Saint Fan CaM

Our problem is simply that we have an abundance of fringe players that are not suited to or not good enough for the positions that we actually need cover in. The list includes... Wotton, Gillet, Saga, Mills, Mellis, James, Lancashire, Perry and a couple of others. IMO this is where Cortesse and Markus earn their corn...it's where they take the pressure off AP by saying - "forget the salaries of these guys while they're here, we'll soak that up...you go get the three new players you need to replace them and make a difference". If that were to happen, I feel sure you would see a dramatic change in the fortunes of the team and of course the knock 'feel-good' factor in the club. Having said that, I think it's 'pie-in-sky' thinking that we could afford the salary of the likes of Camara. Not sure he is too lightweight for this division too.

Good post. The club has a long way to travel yet before it is cleansed of the 'sins' of the past. Likewise, it will take quite sometime before all corners of the supporter base will be able to trust the management of the club to deliver on the field. Now is not the time for the lily-livered. Now is the time for all Saints to stand strong and united behind Pardew and his emerging team. The turn-about will come - it might be this Saturday and let's hope it is. One thing is for sure, it is hugely more exciting and hopeful now, than it was last season under the Dutch experiment.

Having seen James put in a terrible performance against Rovers, I have to say I think Perry might actually be a better bet. At least he will do a decent job in the primary role - put a boot in and defend which is something that James seems unable to do. On many occasions James lets the ball bobble over the top of his foot rather than make a good hard clean connection. Also, critically to the team, he is slow - I think it is actually his brain that is really slow, so he reacts FAR too slowly either when about to release the ball from his feet or when taking a throw-in. I lost count of the number of crosses that hit the first man or where he got run-down by an opposing player. He is a liability - we need a RW more than a LW now.

OK - everyone is tending to state that we're crap, despite the fact that we scored two goals and at times played Rovers off the park. So why did we lose? Here's why... 1. Lambert didn't look particularly interested in roughing it with his old mates. Very poor game from him and he didn't look too bothered, although TBF he was continually fouled by their CB's. 2. Pardew played for a draw in the closing 10 minutes - that emphasised the nerves in the team and the crowd. 3. Lallana and particularly Schneiderlin should be shot for missing guilt-edged chances in front of open goals. 4. The Northam end fans for not leading the rest of the stadium in song when we went ahead 2-1 and particularly when they equalised 2-2. Or course we're all to blame for going quiet and hence making the players more nervous, but surely the Northam is the ONLY stand that will invoke noise from the rest of our timid fans? 5. James was a complete liability. I have decided he is useless. He let the ball dribble over his feet allowing their players plenty of opportunities to attack - he just doesn't know how or can't put his foot in. ALSO! He is VERY slow at releasing the ball, including taking throw-ins. ALSO! He is INCAPABLE of getting to the byline despite several opportunities to do so. We must play Perry at RB and get a decent loan RM/winger into the team. 6. Papa is better than Saga at hurting defences, however he needs to be MUCH more disciplined at looking along their back line to ensure he does drift off-side - its happening too much to him. 7. Lastly, the ref bottled it on two handballs in their area and the tackle in the 2nd-half (on Hammond?) which should have been a straight red. Oh, and the lino on the Kingsland side must have received payment from Rovers because he flagged some extremely bizarre decisions indeed. I would say the team played great until 75th minute approx. and up to that point I would score then collectively an 8. After that 3 - because they switched off, lost all their shape and collapsed under pressure. That said, the winning goal was unstoppable and fact is, it was a worthy winner. Pity our players didn't have the sense to have a go like that and instead kept on hoofing it to nobody.

Here's hoping for a recovery. Very best and warm wishes to Ron and Chris at this troubled time. Stay strong Ron...you'll always be the hero.

I don't have a great feeling about this game TBH and so am expecting us to lose. Having said that, we've not lost at home so far so perhaps we can take that into the game as a positive. It will be tough for sure - BR know what this league is about and will come to SMS to spoil our game. I just hope we start with an real attacking side that sticks it up 'em from the 1st whistle. Head says 0-1 ... heart says 2-1 Saints.

Thing is that James can get forward and track back if attack breaks down. I could imagine Perry either not pushing forward or if he did, leaving a massive hole in defence at RB if the opposing team attacked on the break.

