Southampton Banter Mobile

27 Dec 2025 07:39:06
{Ed's Note - Tusole has posted a new article entitled, Chelsea FC Is Drifting from Its Winning Identity

26 Dec 2025 16:57:40
How poor was that? Only good thing about today's result is that it puts Poopy back in the relegation places.

26 Dec 2025 18:56:09
Not one positive out of today. I said all along the Board should have waited until after the Christmas period before appointing Tonda.

I’m pretty sure had they waited, given recent performances, they wouldn’t consider him now. He is totally out of his depth as were those who went before him.

He’s 32 for goodness sake - did they really think he possesses the leadership skills to kick arse and deal with a dressing room full of spoilt brat underachievers?

To do well in this league you must do the basics right and have a bit of quality. We’ve got pockets of quality but we never seem to get the basics right through 90+ minutes (how many clean sheets) .

26 Dec 2025 21:47:11
Very disappointed with the performance. No plan B or c just same old same old. I predicted teams would sit back closer to their 18 yard lines and that is exactly what has happened in recent games. I’m not a professional coach so why can I see it but Eckhert can’t?
Eckhert needs to change formations to deal with opponents and not just rely on the same shape/ tactic every week. We desperately need a proper centre forward and Charles back. Oriel looks like his legs have gone but will be invaluable in motivating the young squad.
Please please go 4-2-2-2 AA cannot be left up front by himself. I’m not worried about pressing for promotion this season but next is a must!

27 Dec 2025 14:10:23
The problem with playing around with the ball at the back in an attempt to draw your opponent out, is that if your opponent sits deep and doesn’t fall for the game plan, you have to change your game plan!
There is some irony to the fact we were caught out more times by them…
We are not playing the ball quick enough from defence to attack, we are not moving the ball through midfield quick enough. If you are playing a team that is clearly not as good as or as skilful as your own team, then you have to play to your strength…
Are playing around with it at the back yesterday was bordering on suicide at times. We were passing across players that were in dangerous positions, not just cross them but within feet of them. As we found out, all it takes is a fractionally inaccurate pass or a quick interception we are in trouble.
Get the ball up the pitch play through the midfield, get it to the winger, get people in the box and score goals!

27 Dec 2025 14:24:36
As for playing romeu, he is not a player that you bring later on to change the dynamics of a game. Is someone you bring on when you were winning to one with 10 minutes to go to protect your defence.
Having said that his decision making when tackling is still very suspect.
Is he emotionally strengthening the team? I’m not sure.

26 Dec 2025 15:49:12
Stephens

26 Dec 2025 21:07:12
Is he Pompey in disguise?

23 Dec 2025 07:39:06
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - A Quick Liverpool Perspective

20 Dec 2025 21:13:01
Predictable and underwhelming - the so called 'bounce' has well and truly gone.

On a positive note - a good festive/new year return would throw us in the mix.

Christmas wish - stop playing keep ball in the 18 yard box - it rarely ends well.

20 Dec 2025 23:17:45
Yea this was my concern but as I say I won't judge truly (positive/negative) until end of January as I want to see what/if any players he brings in and what team/style he looks to build.

Part of me feels like we've let a top emerging manager in Will Still going, seeing as he was the guy who assembled this current team. With more time would he have found a way, were never know.

All we do know is our board seems to give the job to anyone who can string a few wins together. Credit Tonda definitely deserved it, but I just wished they waited a little longer and judged him on his losses . because it tells me they had no one better lined up. Which is a concern.

21 Dec 2025 14:07:21
It’s not just the quality of the squad - it’s having the managerial nous to instil belief and confidence and nurture a winning mentality.

In the absence of genuine leadership on the pitch the same group of players can either achieve or fail depending on the manager.

These days football is akin to painting by numbers and players do not adapt to changing in-match scenarios. And neither do inexperienced managers as we are constantly reminded.

17 Dec 2025 07:39:07
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Matchday 16 - Quick Round Up

13 Dec 2025 14:39:06
The cracks are beginning to show and the post Will run shine starting to dim.

2 loses in the last four and only one clean sheet under Tonda - in a game which Leicester had a red card.

On paper it should have been a winnable game, especially if the run we were on was down to managerial prowess.

Yes it was a handball but also I would never have had Armstrong on penalties.

I'm interested to see what/if any signings are bought in January. He needs to put his stamp on the team and by identifying dead weight (for me Archer, ect) and bringing in one or two solid player's.

As I've said the star players of our recent run are players bought in by Will. So this run is through a team Tonda inherited, which has been a concern for me.it means possibly that Will Still just needed a little more time.

BUT hopefully it's just a dip, big game against Coventry and I won't judge Tonda (positively or negatively) too much until after January. As I say, I want to see what he truly knows about building/putting a team together.

.on a side note, Norwich are now doing what we did. Turn of fortune's with a new recent manager > manager bounce 🤔😎

14 Dec 2025 00:24:21
Yes Armstrong is NO penalty taker ( history shows) and it’s CRIMINAL to leave Ronnie Edwards on the bench with three massive UNDERPERFORMERS In the backline.January FIX is another required positional necessity apart from goalkeeper and striker at the very least, . KOM.

14 Dec 2025 13:56:01
I think for me downs in midfield looked fragile, wellington has not been at it since his injury, and frazer was not at the races. I don’t really want to go up again. It would be the same as last year if we go up. Let’s have a couple of seasons building a squad, as our 2nd string seem to not be strong enough to cover. GK still a must.

13 Dec 2025 07:39:06
{Ed's Note - Weejoe has posted a new article entitled, Celtic's Decline Was Years in the Making