Shroppie

Sane, balanced post. Thank you. But surely not acceptable on this wrist-slitting forum?

What has been lost is the sense that we are constantly building

The big difference we are seeing now is that, under the NC regime we regularly offered improved contracts early as a disincentive to players wanting away. That's just not happening now, either because players won't play ball as they believe (rightly) there are richer pickings to be had elsewhere or our board aren't being realistic over wages needed to keep players. But I agree we've been weak in letting players leave. Why no tactics such as "you have 3 years on your contract and you're going nowhere. You can sulk on your current pay and forget about the first team or commit to Saints with an improved contract, which is the best you're getting" But of course that is only ok if the club is able/prepared to risk the loss of a player's value if they opt to see out their current contract and refuse a new one. And I think the change is that the risk will no longer be taken. In this new climate, once a couple got away, it was inevitable that the rot would set in with a vengeance. The only good news is what we've raked in through over-inflated fees. Why are they over-inflated? Other clubs are more robust in hanging on to assets and those with money to burn will dive in if they find selling club, which we now are, again.We have gone from the toughest club to deal with to the softest touch in 6 months. Just hope the re-build works - very little of last year's team will be left by the time this chaos ends.

This sums it up. Football in this country is broken and the current model is unsustainable, and the Premier League and Sky have a lot to answer for. But it suits them to crank up the hype around the few "elite" clubs. IMO it's no longer the best league in the world, but just keep saying it and reinforcing the view that only half a dozen teams really matter, and the vast majority of the unthinking public will believe it and continue to lap it up.

This from The Guardian gives a realistic picture of the impossibility of hanging on to players if this sort of stupid money can be paid. Financial Fair Play? A joke. José Mourinho: ‘Signing Luke Shaw would have killed Chelsea’ http://gu.com/p/4v9e2

Goat?

Good enough. Many thanks from one old geezer to another

Kangaroo. That's what I had for lunch

Please someone post pic of Jenny Agutter, think it was in Logan's Run? Only have phone and posting not working.

This, in a nutshell. But where we were much weaker than the most effective teams playing this way was in what happened when we won the ball back high up the pitch. That's when the fast forward movement and killer pass is needed before the opposition can regroup and we didn't quite do it.

Me too. The way we have played under Poch requires high fitness levels. When MP arrived the first thing he did was doubled training and got the team fit enough to play the pressing game. So it points to a change of tactics and that concerns me - a step backwards. The way we played last season is the future.

Think it's two years

Agreed on all counts. Just hope he commits

Whatever

That would be my guess but a big gamble with his injury

And merge with the thread I created 2 seconds earlier ?

According to SSN

Liverpool was inevitable but early on Sun is annoying

Duplicate post

But put quality players around him? He could be an effective finisher.

Or VMAN even? Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk

Well argued and I agree. But would perhaps give Cork a place too Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk

I'm mildly surprised that I really don't care. I'll just enjoy watching the teams who actually have tactics, commitment and skill. Might have a punt on Holland or Germany Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk

Agreed totally Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk

Predictable, too much how already, no quality. We don't look like winning and don't deserve to Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk