Are the Realists Really Realistic Really?

[Arizona]

After the Brum game in the cup a few comments started cropping up suggesting this teams was well above relegation, anyone suggesting we'd finish below midtable was just a negative budgie etc. etc.

 

After todays showing and 3 defeats in 4 league games, could it just be possible that we are in for a struggle after all. This is not a knee jerk reaction to todays match, although I think it should have brought a lot of people back down to Earth after beating Brum.

 

My personal view hasn't changed since preseason. I think a struggle against the drop looks likely, with anything up to a dark horse run at the playoffs possible.

 

Anyone changed their mind/agree/disagree after todays result?

[Weston Super Saint]

I'm still in the long hard season, escape by the skin of our noses again camp, and we haven't even got any injuries yet :shock:

[Thorpe-le-Saint]

No I still stand where I always have done. We WILL play some excellent football at times, will beat a fair load of teams, but it will be a lower table finish. Anyone expecting anything more has issues.

[70's Mike]

No I still stand where I always have done. We WILL play some excellent football at times, will beat a fair load of teams, but it will be a lower table finish. Anyone expecting anything more has issues.

 

on what i saw at SMS today we will struggle Blackpool were quite happy with all our square passing , they knew that games are won/lost in the penalty areas and we were woeful in both.

[exit2]

Long hard season ahead I feel. JP needs to look at varying tactics during games and stop playing one up front as showed today.

[Saintmike666]

If I was going off what I witnessed today id say we were in for a real struggle.

 

It’s going to be a rollercoaster of a season, but in fairness I expected no more (or less for that matter)

 

However I feel its only fair to judge them on the performances from the four league games so far, and based on that I would say the team is capable of finishing anywhere from 16th-10th.

[Wade Garrett]

Long hard season ahead I feel. JP needs to look at varying tactics during games and stop playing one up front as showed today.

 

 

Agreed. I was baffled by the tactics and John being on the bench. We look to have 2 decent wingers in Dyer and Holmes, so why he played John as a lone centre-forward with Mcgoldrick behind him, at a time when we were chasing the game, I'll never know.

 

I fear he JP is like a fish out of water.

[SNSUN]

I still think we'll do ok this season. We do have strengh in depth, are playing well even if we're not getting the results. Results will come, we just have to be patient.

[Snowballs2]

After the Brum game in the cup a comments started cropping up suggesting this teams was well above relegation, anyone suggesting we'd finish below midtable was just a negative budgie etc. etc.

 

After todays showing and 3 defeats in 4 league games, could it just be possible that we are in for a struggle after all. This is not a knee jerk reaction to todays match, although I think it should have brought a lot of people back down to Earth after beating Brum.

 

My personal view hasn't changed since preseason. I think a struggle against the drop looks likely, with anything up to a dark horse run at the playoffs possible.

 

Anyone changed their mind/agree/disagree after todays result?

 

 

Its going to be a battle, the youngsters are naive and it showed today. All the pretty patterns that they made are totally useless unless you can learn that getting the ball in the net is the main objective. Our defence was poor, time and again we were saved by our keeper, the crossbar and the referee.

To all those over eager optimists I say to you ...we are going to struggle to stay in this league this season.

[70's Mike]

i still think we'll do ok this season. We do have strengh in depth, are playing well even if we're not getting the results. Results will come, we just have to be patient.

 

who ?

[BallBoy]

I think you are right and I said the same thing after the Derby and Brum (cup) games. Derby have not won since September 07 and Brum were clearly not interested.

 

Blackpool are typical of this league and we lost at home.

 

Reality.

[darren]

struggle.

if we keep this team together then we might get back to the prem in 2-3yrs,but that won't happen becuse we will lose the likes of lallana so i think the only way we will get back to the prem is a takeover

[bloop]

Man, I get f@cked off with both sides of these threads. We win some, we lose some. Now stop being smug know it all c@nts saying "See we were right to be optimistic because we won really well to day" or "See we were right to be negative, realistic, pessimistic who-the-f@ck-cares-what-you-want-to-call-it because we lost badly today".

 

Can we please just discuss why we won well or alternatively, analyse why we lost. Whatever happened today will be learned from. So please stop with these stupid f@cking are-realists-really-a-big-bunch-of-c@nts-etc threads!

