The team could be improved quite easily.

[derry]

Never mind the argument about 1 or 2 up front. We need to achieve two objectives. I know it's stating the obvious, we have to be better in defence and start scoring goals.

 

The way to do it, is rediculously simple. Rectify the major flaw we have in the side.

 

Personnel:- McGoldrick and Lallana because of their lack of discipline and lack of end product are making the team a lot worse than they could be.

 

Defence:- James is the key, because there is no player in front of him, he has to play both right back and right midfield. We are regularly exposed to counter attack because of the space behind him and because our defenders are sucked across, our left and centre is exposed.

 

Attack:- We are totally lopsided, we play wide down the left but have no right side. Lallana is supposed to be wide right but just refuses to play there and wanders all over, making us and him totally ineffective. This allows the opponents left side to tuck in and reinforce the defence, so we are always outnumbered by a compact defence.

 

We never have anybody attacking the far post. By the time James gets forward on the right all the defence is back, our midfield is forward and we are exposed for the counter attack. Any cross is then into a packed defence. The ball is cleared and we are then outnumbered at the back.

 

Solution:- Obvious really. Play two banks of 4, the right midfield and right back maintain our width. The right mid then tracks back to help the fullback. Lallana is left out because he is unreliable and undisciplined. McGoldrick is left out for the same reasons and both of them are incapable of troubling the goalkeeper and play in their comfort zones.

 

BWP, James,Thompson or Gillett wide right, get Dyer back ASAP ( he played well for Sheff Utd last night and scored). Cork or James at right back.

 

Paterson up front, Supported by Euell, not ideal, it won't happen but maybe Mills at left back and Skacel with Paterson for the next two games.

 

I have heard that Molyneaux, Everton left back is now training with us and due to be registered on Jan 1st.

 

The above tactical change would make us more compact in defence and allow us to stretch the opponents.

 

Why the hell is it that Jan Portvleit can't see it and doesn't know what is going wrong, when it's as obvious as a dog's balls.

[1matthewhook]

I agree, we need Nathen Dyer back as then with Lee Holmes on the left, we will have width on both sides.

 

Thomas and Svensson would make us far stronger at the back with Cork and Skacel either side, the defence would be reasonably solid.

 

We miss Schneiderlin when he's not playing and we need a decent partner for him in the centre of the park. Gillett started the season well but then had a couple of shockers and then has been injured for the last month or so.

 

I think BWP can do a job for us upfront providing he has the right partner which certainly isn't McGoldrick. I think we need to use some of the money from the January sales of Lallana and Surman to bring back John and Saga as these boys will both score goals for us at this level.

 

The loan signings in general have been poor with only Jack Cork and arguably Pearce really being of any use. We haven't really seen what Gasmi can do yet but the real disappoinments have been Robertson, Pekhart and Smith. As we are in financial difficulty its making no sense wasting money on these. We would of been far better off keeping John saga or both or getting someone like Lita in.

[Window Cleaner]

 

the real disappoinments have been Robertson, Pekhart and Smith. As we are in financial difficulty its making no sense wasting money on these. We would of been far better off keeping John saga or both or getting someone like Lita in.

 

 

 

I doubt if John+Saga+Dyer comes to very much less the 5xRobertson,Smith and Pekhart

 

If we have to take those 3 back(no doubt we will,maybe even Rasiak as well)

we won't last a couple of weeks on the financial front. Crowds will be way down and the extra 28K/week on the wage bill will send us over the to)p and into administration. We need to avoid getting those 3 back (if possible)

and get one reliable striker in at 10K/week or so. None of your tried,tested and failed junk (although they've all had their moments) one new broom to hit the back of the net on a goal every 2 games basis;

[derry]

I doubt if John+Saga+Dyer comes to very much less the 5xRobertson,Smith and Pekhart

 

If we have to take those 3 back(no doubt we will,maybe even Rasiak as well)

we won't last a couple of weeks on the financial front. Crowds will be way down and the extra 28K/week on the wage bill will send us over the to)p and into administration. We need to avoid getting those 3 back (if possible)

and get one reliable striker in at 10K/week or so. None of your tried,tested and failed junk (although they've all had their moments) one new broom to hit the back of the net on a goal every 2 games basis;

 

Dyer signed his contract with Lowe in the summer. He probably isn't on any more than Lallana. The other two possibly won't be back. I expect them to go for knockdown fees.

