There was only ever going to be one verdict in this one you felt, after all this was a City side getting into full gear and with the goal machine that is Erling Haaland in his full glory, overall most Saints fans would have taken 4-0 going into this game.

This was never going to be easy, after all City are unbeaten in all competitions this season, only Newcastle & Aston Villa have prevented them winning a game, in the Premier League they had won 6 out of their 8 games and in doing so had scored 29 goals, thats an average of almost 4 goals a game and frighting Ly they had walloped in 11 in two home games in the six days before they played us, putting 6 past rivals Manchester United and 5 past FC Copenhagen.

So it didn't look good, this was always going to be a game about damage limitation and putting in a shift and we certainly had to do that.

They started like a train, but we grew into the game despite going a goal down after 15 minutes, we did well to get into the break only 2-0 down.

A goal only 4 minutes after the restart didn't look good and it highlighted out inability to concentrate before and after the restart, apparently, we are now the team that has conceded the most goals within 5 minutes either side of half time

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But that didn't phase us and we kept going when City looked to put us to the sword and when the inevitable goal came from Erling Haaland on 65 minutes, the full time whistle looked a long way off.

But we kept going, this didn't turn into a gutless performance, I read on social media that some did consider it that and they you could see that the players lacked confidence and motivation, I am not sure what the writer there was expecting, we were the Christians to the lions in this one, it was firstly about the performance and secondly about the result and in that matter it was always going to be about keeping it respectable and when you play Manchester City 4-0 is certainly that.

I have felt bad after many defeats, not least the three games we lost in a row by a single goal margin going into this one, but after the game up at the Etihad I felt nothing other than relief that is was all over.

This is actually a very sad situation as it highlights just what the Premier League has become, the competition has gone out of it completely, even in the top six and make no bones about it Newcastle are just getting their feet under the table.

For the rest of us we are turning into canon fodder, fight amongst ourselves for the relegation place and a token top 8 or 9 finish, but other than that we are making up the numbers, bring on a European Super League and give us back football as we know it, devoid of Middle Eastern Sheiks and hedge fund owners.

So this game is over, in the terms of the season it mattered nothing, the only fact is that we have ended the weekend out of the bottom 3 and now we can move forward, all that matters now is the next game and that is a big one against West Ham United who are just getting back to form, we need a stadium that roars us on to victory.

Do not let the moaners on social media bring this club down, remember the backs to the wall atmosphere we got in the 1990's at the Dell as we fought relegation, back then even when we were getting walloped and although some would tell you different, virtually every Saints manager good or bad has seen us concede 6 or 7 at some stage, even when we did get thumped, it somehow gave us a sense of pride in our football club, now we don't seem to have that as every tom dick & harry seems to think it is funny to make a comical quip on line at the clubs expense.

I would normally be imploring the fans to buy tickets next week and get behind the team, not this week, I would rather have only 15,000 in the ground who are proud of the club, than another 13,000 who go to mock it !

Photo: Action Images

HythePeer added 10:25 - Oct 10 Nearly every goal is caused by two players marking one player leaving another unmarked. Any team would have beaten them four nil. What sort of training do they have? It's not difficult to look behind you. There's no point bleating on about the top six. Take them out of the League and Saints are still at the bottom.
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onetowatch added 11:13 - Oct 10 Nick, your final points are very reversible. Surely it's our responsibility as life long fans to urge the club to take action now. The recent poor performances are only part of a trend over the last few years, intermitted by the occasional good one that raises spirits temporarily. The squad we have now should not be performing this poorly so regularly. I don't want to se a Saints manager sacked, it only means things are seriously wrong -but RH has had sufficient time to at least be on a positive projectory , and sadly, it's the opposite. Now there is a 'fear of losing' factor visible within the squad. I respect your loyalty, but it's reached the stage now, it's misplaced.

