I'm going to try my very very hardest not to rant and rave so here we go; That was without a doubt the worst Saints performance I've ever seen at home. Everything from the team selection, his tactics, the players efforts were abysmal. The fans started in pretty good spirits. There was a bit of an edge, but the fans tried their hardest to get behind the team at the start. First 10 minutes or so we looked OK. Rapidly, rapidly down hill after. Constant hoof ball to Che who didn't win a single ****ing header. Stray pass after stray pass followed by hit and hope long ball had the fans starting to get chopsy. Enter ****ing Lyanco. The team are now 1 down and whilst I'd imagine a professional footballer would never be so unprofessional, it honestly seemed like the entire team down tools. They simply didn't give a flying ****. Second half and it's more of the same. Blind football teams have players making better runs. More hoofball to absolutely **** all up top. Forest fans starting singing "Nathan Jones what a ****er" about 200 or so in the Northam joined in. "You're getting sacked in the morning" had many many more in the Northam and Kingsland North joining in. Jones then makes his 3 subs, which are too little too late. They have no Impact at all on the game. We continue to hoof it up. Lots of fans leave. By now the stands have proper turned. The loudest booing I've heard at the end of the match. There's no two ways about it- he needs to go tomorrow. Yes having 3 managers in one season is embarrassing, but we will not win a single PL game under Jones. Not one. We might not stay up with a 3rd manager but we'll definitely go down with NJ. The players aren't playing for him. A massive massive ****ing mistake from SR
Why do you hire a manager that plays 5 at the back and hoofball when everyone knew our players can’t play 5 at the back and we don’t have the players for just playing it long? I don’t understand the logic. Our defence looks even worse, as does our attack…if we get to call it an attack. I’ve never called for a manager to get the sack even close to this quickly before, but it’s so obvious he needs to go if we have any hope of staying up. I really don’t see that he has any redeeming qualities? The players were dog **** too and most seem like they have given up which is a worry. Some manager bounce. Wonder what they really think of this ‘style’ of football that we’re playing. I didn’t think we could get worse; we played some pretty bad stuff under Ralph particularly toward the end when his head had gone, but we are genuinely much worse. One of the few positives in our team were our full backs which he’s made worse by playing them as wingbacks who just get doubled up on and marked out of the game as they are the only width and have no support in this formation. And today even managed to play a style of football that would largely negate the qualities of our most talented player in Lavia by frequently bypassing him. Brilliant. I was the opposite side of the pitch to ABKs injury but looked like he did his knee? Which presumably means he’ll be out for a significant amount of time which is annoying as puts to bed the fantasy of a back four with DCC and ABK as the CBs which has seemed like the obvious partnership to develop for a while now. Oh, I know this was only the last few minutes but the defence had no idea what was going on when we swapped to a 4 near the end. Salisu kept shouting towards the bench/Edozie as I don’t think he realised he’d been roped into being a stand in LB. After all he was brought on to try and create something. Chaos and despair.
Aribo was at right back and edozie was at left back at the end. With Kwp on the right wing. It was a ****ing horror show
Almost forgot that, what the **** was going on when S Armstrong came on. It looked like the coaches were confused and disagreeing about whether he was even coming on and who was coming off for him, saw him sent back to the bench only to be told immediately to get up again, Elyounoussi came to the sideline, walked off, then came back. Board went up for Elyounoussi for Armstrong then the PA announced it. Then they changed their mind and brought someone else off instead (I’d stopped paying attention by this point). It was like a condensed spectacle of Saints since the WC.
Today was zero shots on target. But current trend zero shots will be in a couple of games, providing Jones continues to be given time to work his magic
Yeah then took Lyanco off instead of Ely, changing our formation and making a young talented attacking winger play out of position at LB despite the fact that he had recently come on to try and create something up front. It seems like that was completely made up in panic on the spot and Edozie didn’t even seem like he was told until after the game had restarted…and then by Salisu desperately shouting up the pitch and waving his arms around like wtf is going on!? Who is playing where? Are we a back 4 again? Really chaotic, utter shambles and not what you expect to see from a PL club.
