Message to Jan and Lowe.

[1965onwards]

Last night we played away,but anyone not knowing that would have assumed that we were the home team.

 

This is because Palace have an intelligent manager who is capable of getting his team to play to a tactical plan,and most managers have now worked out that it is easy to suck us onto them,whereby they hit long balls over our midfield and sometimes our defense as well.

 

It is now perfectly obvious that we do not have the midfield players or forwards capable of playing through the packed defences they are encountering.It is also obvious that we are having more succcess overall away,where teams generally attack us more.

 

It is time we played the way Palace played against us last night,home and away.Our players are better suited to counter-attacking play.They need the extra space in order to create decent chances,not the 1/4 chances that is all they are creating at the moment.

Playing a professional sport is about maximising your strengths and minimising your weaknesses.It is not intelligent to ask your players to play to their weaknesses.

 

We all know about Lowes ego,but its time people realised that be he a nice guy or not,Jan is also on an ego trip and shows all the signs of being prepared to sacrifice this club on the altar of his ego,rather than admit that the players are not capable of what he wants them to do,and that he is out of his depth.

 

As for Lowe,stay away from the training ground,dressing room,dug-out and pitch you pathetic arsehole.

[Windmill Arm 2]

Last night we played away,but anyone not knowing that would have assumed that we were the home team.

 

This is because Palace have an intelligent manager who is capable of getting his team to play to a tactical plan,and most managers have now worked out that it is easy to suck us onto them,whereby they hit long balls over our midfield and sometimes our defense as well.

 

It is now perfectly obvious that we do not have the midfield players or forwards capable of playing through the packed defences they are encountering.It is also obvious that we are having more succcess overall away,where teams generally attack us more.

 

It is time we played the way Palace played against us last night,home and away.Our players are better suited to counter-attacking play.They need the extra space in order to create decent chances,not the 1/4 chances that is all they are creating at the moment.

Playing a professional sport is about maximising your strengths and minimising your weaknesses.It is not intelligent to ask your players to play to their weaknesses.

 

We all know about Lowes ego,but its time people realised that be he a nice guy or not,Jan is also on an ego trip and shows all the signs of being prepared to sacrifice this club on the altar of his ego,rather than admit that the players are not capable of what he wants them to do,and that he is out of his depth.

 

As for Lowe,stay away from the training ground,dressing room,dug-out and pitch you pathetic arsehole.

 

 

Seconded :mad:

[rocknrollman no2]

Especially liked the last bit.

[alpine_saint]

Especially liked the last bit.

 

Me too.

 

I could almost imagine him spitting the words in fury.

[modern matron]

Last night we played away,but anyone not knowing that would have assumed that we were the home team.

 

This is because Palace have an intelligent manager who is capable of getting his team to play to a tactical plan,and most managers have now worked out that it is easy to suck us onto them,whereby they hit long balls over our midfield and sometimes our defense as well.

 

It is now perfectly obvious that we do not have the midfield players or forwards capable of playing through the packed defences they are encountering.It is also obvious that we are having more succcess overall away,where teams generally attack us more.

 

It is time we played the way Palace played against us last night,home and away.Our players are better suited to counter-attacking play.They need the extra space in order to create decent chances,not the 1/4 chances that is all they are creating at the moment.

Playing a professional sport is about maximising your strengths and minimising your weaknesses.It is not intelligent to ask your players to play to their weaknesses.

 

We all know about Lowes ego,but its time people realised that be he a nice guy or not,Jan is also on an ego trip and shows all the signs of being prepared to sacrifice this club on the altar of his ego,rather than admit that the players are not capable of what he wants them to do,and that he is out of his depth.

 

As for Lowe,stay away from the training ground,dressing room,dug-out and pitch you pathetic arsehole.

 

How have we won 4 away games then?

[instinct]

i want quick direct football, its better to give the ball away by crossing it and trying through balls than passing it around for 10 mins then giving it away on the halfway line and leaving ourselves exposed to counter attacks

 

i want a strong attacker, who can win the ball and beat defenders

 

i want lowe to **** off

[ALWAYS_SFC]

Last night we played away,but anyone not knowing that would have assumed that we were the home team.

 

This is because Palace have an intelligent manager who is capable of getting his team to play to a tactical plan,and most managers have now worked out that it is easy to suck us onto them,whereby they hit long balls over our midfield and sometimes our defense as well.

 

It is now perfectly obvious that we do not have the midfield players or forwards capable of playing through the packed defences they are encountering.It is also obvious that we are having more succcess overall away,where teams generally attack us more.

 

It is time we played the way Palace played against us last night,home and away.Our players are better suited to counter-attacking play.They need the extra space in order to create decent chances,not the 1/4 chances that is all they are creating at the moment.

Playing a professional sport is about maximising your strengths and minimising your weaknesses.It is not intelligent to ask your players to play to their weaknesses.

 

We all know about Lowes ego,but its time people realised that be he a nice guy or not,Jan is also on an ego trip and shows all the signs of being prepared to sacrifice this club on the altar of his ego,rather than admit that the players are not capable of what he wants them to do,and that he is out of his depth.

 

As for Lowe,stay away from the training ground,dressing room,dug-out and pitch you pathetic arsehole.

 

Beautifully put:D

[saintstr1]

Beautifully put:D

 

Cant Argue with any of that.

[1965onwards]

MM.the aways wins came against teams that attacked us,proving my point that we are better when counter-attacking.

 

Our home form proves that we are no good against 9 defenders,nothing to do with a mental block.Our passing and movement is not good enough to penetrate massed defence,even Arsenal struggle there.

[L1Minus10]

As for Lowe,stay away from the training ground,dressing room,dug-out and pitch you pathetic arsehole.

 

Quality!

[sydney_saint]

Completely disagree. Yesterday we looked most threatening (not very I admit) when we got the ball down and tried to play around them. Whenever we pumped it long, Palace would win the ball and counter against. Passing the ball will help us stay up and, in a dreamworld, when we go up in a few seasons time, will be better suited to the premier league and not get thumped like Derby or Watford. I would rather us play the way we are and lose then play like Palace and win. This is my opinion and I am not stating it as fact before people start callling me an idiot blah blah blah

[swannymere]

You've answered your own question, we are playing good football, that's why the opposition put 9 men behind the ball, the midfield are more than capable it's upfront where the problem lies. I imagine even Rasiak and Saga could score a few with the service they would get. As for the knobber who suggested direct football, well that gets you so far and if we did get promoted then what, try and learn how to pass? I'd rather build slowly to give us a chance of staying up IF we ever get the chance.

[SaintRobbie]

Seconded :mad:

 

Thirded.... especially the last line.

 

Sorry everyone but WE HAVE TO HOUND THIS FOOL (LOWE) OUT OF THIS CLUB NOW. Northam Stand... you have been wonderful supporters this season... stop killing your club and get rid of Lowe...

 

... if you do...

 

2000 - 6000 fans will return each week - whether we are crap or not. Makes sense shareholders, Northam et al...

 

 

GET RID OF LOWE ..... FOREVER.

[Snowballs2]

Thirded.... especially the last line.

 

Sorry everyone but WE HAVE TO HOUND THIS FOOL (LOWE) OUT OF THIS CLUB NOW. Northam Stand... you have been wonderful supporters this season... stop killing your club and get rid of Lowe...

 

... if you do...

 

2000 - 6000 fans will return each week - whether we are crap or not. Makes sense shareholders, Northam et al...

 

 

GET RID OF LOWE ..... FOREVER.

 

 

Agreed Lowe is using our team as a toy !

[Thedelldays]

Thirded.... especially the last line.

