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A very bad day at the office 08:50 - Mar 6 with 1989 viewsA1079

When Saints have a bad day at the office, we have a very bad day at the office. We don't do subtle downturns in performance. We are either good or very bad.

Strangely I went to the game sorting of expecting that Villa may put an end to our run though I wasn't quite expecting this level of bad performance. The trip to Villa was good from York and that was about the best part of the day. The other thing was the excellent support at the start of the game and the recognition by Saints fans to the on-going war in Ukraine.

Alot of me wants to restrain being over critical because we have had such a good run, some excellent results and performances and even the best teams have a bad day. The thing is with Saints: will it be a one off bad day or the start of a collapse repeating last seasons end of the season? there were some players yesterday that if we have to rely solely on them does not fill me with confidence at all.

The natural thing is to start with the pairing of Bednarek and Stephens. Can best be described as Absolutely shocking. Both of these are ok when they are playing individually with a good defender but both are dreadful as a pairing. They were literally all over the place. They offered no defence whatsover - indeed, I bet the Russians wish they were facing a defence like that! I am not sure why Salisu is out but boy did we miss him. But, it shows yet again how vulnerable we are at the back by only having one excellent defender to carry the torch which is ok until that person is missing for some reason.

But, enough about the defence, I really would be hard to find anyone in the team other than Forster who had even an average game. Just about everybody seemed to be off their game. If it was not for Forster this game would have been perhaps not a 9-0 but certainly a 6 or 7. Livramento looked sluggish, the whole midfield made no in roads, Broja seemed more inclined to get sent off than he did in helping the team with his pointless battles when the game was clearly lost (even though I accept Tyrone Mings is an ar*e).

Gerrard and Villa did their homework and what a front line they have when they are all firing.

Collapses like this are simply not good enough and the fact that we still seem to have this potential in our team is not a good luck. With RH you either get very good or bl**dy awful, though I suppose at least you don't get boring or mediocrity.

The thing is that RH mixed it up on Wednesday presumably to save players for Villa. That could have gone horribly wrong on Wednesday had West Ham been better than they were. Saving some players did not work at all on this occasion.

For all our great performances and results this season I have not personally done that well away from home - Arsenal away, Liverpool away, Wolves away, Everton away and Villa away - may be I should stay away!

As I said, I don't want to damn the team or manager too much as every team has a bad day now and then and I have on the whole enjoyed this season and watching Saints again with some great performances and results. It has on the whole been a pleasure. I just hope really hope though that yesterday was a one off and our season does not now fall off a cliff. Newcastle will be tough but we need to get something to avoid those fears of something setting in and Watford are poor but are capable of clawing a drab dull draw or 1-0 win. One thing I can't face is a performance like that away to Leeds. I don't think I could go to work.

A footnote: yesterday showed that we may have a deeper squad but we do not have quality in depth in all areas. We can forget any pretences to challenging at a higher level until we have remedied that.

Anyway, yesterday was what it was and we move onto the next game.
[Post edited 6 Mar 2022 9:52]
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A very bad day at the office on 08:58 - Mar 6 with 1958 viewssaint22

As always an astute post 1079

I posted else where but once again our failing has been to sign decent CBs
We bought one and then always seem t think the average remainder will get us through, simply put that doesn't work, as we have seen time and again - we need another quality CB, Worrall at Forest maybe?

Stephens as I said before should have been shipped out years back and as for Bednarek he seems to have become a shorter Vestergaard

Thursday will be tough as newcastle are flying and St Maximin always does for us, heaven help us if Stephens has to mark him
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A very bad day at the office on 09:46 - Mar 6 with 1882 viewsHeisenberg

We are 9th in the league. Recently we have beaten Spurs away and were unlucky to have not beaten Man Utd. We are one of the very few clubs to have taken points off Man City. We are in the quarter finals of the FA Cup. The football Saints have played this year has, at times, been exhilarating to watch. We have a fantastic manager who is taking this team forward. And yet some people seem to focus on the very few negatives. As the title says. It was a bad day at the office. That's all.

“Life has become immeasurably better since I have been forced to stop taking it seriously'
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A very bad day at the office on 10:55 - Mar 6 with 1811 viewsA1079

A very bad day at the office on 09:46 - Mar 6 by Heisenberg

We are 9th in the league. Recently we have beaten Spurs away and were unlucky to have not beaten Man Utd. We are one of the very few clubs to have taken points off Man City. We are in the quarter finals of the FA Cup. The football Saints have played this year has, at times, been exhilarating to watch. We have a fantastic manager who is taking this team forward. And yet some people seem to focus on the very few negatives. As the title says. It was a bad day at the office. That's all.


