I don't blame the players for being so flat today, after that bank holiday weekend. They're not idiots - they will know, just like us, that automatic has gone. That can't be easy to put out of their minds. But Martin maybe should have thought more about the players on the fringes, who hopefully are hungry to try and get themselves into playing a bigger part of our play-off hopes. At least one of Edozie and Sulemana should have started, for example. Maybe even both.
As I'm sad about these things, I've looked at the table, and: Coventry are just outside the top 6 (playoff) position. They've played 40 games, so they could get a maximum of 6 x 3 = 18 more points. They're on 63 points, so they could get 81 points. We've got 75 points. If (IF) we beat them on Tuesday, we'll have 78 points, and Coventry will be limited to a maximum of 78 points. And our goal difference is 7 goals better than Coventry. In short, a victory on Tuesday will leave us needing one more point from our remaining games to guarantee a place in the play offs. Clutching at straws? Moi?
I do wish Saints fans would look beyond "Stephens is the problem, we must go back go that team we had in our games unbeaten" whilst conveniently forgetting the fact we looked ****e at the end of that run without Stephens in the side .. We've been found out. Pure and simple. If only football was as simple as "going back to that team that went unbeaten" eh?
Apparently even the Blackburn commentators were surprised that every time we win the ball, instead of breaking, our first thought is to turn and pass backwards.
Thank you Russ for the most boring away game I've ever been to (and I was there for Sheffield United away in 08) He is a bang average manager making a top ****ing squad bang average. Can't wait for him to go. We were awful in midfield and attack The queues for a pint were mental £5.90 a pint is taking the piss Our subs were ****ing useless We were still passing back to Baz in extra time. Pro's You guys had fun with some curry puns.
Stephens himself isn't the problem for me. And in a lot of matches, nor is him starting at LB. My primary issue is Martin continuing with his weird Pep-obsession, by seeing how Pep uses Stones and deciding that he needs to copy it (with Stephens). It doesn't work!! Play Stephens or don't play him. But stop it with all this John Stones rubbish. In addition, there's also the point that in a match where we're expected to win, or in need of a goal, having all three of our CBs on this pitch is too defensive. But that's very much opposition dependent and match situation dependent. There will be a number of situations where all three of them is fine.
As it turned out with other results a win today would’ve kept hopes alive. We would’ve been guaranteed to finish above Leeds if we won every game for example. I gave up a long time ago on autos, but the manager and players shouldn’t have, and bare minimum try and keep up momentum going into the playoffs.
I seem to remember that was a regular criticism of how we played well before RM’s time? Frankly going towards the playoffs in this kind of form is the worst preparation we could wish for. I would imagine that the three opponents will be wishing to meet us now and get their show on the road pretty quickly. RM’s tactics I’m afraid will not stand the test. I have no pleasure in this thinking but to keep on doing what you do and failing then repeat ad nauseum is poor management. I hope I’m proved totally wrong on all the above!!
I gave up after the Millwall defeat. But as you say, the players shouldn't have. However, I imagine that they would have been badly damaged by the two Easter games, and and I completely accept if they concluded then that it was all done.
Oh yeah I can see how last weekend would’ve damaged morale etc. I even said before the Boro game that my worst fear was after the Easter weekend we would be out of it and coast towards the end of the season then have to raise ourselves for the playoffs. On todays evidence that is exactly what we are doing. If we had somehow won today then suddenly there is that slight bit of belief again. I do agree about starting someone like Sulemana today though. He should start every game til the end of the season in my view. He is our player, Brooks and Fraser aren’t. If he doesn’t want to be here, fine, start him to get some highlights for a move. If he does want to be here, fine, start him and let him try and show what he can do. The classic Neil Warnock interview about Taarabt springs to mind. When he was at QPR he pulled him aside and said something along the lines of “your starting next week, if you’re ****, you will start next week, if you are **** again, you will start the following week, you will start every game regardless of how you play”. He then told the rest of the QPR team that if anyone gave Taarabt the ball in their own half they would be fined. I honestly think something similar with Sulemana could work
I would suggest today has put an end to my target of 92 points. Even if we were bang on form, 17 points from 7 games would still be a tough ask. In fact it is now probably more likely that we'll finish in the 80s rather than the 90s. And whilst many teams have been automatically promoted with an 80s tally before, it's also the case that many have finished in the play-offs with that. No longer will missing out on the top two with our points tally be particularly abnormal.
Dunno what player you’ve been watching; but Sulemana is nowhere near as good as taarabt mate. He can’t pass, cross or shoot
