Saint Fan CaM

I liked what he said about being able to change tactics as necessary. However, we'll see - now is the time for action on the pitch and it's going to be extremely interesting to see how quickly and what degree he can influence the team. Good luck Nige.

We've got a squad of good players that have largely been pilfered from other clubs and come here for the money. That does not make a good team. This is the one big challenge for Adkins - get the 1st team acting like a team.

Couldn't agree more with this...good post.

Should have expected that I guess! (: However, Hughes thoughts on this were biased towards a long-ball game - i.e. a literal five passes - whereas I was using it to illustrate the difference between slow steady play with lots of passing and the alternative fast breaks forward with a minimal number of passes. In reality a mixture of the two is necessary, however one of the big differences between the Prem and the lower leagues is the time it takes for a defenders brain to assess how to defend an attack. The quicker the attack, the more likely it is to succeed, especially when you've got accurate strikers of the ball (i.e. unlike Puncheons effort on Saturday!).

He needs to... (a) get the team passing at pace, moving forward as a unit so that instead of taking 10 passes to lose the ball, it takes a maximum of 5 passes to place a shot on goal. (b) sort out the lack of creativity and responsibiltiy in central midfield - nearly every attack involves moving the ball out to the wings, only for a player to eventually cut-inside, rather than get to the byline or drive through the centre of defence and putting the opposition CB's under pressure. Easy on paper (screen!), however I have doubts over the ability of some of our players in being able to deliver this style of play. It may just be a lack of fitness, however I am increasingly concerned that this team does not have enough about it, which also means Adkins may need to bolster the squad with decent loanees in the 1st instance (i.e. January will be too late).

This is probably closest to the truth IMO.

Very happy that we've got a Manager now and one that appears to be very well educated and a good communicator. His record is reasonable and my only slight concern is that he will not fit in with the squad here now, meaning a lost season. However, the proof will be in the performances on the pitch and I am going to be extremely interested in seeing how he and his Assistant go about changing the mindset and tactics with the players WE are used to seeing every week. Good luck Nigel - actually let's hope luck plays no part and you're a success from the outset based purely on your abilities.

We are extremely lucky to have NC around to look after the clubs affairs. He seems to be a very motivated and motivational character. I just hope he can secure the right 1st team Manager asap.

Absolutely agree with what you've said there. There are many decent posters who don't resort to insults just because they disagree with a point of view and I suspect there are quite a few who just don't bother posting anymore because of the infantile bickering. Even when you report a post nothing gets done.

I would agree wholeheartedly if it produced a won game. That's our problem at the moment with the players we've got - lots of passing and possession...no end result and a clueless, statuesque defence.

Adkins needs to be taking training Monday latest. Get the job done Nicola - don't delay another day longer for the sake of a few £'s....it's not worth it now....we're third from bottom...Bournemouth are 3rd. I think a little urgency could be the order of the day?!?!?

I like this post...it makes emminent sense and I commend it to NC for further consideration.

Why do some posters get so defensive when others try to get a debate underway - is it because they feel intellectually challenged?! lol It would seem it's you that's acting like a drama queen and one that lives in a black and white world where there's no middle ground. The thread title was "Looking forward to Adkins?" (just to remind you) - not Adkins is a ****! As a matter of fact, I reckon he could well be the right man, but it's going to take quite some time. He'll get my support, but that's not to say I will not feel the need to debate his relative merits on FANS FORUM!!!

Pal, I'm afraid it's you that's shown yourself to be quite thick - there's nobody 'slagging him off'...just comments on what a really tough job he's got to turn around our team and the fact that Scunny (like us) had a lot of possession today, yet managed to lose their game. Even you've got to admit there are similarities there. If not, then I suppose you don't need to comment.

I clearly don't understand the concept of a football supporters forum then. I mean we've just lost another game dominating play. The Manager that is supposedly coming in to turn things around oversees a game which is lost despite dominating play and not scoring, despite knowing all the players at his disposal. I thought there was enough synergy in these facts to have a reasonable debate. Afterall, the appointment of the new Manager is THE biggest and most important topic in Saints world at the moment. And to all those that think NC is up at night worrying about what's written on a fans forum need to get out and sample a bit of the real world.

So the team morale is on the floor and yet several players need a kicking? With a poor quality bench what sanctions are there to work with? Whoever the new Manager turns out to be, will have a huge job sorting out this mess and the longer it's left, the worse the issue becomes.

He's probably thinking perhaps he could stop over in Bournemouth to try and get a deal at a team in the play-off places?

Well I guess if I knew all the answers I wouldn't be asking the questions! Trouble with this forum now is that too many have an agenda to deflate any sort of debate by either being out and out abusive or others that try to belittle genuine posts trying to gauge opinion...(perhaps like your carefully shrouded comment?). I have previously stated my backing for NA, however looking at todays stats in isolation make me wonder whether he will have a big problem turning this squad around quickly. And if that continues on into the Xmas period - well, we could be looking at a new Manager in January.

Agree with this.

I really wouldn't be so hard on yourself mate.

Ah, but THAT was exactly the point I was trying to make! Will his style of play be ANY DIFFERENT to what we've been experiencing? Lots of possession, no result? And particularly with the players available in this squad. I've just listened to Wilkins moan about the lack of options on the bench and having to play a 17 year old week in week out. Well if things are that bad, then I hope NC has given Adkins an 'open chequebook' to bring in some loanees to displace some of the 1st team.

Well let's see, Scunny lost 2-0 at home today. And that was with a massive 61% of possession, 11 shots on target, 10 shots off target, 10 corners. Now if that's the type of result heading our way I'm wondering what's going to change?! OK, so this is slightly said tongue in cheek and I guess Scunny's teams thoughts were elsewhere today, however I think we need to be very prepared for Adkins to take quite sometime to turn things around here.

I think I would sack Wilkins based purely on the last two results. Look at the supposed quality in the squad and he has managed to mastermind another defeat against a poorly performing team in Swindon. Now it looks like Hammond could be sent-off.

Merrington says "Swindon only created one chance and scored from it". Same old.

Aaron Martin doing a great job again.