 9A Armstrong (Stewart 83') 20Sulemana (Adams 66')
Substitutes: 1McCarthy 3Manning 7Aribo 10Adams 11Stewart 18Mara 23Edozie 24Charles 26Fraser
Summary: Good result from a good game Top Man: Holgate
Next report: Huddersfield
Lyrics: Billy Bragg – Greetings to the new brunette |
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Thread | FREE DRINK
at 06:51 15 Nov 2023
Unfortunately not Kingfisher. But a ruddy good deal anyway.
Fill your boots.
Emergency service workers can get a totally free cup of tea or coffee at over 330 Asda stores.
SEE IT. SAY IT. SORTED.
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/asda/ |
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Thread | Midland Saint - Millwall Report
at 08:20 7 Nov 2023
MILLWALL 0 SAINTS 1
“…You'll never know quite when, well
Then again it just depends on
How long of time is left for you…”
This is just so unlike us. We’re the team that gets done by the injury team goals. For all the time I have watched Saint the late winners have been few and few between, and much cherished like Steve Moran in 84. Now we seem to be making a thing of it. Because we seemed to be heading to an ok sort of draw against a truly dreadful side. And then Fraser was once again in the right place in the right time to grab the winner. Maybe there is indeed something in Martin’s talk about our passing game wearing out the opposition, it certainly wears me out.
Normally there would be little thinking to be done about a trip into the Heart of Darkness. Train from London Bridge to South Bermondsey and then a segregated walkway to the New Den. But the local station was shut and the other local overground stations like Surry Quays were served by something to be feared more than the home fans – the replacement bus service. So we set off down the rain lashed M40 to Hillingdon and got the underground to Canada Water. On the map it looked a very long journey from west to east but was only just over an hour. We emerged from the station into bright sunshine.
We had breakfast at the Surrey Docks. Designated as home fans only but we had no colours showing. Even so, it was unsettling to hear the bile being spouted by an old guy announcing to the pub that “Millwall always have a problem with Southampton”. He was old enough to know better – 66 as he told everyone. I think even the denizens of Fratton Park would have found the level of hatred and fabrication of facts hard to accommodate.
The walk to the stadium was not that long. But the route did take us through a landscape of urban wasteland and underpasses that seemed set up to recreate the Green Street experience. There were a ridiculous number of police about doing nothing but tot up their overtime.
We had seats in row B of the top tier. This was actually the front row as they don’t sell row A. It would have been a great view if the stewards had applied the rule that you don’t allow people to stand in the yellow shaded areas at the top of the stairs. The good thing was that we had a large screen to our left, unlike the invisible screen at Preston.
Saints wearing our home kit had what we would probably now see as the best starting lineup of uninjured players. Millwall were still without a manager. Luckily we avoided what would have been the apocalyptic return of Nathan Jones to management. It was interesting to see Bialkowski in goal for Millwall, some 18 years after he joined Saints, and he had a very good game.
There was a very good away following of 3,000 plus Saints fans. The famed home atmosphere was quite muted apart from their reception for the armed services this being their Poppy game.
For inexplicable reasons the police blocked the concourse to prevent people taking the main stairs to the upper tier. That meant they had to come up via the stairs to our left. So for the first 15 minutes there was a constant stream of people passing in front of us. That meant I couldn’t settle. Neither could our players who seemed to be knocked out of their rhythm by Millwall’s all-action basic style.
Eventually we did get going. It seemed clear that as always we were relying on KWP, who got through some stupendous work on the right. Sulemana looked dangerous, if over elaborate on the left. He soon antagonized the home crowd for the crime of being fouled constantly.
In a nothing first half we drew some good saves from the Bartman. From a corner Millwall managed to head against the bar, their sole dangerous effort of the game.
Attacking towards us for the second half, Saints stepped their effort up. But the breakthrough would not seem to come. It was a shame that Bree, who has grown into the left back position, had to leave the pitch injured. He was replaced by Manning, and there seems to be something of an agenda to the constant abuse he got.
A good move ended with Stuart Armstrong sliding a shot just past the post. Alcaraz, who was still underperforming, played in Sulemana who came inside to hit a thumping shot that the keeper did well to push away.
It was strange that having won a freekick in the perfect position for Stuart Armstrong we chose that precise moment to replace him with the passenger that is Adams. Alcaraz did hit the target but it was not quite enough.
For the final push Fraser replaced Sulemana and Charles replaced Smallbone. So intent were we on winning was that I feared a slip would present Millwall with the winner. Slips did happen, but the home side was so hopeless they made nothing of the opportunities.
One thing we do know is that this side keeps going. So the generous five minutes added time gave us a real chance for persistence to pay off.
In the 93rd minute KWP slipped the ball behind the defence for Adam Armstrong to run on to. His first cross in was blocked by a defender. The rebound fell kindly back to him for a second chance. This time he found Fraser at the near post and the finish was instant and deadly. The Saints players and fans went wild as the Millwall players slumped to the ground. Robert saved me from being sent tumbling over the seats as the supporters swarmed down from behind.
The lengthy celebrations meant a further minute was added. There were so many people standing at the front I had to watch the final moments on the screen.
In an unwelcome echo of the seventies we were locked in for some 20 minutes after the final whistle. But rather than take action to avoid a crush when the gate was eventually opened the police just stood and watched it happen. I had my foot caught on something large and immobile and it was lucky that I did not fall, which could have resulted in a dangerous incident.
The police still totting up their overtime gave us a sort of escort back to the station through subways now lit in the neon blue glare of nightmares. We were back at Hillingdon by 6,45 which wasn’t too bad and the drive home was very easy.
I have to say I was happy as the Den is always a demanding place to go, although I have never actually seen Saints lose away to Millwall. In this current run the points have kept coming without us looking totally convincing. If we hit true form it could be interesting.
Saints team: 31Bazunu 2Walker-Peters 21Harwood-Bellis 35Bednarek 14Bree (Manning 71') 16Smallbone (Charles 83') 4Downes 17S Armstrong (Adams 83') 22Alcaraz 9A Armstrong 20Sulemana (Fraser 77')
Subs: 1McCarthy 3Manning 6Holgate 7Aribo 10Adams 18Mara 23Edozie 24Charles 26Fraser
Summary: Another late, late show Top Man: KWP
Lyrics: Imagine Dragons – On top of the world
Next report: West Brom |
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