Legod Second Coming

I don't believe a single person in Southampton goes. Four years ago it took me 45 minutes to get out of the city with 32,000 crowds. Last night it took me 45 minutes to get out of the city. Ergo, there are 15,000 fans who live outside Southampton who actually respresent the only people who care enough to go!!!

I agree. I said in another post that if you have players doing the right things for 80% of the time, it is much easier than if you have only 80% of the players doing the right things. One thing that all young footballers suffer from is inconsistency. Even Theo, love-him, put in some stinkers. That's what happens when people are learning their trade. Naivety is also a factor of youth which sometimes forgets the conventional wisdom with humbling results. What is clear to me though is that we are either winning, losing or drawing 'as a team'. That bodes well for the season. There is no doubt in my mind it WILL be hard. At times, watching will be frustrating and heart-breaking. But THAT is football for the masses. I find myself watching now like a father, rather than a pure fan; willing people to do well not waiting for their inevitable failure. I cannot tell you what that is worth. At times against Brum and Derby (and even QPR) our play was breathtakingly good. To expect it always to be as good is also naive. Above all though, I am encouraged that the manager sees the flaws and knows full well that we are far from a diamond necklace. We have some roughly hewn stones and with luck, perserverence and a little more support, by Christmas we could be looking at a sparkling young side.

err, he did?? I thought he swapped John for Peckhart...

For the record our last five games have been two wins, two losses and a draw... anyone would think we have gone twenty games without a win...

amen brother. This is not the bruiser's league the fan on 606 last night claimed.

This is a very good point. The WHOLE team have a responsibility to defend as well as attack. Both goals were conceded from balls needlessly given away in midfield, causing problems with players then out of position.

Lordy, I'd forgotten that miss!!!

I put it down to Sunday Nick - the same team ran themselves ragged for 90 minutes with ten men - no matter how fit they are, that will take its toll.

I thought last night he could have done better with the second goal - come and punched maybe?? Having said which, had the ball not been given straight to their central midfielder when we were on the attack, they would not have scored!! Harsh to fault Kelvin tho when he came out and made that block, then leapt up and stopped the follow-up.

No, but if you can see and understand what is wrong, you can put it right!! Unlike Burley, Jan made good calls last night - Gillet for Morgan was a change that gave better stability to the midfield. John had to come off for Peckhart who scored! Good management starts when you leave your bullsh!t at the door and talk direct, concisely and informatively to your team and fans. The guy should be getting MORE credit on here not less.

err, trouble sleeping? An outdated 'dutch system' called: passing and moving?? and yet, works so well for Arsenal, Chelsea, Barca, Reading, QPR, Sunderland... Oh well, bring back Terry Hurlock and let's kick our way to a point against Ipswich...

Bloody disgrace!!!

I thought that. I thought, mm, here's us with the measure of Ipswich - both doomed...

As someone who has likened Adam to Stevie G, glad to find someone agreeing. He has class in spades. As for the game, all a bit surreal really. Clearly a bad case of laryngitis going around Hampshire... Our full backs are taking hammer and some it rightly so, some of it not so. Both of Ipswich's goals resulted from US giving the ball away in midfield to players running onto us - this is not easy for ANY team to defend as the back four suddenly find themselves in positions of having to turn, run back then face up. I can name names, but I'm not a blame merchant (unlike so many managers on here...) That said, we did defend poorly at times, failing to run the bloke into the channel and narrow his options - crosses were coming in far too easily and we simply do not have the HEIGHT to allow balls into the box at pace from the wings - you do realise this is how a lot of goals are scored in football - especially in this league, which I have banged on about for three years now!!! (WE should be doing more of it - crossing from the bye-line). All in all though, my gut feel says: 1) we looked tired from Sunday towards the end 2) Stern John does NOT fit this system (no fault to him, he is not quick enough or skillful enough) 3) we need to rotate a bit more to encourage some healtheir competition/cope with fatigue 4) full-backs need work on standig up, and channelling the wingers 5) a draw was a fair result. We can still play football. We have been MUCH better than last night. Hopefully that's a bit of confidence back. Oh and a BIG THUMBS up to Wotton. Nice to see a Captain go around bollocking and encouraging in equal measure. After all the goals (ours and theirs), he geed the lads up and gave them some good direction - MORE of the same please Paul!! Mildly satisfied and relieved.

Can I just ask. If you come to a game and sit with your arms folded, what are you doing there? A football stadium is the one place in the world you can scream, swear and abuse people for 94 minutes without getting arrested. So why not get off your fat arse and do it??!!!

For me, this guy calls every game spot on. A really honest assessment on the OS. What a breath of fresh air to have a bloke in charge who watches the same games!

I give him another two games...

I never blamed the players for relegation. That was the fault of three managers in one season, but please, let's not start that hackneyed debate again...

I still habour hopes for promotion. Do you know why?? Because if you are going to take HOPE away from a Southampton fan, than you might as well give up. 30 years I have lived in hope. Like a few poor results is going to stop me. Finally, for the first time since 1984, I feel like I'm supporting my home players again. Don't ask why (also a card carrying Lowe agnostic!!) but circumstances being what they are, I'll just go and enjoy the football thanks. And take the results on the chin like a man. But to those who seek to crush hope, humbug!!

The minus 5 goal difference DD - helped do you not think by playing QPR with ten men for an hour and conceding 3 goals, one off-side?? I HATE excuses, but frankly, we have defended really badly in two games - not five.

Don't be ashamed. I lumped on us to go down at 9/2 and 7/2 last season. My only regret is that I did not lump on Leicester on the final day - that's when you realise how much your club means to you. When you are so fecking nervous and excited you forget your covering stake! But hey, like a I gave a to55 when we stayed up! kicked myself all the way home mind...

Agreed. We should be having this debate in November, not after five frigging games with one at home in hand and one against Barnsley to follow...

Why are people talking about 'pretty football'??? (mainly those who don't go often, I ...) Cos what I enjoy watching is players GIVING THEIR ALL THROUGHOUT THE GAME. Not hard to work out why, is it?? And it is effective. It is not always excuted all the time. That might be because we have a YOUNG, CHEAP, INEXPERIENCED, UNPROVEN squad. Doh, and people thought we would be winning every week...

I know, what would be ideal is to make the next game a must win and pile pressure on the team (after five games) and for good measure, can I suggest we boo each mistake they make in our frustration and impatience...

Cut adrift... sure, already the gap between us and safety with a game in hand must be what 10 points, 20, 30... feck me.