Our Best Result of the Season

[Nineteen Canteen]

Under normal circumstances an away point against the top of the table side could well be seen as a goodish result - I'm not so sure however celebrating the dropping of another two points is a luxury that we be able to afford much longer .

 

That maybe so, but today I think we can see it as a point gained. I was out of radio range today and can't comment on the game as I wasn't able to tune in. However, by all accounts we played very well although slightly concerned they had two disallowed goals second half. Onward and upward.

[madruss]

One or two injuries to our better players and we are no better than most in L1.

 

Plus we have 5 points from 21 thats relegation form not promotion. Sure we might turn the corner but I think we have royally ****ed this season already.

 

At the end of September last season we were 3 points off the playoffs having played 9 games. Yet we all know how that season ended.

 

However the performances were not that great, there was very little sign of improvement on a game-to-game basis and the signings we had made (Jack Cork aside) did not improve the side at all. Also, our defence was shaky, uncertain and lightweight and could not defend a set piece to save their lives.

 

The opposite is true this season, a poor start but with genuine signs of improvement throughout the side and, most importantly, a defence as solid as I have seen for a very long time. Once the goals and wins come (which they will) even the most hardened pessimist will struggle to not look to the future with a bit of optimism.

[lordswoodsaints]

Er, why would I back them when I hadn't seen the new team??!!

 

I am confident I will be collecting.

 

The league is yet 39 games young - that's 117 points to play for my friend...

 

Don't get me wrong I admire your enthusiastic optimism and you are right in saying there are 117 points to play for........but we need about half of those points just to scrape to safety.

At the moment we are averaging 0.7 points per game and to survive in this league we need to average 1.4 points per game (5 years history of finishing above relegation) so a doubling of efforts is needed,a very big ask in anybodys language,not impossible but very unlikely.

 

We are all sipping from the same cup and I really pray you are right but it is going to take more than one decent game for me to part with my money and back us for promotion.

[saint_stevo]

Le God Second Comer

 

I will pay you £30 if we get promoted

 

If we dont, you only would have to pay me £10

 

Deal?

[St Marco]

One or two injuries to our better players and we are no better than most in L1.

 

Plus we have 5 points from 21 thats relegation form not promotion. Sure we might turn the corner but I think we have royally ****ed this season already.

 

 

In all fairness i think people need to get a bit of a reality check

 

This season was fooked the momment we went into admin, got -10 and had no manager,staff or even owner for the majority of our pre-season.

Anyone expecting us to go up with those things happening is a nutter.

 

We HAVE turned a corner.

 

We have played Millwall,Colchester,Huddersfield and now Charlton. 4 teams who the critics/bookies have as being contenders for promotion. Of those 4 games we lost only one. A club that has come out of the fire like we have and not losing to 3 fancied teams in just the first month is a good sign.

 

The team has come together well and obviously a few loans will come in. But not even our first 11 competed with the top team who had won 6 out of 6. There was nothing between the two sides.

 

So what is there to be unhappy about? If we were losing week after week and getting turned over then i would understand but right now we are playing ok and will get better as the season progresses. I would much rather win games because we deserved to win them then fluke a couple of wins a month.

The team being built is to win more games on merit rather then luck and anyone watching the games can see we are near to that.

 

The problem is some people are so negative that they enjoy being that way. They love to **** on peoples fire. Some people come away from the games happy when we win and sometimes even when we lose if we play well. Where as others are only happy when we lose, they enjoy the fact it gives them the chance to once again be negative.

[Glasgow_Saint]

Anyone expecting us to go up with those things happening is a nutter.

 

 

Different people, different expectations. I would have considered our chances of promotion this season very realistic (So did AP).

Yes we did start -10, yes we almost lost our club ect ect however we have loads of positives too.

 

- Last seasons top scorer

- Best keeper in the league

- experienced and strong back 4

- Premiership manager

- CCC standard players

- Financial backing

- Biggest spenders in L1

- Fantastic (prem) ground and facilities

- Great following home/away

- International players

 

If thinking we were capable of promotion makes me a nutter, then im a nutter.