 

Sorry everyone but WE HAVE TO HOUND THIS FOOL (LOWE) OUT OF THIS CLUB NOW. Northam Stand... you have been wonderful supporters this season... stop killing your club and get rid of Lowe...

 

... if you do...

 

2000 - 6000 fans will return each week - whether we are crap or not. Makes sense shareholders, Northam et al...

 

 

GET RID OF LOWE ..... FOREVER.

 

considering we are having our worst home for EVER...in todays financial climate..I think the club should be greatful that so many turn up as it is..let alone speculate about another 2-6k...

[badgerx16]

How have we won 4 away games then?

Derby were at the end of their "we are completely sh1te" phase, Doncaster were the better team but could not score, Preston stopped playing at 2-0 thinking they had done all they needed to, and for some reason Reading did not turn up.

 

What is more important is why have we only won 1 at home.

[skintsaint]

Derby were at the end of their "we are completely sh1te" phase, Doncaster were the better team but could not score, Preston stopped playing at 2-0 thinking they had done all they needed to, and for some reason Reading did not turn up.

 

What is more important is why have we only won 1 at home.

 

lol

 

I know we arent doing the best right now but at least give them some credit other than dismissing it as the other team didnt show up etc

 

How many times have we pasted teams and not scored and lost?

[badgerx16]

lol

 

I know we arent doing the best right now but at least give them some credit other than dismissing it as the other team didnt show up etc

 

How many times have we pasted teams and not scored and lost?

I will give them the credit for their efforts; regardless of Preston's attitude, the second half performance at Deepdale was at at the opposite end of the spectrum from the first, but people should not get carried away by looking at our away form and thinking that it is all down to how brilliant our football is.

When we are 'pasting' other teams, how many saves are their keepers making ? Given the number of games where polls on this site have made Kelvin MoM, how many opposition keepers would have come top in a similar poll on their team performances ?We can have 20 shots a game by midfielders from outside the area, but if none of them are on target it, ( and we ), are pointless.

[solentstars]

lol

 

I know we arent doing the best right now but at least give them some credit other than dismissing it as the other team didnt show up etc

 

How many times have we pasted teams and not scored and lost?

agreed

it makes you wonder about their mentality,when we win its lucky etc but i expect most people can see threw his nonsense post.

[saintjay77]

Thirded.... especially the last line.

 

Sorry everyone but WE HAVE TO HOUND THIS FOOL (LOWE) OUT OF THIS CLUB NOW. Northam Stand... you have been wonderful supporters this season... stop killing your club and get rid of Lowe...

 

... if you do...

 

2000 - 6000 fans will return each week - whether we are crap or not. Makes sense shareholders, Northam et al...

 

 

GET RID OF LOWE ..... FOREVER.

 

LOL now the fans are killing the club because they are turning up and supporting the team. You couldnt make it up could you?

 

If we go on a 5 game winning run home and away we might get 2k come back but you wont see an extra 6k unless we are pushing for promotion or its the last game of the season relegation fight like last year.

 

Would still love the club to be bought out and the funds available to put a couple of decent players in that would make this system work allot better though. and that would mean the back of Lowe and a way forward for the club.

[badgerx16]

agreed

it makes you wonder about their mentality,when we win its lucky etc but i expect most people can see threw his nonsense post.

There are two perspectives; one is "we are playing brilliant football, but are incredibly unlucky", the other is "we are OK playing box to box ( where the opposition are quite willing to let us do it ), but are toothless up front and shoddy at the back".

 

Looking at the league table, which do you think is more realistic ?

[egreog]

The fact is JP has admitted on the OS that they could have played for a week and not scored.............. well sorry, I and thousands of others are not going to shell out money to watch pretty football with no end result played by talented youngsters who get outmuscled by every other time in the Championship...........frankly, Palace could have played quite comfirtably without a goalkeeper and strolled a victory........worrying fact!!

[1965onwards]

I do not advocate the long-ball game,but swift counter-attacking,which we are better suited to.

