derry

Prat!

It's not the withdrawing and playing on the break I object to, it's sitting back and doing nothing else. Besides we didn't even defend with any conviction. Apart from two breaks down the right we hardly put anything together the whole game. It's not the result that gets to me it's the way we surrendered without a fight. I think the winds of change are blowing through the club and after last night I suspect more than a few are finished here in the longer term.

We can't even manage simple systems and work rate is a lost art.

So against Salisbury with every player having played in the first team, we played four at the back and two defensive holding midfielders in front of them and went 3-0 down. I suppose the apologists will say it doesn't matter but it does. A defensive team against a non league side, you couldn't make it up.

Alan Pardew talking about skilful players said that the will to win can nullify the more skilful player if that will to win is not matched. Every game is important in it's own right. The teams that give all win more than they lose. That is something we haven't done for a long time.

It wouldn't surprise me if he read this site, because Andy Oldknow has been on here regularly.

I have supported Saints for 53 years and was an FA Coach. I don't need a prat who can't even spell, use capital letters in proper names, together with poor punctuation, lecture me on whether I can renew my season tickets. I'm optimistic now we have a new owner and manager, but I wouldn't expect you to grasp the main point regarding the lack of a winning mentality that the team and the previous management suffered from. It may or may not be of interest to you but there are ex saints players that agree with me.

Of course like every other year after a superb pre season we will hit the ground running and win our first game as we always do. Maybe just for once Alan Pardew will turn the club on it's head and win the first game.

When Havant & Waterlooville went to Anfield in the FA Cup they didn't think like this, they gave it a damn good go against one of the top sides in Europe and gave Liverpool a right scare. We didn't even try. We gave in because we were scared of being beaten.

Bloody obvious isn't it. I bet Pardew thinks much the same.

4-4-2 is only a basic set up, it is the pass and move and flexible movement of the players that is important. It is imperative also to pressure the opposition when they have the ball. We actually played an inflexible two banks of four plus Wotton an appalling unqualified front sweeper and one up front who was really never in the game. We didn't pressure Ajax at all. we stood off and let them play, however when we got the ball they pressured us and quickly got it back.

It was Jennings, Elias and Prost that set the standards for the Academy. Henderson really peeed me off on Saturday, if ever there was a day to give it a go that was it. Then to say that Wotton had a good game with simple passing was total crap, as he gave 90% of his passes to the opposition.

What I am saying is that 4-4-2 would have been better defensively as the two banks of four pressuring the ball, plus two up front to pressure the defenders, would have left Ajax with less of a comfort zone. We left an isolated striker up front and withdrew everybody else but didn't try and press the ball but just backed off. Not only that, we left the flanks wide open and the front sweeper, Wotton, just kept passing players on to others, didn't do the job properly and when he did get the ball gave it away.

How the hell can you make criticisms of my statement if you weren't even there. As for fitness we had been back training for over three weeks. It wasn't the fitness as such. Wotton giving the ball away all the time was a big part of the problem. The totally negative approach just standing off and letting Ajax play was the biggest problem. Davis made brilliant last ditch goal saving stops in double figures after Ajax strolled through our static defence. It really could have been 10.

No, Only noted his name at the academy and reserves over the years. Saturday did it for me, plus the lack of awareness and fundamental skills of the young players. Lallana can't even kick the ball properly neither could McGoldrick.

They were infinitely flexible except they always had at least one player on each touchline. They were continually changing shape due to pass and move as it should be.

The allegedly defensive formation sat back and left the wings wide open as usual and allowed Ajax to pick us apart. Sitting back and an isolated striker up front meant we had almost no possession. At no time did we pressure them and it's nonsense to say that 4-4-2 wouldn't work. Two banks of four plus two up front would have put a lot more pressure on the ball. Wotton in front of the back four gave 90% of his possession back to Ajax whilst the lack of two up front and no width allowed them the freedom to do what they liked. If Davis hadn't had a brilliant game this defensive formation could have let in double figures. I lost count of the number of last ditch saves he made.

I think we need a complete clearout on the coaching side. Only retain those players that fit in to the new winning mentality and commit themselves. It's going to happen anyway, the sooner the better.

Pretty much says it all, spot on.

Wotton just gives the ball away all the time. Lallana won't get you goals. I'd like to see Gillett and Schneiderlin tried together, John and Raziak tried together but with Saganowski wide right (as for Poland)

I wish;)

We could do a lot worse than play Raziak and John up front with Saganowski wide right (where he has played well for Poland).

I bet it won't be anything like the 4-5-1 we played against Ajax. Plenty of width and 3/4 players breaking fast out of the middle supporting the striker.

Al Fahim is first to pass the fit and proper person test and is chairman. Hart has signed a 2 year deal as manager. On SSN.

Don't mention 4-4-2 it's not allowed on here. Anything that's narrow and doesn't work will do nicely.