Saint_John

I am worried about some Saints fans, they cannot see beyond the AP method of building a "team". What I mean by that is they can only see INDIVIDUALS and in their eyes football is only about having BETTER INDIVIDUALS than the opposition in certain positions, and if 4-4-2 is not working they replace 1 player with another INDIVIDUAL and hope he can win his personal one-on-one battle. Things have changed with Nigel. It is no longer about individuals, it is about TEAMWORK and about playing PASS & MOVE football. With "Pass & Move" it requires players to put in extra effort "for the team" with players making lots more runs off the ball. Of course this cannot be kept up for 45mins in each half that is why Saints often play really well of only 15-20 mins in each half. As far as improving Saints, certain individuals did not want to put in that extra effort that Nigel wants e.g. Jason (lots of skill but not a team player). Nigel would rather have a player who is not going to play for himself as an individual but add something to "unit" (i.e. Jonathan coming on against MK Dons etc). IMO the results at the end of last season 9 wins out of the last 10, and 4 out of 4 this season shows that TEAMWORK is better than a group of big named individuals. As I said I am worried about some Saints fans because some of the rubbish written on here recently about not wanting player X because he played for a middle of the table side and player Y being the better INDIVIDUAL because he played for a top of the table side just shows to me that they cannot think outside the AP method of team building.

Here is a table http://www.statbunker.com/football/btb/index.php?PL=competition&CompID=370&statType=discipline 3rd from bottom for us; No one booked at Home or in the 1st half. Top and lots of bookings in the 2nd half for the Cheats, could that be old age or lack of fitness ?

Reading this article it seems SGE changed his system on Sat from his usual 4-3-3 to play a "diamond" in midfield. http://theseventytwo.com/football-league/championship/2011/08/22/leicester-city-leeds-united-nottingham-forest-west-ham-united/ IMO the "diamond" is a system that Nigel likes to play because Adam is so good a the top of the diamond, so he may well match up with sven on Sat. As we played that system last year we know it has strengths and weaknesses in the wide areas and it is important that the full backs push on into the space. Equally it could be an interesting tactically battle because sven will have had us watched and knows that :- (1) Adam is so good at the tip of the diamond (IMO best in the league) and (2) our way of playing the standard 4-4-2 allows the wide players to appear anywhere across the line i.e. Guly making runs down the inside left channel, so he is unlikely to play 4-4-2 and match our system.

I think they have a mid-week game in the LC against Bury so his one match ban (2 yellows) will be against them.

I was reading the Daily Hate in a Coffee Shop this evening and I had to laugh at Des Kelly's comments re the Cheats :- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2028020/Des-Kelly-Tottenham-wont-forward-Arsenal-rejects.html

Just a thought. He doesn't have to sign by 31 August, the loan window will be open 7 days later before the Forest game. Some deals are arranged as "93 day loans with a view to purchase for £x in January". The loan would stop us playing him on the 24 Sept, which would please their fans. And if the deal is for a lot of money it gives Nicola/Nigel a chance to look at the player's character before commiting alot of money.

Andy D'Ursu Saints games since 2000 :- 22 Mar 2011 Drew (a) v charlton 1-1 23 Oct 2010 Won. (H) v OLDHAM 2-1 . 23 Mar 2010 Won. (H) v HARTLEPOOL 3-2 . 03 Mar 2009 Won. (a) v ipswich 0-3 25 Nov 2008 Drew (H) v PLYMOUTH 0-0 20 Sep 2008 Drew (H) v BARNSLEY 0-0 . 05 Jan 2008 Won. (H) v LEICESTER 2-0 FA Cup 19 Sep 2007 Drew (H) v COLCHESTER 1-1 . 15 May 2007 Won. (a) v derby 2-3 Play Offs 30 Sep 2006 Lost (H) v QPR 1-2 06 Aug 2006 Drew (a) v derby 2-2 . 10 Feb 2006 Lost (a) v reading 2-0 . 16 Apr 2005 Lost (H) v VILLA 2-3 06 Feb 2005 Drew (H) v EVERTON 2-2 21 Aug 2004 Won. (H) v BLACKBURN 3-2 . 07 Feb 2004 Drew (H) v FULHAM 0-0 20 Sep 2003 Won. (a) v spurs 1-3 . 09 Mar 2003 Won. (H) v WOLVES 2-0 FA Cup . 11 May 2002 Won. (H) v NEWCASTLE 3-1 27 Nov 2001 Drew (a) v bolton 2-2 League Cup 27 Oct 2001 Lost (a) v fulham 2-1 09 Oct 2001 Won. (a) v Gillingham 0-2 League Cup . 30 Dec 2000 Won. (H) v DERBY 1-0 28 Oct 2000 Lost (a) v manure 5-0 19 Aug 2000 Drew (a) v derby 2-2 (I hope I have copied those down correctly - http://www.soccerbase.com/referees/referee.sd?referee_id=138&season_id=141) I make that 11W 9D 5L and no defeats since Qpr in 2006 (Not one of Kelvins better days if i remember correctly), which as a record seems ok to me. However he did allow the Cheats to win on Tuesday night therefore he must be a bad Ref.

