Once again we saw a spell of dominance and good play by a Southampton side completely undone by lapses of concentration & shoddy play, we are dropping points due to the same things every week, where will it all end.

This is the second attempt at writing this verdict, the first disappeared into the ether due to a computer issue and that is perhaps for the best as in truth I am sick of moaning about the same old issues after every game and then writing about it again the following week, i could almost save a template for each Verdict and just change the names to suit.

So I am certainly not going to write the same article twice in one day, so this is a lot shorter and to the point than the last one, but the conclusion is still the same.

We have all watched this game either by being at the ground, on TV and also the highlights or perhaps I should say lowlights, some of us were perhaps masochistic enough to have done both.

This was a game that once again saw a better quality team fail to beat one that was of inferior quality, due to the fact that the opposition, were better drilled, better organised and had leadership both on and off the pitch.

One that knew what it's task was, played to a system and was highly motivated, that description cannot be applied to Will Still's Southampton side.

So why after 11 games are we sitting 17th in the table, with the possibility of dropping down further and finding ourselves only 4 points off the relegation zone ?

The answer is everything that Bristol City were last night, motivated, organised, well drilled, we are not, they were a team, we are a group of individuals who are thrown together.

Harsh, but I think true !

Will Still is having a lot of bad luck, he had a lot last night, but that is the least of our problems, he may well be happy with the stats last night, 67% possession, more shots and for that matter shots on target than the home side and of course a higher xG, however that is calculated.

But again the stat that matters is not in our favour, so the problem isn't the quality it is the application.

We are a team that plays the way it does without belief that it is the best way, when you have 3 different players making mistakes for 3 goals, that is not bad luck, it is symptomatic of the belief that the players have in the system and to be blunt the manager !

Perhaps I am wrong, but the results and the league table support my theory rather than Will Still's.

So where do we go from here, what does Johannes Spors do next, I would beggar this question, if Will Still had arrived replacing a manager who had been in place for the last 3 seasons, then I would perhaps be writing his obituary now and not this verdict, but that is not the case and if he is now sacked, then his replacement will be the 5th man in the hot seat in 10 months, this is possibly the only thing keeping him in the job at the moment, but is that right.

Now I don't enjoy writing this, far from it, I would be far happier praising Will Still as a great young coach, I would be happier having seen Saints win last night and up in the promotion race, but I am not doing that.

The manager has been given all the tools he needs to do the job, we have bought in some decent players at this level, including Tom Fellows one of the best wingers in the Championship last season & Finn Azaz who in the past 3 seasons has scored and created more chances than anyone else in his position, yet neither can get in the starting line up, Why ?

So what happens next ?

Do we keep faith in the manager, something that he does not seem to have in his own judgement at present given the chopping and changing or do we change things now.

If we do that who do we replace him with.

Ex Saints manager Dave Merrington once said to me that at any given time a manager is only 4 games from being hailed as the greatest thing or from being on the verge of being sacked.

I would think that this is the case with Still, Saints will give him another chance, but we cannot go another 4 games where we average just a point a game.

I truly hope that in 4 games time Still is repaying the faith his employers have shown in him and he is still the manager of Southampton Football Club, a team now in the top 6 or thereabouts.

All Photos Via Reuters

DorsetIan added 11:16 - Oct 22 It's the hope that kills us, but we all know where this ends. Will Still wasn't and isn't experienced enough to manage a team to success in this league. It's difficult to identify exactly what is wrong, but your Report goes a long way to stating it. As a 'team' we are not coherent and we are lightweight and quite easy to contain and sometimes beat.
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wibbersda added 11:30 - Oct 22 There is a malaise at this club. We get softer and weaker year on year, and the only ones at fault are SR, who have caused the decline from day one. Until they FO we will not get back to the club we were.
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1885_SFC added 11:44 - Oct 22 *** SPORT REPUBLIC OUT ***
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ItchenNorth added 11:45 - Oct 22 We have too many bottle jobs in our squad. Will Still is going to need a couple more transfer windows to get players out and get in new players with a tougher mindset at can fight, stay in games and win in adversity. . You say 'The manager has been given all the tools he needs to do the job' but he clearly hasn't because we have been crying out for a striker for how long now! Its a rebuild. It's the playing squad that's clearly not up to it. Any blame should be directed to the ownership. We can not keep changing managers every 5 minutes.

