HOME TO CARDIFF

If Saints lose this they will almost certainly fall back into the relegation zone..... and a draw will still see them in very great danger. Can Saints win this time?

Well Ralph has said result was disaster and he is correct and also partly to blame. I feel sorry for him as the board have totally screwed him over during the transfer window. Being reliant of a forward line including Long (never scores), Austin (injury prone and not wanted) Ings (decent but injury prone), Gallagher (never played in premiership)Obefemi (injured and inexperienced) and Redmond (only recently started scoring goals) would test Pep. Sure enough Ings gets injured and we are in a mess. Ralph started Long but he had a terrible game and should have been subbed long before he was, never looked like scoring and got frustrated as did the crowd and the more he tried he was giving the ball away. Then he has to bring on Austin who clearly he doesn't rate as happy to sell but no one wanted.

Then at the back we have to play 3 at the back as none are good enough to play in just a back four which means less in midfield. While Ralph should have changed shape earlier in the game, Gao, Liebherr, Kruger and the useless Wilson have totally stitched him up with no additional players and this squad, while arguably no longer bloated with the exits in January is full of injured or poor quality players so if he keeps this squad up he will be a miracle worker.


wont say much about the game, as expected awful entertainment Cardiff just sat deep and waited for a free kick, another terrible side and if they stay up and we go down I wont mind as wont have to watch their awful football. We didn't look like scoring in a awful first half trying to remember any excitement. A couple of decent crosses from Bertrand but with no Ings no one going to get on the end of, Redmond had a good run across the box but his shot was well blocked. Second half same and then gave away a needless goal, Valaray at fault as poor defending, out of position which he was a lot of the game and gave a corner away which he does far to often. Hopeless defending, McCarthy routed to his line and no marking to allow their CH to score. On came Austin and aside from a header he placed well over when should have at least found the target did nothing. Huff and puffed and Valaray went on a great run that should have seen the equaliser but scrambled away, decent save from a Ward Prowse free kick then Stephens managed to score just on full time from a corner. But this saints team is the worst I have seen in as far as having any character or leaders and gave away another soft goal, Stephens no where.

Ralph brought on Elouyishi another great example of the awful transfers Wilson has overseen. If we have been watching him for years you would have thought they would have known he is useless. Gallagher came on but didn't do much, would rather he had come on earlier in place of Austin. No Armstrong so must assume injured, we need him, Ings and Lemina fit and available if we have any chance of staying up and that is unlikely.

McCarthy 5 didn't have anything to do but weak in his area, I would play Gunn and sell McCarthy in summer as at least someone will buy and stick with Gunn.
Bertrand 6 did okay defensively and certainly better than Targett but doesn't get forward as much.
Bedanek 6 solid defensively but rarely goes over the half way line, at least he does his main job but against sides like Cardiff defenders have to be brave
Vestergard 5 reasonably solid but again not strong enough in the box
Stephens 5 brought the ball out well, scored a goal but simply not good enough defensively, fact will be replaced by Yoshida next game says it all.
Valaray 5 some decent runs going forward but defensively poor, is learning the game which is why it was madness to let Cedric go on loan.
Romeau 5 poor game defensively,
Hojberg 5 didn't look as sharp as previous games and when he got forward never shot, always seemed on his wrong foot.
JWP 6 tried hard and set pieces were decent. not sur why Bertrand took corners one side better leaving to JWP.
Redmond 6 couldn't fault his effort but with no other movement up front was easily crowded out.
Long 4 really poor game, [payed as CF which is not his game nor against a team with 5 at the back sitting deep but Ralph like his effort.

Subs
Austin 4 did nothing
Elyouishi 4 did nothing
Gallagher 4 did nothing

and the impact the subs had says it all about the squad we have with no or little impact from the bench,

Thanks Matty.

With Arsenal, Man United and Spurs all coming up in the next 4 games, I wonder how deep we will be in the mire by late March. Still, we can lose to Cardiff as easily as we lose to top 6 clubs at the moment so might as well get those matches played now.....then hopefully the team will have pulled up their socks, and got over their injuries, so that they can get some decent results afterwards.

Mike, Pete

despite a poor game and result there was a good ending, if you listen to the clip on Radio Solent on the link from 1.35 into the Julian Clegg programme

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p06ynygl

Sorry Matty..... you have to allow for me being both thick and senile........ what am I listening for?

The Radio solent article that was about a saints fan who had a heart attack after the game and the "unknown" off duty nurse who gave him CPT and saved his life.

Was actually my wife the nurse, Mate was in Spain on holiday so I had his ST, was going to take my son but he got injured at work (police officer) so he couldn't go. Mate who grew up with in Gosport couldn't go as done his knee in so couldn't stand so at last minute my wife came. Best piece of luck for the guy and we just happened to be 3 cars behind them when he was pulled out the car. Ambulance and paramedic was there pretty quick but a lucky guy.

Wife met the guy's wife who was trying to find her and heard the appeal on Solent when I was going to work.

Wow, your wife did fantastic!!

Seems we have something in common with nurses in family. Of my 4 daughters, 3 of them are nurses.

More in common, our daughter is also a nurse, works in the Neo Natal ICU. Was at Cardiff hospital but moved to a hospital in Doha last August. On our way to visit her tomorrow for a few days then going to Sri Lanka for 8 days so might not be on here much and no match report for Fulham and Spurs. Hopefully with me not there might win those games!

Matty, that is fantastic mate. It just shows that there are things way more important than sports results. A big well done from me to your wife !

Thanks Pete, definitely puts football into perspective. Guy has had a triple bypass but doing okay since so going to visit him and his wife at weekend