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Tilson (their manager) -Saints contention for play offs


NickG

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Heard post match interview with him.

 

not happy with their defending but said they couldn't live with some of our quality, and even with 10 point deduction we will be a play off contender this year.

 

Heard Claridge say the same after last weeks game.

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Lets not get ahead of ourselves, get to xmas see where we are and push on from there.

 

Play offs would be nice but we should all be content to stay in the league this year to be honest, given the Lowe damage that still needs to be undone.

 

Expectation management... Pardew will be a hero with me if we finish mid-table frankly and then build from there.

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There will be many more pitfalls on a rocky road ahead !

A couple of defeats and the usual calls of ' sack the manager ' will resurface ( idiotic I know, but you can rely on it !) !

One step at a time is the only rational way to look at it, having said that, we are surely progressing according to plan at the moment !!

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There will be many more pitfalls on a rocky road ahead !

A couple of defeats and the usual calls of ' sack the manager ' will resurface ( idiotic I know, but you can rely on it !) !

One step at a time is the only rational way to look at it, having said that, we are surely progressing according to plan at the moment !!

 

Exactly....but can't believe some want to stay in this division!

Going up will allow us to attract even better players - for me we have the basis

of a decent CCC squad

 

But its too early yet I just want us out of the bottom four as I am fed up with seeing us down there...all last season and this.

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Exactly....but can't believe some want to stay in this division!

Going up will allow us to attract even better players - for me we have the basis

of a decent CCC squad

 

I agree. Pardew has put in the foundations now. We need to finish clearing out the poor Lowe legacy players and press on with some further talented and motivated players.

 

Good days ahead. Thank you Barclays Bank for ridding us of the plc and Lowe forever.

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There will be many more pitfalls on a rocky road ahead !

A couple of defeats and the usual calls of ' sack the manager ' will resurface ( idiotic I know, but you can rely on it !) !....

 

Let's not rewrite the record just yet shell we ?

 

Very few (if any) demanded Pardew's instant dismissal , quite a few of us called for a rapid improvement in the teams results . As long as AP sustains the dramatic form reversal we've seen this last week (or even just a reasonable standard) then everyone will be happy , although I consider the play-offs to be out of reach at this time .

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I think promotion would allow us to keep even more of this team together, I think we could convince the likes of Trotman and Papa to stay if we went up a division.

 

Talk of the playoffs is very premature though, next target is to haul ourselves out of the relegation zone, then we can look at getting in the top half and only then can we set our sights on the top 6.

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Expectation Management. Key word

 

Feelgood factor is a product of the mystical word Morale. Easy to lose it, but it takes time to build it (as we have seen)

 

This is a tough league. We are still "Billy Big Boloox".

 

We have seen strange refereeing decisions, 2 Saints players booked, yet nothing for Southend, is only an example of a trend that many are noticing.

 

So far this season we've lost Murty and Thomas to spells of injury.

 

AP commented last night that our bench looked a lot better and it does, but we still have a shortage of cover across the squad as was shown against Torquay.

 

The 1st Team now look good enough to go on a run and push towards the play-offs. But with suspensions for stupid bookings from porr refs, and possible injuries, coming from SO FAR back will be the problem.

 

Lambert missing for a 3 match ban? And the cover at the moment is? Connolly is a good player but is he a lump CF who flicks on and holds the ball up? no so the style gets affected

 

Trottman until January? Then Thomas and Perry.

 

Lallana tweaks his achilles again?

 

We are moving the right way and we have the potential to do something, BUT we will need

 

Strengthening in the depth of the squad

Luck with a lack of Injuries and suspensions

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Heard post match interview with him.

 

not happy with their defending but said they couldn't live with some of our quality, and even with 10 point deduction we will be a play off contender this year.

 

Heard Claridge say the same after last weeks game.

 

 

Nice to read a post with some good about Saints. Not seen any AP out threads lately.

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Being the cynic I am, my immediate thought was that their manager almost had to say how good we were to excuse the shortcomings of his team, the reverse situation of Ferguson saying that United were poor when a team beats them.

 

Undoubtedly progress is being made though. I do believe that the team is almost there and in terms of the quality of the squad, we do have arguably the best in the division. However, although growing, the team's confidence is probably still a little brittle and it will take a string of wins to make them believe that they are almost invincible before they can harbour thoughts of promotion this year.

 

Add me to the list who would be happy with a finish short of the play-offs this year. If we do get there, then we have every chance of getting through, but I'm not going to sulk if we don't get there.