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Centurion added 11:57 - Oct 22 We need to keep our nerve. This was always going to be a long project and at the moment it is all about confidence. One good win and we will be moving up the table. I cannot see promotion this year but was this the goal. Surely it was stability by the end of the season?
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saintmark1976 added 12:03 - Oct 22 Well done Nick for sticking to your guns and calling it for what it was with this report after the mauling your Swansea Verdict received from the happy clappers at the weekend. I fully understand and share your frustration as to what our great club has become. We were truly shambolic yesterday in every position. Poorly Managed, Poor in goal, very poor in defence and abjectly poor in front of goal apart from Adam Armstrong. All this after spending £50 million in the last window. Perhaps even more concerning was that as soon as City scored their second goal we basically gave up and from that moment on there was never any doubt as to the result. Worth pointing out that last time around Luton were relegated with 49 points. We currently have 12 points from 11 games which in anybody’s language is near identical form, which if maintained for the rest of the season could well provide the same outcome. Over to you happy clappers.

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StRipper added 12:23 - Oct 22 Like the majority of Saints fans, I want us to stick with a manager and find some stability. To do that, we need to have a manager that, even if not a genius, is at least competent at managing players, tactics and strategy. So as much as I don't want to think it, its starting to look like Still doesn't meet those basic criteria. He was totally out thought by Struber last night. However dominant we were in the 1st half, a tactical tweak at half time by Bristol completely nullified us. And then we struggled to keep possession or create attacks. And Still's only apparent answer was to sub in a few like for like positions, like it was the performance of individuals that would make the difference. Its not just Still. I blame all of the coaches. Including wonder boy Lallana, who appears to have had little to no impact. The worse thing for me last night was that our players gave up from about 70 minutes and reverted to aimless passing, after already demonstrating their brilliance at ball watching earlier in the match. Once the huff and puff has gone, we clearly don't have a way of playing. Players aren't sure where they're supposed to be and what to do in situations. So then we just look flat and out of ideas. The antithesis of how Ralf prescribed every role or Russ Pochettino's defined styles. I am not harking back to the past. But without tactical awareness and something to define the team identity, we can see the situation unraveling for Still. Sadly, the writing is already on the wall. Its just a matter of how long it takes Spors and SR to make that decision.

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1teeminants added 12:29 - Oct 22 The confidence of the players has been shot to pieces with disastrous results over the past year. It s going to take a very long time to get over that, to Instill belief and move forward. Is Will Still the man to do this. Probably not .
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ohdannyboy added 12:43 - Oct 22 The first half was great to watch, the 2nd was the opposite. I thought Russel Martin had come back to set out and manager the team i nthe 2nd half. Same old issue - lots of posession then we just get taken apart by a quick counter attack or lapse by a defender. Who are we going to get as a manager that can turn things around?
4

beynali73 added 13:44 - Oct 22 No point in sacking the manager as SR is where the issue lies. Who would SR bring in if they gave WS the push? RM? Another obscure choice who has won a few games and talks great buzzword filled tactical nonsense? I'm not sure what SR's strategy is but it's consistent with what they know i.e. ownership of modest clubs in the lower quality European divisions without any ambition beyond making themselves a few quid. Saints are a product of SR's ownership style and this is where we will stay whilst they remain in charge. This isn't a criticism only a reflection of their history before they arrived at St Mary's and their actions since they arrived. COYRs

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ElSanto added 14:23 - Oct 22 I thought Bristol were supposed to be an attacking team that pressed high up? Apparently all teams just sit back now and counter us now they know it works so well, even if that's not there normal style of play. We don't have a striker who is in the form to finish the chances we create early in the match and we don't have midfielders or strikers to cause problems with balls into the box - either height or aggression. I say stick with Will Still. But I need to see a big striker bought in January and a move to 4 at the back. 5 at the back is pointless against all these teams that sit back and counter. And I would also like a leader of men. Someone given license to scream at these players and tell them what to do and were to be.

