up and away

Why do I keep getting the feeling that Saints have somehow morphed into a real live version of ground hog day. Just go back to the start and we had a couple of basic problems always costing us points. The main point was the midfield were not giving the defence sufficient cover or creating enough to over come this inadequacy. We found a very effective solution to this by playing Wooton in front of the back 4. I am not completely sure how it worked, but work it did, even to the extent it freed up the rest of midfield, such they worked far better as a unit. The second point that unless we dominated weaker teams, we were hardly a threat going forward because of the lack of pace. When Waigo came we got that pace and though hit and miss at the start, created so much confusion with his pace it was always going to be the better option. Why he has not played more often in a forward position is strange, especially as his goal ratio is not that bad. Everything I heard from that commentary against Colchester just reminded me of these two basic flaws we have had from the beginning. We seemed to have set up in such a manner to hedge our bets, neither one thing or the other and that's what we got. I still find it laughable that Pardew knew what to expect from Colchester, it's patently obvious he never had a clue on the day. This game seems to encapsulate for me that we have learnt very little from everything that has gone before. You can blame James or that Lallana does not look so effective now he is taking his defensive duties more seriously, but we had those problems previously and found an effective way round them.

This is exactly what I was thinking, but waiting to hear back from someone at the game. I kept hearing Merrington saying the 3 man midfield was not up to it. If this was the case, Pardew has dropped another clanger. What we put out there had no attacking or defensive merit. Why not play what we know works, 451 and changing things if and when required. Soak up the pressure and throw on Waigo and Connolly when required against a tired side. In the grand scheme of things this is not a coffin nail as we will be getting in some good players that will make a difference. Pardew has done a lot of good things, but he continues in placing his bollix on the anvil when the Smithy is in full bash. I really do not understand that line up today, never made sense beforehand or at any subsequent time. Especially when we had a proven set up in 451 for the players we have, that worked extremely well previously. It's as if those period of games never happened and that system would be too great a risk?

If ever anything reeked of bollix with a capital B, this has to be it, just a shame you could not fit in the 3rd aunt removed into the story line. The biggest financial bust in modern times, banks hovering on the brink of extinction and a company in the financial sector under performs?

I agree with that but at times Lambert has looked in desperate need for a striking partner, so you win and lose with the 4-5-1 formation. Besides Connelly has been outstanding. He gets better with every game in my book. It would be harsh to drop him. One interesting point this does highlight is the effectiveness of 451 over 442. Originally I was against moving away from 451, mainly on the line of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" than anything else. Now I am beginning to wonder if we should have been playing it far more recently. The main attraction for switching to 442 was the great performances we managed to produce in those second halves, that it stood out like night and day in comparison. The only problem being that since starting with 442, we have not been able to reproduce those second half performances sufficiently to rate it a success by comparison? Any manager wants his best players out on the pitch, especially someone like Connolly. Pardew has tried a variety of combinations to this effect, without a convincing long term achievement. It is not difficult to see with the right personnel coming in that the benefits would really make this worthwhile. I am beginning to wonder if we have not missed a few points in persevering without the required personnel.

I think Schneiderlin has had a fitness / stamina issue ever since he joined us and is in the process of sorting that out this season. Can be a good player but that does not put it in regularly against the top teams. We have no other midfielder who can spray the passes around as Morgan does on form, but has to be more regular. Well worth a keep but as already stated, seems far better in a 5 man midfield. I easily appreciate what Duncan and many others are saying, our midfield just does not look convincing. Hammond has gone off the boil after putting in some iron man stamina sapping performances. Again it would not surprise me for Hammond to be far better in that 5 man midfield. When I look back at the total domination we had over MK Dons from a midfield that has never looked as comfortable, I am wondering if we have been playing the best system? Walsall away was a definite plus for the 4 man midfield and we never looked in danger against Tranmere, but not sure you can take any viable indicators from Tranmere. The problem seems to be Connolly, playing so well that we have fit things in around him. It's possible we may have been better sticking with the 451 and changing things round in the second half as needs must. The other point that was evident when playing a 5 man midfield, that the opposition used up a lot of energy against that formation, making them ripe for the picking in the second half. We have 4 very important games coming up which may well be critical in getting to the play off's. After that we should have enough quality additions to the team it should be plain sailing. Such is the low standard of this league, it should be no problem in getting the quality we require with our resources. Pardew should then be able to try an formation he pleases without affecting success. PS. not that great a fan of Oakley after his injury. but is he putting in some great free kicks and corners for Leicester.

Others would point out that Leeds had 7 fresh players on against us and it showed. Even kept the same team today, they are not daft enough to overlook where their bread and butter lies.

After just hearing about Cortese's interview on Solent, it sounds like we are going to try and buy our way out of this league come January. That is a whole new ball game and cannot see us not making the play off's. It is very important we keep in the hunt until we get new players in, especially against Colchester. After that, it should be plain sailing. If we fail to gain promotion, I am pretty certain Cortese will look at this as failure.