[lordswoodsaints]

In all fairness i think people need to get a bit of a reality check

 

This season was fooked the momment we went into admin, got -10 and had no manager,staff or even owner for the majority of our pre-season.

Anyone expecting us to go up with those things happening is a nutter.

 

We HAVE turned a corner.

 

We have played Millwall,Colchester,Huddersfield and now Charlton. 4 teams who the critics/bookies have as being contenders for promotion. Of those 4 games we lost only one. A club that has come out of the fire like we have and not losing to 3 fancied teams in just the first month is a good sign.

 

The team has come together well and obviously a few loans will come in. But not even our first 11 competed with the top team who had won 6 out of 6. There was nothing between the two sides.

 

So what is there to be unhappy about? If we were losing week after week and getting turned over then i would understand but right now we are playing ok and will get better as the season progresses. I would much rather win games because we deserved to win them then fluke a couple of wins a month.

The team being built is to win more games on merit rather then luck and anyone watching the games can see we are near to that.

 

The problem is some people are so negative that they enjoy being that way. They love to **** on peoples fire. Some people come away from the games happy when we win and sometimes even when we lose if we play well. Where as others are only happy when we lose, they enjoy the fact it gives them the chance to once again be negative.

 

A well written piece st marco.

And I totally agree with people being realistic but people over cooking our chances,promotion candidates etc etc are just as bad as the negative posters IMO

The truth is we have been relegation candidates from day one and todays result hasn't changed that statitiscal fact.....we are not gaining enough points per game to stay in this league......this is not negative,it is the facts,obviously this can change but but for every game that passes our points per game needs to rise (if that game is not a win).

If people want to be optimistic that's fine,but I prefer to be realistic.

[Dark Munster]

2014?

 

Not possible. The world ends on 21/12/12

[St Marco]

Different people, different expectations. I would have considered our chances of promotion this season very realistic (So did AP).

Yes we did start -10, yes we almost lost our club ect ect however we have loads of positives too.

 

- Last seasons top scorer

- Best keeper in the league

- experienced and strong back 4

- Premiership manager

- CCC standard players

- Financial backing

- Biggest spenders in L1

- Fantastic (prem) ground and facilities

- Great following home/away

- International players

 

If thinking we were capable of promotion makes me a nutter, then im a nutter.

 

- Lambert signed after the 1st game of the season (didn't he play like the day after he signed?) Before that day we had basically Patterson as looked like Saga and Rasiak were off. Even now our strike force needs probably an extra additions.

 

- Kelvin was here but can only keep out what comes at him, he can't win us the game only lose it.

 

- Strong back 4. Murty - Signed 5 days after our 1st game on 13th August (a month tomorrow), Harding - Signed 21st July. Jaidi Signed last week, Trotman signed 20th august (after 4 games).

Only 1 of those 4 players was signed before the season started and that was by just over a week. If those players had not come in how would those results have been? Maybe like the 2 losses perhaps? So to expect the club to get promoted prior to those people arriving as i said only a nutter would expect that.

Now they have signed we now have confidence and can raise our expectations. But not to a point of expecting to beat a team away who is top and won 6 out of 6....

 

- Prem manager, he has not been one of those for awhile. His last job he is blamed for spending money on not so good players and eventually causing relegation to league one. Not a high flying top of the table CCC manager that some paint him as. I like Pardew and think he has done well here but he is here based on what he has done in the past, we are hoping he will emulate that. Because he is here does not = promotion simply because he once did something a few clubs ago.

 

CCC Players - The same players who got the club relegated from that league. Does that not say they were not good enough for that level if they could not perform in it? Other then Davis the rest did poor last season. Our squad last year was ****. It was made ****ter by players leaving DMG,Euell,Surman,BWP etc etc. It was not until a few weeks before our 1st game could we even think about adding to it.

 

Financial Backing - Again same with above it was not until late on that we were in that position. If you roll back to when the pinnacle bid failed would you have expected promotion then with how the club was? When ML took over he paid supposedly £25m to clear the debts of the club. The playing side has been carefully put together without spending millions and millions.

