1965onwards

It is a given that a football managers job is to get the best out of the players at his disposal. JP has come here to instill "total football" in the team,mostly using young players who are more receptive to new ideas and able to adapt than hard-bitten journeymen. We have seen some flowing passing football(but nowhere near as much as some contend), which largely fails to produce much in the danger zone.It is not that difficult to pass the ball around when the opposition sit off you in midfield,but as soon as we get near their box teams close in and we lose possession. So many seem to be wetting their pants watching this uncontested passing,well,sorry to rain on your parade but professional football is about being effective. However,it is not the youngsters fault if they are not good enough(or not yet anyway). It is JPs job to assess each player individually to find out what each are capable of in the short and long term,but the overiding priority must be the short term,as there may not be a long term. It has been obvious from day one that we have overwhelmingly serious problems defensively,and so far no combination of players has improved the situation.We lack height,experience and intelligence(have done for years). It is perfectly obvious that we will not outscore opponents to make up for the goals we will concede. It is the managers job to devise a way of playing that maximises players strenghts and minimises their deficiencies,which is mostly defensive with our lot. JP has totally FAILED in this respect.He is on a "total football" egotrip without the players to back it up. Don't be fooled by Tuesdays result,we were battered again second half,only saved by Davis again and poor finishing. We don't have a defence and we play in a way that totally exposes it.That would not be so bad if we were scoring lots of goals,but we ain't.The way we are playing leaves the defence to completely fend for itself. ALL our midfielders are completely useless defensively in our present set-up. JP needs to start doing his job properly pretty soon,the teams below us will improve as the season goes on,they always do.There are no signs that we will.

Think we should put Lowe and Wilde in the hole and fill it in.

.........that Lowe thought we had enough young talent, whereby putting them in the shop window,he could raise enough money in the January sales to more than pay off the overdraft. Probably the reason behind offering contracts to Dyer,McGoldrick and Lallana in particular. Can't see him getting anywhere near the money he expected. Be lucky to see £3million IMO.

The tipping point will come if we fail to pay any tax or vat bill,as they are the people most likely to force us into administration. Also,if the bank refuses to sanction any further money to the plc,we will be in the position of being unable to meet our commitments as they become due,which will be the test required for the board to apply for administration as required by law.

I said weeks ago that we had not done enough to reduce overheads and our overdraft had increased,but the usual suspects poo-pooed it. Too few on here have any perspective on finance or football,not to mention those running the club and the team.

Rudi needs some help.

Skacel running out of steam,not surprising.

Link not working Ponty

I like my pigs au naturelle.

It ain't total football though. Put lipstick on a pig,its still a pig.

Su stopped playing football,we are in trouble.

Some people seem to think we play total football,lol.

If we are,it does not equate to total football,more like players playing the way they are comfortable with.

Funny how we are better not playing total football.

We're not paranoid,its just everyone hates us.

We need a MLT clone

Already a much better performance.

Go to Frattan,you can see thousands of c**ts.

Corner to SU,all players back again and no outlet. Idiots.

If you take Window Cleaners initials,it tells you all you need to know. First post 26th September,so seems likely a Lowe plant.

Yes SW,but do you feel the same about Norwich Union as you do Saints.Course not. And you know that you are getting something worthwhile from N.U,and you can take your business elsewhere whenever you want. Unfortunately,those running clubs are exploiting peoples emotional attachment to their clubs to shaft them,and none moreso than Lowe and Wilde.People feel that their clubs have been taken away from them,and in essence they have. Fans can get their clubs back if they want,but they have to accept that it may cause short-term damage.But i believe that the damage has already been done ,we are just one of many teetering on the edge.This banking fiasco may be just the thing to sort out the nonsensical finances of football.

If your going to get shafted,get it out of the way as soon as possible. Take your medicine and get on with things.

You are suggesting SW that football HAS to be financed that way,just because it has been for so long,but that is not the case. It is perfectly possible for football to be run like a normal business.It would be greatly to the supposters benefit if it was. One of the reasons that supporters feel that their teams has been hijacked by various arseholes,is because these arseholes use the security of this upfront payment to totally ignore the feelings of the supporters.

You probably wouldn't Chez,as you would pick your games,and not go to all of them. By not having this forward income Lowe would have to run the business taking into account the views and opinions and needs of his customers,like a proper business does. He would have to react accordingly,for fear of his customers refusing to buy his product at all,and the business failing overnight. If only football supporters would grasp this fact,football could be changed considerably in a very quick time.Supporters have considerable power if they are prepared to use it.

Why do people assume that Lowe and Wilde will find it so easily to grab everything post administration,just because it happened elsewhere does not mean it will happen here. Fulthorpe and others will be circling for sure. Can't see the tight-fisted Lowe offering the most. Wouldn't be surprised if Lowe and Wilde hadn't lost a lot of money recently in the stock market .