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saintmark1976 added 11:42 - Oct 10 Nick, if you truly think that at a time of cost of living crisis 13000 people will pay good money to go to St Mary’s to simply mock the club I can only respectfully suggest that you need to get out more. If my memory serves me correctly you tried this angle last season when you attempted to suggest that the problem wasn’t with the owners, management and players but it was with us long suffering fans. Didn’t our chairman suggest the same at a recent fan’s forum? The problem at St Mary’s boils down to the fact that the vast majority of decent long suffering fans have lost faith in Ralph and want him gone. Every day that he stays in place more life blood is sucked out of the club. He’s turned attending games into a chore rather than an enjoyable experience. I fully expected that the players would prefer not to have a manager at all rather than be coached by a man who’s achieved the record of obtaining 12 points from the last 63 available. Put simply, the players couldn’t make a worse job of it if left to their own devices could they?

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kingolaf added 11:43 - Oct 10 Another predictable prose from Comical Ali.
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Centurion added 12:56 - Oct 10 TBH, we are preparing for Championship football next season.
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Colburn added 12:56 - Oct 10 Hahahaha. You should be sacked alongside the negative clown who fills our shackled young players with fear.. We will be rock bottom by the time the world cup is here if Ralph is still here then.
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StRipper added 13:06 - Oct 10 Thanks for the review, Nick and one that I needed to read. I thought we tried hard on Saturday and were competitive. The comments I am reading everywhere from the Saints voices of doom about Ralph having lost the dressing room are clearly not based on those fellow Saints fans actually having watched the match and I suggest that their reviews were written before the match kicked off. Yes, I absolutely think we have got our tactics wrong in the games against Wolves, Villa and Everton, but in those games there has been only one side trying to play football. What I did notice, and yes, this is maybe a common complaint, was how the Ref played the advantage for City to allow them to score, but then brought then booked the player. Not once has a similar advantage been played to us and in fact, we have been told often that the reason play was not allowed to continue was because the ref needed to issue a booking. Can you imagine us being allowed to get away with all the time wasting against City that our opposition have used against us in previous games? I am not even sure that there was as much as 15 minutes of actual broken up football in our game against Villa. There is a clear divergence in how matches are officiated, for the big clubs vs the rest of us, which in an already stacked deck makes things ridiculous. Even to the extent that we had to tolerate Grealish diving when they were already 4 nil up to win a freekick, when in truth he should have been booked for it. Still, at least the ref opted not to give ABK a straight red for it. Though I suspect if the scores were nil-nil at that point, the ref may not have been quite so merciful on us. So many Saints fans seem to have happily forgotten how directionless and bad things were under Sparky, but are now more than happy to chant the anyone but Ralph mantra. It is that way that leads to relegation, rather than keeping a manager who has successfully navigated each EPL season since his appointment. Like everyone else, yes, we are losing far too many games and not scoring enough goals. And I wonder why we seem to throw out the pressing game against the lower division clubs, despite it working a dream against Chelsea. But I also wonder if there are reasons for some of this behind the scenes that we are oblivious to. That aside, we are a way better footballing side than our results would indicate and I would rather watch us play than see the negative desperate dross dished up by many of those other sides that we are scrapping in the EPL with.

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SAINTSNIL added 13:13 - Oct 10 I am afraid that if the missing 13,000 did not turn up it would make no difference to the team,tactics,manager etc...it would still be crap. Beginning to sound like that good old English film series....Carry on blissfully Nick..
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StAnt added 13:20 - Oct 10 Son you thought we tried to play football against Villa. I must have watched a different game as all I saw us do was pass sideways and backwards then hump the ball forward to nobody in particular, rinse and repeat. If that constitutes football then I'm a Dutchman. It was an insult to all who love this great game but it certainly wasn't a team trying to play football or anything remotely resembling it.

7

sledger added 14:14 - Oct 10 I was at city game and can tell you city didnt even have to get out of ist gear,they would have trained harder the day before,we were pathetic,if city had needed 10 goals they could have got them.
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AmericanSaint added 14:23 - Oct 10 Well this game was in the L column before it started and we definitely made some mistakes that contributed to 2 of their goals, but the way City plays, they will force those errors, especially in a team with young defenders. So anyways the question really is what do we do now? Do we get rid of RH now and have potential issues with a new manger for the 4-5 games before the WC break who will undoubtedly change the system or do we stick with RH until the break and if all goes to piss, replace him then? For me its a coin toss as I can the pluses/minuses of both. heck there are Liverpool fans calling for Klopps' sacking. Anyways, on to West Ham and see what happens.