It's 32500, but that is with the home support being completely filled and the boxes. I don't know which is the bigger bad omen for a Saints performance, biggest crowd or televised live. Should get past this one though!

Why are you so bothered? are you a member/shareholder? SISA have ****ed this dog to death over the years, it's surprising they get bypassed completely on this topic, maybe not!

It has to be Hammond, although trailing Lambert and Connolly individually, these two cannot function without a midfield supplying them or supporting the defence. There have been a few times where Hammond has been off the boil, notably when there has been two games in a week and the effect of this can be clearly seen. Without Hammond doing his job well, Lambert and Connolly really struggle to do their job. Morgan is important in the midfield, but the lions share of that goes down to Hammond.

I don't see any real danger of any player wanted at Saints by Pardew leaving in the January window, but after that you just cannot tell. If Cortese / Liebherr are prepared to spend large amounts in the January window, there will be a lot of pressure on Pardew to deliver promotion.

We had this discussion after the Norwich league game, about what a great game it was and preferring that to the likes of Derby under Davies. But as one voice pointed out, what is really important here? That has to be getting promotion and I had to agree on the possibility of us being points off better under Davies and the football they have been playing has not been too bad. I am not sure I would want to keep him once you got to the Premier, but he looks the odds on bet to get you there!

I am not sure your drivel is that much different from mine. With the one exception that I am still overwhelmingly grateful for the train crash I saw stopped by a single man, minus cape. On that one point, I am not totally sure out of the two of us, who is correct.

I am not so sure. Pardew is a good manager but when you look at Grayson at Leeds and Lambert at Norwich, he has to be trailing those two, with the added advantage of shed loads of cash. Lambert had to sort out a Norwich team ****ed up by Gunn, no mean feat in such a short space of time. Pardew has bought exceptionally well and is doing a good, steady job. Cortese appears a hard task manager and I would not be surprised if it could be touch and go for Pardew if we fail to get to the play off's. If Cortese is 100% behind his statement recently, that promotion this season is our priority, Pardew has a few black marks against him on that one. I am still struggling to find a match report from any Saints fan that mirrors Pardew's for Leeds. At the end of the day it could well come down to making the play off's but I would expect him to still be here next season after the progress he has made.

behave...we have to rest connolly for some games and he is getting older. beckford offers real pace up front and bangs 'em in also how good would it be picking 2 from lambert, connolly and beckford..? And you would still have the same issues we saw at Leeds, without a midfield to supply them, it's totally pointless. We have got more than enough options up front, even with injuries, what we do not have is a consistent midfield because all the load is placed on Hammond and playing every game to boot. Get a decent RB in and defensive midfielder and we will have no problem with the squad we have. Paul Ifil's contract with Colchester is up soon, could be a cheap option and he was not too bad for us previously. Newcastle and Wolves have been looking at Beckford and we do not even come into the picture for him on that basis for the January window. Not a hope in hell for January, after that it may be on?

Could not agree more, good post. Getting players in and early enough in the January window is vital, will take a short while for them to get up and running. That little congested period could well be what decides our chances of the play off's. The Leeds result is not really significant apart from reality has to be looked in the face and Pardew has to go and find a new party frock.

I can't really be disappointed with the team Pardew put out or the loss. Going down 1-0 to Leeds away is no disgrace, but I feel we have missed a trick here. Leeds had seven pairs of fresh legs on against us compared to midweek, with the noticeable figure of Connolly being full of beans for us. If we miss the play off's this season I feel it will be down to little things such as this and the fact that Gillett is still playing well a league higher. Once we get bodies in sometime in January, Gillett is no longer an issue. It will just be a question of being able to recover from that point onwards. If we are unable to get into the play off's, this will have to go down as a failure with the resources and players we have available to us. The defeat to Leeds is not a big loss on this road, but results against teams hovering either side of the cut off point will be far more important to us making the play off's. Colchester has to be far more important in this equation than Leeds.

The problem is that we have very little options in that position without Murty. You are forced by exclusion with James or Thomas. I really do not know which would be better in that position, but I have a very definite bias for having James in midfield, especially without Schniederlin. I thought Thomas was acceptable at RB previously, but obviously others and Pardew saw something different. Not long back, I remember Pardew raving about James to Coppell, so he obviously see's a lot in the lad, but I can't think that applies to RB? I fully take your point with Thomas, but the issues James creates there at the present, are you going to be any better off? The alternative would be James with Waigo / Antonio giving cover in front, now that looks like suicide against Leeds?

