Alanh

Unlucky mate. It's happened to me 4 times in 25 years and every time I've found something better as a result and the payouts have enabled me to put down a deposit on a house and buy and Audi TT. My advice to you is to treat it as an opportunity and put energy into your search for a new job. If, as you say, the economy isn't having a bad affect on the industry you are currently in, perhaps your skills will be readily transferable to another company doing a similar thing.

It's just the way that the fixture list works and is the same for all clubs in the CCC. Last season was the same, I think we played Sheff Wed in quick succession.

Obviously it's all hypothetical as we can never compare what NP achieved with an unmotivated team and some shrewd use of the loan system versus what JP has achieved so far with a full transfer windoiw and pre season. You make the point that NP has blended youth and experience but fail to acknowledge that JP has done the same, regularly fielding between 2 and 4 experienced pros (I include Surman as an experienced pro in this context).

I had pace and power at the top of my list of attributes for new signings last January and over the summer as I felt that we really missed those qualities when Kenwynne Jones left last summer. Sure, it would be nice to have a Theo type speed merchant in the first team but as Dyer has proved raw pace is of little use without control and a final product and there are very few players in the CCC who combine all of those things. Even if we haven't replaced KJ I still think that compared to this time last year we are definitely quicker than we were, but that's primarily because we are moving the ball around more speedily and also the players are passing and moving more than we did last year.

I wanted BD to replace GB earlier this year and was disappointed that he didn't even seem to be considered. If the time comes for us to look for another manager (and I don't think that time has arrived yet) then I hope he is considered because he has great experience of building winning teams in this division. FWIW I think we would be much more like his successful Preston teams rather than Derby given the squad that we've got.

It's way tpoo early to judge whether this season's experiment with the kids will work out or not. The time to decide that will be after Xmas when the team have got used to the rigours of regular matches and poorer playing conditions. I admit that I'm surprised that we are playing so many youngsters. Before the season started I expected 5 or maybe 6 in the squad, rather than 7 or 8 in the first 11, however as others have said we have only had one poor performance so far. If they maintain the ration of one overall poor game in every 6 played then we will have a decent enough season and probably end up mid tale. If we can't maintin that level of performance and the Blackpool game becomes the norm then we are in trouble. No way to know which way it will go yet so all we can do is support them.

If you like strategy games then Advance Wars is very good.

He saw a lot of the ball last week but the end result was pretty similar to his good games for us - crosses out into touch, losing the ball in the tackle, little pace against a full back etc. IMO he flatters to deceive and while occasionally he might provide a threat, it's rarely sustained or particularly dangerous. It's a similar situation to Dyer - he's obviously got some talent - but too often basics like crossing into touch, or being beaten in the tackle, let him down when you know he can perform better.

He saw a lot of the ball last week but the end result was pretty similar to his good games for us - crosses out into touch, losing the ball in the tackle, little pace against a full back etc. IMO he flatters to deceive and while occasionally he might provide a threat, it's rarely sustained or particularly dangerous. It's a similar situation to Dyer - he's obviously got some talent - but too often basics like crossing into touch, or being beaten in the tackle, let him down when you know he can perform better.

Think of the system as 4-3-3 with the infinite varieties that it offers. There is loads more flexibility that 4-4-2 because you are not reliant on two strikers working as a partnership to create goals. You have more input from the wingers and the attacking midfielders in creating chances. You also have two defensive midfielders who break up the oppositions attacks and start things off for our attackers. Chelsea, Liverpool and Man Utd all play this system which must say something about what it offers. I think we'd all accept that there will be occasions when we won't have the upper hand in games, and that's when JP's tactical abilities will come into play and we'll find out whether he can adapt the system to a particular situation.

I am happy for them to be re-integrated, dont get me wrong. But for me, it marks an end of everything Lowe and Jp were supposed to be trying to achieve, and a complete waste of pre-season... Agreed, you said you were pleased, but it's difficult to read the second line of your quote in italics as anything other than criticism (at least implied) of Lowe certainly and arguably JP. As said above, both players can play to the system and their own strengths - Skacel could replace any of Surman, Holmes or Lallana from Saturday's team and Euell could replace any of Lallana, Gillett, Schneiderlin or John, or even arguably McG or Holmes. The team can still play the same way with or without these players. I'm sure JP would have preferred to have every player who is going to be in the squad on their game from day one of pre-season, but that simply doesn't happen at any club for a variety of reason. We'll find out how good a manager he is when he has to work to overcome issues thrown up along the way i.e. injuries, suspensions, unexpected departures, etc.

I'd do two things. Firstly I would try to get the cost base under control. The main cost in the company is the wage bill and seeing as it increased by 15% in the last year while the overall quality of the players on the books decreased I'd look to remove as many of the high earners as possible while retaining a squad which can compete. Secondly, I'd devise schemes to encourage people to come to matches. There are loads of ways to do this, but the one I'd employ more than any other is the use of the local media to encourage people to get to the match. i would also use promotions and incentives to shift tickets to targeted groups i.e. schools, local teams, company offers, competitions, mini season tickets - 5 - 10 games. It's easy to say that I would do all these things, but then I don't have the baggage of Lowe and Wilde which may reduce the effectiveness of anything that they try to do.

So last week we had a thread started by the same poster asking why we aren't playing SKacel if only to put him in the shop window, and now we have a thread criticising JP and Lowe for Mark Wotte's decision to include him in a reserve match. I don't see how the management of the club can make a decision which will make the original poster happy. FWIW I think JP expected Skacel and Euell to be gone by now so didn't include him in his plans. If it turns out that one or both of them stay then they add options to the squad. They may not e first choice immediately but I'm sure they'll be given the opportunity to prove themselves, and if they do, I'm sure they will get into the team.

Looks like he's another one who is heading for the exit. Shame really because he's good back up for both CB and RB, but perhaps he feels he should be able to command a first team place. I thought he looked shaky at times in just about every game he played for us and if the combination of Killer, Perry, Davies and Lancashire, with occasional help from Wooton is good enough for us, then losing him won't be a massive concern. I just hope we can get some money in for him and are able to spend some of it on strengthening elsewhere.

Sounds like the same comment that he made after the pre-season games so nothing to be unduly worried about. I'll be more concerned if he doesn't feature against Birmingham on Saturday.

He doesn't really need to be put in the shop window - he's played enough in England, Scotland and Germany to be known around Europe - and it's accepted that he's on the transfer list so there is no point in disrupting our plans for the season by playing him ahead of a player like Holmes who has been brought in to play in the first team from day one.

What's the point in a sarcastic response like that? We all know that the big earners in the squad are up for sale as we have to bring in some money and get the wage bill down. I expect at least a couple of the likes of Rasiak, Saga, John, Euell and Saga will leave before the end of August. At least the manager is planning for life without them rather than living in denial by including them in his preparations for the season and hopeing they all stay.

Can't agree with any of that. It would be easy to open up the corners on an ad hoc basis and if even the remotest possibility of more than 26K were needed I'm pretty sure at least a couple of corners could be opened as a contingency from the day the tickets go on sales. I believe that the Itchen corner would be the last to be reopened if they do open them one by one as its the one that costs most to staff. I think that corner will only be reopened in an exceptional circumstance like a guaranteed sell out i.e. Pompey or one of the big 4 in the cup.