One problem is Lallana in that despite that fact he can show signs of a great individual player, he is not helping the team to find its natural balance at the moment when it needs to gel. This is related completely to the fact that the front line is continually changing meaning that the players are not able to find a rythym and pattern between themselves. The answer? If Lallana is the right player to partner Lambo up-front as a true striker then let him do it - give him a run of 3-4 games and see what happens - keep it consistent. In terms of midfield, I think the same applies at CM - keep Hammond and Schneiderlin there to forge a partnership. The wings are more difficult. Good wingers rely on good fullbacks and a CM player to assist in getting them forward with fast, deft triangulation passing - we don't do this, but I think with the right training our current players are perfectly capable. Our options for wingers are limited - Holmes is our ONLY natural winger and he's crocked. Papa, Mellis and Mills (to a lesser extent) are not players that will provide the service we need. So the big issue has to be getting at least one right-sided midfielder and play that man CONSISTENTLY. Get the balance in the team right and then keep it consistent - we are a gnat's whisker from getting it completely right. On our part, we just need to be patient - I find that hard as I'm sure many other do to, but faith in AP is what is needed. So far IMO he has shown he is one of the best Managers we've had at any level and I fully support him.

It always strikes me as strange that there is a need for some kind of club, within a club...for that is what SFC is - a club of supporters. Surely it is incumbent and the responsibility of the management of the club to obtain the views of its full members (i.e. those that buy season tickets). If Nicola were to arrange such a forum then there would no need for any other 'club' or supporters group. In fact, it would be really good to hold a meeting that was aired on radio.... ...oh.

No other choice other than Hammond I would have thought.

A great win and one we deserved. Like others a little concerned we didn't score from open play. Papa W had our first shot on target I think when he first came on - that's just not good enough whichever way you dice it. BUT - nothing will stop me savouring a win and hoping that the tide has now turned - this is the start of the climb upwards....the start of the rebirth of Saints as a successful football club.

No word of a lie for the 2nd, I shouted to the person next to me "handball" (it hit their left backs forearm which was across his chest) and next thing I knew the lino gave it, so I am absolutely 110% sure it was handball and a penalty. What I don't understand is why he didn't get booked - later in the game he clattered one of our players and went in the book but he should have seen red. The 1st pen look very dubious to me indeed, but hey they all count and we'll get one like that awarded against us this season I expect. HTH

I would say this would be an excellent L1 signing and a good foil for Lambo.

Swaythling was my kicking ground in my formative years back in the day, but I was never aware of salmon - where was that then, Woodmill?

Strange thing that - my mood always brightens at the prospect of a game of footie and someone else buying me a beer. Call me shallow... lol

Not sure I agree with those saying they wouldn't pay £1m for him and comparing him to Thomas. Surely we should be buying a player for an amount that is sensible, but an amount that reflects the players worth TO US....i.e. if he gels with Jaidi and they contribute to a near clean sheet for the rest of the season, he's got to be worth at least £1m - perhaps more?

Really enjoyed that thanks. In the favs.

You mean both goals will be subsequently disallowed by the officials? Can they do that now??? I blame Markus!

LOL - its early in the day, we'll forgive you that one!

I wonder whether some of the problem is the inconsistency of approach too. What I mean by this is that it seems that either not enough attacking players are actually in a position to score (i.e. too slow) OR too many attacking players have run too far and see the ball zip behind or over them. I take this to mean that the attacking players don't know what to expect. Lallana's quote last week about his goal was very interesting and related to this. He said he KNEW where and how Thomas was going to cross the ball (lol - albeit he was intimating he would fluff the cross!).

Seem to remember a guy being put through a window there late 70's...

Perhaps Alpine (like me) thought that hiring SCW was not exactly the type of 'ambition' that was needed at that time. Some decent investment in decent players to improve the team might have been a good idea, rather than trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ear? Perhaps some might not even consider SCW as the "biggest name in sports psychology"? This surely is just someones opinion - don't see any inconsistency in Alpines position atall TBF.

Far, far too sensible a post Wes I'm afraid. Oh and watch out for the incoming because you've called us all 'customers'. lol

Yep - that's my feeling too. It will either be a draw or we'll win 3-0

:smt043:smt044