The Outsider

Strictly speaking neither the times nor the guardian are broadsheets. The Times is a compact and the Guardian is a Berliner. The Sunday Times is a broadsheet however. I have no reason for posting that other than Ive always wanted to do an MLG, my apologies. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/your-complete-guide-to-the-201314-premier-league-season-8764230.html The independent has us finishing 8th, above swansea...I was surprised at that.

That was one of those genuinely life affirming moments, Ill never forget that moment. Congratulations Rickie, you're a Saints legend and seeing your pride at wearing the three lions was an example to the rest of the country.

No, what people want is for you to pipe down. And no, before you say it, thats not news either, its been known for a long, long time.

No I don't mean that, perhaps you mean that but I don't. If you look again there was a bit where I said 'That is better than any kit weve had for years', and that was what I meant which is why I said it.

That is better than any kit we have had for years.

http://www.eplindex.com/31849/premier-league-right-back-stats-comparison.html This article suggests that perhaps Clyne has some way to go yet....

Id like to state as well that I personally resent the use of the term 'manic/depressive' to describe what is evidently a Troll. This isnt aimed at you as I know these posters frustrate you too, however Id like to state that people who suffer from manic depression do not act how these posters do. Manic depression is episodes of mania and episodes of what can often result in suicidal depression. They are quite capable of being happy and often function perfectly healthily. These Trolls are exactly what they are, trolls, we would all be better off without them posting here.

Amen to that!

Im not being selective, it makes perfect sense to compare Adkins Last 14 games against Pochettinos first 14 (14 chosen because thats the sum total of games Pochettino has played). This is the best comparison because both managers had access to similar resources during this time. If we compare Adkins first 14 vs Pochettinos first 14 then it is not a fair comparison as there were different players available to the managers during this time and that the players had no experience at this level. Still, just to entertain your agenda, Adkins record would be 12 points from the first 14 vs Pochettinos 17 points over the same time. So despite it being a ridiculous comparison, skewed to Pochettinos advantage by factoring out the improvements made to the playing squad and tactical improvements by Adkins in the intervening time, plus by missing out all the points gained by the team in the intervening time, the results even then are still comparable. Of course, the last 14 vs first 14 is a much fairer comparison as everyone knows, the point stands that any reasonably minded person would be able to see that the comparative points totals between the two managers does not support the argument that we have improved massively under MP.

I find it very interesting that people are convinced Pochettino is definitely an upgrade and was worth the change. Adkins last 14 games in charge yielded 18 points Pochettinos 14 games in charge yielded 17 points. I dont really have that much of an opinion. I was happy with Adkins, Im happy with Pochettino so far. Still I dont understand why there is the narrative developing that Pochettino has turned us around, the points tally doesnt really support it.

haha Im surprised you bit that one so easily! I believe we are going to require a large level of investment if we are serious about targeting the top 6 next year, it seems a long way off at the moment.

I recall a certain Nick G being derided for saying that we should target 6th. I hope we are going to be fair and even handed now and either concede that Nick G was accurate in what his perception of the clubs ambitions for the forthcoming season are or ridicule Morgan and NC the same way Nick was ridiculed by some for suggesting this aspiration...

The length of this is proof that I have too much time on my hands today

He does know exactly what our weaknesses are as Ive pointed out above. He set them up accordingly, we were just too good. Nothing to do with tactics. Its the players. NA set Reading up to give them maximum opportunity with what they have, MP had several choices today and chose to go with Ramirez in order for the midfield to get possession and then pass through Lambert and Ramirez with Rodriquez and Davis running through. In truth, he could have gone with Lallana or even Puncheon in place of ramirez, as was evidenced by Lallana making an impact when he came on. Adkins didnt have any of those options. When your turning to Leigerwood to get some traction in midfield or Noel Hunt to try and get amongst us and nick you a goal, you are struggling. He did the best with what hes got, which is a top 6 championship squad. MP is sewing a lot of the rewards of NA's and the transfer committees work which is a great position for him, the same way that NA is in a terrible position, now inheriting the mess that McDermott had made of Readings PL campaign. For a start, MP inherited a squad that has adapted to the league. They now have the belief that they can win games in this league. They also have some of the best conditioning of any team in the league. They didnt become able to press high like that overnight, the squad has been on a carefully planned fitness regime that would see them get fitter as the season went on, this was to a great extent, NA's staffs work. The squad in general has adapted to the league and everyone is performing higher, an upward trajectory which was happening under NA is continuing apace under MP. I think its very difficult to differentiate. Ultimately, NA is a very capable manager, MP is proving himself also to be.

Actually Adkins tactics were excellent today from a coaching point of view. With the high pressing game we have embraced since MP took over, it dictates that the other team either play fast counter attacking football the quickly bypasses our midfield or that the team play highly direct over the top and in behind. As MP himself has said, you cannot press what is in the air. Direct tactics are very successful against high pressing teams, which is why most teams chose not to press high and instead prefer to allow the opposition the ball in their half, condensing the play slightly deeper in order to be more compact and not so exposed by pace in behind. This was evidenced by how teams such as newcastle beat us quite comfortably. To counteract exposure to teams by passing our advanced midfield, we have to play with a high line, we do this to compress the field and panic the opposition into turning the ball over to our centre halves. However, this leaves a lot of space in behind the defence. This is risky and always will be, whoever we play against, we are going to concede a lot of goals in games we are dominating under MP (Wigan, QPR, Newcastle). Knowing this weakness, today Adkins chose to play Le Fondre, not only in order to give them the threat in behind the high line but also by having this threat make us sit a fraction deeper as a unit. This would afford their defenders and deep lying midfielders that little more time to pick off direct passes into positions of maximum opportunity, and give their advanced players the opportunity to pick off the second balls. They used LeFondre to expose the lack of pace that we have at centre half. This pace threat meant that Hoiveld and Yoshida had to be wary of the ball in behind, and to begin with, we were positioned a little deeper as a team than usual. With us dropping off, Reading were able to play direct, commit bodies forward in support and try to get turnover higher up the pitch, not too disimilar to how we would set up positionally (though we would pass through the phases on the pitch as opposed to going through them direct, they simply dont have the personel to play the ball how we do). This plan worked for the first 20 minutes or so as they imposed themselves on us and slipped a few balls in behind. Unfortunately for them, they were useless. Thats the players fault, nothing to do with NA's tactics. Tactically, NA set Reading up very well with the limited options he had. Had he started with Pobgrebnyak, we would have been able to press even further up the field with complete impunity and beat them even more comfortably. Of course they could have tried to sit deep and park the bus, but ultimately, they needed to score they had to give yourself themselves an opportunity. They score very few as it is, they stand even less chance if they dont even attempt to offer an attacking threat and they need wins not draws. Over time, we grew in confidence, established ourselves higher up the pitch, shut down their out balls and were ultimately easily able to over come them as we gained monopoly of the ball, pinned them back, demoralised them and sapped what little hope they had. Our players are technically superior, much fitter and in high confidence and great form. Readings are short technically at this level, morale is low and their players were visibly flagging after 65 mins. We would have had to have truly stunk the place out today not to win today and for me the win was never in doubt, before or during the game. I think MP is very good, being a huge fan of the Bielsa school of football who MP so clearly is also, I am delighted watching us play the way we do. However, I think anyone who thinks that NA is tactically naive doesnt know much about tactics. He may appear one dimensional with the way he straight bats the press but anyone who is a student of the game knows he is a thoroughly progressive manager and tactician and that in fact his ethos is not too dissimilar to that of MP. Both of them are very intelligent and progressive coaches and weve been blessed in that department, both under NA and now under MP.