 

Dominating possession against a packed defense just aint working,we are not good enough to break teams down.

 

Anyone thinking these players will significantly improve are deluding themselves,they are basically as good as they are going to get;but we are not getting the best out of them.

 

THis lack of motivation business by JP is ******,he needs to look at himself.

 

He has never directed one word of criticism at himself,that's how i know he is on as big an ego trip as lowe.

[1965onwards]

Leaking goals,and Davis needing to make a string of saves is not indicative of our defense playing better.

[saintjay77]

I do not advocate the long-ball game,but swift counter-attacking,which we are better suited to.

 

Dominating possession against a packed defense just aint working,we are not good enough to break teams down.

 

Anyone thinking these players will significantly improve are deluding themselves,they are basically as good as they are going to get;but we are not getting the best out of them.

 

THis lack of motivation business by JP is ******,he needs to look at himself.

 

He has never directed one word of criticism at himself,that's how i know he is on as big an ego trip as lowe.

 

I agree about the counter attacking as we showed that perfectly against QPR. A goal made up of quick passing and movment starting from KD and being played right through the pitch.

 

Can our defence stand up to soaking up the oposition enough for us to look for the counter attack though?

[.comsaint]

Still think we're doing okay given all the changes. Would have taken staying up for this season and right now I still think we will. No doubt if we'd won at Palace people would have started looking up the table. But reacting to one game is silly. We know we need more cutting edge, but the defence had been doing much better until monday. We do have players coming back shortly. Holmes will make a difference.

 

Pretty sure I'd rather anything than rely on Kuqi up front. He really is the most appalling footballer I've ever seen. No-one could have shinned it in off their toe if they'd tried, but it just summed him up.

 

Seconded.

[badgerx16]

Pretty sure I'd rather anything than rely on Kuqi up front. He really is the most appalling footballer I've ever seen. No-one could have shinned it in off their toe if they'd tried, but it just summed him up.

Did you see Warnock's comment "As long as he doesn't start thinking he is a footballer he's fine" !

[1965onwards]

Agree,that is a concern Saintjay.

 

A choice between the devil and the deep blue sea.

 

Need to change though.

[saintjay77]

Agree,that is a concern Saintjay.

 

A choice between the devil and the deep blue sea.

 

Need to change though.

 

In theory what we are trying to do is pretty good and I would rather see it done this way than any other but in practice we need to be stronger at either end of the pitch. Nothing more to it than that really. Our defence have been put under loads of pressure throughout and KD has kept us in most games so we have had plenty of chances to counter but only a few times have paid off. The style of play we are trying to adopt (if everyone on the pitch can manage it) should give us a strong counter attacking threat, the ability to peg teams into there own half, movment to pull teams all over the place and speed to be able to get back and defend in numbers.

 

When it all clicks into place it Will look fantastic but when it goes wrong it looks a mess. Some of the boys are learning fast and others are not learning at all. But as long as we are in a safe position in the table then I think we should keep going with it and support the team as I do believe the rewards will be great when it pays off.

 

Becomoe in danger of relegation and I would be more inclined to look for some kind of change.

[Thedelldays]

Becomoe in danger of relegation and I would be more inclined to look for some kind of change.

mate..we are 4 points from the drop zone...completely inconsistant with the team below us having a game in hand....

 

i think we are in some sort of danger...

[Andy_Porter]

We've been in trouble since the season started, Kelvin has been the only one keeping us out of the bottom three.

 

We've been playing some decent football and had a few good results but we're so inconsistent that relegation is a real threat. If we don't find some consistency and a goal scorer from somewhere then finishing bottom of this very **** league is a possibility. Especially if we lose Cork, KD, Surman, Lallana or Skacel in January. The teams around us will be doing there best to strengthen where we will probably be doing the opposite.

[chocco boxo]

we are going down and passing us on the way up? One Nigel Pearson. If this football is not suited to CCC then League 1 it is certainly not!!!