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Bowlercow added 14:29 - Oct 22 Nick you have been anti Will Still almost from day one Do you take this stance as a form of click bate or has he or the club refused to recognise your "sttus" After Saturday you refused to recognise it as a msssive i.provement.You questioned the starting eleven wanting Azaz and Fellows in the side Scienza replaced the former and has been MotM twice Fellows has a knock which prevented him from starting During the first half he wad taken ill and it was a surprise that he came on at all The system and players selected continue to produce chances How can any coach be to blame for Archers miss or Scienza hitting the bar The last thing we need right now is yet another change of manager 7 so far in the SR reign.

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davidargyll added 14:50 - Oct 22 Presumably most people watched Will Still in the post-match interview? Whatever the whys and wherefore of last night’s performance - p erraticallyI didn’t know whether to laugh or cry - the idea of supporting a manager who was ALMOST IN TEARS afterwards? Forget it! I was all for giving him more time but, judging by his pathetic performance on tv, the guy clearly has no little round things! Now he clearly is not up to the task. End of.

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davidargyll added 14:51 - Oct 22 Personally I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry
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SaintPaulVW added 15:16 - Oct 22 Frustrating match. Saturday was a step forward, which lasted all the way through to the second half last night. Then we reverted to type. Difficult for Still to know what to do with our players as they are all so inconsistent and error prone. I believed that after Saturday a first choice team was starting to emerge but that was again all up in the air from 9pm last night. When a team is this out of form I don't buy the criticism for making changes. Changing a consistently winning team would be odd but a stuttering team like ours? Only bright light last night was Scienza who once again rattled the post early in the second half. I just think this season needs to play out, unless we get into relegation difficulties, give Still the season and take it from there. Changing the manager twice a season is just daft. In the bedwetters/ happy clappers classification, I think I sit in the middle somewhere but I'm not too keen on 'happy wetter'. COYR- need that win at Blackburn to settle everyone, clappers and wetters, down

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bryanK added 15:44 - Oct 22 What a disappointment. The players have completely lost the ability to win a football match 4 wins in 17 months is the real story and regardless of our opinions on who Still should pick the inability of this group of players to overcome the obvious lack of a centre forward is worrying. The blame is firmly with Sport Repubic and Spors in not arming Still with a proven target man. Just look at Sinclair Armstrong last night and although not the most gifted player he gave our defence the type of problems Championship sides need. Perhaps Sam Sturidge scoring goals for fun in the good old USA is an option. Anyone is better than our current options of Archer or Downs.

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FrankSaint added 16:00 - Oct 22 I agree Sports Republic as owners probably are not the right fit for us. But, I think are problems go back to Kat making a killing on selling just 75% of the club for 20x what her father paid for the whole thing. We did not have a complete squad when she sold up and there has never been enough money in the kitty to compete for the best class of player available to the Premier League clubs. We are forever playing catch up and trying to outsmart every other club that has a scouting set up and management team at least as good as ours but probably better. Having said that with the exception of homegrown Robinson I think Scienza, Jander and even Jelert make all our other players look like cart horses although we can excuse our central defenders that characteristic. The only consolation is that the current first team has no history with the club so we are in a limbo where there isn't actually a recognisable Southampton team on the pitch. In fact they could indeed be a New Southampton side playing in the not so good MLS over there.

3

FrankSaint added 16:02 - Oct 22 PS Harwood-Bellis is a wall flower of a centre half. Roy Keane must despair.
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YosemiteSaint added 16:33 - Oct 22 I don't see us getting out of the division this year, and think that this is for the best: We need a stable foundation to compete in the Premier League. If we don't have it—we didn't last time we were promoted—we're relegation fodder all over again. This won't be a popular perspective, but i think our goal this year is to stabilize mid-table in the Championship, then move on up from there. (That being said, having seen Ralph in the stands last night i also can't help but wonder what things might've been like had we never fired him … .)