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I'm a bit undecided on this scenario. Whilst it would be a great indication of our achievements this season I can't help but think, warily, that a promotion may be a season too early?

 

Presumably, should we get promoted, there would be a large wedge made available? So that we could stabilise in the CCC?

 

It was stated back in the summer that money wouldn't be lavished on the team but the appropriate funds would be made available at that particular level. I would think we would have a very competitive warchest of money to add to, what's beginning to look like, a strong improving squad.

 

Anyways, whilst we're entitled to get a little excited about the potential we need to keep our heads down, get on with the job and hope by Christmas we can start dreaming of Wembley.

 

Could be a few half-year season tickets in Xmas stockings this year.

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I remain very confident. I have seen all games this season except last night and Huddersfield and we could have/should have won all of the ones I have watched based on missed chances and poor defending including Bristol Rovers. I think we will go on a run now where our automatic or play off chances will only be decided whether we beat all of the teams at the top - as normal.

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I think promotion would allow us to keep even more of this team together, I think we could convince the likes of Trotman and Papa to stay if we went up a division.

Talk of the playoffs is very premature though, next target is to haul ourselves out of the relegation zone, then we can look at getting in the top half and only then can we set our sights on the top 6.

 

 

Very Very Good Point

 

Consolidate in THIS League (Div 1) ??? What the hell for ????

 

If Pardew gets the Team playing well enough to get us in the play ofs THIS season ... what is wrong with that ???

 

If they are GOOD ENOUGH, they will get Promoted, if not they won't .. Simples

 

To all those that say wait a season, ask yourself this ... HOW MANY of the Team that Pardew has assembled NOW, would want, by choice, ANOTHER season in Div 1 ..... NONE

 

Most would all opt to leave, for teams in HIGHER Divisions. Even as it stands, Leibherr and Cortese will have a devils own job in preventing players being hived off in the January transfer window

 

We've had a Krap start, and now things seem to be coming together. Don't knock it ..ENJOY it... we've had enough of the Negative Years:):rolleyes:

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Very Very Good Point

 

Consolidate in THIS League (Div 1) ??? What the hell for ????

 

If Pardew gets the Team playing well enough to get us in the play ofs THIS season ... what is wrong with that ???

 

If they are GOOD ENOUGH, they will get Promoted, if not they won't .. Simples

 

To all those that say wait a season, ask yourself this ... HOW MANY of the Team that Pardew has assembled NOW, would want, by choice, ANOTHER season in Div 1 ..... NONE

 

Most would all opt to leave, for teams in HIGHER Divisions. Even as it stands, Leibherr and Cortese will have a devils own job in preventing players being hived off in the January transfer window

 

We've had a Krap start, and now things seem to be coming together. Don't knock it ..ENJOY it... we've had enough of the Negative Years:):rolleyes:

 

There is one CRITICAL difference this year compared to others.

 

The owners will have budgeted on an average gate of between 15 & 17,000 at home. We are getting better than that and as the team improves it will increase.

 

Also, although not "splashing the cash" they are making the club "self sufficient"

 

Which in plain English means - so we sell a Lallana for 2 million. We gte 2 million to buy a replacement, NOT to spend on operating expenses for a bloated backroom staff and dividends etc.

 

That money is spent as an INVESTMENT to make MORE money next time around.

 

Lambert cost 1mil, we've coached him and got him fitter - he's improved, he's likely worth 1.5 to 2 mil to a CCC club now. We spend THAT money on a Lambert Mk2 who we improve and he becomes worth 4mil...

 

It is a fundamental shift in concept from the previous regimes

 

The DOWNSIDE of course is that the changes take time to bed in and improve - which is why the squad players need to be good enough to cover in those weeks

 

We can do it and I hope we do, but it won't be an AP ML out protest march if we don't

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I remain very confident. I have seen all games this season except last night and Huddersfield and we could have/should have won all of the ones I have watched based on missed chances and poor defending including Bristol Rovers. I think we will go on a run now where our automatic or play off chances will only be decided whether we beat all of the teams at the top - as normal.

 

Slightly selective reading of the Swindon away game!

 

There was nothing in that game that suggested we shouldn't have lost by anything other than several goals, and we wouldn't have scored if we'd played till midnight.

 

Maybe, just maybe, Pardew's non-use of the subs in that game was a very clever master stroke aimed 'upstairs', as indeed some conspiracy theorists pointed out at the time.

