This
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Not posted, too empty after sitting through that. My first live match of the season and i now see what everyone else does. Toothless, gutless, clueless.
The guy in BB 897 may be angry but he is right.
@Bucks you owe me a refund. 
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I missed the entire game as I was chairing my last Council meeting as Mayor. But itās not difficult to pick up the anger over the way we played without urgency, determination or commitment.
Hadnāt the players been told this game was it? Win or weāre down? Surely they donāt still think escape is on?
What worries me most is I think the problems at the club now run far deeper than players or even manager. I never thought Iād say this, but we were lucky that although Gao put no money into the club he didnāt interfere. I fear we have the opposite now. Owners who think they know better than the people appointed to do jobs.
How else can you explain the ludicrous appointment of Jones? Things were very shaky under Ralph but weād got 12 points from 14 games. Personally I think he should have had the WC break and January window to have a last go at turning it round: weād had injuries and had no striker.
Since then weāve had two managers who have brought nothing and delivered another 12 points, but from 19 games and wasted money on Onuachu.
Last Summerās buying was also flawed: no striker (except Mara) and over-emphasis on what seemed more of a business model rather than building a football team - far too many young players with potential but little experience. Theyāre now mainly out in the cold.
Yes, Iām pessimistic because it there arenāt big changes at Board level and restructuring under a motivational manager who will seriously kick some arses, we will not compete in the Championship. There is something rotten in the state of St Marys.
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There has been an undeniable decline since Sport Republic took over. The initial optimism after their takeover was short lived and since then it has been a litany of mismanagement, failure and chaos, culminating in panic buying of unsuitable players and bizarre managerial appointments. To take a mid table club from moderate stability to a relegated club with a bloated, uninterested and passionless squad and key backroom staff leaving in droves as well as alienating most of the fanbase, all within 18 months, takes some fucking doing. Mismanagement on an epic scale.
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Realistically, last night was just another logical step towards what has seemed inevitable for some time. Iām trying to be philosophical about it, weāve flirted with relegation for quite a few seasons now, sooner or later the tide was always going to come right in and swamp us.
I honestly think the Arsenal game did us more damage than a simple defeat would have, because the players were basically shown in utterly stark terms that we can play at the absolute top of our game, get all the breaks and running of the ball for 80 minutes, find ourselves two goals up, and weāll still end up clinging on for a point. We just arenāt good enough to compete. I was saying even with ten minutes to play and two goals up that I expected us to lose, and I meant it. That game must have knocked any remaining stuffing out of the players.
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The club is a shambles. But from a purely footballing and coaching perspective , this sums it up for me:
We have lost all pragmatism in our game. We donāt adapt our game to the opposition. We try and play the same way against the top six as we do against the relegation fodder. The pressing works when you donāt have the ball but leaves us utterly clueless when we come up against a team who sit deep and are happy to share possession with us.
Ralph was guilty of this exact thing too towards the end. Like Selles last night, he picked the exact same players (Iām ignoring the back 4 or keeper changes because they donāt represent a meaningful way of playing and trying to win games) in the front 6 positions who were tasked with pressing and containing Arsenal at the Emirates, the league leaders, as a week later against Bournemouth at home. Completely different level of quality and styles of play, yet we pick the same players to apparently go out and try to win those games. It really is crazy. Just because they did relatively well against Arsenal doesnāt mean that they are the right players to attempt breaking down Bournemouth.
I never have an issue with Elyounoussi or Adam Armstrong playing against the better teams because their defensive output is important. However, and it is a BIG fucking HOWEVER, I do take issue with them being anywhere near the starting lineup against the teams we are competing with at the bottom of the table. They have been proven time and time again to offer little to fuck all going forward. I canāt be arsed to check but from memory Elyounoussi hasnāt scored and the only assist I can remember was against Arsenal in the 1-1 when he was playing wing back. Adam Armstrong scored against Chelsea in the 2-1 and benefited from a Palace keeper brain fart in the cup. Canāt recall him assisting.
We were considerably better when Adams, Sulemana and Stuart Armstrong came on last night.
Considering we have lost most of these six pointers 1-0 with these defence minded āattackersā on the pitch, what is the point in being conservative? Look where it has left us. We might as well have better utilised the other players we bought to supposedly improve our attacking play. I havenāt seen enough of them consistently to say they are actually worse than the usual suspects but I know the other ones are toilet and arenāt getting 3 points for us so why not go down having a go and at least trying to mix things up.
That will be the thing that leaves a bitter taste. I just donāt feel like we have actually had a go at staying up by virtue of tactics and team selections against the lesser sides.
I donāt have any confidence in Sport Republic either. They have interfered when they said they wouldnāt, failed to secure fundamental players that the money they actually spent across 15 signings could have landed if they focused on strengthening the spine with 5 or 6 regular starters, arrogantly doubled down of the buying kids and sell āem business model, appointed two absolute joker managers and in doing so secured relegation for us.
Quite keen for it to all be over soon.
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The signs were there against Leeds
The point of no hope was West Ham
This club needs a total shake up from top to bottom. SR need to get their head out of their arse and decide what we are going to be, set the parameters and then give the manager (whoever it is) the tools he needs to operate within them and then stay the fuck away (Chelsea are learning this the hard way with their owner taking his mates into the changing room or reading the players the riot act after a loss)
The players need to take a long hard look at themselves as well - there are no leaders and I am putting JWP in this camp as well. When the system isnāt working and there is no change coming from the manager, you need leaders to grab the players and the game by the scruff of the neck and change it up - that is what being a captain is - not just choosing which end to shoot at.