I would like to see Nigel's name added to the list because I thought it was such a GREAT TEAM performance where ALL the players played to 95+% of their best, i.e. the defenders and midfielders were all excellent allowing the forward players to express themselves.

Radio Solent's post match interviews are here http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00jg77p/BBC_Radio_Solent_Sport_The_reaction_13_08_2011/ Nigel 52:33 to 56:25 and DC 40:45 to 43:40

Nigel's post match chat on Radio Solent http://audioboo.fm/boos/432144-nigel-adkins-speaking-after-the-win-over-leeds

A "2" for me. There are a number (imo 15) teams who think they can get into the top 6, we have the following advantages Reasons :- (1) "team spirit and togetherness" = 6-8 more points (2) Good manager who will play a number of systems and can change during a game = 6-8 more points. (3) Adam (most skillfull player in the league) and Alex (quickest). (4) 2 good players for each position (some other teams have weak backup players).

The Sports Echo had some in with their usual Anti-Saints comments and reasoning. Adam Leitch said 15th (p 8 ). Gordon Simpson said 13th (p 19). Dan said "mid-table should be a minimum aim" (p 16 ). imo in general they all seemed to "big up other teams squads" and "focus on anything MINOR that was negative and ignore ALL the MAJOR positives at Saints", as I said usual anti-Saints from the Echo.

If reports are to be believed they had only sold 3,000 tickets (well at least they beat the 2,731 for the LC game on 26 Sept 2000). The biggest cost will be for bringing the Spanish side over for the game unless of course they try to pass that off on H&W to pay.

It is always difficult to judge preseason, for example a few years ago we played Utrecht in our final home game and lost 0-2 and Brett had the only shot on target in the game. I said to a friend we are going to stuggle this season because we seemed a yard off the pace. However, 2002-03 was one of our best seasons (8th & FA Cup final) and wGS said after the Utrecht game that it was probably a mistake to have the players doing a full training session in the morning. He was correct because our fitness levels mid season showed that pre season training had gone well. (Last 4 games of that pre season were Oxford (a) D 3-3; Luton (a) L 2-3; Utrecht (H) L 0-2; Aberdeen (a) 1-2). Other pre seasons we have thrashed sides 8-0 etc and then started the real season with indifferent results.

I had to laugh this morning somebody said to me that the Cheats FC were probably trying to do "a runner" from the States without paying their bills and the Catering Company parked a van in front of the plane to stop them escaping. He said they told the Catering Co that they were PFC and it is normal in the UK for them not to pay their bills. (joke).

I was told "14 and a half thousand" when I got my WBA ticket this morning (almost twice the 7,600 down the road). At about 09:45 they had only sold 4,500 for tonight.

If there is a choice I hope we sell to QPR, but only loan him to West Ham with a restriction that he cannot play against us. Whatever supporters say about him NOT being a "team player" he does have some skill and I would hate for our promotion push to be stopped because he decided "to bother" in 2 games next season.

Very little info is coming out. The trial for PS & MM started on the 31 May in Court 7 before Judge Testar :- and then suddenly things stopped. Last Friday at 3:00 in a DIFFERENT court (No 2) and a DIFFERENT Judge (Justice Leonard) there were records FOR MENTION again with ALL 3 names on the list. This may be the start of the Henry case or they may have gone back to having all 3 in one trial, I don't know. To see if anything has leaked out from the QC's web site, I googled the 3 QC's (imo they are the BEST THAT MONEY CAN BUY, no wonder there is no money for the cva):- a) Storrieteller's is Andrew Trollope. Their web site doesn't mention the case http://www.187fleetstreet.com/ , however this site http://www.whichcriminallawyer.co.uk/find-a-barrister/find-a-barrister-in-london/187-fleet-street/ says which implies it is still ongoing. b) Henry's is John Kelsey-Fry who defended Stevie G http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2009/07/25/qc-john-kelsey-fry-a-courtroom-wizard-100252-24235683/ He was also mentioned last week re News Int Q290+ http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2011/jul/20/james-rupert-murdoch-full-transcript c) Milan's is Ken MacDonald who was DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions - Head of the Crown Prosecution Service) from 2003 to 2008 before returning to Matrix (? the Police raids on the Cheats FC were in July 2007 ?) I couldn't find any well known cases for him:- http://www.matrixlaw.co.uk/Members/33/Ken%20Macdonald.aspx . However I couldn't help laugh at this Daily Hate article suggesting "something" with a female barrister from the "chambers of Andrew Trollope".http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-435779/The-DPP-legal-blonde-wife-wholl-cross-examination.html

It will make no difference, Saints currently have 24 (Maximum allowed 25) players over the age of 21. IMO that why Alex will stay (he is under 21) and that Nigel is looking at "one out/one in" deals involving Mills and Puncheon.

