Professor

At least thus shows we have NO MORONS posting here, as no one has actually suggested we should have won every game!! Its not having won a league game at all and now being 11 points from safety instead of the 10-point gap we started on that is causing the unrest. True, this is a MAJOR rebuild, but people are entitled to ask if there has been enough urgency and if all the weak points have been dealt with, given the limited time of the transfer window.

Its good to see a lot of fans remaining positive and defending Pardew. But Pardew's reaction to the Stockport game saying 'we were robbed' is not a good sign. Its goals that count and they got there's just as we got ours. I only listened to the game on Saints Player but the commentators were saying what they saw, before Stockport equalised. What they said was that Saints were failing to turn possession into enough goal attempts, and failed to take the chances they did get, but worst of all was the failure to hold possession of the ball towards the end of the game. Instead the defence were simply booting it up field like a bunch of amateurs, for Stockport to bring it back. I hope Pardew's reaction was just in the heat of the moment, which must have been a deep disapointment, but when he has time to look at what went on, maybe he will see that its going to be hard to get some of these players to play better and that he still needs some better players.

The commentary team on Radio Solent, incl Dave Merrington were painting a perfect picture, thanks, and they could see a gaol coming before the penalty was given, they also pointed out the failure to score a second goal despite the chances.

When AP arrived in JUly he talked about needing to bring in 'one or two' players and that he would be looking at Bosmans and free transfers. Maybe he thought the squad was better then it was and maybe the owners had placed a tough limit on spending. Since then the transfers have been good, but not enough of them, and the two loans suggests the transfer budget is still being kept tight. AP must know by now that there is not enough quality in the squad. The niaivity at Stockport when the team failed to keep possession of the ball in the final minutes, speaks for itself. The necessary response has been obvious for the last two weeks ar least - that we need to spend to improve and so far we haven't spent enough. This is not about AP as a manager, it is about the transfer policy.

Wash your mouth out you naughty little boy! But I'm flattered that you follow my movements! I've been to both home league games so far this season, but I wouldn't continue going if it was just to see the team representing my club lose week after week. So far I'm not expecting that to happen, but I'm like a lot of fans, who go to enjoy my Saturday afternoon. If I stop enjoying it I'll do something else with my time, but I will never stop supporting the club I've followed for over 50 years.

Can you imagine what people would saying now if Lowe was still in the chair. We'd probably be seeing the first of this season's marches on the stadium. At least with the new regime, fans are more likely to stay loyal for longer.

Its not early days any longer, but its not Pardew's fault if the owners did not make enough money available at day 1 and have not made enough money available since, but the probability is that unless enough new and better players are brought in this squad will get relegated.

The equaliser was well deserved because Saints failed to control the ball in the last minutes of the game. If we only have players who are capable of booting the ball up the field instead of keeping possession, then we have players who are not good enough for this club. Merrington was wrong on Radio Solent to say it was unlucky because tehya sked for it, and where he was right was in saying they ahd already thrown away earlier good scoring chances. This squad is NOT GOOD ENOUGH and there not enough time to repair it properly.

Best move for him and the club. He hasn't been part of things here for the last two seasons, hence the loans out, because there has always been adequate competition, such as Stern and DMG, just as there is now. Had he stayed he was probably third choice at best and not a good fit with Lambert. His place in the squad can be filled by someone the team has more need of.

We'll miss those occasional visits to the SMS by Rasiak that we've had for the last couple of years.

Promotion this year has never been a realistic aim with the -10. Last season in Div.1, of the top teams, if you take off 10 points, only Leicester would have made the playoffs. So it doesn't really matter how well we do this year except obviously we have to bridge the growing gap to avoid relegation. Without a couple more players this isn't certain, so its encouraging that AP is being allowed to look.

Looks like something has changed over the weekend as AP's comments reported by The Echo are different to what he was saying on Saturday when he used the word dysfunctional about his ability to shape the squad. Maybe the home draw with Brentford, after the poor performance at Swindon, has persuaded Marcus that AP can't wait to see what happens to Rasiak and Saga before he can bring in more players. The window closing takes away the luxury of waiting to see.

The disfunctional bit is surely AP just saying that he is up against a spending cap imposed by the owners. That is a worry, as the poor start suggests that the need to strengthen was underestimated. Originally there may have been no budget at all, as AP was firstly talking about Bosman's and frees to add to the squad, but the signings of Lambert and Hammond were a loosening of the purse strings, but that seems to be Leibherr's limit. ML and NC are entitled to take that line, but is putting pressure on AP when he may lose two players out of the squad but not have enough time to get a replacement or spend any of the income on strengthening.

