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Fabulous post, Total Saints Podcast. I broke the thumbs up symbol on your video. Can't wait to see more from you. Continue to keep the fantastic work.

Cant say anyrhing else other than predictable. Playing out from the back is suicidal and Brentford have an unforgiving press. It was comical how predictable it was. I heard so many pwople saying the defense would get the team into trouble with dodgy back passes. It makes you wonder what Martin thinks is going to happen? If youre getting whooped by Brentford who still have a lot of players missing, its hard to see how he expects to get points against the better sides in the division. Just a really weird tactical plan and hes obviously spoken about how itll be painful sometimes, but im not sure even he ecpected to be losing every game.

Amazing to be as positive as Weeks. When you compare the opposition a team like Tractor Boys have faced so far to Saints this start is no less than abysmal imo. Granted, Ramsdale should be an upgrade. A player like A.Armstrong though-shines in Ch ship but PL is beyond his level, that is well documented over several seasons. Not that I value pundits that much, but the impression is that the rest of the league regard Saints as this year’s punching ball. They did so before league start, and I cant say they have gone horribly wrong so far, albeit a bit too early to write Saints off. I have followed Saints loosely from Norway since LeTissier shone alongside Shearer in his junior years and the state this franchise appears to be in atm is depressing to say the least

WEEKEND RUINER!

Manager does my head in. Anyone can see where are failings are, yet he persists with the ridiculous over-playing at the back. Stephens, Armstrong and Smallbone are not good enough at this level.

Archer is our most natural finisher, so for me he has to start in the no 9. I'd set up in a 433, where you can play Archer in the 9 or if you want a more physical presence up top, you play Dias through the middle and Archer off the right. Fernandes should start and even possibly Lallana (instead of Aribo or Smallbone). If you want a more defensive minded player in there, Lesley plays. For now I'd keep Dibling on the bench, but keep giving him 30mins (for a tiring Lallana).

We need to stop playing back 3 it doesn’t work

Smallbone and aribo both need to come out for the next game. Not willing enough to come back and pick up the ball putting to much pressure on the defence and not playing the passes through the line to great options for the forwards, lalana much better at this when he came on. The idea of playing 2 holding midfielders after scoring one goal in three games seems a little illogical to me.

We gave the ball away at the back last season too, but we were up against teams of limited quality who seldom took advantage. This season we are being punished by higher quality players.

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Completely disagree that KWP is the better RB/RW than Sugawara. Sugawara is the first winger/back (this includes both left and right side players) in a long time that can beat his man send a decent ball into the box and also has the technical skills to finish as well. Even defensively KWP is questionable, he doesn’t win the ball clean, his technique is stopping his player by grappling and taking the foul. KWP is a decent ball runner, but no end product. (I didn’t get to watch the championship games last season because of where I live, but KWP hasn’t really changed in the PL games I’ve seen) Also, I’m pretty certain Harwood-Bellis was subbed off both games because he was sitting on a yellow both times. Form wise, the 3 CBs are about the same, they’ve all made pretty shocking mistakes. Although, I’d like to see Bednarek dropped before he scores an own goal, and also to stop those leaky passes. If I was to change it up, I’d drop BBD, Aribo, Smallbone, AA, Bednarek, KWP (for a proper LB/LM, and I don’t see much point in him playing on the right). Id like to see Fernandes, Ugochukwu and Archer get a start. At this stage I think Dibling, as good as he is, will be more effective off the bench, when the opponents have tired a bit, that way when he comes on he can dance around some spent legs. Solid debut from Ramsdale too. Good to see some confidence between the sticks, none of the goals against he could do much about.

Play KWP as a winger in front of Suga, good balance and sorts the gap out

There are signs we can do well. The game management, some players reaction to the Prems pace & unforgiving nature is learning curve Martin will relish. We now have options to adjust personnel and tactics. I believe RM will do this. Also, if we had scored one of our many against the last 3 teams, it could be a different outcome. Finishing is an issues currently. Not chance creation. Oh, & silly mistakes at the back. Standard! Let’s see.

Anyone writing off the manager, the style of play or individual players is over-reacting, and already forgetting how we got here. However, tweaks are needed for sure - I'd move back to 433 or 442 rather than have three at the back. We need to work on our distribution patterns from the back with this new GK to avoid being undone by a heavy press. A few players have started the season out of form and are ready for benching as well.

Do agree that subbing Harwood Bellis and not Stephens was a surpirse but not one I disagree with. On form he's been the weakest of the three. That Martin ruthless streak you referred to

Martin out

Brentford are a great club. Never give it large. Just an honest club….

