madruss Posted 10 August, 2008 Share Posted 10 August, 2008 Despite yesterday's defeat, I find myself cautiously optimistic about the season ahead. Yes, there are worries about the size of the team and the potential to be out-muscled and out-fought, and yes the squad lacks depth and experience, but.... This is a team full of players who are going to get better, the more times they play. Llallana, Thomson, James, DMG, Scneiderlin, Gillett...etc all have very little first team experience. However, the more experience they get, the more their performances will improve and so the team will benefit. It's not like last season where we knew that players such as Idiakez, Wright, Ostlund, Viafara...etc were not going to offer us any more than we already knew. Just look at Gareth Bale, and how much he improved throughout his first full season in the starting XI - if we're lucky we'll get that level of improvement throughout the side and that can only be beneficial to our prospects. Last season, we started off on the back-foot with a disastrous capitulation to an ordinary Palace side - there was very little to build on. Our start this season has shown that there are positive glimpses throughout the side, that will hopefully become more frequent as the season goes on. IMO this improvement will happen, and if we keep the majority of the squad together our prospects look very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miserableoldgit Posted 10 August, 2008 Share Posted 10 August, 2008 Despite yesterday's defeat, I find myself cautiously optimistic about the season ahead. Yes, there are worries about the size of the team and the potential to be out-muscled and out-fought, and yes the squad lacks depth and experience, but.... This is a team full of players who are going to get better, the more times they play. Llallana, Thomson, James, DMG, Scneiderlin, Gillett...etc all have very little first team experience. However, the more experience they get, the more their performances will improve and so the team will benefit. It's not like last season where we knew that players such as Idiakez, Wright, Ostlund, Viafara...etc were not going to offer us any more than we already knew. Just look at Gareth Bale, and how much he improved throughout his first full season in the starting XI - if we're lucky we'll get that level of improvement throughout the side and that can only be beneficial to our prospects. Last season, we started off on the back-foot with a disastrous capitulation to an ordinary Palace side - there was very little to build on. Our start this season has shown that there are positive glimpses throughout the side, that will hopefully become more frequent as the season goes on. IMO this improvement will happen, and if we keep the majority of the squad together our prospects look very good. I tend to agree. It was obvious after Palace last year that we were in for a "not very exciting" season. I think the word that best describes last season is "frustrating". We could all see that GB had lost it. His team selections baffled everyone and there was nothing that we could do about it. I think that this season is going to be interesting /exciting in equal measures. I am not suggesting that we are going to set the World alight but I can`t see us rolling over and dying as many times as we did last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSaint75 Posted 10 August, 2008 Share Posted 10 August, 2008 Thats the way I see it also, I just hope that burnout doesn't happen, it is alot to ask of these youngsters to last the whole season. If we can consolidate this season, the next could be a good side able to compete near the top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colinjb Posted 10 August, 2008 Share Posted 10 August, 2008 Agreed. We went to a ground where we have traditionally done badly, where unfortunate not to hold out for a draw and fielded a team that can only improve, rather then stagnate. I'm content today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitch01 Posted 10 August, 2008 Share Posted 10 August, 2008 Yes but the worry must be that, even with improvement, our kids just arent going to be good enough to cope with the players in this league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
70's Mike Posted 10 August, 2008 Share Posted 10 August, 2008 Only reason they will not get better is burn out. Bale in his first seson was not asked to play every week Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopGun Posted 10 August, 2008 Share Posted 10 August, 2008 Yes but the worry must be that, even with improvement, our kids just arent going to be good enough to cope with the players in this league. I agree up to a point but Gillett and McGoldrick had a fair bit of experience in League 1 last year where the clogging will be as bad the CCC at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildgoose Posted 10 August, 2008 Share Posted 10 August, 2008 The one problem with what you are saying as far as I can see, is that if we suffer too many early defeats then confidence could become an issue and will hinder further development because of increased pressure to perform. Gareth Bale was just one new player coming in while now it's more than half the team and there will be a collective expectation on them, with too little experince if things take a while too gel. That's really the one thing that worries me a little...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madruss Posted 10 August, 2008 Author Share Posted 10 August, 2008 The one problem with what you are saying as far as I can see, is that if we suffer too many early defeats then confidence could become an issue and will hinder further development because of increased pressure to perform. Gareth Bale was just one new player coming in while now it's more than half the team and there will be a collective expectation on them, with too little experince if things take a while too gel. That's really the one thing that worries me a little...... Agreed, the confidence thing could be a major sticking point for our success. That's where we need a bit of luck to help build that confidence. A last minute deflected winner would help on Saturday for starters!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RinNY Posted 10 August, 2008 Share Posted 10 August, 2008 Only reason they will not get better is burn out. Bale in his first seson was not asked to play every week Bale was only 17; these guys are mostly 20-22. They are young and inexperienced enough to be still learning and improving, but they should be physically developed enough to last the season ok. Given that they held their own extremely well against a very good and physical side, playing away, and in bad weather, I think there's no reason to expect this team to fail to compete week in week out. Especially as we have some strong, experienced players waiting to come in (Davies, John) or on the bench (Wotton, Euell, Thomas). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjii Posted 10 August, 2008 Share Posted 10 August, 2008 (edited) Comparing them with Bale is probably a bit unrealistic as if any of them turn out to be 80% as good as Bale they will be very good players indeed. Whilst we were very good in the first 25 minutes, we were by far the lesser team in the second half and without KD having a great game and killer returning we would have lost by 2 or 3. I fear we have been unfortunate with the fixtures this year. 3 hard games first up isn't ideal with such a young team. That said, they showed enough in the first 30 minutes to make me think we can stay up. Edited 10 August, 2008 by benjii Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick1976.4.38 Posted 10 August, 2008 Share Posted 10 August, 2008 after yesterdays performance i think we will have a hard season but the football was good to watch from saints and thats something we've been missing for quite a while.we will win more than we lose this season and i think the youngsters have the hunger to do well,which our overpaid journeymen have never had.time will tell,but get behind the lads and i think we may prove the doubters wrong,COYR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintcrris Posted 10 August, 2008 Share Posted 10 August, 2008 I think some fans got abit carried away after the West ham friendly. The gulf between a friendly and an actual league game in the championship was all too clear to see. We will improve, but I don't want us getting relegated at the price of trying to play pretty football. What good is that to the club. So you want to be entertained but at what price? We are very short at the back at the start of another season, GB was castrated for it last season yet we have let the same thing happen again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Durman Posted 10 August, 2008 Share Posted 10 August, 2008 Please don't forget we still have our best player to return in Davis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buctootim Posted 10 August, 2008 Share Posted 10 August, 2008 GB was castrated for it last season yet we have let the same thing happen again. Bit harsh. No wonder people said he didnt have the balls for a relegation scrap. I would have settled for castigation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilf Posted 10 August, 2008 Share Posted 10 August, 2008 Despite yesterday's defeat, I find myself cautiously optimistic about the season ahead. I'm with you mate. This is a group of players that will get better together. And, having watched Brum v Sheff U and Notts For v Reading on Sky, we've definitely got the quality to compete in this division, and with Andrew D. back our defence will be stronger and team spirit boosted further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RinNY Posted 10 August, 2008 Share Posted 10 August, 2008 I think some fans got abit carried away after the West ham friendly. The gulf between a friendly and an actual league game in the championship was all too clear to see. We will improve, but I don't want us getting relegated at the price of trying to play pretty football. What good is that to the club. So you want to be entertained but at what price? We are very short at the back at the start of another season, GB was castrated for it last season yet we have let the same thing happen again. Actually, that's not true: Perry is quite short, but Svensson, Davies, Thomas, and Lancashire are all tall players, well over 6 feet. Of course our FBs -- James, Surman, Hatch, Mills -- are on the short side, but that's quite norrmal for FBs. Overall, we have plenty of height at the back. *lol* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Posted 11 August, 2008 Share Posted 11 August, 2008 Although JP, unlike Burley, has declared a first choice first 11, we do still have a squad - as already mentioned by others, Perry was substituting for Davies at Cardiff. I think we can at least trust the coach to notice if anyone suffers a loss of form, or is playing too many games, and expect him to bring in squad players, who will then get a chance to hold the shirt, as they will when covering for injuries. Interesting thing this year is that some of the covering players are older and more experienced than the first choice player they are shadowing - just that they are judged to be second choice on the team sheet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wes Tender Posted 11 August, 2008 Share Posted 11 August, 2008 We will undoubtedly improve as the season goes on; that is almost certain, as players get used to playing the new system. Many of our players had been used to playing together before, so for them there is less scope to improve their understanding of each other, except with regards to playing with the couple of additions to the squad. But what needs to be taken into account also, is that the same thing applies to all of the other teams in the division. They will also be improving, bedding in new players and increasing their understanding of their own colleagues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Fry Posted 11 August, 2008 Share Posted 11 August, 2008 We are this seasons palace. What chronic underachievement under a manager with pretty-pretty football principles who is then replaced by a good old fashioned no nonsense manager that hauls us into the play offs? Come in, Billy Davies;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navyred Posted 11 August, 2008 Share Posted 11 August, 2008 Just back from10 days holiday in the States so missed the Stoke, Woking and Cardiff games. But reading the threads on the site, there seems to be a lot of optimism about. Is it fair to say that the younsters look as though they could compete at this level and maybe give us something to be proud of this season? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSaint75 Posted 11 August, 2008 Share Posted 11 August, 2008 Thats far to say yes, we have shown that we can play some really good football with the lads showing passion and fight, however ???marks over strength and being able to last a season are still there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick1976.4.38 Posted 11 August, 2008 Share Posted 11 August, 2008 the youngsters will def do us proud,ive had enough of so called expierienced pros coming here and doing it for us.they've a lot of hard games ahead but after cardiff they showed what they can do and at least they were playing for the shirt.made a change seeing saints players giving their all.we deserved a draw and hopefully they will learn from the defeat.coyr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navyred Posted 11 August, 2008 Share Posted 11 August, 2008 the youngsters will def do us proud,ive had enough of so called expierienced pros coming here and doing it for us.they've a lot of hard games ahead but after cardiff they showed what they can do and at least they were playing for the shirt.made a change seeing saints players giving their all.we deserved a draw and hopefully they will learn from the defeat.coyr I'm starting to get the old tingles back!!! COYR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CitySaint Posted 11 August, 2008 Share Posted 11 August, 2008 100 % with you, the players will get fitter as well and tune in to how each other play more effectively. I thought it was very refreshing to see the majority of the travelling fans, stayed behind to clap the boys off on saturday. This will only help them improve and raise there confidence. I don't think we will struggle this year, and we could even post a late play-off push. I do believe though we should cash in on Davis, sooner rather than later and build with a new keeper, be it Bart or Forecast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danbert Posted 12 August, 2008 Share Posted 12 August, 2008 I tend to agree. It was obvious after Palace last year that we were in for a "not very exciting" season. I think the word that best describes last season is "frustrating". We could all see that GB had lost it. His team selections baffled everyone and there was nothing that we could do about it. I think that this season is going to be interesting /exciting in equal measures. I am not suggesting that we are going to set the World alight but I can`t see us rolling over and dying as many times as we did last year. You are not the miserable old git you claim to be. How about calling yourself Mildly Optimistic Man instead? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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