[Andy_Porter]

 

Pretty sure I'd rather anything than rely on Kuqi up front. He really is the most appalling footballer I've ever seen. No-one could have shinned it in off their toe if they'd tried, but it just summed him up.

 

I thought he would be an almost perfect player for our front line. A bully with an eye for goal who can hold the ball up well and bring others into play.

 

Funny how two opinions can be so different.

[Legod Third Coming]

There are two perspectives; one is "we are playing brilliant football, but are incredibly unlucky", the other is "we are OK playing box to box ( where the opposition are quite willing to let us do it ), but are toothless up front and shoddy at the back".

 

Looking at the league table, which do you think is more realistic ?

 

 

We were poor at the back at the start of the season. Before Monday we had only conceded 2 goals in four games which is pretty impressive - better than Chelsea in fact.

 

Then Monday we had a defensive abhoration and no mistake - although Kuqi's first goal WAS a foul, no question. Second goal we were asleep. 3rd goal that was James' one mistake of the game. Together it was a mess - not excusable, just the kind of mess you get when you lack a bit of nous.

 

Our strike force on the other hand has delivered 17 goals in 22 games. Why? The people who score goals are like rocking horse dung and we have two and half but they're all on loan!!!

 

I fail to see how any different system or manager would derive more goals from our strikers and it's THIS that has cost us against Wednesday, Plymouth, Charlton...

 

Lallana should be shooting and scoring more. MCG has missed more one on ones than I've had hot dinners, Robertson is average and Patterson - who knows?

 

IS this really that hard to grasp for people??

 

People want to change the symptoms - look at the firking cause!!!

[shurlock]

Nonsense - whats the point of this? where is the constructive, ready to apply advice? How do 'we we play the way Palace play' - physical hoofball? How do we get there from here with the players we currently have? even if we could get there, would we want to? if it went wrong, people would be up in arms and say it was a return to the branfoot old days.

 

Fact is we've never scored very freely at st.marys since we were relegated (the second season apart), as teams come with a gameplan to shut up shop irrespective of our tactics.

 

I cant stand Lowe but I can see what JP is trying to do. Is it the tactics/formation or the players we have that is the problem? You dont address this. I think its more the players than the formation and we have little room to change the players side. And indeed they are naturally better suited to our passing style and than a palace-type setup, so there is an argument that changing the style would probably make things worse.

 

We need to keep things in perspective. Most of our players are only starting out in their careers - for most, this is their first proper season. This is not a bunch of journeymen who've hit their peak but a group of players that still has potential to improve. They have shown they can be pretty much competitive in most matches against established, week-in, week-out professionals. And they've also shown they can play the best off the park. That's why I am excited by this team - that's why I continue to go to every game. We'll struggle this season but we'll survive - all is that is required is to convert a few more home games. After that, you wonder what could be achieved over the next two years as they gather experience and if i) they are kept together and ii) the idiots dont turn against them (we cant do much about Lowe's dealings but we can show a bit more patience and understanding)

 

Is the situation ideal? No. Should we have blooded in so many young players as quickly? No - Wenger still rarely lets Walcott play a full 90mins. Do we need a few new faces? Definitely. A big direct, powerful forward to attack the box/crosses a la Kenwyne would be a start. So would a proper left-back, give us more backbone and allow rudi to give us some proper width rather than rely on converted strikers? And possibly an experienced midfielder - what wotton was meant to bring but hasnt so ar. But the fact is that none of this feasible. The point is not to create a world that doesnt exist but to work with what we have. If peoples suggestions are realistic, great - and JP isnt completely up his own ego (Robertson and DMG look pretty much like two up top -even if DMG is presented as being in the hole). Otherwise, its hard to see how they add real value. Hang in there.

[1965onwards]

Another incisive post from yet another Lowe plant.