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wrathoftazz added 14:32 - Oct 10 As a lifelong supporter and ticket holder for 20+ years... I TOTALLY disagree with this dribble... its sounding more like Putins Russia or a 80s horror flick where you have to say 'one of us, one of us'... to say you would rather not have supporters there who don't agree, is just nonsense. For 1, 99.9% of fans do not mock, they are sick and tired of Ralph and people like you who think the sun shines out of his arse, despite stats and logic. They want him out and are making it known. 2) Again, it's not the team or owners being booed, it's Ralph for the reasons stated above. 3) I would rather be a fan, a true fan, one that wants our team to succeed and grow, instead of a paper fan that just turns up, accepts mediocrity and blasts others. As for the game.. we knew we would lose, we did lose... that doesn't change the fact we are not playing for Ralph, that the players don't want to play for Ralph and even if they did, by the time he finishes playing strikers as defenders, and midfielders all over the place, it wouldn't make a difference anyway. Ralph out

9

IanRC added 14:58 - Oct 10 Thought they did well to contain Harland for most of the game. Final insult is rumour that Leeds have agreed personal terms with our summer striker target. FFS
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underweststand added 15:06 - Oct 10 so... we lost 0-4 away to Man City, who in their current form could have doubled the score... what did you expect ?.....Really !. We started with (argueably) our strongest side, but a few of them didn't get past the starting gun. Our main problem is still the midfield set-up. JWP must be frustrated after the departure of Romeu, as Diallo just isn't up to it. We looked good with Lavia, but any combination of Aribo and /or Elyounoussi doesn't work, whilst we are waiting for Maitland-Niles to get up to pace. Stuart Armstrong (arguably) our most accomplished MF - goes from best to worst. He showed up very well v. Everton, but I quite forgot he was on the pitch on Saturday. Our real problem is the lack of creativity and anyone who remembers where the goal is. Now with FOUR blank sheets in the last 6 games, no-one seems capable of scoring. Aside from the City game (and away at Spurs), we have lost 6 games by a one goal margin where just one goal - in those games - would have given us another 5 points and a top half table spot. Whilst many people are still blaming defenders for games lost and goals conceded, it's the (non) strikers who are failing the team - no one else.

11

smartjoe added 15:09 - Oct 10 Nick It will not be the supporters (or the moaners, as you call them) who will bring the Club down. It will be Ralf who will do that, if he is given time.
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I_would added 15:27 - Oct 10 Do you sell insurance Nick? There is no reality in your arguments. The team, and especially senior players like KWP, are deliberately not playing as they are instructed. Ralph has lost the players. This is fact, borne out by the results. We will lose all matches until Ralph is gone. Get behind the VAST majority of fans quickly Nick and call for the clown's head before we are in an irredeemable position.

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SaintPaulVW added 16:10 - Oct 10 Thank god that's over with. Back to the real games. How do you play against Man City ATM? If you double mark one player you leave another world class player free. I'm a Ralph in man but even I'm a bit worried that he's run out of ideas. All of us including Ralph were expecting a proven striker to arrive in the summer. Just worried that Ralph just hasn't got it left In him to find a new way to work with this squad. Ralph prove me wrong please. Bazunu, ABK and Salisu were the only players performing well. Full backs either through tactics or poor play were frequently a source of balls being played behind the defence causing us all sorts of problems. Adams and Armstrong huff and puff but give them a ball in front of goal and it's like it's covered in grease. Diallo I don't think has got it, just takes too long to decide what to do. Ball gets stolen or intercepted. JWP and Stu both look off form. Aribo looks OK with ball at feet but had a quiet game. Still I'd have taken 4-0 COYR

4

forest_saint added 16:44 - Oct 10 Absolute rubbish. Get rid of Haseengotaclue. At least the 90's were full of open attacking play and goals and not every player was instructed to go sideways backwards repeat.
1

ItchenNorth added 17:24 - Oct 10 Considering Man City smash team's for fun in both the Champions League and Premier League, and have done for many many months now; 4-0 was fairly un dramatic. West Ham and the run of games to the World Cup break will tell us if time is really up for Ralph. Lose a 6th straight and he's hanging on. The main head scratcher for me Saturday was why drop Caleta-Car. And, we seem to have a problem down our right side as for the second game running this area was targetted and or was at fault for goals.