 

From that game we've replaced Lancashire/Perry with Trottman/Jaidi, and Patterson with Papa... nice work AP!

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There is one CRITICAL difference this year compared to others.

 

The owners will have budgeted on an average gate of between 15 & 17,000 at home. We are getting better than that and as the team improves it will increase.

 

Also, although not "splashing the cash" they are making the club "self sufficient"

 

Which in plain English means - so we sell a Lallana for 2 million. We gte 2 million to buy a replacement, NOT to spend on operating expenses for a bloated backroom staff and dividends etc.

 

That money is spent as an INVESTMENT to make MORE money next time around.

 

Lambert cost 1mil, we've coached him and got him fitter - he's improved, he's likely worth 1.5 to 2 mil to a CCC club now. We spend THAT money on a Lambert Mk2 who we improve and he becomes worth 4mil...

 

It is a fundamental shift in concept from the previous regimes

 

The DOWNSIDE of course is that the changes take time to bed in and improve - which is why the squad players need to be good enough to cover in those weeks

 

We can do it and I hope we do, but it won't be an AP ML out protest march if we don't

You can sell him for £2m if you want to but I don't think that AP or many other Saints fans will right now. You wouldn't replace him for that. EDIT: although reading on I see the point you are making. However, I don't really think that it is in AP's mind to let people go who he thinks can perform for us on a higher stage. I include Lallana, Schneiderlin and his recent acquisitions in this. What AP has done so well has been to take the players who have evident talent such as these and got them to start delivering on that talent. I don't think he is doing that as a money raising exercise.

Edited by St_Tel49
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To all those that say wait a season, ask yourself this ... HOW MANY of the Team that Pardew has assembled NOW, would want, by choice, ANOTHER season in Div 1 ..... NONE

 

Most would all opt to leave, for teams in HIGHER Divisions .

 

 

I could not disagree more. This is one of the things that has made me so happy about the signings we've made; none of them will be expecting us to be promoted this year, which means they're here for the long term.

We will not sell anyone we don't want to.

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We have been inured to disappointment. I think we must learn to aspire again...Come on you Reds!

 

Most of the disappointment I think was caused by financial constraints in the past.

 

 

Now that has been resolved I am sure we are going to progress.

 

We had to sell players to meet the Stadium costs etc in the past now if we sell a player we can probably buy another to replace him like McGoldrick out Lambert in Surman out Hammond in

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It was stated back in the summer that money wouldn't be lavished on the team but the appropriate funds would be made available at that particular level. I would think we would have a very competitive warchest of money to add to, what's beginning to look like, a strong improving squad.

 

Anyways, whilst we're entitled to get a little excited about the potential we need to keep our heads down, get on with the job and hope by Christmas we can start dreaming of Wembley.

 

Could be a few half-year season tickets in Xmas stockings this year.

 

Agreed, I'm just trying not to get toooo excited as yet because, as with all things Saints, things do tend to turn and bite yer'ass!

 

Unless ML/NC/AP have also managed to rid us of our dire luck that we have suffered from over the years?

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What the **** are some of you plebs on? stay in this division? we are in the 3rd tier of English football. **** me, we need to get out of here as quicky as possible. Play offs? we shouldn't be settling for that, we should be going all out for automatic promotion.

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What the **** are some of you plebs on? stay in this division? we are in the 3rd tier of English football. **** me, we need to get out of here as quicky as possible. Play offs? we shouldn't be settling for that, we should be going all out for automatic promotion.

 

Yes, well one small flaw in that argument is we are 12 games (over a quarter of the way) into the season and we are still BOTTOM!!

Edited by krissyboy31
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I could not disagree more. This is one of the things that has made me so happy about the signings we've made; none of them will be expecting us to be promoted this year, which means they're here for the long term.

We will not sell anyone we don't want to.

 

 

Sorry my friend, but I honestly do not believe the players think that. I think the mindset that Pardew is instilling the Team with is a WINNING MENTALITY one ....... sadly lacking for far too long

 

As I said in an earlier post, the Team will reach its own potential .... if they win enough matches, they will reach the play offs .... and if they don't, do you honestly believe that the players ambitions will be that they REMAIN in Div 1 ???

 

I think not:)

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Sorry my friend, but I honestly do not believe the players think that. I think the mindset that Pardew is instilling the Team with is a WINNING MENTALITY one ....... sadly lacking for far too long

 

As I said in an earlier post, the Team will reach its own potential .... if they win enough matches, they will reach the play offs .... and if they don't, do you honestly believe that the players ambitions will be that they REMAIN in Div 1 ???

