Poor pre season..poor start...poor signings

[Thedelldays]

And injuries.. No wonder we are struggling.. Add that to the silly decision to not try and keep gillet. Maybe even Lloyd James.

 

Failure to replace Antonio and/or waigo has proves to be criminal

 

Did we really need another LB that now can't even get on ahead of the two we already had?

 

Then we have pre season.. Apparently, the players were already fit and just had to remain "toned"

 

Then we have the injuries? Probably the single thing out if our hands (bar lallana)

 

Poor show all round with regards to our preparations for the start of the season

[Give it to Ron]

Lets sack the manager....oh

[BadgerBadger]

Nowt to do with signings - we have a strong squad, the muppets just need someone to come in and get the best out of them

 

We're having a shocker

[John B]

Yes I thought Pre Season was poor and was concerned about results in the League season but told by posters there nothing to be worried about.

 

I think that some posters should realise that any critical comments by fans who go to games are not negative but are in fact positive as they are usually worried about what they have seen and want the team to perform better

 

I went to the Farnborough game and although the team did not contain the stars we were poor with little to pattern to our play as oppossed to Farnborough who passed the ball really well in the first half.

 

No new signing have been made to make the team much better - Butterfield maybe a little better than Semi but not that much

 

Totally agree with Wilkins

 

Southampton caretaker boss Dean Wilkins believes his side are struggling to recovery from going behind in games, partly due to a lack of options on the bench.

[Thedelldays]

Lets sack the manager....oh

 

This one is the fault of everyone.. Pardew, cortese, downes the players...

 

As a cortese fan I cant defend him on this one... The club as a whole (and ex employees) should ask themselves if they did all they could have to give us the best start...

 

Such a bloody shame

[Channon's Sideburns]

TBH if what Cortese said the other night to ST holders was right, then the whole trip to Switzerland was not taken seriously by Pardew et al. Now whether this trip consisted of a jolly (hence NC's comment to AP about 'drinking buddies') or not is a matter of conjecture.

 

What I know is this, we look less prepared for the season than ever before. There are so many comparisons to the end of Burley's tenure it's unreal - a manager who blames everyone but himself for results, bizarre substitutions (when they finally happen) and rumours of fall-outs with players (for Player X read Skacel/Rasiak).

 

We're in the sh1t - but THAT DOES NOT MEAN THE PLAYERS ARE ABSOLVED OF RESPONSIBILITY.

 

Pull your fricking fingers out, get to training and work your arses off.

 

THAT'S THE LEAST YOU CAN DO.

[modern matron]

TBH if what Cortese said the other night to ST holders was right, then the whole trip to Switzerland was not taken seriously by Pardew et al. Now whether this trip consisted of a jolly (hence NC's comment to AP about 'drinking buddies') or not is a matter of conjecture.

 

What I know is this, we look less prepared for the season than ever before. There are so many comparisons to the end of Burley's tenure it's unreal - a manager who blames everyone but himself for results, bizarre substitutions (when they finally happen) and rumours of fall-outs with players (for Player X read Skacel/Rasiak).

 

We're in the sh1t - but THAT DOES NOT MEAN THE PLAYERS ARE ABSOLVED OF RESPONSIBILITY.

 

Pull your fricking fingers out, get to training and work your arses off.

 

THAT'S THE LEAST YOU CAN DO.

 

Totally agree! The word COMPLACENCY sticks in my head. The expectation that we would just criuse to automatic promotion without needing to add players, or prepare properly. I have never seen such a poor pre season. The first team hardly played a game together. This combined with so many injuries has lead to this awful mess.

 

I blame all concerned, but NC has made himself all poweful so the buck stops with him....

[Give it to Ron]

Well most people trusted those in charge to realise what the main issue with the team was - Alpine for all his moaning saw it but voiced it too early.

We lost ALL our pace and width at the end of last season and they were never replaced. Antonio was not the only option and we seemed to put all our eggs in that basket.

What seems odd is that I had a long chat with a player at the end of last season and he told me that niether would be coming back and Pardew would get in better - so why didn't he?

To anyone who has played the game....ok sound like Derry here....it is so obvious what is wrong there is no pace, no width, no plan B, we take an eternity to get the ball forward, we take 3 passes when 1 will do and all our play is far too narrow. I cannot remember when the last time we got to the byeline and crossed from there.

I honestly believe we had no option to sack the 3 - of course no-one knows the reasons - have heard the rumours like everyone - why would Cortese jeopardise everything by sacking them without replacements if he had a choice?

Whoever the new manager is especially if its Adkins its a poisoned chalice with our fans - some going by the threads on here seemed to want him to fail just to say "I told you so" what other reason is there?

Did anyone honestly believe MON wanted the job and would come here? even if he did how long would he stay until his spiritual home appeared available!

 

The whole issue seemed to be between the breakdown between AP and Cortese - was that because AP was more interested in off the field activities more than the team or was he aware he was wasting his time and would be gone soon anyway.