Completely agree Heisenberg and I hope I have tried to convey that. If I haven't then it has not come across as I intended. We have had and are having a good season and one bad day does not make a disaster just as one brilliant day does not make a summer. We move on to the next one.
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A very bad day at the office on 11:13 - Mar 6 with 1772 viewsBerber

Thanks for the match update, we could do with more of these, open, honest appraisals. I agree, that Bednarek and Stephens paired together are a road crash waiting to happen. We have seen over and over for the past two seasons that they are individually susceptible to the ball over the top or played quickly through when the backs are more advanced.

There will be more results like this. Broja, he has to leave his mark. He will not come out on top every time. I have always applied the mantra in competitive situations, "You may beat me, but you are not going to enjoy any of it." Broja will face Mings many times in the coming years, so every bruise he leaves will be remembered and have its impact over time.
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A very bad day at the office on 11:16 - Mar 6 with 1767 viewssaint22

A very bad day at the office on 09:46 - Mar 6 by Heisenberg

We are 9th in the league. Recently we have beaten Spurs away and were unlucky to have not beaten Man Utd. We are one of the very few clubs to have taken points off Man City. We are in the quarter finals of the FA Cup. The football Saints have played this year has, at times, been exhilarating to watch. We have a fantastic manager who is taking this team forward. And yet some people seem to focus on the very few negatives. As the title says. It was a bad day at the office. That's all.


We are having a brilliant season absolutely Heisenberg but what's galling is those failings to correct such glaringly obvious deficiencies over the last 2/3 seasons which leave you wondering how much better we could even be doing!
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A very bad day at the office on 11:29 - Mar 6 with 1725 viewsSalisburySaint

Agree with most things you say, but think the criticism of Bednarek and Stephens a little unfair, as they were often left exposed by our midfield, where Coutinho sitting in the hole between our midfield and defence had a field day. I thought Ralph should have asked Romeu to sit deeper in front of back four but he chose not to.
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A very bad day at the office on 11:35 - Mar 6 with 1718 viewssaintwizzler

A very bad day at the office on 11:29 - Mar 6 by SalisburySaint

Agree with most things you say, but think the criticism of Bednarek and Stephens a little unfair, as they were often left exposed by our midfield, where Coutinho sitting in the hole between our midfield and defence had a field day. I thought Ralph should have asked Romeu to sit deeper in front of back four but he chose not to.


Driving up the A34 listening to the commentary on Solent (fûcking plastic fan) Dave Merrington mentioned Coutinho playing in the hole after about 5 mins gone.
Lost signal at half time but it sounded like he pulled Villa’s strings??

Two winnable games at home approaching.
4 points minimum will erase yesterday’s shitshow.

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A very bad day at the office on 12:57 - Mar 6 with 1631 viewsHeisenberg

A very bad day at the office on 10:55 - Mar 6 by A1079

Completely agree Heisenberg and I hope I have tried to convey that. If I haven't then it has not come across as I intended. We have had and are having a good season and one bad day does not make a disaster just as one brilliant day does not make a summer. We move on to the next one.


Agree with your points and yes we will need to strengthen next season. If we can keep the nucleus of this side then we can go on to have another successful season. I know it's not you but it's the Ralph out brigade or the people who expect us to win every game who baffle me. This is Saints. We have seen some terrible times over the years and have had to endure watching dull or defensive football. I love watching us at the moment, even if we do get the odd hammering now and again.

“Life has become immeasurably better since I have been forced to stop taking it seriously'
Poll: Who should get a statue outside the old girl ?

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A very bad day at the office on 17:20 - Mar 6 with 1438 viewsericofarabia

"For all our great performances and results this season I have not personally done that well away from home - Arsenal away, Liverpool away, Wolves away, Everton away and Villa away - may be I should stay away"!
Don't worry mush ...... I am nearly in the same boat, Everton, Liverpool, Wolves and Villa. But at least I have The 2 Manc games as some sort of saving grace!! But a W0 D0 L4 and a GD of -12 outside of Manchester isn't much of a return for the miles put in!!

When even JWP couldn't beat the wall with a consolation Free Kick that just about summed the day up!!
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A very bad day at the office on 17:32 - Mar 6 with 1418 viewsRon11

A very bad day at the office on 09:46 - Mar 6 by Heisenberg

We are 9th in the league. Recently we have beaten Spurs away and were unlucky to have not beaten Man Utd. We are one of the very few clubs to have taken points off Man City. We are in the quarter finals of the FA Cup. The football Saints have played this year has, at times, been exhilarating to watch. We have a fantastic manager who is taking this team forward. And yet some people seem to focus on the very few negatives. As the title says. It was a bad day at the office. That's all.