But that was started on 10th august, already having started the season. We have spent just £1.7m. That is not a lot of money in terms of transfer fees. If clubs could get promoted from this league by paying almost £2m everyone would do it wouldn't they...

 

Great stadium/Fans - We have always had great fans and have had a nice stadium for sometime. So how is it that for the majority of years since we have had the stadium we have struggled? Only really having one good season since being there. We had more success with a supposed **** stadium.

The fans are great most of the time but it is not their fault with who is playing on the pitch. They cannot make Jermaine Wright play like Ronaldo.

Having a great stadium and great fans does not mean you should be promoted. Look at Leeds.

 

So as i am trying to proove this club is now in the right direction and only now can our expectations start to grow. Before we were bought if things stayed as they were we would of all expected to battle relegation. To avoid it would of been the minimum we expect. We are only a month from that expectation. A lot has happened in that time and a lot more will continue to happen. What happen's in the first month will not determine where we end up in 2-3 years time. And this is the point people miss. We are building so that in that 2nd season we are a strong team without any of the shackles we have had over the last couple of months or even years.

If people expect those things to happen now just 7 games into a season with 8 players having arrived in just over a month then as i said they are nuts.

[alpine_saint]

A well written piece st marco.

And I totally agree with people being realistic but people over cooking our chances,promotion candidates etc etc are just as bad as the negative posters IMO

The truth is we have been relegation candidates from day one and todays result hasn't changed that statitiscal fact.....we are not gaining enough points per game to stay in this league......this is not negative,it is the facts,obviously this can change but but for every game that passes our points per game needs to rise (if that game is not a win).

If people want to be optimistic that's fine,but I prefer to be realistic.

 

Indeed. Sooner or later, Pardew has to start pushing the pace of improvement: today, he was able to call on three players who could help push the pace, but he benched them and didnt use any of them until the game was 75% over.

[The boy done well]

Indeed. Sooner or later, Pardew has to start pushing the pace of improvement: today, he was able to call on three players who could help push the pace, but he benched them and didnt use any of them until the game was 75% over.

 

Well my friend, you should have gone. AP chose the right team and played the right game. He also made the right substitutions at the right time. We thought we were pretty good from where we were standing and if you had gone maybe you'd feel as positive as I and those that I went with feel now. At last after years of rubbish we've got a proper football team back. AT LAST! Celebrate it for god's sake. Don't knock it.

Edited 12 September, 2009 by The boy done well
spelling error

[St Marco]

I do have to agree that you can't knock Pardew today as he got it all right.

If you look at people's teams before the game you notice they picked both Morgan and Mills to start. He did the same thing. We were cruising until we let in a sloppy goal. He cannot be at fault for that. If he is they surely he must take credit for the goal we scored too?....

When they did score they had a 20min spell where they dominated. He made changes, an attacking change which paid off. When we did that we were the better team again. So seriously i don't understand how anyone could knock his decisions today as from where i was there was nothing else he could do.

As i mentioned earlier we were getting done with the pace at the back via counter attacks. How would gambling and going for all three points change anything? We could lose then what would people say? He made a dumb mistake which cost us a point, que drama.

As stated above how is it those who go to the games, those who pay hard cash to watch it are actually happy with what is happening but yet those who don't are not happy?

My only advice would be to get down to the games, come with us lot and watch them. Your see first hand what is happening and that might make you cheer up a bit to see how positive it is and how it could be. Surely that makes a change from the last two seasons were all you could see was **** performance after **** performance?

[fred kemp]

good post tbdw, spot on

[Window Cleaner]

Not possible. The world ends on 21/12/12

 

Unfortunately not,he mesoamerican long count calendar is all bollix, the in-laws will still be round for Xmas in 2012 as well still we should have won a game by then. I had an excellent day out today, few beers with the couz,saw what to me was an excellent game and thought that the result was about right, no complaints really because we looked good most of the time and I'm sure that we'll get there soon.

[surrey1saint]

Unfortunately not,he mesoamerican long count calendar is all bollix, the in-laws will still be round for Xmas in 2012 as well still we should have won a game by then. I had an excellent day out today, few beers with the couz,saw what to me was an excellent game and thought that the result was about right, no complaints really because we looked good most of the time and I'm sure that we'll get there soon.

