Tony F

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Returning from the match....... I would say that Torres' problem is that his style of play is not matched to his team. Lambert's is very well matched. I would say the same of Demba Ba. When a player (especially a striker) has a style that fits his team then: Bingo Otherwise....... Drongo!!!!

The payer definitely has to authorize a DD and can cancel it any any time. The payee is responsible for activating it every month (ie asking for the money) - hence if they skipped a month they can activate it a month later....

The Bradford vs Villa match report clearly says that it was Bradford's aerial power that undid Villa. In fact all 3 goals came from headers I think. So next Saturday is, surely, exactly the sort of game where we need a Lambert type striker?? Be interesting to see if he can dominate

Gotta be Jack Cork in my view. Since he recovered from injury he has been selected every game; our team looks a lot more secure, has stopped shipping goals (like we were early on) and we look like a team with a whole new level of composure. Partly because he plays a largely unsung role, but has been really consistent, he gets overlooked a lot of the time...... we take what he does for granted. In addition, because of how well he's doing what he does, there is less pressure on Morgan who can operate in a freer role.

Chaplow has been cited in this role before. Are people ignoring him or forgetting him? Personally I feel that if Nigel had brought on Chaplow to disturb the Man U midfield after Scholes came on, we just might have saved (ie held on to) that game.

but then again, there is also that saying "you have to beat the teams around you". Apart from Wigan we have played most of them recently and are unbeaten against them.

With acknowledgement to Hatch who posted this link on another thread, it shows what is (in my view) a very interesting reflection on Saint's present situation - and recent achievements. http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/matchday/form-guide.html?tableView=total Of the 8 teams at the bottom of the Prem table, 7 of them occupy the bottom 7 places in the "last 6 matches" form guide, with 6 pts or less. This indicates that they are performing pretty much exactly in accordance with their league position. Saints, however, occupy fourth place, behind Man U, Stoke and Norwich, with 11 pts. They say its all about momentum..........sure as hell hope so!!!

No, can't do that - that was the plan when we were sh1t. Can't have the same plan for two completely different scenarios Tokyo.

OK - so we won 2 in a row. We already have 11 points, which equals Derby's "award winning" season. We are climbing the table so fast we're gonna get vertigo soon. After Sunday's win over the Geordies we are out of the relegation zone - but the problem is we're simply not mentally equipped for success. Wot do we do now?

Mind you, QPR are in the "strongest" position to fall short of the 11 points Premier League Season record of Derby Country. Something which Saints are now unable to do, whilst Reading and Sunderland are almost there........ Go one 'Arry - you know you want to!!!

It is 100% about management, almost all of which is pretty muich another word for getting the best out of others. The claim is that Adkins does have a talent for it. So, providing his players do, ultimately, have the capability to play the level of football required to get results in this league, he will find that capability and bring it out. Even it takes a while (10 games in our case).

No I absolutely don't think that Nigel would have been happy with this as his start point for a managerial career but I think it's fair to say that, on Day One, he did not know about these things. However over time he has found out, and initially was struggling to keep the boss happy without entering into a direct conflict - but sometime after the "we play 4-3-3" quote on TV (was it after the West Brom match?), he felt he had no choice but to face up to the man, tell him he'll do things his way and be judged accordingly, and since then the team has progressed in a manner that pleases us all. Which is why I feel it is significant that "the ghost of Bristol Rovers away" may finally have been exorcised. If Nigel can keep our newly-found run of form going, we stay up this season and move on from a firm foundation, it will be something he just may be able to look back on as a major turning point in both his career and the club's fortune. And also keep his bed free of horses heads ......

But - with Turkish also on board this changes everything - right?????

Thanks Turkish - so does that mean that if you, Glasgow and me see the possibility of this theory having some modicum of truth, I no longer need to submit the paperwork of self-referral to the asylum?

Sorry if you don't see it.........and observing the warning in your user name.......... but I think its as plausable an answer as any. And Glasgow Saints recent post points to a suggestion that there may be (may be, not IS) ongoing smoke from this particular pile of sticks. And if that indicates a fire which Mr Adkins has recently stamped on and extinguished - then good for him (and probably the club).

Bristol really isn't that far away you know

The question it tries to answer is the much asked one: "so why WAS Pardew sacked?" A question that has been aired on this forum numerous times, was widely posed in national press at the time and which raised its head again this week with the return of Pardew to St Mary's with Newcastle. Strictly speaking, the answer is "no-one knows" but in reality at least 2 people do....... and in the meantime there have been many various guesses and attempt. Mine is just one such; conspiracy theory or not. HTH

On 28 August 2010, Alan Pardew's Saints team won 4-0 at Bristol Rovers and shortly after that Pards was sacked. National press were incredulous at the timing. This forum was alive with theories, including one that Guly had been bought by NC without reference to Pardew. The story continues that Pardew didn't rate him, nor want to play him. NC told Pardew that Guly would play OR ELSE. Pardew brought Guly on with 5 mins of the 90 left (sub for Scheiderlin), Although Saints won 4-0 Pards was unceremonously sacked (for complying with the directive but taking the p*ss) and also, it seems, signed a gagging order as nothing has ever been revealed about the reasons or events leading to his departure. (apology that this is a re-hacked post from another thread but it does answer the question to some degree, I think....)

Dad's not a skate........ good call......... that swings it for me then - clearly we must all prefer Gaston (obligatory viewpoint) !!

Personally, given Ricky's knock plus being pleased with JayRod's 20 minutes on Sunday and the Liverpool game being next up (and Ricky desperate to be in for it) , I not only expect JayRod to start tomorrow, but I would very much like to see him given a chance now we have a formation that everyone understands, with key players who are playing well. I think he could fill a subtley different role to Ricky - but I'd like to see him given the chance to show it. Ricky on the bench maybe.......

Too true Maybe when we come to play Chelski they will be in tumultuous freefall!!??

After 11 games this season we had played 9 from the top half of the table. (All less Chelsea I think) The next run of games are all lower half club; incl Liverpool. Bring em on!

I think its fair to say that Lee is the only natural left footer amongst those you list. He is also in the top two pace-wise. For those reasons I am hoping (naiively, maybe) that Lee would be in with a shout. But I'm further hoping that this mitigation will not be necessary (ie Adam will remain fit and available)

In that case I wonder who our best alterantive would be if we lost Adam but wanted to keep the team's shape?