I've just been for a run past the Ticket Office and was told they have sold "ten and a half, nearly eleven thousand", which from memory was about the same at this stage last season (ended up at 13 thousand). I also asked about the ML Memorial Cup tickets and was told they are opening 3 stands (not itchen if I remember correctly). you can buy a UNRESERVED ticket in any of the 3 stands and WILL be allowed to go out of the ground and REENTER again (only the same stand NO transfers to another stand will be allowed). I was told they "will be putting on things outside as well". What "things" I don't know but I was thinking that the Chapel Arms/King Alfred might consider putting on more bar staff between 5 and 6:30, although i will probably watch the other game myself, but i know others will not. (Sorry to mix topics but have done so because of the 3 post limit).

I think this was their 3rd pre-season game (4-1 Delmont 25 June; 0-3 Young Boys 28th June). And I believe their season starts on 22nd v Kriens. Which puts them approx 2 weeks ahead of us in fitness terms. http://uk.soccerway.com/teams/switzerland/fc-biel-bienne/

I believe there are about 15 or 16 sides that think they can get into the top 6 this season and therefore could get promoted, and Saints are one of them. Most of the discussion on here seems to focus on Individual Players and how Club A were after a certain player and we appeared not to me. If you look at other teams WE have better players than them in certain positions and the other 14/15 clubs have strengths in other areas. However, we have 2 BIG advantages over a lot of the other 14/15 clubs :- (a) The "Togetherness of the team" shown at end of last season is second to none and IMO will be worth an extra 7 to 10 points (imo it will take a few months for building sides that are spending alot of money to build a "team mentality"). (b) Most of the other sides will play a fix formation i.e. 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 (4-5-1) in a match whereas we have shown that we can play a number of systems and change when one is not working, i.e. Swindon (H) playing 4-4-2, score 1-1 we changed to the "Diamond" with Adam at the head and within a couple of mins it was 3-1. IMO this will also result in extra points over most of the other 14/15 sides, say 6 to 10 points. I therefore think we will make the Top 6 easily, what position will depend on how many injuries we get this season (we had alot last to key players). I will go for :- (1) Ipswich (2) Saints (3) Leicester (4) West Ham (5) Hull (6) Leeds (7 - 21) Brum, 8 Forest, 9 Millwall, 10 Burnley, 11 Reading, 12 Cheats, 13 Blackpool, 14 Bristol, 15 Cardiff 16 Boro 17 Watford 18 Derby 19 Brighton 20 Doncaster 21 Palace (22) P/Boro, (23) Barnsley (24) Coventry. I think we will get 2nd mainly because there are very few good left backs in this league even Leicester are struggling to buy one and Alex will have the beating of most of them. Sides will then need to change their system to play us and double up more. However my predictions will be completely out if Nicola decides to sell and we will probably be down in mid table (12th to 14th).

The 2:52 is a cut down version of the 7:10 version that appeared on Radio Solent on saturday(2:50:00 to 2:57:10) http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00hqlhz/BBC_Radio_Solent_Sport_09_07_2011/ (some quotes) "players have come back really fit....players focused....fit into formations....we have a fantastic team spirit at this club... etc " Nigel has already got the "togetherness in the team" from last year and IMO it WAS and WILL BE worth an extra 7 to 10 points a season. What a stupid thread title, try listening to the full 7 mins.

Something has changed with the entry for the Court Case tomorrow. Any ideas ? 1/ why the change to "********" for T20107431 ? 2/ what does "s39,CYPA 1993 & Contempt of Court Act 1981" mean, I thought the CYPA was short for "Children & Young Persons Act" (??) When the Court Case started (31 May) I posted the following Yet tomorrow entry now say :- http://www.courtserve.net/courtlists/current/crown/sthwk_T110706.02.htm

While we wait for events a Southwark and whether they get 10 points or not, I found the following document in the PUBLIC DOMAIN. (Imo you will need to read between the lines). Point 1 shows where this all started, and Point 20 shows what the Police were after. (I assume as the warrant was "issued unlawfully" that none of this can be used in court ??). When i read this I was concerned at how "sloppy" the Police were with completing the warrant e.g. Scottish address (point 17); Not showing the Warrant etc.(point 21); Not completing the Warrant correctly (Point 12); not specifying which part of 8(3) has not been met (point 16). http://www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/markup.cgi?doc=/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2008/1177.html With regard the the Press being there it did cross my mind that since this case (2008 ) that information relating to a certain Newpaper group and mobile phones has come out ??