No, it wasn't a bad day at the office.
It was the fact that Salisu and/or Lyanco weren't playing and Stephens was that made the difference. A very big difference.
He is nowhere near Premier League quality and drains concentration from the others because they're obviously trying to cover him as well as do their own jobs most of the time.
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A very bad day at the office on 08:52 - Mar 7 with 1180 viewsSonicBoom

I didn't see it either but I listened to radio Solent. A couple of things occurred to me. Adam and Dave immediately realised that Villa were looking for a ball over the top of our centre backs almost from the first whistle. It seemed like they were turning our defence every time and could easily have been at least 4 up by half time.
I'm not sure how high we played, but there was clearly space behind us. I guess Ings had given them the low down on how to attack us but surely we should have dropped off a bit to cover that space? You don't play Leicester for example and play a high line against Vardy.

Also it is very clear that Coutinho is their playmaker now. Don't get me wrong he is a very fine player and hard to stop but we did give him far too much space. I'd like to have seen us sit someone on him who's sole job was to stop him playing. We always struggled against him but you give him time and space and he will score and set up goals.
As the OP said though the team have earned some patience after their great run. I guess it was extra disappointing because a) we are close to Villa in the league b) Ings left us to go there and we wanted to prove a point and c) we were supposedly full of confidence.

But it was one game. We aren't going to win every week. A good result against the geordies and this game won't live long in the memory.
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A very bad day at the office on 09:22 - Mar 7 with 1132 viewskingslandstand1

A very bad day at the office on 08:52 - Mar 7 by SonicBoom

I didn't see it either but I listened to radio Solent. A couple of things occurred to me. Adam and Dave immediately realised that Villa were looking for a ball over the top of our centre backs almost from the first whistle. It seemed like they were turning our defence every time and could easily have been at least 4 up by half time.
I'm not sure how high we played, but there was clearly space behind us. I guess Ings had given them the low down on how to attack us but surely we should have dropped off a bit to cover that space? You don't play Leicester for example and play a high line against Vardy.

Also it is very clear that Coutinho is their playmaker now. Don't get me wrong he is a very fine player and hard to stop but we did give him far too much space. I'd like to have seen us sit someone on him who's sole job was to stop him playing. We always struggled against him but you give him time and space and he will score and set up goals.
As the OP said though the team have earned some patience after their great run. I guess it was extra disappointing because a) we are close to Villa in the league b) Ings left us to go there and we wanted to prove a point and c) we were supposedly full of confidence.

But it was one game. We aren't going to win every week. A good result against the geordies and this game won't live long in the memory.


According to Jamie O'Hara this morning the Geordies are going to finish top 4 next season so it will be a good result against them on Thursday if we win

Joking aside, they are on a roll as much as we have been and without a couple of decent players so I guess all the doubters about Howe, me included, will maybe eat their words?
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A very bad day at the office on 09:25 - Mar 7 with 1133 viewsPoirot

A return to the garbage we saw up until January of this year, no organisation. No marking of key opposition players esp Coutinho. We looked leggy despite all the rested players against West Ham.

A real wake up call and with the two home games to come its a minimum of three points required and some would say four.
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A very bad day at the office on 10:59 - Mar 7 with 1052 viewssaints__fan__73

A very bad day at the office on 09:25 - Mar 7 by Poirot

A return to the garbage we saw up until January of this year, no organisation. No marking of key opposition players esp Coutinho. We looked leggy despite all the rested players against West Ham.

A real wake up call and with the two home games to come its a minimum of three points required and some would say four.


Hey UTS, are you still in touch with Rio Grande? (Hotmail) Lawyer to the stars!

"Playing Devil's Advocate since 15th January 2014"
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A very bad day at the office on 11:29 - Mar 7 with 1023 viewsdirk_doone

A very bad day at the office on 09:22 - Mar 7 by kingslandstand1

According to Jamie O'Hara this morning the Geordies are going to finish top 4 next season so it will be a good result against them on Thursday if we win

Joking aside, they are on a roll as much as we have been and without a couple of decent players so I guess all the doubters about Howe, me included, will maybe eat their words?