Anyone who thinks Beckford would come here in the January window really needs a reality check. He's virtually guaranteed a CCC place next season, whereas with ourselves it would be up in the air. If his contract is running out in the summer, it makes it a double no brainer. I cannot see past getting in loans for the January window, unless we can't get the right personnel for the positions required (as often the decent loans only become available towards the end of the window). Most of these League 1 players would require changing out if you were making a serious attempt at getting out of the CCC. Loans give you that flexibility and if with an option, covered all ways.

i've got a hunch that Morgan will miss out and we'll end up seeing James in midfield, with Thomas played at RB. maybe a blessing in disguise? He can do it, he clearly showed that at the end of last season. Seems to Have gone back to his old ways to a certain extent. If he can sort his positioning out, that's where 90% of his trouble originates. I don't know why Pardew has not tried Thomas at RB and James in front, Thomas was not that bad previously in that position? Pardew seems gung ho about this game, so I get the feeling he knows something or has something particular in mind. Either way, I feel Leeds have the edge after resting so many players in midweek. Given a choice I would far prefer to take the points off Colchester than Leeds, but it really would be a big step forward to take points from both. The way Pardews talking it sounds something like (without Schniederlin), will be very interested to see the strarting line up. Bart Thomas Perry/Trotts Jaidi Harding Waigo James Hammond Lallana Lambert Connolly

No matter how good we do in the JPT, no player is going to use that as a basis for coming to Saints. The fact if we remain in League 1 will definitely have an effect, the opposite to what you are proposing. Along with the major issue of trying to retain players to play in this poor league. we have seen already that putting out our strongest team in the cup has left us jaded and cost us points, even the Norwich manager commented on the fact. Although we have fared well for injuries this season, we have a pronounced weakness in midfield and right back. Until we can get more players in to cover these positions you will get repeats of the Brighton game. Although I reckon we have the best attack in the league, it's next to useless without service. As for the JPT, it's like that old joke of the similarity between having a moped and going out with a plumper.

If we try and play football with no control of the midfield, we will get mullahed by Leeds. The major negative I have against Pardew is the lack of emphasis he places on the league over the cup competitions. I feel we may have left any real hopes of a result against Leeds on the pitch against Norwich. Hammond stuck in a full shift and without him performing out of his boots against Leeds, I find it difficult to see how we will come out of this one smiling. It's not all roses for Leeds and their heavy fixture list is having an effect, but they have the benefit of being at home without a days travel thrown in. At the end of the day it's all about getting into the play off's and win or lose against Leeds, it does not determine that. Pardew could easily surprise us here, change things round and come up with a result. What really concerns is the heavy fixture list affecting our chances of the play off's. A couple of weeks into the transfer window and we should have the personnel sorted but I feel we missed a trick in not recalling Gillett until that time.

I agree, this reaction is a little over the top. As far as the club's side is concerned, what more could you want to know? What you have already is what I know, any more and it still does not really change the equation (Even if they were informed far earlier and asked to hold back until the launch, you then have the counter of it coming out in the public domain). This does not come near any issue of freedom of the press. Stories are still there, but they now have to work for them, instead of being handed them on a platter. This just comes down to an issue of respect and Cortese has got the hump. There have been several instances in the past where the Echo has stretched, magnified issues, where they deserved this sort of treatment. Equally, Cortese has a couple of bank robberies in him before he negates the over whelming favour he has done for us. I don't know if Ian has tried to send an olive branch to Cortese, but I would have expected to hear about that. Does not appear to me to be his style at present and the reference to Lowe seems he is going in the opposite direction.

You really have lost touch with reality over this. The Echo will still be printing close to the same as they did previously, with the exception it will be slightly later and copied from another source. And it's not as if we have not seen that before and those with a fear of keyboards never suffered previously. Just like the false assumption Cortese was stopping the Echo from printing anything about Saints and a "screw you" message to the fans. Those that rely on the Echo for their news of Saints will hardly know any difference, if at all. I agree with Duncan that it would be best if this never happened and would prefer this to be sorted out, but in no way can I see any merit in blaming Cortese after all he has done for us. The Echo deliberately took this action over a minor story and are now paying the price. Cortese sees this as a lack of respect and has got the hump about it. Bearing in mind he has previously bent over backwards to help the Echo and there being no journalistic point of disclosure on this story, he has a point. Then the drama queen act of trying to escalate this to journalistic principle, with the charades on Saturday in trying to gain entrance. Added to the previous article in the week was just childish, whereas Cortese has just kept quiet. Even without Cortese saving the club from extinction, I would be hard pressed to side with the Echo.

Not from what i hear no, i wasn't digging at bart but think it's still probably to early to judge, think we might see him tested next saturday, we know he's a good keeper but just hope he's got his early saints career form back. I don't know how Bart played tonight, but I would go for Bart from previous. I like Kelvin and would not be unhappy with him in goal, but he just seems that little short in getting to the high / loopy ones in the corner. Bart looks much better for the crosses but he has got away with a couple. Just think we are very lucky to have two such good keepers.