eelpie

Quite. Lowe out!

The tables speak for themselves http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/table/default.stm http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/table/default.stm

Exactly. Lowe's biggest mistake was in not renewing Pearson's contract. He was a great motivator here.

This is another piece of daft interfering by Lowe (if it was Lowe who was responsible as scooby says). Dyer is no further away from being the perfect article than most of our squad. Whatever Dyer's faults, he gives the team pace and ENERGY, which is getting to be a scarce commodity. He should have been given a run. He very nearly scored the winner against Ipswich, which shows what he is capable of.

But much better than at present.

Not renewing Pearson's contract was the biggest ever blunder that Lowe has made. He could have still pursued his cost-cutting and sold players -at Pearson's advice, but not indiscriminately, willy nilly as has been the case. But of course Lowe would never accept a mere manager or coaches advice, would he? Whatever, with Pearson we would now have a top quality motivator and leader who would scrape more wins than the present set-up is capable of doing. And the squad would now have been fitter with greater stamina. We will rue the day. I hope history proves me wrong, but I can't see it now.

It was posted on the tsf forum by many of us as soon as JPV was appointed in preference to Pearson that if the new manager failed to begin the season with strenuous stamina training we would be in trouble once the season became strenuous. And this concern was voiced continuously during pre-season. It hurts to say 'we told you so'.

Correct. JPV looked defeated on the touchline against Barnsley too. He is now realising his mistake in attempting to run a CCC team with Lowe dictating who is to play and who is not, who is to be signed and who is not, and seeing Saints experienced professionals sold or sidelined. The next weeks are going to be a challenge for everyone.

Thanks for the update TT. The good news is nothing less than Ron deserves.

The reason that neither Lowe nor Wilde attend all (or many) matches is because they are not LEADERS. Simple. This club is consequently drifting closer to the rocks. We have only had one natural leader recently. Pearson. Lowe could not compete with Pearson's brand of speaking the truth and common sense, so got rid of. Lowe must go and take his half interested poodle with him.

....on our knees

I thought the passing against ipswich was pretty accurate and found the man well. Against Barnsley it was spectacularly wayward.

1-1 Rotherham win on penalties, I fear.

The long passing didn't work on Saturday, because unlike Wednesdays accurate short passing game against Ipswich too many were going to the wrong side. I thought JPV looked passive and dejected. Why did he not make changes sooner? Dyer would have given the side energy at least.

We need some defenders who can run fast, because we get caught out by the long hoof when we are playing forward. Mills was constantly outpaced, for example. But I like Wotton's toughness.

This makes too much sense. Rupes will probably double prices to make up for lost bodies.

Schneiderlin is out, so I would play Dyer and McGoldrick instead of John who was a bored passenger on Wednesday. Isn't Skacel still injured?

Unfortunately most have grounds for complaining

It was Dyer's speed and bustling that was part of the energy that led to Surman's goal. During that time Saints were awesome. Dyer is an enigmatic player. He has only just returned to the team. I believe that PV can coach him to great things. Give him time. Soon enough he will score and he will be hero, not a villain.

It was Dyer's speed and bustling that was part of the energy that led to Surman's goal. During that time Saints were awesome. Dyer is an enigmatic player. He has only just returned to the team. I believe that PV can coach him to great things. Give him time. Soon enough he will score and he will be hero, not a villain.

I have consistently criticised the selling of specialist tough. skilled professionals. I deplored releasing Pearson. Like TDD and Alpine I have always bemoaned the lack of attention given to signing specialist tough defenders. And we have released so many outstanding strikers it makes me sick. But we are where we are now. Playing skillful passing football is what the lads do well. We have to build on our strengths and strengthen our weaknesses. Not criticise what at least is good. Yes, we need a few rotweillers to toughen up the team. I have never said that losing is good, let alone a pleasure. I am not a masochist. But that does not mean that we have to give up hope.

I think we are all (excepting scooby) feeling extremely angry at the way successive regimes at SFC/SLH have mismanaged Saints and brought us to this situation. And like you I feel very proud of the way the young lads have thrown themselves into this campaign. PV is doing well with his hands tied behind his back too. Heck. What can us mere groundlings do about it. Like other clubs the game is being taken away from us. All we can do is continue to support the team. Despair, which is very understandable, and moaning as many do on this forum doesn't win any friends.

Of course we all want to win. We all hate losing. But don't you get any pleasure from seeing a young team with quite a lot of potential, working hard to improve (as they are doing), or would you prefer it if you knew what the result was going to be before deciding to go to the match. Would you really prefer sitting through some of the moribund boring matches that we have all suffered in recent years, when results were slightly better? Whatever is said about this season so far, it is not boring.

Good points.

It is not me that needs to chill out. I enjoyed a very entertaining, nail-biting match on Wednesday. It's the guys who don't go to matches because we are having a bad spell, and get worked up over poor attendances and believe the press that are missing out.