1

Jesus_02 added 17:39 - Oct 10 They played like Ralph gave Nicks the post match analysis as the pre match team talk. "You are going to lose , who could possibly win against City. Try not to let them score to many. Don't make them angry and they might only beat us by a few" Pathetic all round
5

Billeewithers added 19:28 - Oct 10 Sure it is getting harder every season. What’s new? We have always been up against it….. 1966-7 and a forward line of Best, Law and Charlton coming at a loose ball in front of goal!! Putting all that aside it was a case of tactical awareness. Teams know our high press and City will be especially aware. Yet we sleepwalk into the game with no real change. Look up and switch to the far post where a free oncoming runner has a free shot. Stuart Armstrong and Walker-Peters played to far up and without a big front player to get onto a relief ball we never got the second ball and it came straight back. Plus players hanging on to the ball meant we were playing through a hugely talented and organised team rather than catching them. It proved hugely difficult to penetrate to a shot at goal. This also is a fact against the lesser teams by the way. We lost big in the old days but we could also win big because we carried genuine goal threat ….. no such threat currently exists. The team played really well apart from that and should be proud of their efforts to play them front on and never giving up.

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saintpete01 added 19:49 - Oct 10 Getting Desperate Nick
2

felly1 added 21:49 - Oct 10 Yet another drearily predictable defeat. This time we stood no chance against the Haaland Globe Trotters. Now we roll on to West Ham, with the team confidence shot to bits and no goal threat. We really miss Romeu.. What a mistake to let him go!! We should be playing 4-3-3. We need two defensive midfielders and that would allow JWP to play a more attacking role where for a change he might be able to play a forward pass. Not that it would matter as we have no one to score! Nick reports are getting a bit desperate, you can't blame the supporters.. Or the 13000 he feels are the moaners. What do you expect when you pay your £400-800 a year to watch them win 3 games out of the last 23 or something... Its pathetic and depressing. I actually think the fans have generally been quite patient if a little quiet and defeated by the endless defeats that ruin your weekend. Still... We live in ( desperate) hope.

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onetowatch added 22:29 - Oct 10 Nick, StRipper, you provide prolonged argument that we are not true fans if we do not believe in RH, yet through all your scattered rational, neither of you make any reference to why we have 12 points out of the last 63.....because it can't be justified. Either improve your reason and not just rhetoric , or just accept you're wrong...
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davidargyll added 07:29 - Oct 11 To me it was quite apparent that the team was affected by the management rumours, was determined not to get injured so operating at barely 90% effort, witness their seeming unwillingness, especially the senior players, to get into City’s faces, eg JWP, Stuart Armstrong, and Che Adams (who looks ever more ineffective). Ok so their players are absolute masters at keeping, retrieving and passing the ball - as borne out by the possession stats - but all the same more closing down might at least have rushed them a bit… Gavin Bazuno who was definitely our MOM (which speaks volumes: without him we’d have been at least six down). But apart from him what else is there to say? Men vs boys is the best I can come up with. Harland or no Harland, it seemed a country mile from last season’s two draws… So roll on West Ham for what will hopefully be more of a test of, er, equals(?), although I suspect that the boos will be ringing out fairly quickly if we don’t at least put up a decent fight and get at them. (PS a bit of a late comment this but WTF do you never stop repeating all this new manager rumour rubbish, most recently about Steve Cooper? - egg on face there - because 99% is always utter boll*cks. Have you really got so little to write about that you have to reproduce any old cr*p? )

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