[Window Cleaner]

D. The other two possibly won't be back. I expect them to go for knockdown fees.

 

 

Provided there are takers, I fear not, but then Saints depress me like that most of the time.

If it were up to me I would just keep Davis,Surman and Schneiderlin of the current squad and let all the rest go for whatever anyone would give us for them; Too feeble, too often, never known it to be like this.

After 10 minutes of every game you just know we're not very likely to score first,and very likely not score at all. Scoring first is primordial, stops you getting the jitters and invariably conceding goals;

 

First noticed it at the Blackpool game, Lallana should have scored, I would have with the chance he had, then the 2 penalties against Watford. Those misses cost us 6 points.

[Matt SFC]

First noticed it at the Blackpool game, Lallana should have scored, I would have with the chance he had, then the 2 penalties against Watford. Those misses cost us 6 points.

 

The inability to hold onto leads against Sheffield Wed and Coventry cost us another 4 points.

[Killer]

I have heard that Molyneaux, Everton left back is now training with us and due to be registered on Jan 1st.

 

I've heard this from someone inside the club as well.

[Window Cleaner]

Could be easily improved to stay up yes, but to do okay in the league it would need some big changes. I wouldn't keep that many, but happy with a few, so would end up playing...

 

 

---------Davis---------

 

????---????---?????--?????

 

-----Cork-Schneiderlin----

 

????---Skacel----Holmes

 

-------Saga------------

 

So we pretty much need a defence! Maybe Thomas or Svensson can help there. But Perry is a liability now and I've never been impressed with Pearce, he's got too many silly errors in him. Skacel does okay, and fights more than most, but we need him final third, playing as he did for Hearts. He'd be infinitely more effective than Lallana there.

 

But isn't this why getting mugged by Thomas and Svensson is so important?

We had a defence preseason

Thomas-Svensson-Perry-Skacel

 

only one of the 4 is actually started playing and he's an over the top 36 year old who's about 4ft high.Swap Cork for him and it looks OK.

Then there was talk that Morgan could drop back,wrong, never has for Strasbourg or France U19s, he's a midfield player,bvreaks down attacks and gets us moving forward. If he's being used for anything other than that we're doing it wrong.

 

When it was too late to do anything realistic about it we found out that we had f**k all at the back, as per usual.so we get iffy loans but it would seem that Cork wants to play in midfield (or Chelsea want him to)

[derry]

I have heard that Molyneaux, Everton left back is now training with us and due to be registered on Jan 1st.

 

I've heard this from someone inside the club as well.

 

You could also have read it towards the bottom of my first post on this thread.

[southamptonfclegend]

I agree, we need Nathen Dyer back as then with Lee Holmes on the left, we will have width on both sides.

 

Thomas and Svensson would make us far stronger at the back with Cork and Skacel either side, the defence would be reasonably solid.

 

We miss Schneiderlin when he's not playing and we need a decent partner for him in the centre of the park. Gillett started the season well but then had a couple of shockers and then has been injured for the last month or so.

 

I think BWP can do a job for us upfront providing he has the right partner which certainly isn't McGoldrick. I think we need to use some of the money from the January sales of Lallana and Surman to bring back John and Saga as these boys will both score goals for us at this level.

 

The loan signings in general have been poor with only Jack Cork and arguably Pearce really being of any use. We haven't really seen what Gasmi can do yet but the real disappoinments have been Robertson, Pekhart and Smith. As we are in financial difficulty its making no sense wasting money on these. We would of been far better off keeping John saga or both or getting someone like Lita in.

Nathan Dyer is ****gin ****e!

[southamptonfclegend]

also smith has hardly played tbf!

[derry]

Nathan Dyer is ****gin ****e!

Well it probably won't matter to us as he played well for SU yesterday. According to Sky , he pretty much clinched a permanent move.

 

We need another non goalscorer in exchange like a hole in the head. Let Robertson go back. Dyer is better than anything we have wide right.

[VectisSaint]

If we have to take those 3 back(no doubt we will,maybe even Rasiak as well)

Rasiak is on a season-long loan at Watford who have option to buy. He will not be back this season at least, and probably will never be seen in a Saints shirt again. Would rather have John and Saga anyway.