 

And f@ck you in advance! (for anyone who says "well you don't have to read them")

[St Marco]

Still stand by what i said pre-season, we will be in a relegation battle. We play some nice football and some bad football, but the thing that matters is the end result. We have won 3 games in 11 including pre-season and that is relegation form. We are only 4 games in and there is a long way to go. But if we find ourselves at the bottom adrift after the next batch of games things will just get harder and harder for us.

[OldNick]

Still stand by what i said pre-season, we will be in a relegation battle. We play some nice football and some bad football, but the thing that matters is the end result. We have won 3 games in 11 including pre-season and that is relegation form. We are only 4 games in and there is a long way to go. But if we find ourselves at the bottom adrift after the next batch of games things will just get harder and harder for us.

you are right but why is it always hang ourselves when we lose utter jubiilation if we win?

[Greenridge]

you are right but why is it always hang ourselves when we lose utter jubiilation if we win?

 

It's what football fans do, we are not unique at SFC in that respect. I stick by what I said and that is we have a long tough season ahead. Staying up is our goal and as long as that is met we'll have done ok. We can then take stock and continue the (re)building process.

[Delmary]

We have this thread everytime we win or lose.

 

We are 10x better than last season and we wont go down.

This time last year we had won 2 & lost 2.

[AwaySaint1]

I still think we'll do ok this season. We do have strengh in depth, are playing well even if we're not getting the results. Results will come, we just have to be patient.

 

Strength in depth my ars* we have a bunch of reserves that are no way ready to play at this level week in week out,once the weather changes the treatment room will be packed.

 

Today was like seeing a Dutch 3rd division team in action,the tactics are great on the whiteboard but on the pitch with the kids we are out of our depth.

 

They have far better managers in the conference.

 

I would say that most on here who say "give them time" etc are the mugs who are to stubborn to admit they have f***** up buying a season ticket again.

[St Marco]

you are right but why is it always hang ourselves when we lose utter jubiilation if we win?

 

For me it is because i dont expect the world from these lads. They are unexperienced, the manager is unexperienced but yet somehow people expect them to win no matter what. When we win i know it wont be many this year so it means more. A win against Blackpool to me would be excellent because i expect them to be around us at end of season. A loss against a team like that is hard to take as lets be honest they wern't even that good. We have a long way to go and we need to keep the confidence levels up, we can survive and that is what our expectations should be.

[OldNick]

It's what football fans do, we are not unique at SFC in that respect. I stick by what I said and that is we have a long tough season ahead. Staying up is our goal and as long as that is met we'll have done ok. We can then take stock and continue the (re)building process.

My head tells me you are right and my heart that we will be mid table.

[OldNick]

Strength in depth my ars* we have a bunch of reserves that are no way ready to play at this level week in week out,once the weather changes the treatment room will be packed.

 

Today was like seeing a Dutch 3rd division team in action,the tactics are great on the whiteboard but on the pitch with the kids we are out of our depth.

 

They have far better managers in the conference.

 

I would say that most on here who say "give them time" etc are the mugs who are to stubborn to admit they have f***** up buying a season ticket again.

I hope your user name stays as 'stay away Saint' we dont need fans with that type of attitude.

ps you never showed us that video evidence

[AwaySaint1]

I hope your user name stays as 'stay away Saint' we dont need fans with that type of attitude.

ps you never showed us that video evidence

 

Ouch you little cyber warrior

 

I will stay away!

its fu*k*** great being without a season ticket for the first time in years.

 

I get to do other hobbies on matchday then come on here and take the p*ss out of members like yourself trying to impersonate a sheep.

 

You have not told us yet why you are heading for 5000 posts ? I think most of us can work it out though...

[OldNick]

Ouch you little cyber warrior

 

I will stay away!

its fu*k*** great being without a season ticket for the first time in years.

 

I get to do other hobbies on matchday then come on here and take the p*ss out of members like yourself trying to impersonate a sheep.

 

You have not told us yet why you are heading for 5000 posts ? I think most of us can work it out though...

wheres the video? As that is why you said you were not going.