 

Thanks for a sensible post!

[musesaint]

I blame Rupert.

 

I think he should resign immediately :-)

[Block 5]

The only thing that worries me from todays game is that we have taken the leagues top scorer and have turned him into an isolated.ineffectual cart-horse.

 

Lone striker versus two of the best CBs in this league.

You work it out for yourself mate........

[Block 5]

Well my friend, you should have gone. AP chose the right team and played the right game. He also made the right substitutions at the right time. We thought we were pretty good from where we were standing and if you had gone maybe you'd feel as positive as I and those that I went with feel now. At last after years of rubbish we've got a proper football team back. AT LAST! Celebrate it for god's sake. Don't knock it.

 

Er..... you realise that you are talking to Alpine don't you?

[dubai_phil]

It's far to early yet for me to say "Told You So"....

 

In one or more of the many "Welcome ML" threads I pointed out the Swiss business methodology.

 

It is about efficiency, it is about measuring performance and reviewing it in depth and then making minor adjustments so that it keeps improving. There is a lack of creativity in general, but that is compensated for by an ever increasing reliability.

 

Now, considering that our club looked like an old Casio watch that had been hit by a hammer at the start of the season, I'm actually SURPRISED at how quickly each weakness in the playing squad has been identified from performances and action taken to rectify it.

 

We're building a genuine Tag Heuer here, not another cheap fake Rolex, the signs ARE there for anyone to see who had worked closely with major Swiss corporations, but certainly it's happening quickly.

 

Of course the downside is that as fans we have never really had this vision of slow and gentle improvement. It may have existed for a time with Hoddle & Jones, but even then we always felt uneasy, right now we simply aren't mentally ready to TRUST the leadership of our club to do the right thing.

 

The facts are there, we as fans have criticised aspects, the club have not only noted it, but they have said they have noted it and they have taken action, perform, review, feedback, improve.

 

Last season, for WHATEVER reasons, the management tried to keep putting the pieces of the Casio back together with sticky tape, brown paper and loo roll middles.

 

This season, for us as fans, things aren't happening fast enough, but it is really clear that even for the Swiss, they are reacting quickly. The moment I think I see signs that this is not happening, then I will join the chorus of worriers. Right now, I'm happily impressed with what is happening at the club, but darned frustrated (as a fan) that we haven't got a 100% winning record.

 

I still think we have the makings of a damned fine watch in more ways than one this season, and we can all look down the road and see what happens when you try and sheikh a fake Rolex to get it to work......

[John B]

It's far to early yet for me to say "Told You So"....

 

In one or more of the many "Welcome ML" threads I pointed out the Swiss business methodology.

 

It is about efficiency, it is about measuring performance and reviewing it in depth and then making minor adjustments so that it keeps improving. There is a lack of creativity in general, but that is compensated for by an ever increasing reliability.

 

Now, considering that our club looked like an old Casio watch that had been hit by a hammer at the start of the season, I'm actually SURPRISED at how quickly each weakness in the playing squad has been identified from performances and action taken to rectify it.

 

We're building a genuine Tag Heuer here, not another cheap fake Rolex, the signs ARE there for anyone to see who had worked closely with major Swiss corporations, but certainly it's happening quickly.

 

Of course the downside is that as fans we have never really had this vision of slow and gentle improvement. It may have existed for a time with Hoddle & Jones, but even then we always felt uneasy, right now we simply aren't mentally ready to TRUST the leadership of our club to do the right thing.

 

The facts are there, we as fans have criticised aspects, the club have not only noted it, but they have said they have noted it and they have taken action, perform, review, feedback, improve.

 

Last season, for WHATEVER reasons, the management tried to keep putting the pieces of the Casio back together with sticky tape, brown paper and loo roll middles.

 

This season, for us as fans, things aren't happening fast enough, but it is really clear that even for the Swiss, they are reacting quickly. The moment I think I see signs that this is not happening, then I will join the chorus of worriers. Right now, I'm happily impressed with what is happening at the club, but darned frustrated (as a fan) that we haven't got a 100% winning record.