[Window Cleaner]

Rasiak is on a season-long loan at Watford who have option to buy. He will not be back this season at least, and probably will never be seen in a Saints shirt again. Would rather have John and Saga anyway.

 

Not so sure that Watford won't find an excuse to send him back,bad attitude or something. He's obviously surplus to requirements with their new manager (Rodgers is that it?) and must be costing them a pretty penny for sod all.

without having detailed knowledge of the loan agreement it's difficult to say, in theory they've to keep him but if there's a loophole he'll be back,mark my words.

Rodgers wants to get "his own players in". He"ll find an excuse not to keep financial deadweight like Rasiak.

[Chez]

Get Mills back in at left back. Skacel has played well but Mills did very little wrong for me. Skacel is better than Holmes in a wide position IMO so lets play him there.

 

Loan a proper right back and get someone in to play right midfield. Our right side is terrible. James is a liability. I have not seen a weaker full back at the club ever, Steve Baker included.

 

Play Gillett in front of the back four. He's no world beater but we miss his hussle when we don't have posession. Far too often we are open to the counter attack.

 

Play BWP with Patterson up front. Lets get some height and pace up there. With these two we should be able to play long, down the channels and to feet.

 

Get rid of Euell, John, Saga, Thomas, Robertson, Smith, Pekhart and Wotton. Wages and ****ness. We are obviously still losing money so more sacrifices must be made. Even if Surman and Lallana leave these guys need to go otherwise the transfer fees will only end up paying John and Saga for 3 months then what do we do?

 

Get Cork here till the end of the season and Pearce as well. Another decent big CB would be handy as well as Svensson is not going to be playing.

 

Play 4-4-2 now and then. Maybe not every game but where it fits. Lets not though start playing strikers in midfield. BWP is not a right midfield. McGoldrick is not a CM. Far too often players are switched about within the 4-2-1-3 formation and nothing changes.

 

Lets mix up the play a little. Far too many times we overpass in our own third. A few more long diagonal balls over the full backs shoulder. The same applies in the final third where we get near to the 18 yard line and then turn round and go back again. Lets get the ball in the box from the byeline not deep. Lets get people in the box as well - far too many times only one striker is in the area and the second winger/deep striker doesn't bust a gut to join him.

 

Keep Perry off the ball. When we build from the back.

Let get some coaching for Lallana. He's a terrific player but he needs some guidance, maybe a game plan, something.

Edited 21 December, 2008 by Chez

[Chez]

Not so sure that Watford won't find an excuse to send him back,bad attitude or something. He's obviously surplus to requirements with their new manager (Rodgers is that it?) and must be costing them a pretty penny for sod all.

without having detailed knowledge of the loan agreement it's difficult to say, in theory they've to keep him but if there's a loophole he'll be back,mark my words.

Rodgers wants to get "his own players in". He"ll find an excuse not to keep financial deadweight like Rasiak.

 

Rasiak wage added to Saga's and John's would cripple us. I've never had a problem with Rasiak but god I hope he stays there for that reason only.

[derry]

Get Mills back in at left back. Skacel has played well but Mills did very little wrong for me. Skacel is better than Holmes in a wide position IMO so lets play him there.

 

Loan a proper right back and get someone in to play right midfield. Our right side is terrible. James is a liability. I have not seen a weaker full back at the club ever, Steve Baker included.

 

Play Gillett in front of the back four. He's no world beater but we miss his hussle when we don't have posession. Far too often we are open to the counter attack.

 

Play BWP with Patterson up front. Lets get some height and pace up there. With these two we should be able to play long, down the channels and to feet.

 

Get rid of Euell, John, Saga, Thomas, Robertson, Smith, Pekhart and Wotton. Wages and ****ness. We are obviously still losing money so more sacrifices must be made. Even if Surman and Lallana leave these guys need to go otherwise the transfer fees will only end up paying John and Saga for 3 months then what do we do?

 

Get Cork here till the end of the season and Pearce as well. Another decent big CB would be handy as well as Svensson is not going to be playing.

 

Play 4-4-2 now and then. Maybe not every game but where it fits. Lets not though start playing strikers in midfield. BWP is not a right midfield. McGoldrick is not a CM. Far too often players are switched about within the 4-2-1-3 formation and nothing changes.