Iam not the sheep as the majoprity are moaning and whining about a defeat.

Im pleased you are happy doing other things.You obviously are not missing going.

[Arizona]

Man, I get f@cked off with both sides of these threads. We win some, we lose some. Now stop being smug know it all c@nts saying "See we were right to be optimistic because we won really well to day" or "See we were right to be negative, realistic, pessimistic who-the-f@ck-cares-what-you-want-to-call-it because we lost badly today".

 

Can we please just discuss why we won well or alternatively, analyse why we lost. Whatever happened today will be learned from. So please stop with these stupid f@cking are-realists-really-a-big-bunch-of-c@nts-etc threads!

 

And f@ck you in advance! (for anyone who says "well you don't have to read them")

 

I think you may have misunderstood the point of this thread.

 

I am not saying we are doomed because we lost today. I was simply pointing out that it is too early in the season to be making rash conclusions, such as relegation being an impossibility.

 

Like it or not, a fight against relegation was always on the cards this season and to say we were too good for that, after beating two crap teams and Brum in the cup, was a little hasty.

 

I repeat, a fight against relegation still looks likely, anything up to a run for the playoffs is possible.

 

I still think we'll do ok this season. We do have strengh in depth, are playing well even if we're not getting the results. Results will come, we just have to be patient.

 

Sorry, but I think strength in depth is the one thing we haven't got. Assuming todays starting line up was our first choice, what would our second choice be?

 

Bart

 

Hatch Cork Thomas Mills

 

Wotton Pulis?

 

Dyer Wright Phillips Skacel

 

John

 

 

Sorry, but that team isn't very good. There are a few good player in there and a couple that I'd have in the first team, but I wouldn't call that a strong side.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

We simply have no Plan b and untill we get one we will see a lot

like today:(

[AwaySaint1]

wheres the video? As that is why you said you were not going.

Iam not the sheep as the majoprity are moaning and whining about a defeat.

Im pleased you are happy doing other things.You obviously are not missing going.

 

Truth is Nick I thought I would as it had become a habbit over the lat few years but as time goes on the team and manager are showing me I made the right choice.

 

We have a credit crunch on at the club and in the real world and sfc need to realise that many of the lost fans will never return if they cut corners with children playing.

 

Regards the video it is sat on my harddrive,Not sure its a good idea to post it up to the public domain though.

 

I did see the game on sky and noticed that the club still employs plenty of female porkers as stewards on matchday.

 

What does worry me is the fact you remebered I even typed stuff about a video,me thinks you take this internet to far,you need to step back and not answer every thread thats made on the forum.

 

Go chat to your wife instead,you may even find you could do some stuff together,your post count will slow and your relationship will improve.

 

I would talk football more but Arizona has just summed it all up for me in his post above.

[Long Shot]

I think you may have misunderstood the point of this thread.

 

I am not saying we are doomed because we lost today. I was simply pointing out that it is too early in the season to be making rash conclusions, such as relegation being an impossibility.

 

Like it or not, a fight against relegation was always on the cards this season and to say we were too good for that, after beating two crap teams and Brum in the cup, was a little hasty.

 

I repeat, a fight against relegation still looks likely, anything up to a run for the playoffs is possible.

 

 

 

 

Sorry, but I think strength in depth is the one thing we haven't got. Assuming todays starting line up was our first choice, what would our second choice be?

 

Bart

 

Hatch Cork Thomas Mills

 

Wotton Pulis?

 

Dyer Wright Phillips Skacel

 

John

 

 

Sorry, but that team isn't very good. There are a few good player in there and a couple that I'd have in the first team, but I wouldn't call that a strong side.

 

You have forgotten the new Czech lad from Spurs

[NickG]

After the Brum game in the cup a comments started cropping up suggesting this teams was well above relegation, anyone suggesting we'd finish below midtable was just a negative budgie etc. etc.

 

After todays showing and 3 defeats in 4 league games, could it just be possible that we are in for a struggle after all. This is not a knee jerk reaction to todays match, although I think it should have brought a lot of people back down to Earth after beating Brum.

 

My personal view hasn't changed since preseason. I think a struggle against the drop looks likely, with anything up to a dark horse run at the playoffs possible.

