Gordon Mockles

The 9 & S-Clarke. I'm the doofus! I owe you both an apology after my sarky tirade. I got completely muddled with players & meant Joseph Mills the slow one (right wing), not Thompson. My bad! Too many kids. All blurs into one. Did think it strange with the quickest player comment. Sorry! *bows head*

;0)

Thompson has pace

 

his problem is that he doesn't know how the **** to use it.

Thompson does NOT have pace. To use it, you need to run...quickly! He can't even put the ball past his man and beat the defender to the ball. Or, he puts it past, then gets a mediocre shoulder barge and pushed off the ball/falls over (like most of our young players).

Thomson is one of the fastest players I've seen. And for those drooling over Macnamee, consider he was facing Lloyd James starting at Right Back for the first time since last season, and the defensive midfield support for him was... well... non-existent.

 

The problem is motivation and effort. It might be possible to get the current crop to realise it, but it might just require a clear out.

 

Swindon ran everywhere and closed everything down. We stood around and waited for everyone else to make a move. Bad teams react, good teams anticipate.

Have you spent your time watching midget football or something?! To make the statement "Thomson is one of the fastest players I've seen..." is, frankly, absurd. Unless you truly have only watched over 60s football/Saga league or some sort of midget league in which players could look fast compared to say...a tortoise. Thompson constantly gets pushed off the ball or tries to round a player, failing to get back on to the ball in time (against slowish full backs - happened in the Hearts game amongst others).

Motivation and effort is a severe problem from the games I've seen. However, your natural pace doesn't drastically change all that much and we are known as having a squad without much pace. Simple as that. We ball watched, had no desire and were like statues but that's digressing. Thompson is slow, like many of our players. Worryingly, many of them are young so they should be at their peak for speed, slowing with age. Doesn't bode well.

Don't let a bit of sensationalism blur reality. Worry about problems when they DO actually occur and then deal with them, not before.

Life would be pretty tedious if we pondered on potential problems that hadn't even happened!!

How about Lee Holmes, or Kayne McLaggon when he's fit?

 

K.

Whilst Holmes is a decent option and offers a good cross, I think the word "pace" was mentioned. Something he, Thompson, James and most of the squad seem to lack!

There were plenty worse performances than Wooton. Maradona he ain't, but to make him a scapegoat is wrong IMO. He's the only big un we have in the middle and, much as I rate Gillett, he's not the tallest.

 

Lallana contributed far less. He needs to work out how to play on the wing, or how to sit on the bench. Too much flash, too little product.

Wrong! How can you possibly purport Wotton created more than Lallana when he struggles to pick out a pass to his team mates (he was by no means the worst tonight but also equally guilty as most on the field)

We were extremely poor but, along with Harding, at least Lallana was trying. He doesn't stay wide & often cuts inside but he was running & chasing & trying to create. More than can be said for most (particularly Mellis). It's just most players were static, ball watching or out of position. The rare balls Wotton won, along with our centre backs, were headed or pinged straight back to the opposition.

Just home. The less said, the better. Pardew picked a poor squad & changed it much too late. Lack lustre performance. Even the catering was diabolical & fans crap & super *****y (although they had reason to moan).

All I can say is, West Hams fans moaned loads at first, then he got them promoted & they changed their tune. Whilst I am dismayed (esp. the efforts & journey I took to get there, amongst many others no doubt), It's early days & AP is still working out his squad due to very little prep. He selected a poor squad & poor shape tonight. Castigated by a clueless squad - idol, sloppy & statuesque. Harding, Murty & Lambert have hardly been poor acquisitions although these uncommitted, featherweight, lack lustre kids need a lesson in movement, discipline & desire to compete. To compete to win.

Forgetting the defeats momentarily, football fans are fickle & people need to let their emotions subside. It's early days & Pardew had so little time to prepare. He knows what to do. It's just the squad don't yet. If we get Hammond (a much needed replacement for Wotton!) & 1 or 2 more in a restructured squad, performances & subsequent results should improve. I do believe I, along with many more fans, got deluded by this feel good factor & this season is not going to be as easy as we possibly expected. Teams will come at us & we will need to battle & fight for every loose ball & become much, MUCH more physical. Players like Mellis need to fight for the cause or f*ck off. Chelsea or not. He showed a total lack of commitment. Not even pacey as expected. Patterson, Schniederlin, James, esq. get knocked off the ball wayyy too easily. Lambert needs support & playing 1 striker with a cluster f*ck midfield is clearly not working.

Back to the drawing board...

