david in sweden

Hi Patrik, ...A thought.... by the way Know the problem. I've been teaching (all nationalities) in international companies for years. It's always a problem with people who don't have ENGLISH language skills, but it amazes me why these companies don't hire in a native speaker to help newcomers (especially if you've laid out a millionor two in transfer) in the early stages. Mind you - we don't know what T.Lee's skills are already? Most jobs have a very limited range of technical terms (fackspråk) often less than 300 words - surely it can't be so many in football. As I recall there was a rumour that some players in the Saints side didnt understand Gordon Strachan when he took over at SMS...and some of them were British !

Those comments (go along way back in this thread) and refer to our total reliance on Lambert's firepower, and not just "alternative systems". As it was ....nothing went right on Friday anyway, (or it appears on Monday - when we were forced to play without Lambert). My main concern from #1 - was that failing to have secure a striker on loan before November, meant we lost 16 of the following 24 points, and still don't have anyone to play upfront, now that Lambert is suspended for 3 games.

Hi there Dibden Purlieu Saints.. remember posting this on 24th November? Don't think any of us thought we would get anyone BETTER than Ricky, but Barnard was never going to get anywhere near fit, and now we are without Lambert for 3 games...seems like NOT loaning "someone " (as cover) was a bad oversight. At least the " someone " could have played themselves in ..now we have 5 days to find another striker ... You don't need a crystal ball to know that Sod's Law applies in all walks of life. Lambert has an excellent injury-free record over the years, and until yesterday, a good disciplinary one, too ..but **** still happens.

think you've missed the point Village saint. I've never gone out saying sack " anybody" . The item you attacked (above) was by way of a response to someone else's earlier post. The thread is not about the teams success, which has been record-breaking, but revolves around the fact that there is little flexibility in the system for those who come in, and the success is based mainly on the goal-scoring record of Ricky Lambert. Even you must admit that without him..we don't have a Plan B. I'm not advocating we sell Ricky Lambert, but colinjb is running a thread based on what if RL were sold for a huge fee?. that refers to that comment. He's going great, but if we sold him the fee would buy a couple of younger replacements. I think you read too much into one post.

Agree S.Clarke ..very few of the " second string " are really able to compete for the first team spot. We are overloaded with midfielders who pass the ball well, but they are quite similar and only Chaplow is really an attacking force. What a good job NA brought in Hooiveld..with Jaidi out and Seaborne nowhere near a return, we haven't much cover in central defence. We had a fantastic start because the players had a good pre-season. Trying to come back from an injury at the halfway point and find form is hard without the same preparation. Lambert hasn't had a proper strike partner all season. Started well with Connolly, Barnard never got fit and Guly seems to vary between a Brazilian footballer and the Invisible Man... from game to game.

I agree upto a point "saint in southsea", but analysing is an ongoing process (at least according to every interview I've heard from Nigel Adkins) and I felt we went off the boil very quickly after Chaplow got injured , and the results bear that out. Of course when we are restricted to just buying players in summer and january, you must work with what you got - but it troubled me that we hadn't "extra " striker in the summer. We surely wanted one because it was on the cards and we even bid for Sharp then, (but he didn't come). The Connolly /Lambert combination gave us a great start, and with Lallana and Guly chipping in, we did score a lot of goals in a short time . NA's tactical changes often worked well, (10 subs. have scored in all comps.) but still no real scoring duo (like RL / DC / LB were last season.) So here we are with one major goalscorer.. but not for the next three games, and the problem is obvious. Doesn't take a genius to analyse that one.

' Yes, but none of THEM have Lambert's scoring history. If it's a striker they want - he's tailor made for.. AND.. by Alan Pardew. (His buy from Day 1) Part of Lambert's success has been the partnership with (a) Lee Barnard and (b) David Connolly. Barnard hasn't played a full game for 8 months, is still being treated for an injury and doesn't yet know the "treatment " he will get from the judge in March. David Connolly (a great player IMO) class and skill but is the wrong age to re-start a career with yet another strike partner and only on contract till June. Crazy idea, Colin?... maybe not so crazy. Newcastle have £35 million from that ridiculous sale of Andy Carroll, although £10 mill, sounds a lot..it might be interesting ..if it was, say £6 million ? (and a part-exchange player thrown in). That fee could buy at least TWO strikers from the list above.

Holmes maybe..(he played in all 4 L. Cup matches this season), but has struggled to get on the bench until recently. Most posts I've read on here suggest that Jaidi is out for the best part of the season with a major injury .? ....or ? I'm concerned that we would have to play our only two fit CH's (Martin and Hooiveld) in a non-event like this, when we are concentrating on the League. we'll beat them - if we sign Lukas Jut. before Thursday!

