Saint Fan CaM

I'll not be renewing @ £5 I think. In relation to the success of the club, I reckon I could live with 3 posts/day or even none if push came to shove.

Oh dear - this petty action is just going to serve up extra bragging for the Cherries when they win Saturday...cringeworthy.

Completely agree with this analysis unfortunately. For some reason - perhaps injury - Lambert is nowhere near the potent force he was last season. While the defence has been supposedly strengthened, this is undermined by disruption to the squad further up the pitch. I maintain that the quality of the front 6 players is not just about their individual characteristics, but about how well they all work together. For example to be promotion candidates, at least 4 of those 6 must be able to work the ball quickly and move up the pitch as one unit. We are just not doing this - 9/10 of our attacks are played at pedestrian pace allowing 11 players to get behind the ball. Then, when we lose the ball, do we put 11 men behind the ball? NO! When the opposition break on us, a good few of our team are gasping and not even trying to get back to defend. Adkins may be a good manager, but he has a huge job to do to turn this team around. Right here right now I am not convinced the mix of players in the squad have what it takes, despite their supposed individual strengths. I hope I'm wrong, but this is looking like a failed season and I am fearful of the outcome of the review of NA's results come Xmas, as I think NC will be making a big decision regarding continuity of management versus expected season performance.

COYS! WIFM!

I think the question should be : "Do we need extra players?". If the answer is no, then don't expect us to spend money and don't think that that, in itself, means we're skint.

I did hear NC is studying for his badges. Personally I think it's rubbish as it was third-hand from a connection in the club, so don't shoot the messenger.

Don't be so ready to jump down someone's throat people - my comment was not negative...it was intended to make a distinction between then and the more sterile game now. The clue was in the "great memories" comment!!!

Surprised nobody has mentioned the abuse the Skates will be able to throw if the Cherries beat us, which I think there is a very good chance of them doing such is their form right now. So, the upshot is I do care about this game a bit more than other games and I want us to tonk them frankly.

PMSL!!! Pulis was thought to be suffering from footballers brain, but then a 2nd opinion ruled that out categorically meaning another 4 months hiding under the physio's table.

Well it worked on Saturday right?! The old reverse hoodoo occasionally seems to work wonders, so here's hoping. (;

Great memories...but that was then and this is now.

We will lose this match 4-1.

Mmm, to stretch the debate just a little, I was wondering how NA will play things when Lallana gets back to full fitness (in the meantime it looks like he'll be a super-sub). Holmes looks like he could still be in with a shout if he keeps working hard...Puncheon appears to have a starting place whatever. Chambo has done everything right during this spell of regular starts. Nobody would leave out Lallana when he's 100%. So who gets dropped in the 2 from 4 dilemna? Holmes will not get 1st call although I think he's as good if not better than Puncheon. Chambo needs to be protected, so I can see him dropping to the bench. It will be Puncheon and Lallana again as Benjii above said.

I think both our seasons have stuttered but for completely different reasons. For us it's been a poor close season and the untimely loss of a Manager, but the team has held together and it's just a matter of time before we show our quality again. For you lot I'm afraid coming down into this league will be a big shock to some players - it's not the walk-over many of your fans would think it would be and the dreadful support shown at the game (more boos than applause) will only accentuate the fact. I fancy your chances a lot less than ours in terms of sorting out the rot to be perfectly honest.

The league has not really started to open up yet and Brighton being at the top just goes to show this. By Xmas we'll be in the play-offs - I am starting to believe again. (But we will lose at Yeovil!)...

I think it's a combination of fitness and finding a way to fit in with the new Managers system. I think Pardew almost built the team and tactics around Lambo - who wouldn't given his record? So now he needs to find himself again - it will come, but it's a case of how long. Lucky for us, NA's game seems to suit Barney and Lallana. Great result - I really thought we would be taken apart a little bit today, but there appears to be a good spirit growing in the camp and that can only be attributed to NA. Interesting that we got a win and a clean sheet without Fonte in the team - switching things around when players are not delivering once again seems to be shown to be the right course of action.

Korea, USA, Tenerife.

This could be Barneys year now Lambert has dropped away. Good delivery and well taken goal.

When does the loan window close? Perhaps NC told NA to spend some time checking out the squad before committing to asking for more players?

I think you've hit the nail on the head there. When the team are doing well and there's clear investment, who needs a PR machine. Conversely, if the team are not doing so well (or you need to sack a Manager), that's the time that a higher level of PR is needed by the club to off-set criticism and negative vibes. It makes sense for a lower league club like us to employ a part-time person or agency to assist with this work as it would not make sense hiring a full-time staff member(s). That leaves two questions. Do we need PR right now and if so, is the quality of the PR fit for purpose? I would answer, clearly yes it's needed, however it's not doing everything I would wish for.

I agree. Except with the last bit. It's my football club, therefore it matters not if it's not very good - it's still mine (and yours). Too many miss this point.

And spelling corrections.

Of course PR is important in any business that relies on the public to buy it's product/services. The question is I suppose, who is the PR for? Is it for the benefit of the club directly or is it designed for the benefit of the supporter (who then feels connected and therefore happier with the product/service)? This is the key issue for me. The PR and communications have been poorly managed of late in my opinion - oh, it's been very stage managed and one could say professional (Bicks influence), but it's only providing what the CLUB want us to know, rather than what WE would LIKE to know. And for me, that's the big problem....they haven't bothered asking their customers - the supporters and in particular the ST holders - what information they would appreciate getting periodically from the club. What we get is the party line rolled out ad infinitum...it was OK to start with, but now (alongside poor results) it's getting a bit tedious. And while I think about it, that 'dinner with Nicola' session - why was that not properly advertised? Nothing on the OS as far as I could see - most of us were kept in the dark and if it wasn't for this forum most of us would not have known about it happening, let alone know what was revealed during the discussions. I don't know what they're paying Bick, but for a L1 club on a clearly limited budget I would hazard a guess it's far, far too much.

Is this some kind of master class in irony?

Great post...wish those others who think they have a 'scoop' would think as carefully as this prior to posting.