Surely in any field, the job of a manager is to be inspire and instil confidence in the workforce. What I saw (on TV) in the dugout was a very anxious looking man biting his nails and a group of others wandering around in a daze. Even experienced professionals would struggle under that regime so the young kids must be like rabbits in the headlights. Disappointed to have to say that Mr Jones is clearly out of his depth.
I am becoming more convinced that the likes of Ankersen are interfering with the team management. Ralph’s tactical changes, appointing a coach in a weak position, board members walking. all smells to me of a senior group overstepping and trying to dictate certain aspect of play.
In my line of work we talk about failing fast and the importance of doing that to get to reinvention ie realisation that in this case should lead to a sacking and then recruitment. The fans were prepared to get behind the team up until about 10mins and then the quality and energy on the pitch dropped a few notches. The fans had then made their mind up about who was ultimately to blame and began to dig the hole for Jones to jump in. And the players to an extent to.
Rightly or wrongly i still don't have a huge issue with SR. It was a very positive appointment when they first took over, taking us out of the stalemate with we had with Gao in charge. We had football people at the helm of the club, a half decent manager, a half decent squad and promise of investment. On paper our Summer transfer business wasn't too bad and the investment was there. Under Ralph i still feel we were a Danny Ings/ Gakpo away from comfortable mid-table (given the multiple glaring misses we've had)! However where they have monumentally ****ed up, is with the appointment of Jones. He's about as much use as tits on a fish. I was really open minded to start with (as i always am/ and in life generally). I've never been an emotional knee-jerk fan, but it's clear from the few weeks he's been in charge that he is clueless at this level. I feel sorry for him but he is totally out of his depth. SR have one chance to redeem themselves by getting rid of him quickly. Unfortunately i don't think they will. I believe they feel deep down that he will be the man to bring us back up when we get relegated. Personally (and i can't believe I'm saying this), but i would go for Allardyce or Dyche. It would give us stability for a few years. We can forget pipe dreams of needing a more forward thinking manager, playing attractive football and looking to get back into Europe. Let's dream about that again in 5 years time. Right now we need a ridiculously slim chance of staying up, a real chance of promotion back up (when we go down), a manager who has the respect of the players, a manager who knows how to get the best out of the squad he has... at the moment Jones doesn't tick any of these boxes. Time to show your balls SR and twist again.
I mean no disrespect but is it an old man thing to want allardyce? I see nothing about the EPL that makes me think Allardyce has anything to offer. We need a clever, personable leader, probably young, who the young players can relate to. They don’t need a dinosaur tyrant from 20 years ago whose day has been done and done and done and done.
Was it just our energy or did Cooper change something tactically? We definitely looked ok for that first period & I even noticed JWP pushing forward, yes forward! but it all died after 10. I’m not astute enough to notice subtle in-play changes but something definitely altered?
Hi, like you I’ve had the heart bypass. Mine was 7 years ago and only a double(lightweight). My doctor said the by pass was a bit of basic plumbing but the long recovery is for you rib cage to recover from being serious damaged. Anyway, I’ve been playing walking football for five years and am as fit as I’ve ever been. So fit I get moaned at for running and physical contact most weeks. It will get better, unlike the football. In a few months time you will struggle to believe you were ever poorly. PM if you want any old bloke medical advice or reassurance. Take care.
Haha, I'm only 47!!! I disagree. We're in a hole. IMO we need a good old fashioned forged steel shovel to dig us out, not a 3D printed, woke, jelly-spoon that looks nice and smells of lavender and cedarwood. If there is a hybrid of the two somewhere then i'd be open to that, but i don't think there is.
Lavia took on the covering DM role meaning JWP could make runs forward. Then we started snaking long balls past all of them so they were then trying to win it back in the middle. When they succeeded they recycled through the CBs who would pump it long and repeat.
Fair enough and good to know! Maybe that’s what NJ is supposed to be. The game has moved on a LOT since SA had Bolton flying high tho.