[VectisSaint]

 

We need to keep things in perspective. Most of our players are only starting out in their careers - for most, this is their first proper season. This is not a bunch of journeymen who've hit their peak but a group of players that still has potential to improve. They have shown they can be pretty much competitive in most matches against established, week-in, week-out professionals. And they've also shown they can play the best off the park. That's why I am excited by this team - that's why I continue to go to every game. We'll struggle this season but we'll survive - all is that is required is to convert a few more home games. After that, you wonder what could be achieved over the next two years as they gather experience and if i) they are kept together and ii) the idiots dont turn against them (we cant do much about Lowe's dealings but we can show a bit more patience and understanding)

I'll repeat my point from yesterday. This idea that this is a team of Saints youngsters just starting out is patently nonsense. There are only 3 players in the regular starting line-up that are effectively in their first season and are Saints players, James, Lallana and McG. Even with these Lallana and McG made appearances last season, and McG is 21, not a real youngster. All the other youngsters are loans, and probably will not be with us for much longer. This team will not be kept together, however much you wish for it, even if Lowe somehow miraculously hangs on to Lallana and Surman in January.

 

So whats to be patient about, we will not see this team develop, what we will see unless things are changed soon is League 1. We have a coach who has no idea how to change tactics to suit opponents or changes during a game (like Burley but in a totally different way), we have no cutting edge and a frail defence and thankfully a keeper who is working miracles this season. We have players on our books who could help to change this. If just one of John, Saga or Rasiak were actually playing for us instead of for our rivals (in 2 cases) we would have more chance of scoring, and perhaps helping McG to be a better player, and hence we could actually be thinking about survival this season.

 

Make no mistake, we may be 4 points above the drop zone, but 2 of the 3 below us are improving, and the other has parachute payments that will help them strengthen in January to avoid the drop. We have time to stop the rot, but in Lowe we do not have the inclination.

[Big Bad Bob]

1965Onwards and Derry for the new Saints management team.

 

After all they know it all!!

[saintjay77]

mate..we are 4 points from the drop zone...completely inconsistant with the team below us having a game in hand....

 

i think we are in some sort of danger...

 

Im not trying to say everything is rosey but we are still above the drop zone and we have put in some performances that have shown with the right application up front would have us with a few more points than we do now. If we were in this situation having hardly had a shot on goal all season then the management team would be toast and mayday signals would have been sent long ago.

 

There has still been enough about the team to be given more time to see if they can get everything to click together and start getting some deserved results. But if Monday night's performance was any indication of the football to come then it wont be long for a change in direction.

[JustMike]

whist i agree with some of what has been said on here. I doubt though that our defence is strong / good enough to invite teams to attack us and try to pick them off on the break nor are our forwards good enough to put the bloody thing in the net on a regular basis. I personnal would like to see us mix it up during games, at the moment we are too predictable, nice touches in midfield etc then no end product usualy resulting in the ball being given away or just passed backwards. Lets try being direct as well as the cute stuff.

[aintforever]

Im not trying to say everything is rosey but we are still above the drop zone and we have put in some performances that have shown with the right application up front would have us with a few more points than we do now. If we were in this situation having hardly had a shot on goal all season then the management team would be toast and mayday signals would have been sent long ago.

 

There has still been enough about the team to be given more time to see if they can get everything to click together and start getting some deserved results. But if Monday night's performance was any indication of the football to come then it wont be long for a change in direction.

 

The idea that we are not getting the results we deserve is complete nonsense IMO. For every game where we probably "should" have won (Sheff Weds H) there is at least another where we "should" have got stuffed (Charlton A). We are where we deserve to be and at the moment I would say we are 50/50 for relegation.

 

From what I have seen I would say there is enough talent in that squad to keep us up, a good manager would not get relegated with those players.

[Legod Third Coming]

I'll repeat my point from yesterday. This idea that this is a team of Saints youngsters just starting out is patently nonsense. There are only 3 players in the regular starting line-up that are effectively in their first season and are Saints players, James, Lallana and McG. Even with these Lallana and McG made appearances last season, and McG is 21, not a real youngster. All the other youngsters are loans, and probably will not be with us for much longer. This team will not be kept together, however much you wish for it, even if Lowe somehow miraculously hangs on to Lallana and Surman in January.