 

I think not:)

 

I'm not saying their ambition is to stay in league one, i'm saying that they will not be expecting a promotion straight away. If we don't get promoted next season, THEN we might start seeing some transfer requests.

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If we get promoted this season i will walk round SMS collecting money for charity in nothing more than a horsey thong

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mens-Novelty-Animal-Horse-Pouch-/-Thong-Underwear-NEW_W0QQitemZ300354958785QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxq20091008?IMSfp=TL091008157002r8446#ht_2060wt_818

 

I clicked that link and now my ebay homepage is covered with suggested man thongs!!

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You can sell him for £2m if you want to but I don't think that AP or many other Saints fans will right now. You wouldn't replace him for that. EDIT: although reading on I see the point you are making. However, I don't really think that it is in AP's mind to let people go who he thinks can perform for us on a higher stage. I include Lallana, Schneiderlin and his recent acquisitions in this. What AP has done so well has been to take the players who have evident talent such as these and got them to start delivering on that talent. I don't think he is doing that as a money raising exercise.

 

 

You got my point in the end :D

 

If one of the squad WANTS to leave, then in the old days the Board asked "How much can we get for him"

 

In the new era, I think it will be "How much do we need to find someone who will be BETTER" to move us forward in our plan

 

eg is Lambert better than DMG? Today, now, in this league? of course he is

IF we sold Lambert in January we get somebody even BETTER for the job we need doing. Simple, we don't bank the money and BS the fans that Patto is now ready to step up (He will but not yet)

 

 

Fundamental shift.

 

If we have a happy squad and a solid spirit then the idea of swapping weekly games for treble the money to sit in the reserves in the PL becomes a different equation, many may well stay

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I have a feeling that this form will continue as long as we stay relatively injury free. We have taken a while to get started this season but it was to be expected with so many new faces. Playoff's are a realistic expectation, however I think we will finish just out of the playoff spots but less than ten points from automatic promotion. Which, I imagine, would inspire the side with the confidence to tear this league a new one next season.

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I'm not saying their ambition is to stay in league one, i'm saying that they will not be expecting a promotion straight away. If we don't get promoted next season, THEN we might start seeing some transfer requests.

 

I hear what you are saying, but with repect, beg to differ

 

If we do not get Promotion THIS season, we will start to see transfer requests IMHO :)

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I am feeling so much more confident than even a week ago. The whole thing about the mentality of the squad and the club does seem to be changing. Everyone on here was saying "same old Saints" even though we had so many new players who hadn't been involved in the previous regimes, so I started believing that was the case.

 

Now, I get a totally different feeling - one week won't make a season, but the indications are that we can go on a real run of form and push up the league. I really can't see us losing many unless we lose key players, which, as has been mentioned, is our weakness, but then the same should be true of most teams in this league. Averaging 2 points a game with the same attitude and commitment that we've seen recently, allied to the obvious quality we have in the team, should not be impossible.

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Here's a question then:

 

Would you rather get promotion this season, scraping into the play-offs in 6th place by winning the last regular game or next season, storming the division and winning the L1 Championship?

 

This season would obviously have the added advantage of a day out at Wembley and although you do win a trophy as play-off winners, finishing 6th would have a somewhat hollow ring to it IMO. Given our lack of actual bona fide trophies won over the years (never won the championship of either top 2 divisions), I'd prefer actually wining the title next season to enable us to put something 'real' next to the samurai sword.

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Here's a question then:

 

Would you rather get promotion this season, scraping into the play-offs in 6th place by winning the last regular game or next season, storming the division and winning the L1 Championship?

 

This season would obviously have the added advantage of a day out at Wembley and although you do win a trophy as play-off winners, finishing 6th would have a somewhat hollow ring to it IMO. Given our lack of actual bona fide trophies won over the years (never won the championship of either top 2 divisions), I'd prefer actually wining the title next season to enable us to put something 'real' next to the samurai sword.

 

What an odd way of looking at it. I'd be ecstatic if we won the playoffs this year. It would be wildly better than my expectations. We would then almost certainly stay up in the championship with a few good buys and we'll be looking for prem promotion then IMO. The sooner we get up the sooner we can start the promotion to the prem campaign.

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If we get into the playoffs it would gave probably meant that we would have been good enough for auto promotion in a normal season.

 

I could not care about a day out at wembley. Give me 2nd place over the playoffs any day of the week

 

Give me a promotion over no promotion any day of the week!

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