Decent game. Liking the look of Lambert a lot - Strong, good team player bringing other players in, good positioning & not easily knocked off the ball & a brave header to start his goal tally

Stronger 2nd half & pleased with our progress. Charlton didn't so well!

COYS

[To the tune of Run Rabbit run]

Run Lambert, Run Lambert, run, run, RUN!!!

Bang, Bang, Bang goes the Lambert gun

Stick another goal past the opp-o-sit-TION!!

Run Lambert, Run Lambert, run, run, RUN!!

*****************

[Verse 2]

Run Lambert, Run Lambert, run, run, RUN!!!

Bang, Bang, BANG goes the Lambert gun

Jump, Head, Sprint, Run or break into a stroll

He’ll still put a hat full in the oppositions goal!

(Work out the verses yourself)

Bit lame but it’s the best I could think of. Does he have a nick name, Lamby for example? Easily substituted for “Lambert”. Could work.

I’ll get m’ coat!

SUPERB NEWS! I actually did a shimmy. Oh to be signing players who IMPROVE the squad and to have a board, manager and chairmen with brains. SUPERB NEWS! I'm loving this bright new dawn.

Well done to all concerned. We may potentially have a new legend at St Mary's!!

Just been told by a reliable source connected to the selling club that we are buying 2 players from Stockport County.

 

Michael Raynes a defender and Danny Pilkington a midfielder. They travelled down today and should pass medicals tomorrow .

Good shout! I'll get excited when I feel less rough from Cowes last night!! FFS. ouch! 3hrs sleep but up & ready for the new season! LUSH DAY! Why is it always sunny when you're hungover?!

COYS

Just heard on the radio that George Burley has banned the Scotland team from drinking alcohol! Irony of ironies!

Only cos the players were probably stealing from his secret Glenmorangie stash in the boot polish cupboard!

Anti climax alert...f*ckers!

Don't think we will be seeing much of Thomas this season.

 

Mentally weak and a hypochondriac to boot was a verdict of someone close to the players a year or two back. When the tough get going Thomes goes missing.

As someone said, the new Darren Powell! The phsyio also love to give some of the players extended lay offs. Jokers!

Great news as long as AP stays loyal to Chris Perry. With three new defenders it's getting a bit crowded back there. Guess Wotton may be on his way soon.

 

There's only one Chris Perry

WTF? Crowded?! What planet do you live on?! We're thread bare, from top to bottom (certainly of any quality). I'd not even bother counting Lancashire as he's useless as is Molyneux. Thomas out injured (again), leaving Perry in the centre (vital position - whilst he's good, he can't play every game of the season either). Murty's not signed. Mills is still a youngster and adapting. Lloyd James is more suited to midfield. Luckily we picked up Harding. Hardly tons a defenders. Especially first choice. Get an injury or 2 (as we always seem to with our physios) and we're in the mire. Central defenders being the key area.

I think that one of the most dramatic moments in the history of our club, must have been when Lowe was forced to call in the receiver. What was that fateful board meeting like to witness? What events pushed our great club to the brink of extinction. Was it too many bad decisions made by the management or just bad decisions by the banks? I have a feeling that it could have been just a minor payment that the bank failed to honour and that pushed Lowe into a position that he was powerless to control.

 

What is interesting is that since the purchase of our club, Swiss TV are, for obvious reasons, very interested in the dramatic events behind the fall of Lowe. I have been able to obtain an exclusive video dramatisation of that last board meeting, that is to be shown on Swiss TV next week. Obviously, it is in German, but luckily it has been subtitled in English.

 

You can find it here.

That's by far your funniest post I've had a link to in ages (and adds light to a much maligned tenure of Lowe/Wilde). Best way to be, laugh it off, or we'd all despair. Fortunately, the Lowe Party's vice like stranglehold on our club has now been prised free allowing them to fall. A bright new dawn awaits us...

A new Chairman with a background in Banking, who says that the Club will be run as a business..........now, where have I heard that before?

Indeed although I don't think he's as much of a "banker" as the previous incompetent incumbent!

Was that the ****erill "incident"?

Nope, as mentioned above. The shady ref keeping play running until Arsenal scored. Unbelievable! It's like the classic Old Trafford ref.

Jaidi from Birmingham for the dominating CB

I'd be more than happy with a tall, strong f*cker like Jaidi marshalling the defence. God knows we need it!

Still think Jan-Paul Saeijs would be worth a go

Unless you're back from the Brighton weekend, I'm hoping you're meaning worth signing?! LOL Sorry, couldn't resist that. Tongue firmly in cheeky (nor further pun intended btw!). Saeijs and AN Another would certainly give us more options.