 

So whats to be patient about, we will not see this team develop, what we will see unless things are changed soon is League 1. We have a coach who has no idea how to change tactics to suit opponents or changes during a game (like Burley but in a totally different way), we have no cutting edge and a frail defence and thankfully a keeper who is working miracles this season. We have players on our books who could help to change this. If just one of John, Saga or Rasiak were actually playing for us instead of for our rivals (in 2 cases) we would have more chance of scoring, and perhaps helping McG to be a better player, and hence we could actually be thinking about survival this season.

 

Make no mistake, we may be 4 points above the drop zone, but 2 of the 3 below us are improving, and the other has parachute payments that will help them strengthen in January to avoid the drop. We have time to stop the rot, but in Lowe we do not have the inclination.

 

It's not about age, it's about experience and in James, Lallana, McG, Robertson, Cork, Pearce, Spiderman, Patterson, etc we have players who are starting their careers and who (Cork aside) are in their first full season's in a first team squad. I bet Shefky Kooki has played more bloody games in the past two years than all our young players put together!!!!

 

But, no, keep on banging your drum about the coach not being up to it - after 22 games in English football...

[shurlock]

I'll repeat my point from yesterday. This idea that this is a team of Saints youngsters just starting out is patently nonsense. There are only 3 players in the regular starting line-up that are effectively in their first season and are Saints players, James, Lallana and McG. Even with these Lallana and McG made appearances last season, and McG is 21, not a real youngster. All the other youngsters are loans, and probably will not be with us for much longer. This team will not be kept together, however much you wish for it, even if Lowe somehow miraculously hangs on to Lallana and Surman in January.

 

You're right about Surman - he's a young but established player. Not so sure about lallana and mcg though. Yes mcg started a few games last campaign but wasnt a regular and lallana never actually started a game. So this season is a step-change for them, not least beause they are the most regularly played and so are being looked at to initiate and lead things. That's a big, new responsibility that can be understimated. This might also be true for Surman and BWP as relative elders.

 

Other young players who are with us, and appear ready though they have been injured are holmes and schneiderlin. So bear them in mind. James isnt there but has shown signs of improvement in the last few games (monday's mistake took away from a good performance overall -and ive been really critical of him in the past). Gillett looked great at the start but has faded (as well as being injured). But he isnt far off a place in the team. Mills seems a better bet than lancashire and thompson at the moment while white and gobern seem lively but too raw. Still dont know what to think about patterson.

 

True about the loan players. Pearce (monday apart), Cork and to a lesser extent Robertson have added value, though we can't count on them going forward. Our decision to play youngsters should have given out a far stronger sign that if you wanted career progression, southampton was place to be (this isnt just lowe pr bull**** but is picked up by all the media). It should have given us far greater leverage in attracting good young players from the premiership (like cork or the way bendtner went to birm or frazier campell to hull). So im disappointed that it hasnt. Instead, we've picked up players knocking around teams in our division (robertson) or below us (smith). But arguably that's a problem of execution not strategy.

 

Of course, if the likes of lallana and surman leave (as they probably will), that will blow a huge hole in lowe's commitment to invest in the future. As I say, I think the man's a bull****ter and so any test like Jan's transfer window that forces him to put his money where his mouth is welcome. If lallana and surman do leave, am bracing myself for some kind of miserable spin that portrays them as wanting to leave.

 

I think you underestimate JP. He's not been indifferent to outside thinking. He brought rudi back after all the fans were clamouring for him - I wonder if they have been proven right? Arguably not (though its probably because he's being played out of position but since all the fans also see him as a leftback, there's no disagreement). He recalled Euell who unfortunately got injured (preston) and sent off (wolves) but all signs that he will feature soon. JP was willing to go for experience in the shape of Thomas but he got injured (birm). And he's taken a risk by starting Perry every game rather than rotating him as he originally did. What else could he have done?