 

Anyone changed their mind/agree/disagree after todays result?

 

still early days to say anything for certain -hence the optimist/pessimist arguements rather than realists etc. Teams have started badly and done better and vice versa.

 

Equally you can't judge on one performance as I feel that is by far the worst I have seen this year. The midweek performance -on its own could suggest going up as champions -we won't, losing to Blackpool suggests we will do badly.

 

I still think there is enough about this team to think we will be comforatable mid table. Bad run, bit lower, good rum bit higher.

 

Felt today Gillet and Schneiderlin didn't hit the form they have previously shown and that effected our performance.

[OldNick]

Truth is Nick I thought I would as it had become a habbit over the lat few years but as time goes on the team and manager are showing me I made the right choice.

 

We have a credit crunch on at the club and in the real world and sfc need to realise that many of the lost fans will never return if they cut corners with children playing.

 

Regards the video it is sat on my harddrive,Not sure its a good idea to post it up to the public domain though.

 

I did see the game on sky and noticed that the club still employs plenty of female porkers as stewards on matchday.

 

What does worry me is the fact you remebered I even typed stuff about a video,me thinks you take this internet to far,you need to step back and not answer every thread thats made on the forum.

 

Go chat to your wife instead,you may even find you could do some stuff together,your post count will slow and your relationship will improve.

Thanks for the lecture.I have a very good marriage (25years last month) and a great strong family so I dont need to worry on that.

Your point about losing the kids as fans is pertinent, but until we get successful that will carry on. What we need to do is be united and really support this younmg side.Yes they played poorly today but it was likely to happen.Jan said last saturday that he'd like to have played Blackpool monday and Brum tuesday, that would have been better for us.

You watched it todayand would you accept that had we gone 1 up Blckpool would have been up against it and may have flagged in the heat.Lallana had 2 good chances and should have scored.He is young and so I forgive the same as White for conceeding the penalty.Im not happy about it but I owuld nt boo them because of it.

ps Are you trying to get me to 5000 posts

 

ps you are correct about not posting the video.

[NickG]

Strength in depth my ars* we have a bunch of reserves that are no way ready to play at this level week in week out,once the weather changes the treatment room will be packed.

 

Today was like seeing a Dutch 3rd division team in action,the tactics are great on the whiteboard but on the pitch with the kids we are out of our depth.

 

They have far better managers in the conference.

 

I would say that most on here who say "give them time" etc are the mugs who are to stubborn to admit they have f***** up buying a season ticket again.

 

I am still glad I bought a season ticket, guess you didn't and this is the first you have seen them? if so this was not how we have been playing

[Delmary]

Felt today Gillet and Schneiderlin didn't hit the form they have previously shown and that effected our performance.

Nail on head.

[AwaySaint1]

Nick I think you are a braver man than me if you are still going or a sheep,Iam not sure what one it is.

 

I remember playing catch the bricks outside Bloomfield road in the 70,s so its not as if I am a plastic part timer.

 

Many of the old fans that are our age have moved on from a Saturday afternoon at football,I am supprised you are not joining us.

 

Infact your post that you have just done your Silver wedding shocks me because I thought I was chatting with a kid.

 

Having not seen us play in the flesh this season I am thinking that going to see Saints live is a bit like being in the Moonies.

 

Its not so much that you want to,its more that you cant stop.

Lowe must love you as much as you claim your wife does.

 

p.s regards the 5000 posts I am not sure if you are aware but Baj invites everyone with 5000+ posts to Sunday tea with himself and Steve:cool:

[Snowballs2]

If this type of performance continues then, we will see a drip, drip drop off in attendances followed next season with a further reduction in season ticket sales. Its not the supporters fault that we are in a financial mess , its down to bad management and people not being prepared to pay to watch poor quality football. What is going to happen with this young team on heavier pitches as autumn and winter approach? They were well lightweight today, I can't see an improvement once the weather gets worse along with the pitches.

We would have been better to keep the young midfield and some of the younger front players but get in a loan defence with older heads

[RobM]

Being realistic.... this is a long term plan, not a short term fix.

