Our record signing shouldn’t be someone who’s all potential and will take 3 years to actually justify their price tag. Record signings should go straight into the first team and keep their place.
In an ideal world, yes. But our history of record signings hasn't exactly been great. I mean, at least he has potential, which is more than can be said for a lot of them (step forward Guido Carillo...)
Jesus Christ I forgot about that donkey I hope we have replaced all of our scouts since then. Some things are simply unforgivable. I normally wouldn’t be so harsh on one of our own players, but Sulemana really pisses me off. He clearly thinks he’s too good to be here. His whole attitude absolutely stinks. There were a couple of games just before he got injured when you could see he was putting 100% in. But the majority of his time here he just doesn’t give a **** about the team, you can see it in everything he does on the pitch
I know what you mean, but I think it's probably harsh to make that call. He probably just has resting "not giving a ****" face. He might be mega-committed. I don't know, and you don't know. You might be right, but I think there's a fair amount of projection there. Not saying you're wrong (as I say, I thought the same, particularly at the start of the season). I dunno. Just not ready to give up on the kid just yet.
PS - not sure why we're having that discussion after the last game. He was a way away from being our worst player against Boro. I guess it's just the "why is he starting ahead of Fraser" part?
Yeah he wasn’t the worst - he just didn’t deserve to be there and it’s the opportunity cost of what Edozie or Fraser could have produced
On another note. I thought Bree did pretty well at LB. Felt a lot more comfortable defensively with him than Manning.
Fraser is a loanee and probably won’t be here next year. I’m guessing SR are desperate for him to show something.
I’d be pretty stunned if RF isn’t here next year. He’s made it as clear (as any player I’ve ever seen has made it) that he wants to be.
Yep there is a video (official Saints one) of him saying he will do everything to be here next year whatever division he we are in.
2 points.... firstly, Jack S went to Sulemana after our goal, excellent captaincy. Secondly, how many times this season have Saints lost a lead going into the final stages of a game? One ball winner in midfield, Downes, clearly getting tired second half, as he hasn't played for how long? Polish international centerback sitting on the bench. Middlesb'h starting to exert pressure... Hows about a back 8 of Walker P. H Bellis, Bedders and Bree with Woods, Stephens, Downes and Aribo in midfield and winning one nil... just a thought... Who is going to ensure a win Bedders or Mara?
Even though I agree with the sentiment of your post, the losing-a-lead argument is very glass-half-empty. We have scored so many late goals too. You can't expect a team to not concede any late goals for a whole season. Apart from Boro, it's only Huddersfield and Watford away that I can remember us conceding late goals. Like I said, I agree Mara was a bad sub. Who is Woods though?
Sorry about that, couldn't see the Brooks for the trees. As for late goals, Norwich away springs to mind. Rotherham at home..
Ah okay, kind of 'late' I guess. But both earlier than the 80th minute, so not at-the-death type of goals. I counted eleven games in which we have scored late goals that earned a draw or win.
I get starting Sulemana for this one. We were at home and on paper it's an easier fixture than Ipswich. Fraser is just back from injury, and isn't going to be playing both 90 minutes. Edozie was the other (maybe better) choice, but it's a bit of a coin flip between him and Sulemana. I suspect Sulemana might have trained better this week, or RM thought it would keep Isiah Jones busy (which it kinda did) who is one of their main threats.
We've comfortably dropped more points from winning positions this season than the other three. We've dropped 17 points (across eight games), then it's Leicester with 12 points (across five games), Ipswich with 10 points (across four games), and Leeds with an incredibly low four points (across two games). In none of those eight games were we two goals up. So it has always been single goal leads which we've given up. Seven times that lead has been 1-0, with the one exception being the 2-1 lead we had in our opening home game vs Norwich (but that game was so crazy that I don't really see it as points dropped - it's very different to those seven games where we were 1-0 up and failed to either see it through or kill it off by going 2-0 up). PS. We also have the worst record of the four when it comes to recovering points from losing positions. We've recovered 9 points, as compared to Leicester with 10 points, Leeds with 22 points, and Ipswich with a whopping 28 points. However, there is far less meaning behind this particular statistic, because in order to be able to recover points you first need to be losing!
Yeah the whole “go 1 up and coast through the game” has been around all season. We don’t kill teams off whether that be because of a lack of intensity, poor finishing or a combination of both it is a recurring theme. Doesn’t matter how much we dominate games if the other team are only a goal behind with 10 mins to go they will press us, we will lose the ball and they will get chances. If we are a couple of goals up on Friday, or in other games this season, we don’t concede late on as the other team won’t be as up for it 2 goals down rather than 1
Sorry, yeh I understand that, I meant that all we get in the Chapel is chilled stewards. Must be a Northam thing. Do they really need extra security there? Not a great way to motivate your most vocal fans It’s generally proven that treating fans respectfully is the best approach