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underweststand added 16:56 - Oct 22 really not a lot to add to obvious comments. Will's task hasn't been made easier as we had a huge squad who were mainly responsible for the relegation and had just got " used " to conceding "silly goals" and were the remains of those from the previous managers. The new European signings look promising, but are still learning the tough English game. Tactics and performances improved after the Liverpool game, but although last night's match started well again, it deteriorated and we ended with almost 70% possession by simply passing back and forth in the centre circle (Russell Martin style) whilst Bristol took their chances by running on goal and scoring. I genuinely feel sorry for Will. S. ..maybe he should make them all offers they can't refuse and start over again in January. I continue to echo the point that we haven't had any decent strikers..since Lambert, Rodrigues and Pelle. Danny Ings filled that role for a season, but Ché Adams never made it. Adam A. showed he can score in this league, but the Prem. proved to be a bridge too far. I thought we finally solved the problem with a few good displays from Ross Stewart, but now he's back in the treatment room...yet again.

5

Colburn added 17:34 - Oct 22 We played with 8 defensive minded players and 3 attacking minded players last night. Easily overrun in the midfield in the second half. The system doesn’t suit and Still persists with it. I’m sick and tired of hearing about trauma and last season and all the other nonsense. He obviously doesn’t know what trauma is.. 3 centre backs leaves us short in midfield and one less skilful user of the ball. We bought players to change the psychology and they sit on the bench. We are not drilled, let alone well drilled. We lack quality chances created giving a misleading statistics and our decision making is poor. We don’t stop crosses from coming in and switch off leaving opponents unmarked, so what is the point anyway in having so many defenders on the pitch? It’s so easy to give us the ball and wait for one of our too many clumsy defenders on the pitch to screw up and concede a goal. Sadly these are basics and we can’t get the basics right. The calm mentality the players are told to adapt removes any hunger, desire and aggression from the mindset and one goal kick from McCarthy epitomised that. He lazily took the kick and wouldn’t have looked out of place if her have fallen over and gone to sleep after kicking it. This guy should be running out of his box pointing and screaming at players but he leans against the post, chewing gum etc. These grown men paid tens of thousands a week to play football need a rocket up their arses and need to man up! Spill some blood for the shirt and leave the bullshit trauma behind, it’s pathetic. But the truth is they lack all this and the belief because they are poorly led and this is because the manager is out of his depth, as are Sports Republic. Until they go, we will be stuck in Championship or League 1 obscurity. The happy clappers really need to wake up and smell the roses. The aim for the end of the season was promotion, not stability, that just shows how deep the malaise and negativity runs. Still us the wrong man, sadly.

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landsdownsaint added 17:36 - Oct 22 Did I hear Ralph was there last night …bring him home I say
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halftimeorange added 17:50 - Oct 22 I'm not a happy clapper, last night's performance in the first half was somewhat boring and very dismal in the second. Sadly, Wood had been very competent in recent games, receiving the ball then spreading it around with few inaccuracies however, last night he had a stinker and Bristol City ran straight through our defence as the game progressed. But, in the case of Will Still, we all had high expectations, perhaps too high but, if we don't give him time we'll never find out what he can achieve. And all the talk of relegation is rubbish, several new players brought in or back were players of the season at their previous Championship clubs - Edwards, Charles, Azaz, Fellowes, add to that Scienza and Jander and we know we have a group that can perform in this league. Making them do so will not happen overnight, whether it's Will Still or anyone else in charge. The lack of an onfield general and a half decent centre forward is costing us. These omissions can be remedied but, they haven't been up to now, partly because of our managerial merry-go-round and partly because Will Still hadn't seen the squad until he was appointed. I have no doubt he will be addressing those positions at the first opportunity, if the process hasn't already begun. Stop clamouring for his dismissal, it isn't helpful.

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Ali_Diarea added 18:11 - Oct 22 The squad is far too big. Too many average players. Difficult to know your best team when no one really stands out. McCarthy first choice keeper & Armstrong our best hope for a goal = massive recruitment failure. We need two or three windows to clear out the dead wood and slowly build with quality. Please please please don’t aim for promotion, we will get slaughtered, again!

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Farlow added 21:10 - Oct 22 One of the many faults re the balance of the team,theyre too light knocked off the ball far too easily.We need experience in the middle of the park.Jo Aribo was one of are best players in the prem and hes a big lump who tackles and does not get knocked off the ball.Weve a load of good individuals but that gets you nowhwere.Too many Pygmies, Sorry i,m not allowed to say that but we get out muscled every time.Jay Robinson has to start cause at least he,ll hold the ball till they knock him over.

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