 

There will be ups and downs as the team learns all about each other, matures and gets used to the way each other plays and the way JP wants the team to play. This is a new team full of young players, but we are showing a lot of potential that just needs to be nurtured and polished off a bit.

 

I'm 100% happier today than I was at any stage last season.

 

I'm not bothered about the first 10 games of the season, but do expect to see progress from there after. I also know there will be good days and bad days at the office. I'm not over excited when we win and not too angry when we lose, it's a long season and nothing will be decided on the basis of one result.

 

We will not get relegated this season. Equally, it will be incredibly lucky if we get to the playoffs this season. But so long as we end the season in a safe position and end as a better team than we started, it will have been a very successful season.

 

That, IMO, is realistic.

 

Anybody who claims they know the outcome of this season after this few games is either deluded, psychic or just plain stupid.

[NickG]

Away -not sure if aimed at me as two Nicks on here at mo!

 

I, and others enjoy supporting the team - if you don't anymore there is nothing wrong with that, people do change but just be comfortable with that and not complain that others still do enjoy supporting saints.

[OldNick]

Nick I think you are a braver man than me if you are still going or a sheep,Iam not sure what one it is.

 

I remember playing catch the bricks outside Bloomfield road in the 70,s so its not as if I am a plastic part timer.

 

Many of the old fans that are our age have moved on from a Saturday afternoon at football,I am supprised you are not joining us.

 

Infact your post that you have just done your Silver wedding shocks me because I thought I was chatting with a kid.

 

Having not seen us play in the flesh this season I am thinking that going to see Saints live is a bit like being in the Moonies.

 

Its not so much that you want to,its more that you cant stop.

Lowe must love you as much as you claim your wife does.

 

p.s regards the 5000 posts I am not sure if you are aware but Baj invites everyone with 5000+ posts to Sunday tea with himself and Steve:cool:

Again a lot of what you say is true.You say a lot of fans have moved on, well that is their choice. I have Saints ingrained in to me from 8 years old and so it is a way of life.I have now accepted that Saints are not the be all and end all in life, but I go to the game with my daughter and it is the only time that I get time with her now she has moved to her own home.So therefore it would not only be not seeing Saints I would lose out in other ways.

If we become successful again I hope a lot of the old fans as well as young return.At present I will carry on supporting them.

As for the tea with Baj etc Im washing my hair that day

[Minty]

Anyone changed their mind/agree/disagree after todays result?

 

No ones mind should be changed after one game. After 10 maybe. After one is just knee-jerk.

[aintforever]

Only a fool would ignore today's result, we were soundly beaten by a very poor team.

[Minty]

Only a fool would ignore today's result, we were soundly beaten by a very poor team.

 

Yes we were. We should all bear it in mind when reviewing our entire season so far. But not judge the team on this one game in isolation as some seem to do.

[Wade Garrett]

No ones mind should be changed after one game. After 10 maybe. After one is just knee-jerk.

 

There was so much wrong with the performance, team selection and tactics today. You are right about not judging them too early. But for us to improve we need to kick this 1 up front into touch and go 4-4-2 with Dyer and Holmes(who looked good today) out wide, and more experience in the side. John has to start.

 

Big test for Jan. I fear for us to be honest.

[aintforever]

Yes we were. We should all bear it in mind when reviewing our entire season so far. But not judge the team on this one game in isolation as some seem to do.

 

We've played 4 games, won one. All the sides, except Derby who are a joke, have murdered us in the second half once they have figured us out. It wont be long before teams figure us out in the first half IMO.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

We've played 4 games, won one. All the sides, except Derby who are a joke, have murdered us in the second half once they have figured us out. It wont be long before teams figure us out in the first half IMO.

 

As much as i hate to say it i have to agree with that.

[Minty]

There was so much wrong with the performance, team selection and tactics today. You are right about not judging them too early. But for us to improve we need to kick this 1 up front into touch and go 4-4-2 with Dyer and Holmes(who looked good today) out wide, and more experience in the side. John has to start.

 

Big test for Jan. I fear for us to be honest.

 

Fair enough but I disagree. Had individual players not been poor today I feel we would've got at least a point and maybe 3. We need to have the courage of our convictions and stick with what we're doing in order to learn and develop it. We will not develop a consistent and successful side in 4 games, and probably not in 14. I fear too much is expected too soon.