If this were to be true, results would improve and the negativity amongst the fans would soon fade, but what is the likelihood? Last week, AP talked about bringing in 2 or 3 players, and kept his word by signing Hammond plus the 2 loans. This week he is saying nothing about any more new faces. Instead he is talking about getting some of the current players to play better. I hope I'm wrong, but we may have had all the new faces we are getting this side of the window.

It really doesn't wash to blame last year's playing of young players in the first team for the poor performances so far. There are only about 4 of last year's young players still in contention for the current first choice 11, and of course some have moved on to clubs in higher divisions, so they seem to have not been damaged! If there are any youth players adversely affected by the managers they played under last year, surely Pardew might have noticed and would not be playing them.

I don't think I've seen anyone posting on here to say that Pardew was not a good appointment. Neither has anyone complained that we haven't won all four games, or that there should be a massive transfer budget. Pardew is being very frank in talking about the weaknesses in the squad, but originally he talked about bringing in one or two new faces who he would probably have to do through Bosman's or free transfers. In the event, he has brought in three players for fees. He's also got Murty who was free and the two loanees. This looks like a total transfer spend of about £2m with wages covered by the savings from those who have left. The problem AP and Cortese have now is that they are faced with a huge risk. They may have to go with this squad, and possibly see it weakened by the loss of two strikers. If so, all AP can do is try to get the weaker players to raise their game, which seems to be what he is saying . That is a very risky strategy when the team is 11 points away from safety against relegation and the players he is talking about may not be capable of performing above their ability. The obvious alternative is to strengthen, but doing that with loans, not signings, suggests the owner may have put a lid on the budget, or even that the £2m spend was over budget. If the club decides that AP's strategy of trying to improve the way the current players perform is to be the way forward, the fans will get increasingly negative if the results do not come. Even if the squad is strengthened, people will still complain if the results don't improve, but signings give a better guarantee of improvement.

Don't think Saints fans should be picked out for complaining about the start to the season - there's not a set of fans in the country who would not complain about 2 points from the first 4 games. It is early days, but if the new owners, and the manager, underestimated the size of the task, very quick action is needed with the transfer window closing next weekend, but loans, instead of more signings doesn't send out a very positive message.

What AP did not say was that he had any more signings to come. There is need for more quality and more depth which AP recognises by saying he is trying to improve the way some of these players perform. If there are weaknesses it would be more encouraging to see them replaced, as has been done so far. The new signings are good, but still not enough of them and the squad could yet be weakened by Saga and Rasiak going. Current performance is relegation form and to change that I'd rather see more new and better players than an attempt to improve the ones we have.

If Saints are not leading at half time, will AP remember that subs are allowed before the 80th minute? Although apart from Rasiak and Saga, tbh the squad still lacks depth so his options are not huge! But 2 goals up by half time and I won't care.

He's here, see brief interview at SMS on The Echo website: http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/4553168.Saints_complete_Hammond_signing/ Not into score predictions, but I'll have a go at predicting the starting line-up: Davis Murty, Thomas, Trotman, Harding Mellis, Schneiderlin, Hammond, Lallana Lambert Saganowski My feeling is that Pardew is desparate to get a first win and will put out the strongest team he can, even though the new players will not have had long with the squad.

Nice contribution to the debate and good to see a willingness to be shot at! Just worth saying though that at Swindon, Pardew did say he would make changes partly to rest some players because of the heavy programme over this period. As for the 'best' team, possibly Lancashire shades it over Perry until we have the new CB and if that is our best midfield, why has AP signed Mellis?

The saddest thing about being a Saints fan, especially since the advent of web-based message boards, is that the constant search for someone to blame gets out of hand too quickly, and that people are able to spread discontent on the flimsiest basis. No Manager in professional football has freedom to spend the club's money on any player he likes. Managers are answerable to a board, either directly to the chairman, or through a designated director. According to the report, Cortese's plan is to move to that structure next summer. So why do people get excited.

Pardew has made it as clear as he possibly can that he is working on signing a CB before the window closes. Its hard to see then why people are complaining now that the signing hasn't already happened, while there are still ten days to go to the deadline. Its surely better that the club gets the best player they can, rather than the first or easiest signing, who may not be any better than what we already have. The time to complain is when the deadline gets here if no signing has then been made. Patience.

Only heard the commentary on Saints iPlayer but long before half time, Dave Merrington was making some very astute criticisms of the way they were playing. That might not be all down to Pardew, but the failure to make any changes at half time, or until the 80the minute definitely was. AP is bringing in a few players but whether it will be enough, we have to wait and see, by which time this could be another relegation fight. Watch out Alan, the honeymoon won't go on for ever.

Well said, football management is not an easy job, and ultimately there is only so much to be gained from trying to improve the players you have, so all that hard work doesn't even guarantee success. Bringing in new people isn't easy either, and we all know of past experiences here and elsewhere, where a signing has proved to be a disapointment, if not a disaster. AP is definitely earning his money.