Saint Fan CaM

Tough one - assuming the defenders were not worth £6m each then no deal.

This.

Absolute priority in January is sorting out the defence - nothing else matters as we have enough in midfielder to limp through to the summer. 2 CB's and a LB are what's needed, however I reckon we'll not see a LB due to Shaw coming through and I suspect only 1 CB will be on the shopping list. Although we don't need a midfielder or a striker, I suspect we'll buy one or other because someone can't resist the temptation - just hope it doesn't get in the way of sorting out the defence.

This is without doubt a match that's needs a win. I fear for the consequences if we fail to pick-up 3 points, however it's got a draw written all over it I would say. Just hope Ramirez comes back from International duty uninjured (I think he's playing in the week?).

Not sure I agree with this - I thought there were times when the team were trying to put everything his way rather than just have a pop at goal. It was starting to get a little predictable.

The error by Gazza was a terrible one. Not because he's young and errors will be made. No, because the keepers and defenders MUST have been told more than once by the coaches NEVER to fanny around with the ball when under pressure at the back - you put it into row ZZ and re-group. If Adkins and his coaches have not been 110% clear about this to their players then someone needs to be horse-whipped to within an inch of their freakin' lives!!!

Agree with all that.

Only one person made a mess of things yesterday and that was Gazza - an unforgivable error trying to pass out to Yoshida like that at 1-0 up. Not the first time its happened either which makes matters worse. I thought Shaw looked fantastic at LB - more assured than Fox and more mobile too. First starter from now on IMO. I was thinking at 85mins why NA had not freshened the team up with new legs up front - then I thought, no...he's learnt a lesson - he's sticking with the team that's on top. It was the CORRECT decision.

If it works don't knock it. We're not too long away from finding out (a) just how much the players think about Adkins (as they'll be fighting to save his job) and (b) how much Adkins has learnt in terms of tactics, team selection etc to see out a job. Anything less than three points will mean changes afoot.

Excellent rousing stuff! If only you were in dressing room before the match tomorrow, we would cruise home to a splendid victory.

What they achieved in the past (or not) has nothing to do with their suitability NOW to manage Saints...i.e. neither are up to the job.

WGS and Hoddle?!?! Hahaha - yesterdays men. If NC is serious about taking the club forward then he needs to stick with Adkins or bring in someone of Benitez's level.

Led Zep - any gig. The 70's Earth, Wind and Fire gig at the Gaumont when they had Santana as support!

I played at the Joiners quite a few times 'back in the day' - great venue and as Turkish says, it has always catered for younger up and coming bands, so had a niche in the local music market and it would be terrible to see it go. If it's suffering falling numbers it's not alone - there are plenty of live music venues in and around the City and they are all competing with a dwindling market - The Brook, The Talking Heads, The Platform Tavern, The Concord Club, Soul Cellar, The Joshua Tree + many, many 'regular' pubs that put on live music. Look also at the social club scene - once the first choice weekend evening destination of the working class and key providers of musical entertainment...they're dying on their @rses because the general populace don't want to be seen in those places (despite their often cheap booze), they then can't afford to pay entertainers (or only pay enough for poor ones) and then wonder why nobody turns up! The reasons are many for the decline - cheap supermarket booze, big screen TV's at home, people too lazy to get off their butts and get out, some venues not advertising well enough, Simon Cowell effect, youngsters nowadays have more opportunity to practice music rather than just listen to it...etc. etc. But you can't blame the bands - why should they advertise for the venue and in particular, why should they always be expected to bring rent-a-crowd (I've never got that)? They've already spent a fortune on gear, rehearsed themselves silly, spent money getting to the gig, spent more money on drinks at the gig...etc.

What's the issue here? Article is pretty bland...nothing to report...move on.

Other than getting in more competent players - i.e. of the Ramirez level, there is only one thing that might assist and that is more pace to ensure whoever is on the park can get back to cover and this is mostly needed in midfield. There are midfield players (and I include the two 'outside forwards' in this) that do not have the pace on them to track back in time or indeed the guts to put in a tackle. Chaplow is one of the better options and Cork has some of that ability too and until January I would be thinking about how to utilise them. Having 4 strikers on the pitch at the same time is a luxury we cannot afford.

Absolutely spot bang on the money. Nothing more to say - close the thread.

It's not about waking up - it's about a good proportion of the players just not being good enough mentally and physically unfortunately. If you ask a group of men to jump 4ft in the air from a crouching position, some might achieve it the first time. Every successive time they try to do it, the ones that can do it will eventually tire and stop being able to do it. The ones that couldn't in the first place will see some do it and realise they're not good enough, tire quickly trying and then very quickly give up. It will not take too long for the entire group to stop believing in their collective ability to continue to achieve the task. Failing to achieve a task because of ones own limitations, despite a real and honest desire to do so, induces stress. Stress compounds failure. In simple terms, this is appears to be our team. Add in the pressure of performing in front of tens of thousands of people, any niggling injuries in the back of the mind, a coach that keeps telling you it will come good when everything in your mind and body is screaming "no!" at you and a whole bunch of other issues - then you'll be closer to the truth. This is why we MUST stick with Adkins - he knows this stuff. It's why he MUST be given the opportunity to raise the collective competency of the squad in January. He has spent much time getting to know each one of these players intimately and he is the best one to know where to improve. We know he can organise a competent squad to win games - it's all about getting the right quality of players for the task at hand.

I think we bought the wrong player - full stop.

To answer the OP succinctly. Not a chance.

This would be a good starting line-up - HOWEVER - it just will not happen. And frankly if anyone thinks Swansea are going to be anything other than a huge challenge to overcome, think again...there is every likelyhood that we will lose this. Score : 2-2 at best.

Of course his job is tenable. He's lead the club from L1 to the Prem in two seasons and it would seem that he still has the players on board. OK, so we're not winning games and that's pretty rubbish for us all, however thankfully there are adults made of sterner stuff on the board at SFC nowadays and ditching a good young English manager is a decision that will not be made lightly....no matter how many threads are started or resurrected on here!

He's starting to look forward to his dream move to Anfield in January and can't be arsed now. HTH.

Yeah that's a great idea. In fact, let's re-assemble the entire L1 side again and put all our really Prem level players into the youth squad for letting us down. Now let's see, that will be....Ramirez and...err...err...well, just Ramirez then. Just to clarify something here, in case you've missed the point - the reason we're losing lots of games is because we have a sub-standard squad of players. It's OK having a small number of Championship level players, but if the majority are lacking Prem quality there's only one way forward and that's down!

Meltdown complete.