Blue 💙🔵

As a forest fan I think a couple of things; 1) saints seemed nervous, 2) you set up for possession and failed to press, 3) nothing up top to aim at… one other thing, Forest aren’t that bad and I fully believe we will improve to maybe 10th or above, I’ve been watching Forest since 1975 and seen it all and I don’t think it’s bad saints lost today … with a bit of tweaking they will stay up… there are most definitely 3 teams that will be worse than saints and Forest so best of luck except for return fixture… PS I don’t often respond on other channels…

I'm a Forest Suporter, And as the Southampton Fans witnessed,,,We're better than given Credit For... Good luck this Season Southampton....😊

Cheaters never win

I'm a Forest fan. I get that the Saints have expectations against Forest but I watched a team toothless in attack and passing the ball for the sake of passing. For some reason Saints fans thought you were going to destroy Forest. Well welcome back to the Prem. It's tougher than you think. Forest are a good team and you underestimated us. Lesson learned hopefully. I look forward to the return fixture.

You really, really look like you need a big horrible number 9. Though i'm not sure that's how your manager wants to play. Best of luck though. 17th is all you need. Hopefully your manager can have the strength to adapt his preferred style of play.

It’s called being schooled by a much superior team 👍

Burnley and Leeds f'd around and found out when it came to playing possession based football in the Prem. I like the ambition, but the reality is you can't do that when you have just come up. It's a shame but it is what it is..

The transfer window this year has been shocking, in the 40 odd years supporting Saints this has been one of the worse. The whole thing is a mess including the system sadly

I feel for you guys because thats how we (Forest) was in our 1st season back in the prem. We have been lucky for 2 seasons, this season we are much better prepared. You cant play the way you do, in the prem. Possession means nothing. I hope you guys find a way to get points in the prem. :)

Told you so

While the injury record for Bijlow is a concern it's also the onky reason we're able to sign him at all. If you told me at the after the playoff final that next year we'd be signing a current Dutch international goalkeeper I'd have you sectioned.

Only surprise is Chris Wood didn't get his usual goal vs saints

All you saints fans just give him a chance to prove himself & get behind him

Welcome to st Mary's Justin Bijlow😇❤

If as you say we are going to finish in bottom half this season doesn’t bode well for you… Tend to disagree - if and when we sign a decent striker I see 12-13th - much same for you guys you need overall of mid field and defo top striker again you’re missing yours from season back…….

A big issue is it looks like Smallbone & Aribo only have 60 minutes in their legs before they blow. The club obviously know that which is why they brought in Fernandes & Lesley. Fully expect them 2 to form a starting CM partnership over the next 2-4 games. Saturday was a reality check but I’ll think we’ll be ok.

ONCE AGAIN, all the usual ‘fickle doubters’ emerge; always right to question Managers (some more-so than many others) but many SAINTS FANS seem to have doubts (on steroids) !

Great insight!

We need more than a keeper, I feel for him coming to us he s going to be battered all season, Adam Armstrong showed us how good he was in prem, lessons not learned. Get a proven goal scorer sfc for goodness sake! Just look at Brighton and Bournemouth! What has happened to saints? We are regressing under current regime. 😢

Just what we want and number two goalkeeper who is injury prone

Hopefully we get the right players in during the transfer window but wouldn't be surprised if the following did return Ryan Fraser Danny Ings & JWP and keeping KWP is vital. Was really nice to bump into Alfie at the ground thank you for the quick chat.

So, the players were not to blame, selection unbalanced, the formation was not right, and the substitutions were made too late. You've not said it so I guess I will - RM was to blame for this result, he needs to recognise this pretty soon and I hope he does. This game reminded me of the Sellis period and that's a damning thing to say.

Jack Stephens is a reasonable centre back but certainly not a midfielder or a full back. That's where the frustration begins and the casual lack of urgency.

Possession stats should ONLY be counted in the opposing half.

Where's my favourite guy, the guy that I like, the menace! Stevie G

Forest fan here. Russell Martin has to find an alternative game plan. I fear that if Saints continue to play the ball out from the back then you’ll be found out time and time again. Could be a long season for you guys.

Great review as usual 🎉

Edozie is a flapper - never a top player for me. Amo is 10x the player Edozie is. We need to have a frank discussion about Stewart both here and in press conferences - it seems that there's something going on, with him on his fourth? physical breakdown, (not surprising, as despite his obvious quality, I've yet to see a player recover from an Achilles tear, ever). Will he ever play a real part for us? Looking doubtful.

Well said, Alfie. JS is a tremendous leader and and superb player to boot.

I mean only Sports Republic could look at Sheffield last season and think ...you know what let's spank over 20M on their 2 strikers.Jokers

The problem we have at the moment compared to when Atkins was manager is were not ambitous enough in the transfer market we bought in better players back then because of the plan to aim for europe

Name for the beer; Harold Shipman; Bad Fucker