Its a mess and the fans are paying the price again.

[saintscottofthenortham]

Totally agree. These totally inept performances cannot be bland on the sacking of AP, because they were there before he went. Even the Brizzle Rovers game, although we won 4-0, it wasn't a great performance, it was more a cataclysmic display by Brizzle and the rarity that we took our chances that gave us what was a fantastic result. Clearly things are not right in the camp, and We can only hope that whoever comes in can really shake the lads up, because I'm ****ed if I can think of one players performances thus far that I am happy with. If I had to say one, it would be Barnard, who with one moment of madness has cost him, and us, 3 games of his presence, and I guess Aaron Martin has done alright so far too, although I can't comment on yesterday as I wasn't there, but from listening on the radio he sounded ok and hit the bar too. Pre-Season was a shambles, The new signings I am far from impressed with, especially Butterfield who I think has looked distinctly average.

 

Something needs to change, and ruddy quick too.

[sidthesquid]

The one thing I'd say about Butterfield was that he was only ever signed as a back up player - Richardson was meant to be first choice

[dubai_phil]

Alpine was right, I (we) were wrong.

 

I will criticise him though, it was a little bit of the Boy who Cried Wolf syndrome.

 

We won't know for some time how badly the Richardson injury hurt the plans he had for the season.

 

But the Burley syndrome is an interesting analogy simply for the way the team seems to have gone off the boil and the way we accumulated full backs in the transfer window (as oppposed to CM's under Burley).

 

Good luck to whoever comes in, the job looks harder then we thought

[Channon's Sideburns]

The one thing I'd say about Butterfield was that he was only ever signed as a back up player - Richardson was meant to be first choice

 

...and he's a BIG improvement on our RB's last season. He's actually stood out above some of our 'supposed' best players IMO.

[S-Clarke]

We lack so much pace it's untrue, our good runs last year came when we started to introduce pace into the team. The players we currently have are too static and if you add that to the injury to lallana and the ineffectiveness of lambert - we're not the same team.

 

I hope that work has gone on to line up a couple of loans for next week when the window opens, primary requirement - PACE!

[Professor]

Nowt to do with signings - we have a strong squad, the muppets just need someone to come in and get the best out of them

We're having a shocker

 

This idea that we have a great squad has been bandied about for too long. Last season's great squad was strengthened in the January window but managed to lose or draw against some of the poorest teams in the Division so that the pre-Xmas prospect of a top six finish faded in the second half of the season.

 

The close season signings were one first choice FB (who happened to get injured) and 2 second choice FBs. When some of us were complaining about the lack of signings in June, the club loyalists were saying, just wait until July, until August, until the loan window.......

 

But was this entirely Pardew's fault? Was the Chairman asking about team strengthening? Was Cortese saying he expected a side that would not just do well this year, but one that would literally walk this league so that it could go onto compete next year? If so, its hard to see how last year's team could be expected to do that, since the older ones had got older,and some had gone.

 

I'm glad Pardew has gone for all the reasons that others have given on selection, tactics and use of subs, but the change should have been made in the summer, not when it became 'unavoidable' after the season had begun. Seems to me that this is the question that Cortese shpould be answering. Not, "why did you sack, Pardew?" (although we'd all like to know) but "Why didn't you sack Pardew in May or June?" That looks like one of the biggest failings of the close season, and thats down to the Chairman.

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

Although I never in my worst nightmare thought our start would be quite as poor as it has been, I must point out that some on here did state that the squad had significantly weakened over the summer, and that this season might not prove to be the triumphal procession that so many predicted.

 

It doesn't matter what the bookmakers think.

It is of no importance what the pundits write.

The good finished of the previous season does not guarantee a good start in the next.

Never listen to your own propaganda.

Do not underestimate the opposition.

A Chairman should either fully back his manager, or sack his manager.

Always strengthen your squad over the summer if you can.

You really just have to pay the 'going rate' to sign quality players.

 

The above is all pretty basic stuff that I'd expect most football people (or even reasonably astute fans) to already know. Whether this level of footballing common sense has ever permiated down to the rarefied world of Swiss Merchant Banking is another matter.......

Edited 12 September, 2010 by CHAPEL END CHARLIE

[Boris Karloff]

Looking at the signings, it just seemed that the view was "we scored loads last year, let's just shore up the defence" but it hasn't really worked like that. I know others on here diagree but I think we are missing Papa and Antonio and it was a huge gamble not to try and get at least one back.

[Torres]

but I think we are missing Papa and Antonio and it was a huge gamble not to try and get at least one back.

 

We did try to get Antonio but Reading exercised their option for another year and then wanted crazy money for him.

[Channon's Sideburns]

I thin we may get Waigo back once new manager comes in. Just a punt.

[S-Clarke]

Looking at the signings, it just seemed that the view was "we scored loads last year, let's just shore up the defence" but it hasn't really worked like that. I know others on here diagree but I think we are missing Papa and Antonio and it was a huge gamble not to try and get at least one back.