No-one faults Adkins after the whirlwind start to this season, and things really took off when NA brought Chaplow off the bench (v.Derby) which was followed by 6 wins in a 7 match period, and several MOM awards for RC from many fans. After Chaplows injury (Bristol City (a), we seemed to have carried on in successive games with the same formation, but without a natural attacking MF player. Sadly, Lallana hasn't been at his best during this period, and I won't criticise him for that - everyone has off-days, but it became painfully obvious that without the right support... Lambert has struggled to get the same service from the replacements. To his credit, Lambert managed 3 goals in the 6 games he played in, (and Guly also got 3). But whilst NA talks about "changing the play"... it appears that Plan B ..and even Plan C aren't working either..because whatever "system " we use '... it still revolves around Ricky Lambert. Now we have two problems. 1) No Lambert anyway.. at least for 3 games (thankfully one is Cup game) but also...... 2) no alternative strike force, and whatever we do use cannot necessarily follow the same pattern that is "the Lambert model". Our great start saw Connolly get 4 goals in the first 5 league games, after which the goal activity slowed until Chaplow came in regularly - now he's out. Goodness knows what our front line will look like for the next three weeks, but " the new striker " (who hopefully will appear this week) may not be able to kick-start his Saints career, if he has to "adapt" for the system that seems purpose built for just one player - Ricky Lambert. I really think it needs a major re-think - if we are to get back on course quickly. The real test of Nigel Adkins "skill" will come this Spring, because losing 16 of the last 24 points, shows " a lack of something" tactically -s peaking when you consider we have the " tremendous squad " that everyone has boasted about this season.

me too on that one, Window Cleaner. Bart out on loan meantime. BUT it's TWO strikers I'm after. I know we've lost Lambert for3 games, thankfully it's not an injury, but Connolly has only just finished his first 90 minutes since the game at Derby (Oct.15th) ...Barnard has disappeared into the history book (at least for this season..) that makes Jonno Quick our only established striker. Still think ONLY one is enough ? I do hope NA doesn't use the option of using Schneiderlin as a second striker....one goal every three seasons doen't exude confidence in me, anyway. .

Thought the same myself. Pity it came down to that but "cover " was needed ..long ago.

Can't agree Adrian, we aren't going to lose 3 points in this game, and we have to see the potential of the "second string" we have. plus we can't afford MORE injuries to what's left of our first team line-up. If they can't impress against bottom of the league side (even in the Cup) they won't be much use... if /when... we get to the Prem.

fearful as it may seem ..I think I'd go along with that variation, too..but I hope the striker is a sensible buy...

What the fukc (!) ..Does he want to play football - or doesn't he ? Forget it - move on ! The club is the employer, and NP is getting paid for NOT doing what we bought him for.. surely there must be a sensible solution here for everyone concerned. How many more games of football do we have to lose whilst all these various people massage their ego's? .and NO , (JP) ..you won't get a guaranteed place either. Hardly anyone has in this club (thats L1 talk)... We're still looking at promotion, and in the Premiership, players like Carroll, Torres and Rooney sit on the bench until they're told to play - Get used to the idea NOW... or drop a Division and be a big fish in a duck pond, instead.

I suppose ...because we have too many full backs and midfielders already - and none of the aforementioned ..is a striker! NOTE : YES... I know Butterfield scored a hat-trick in a cup game for Palace, but I don't think he's scored much since !

All building work is done in stages, and if there's no panic the companies involved can use personnel elsewhere...AND if they've be paid upto date - No problem either. Besides..I wouldn' t want to pay builders double time over Christmas and The New Year.. if there wasn't a good reason to finish quickly.

I'm afraid that this talented footballer - who has an attitude I don't like - has been boycotted (sorry wrong sport) by the management, who also don't like the "said attitude " ..but the fact remains..unless we are forced to take the dubious step of dipping into the Academy for extra resources for the next few weeks....we'll have no "back-up " at all. Forget the ego bit, and the previous " misunderstandings "..I say bury the hatchet and play the man, and put the club FIRST ! I have the deepest respect for Nicola Cortese, his professionalism and the way he handles things, but this is not the bank world..it's the real world and all should understand that in the heat of the moment.. a fukc here and there in the conversation is not necesarily a sign of disloyalty ...but anger ! JP is an employee of SFC, gets paid the same as others...for doing nothing!...(as far as I can see)....PLAY HIM and see what happens. It could hardly be worse. If he plays well, he'll be " in demand and in the shop window" ...who knows - we might actually decide to keep him a bit longer ... P.S. Just seen a contribution above from Steve Grant, who said much the same - wasn't copying you SG -didn't see the earlier post.

I suppose it's some consolation -in that NA does know him and will make a decision based on that .- and we trust in him, so whatever happens (longer term) - we say it was right (at this time).

He has good control when he has the ball..but why not a few longer range pot-shots, Adam ...(ala MLT)?

I really despair of our fan base who criticise a (young) player in such a way. Because Fonte is out - did you suddenly expect someone (Martin ) to come in and show the skill and experience of a player with around 300 games ? Of course Martin's not as good as Fonte..if he was ...he'd be playing every other week, as it was he didn't let the side down, and how else will players get games. We will never get the best 11 , fit and on-form for every match . There are bound to be injuries, suspensions and loss of form, etc. It certainly shows when we have key players out; Davis, Lambert, Lallana even Chaplow ...but if we have to be without them for a shorter, or longer period, then fans should back the sub. to the hilt and encourage them. They surely know they are not first choice but booing, and hard criticism is hardly likely to improve their confidence. How would you feel if people in your workplace stood around... just waiting for you to make a mistake ...?

tnx for the update Viking Warrior...really bears out what I wrote (earlier) about Strachan's inflexability. anyone who can't get the manager's favour might as well push off somewhere else. Celtic's loss was certainly our gain.

you're all right to some extent. One can't argue with being highest scorers in the League, but with the amount of chances we create , and good finishing..you'd expect that -wouldn't you ? However, it's a good question as to WHY we don't have more spontaneous shooting, especially when we've seen that others teams have done it to us -with success - and often stolen points into the bargain !