 

I still think we have the makings of a damned fine watch in more ways than one this season, and we can all look down the road and see what happens when you try and sheikh a fake Rolex to get it to work......

 

Although in theorey what you are saying is possibly right.

 

 

The future of the team is in Pardew's hands and has nothing really to do with the Swiss.

 

 

He choses the players and tactics they just provide the environment to work.

 

 

Obviously if we had a differeent manager the team would play in another way possibly better possibly worse.

 

 

But at the moment things are looking OK but nothing more whether this team is going to get us promoted soon is something we will have to wait for.

 

 

I am still not certain what the current regimes goals actually are as we do not appear to be building a team with the CCC in mind

[dubai_phil]

Although in theorey what you are saying is possibly right.

 

 

The future of the team is in Pardew's hands and has nothing really to do with the Swiss.

 

 

He choses the players and tactics they just provide the environment to work.

 

 

Obviously if we had a differeent manager the team would play in another way possibly better possibly worse.

 

 

But at the moment things are looking OK but nothing more whether this team is going to get us promoted soon is something we will have to wait for.

 

 

I am still not certain what the current regimes goals actually are as we do not appear to be building a team with the CCC in mind

 

 

Obviously AP's role is critical, again, each week, do we see some improvement, so far I think we do, especially as others say when compared to Swindon or Huddersfield.

 

I actually hold to one really important concept about team building.

 

"You MUST build a team for the League that you are in".

 

Look back at the Burley era and all the spin from the OS et al about "signing players with PL quality". Well, the fact was that they were not able to perform in the CCC.

 

Our kids were coached for 10 years or so in how to be PL level players and then thrown into the CCC and weren't up to it. And BOY how they weren't up for L1 either!

 

Build the best possible team you can for the league you are in, compete and get the hell out of it.

 

As fans, we shouldn't actually be depressed, after all we simpy have to go back and simply read what was said and let logic take over from the heart, why else have a 5 year plan?

 

The reality is that we really didn't have enough of a team or a club to get out of L1 this year.

 

That isn't a lack of ambition it is a realism which we have not had for many years. You build your foundation on realism and then strive to exceed (ie you "aim" for a play-off place).

 

It was always unlikley, it is now more unlikely but it COULD still happen.

 

If it happens this season then we now have a backbone of players for the CCC but if we DID gain promotion then many or our side CDAJF aspiring L1 clubs next year and so we would be in a proper buy/sell to improve world

[cadiz saint]

Agree, 100%.

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

 

As fans, we shouldn't actually be depressed, after all we simpy have to go back and simply read what was said and let logic take over from the heart, why else have a 5 year plan?

 

 

In battle not even the best laid plans can survive first contact with the enemy - Helmuth von Moltke

 

 

We've little choice for now but to keep on plugging away and hope our luck changes - but it must be said Alan Pardew doesn't have 5 years (or anything like it) to sort this team out - he must keep us up this season as a absolute minimal requirement .

 

To achieve that (modest) aim we obviously have to start winning football matches - Yeovil next Saturday would be nice .

Edited 13 September, 2009 by CHAPEL END CHARLIE

[weaver girl]

Obviously AP's role is critical, again, each week, do we see some improvement, so far I think we do, especially as others say when compared to Swindon or Huddersfield.

 

I actually hold to one really important concept about team building.

 

"You MUST build a team for the League that you are in".

 

Look back at the Burley era and all the spin from the OS et al about "signing players with PL quality". Well, the fact was that they were not able to perform in the CCC.

 

Our kids were coached for 10 years or so in how to be PL level players and then thrown into the CCC and weren't up to it. And BOY how they weren't up for L1 either!

 

Build the best possible team you can for the league you are in, compete and get the hell out of it.

 

As fans, we shouldn't actually be depressed, after all we simpy have to go back and simply read what was said and let logic take over from the heart, why else have a 5 year plan?

 

The reality is that we really didn't have enough of a team or a club to get out of L1 this year.

 

That isn't a lack of ambition it is a realism which we have not had for many years. You build your foundation on realism and then strive to exceed (ie you "aim" for a play-off place).