 

I don't think we particularly miss them as individuals, but we miss the pace that they offered and their unpredictability. I still think there are other players out there that can offer us what they did, it's just a shame that we didn't do that in the summer.

[S-Clarke]

I thin we may get Waigo back once new manager comes in. Just a punt.

 

he wouldn't be able to come back until january, only english clubs can trade during the loan window.

 

It's a shame though, he wasn't named in Fiorentina's 25 squad and didn't get sold before the deadline, so he'll be sitting around twiddling his thumbs for 3 months. Bit of a waste.

[Boris Karloff]

We did try to get Antonio but Reading exercised their option for another year and then wanted crazy money for him.

 

I think if they'd really wanted him they could have got him. I heard the figure £600K mentioned which does seem crazy for a player who can't get in the Reading team, but if it meant we had say 3 more points on the board at the moment it could cost us a lot more than £600K at the end of the season.

 

I know Cortese is a businessman but the haggling over every last penny is tiresome. Not getting Adkins in on wednesday or Thursday last week could well have cost us 3 points yesterday. How much is every point going to be worth at the end?

[Professor]

I don't think we particularly miss them as individuals, but we miss the pace that they offered and their unpredictability. I still think there are other players out there that can offer us what they did, it's just a shame that we didn't do that in the summer.

[Deppo]

How much is every point going to be worth at the end?

 

It will be worth a point.

[LostBoys]

All of theses points are well made and absolutely spot on but the basic problems are that our final balls into the box are very poor and we keep conceding some poor goals (and some good ones). I do not know what our conversion rate of chances to goals is - and it was not good last season - but it must be woeful.

[JustMike]

not sure Gillett and / or James would make a difference to be honest.

 

yes we are having a bad start but whats new about that? We always have a bad start! And lets all remember, we are better off points wise than we were this time last year ;-)

[alpine_saint]

Apparently I know nothing about football and the bookies are always right....

 

For me, it was clear from his attitude at the end of the JPT final that Pardew didnt really give a sh*t about this season.

[dubai_phil]

not sure Gillett and / or James would make a difference to be honest.

 

yes we are having a bad start but whats new about that? We always have a bad start! And lets all remember, we are better off points wise than we were this time last year ;-)

 

Let us hope then that by the end of this week we are better off Manager wise than last season.

 

Not knocking AP, just praying that who we get in does BETTER than AP rather than worse.

[dubai_phil]

Apparently I know nothing about football and the bookies are always right....

 

For me, it was clear from his attitude at the end of the JPT final that Pardew didnt really give a sh*t about this season.

 

We all know something about Football Alps. It's just communication skills that let us all down

[kpturner]

For me, it was clear from his attitude at the end of the JPT final that Pardew didnt really give a sh*t about this season.

Explain this rather odd assertion.

[Deppo]

Apparently I know nothing about football and the bookies are always right....

 

For me, it was clear from his attitude at the end of the JPT final that Pardew didnt really give a sh*t about this season.

 

I could tell he didn't give a sh*t about this season before the JPT final.

[Legod Third Coming]

Seriously, James and Gillet's absence is not our problem...

 

No one knows who Pardew tried to buy or didn't.

 

What is obvious is that he did not have the backing of his Chairman. And that was doomed to failure.

 

But it doesn't matter. There's not a team in the league who wouldn't swap 90% of our squad for theirs. When Adkins is in charge, I wouldn't be surprised if we don't get more than 100 points and win the league by March.

[Channon's Sideburns]

[quote

 

But it doesn't matter. There's not a team in the league who wouldn't swap 90% of our squad for theirs. When Adkins is in charge, I wouldn't be surprised if we don't get more than 100 points and win the league by March.

 

100% spot on.

[sadoldgit]

Apparently I know nothing about football and the bookies are always right....

 

For me, it was clear from his attitude at the end of the JPT final that Pardew didnt really give a sh*t about this season.

 

I don't agree Alps, although he did get the impression that he thought he would be off earlier than he was. I know you support NC but lets be honest, if he had already decided that NC wasn't the man to take us forward, he should have sacked him earlier and given the club time to regroup and rebuild. There are a number of managers, not just AP, who manage just waiting for the axe to fall...no way to build a future or deal with the now for that matter.

[Lord Duckhunter]

I thought Pardew was going through the motions towards the end of last season, and nothing that I've seen so far this season suggests any different.

[scott_saints]

James? LLOYD JAMES?

 

PMSL.

[Topcat]

Compared to the previous 4 or 5 seasons I thought that our squad had most of its essential components in place better than those seasons. We had in the Championship first year a gross shortage of strikers, then in other seasons a shortage of central defenders and under Burley no full backs. It culminated with the Kids-r-us starters that Portaloo was forced to select ahead of the experienced pros.

 

But maybe my memory is going?