 

Lets mix up the play a little. Far too many times we overpass in our own third. A few more long diagonal balls over the full backs shoulder. The same applies in the final third where we get near to the 18 yard line and then turn round and go back again. Lets get the ball in the box from the byeline not deep. Lets get people in the box as well - far too many times only one striker is in the area and the second winger/deep striker doesn't bust a gut to join him.

 

Keep Perry off the ball. When we build from the back.

Let get some coaching for Lallana. He's a terrific player but he needs some guidance, maybe a game plan, something.

 

Lallana has got a game plan, wide right but he doesn't want to play there so he doesn't. Either he plays for the team or leave him out. I would be happy to see him transferred as he is destroying our shape with his lack of discipline.

 

If James wasn't trying to do his job and Lallana's as well, we would be a lot better off and he would look a whole lot better. If I was playing behind him, I would deck him, if he didn't do his job.

[derry]

This has really gone beyond a joke. Portvleit must be either a total yes man or a total prat I don't know which. The fundamental flaw down our one man right side has got to be sorted immediately or we won't win another game. There are far better teams than Notts Forest and we weren't able to cope with them.

[slickmick]

Certain games, like Wolves away for example, I would play the sweeper system and play for a draw.

 

 

...................Davis..................

 

......................Perry..................

James........Cork......Pearce.........Skacel

 

Thompson......Morgan......Gillett/Wotton....Holmes

 

.......................Pekart (i know)............

 

Its time to ditch this man in the hole and trying to thread the eye of a needle kind of play.

Its time to be a bit more direct and make oppposing defenders work harder.

 

If we could catch teams on the break and supply high balls into the box Pekart is the only one who has a chance of winning the ball in the air.

 

I have only seen him play against Ipswich and he looked OK. But from what I have read on hear he sounds as if he has been poor. But so has DMG and he has been given a lot more games to prove himself.

[derry]

Certain games, like Wolves away for example, I would play the sweeper system and play for a draw.

 

 

...................Davis..................

 

......................Perry..................

James........Cork......Pearce.........Skacel

 

Thompson......Morgan......Gillett/Wotton....Holmes

 

.......................Pekart (i know)............

 

Its time to ditch this man in the hole and trying to thread the eye of a needle kind of play.

Its time to be a bit more direct and make oppposing defenders work harder.

 

If we could catch teams on the break and supply high balls into the box Pekart is the only one who has a chance of winning the ball in the air.

 

I have only seen him play against Ipswich and he looked OK. But from what I have read on hear he sounds as if he has been poor. But so has DMG and he has been given a lot more games to prove himself.

 

I like your style. Take it one step further, maybe Cork with his moblity would be the best sweeper behind two markers in Perry/Pearce.

 

I favour a front sweeper, Cork in front of Perry/Pearce but making up a defensive triangle and being the first to try and stop the break. The rest of the team would be two attacking CMs and two wingers reinforcing a central striker.

[Alanh]

Completely agree about Lallana's indiscipline contributing to the lack of width on the right. In the formation we play the protection for the defence should be coming from the defensive midfielders, but I don't think Cork or Surman are ideally suited to the role as they both want to carry the ball out of the defensive positions rather than pick a pass and set the attackers off. Schneiderlin and Gillett are much more suited but obviously we've lost both to injury and have suffered as a result.

 

I'd also defend Lloyd James as I think he's a decent footballer who is playing out of position - I'm sure he's more of a midfielder - and is being exposed to the oppositions attacks down their left because of the lack of right midfield.

 

Personally I'd continue with the same formation, rather than go 4-4-2, but move Cork to RB, play two of Wotton, Gillet, Schneiderlin or James at DM, with an instruction to stop all breaks from the opposition midfield and cover the full backs when the attack. I'd move Surman to attacking mid, and play the most in form combination of Lallana, BWP, McG, Holmes, Thompson, Patterson and any other attackers I've forgotten in the winger and CF positions.

 

I think our defence is playing pretty well and I'd be relatively happy with Cork, Pearce, Perry and Skacel, but as we know Cork and pearce are due to leave soon and Skacel looks like he's off, to be replaced by the Everton lad. We may well end up having another conversation about how the defence needs sorting out again when we get to the end of January.