 

It was always unlikley, it is now more unlikely but it COULD still happen.

 

If it happens this season then we now have a backbone of players for the CCC but if we DID gain promotion then many or our side CDAJF aspiring L1 clubs next year and so we would be in a proper buy/sell to improve world

It's refreshing to read a series of well argued and sensible posts. I find it very strange that some people here believe a winning team can be built in a matter of weeks. In any sport, in any organisation a winning team takes time to create. Simples, no?

[dubai_phil]

In battle not even the best laid plans can survive first contact with the enemy - Helmuth von Moltke

 

 

We've little choice for now but to keep on plugging away and hope our luck changes - but it must be said Alan Pardew doesn't have 5 years (or anything like it) to sort this team out - he must keep us up this season as a absolute minimal requirement .

 

To achieve that (modest) aim we obviously have to start winning football matches - Yeovil next Saturday would be nice .

 

Totally agree we have to start winning games and damned quickly!

 

(History tends to show we never win until I get back for my first game though!)

 

The bright side is that we are (at present) improving every game, and have players who when fully fit will also come in and help strengthen the team. It has been a long time since that actually happened and a lot of our expectation and aspirations are set up to be expecting disaster, rather than seeing that things really might be different now.

 

I think our collective mindset for too many years has been about hoping for improvement while deep down knowing we had real weaknesses in the squad (losing Killer and never replacing him is the best example).

 

The real TEST will come when we actually reach our level and stop getting better each game, I think we are a way away from that yet, but like all the fans I still worry that we reach a plateau of performance that could be lower than we need it to be to even stay up.

 

But personally I think we may actually be slowly moving onwards and upwards (who the heck came up with that awful line!)

[Professor]

Interesting outcome from the Charlton game. Expectations were not high because of Charlton's 100% record together with Saint's team building not being complete, so many fans would have settled for the draw before the game. On the day, for many fans it felt more like two points lost, because the first half domination and the goal, raised expectations, espacially with Jaidi and Waigo still to come. In the event it seemed Pardew may have under-used them and that the win was there if he had been a little bolder.

But this does make the Yeovil game the next biggest game of the season. Failing to win next week is almost unthinkable for most fans now. Pardew will know that very well, and he will probably feel under a lot of pressure this week, despite feeling the team did well to get Saturday's draw.

[John B]

Totally agree we have to start winning games and damned quickly!

 

(History tends to show we never win until I get back for my first game though!)

 

The bright side is that we are (at present) improving every game, and have players who when fully fit will also come in and help strengthen the team. It has been a long time since that actually happened and a lot of our expectation and aspirations are set up to be expecting disaster, rather than seeing that things really might be different now.

 

I think our collective mindset for too many years has been about hoping for improvement while deep down knowing we had real weaknesses in the squad (losing Killer and never replacing him is the best example).

 

The real TEST will come when we actually reach our level and stop getting better each game, I think we are a way away from that yet, but like all the fans I still worry that we reach a plateau of performance that could be lower than we need it to be to even stay up.

 

But personally I think we may actually be slowly moving onwards and upwards (who the heck came up with that awful line!)

 

Have you any real idea of the Goals of the club at present and how we are going to achieve them?

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

I'm happy to concede the squad's getting better , I'm less ready to accept that the performances are reflecting that as yet . Thinking back on the season I'd say Millwall at home on the opening day was at least the equal of anything I've seen subsequently . Perhaps that was our 'new manager bounce' .

 

Everything is in place now you'd think to make SFC a successful football club , wealthy owner , good experienced manager & relatively decent players - but somehow we seem to have baked a pretty unappealing cake with all these tasty ingredients .

 

Let's hope it just needs a few more minutes in the oven - he says stretching the analogy to breaking point

[Legod Third Coming]

Le God Second Comer

 

I will pay you £30 if we get promoted

 

If we dont, you only would have to pay me £10

 

Deal?

 

Er, you are offering me 3/1, for a bet I have just had £50 on at 18/1.

 

You give me 12/1 and it's a bet...