Can you imagine someone like Roy Keane putting up with these performances? He would have punched out half them, but then they would have been so terrified of him they wouldnāt dare fuck about.
Ii am properly out of love with Saints at the moment - the happiest I have been recently from a Saints POV was when I realized that I would be away for the next home game - its shit.
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In my morose and depressed state I canāt help thinking about JWP going off at half time last night. Itās probably just me being sceptical, and I know the official reason was illness, but I just wonder if our docile captain could have blown his top at half time?
We were playing badly. Bournemouth were weak in the air, so our tall striker wasnāt even in the squad. Our most creative players and best striker didnāt start. AA and Elyounoussi were passengers. We were far too tentative. Just imagine JWP and maybe others demamdong change and Selles not liking the criticism. Answer: put JWP in his place, take him off and do the opposite by going even more defensive.
And what makes me think something had happened was we actually got worse after half time which I didnāt think possible. Looked like a lot of not caring.
Youāll appreciate Iām a great one for a conspiracy theory but itāll be interesting to see it Prowsey ārecoversā by Sunday. (Or if Selles lasts that long)
Could be something in that
Plus The Athletic article i postedcon social media tgread implies something wrong
Well thank god itās only football. 
Players I think will still be here next season:
Bazunu - young, not set the world alight and most importantly, who would buy him?
Livramento - unless he suddenly returns to the team for 3 or more games and performs exceptionally, I donāt think the top boys will come for him after an ACL. I think heāll be prepared to regain his form and fitness in the championship as he seems like a down to Earth lad. Could definitely go the other way though.
Bree - completely forgot he was on the books. A return to his level.
Larios - bad signing in my eyes. Too small, apparently has Danny Ingsā hamstrings. Nobody will buy him so heāll be here or shipped out on loan.
Perraud - I like his commitment but am not his biggest fan. Looks awkward at times and seems to need an extra touch before delivering passes and crosses. Ultimately I donāt think anyone will come in for him.
Lyanco - who would buy him?
Diallo - seriously, who would buy him? āNuff said.
Djenepo - who the fuck gave him a new 3 year deal?
Stuart Armstrong - not sure heāll have many suitors given a pretty poor season plagued by injury.
Edozie - too young, still no end product so nobody will buy him. Concern he is too light weight for Stoke away on a cold Tuesday night.
Sulemana - I have a feeling heāll stay by virtue of contract length, age and so far no goals. Not exactly been in a shop window. Hasnāt flopped so weād not sell for less than we paid for him. I liken his situation to Sarr at Watford. Plenty of interest in him but ultimately nobody got their wallet out.
Adam Armstrong - 
Mara - not done enough for him to expect grander pastures nor to entice anyone to part money for him. Still young, so thereās some hope he can kick on at a lower level.
Tall Paul - assuming a new manager values his physical attributes in the Championship. Otherwise a return to Belgium on loan beckons.
As with Tall Paul you can add Orsic and Aribo to the list of possibilities to remain but is dependent on the new manager (pray it is not Selles) fancying them. All three could benefit from a lower level and clean slate.
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Players I *hope * we can keep without being ridiculously optimistic.
Alcaraz - has actually been decent, albeit a bit inconsistent. He follows up a barnstorming performance against Arsenal with last nightās showing.
End of list.
There will be suitors for:
JWP - canāt fault his commitment. Will wish him well.
Lavia - will be at a top four club come September.
KWP - been a good and consistent performer. I wish him well.
ABK - he has potential and being in the German squad demonstrates his ability and the fact that he wonāt drop a division. Regardless of the fact that he has not been without serious culpability at times.
Adams - expect him to leave with only a year (I think) left on his contract. A bottom third side or newly promoted team will take a safe punt on him. He works hard as a support striker but cannot be expected to get double figures at that level so needs to play alongside somebody more prolific. Pretty obvious to anyone with functioning eyes, but apparently not Sport Republic. Will wish him well.
Salisu (would be sold anyway if weād have stayed up. Clearly winding down his contract. Expect a move to Newcastle, Spurs or similar. That is not me saying he is actually good enough for those teams by the way. Because he has replaced Vestergaard in more ways than occupancy on the left side of our defence. He has also been here for 3 years and only actually been particularly good for about 9 months in total. He clearly gives zero fucks and neither do I at the inevitability of him leaving).
Fuck knows what will become of Bednarek and DCC. Bednarek might get a bottom third move. DCC could conceivably stay depending on the new manager but I donāt know enough about the accuracy of the purported attitude problems that saw him ostracised.
The rest will be released if out of contract (Elyounoussi and Walcott etc).
Walcott could stay.
I heard heās been doing his coaching badges here.
Out of contract so new one as the old guy in the squad even a coach at some level.
Anyone will go if we can make a profit.
We have the backbone of a Championship team.
We can build around James Breeā¦
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backbone he saysā:rofl:
Just stop it
A jellyfish has more backbone that the saints
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We will walk the league with James Bree as our leader.
God I need a cigarette
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If itās any consolation, as a given up smoker, eventually you will stop saying you need a fag, but may never stop thinking I could do with a fag right now!
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As someone who has never smoked I canāt see what all the fuss is about. 
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Gave up well over 10 years ago. Donāt miss it. The smell turns my stomach nowadays. Didnāt notice it as a smokerā¦
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This, and Iāve given up 22 1/2 years
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Some therapy, should you need it.
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