Southampton Banter

08 Jan 2026 13:06:01
Daniel Peretz is in.

For me this further instills that Will was on the right track. I doubt that this signing came straight from Tonda. To identify a goalkeeper target that quickly is unlikely.

Still was one of the only managers to identify early that Bazuna wasn't up to scratch. He put his faith in the only option he had McCarthy I and I'm sure he knew too wasn't any better. So I think when January came this signing was being lined up for him.

I reckon he would have identified one or two decent defenders too and I think we would have given it a decent go from here on, but now we will never know.

Now we have to hope that Tonda is the man everyone thought he was and that we haven't given the reins of our club to some novice.

Miller was calling Still a novice but in reality there are novices and then there are .novices. Tonda seems the latter.

07 Jan 2026 07:39:05
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Fulham v Liverpool - A Quick Liverpool Perspective

06 Jan 2026 11:18:50
I do hate being right but it seems Tonda is the living, breathing incarnation of the managerial bounce I was referring to.

I wanted/wished the board to judge him on his losses and wether he was able to return to form following defeat. Alas it doesn't seem like either was the case.

If that run we were on was down to Tonda's managerial prowess and not simply taking the shackles off and letting them do whatever, then he should be able to recreate it. Like I say I won't fully judge him negative/positive until the end of January to see what team he builds/continues to play but it is looking like anyone of us could have done what he did.

As always I put this situation down to the board and (partly fickle) fans. If they never had a suitable replacement for Still then why sack him.

Ultimately I'd sit down with Will Still and look to bring him back. If it's something the players want and the performances weren't down to player attitude to manager. Will built a great team in his first transfer window and I think with this one he could have bought in one or two more.

If the board don't have a clue who to bring in them they should stick with something that has potential rather than chopping and changing

06 Jan 2026 19:29:07
Made complete sense…. until mentioning Still coming back.

07 Jan 2026 08:40:34
Taking punts on youngsters like Still and Tonka just hasn’t worked. Our dressing room needs a commanding leader who knows how many beans make five - not apprentices.

07 Jan 2026 18:28:50
Not necessarily.I don't believe in this old school/hard knocks/leadership managerial approach.I mean pep was a young manager from the start, Arteta his assistant .the same.

It's about getting the combination right and part of the combination is time. I don't think Still was giving anywhere near the time the other guys was and Still for be is definitely the best of that bunch.

We nearly were crowned the worst premier league team in history.anyone who expected us to go from that to tearing up the championship was/is delusional. For me were exactly where I thought we would be . although like I say I would have given Still more time. I think his next team potentially has a great young manager on their hands

08 Jan 2026 10:28:05
Forgetting Still, I’m intrigued why you thought he was a good manager but much more importantly Leslee.

Why do you think that this team has gone from playing free flowing, fast attacking football, with multiple players getting in and around the box…
To this awful slow build up play, build up is probably the wrong expression as it never builds up to anything!
Same manager and same players .
But complete different formations and tactics to when we were scoring goals for fun!

Has he been instructed to play the SR way?

08 Jan 2026 12:50:36
This is my point about Still. I think 80% of what he was doing he was getting spot on. When Tonda came in what I think he done was continue what Still was doing but just took the shackles off. This was evident in how we attacked but also in how we conceded every game.

I think if Will was still here now he would change things up but it Tonda is beginning to be found out because he doesn't know what to change up to because he hasn't got as much as experience. At least with Still he was with Riems for a few seasons.

Also if you look at the pre game interviews of the opposing managers of Tonda's firs few games none of them really knew how to train their team for Southampton because they didn't know what style they would play, that gave us an advantage. That advantage is gone now.so teams just look at us and go, OK so brace for the attack, cut them off and then focus on their weaknesses which is defense

05 Jan 2026 20:28:42
Genuine question. Who deserves to stay at the football club come summer?

Owners - sell and leave.
Manager? No. His staff - get rid.
Goalies - useless.
Defence - Edwards, Quarshie. Young and will improve.
Midfield - Charles, Jander, Bragg.
Forwards - Fellows, Scienza (he'll leave), Robinson, maybe Azaz?

I don't think a club can be sold, sell 26 players and get rid of a manager in one summer, but we'll be relegated next season if this carries on.

05 Jan 2026 21:23:33
The trouble is . these are the players that were playing free flowing, positive football. attacking at speed, breaking at speed…
To see an attack or cross with multiple outlets in and around the box, was a joy to watch! We played with in effect a front three. Azaz, Scienza and AA were all combining, interpassing, opening up defences. It’s much harder to defend where you have multiple attackers to mark, all moving.
And then we started to line up with AA up front on his own? He is simply not good enough. He became the leagues top scorer by playing off of others. Azaz is a great goal scorer and has a good touch but only IF you play him in the right place, give him the chances and he scores.
It’s a shame because for the first time in a very long time I was enjoying watching us play

05 Jan 2026 21:46:09
I make you right SaintGGsy

Trouble is there is no leadership anywhere in the team. I was watching the body language after each goal conceded - bunch of wimps, clueless and toothless. We even made Target look good.

Worse of all is the post match drivel - how many more times do we have to hear the glaringly obvious, “we must do better” - no rubbish.

Like most fans I speak to, I feel embarrassed to support this lot to the point I’m almost past caring. The trouble is, when a club is in your DNA you can’t however hard you try, give up on them. Unlike the players/managers and boardroom all of whom are a disgrace.

05 Jan 2026 07:39:05
{Ed's Note - RPD has posted a new article entitled, Why Chelsea's Ownership Is Playing the Long Game

04 Jan 2026 17:14:09
It's getting to the stage where we need to hope that there are 3 teams even worse than us at the end of the season. Tonda has to go but even if SR grow a pair and get rid who would want to take over this absolute shambles. People saying that we need a keeper and a striker. I think we need a whole new team. Even Pep or SAF couldn't get this lot to play well.

03 Jan 2026 16:23:15
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Matchday 19 - Quick Round Up

01 Jan 2026 17:01:29
Going backwards in every sense of the word.

Run out of words to describe how slow and ponderous we are. It's absolutely pathetic.

They don't deserve to draw their wages.

And yes, Tonda has to go - he shouldn't have been given the job in the first place (as I said all along).

02 Jan 2026 11:12:15
I thought I would delay my post so that rather than it be a knee-jerk reaction, it’s written without frustration!
I cannot understand what has happened to our fast, free flowing football. It was an absolute pleasure to watch with excellent results.
I fully understand the idea of drawing your opponents out… But the opponents aren’t falling for it.
So meanwhile, we play around with the ball like we are playing a key ball training session.
If they won’t be drawn out, run at them, get outside them, get behind them, get out wide…
It’s almost like they are playing an under 12 aside game with the attitude ‘ come on, come and get it’ …
I won’t add anymore because so many other posters are saying the same thing…
We played some magnificent fast flowing football and we were scoring goals for fun.
Get on my pitch and play positive football, look forward not sidewards backwards
Happy New Year