[hughieslastminutegoal]

Interestingly, we have now played four of the top six teams. A good result today, unbeaten now in four. This all clutching at straws however, we really need to get the win next Saturday.

 

I don't think it is clutching at straws. Slowly but surely AP is getting things sorted. Getting a team to play his way and change personnel doesn't happen overnight. It's only September. It is happening.

[dubai_phil]

Have you any real idea of the Goals of the club at present and how we are going to achieve them?

 

Nope, only what I read at the time of the takeover and subsequently.

 

I'm not one to spend hours criticising players or managers about performances I haven't seen, I just listen, watch, read and analyse. Personal experience tells me that ML & NC coming from successful business backgrounds would infer that they have a business plan. Bringing back Oldknow showed they felt the need for people around them who had some inkling of how things work

While they have access to far better funding to facilitate a quicker improvement at the club than say Whacko or the previous regimes, I don't honestly believe it to be rocket science to conclude that the club was in a mess and needed a plan to get out of it.

 

Of course, as you mention, for ALL we know, their plan may be to keep us in the dark during the recession while their evil world domination plan is built to allow them to create a massive industrial free trade zone on Jackson's Farm, expand Eastleigh to take 1,000 flights a day and demolish SMS to build a new deep water terminal to take on industrial toxic waste to dump in the New Forest...

 

But in honesty, my guess is that a successful businessman as opposed to an Oligarch or an egotict probably has a sensible sustainable and eventually successful plan in mind. (Unlike our friends down the road)

[um pahars]

If you go back to the OP, then surely it has to be our best result of the season (i.e away to the league leaders).

 

I predicted 1-1 and would have been happy with that before the game, so no quibbles from me. I would guess that the majority of those that went have reported back fairly positively, so all in all, a good day's work for me.

 

A hammering of Yeovil wouldn't go amiss though!

[Legod Third Coming]

If you go back to the OP, then surely it has to be our best result of the season (i.e away to the league leaders).

 

I predicted 1-1 and would have been happy with that before the game, so no quibbles from me. I would guess that the majority of those that went have reported back fairly positively, so all in all, a good day's work for me.

 

A hammering of Yeovil wouldn't go amiss though!

 

We should have won Um. When a bloke is hauled over, then tripped, on the six yard line, that's normally a penalty...

[um pahars]

We should have won Um. When a bloke is hauled over, then tripped, on the six yard line, that's normally a penalty...

 

That's fair enough, but not having seen the game it's tough for me to make calls one way or the other about the actual result being worthy or not.

 

I just think tht I would have settled for a point beforehand, so will happily accept it.

 

What about them hitting the post and a dodgy disallowed goal, did they not even out our chances (and penalty appeal)?

[Alucard]

The problem is some people are so negative that they enjoy being that way. They love to **** on peoples fire. Some people come away from the games happy when we win and sometimes even when we lose if we play well. Where as others are only happy when we lose, they enjoy the fact it gives them the chance to once again be negative.

 

Sounds like you've changed your tune from last season St Marco.

 

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=44701#post44701

So we are in the relegation zone and we "are doing well"? Not quite sure how that lodgic works exactly. The whole point of a football club is to play football and to win games. If you dont win games you get relegated. Thus meaning if you are nearer the bottom then the top you have failed.

 

We are in the relegation zone even without our 10 point deduction and you are telling us we are doing well.

 

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=52682#post52682

7 games gone, 21 points up for grabs. 3 home games against average teams in Barnsley,Blackpool and Ipswich and we have a grand total of 5 points. That is not good enough. .

 

How come 5 points from 7 games was not good enough last season but you are ecstatic this season in Div 3 .

 

Double standards

[Legod Third Coming]

That's fair enough, but not having seen the game it's tough for me to make calls one way or the other about the actual result being worthy or not.

 

I just think tht I would have settled for a point beforehand, so will happily accept it.

 

What about them hitting the post and a dodgy disallowed goal, did they not even out our chances (and penalty appeal)?

 

I agree a draw was a fair result - I travelled with a couple of Charlton supporting pals and they felt we had done enough to win it first half and them second!

