Saint Fan CaM

Yes, this is a valid point. My point though was not directed particularly at AP or ML's strategy as such, just that in the past we've been royally shafted IMO and it would be great if this was not the case at the start of our bright new era. I was probably one of the very first to renew my ST by the way, so I cannot be accused of not being swept up in a wave of optimism, however I am equally keen to see a change from the ways of the past when we were treated as mugs by you know who. It would just be nice not to have to wait until shelves were bare and the shop shutters were being brought down, before we got a cohesive team together if you get my drift.

Look, either discuss the topic with an ounce of intelligence or f*ck off with your stupid infantile jibes sonny. This is a fans forum - get over it.

Am I excited about this? Err, let me think about that.... Err. Errr. ....I guess that's a no then.

I have an uncomfortable feeling that the ST ticket deadline has once again co-incided beautifully with the start to the season. And like other previous years, we all stump up our ST money hoping for a rejuvenated and improved team, only to be informed that there's no money to improve the squad. AP's latest commentary in the Echo on playing kids is not too encouraging - heard that one before have we not? I know we've just been saved and we should be eternally grateful and all that stuff, but I hate feeling that I've been taken for a mug once again by paying my hard-earned for a sub-standard product. Come on Markus and Alan - give us something to really cheer about so we can start this next season of games on a high. PLEASE!

Well I've not seen any confirmation. Which to my mind is quite worrying given he put in an excellent performance against Hearts and was not subbed off for the entire game. Not bad for a player supposedly out of condition and not match fit I would say.

Well, if one were to read between the lines in this Echo piece today, I would say AP could be getting his excuses ready already. http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/4522749.Pardew__Youngsters_need_time_to_develop/ Basically, "the youngsters are too young, but I may have to play them". It would seem on that evidence (if true) that all those billions are not going to be put to good use obtaining us better players and so far today, its looking a bit bleak TBF.

Mmm, shame. Perhaps.

Still at the club and on the payroll? :confused:

I'm kinda with you on all of that. I wish at this point in time we could say for certain that Murty will be with us though.

Incredibly sad loss to English football. RIP Sir Bobby and best wishes to his family.

Err, I do hope he knows enough about L1 to get us OUT of it, not keep us in it!!!

Mmm, not in the best possible taste to be fair and I have to admit to being a little rattled by that. If it had come at any other time (i.e. when the club is not facing a -10 point overhaul in L1) I might have been midly amused, but now of all times seems a little thoughtless and somewhat juvenile of whoever used that title.

You're right of course, but be prepared to be hung out to dry for suggesting there's anything to be concerned about - i.e. we've been saved therefore L1 football is OK. I too am a little concerned that all our so called better players have left or are leaving. And we've signed one player. But it doesn't matter how you dress it up, the old addage of you pay peanuts you get monkeys will always be true. Tomorrow is going to be interesting - I hope.

I would like to know why my perfectly reasonable 1st post on this thread was deleted???? Anyway - try again - Smith was never the poor player he was made out to be IMO. He was played in the wrong position by the Dutch fools and even then made a reasonable contribution. He was certainly world-class when compared to the likes of Pulis who is a complete waste of a jersey.

Not all the game?

Guys, guys, guys...look no further than our own yard - its Jake Thompson.

Mmm, a little bit concerned now. Not so much in the individual player, as I think AP has other options, but in the time available to select and settle a cohesive team and re-assess areas of weakness. The more time drags on, the more need there is to spend more (i.e. fee, wages or both) to get the right man (men). But perhaps more importantly, if key players are dropping out this late on the harder it becomes to assess the balance of the team and hence finalise a 1st team squad. This happened to Burley to a degree IMO - he was panicked into spending big money on his mates with little thought to team balance. It's not easy for AP admitted, however the remainder of this week will now be crucial to obtaining the right players. I can only hope that Rasiak and Saga make their intentions clear very quickly - if they're going, the sooner they get off the books the better so AP nows what he can spend. Assuming they go, we need two strong, fast and experienced strikers. Without them we'll be cast adrift in League One very quickly IMO.

To a point. However I would counter that with good solid leadership and management, the TEAM would pull together and make every opportunity count. The incredibly poor management/coaching/tactics were all evident from last seasons pre-season frankly IMO, but at the very least prior to Christmas '08 which is way before administration was announced. Remember, what we witness on the field of play is skewed forwards from the tactics coached on the training ground. In other words, the players would always have experienced the confusion provided by Lowes 'Dutch experiment' sometime before we witnessed the disaster on match days. This confusion would have been amplified more and more as the season pushed on and results wre not coming our way.

Ah yes, that missing plan B! All the time some on here were talking about not having a plan B in terms of changing the formation, when really it was all about changing the manner in which the Dutch had coached the kids. How the hell can you do THAT on match day? Well you can't of course, hence once plan A had gone up in smoke (a plan which nobody understood anyway), there was nowhere to go but fail. It makes my blood boil recalling the rubbish we had to endure last season (and I don't mean the players as such - i.e. IMO on Saturday there was only one poor player - Wotton), but more so knowing that nobody was prepared to change things around. Actually the more I think about it, the more I realise that Wotton stood out as the worst player on Saturday, because the rest of the team had raised their respective games, leaving Wotton's lack of ability exposed for all to see. Harsh, but true.

If the worst had happened I think I would have stopped supporting a team as such and just watched for watchings sake. Have got a bit of an affinity to Brighton as was born there, but would not bother to go see games - its Saints or nothing.

My view is that Lallana is already LOOKING fitter than last season already. Even Rasiak appears more focussed and willing - and he's probably on his way out. However, I think there's another factor to this - namely, last season the lads heads had dropped so much that personally they either could not be bothered to demonstrate their fitness or there was a team mentality persisting such that each player thought "if he's not working hard, why should I?"....possibly both. Something has definately positively affected the mood in the camp and it's probably a combination of better management (AP) and renewed hope for the business that employs them as professionals (ML + NC).

To my mind, given the league we're in etc., if AP has someone better than Murty lined up, they'd have to be outstanding. I've not seen anything indicating Murty has been offered a contract, which is a bit strange given that he played Saturday - I thought insurance would be a problem without a contract?

Just a little surprised not to see the OS announce Murty's formal appointment really after a good performance Saturday. Yes, he needs to get fitter, but the guy tick's all the right boxes for a top RB in L1 f'sure.

Yes, we need a couple or three more decent players, however I guess you did not see the performance on Saturday? We humbled Hearts and what's more we turned it on in the 2nd half rather than get turned over in the 2nd half. Different looking team. The new full-backs and Thomas back made a difference. Lallana looked like a new player. We're not too far off I would suggest and capable of a mid-table position as is. The key will be in AP finding the right players now to make a difference particularly central midfield - i.e. a Wotton replacement is essential so more passes in midfield go to a Saints player. Gillett is OK, but lacks the flair to create any real opportunities. Complete rethink at CM is needed IMO - then we'll be OK.

But of course there are players who do well after leaving us - e.g. Kevin Davies for one. However, that does not alter the point you make which is indeed valid to a certain degree. It is true that balance and harmony in a squad is important - as you say, the right players at the right time. I do also believe however that if you do not get the quality of player right in line with your tactics, there is only one way and that's down. Take last season for example - the Dutch duo wanted to play an outdated system with kids coached from an early age in a different style. On average the team was small and weak against man-mountain opposition. It didn't work unsurprisingly. So there's no need to spend big on a Beckham, but equally not obtaining a level of player a cut above the opposition will probably see us stay in this league longer than we anticipate.