This was the best chance to get that elusive 1th point of the season, Saints fans were the 12th man, but this was a sorry performance that lacked just about everything you could name.

There is not a lot that can be said about this game that hasn't been said week in week out before, Simon Rusk put out the same side and it looked tired, the players lacked motivation and put bluntly we did the same old things and got the same results.

At the back we played 3 central defenders, but there was no variation, all three lack pace and they lack marking skills and leadership.

Simon Rusk has no excuses here, he has clearly decided that these are his men, he left Nathan Wood on the bench and Armel Bella-Kotchap and Charlie Taylor at home, he had the personnel, he needed to change something here and he didn't.

In the rest of the team it was the same story and at half time at least Rusk realised his error and changed things, but it was too little too late, however the one thing that turned Saints fans was the substitution of Mateus Fernandes with only 57 minutes gone, I don't have anything against Will Smallbone, but he is not going to get you back into a game when you are behind, Mateus Fernandes is.

This was Rusk throwing in the towel, Jay Robinson also came on for Sulemana, but he is a youngster, we needed a point, why is Ryan Fraser sat at home, why is Adam Lallana not named on the bench.

I have seen some horrible abuse aimed at Rusk on social media, that is unfair, Rusk's only crime is not to be up to the job in hand and making some poor selections, but it is not his fault he is left holding the wheel till the end of the season.

Rusk is clearly a good coach, but he is not yet ready for management at the top level, perhaps he will be in the future, but not at the moment.

So it seems that we will limp to the end of the season doing the same things and getting the same results, unless Rusk decides that plan A has failed and he has a plan B.

This was perhaps the worst game of the season, it was awful to watch, two sides who were fairly evenly matched, probably not in a good way, once Leicester got in front, you felt that was it, when they got the second just before the break it effectively ended the game as a contest, Leicester concentrated on not doing anything silly and letting us back in the game and we did pretty much the same, a total lack of leadership and motivation.

The only positive point was once again the travelling fans, the departure of Fernandes just before the hour mark prompted a long and loud rendition of a song in his honour, that seemed to continue for most of the rest of the game.

All Photos Via Reuters

Colburn added 11:52 - May 5 Spot on. Disgraceful performance, worst of the season. We only have one left sided wing back at the club and he wasn’t in the squad. Manning was dreadful and he can’t play in that position as your wing backs need to be pivotal to the attack.. he has no idea what to do with the ball. The 3 centre backs have all proved that they aren’t good enough and this 5 at the back stupidity is why we are conceding the ground all over the park but Rusk can’t see it. So we can’t get out, have little outlet and some of the players are lazy, sick of the excuses from Rusk already. Fernandes did not look tired, Smallbone always looks tired. Sulemana didnt bother enough and we had no courage on the ball to play incisive passes. Football is so simple when you pass and move, we don’t move, this is down to the coaching and unfortunately Rusk is another out of his depth. The owners need to sell, they are clueless and are about to lose the fans, who were amazing on Saturday. Total and utter disgrace of a football club from top to bottom.

5

FrankSaint added 12:02 - May 5 Given we are on our third manager, each with a different philosophy and the team continues to underperform to such an extent that even Leicester can score at home against us with ease, maybe it's time to just accept that the owners have completely screwed up their acquisitions. We have a bloated squad of mediocre players that don't fit together into a winning side which ever way you perm them. There's no threat upfront, no menace in any part of the team. Just a nice bunch of blokes in the wrong place at the time. Presumably in training the A team thrash the B team. And there will be other factors to consider when selecting a team and subs off the bench which we as fans will not be aware of. And please don't mention the guy on loan at Sheffield. In this team he was next to useless whenever there was a real contest. We need to stop believing the hype...

1

underweststand added 12:30 - May 5 Same procedure as LAST WEEK. I think you do a good job of trying to ice the cake (Nick) but this column still sounds like that old cracked LP after every game. No criticism of you personally, but clearly .."the team " (If I can call them that) just aren't up to it, and who can blame them. Three managers, and countless tweakings of the system hasn't improved things, and I don't blame Rusk and AL more than anyone else who had gone before. Those people who previously commented on the return of Captain Jack, added more fuel to their argument, and his removal at HT was too late to affect a game already lost. Can't think of too much to comment on the game, once again blighted by "the Curse of Vardy" as I'm sure he's scored more times against Saints than many other Prem. strikers. A closer look at our three remaining fixtures doesn't auger well for the chances of getting that ONE face-saving point or conceding more goals in more embarrassing scorelines. Roll on August.

6

kingolaf added 12:30 - May 5 Nick, why do you think Rusk is ‘clearly a good coach’? I am far from convinced he is.
7

saintmark1976 added 15:09 - May 5 Fair play to you Nick in putting out a report with no mention whatsoever of any praise for any of our Owner, Sports Republic or their Senior Employees, Managers or Players. Given your ever laudable undoubted love and enthusiasm for our Club, displayed over many years,in your efforts to Rally the Troops, I suspect not an easy report for you to have written. You got this one spot on because all they deserve is what they’ve received since Saturday:- Abject Ridicule.

3

TimSaint added 15:21 - May 5 We already have 11 points - it is the 12th point that continues to be and will remain elusive.
1

Farlow added 15:58 - May 5 I can’t believe these so called coaches keep picking Manning he can’t defend to save his life. There is no creativity in midfield Downes. Is a typical Russell Martin Player,sideways or back At least Aribo shows some forward intent.We need a complete overhaul next year or we will Struggle to compete in the championship.
1

HythePeer added 16:22 - May 5 That's the problem with the Premier League; there is too much difference between the bottom team and everyone else.
1

bryanK added 17:25 - May 5 I watched the whole game and the comments are spot on. Woeful, dreadful complete lack of fight. The 3 centre backs were awful and how Harwood Bellis obtained an England call up is beyond me. I went to Goodison and saw us lose 8-0 and at Elland Road for the well televised 7-0 thrashing. This was worse. The first goal what the hell was Benerak and useless Stephens doing? God knows!! I would not play any of the quitters again and we all have a fair opinion of who they are. The wonderful Saints fans who made this journey should at least have their 2025/26 season ticket paid for my SR as clearly they have been done under the fault goods return policy.

4

Bowlercow added 21:58 - May 5 Any lingering thoughts anyone may have had about Simon and Adam getting appointed for next season must now have been washed away. Can we keep Ramsdale?Who is going to shell out £25m for a keeper who has been relegated 3 times? THB will want PL next year to improve his international chances No don't laugh Bednarek needs a new challenge He can go with my blessing and with my thanks I can't wait to see who we get as our coach next year but we must sell about 7/8 players and buy only 3and the same again in the next two windows

3

Blogs 31 bloggers

Derby County Polls