They'll have more than enough money to buy a top 4 place next season. They'll bring in some top class players in the summer so I wouldn't bet against it. Who'd have believed how much Arab oil money would transform Man City?
[Post edited 7 Mar 2022 11:31]

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A very bad day at the office on 12:45 - Mar 7 with 966 viewsSonicBoom

I think people need to understand that Newcastle have substantially more money than Man City now.
They will be looking for all the best players and can basically afford anyone they want.
The only good thing is that they will push one of the other loathsome 6 further down the pecking order.
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A very bad day at the office on 13:12 - Mar 7 with 940 viewsTimSaint

A very bad day at the office on 17:20 - Mar 6 by ericofarabia

"For all our great performances and results this season I have not personally done that well away from home - Arsenal away, Liverpool away, Wolves away, Everton away and Villa away - may be I should stay away"!
Don't worry mush ...... I am nearly in the same boat, Everton, Liverpool, Wolves and Villa. But at least I have The 2 Manc games as some sort of saving grace!! But a W0 D0 L4 and a GD of -12 outside of Manchester isn't much of a return for the miles put in!!

When even JWP couldn't beat the wall with a consolation Free Kick that just about summed the day up!!


Should have gone to Newport County Away to get your averages up !! :-)

A Win
A Clean Sheet
8 Goals

TimSaint

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A very bad day at the office on 14:25 - Mar 7 with 909 viewskingslandstand1

A very bad day at the office on 11:29 - Mar 7 by dirk_doone

They'll have more than enough money to buy a top 4 place next season. They'll bring in some top class players in the summer so I wouldn't bet against it. Who'd have believed how much Arab oil money would transform Man City?
[Post edited 7 Mar 2022 11:31]


I must admit, depending on who they buy, players for a team not for themselves, they should almost certainly be going for top 6
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A very bad day at the office on 14:58 - Mar 7 with 898 viewssaints__fan__73

I love when people think Newcastle can't buy success. It exactly what City, and before that Blackburn.

"Playing Devil's Advocate since 15th January 2014"
Poll: Have the events of the Summer made Nick feel closer to LFC?

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A very bad day at the office on 15:40 - Mar 7 with 875 viewsPoirot

A very bad day at the office on 12:45 - Mar 7 by SonicBoom

I think people need to understand that Newcastle have substantially more money than Man City now.
They will be looking for all the best players and can basically afford anyone they want.
The only good thing is that they will push one of the other loathsome 6 further down the pecking order.


There are financial restrictions and it would be a build up process over a number of seasons.
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A very bad day at the office on 16:47 - Mar 7 with 799 viewskingslandstand1

A very bad day at the office on 14:58 - Mar 7 by saints__fan__73

I love when people think Newcastle can't buy success. It exactly what City, and before that Blackburn.


And where are Blackburn now ..................... ok, right now poss promotion prospects, but since poor old Jack Walker passed and the club ran out of money they disappeared in to the crevasse that is an occasional mention on the results page proving that money does buy success
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A very bad day at the office on 17:17 - Mar 7 with 768 viewssaints__fan__73

A very bad day at the office on 16:47 - Mar 7 by kingslandstand1

And where are Blackburn now ..................... ok, right now poss promotion prospects, but since poor old Jack Walker passed and the club ran out of money they disappeared in to the crevasse that is an occasional mention on the results page proving that money does buy success


What relevance is that to what is being discussed? Yes, it's obvious if Man City's money men disappeared the success would disappear with them. But what's being talked about here is that getting money will equal success which it will with Newcastle even though neutrals don't like that fact.

"Playing Devil's Advocate since 15th January 2014"
Poll: Have the events of the Summer made Nick feel closer to LFC?

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A very bad day at the office on 18:04 - Mar 7 with 718 viewskingslandstand1

A very bad day at the office on 17:17 - Mar 7 by saints__fan__73

What relevance is that to what is being discussed? Yes, it's obvious if Man City's money men disappeared the success would disappear with them. But what's being talked about here is that getting money will equal success which it will with Newcastle even though neutrals don't like that fact.


I'm actually agreeing that you are correct stating that should Newcastle have the success they are seeking, it will be deemed as buying success.

Blackburn had that period of success in the 90's thanks to the money put in to the club by JW, but then they disappeared off that success ladder when the cash injections dried up, and therefore couldn't continue with that success

Man City and Chelsea have done the same and continue to do so because of the Russian and Arab monies

Liverpool and Man Utd have I guess avoided that label because they have grown in to that top tier over the last 50 or 60 years since they worked for that success from the Shankly and Busby era's and I suppose could say deserve to be there on merit
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A very bad day at the office on 18:40 - Mar 7 with 682 viewsericofarabia

A very bad day at the office on 13:12 - Mar 7 by TimSaint

Should have gone to Newport County Away to get your averages up !! :-)

A Win
A Clean Sheet
8 Goals




Hoping that Leeds continue shipping goals to help me out a bit!!
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