[itchen_dan]

Our team is like:

 

---------------Davis------------------

--James----Perry--Pearce----Skacel---

-----------Cork----Spiderman----------

----------------???-------------------

-???(Lallana Supposedly)-----Holmes/Surman

--------------McGoldrick--------------

 

Who is supposed to be our 'man in the hole'? Whoever it is is either always too far forward or to far back supporting - if too far back then one of either DM isnt doing their job properly as they have gone missing!

if too far forward that means that one of our DM isnt doing their job properly AGAIN as they are pushing the 'hole' man forward too much! We need a constant 2 DM to form a partnership (definately Gillett & Spiderman when both fit) so they know who is to push on slightly and who is going to sit and protect.

 

I'd also defend Lloyd James as I think he's a decent footballer who is playing out of position - I'm sure he's more of a midfielder - and is being exposed to the oppositions attacks down their left because of the lack of right midfield.

 

This is where my point about right midfield and Lallana comes in and i defend Lloyd James. Lallana or any of our many RM have not been in the correct position as everytime Lloyd James gets the ball he either:

1. Goes inside to CM or CB

2. Goes high down the line for Striker like McGoldrick - this then leaves us with no one in the middle to attack any proposed cross!

 

Where has the RM gone??? Drifted inside somewhere???

 

We need to give Gasmi a go who is a natural winger and will keep his position! if this fails then formation has to change! SIMPLE (Too simple for Poortvliet)

[Window Cleaner]

Our team is like:

 

---------------Davis------------------

--James----Perry--Pearce----Skacel---

-----------Cork----Spiderman----------

----------------???-------------------

-???(Lallana Supposedly)-----Holmes/Surman

--------------McGoldrick--------------

 

Who is supposed to be our 'man in the hole'? Whoever it is is either always too far forward or to far back supporting - if too far back then one of either DM isnt doing their job properly as they have gone missing!

if too far forward that means that one of our DM isnt doing their job properly AGAIN as they are pushing the 'hole' man forward too much! We need a constant 2 DM to form a partnership (definately Gillett & Spiderman when both fit) so they know who is to push on slightly and who is going to sit and protect.

 

 

 

This is where my point about right midfield and Lallana comes in and i defend Lloyd James. Lallana or any of our many RM have not been in the correct position as everytime Lloyd James gets the ball he either:

1. Goes inside to CM or CB

2. Goes high down the line for Striker like McGoldrick - this then leaves us with no one in the middle to attack any proposed cross!

 

Where has the RM gone??? Drifted inside somewhere???

 

We need to give Gasmi a go who is a natural winger and will keep his position! if this fails then formation has to change! SIMPLE (Too simple for Poortvliet)

 

Where do you get the idea that Gasmi is a natural winger from??

[derry]

It's taken a while but it is nice to see people talking about our missing right midfielder.

[mprobert]

Losing at home to Forest was bad enough but seeing people asking for Dyer back really brings home how bad things have become

[Whitey Grandad]

It's taken a while but it is nice to see people talking about our missing right midfielder.

It was blindingly obvious on Saturday, especially below me in the second half. There were wide open prairies where you could have grazed a herd of buffalo. Perhaps Jan should sit in the stands to see it. He's not doing much good on the touchline.

[derry]

It was blindingly obvious on Saturday, especially below me in the second half. There were wide open prairies where you could have grazed a herd of buffalo. Perhaps Jan should sit in the stands to see it. He's not doing much good on the touchline.

 

Funny you should say that, I have felt that all along. I would think the view from the Directors box would give a much more detailed perspective. I can't see the value of just standing on the touchline.

[Chez]

It's taken a while but it is nice to see people talking about our missing right midfielder.

 

to be honest the formation leaves us exposed on both sides. When the full back overlaps Skacel and James have been found wanting countless times. Add to the mix Skacel is lazy and James is poor and we have serious problems. I believe many people have posted all season that having no proper fullbacks at the club was a very poor move, having no protection in front of these poor `fullbacks' is just madness.

[derry]

to be honest the formation leaves us exposed on both sides. When the full back overlaps Skacel and James have been found wanting countless times. Add to the mix Skacel is lazy and James is poor and we have serious problems. I believe many people have posted all season that having no proper fullbacks at the club was a very poor move, having no protection in front of these poor `fullbacks' is just madness.

 

I would like to see specialist backs but this is what we have so I'm working with that. As for the madness, that is what it is.