[Wes Tender]

No ones mind should be changed after one game. After 10 maybe. After one is just knee-jerk.

 

Exactly, Minty, spot on.

 

The true realists will still be of the same mind they were before the season started. It is still early days to make any realistic forecasts. We just got a bit of a wake up call, a bit of a reality check, a reminder to keep our feet on the ground.

 

JP should have made the connection between Stoke and Blackpool as being two similar style and make-up teams, even though they are a division apart. The youngsters are intelligent lads and capable of playing decent football. But today, Blackpool had done their homework on us and packed the midfield, denying us time a space with the ball and tactically we needed to find a solution. It seemed that they took the initiative after a while and dictated the play, which is something that we should not have allowed. I'm not sure that both Schneiderlin and Gillett should have come off together, as we lost a bit of creativity afterwards. Obviously it was thought that Wotton would add steel and that John would be a threat in the box, but it looked as if the team had not played on the training ground with Dyer, McGoldrick and John together with Lallana. It all looked disjointed to me.

 

The team that had impressed with their youthful vitality, looked jaded today, short of a yard of pace and as a result, they weren't always first to the ball. For all that the possession statistics favoured us for parts of the game, there was little cutting edge and final product. Perhaps the new striker from Tottenham is the part of the jigsaw who would have made the difference today against a strong defensive back line.

 

JP excused the lads by saying that they were tired after three games in a week. After the win on Tuesday, he had said that the lads couldn't wait for the next game and it couldn't come soon enough. Which was the correct position, Jan? Most of the team are youngsters and should be fit enough at that age to run around all day.

 

The match was a valuable lesson to the players and the coach. Provided that they learn the lessons from it, it can help them to become stronger and develop. Perhaps a loss at this time is a good thing in the long term scheme of things.

[alpine_saint]

After the Brum game in the cup a few comments started cropping up suggesting this teams was well above relegation, anyone suggesting we'd finish below midtable was just a negative budgie etc. etc.

 

After todays showing and 3 defeats in 4 league games, could it just be possible that we are in for a struggle after all. This is not a knee jerk reaction to todays match, although I think it should have brought a lot of people back down to Earth after beating Brum.

 

My personal view hasn't changed since preseason. I think a struggle against the drop looks likely, with anything up to a dark horse run at the playoffs possible.

 

Anyone changed their mind/agree/disagree after todays result?

 

Agree completely. I think we are the realisitc camp. I have no idea what spurs on all this foot-stamping when we express our doubts.

[Minty]

JP excused the lads by saying that they were tired after three games in a week. After the win on Tuesday, he had said that the lads couldn't wait for the next game and it couldn't come soon enough. Which was the correct position, Jan? Most of the team are youngsters and should be fit enough at that age to run around all day.

 

Someone made the very good point in another thread that wanting to get on and play and being mentally fresh, does not necessarily mean they are physically fresh. That said, I personally don't think tiredness was as big an issue as our misplaced passing and had we kept possession better we would've been fresher and sharper, instead of having to close them down so much.

[alpine_saint]

No ones mind should be changed after one game. After 10 maybe. After one is just knee-jerk.

 

Erm, its actually after 4.

[alpine_saint]

We've played 4 games, won one. All the sides, except Derby who are a joke, have murdered us in the second half once they have figured us out. It wont be long before teams figure us out in the first half IMO.

 

Ouch, reckon you have a good point.

[Minty]

Erm, its actually after 4.

 

Arizona asked 'Anyone changed their mind/agree/disagree after todays result?'

 

Anyway, even if we ask if people have changed since pre-season, after 4 results, I still say that's way too soon.

[John Smith]

Dyer was unable to inject that movement which would have got us in behind them, which I think was the plan. His control was really poor, his passing was not great and his running with the ball was not happening. Not the player he was last season at all. Has he lost his confidence, as he just missed a pre-season? What I saw today was the Dyer of 2 seasons ago but without the tenacity.

 

IMO, McGoldrick needs to get nearer the goal, he needs to become a real goal poacher. All well and good picking up out wide, but he needs to hold his run and give the guys someone to aim for.