I realise our squad is thread bare and weak but I'm quietly confident for this season. It will be a season of consolidation and anything extra is a bonus, being fair and considering the state in which the squad was left to diminish. Clearly, we do need a good start to prevent the inexperienced younger heads dropping early on and the mental fragility so often inherent in younger squads. However, too much emphasis on this may also be counter-productive. From what we know, we don't often give up (despite results) and seem to have some good foundations mentally. It's now just a case of realising the potential highlights of our young/reserve team squad, correctly nurtured by bringing in the more experienced and reliable professionals as so many (including myself) insisted was needed to avoid the subsequent relegation and reconstruction of the Saints squad. In Pardew we trust!

You never know how much "injury" time the Ref will add these days, maybe as much as 7 minutes or until Arsenal, sorry I mean Millwall, equalise

Fair point & I too remember that p*ss take of a big club influenced official...scandlous!!

Why the wait until 2 hours after the game finishes?

Wouldn't the game actually finish at just gone 2:30pm, from a 12:45pm kick off?! Pedantic or attention to detail?! You decide...

;0)

So sad. A true gent & great ambassador to football. The nicest man in football, period.

RIP Sir Bobby. Sorely missed, never forgotten! (Met him at my first England international at Wembley when he came to sign our autographs!)

I hate being right all the time...

No you don't. You love being smug! ;o)

Provoked? Your very existence seems to me to be a conspiracy theory.

 

IMO, Mt Liebherr will not spend money this club has not earned and therefore follow the doctrine of his father. Having a rich owner does not make us a wealthy club and it's ironic a year ago if we had sold our experienced players like we have and went scratching around for Bosman's there would have been uproar.

 

Seems Hypochondriac is now saying had Lowe last year told us we had no chance in our first game and that we had no money to spend he would have been perfectly happy. Its ok to be sh*t as long as the manager is honest and tells us we are sh*t - all managers and chairman past and present please take note.

 

I wonder if Pardew will bring in Vincent Pericard who was released by Stoke. Pericard must be one of the best strikers around as the Messiah Pearson brought him in! Go on Alan be a trooper you know you want to....

there is an element of TROLL in this post

I've amended your post for you! Typo!

Whilst being encouraged to swing from the Itchen Bridge. Waiting for long term success is dependent on having a patient and supportive fan base. Not running before you can walk most of our team like last year have only just learned to walk. Times change as TDD said.

Once again, the old and unwelcome Lowe attitude of making barbed comments toward the fans. We're trying to flush away that arrogant scorn (down that toilet with the old regime and their fundamentally flawed & failed strategies!) so let it go. A bright new dawn and all that...

As you say, waiting for long term success is "dependent on having a patient and supportive fan base". In my post above I illustrated the justified cynicism towards the old regime. They couldn't do much more wrong. However, like most of the club predecessors (boards and management), Pardew and Liebherr will be supported based upon their actions and decisions. It's only when poor decisions are consistently made, chairmen meddle in areas outside of their knowledge/competency and the fan base are disregarded and treated with utter scorn, combined with the poor, uncommitted and clueless performances on the football pitch...that's when the fans have their patience tested. FWIW, I think our fans have been incredibly patient and restrained considering the treatment over the past years. Only now are people uncovering (and revealing) the full extent of the blunder years - The disastrous tenure of Lowe Wilde and how they very nearly destroyed our once proud and great football club.

[N.B. I am now adopting "The Blunder Years" as the title for the Lowe and Lowe/Wilde tenures collectively.]

Yes in general most players released and not yet picked up will be crap and/or not good enough for my team. clearly there will be a few exceptions, but I was writing a general assumption not 100% fact.

 

My point was more that signing the best player from 2 or 3 teams would be more productive than buying players needing a 2nd chance.

Fair enough. Generally, there are exceptions but I'd say 75 - 80% are, as you state, probably cr*p. Whilst I have a point, I reflected on the 'British Players out of contract' and tend to agree with you that most are out of contract for a reason. Wages or ability mainly.

Ah the infamous press conference thread. I wonder if this will turn out to be that most elusive of things- a press conference thread that correctly predicts a press conference!

Yeah right! Quite annoying usually as there's a Press conf. thread every couple of days on here and I remember there being about...2% of the supposed claims that actually materialised.

Generally, when there's a press conference, it's announced to the press (not just an internet blag board!)

Saw Stern having a rather light & healthy meal down Oxford St tonight & he must be wanting that new contract (has he actually signed yet? Forgot to ask!) as it looks like he's lost loads of weight! Bin Saga & Rasiak - get someone who can run/play off Stern!