 

You're right - we're missing rasiak, john and saga (though i still think saga's mobility and pace have the most to offer, followed by john and then rasiak). But how much choice did he have in these mattesr? Saga and Rasiak had left before even the start of the season. From all JP's statements, John's departure was financially motivated not ideologically driven.

 

So we have the players we have. If all critical Saints fans can do is call for a change of tactics, and then populate/fill them with the same players, I genuinely think they are kidding themselves. If they are genuinely advocating a change of personnel, then im more sympathetic/open-ended. But DMG apart, nobody's been doing that.

[aintforever]

I think you underestimate JP. He's not been indifferent to outside thinking. He brought rudi back after all the fans were clamouring for him - I wonder if they have been proven right? Arguably not (though its probably because he's being played out of position but since all the fans also see him as a leftback, there's no disagreement).

 

If you think Rudi has been playing worse than Mill's you need your head looking at. And the fact that he is being played out of position is totally the managers fault.

 

Poortvleit decided to bring in numerous attacking players who have made next to no contribution (Smith/Gasmi/Peckhart) plus waste money on wages for a 3rd goal keeper when bringing in a decent left back could sure up the defence and allow our Chek Republic international midfielder play in midfield.

[shurlock]

 

If you think Rudi has been playing worse than Mill's you need your head looking at. And the fact that he is being played out of position is totally the managers fault.

 

Poortvleit decided to bring in numerous attacking players who have made next to no contribution (Smith/Gasmi/Peckhart) plus waste money on wages for a 3rd goal keeper when bringing in a decent left back could sure up the defence and allow our Chek Republic international midfielder play in midfield.

 

Not saying Mills is playing better than Rudi. But all the critics who said Rudi had to be recalled have been disappointed. I still he think he has alot to offer, but in midfield. Shame those same people arent making the case.

 

Time will tell whether Gasmi is any good. You're right: Pekhart and Smith have offered very little, but on the whole, JP's loans/purchases have not been disastrous: holmes, schneiderlin, cork, pearce and to some extent robertson. I just dont understand why given our setup/brand, we havent been able to attract higher profile youngsters.

[1965onwards]

I would say partly to do with our injury record Shurlock,which has been very bad for several years,There is something badly wrong with our training.

[ottery st mary]

1965Onwards and Derry for the new Saints management team.

 

After all they know it all!!

 

Why Not, SOMEONE HAS GOT TO AT LEAST MAKE AN EFFORT.

[saint1977]

I would say partly to do with our injury record Shurlock,which has been very bad for several years,There is something badly wrong with our training.

 

Example A - Adam Hammill. O'Neill also laid into us over O'Halleron who then compounded his misery by doing his knee playing at SMS for Ireland U21s.

 

Our academy set-up is also not what it was and clubs are not daft. Don't believe all the spin on the OS.

[saintjay77]

The idea that we are not getting the results we deserve is complete nonsense IMO. For every game where we probably "should" have won (Sheff Weds H) there is at least another where we "should" have got stuffed (Charlton A). We are where we deserve to be and at the moment I would say we are 50/50 for relegation.

 

From what I have seen I would say there is enough talent in that squad to keep us up, a good manager would not get relegated with those players.

 

I wasnt tying to say we havnt been getting the results we deserved. But looking at the Shots on target with better application from the strikers (or who ever it has been taking teh shot) we would have had more goals and better chances to put games away and out of reach. Some of the strikes on target have been far from deserving a goal though which is why I dont think we deserve to have more points.

 

If we are to stick with exactly what we have right now then the people shooting need to learn to be a bit more stringent on how they shoot and make shots count. Do that and we will be picking up many more points and go on to make ourself safe. Stay the same and we are gone. So 50/50 is spot on IMO.