 

Not sure I would say the off-sides were dodgy - my pals were sat opposite and thought we played a good line.

 

So on balance probably the right result, but by eck it's annoying when you see a chance to grab 3 points at the top of the table denied by a bit of cowardly refereeing...

[altoniansaints]

Have you seen who we have played and where they are in the league??

 

By the time we play them again we will be on a winning run and I have today backed us for promotion.

 

We outplayed Charlton and still don't have our best 11 on the park.

 

what odds did you get cause i fancy a bit of that?

[B Rabbit]

We are worse off now...7 games in...than we were at the start of the season...hope everyone is still optimistic

We are 11 points off safety rather than 10...but don't worry it will all come good in the end!

[Legod Third Coming]

what odds did you get cause i fancy a bit of that?

 

18/1 with the Tote. I am sure you can get better but the Tote owe me some cash so it was a bet to nothing!

[um pahars]

We are worse off now...7 games in...than we were at the start of the season...hope everyone is still optimistic

 

We are 11 points off safety rather than 10...but don't worry it will all come good in the end!

 

Hopefully we're treading water until we get sorted for the "big push".

[Wes Tender]

We are like an oil tanker that takes several miles to effect complete turn around. We are currently at the 270 degree stage and will shortly have made the about turn and can then steam full ahead.

 

We are several players towards a complete new team and had Murty not been injured, I still believe that he would have been the difference between us drawing the last two matches and winning them. He would have put in far better corners than Lallana and better throw-ins than most. Also, our right flank is where a lot ot the oppositions attacks have been focussed, perhaps because they sense that as being our weaker side. It wouldn't be with Murty there.

 

Otherwise, the team is functioning well, with the new players blending well with existing ones and growing in stature and confidence with every match. Jaidi and Waigo will certainly add something good in terms of solidity in defence and pace and width in attack respectively. Although earlier our results against some other teams was decried as poor, it turns out that these were form teams so far.

 

I really so feel that we are within an ace of completing the jigsaw and will begin to give some teams in this division an absolute tonking. When that happens, our confidence boost will be massive and we will go on a run of wins and be hard to stop. Charlton's confidence will have received a bit of a dent from our dominance over large parts of the game when they were on home soil. If they are honest with themselves, they will acept that we were the better team and ought to have won.

[Block 5]

We are like an oil tanker that takes several miles to effect complete turn around. We are currently at the 270 degree stage and will shortly have made the about turn and can then steam full ahead.

 

We are several players towards a complete new team and had Murty not been injured, I still believe that he would have been the difference between us drawing the last two matches and winning them. He would have put in far better corners than Lallana and better throw-ins than most. Also, our right flank is where a lot ot the oppositions attacks have been focussed, perhaps because they sense that as being our weaker side. It wouldn't be with Murty there.

 

Otherwise, the team is functioning well, with the new players blending well with existing ones and growing in stature and confidence with every match. Jaidi and Waigo will certainly add something good in terms of solidity in defence and pace and width in attack respectively. Although earlier our results against some other teams was decried as poor, it turns out that these were form teams so far.

 

I really so feel that we are within an ace of completing the jigsaw and will begin to give some teams in this division an absolute tonking. When that happens, our confidence boost will be massive and we will go on a run of wins and be hard to stop. Charlton's confidence will have received a bit of a dent from our dominance over large parts of the game when they were on home soil. If they are honest with themselves, they will acept that we were the better team and ought to have won.

 

Good post.

Indeed, the Charlton fans I spoke to thought we were the better team, and had absolutely no doubt whatsoever that by the end of the season we will be top half or even pushing for a play off place.

[saint_stevo]

Er, you are offering me 3/1, for a bet I have just had £50 on at 18/1.

 

You give me 12/1 and it's a bet...

 

 

Make my returns a £5er, best i'll do

[dubai_phil]

Sounds like you've changed your tune from last season St Marco.

 

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=44701#post44701

 

 

We are in the relegation zone even without our 10 point deduction and you are telling us we are doing well.

 

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=52682#post52682

 

 

How come 5 points from 7 games was not good enough last season but you are ecstatic this season in Div 3 .

 

Double standards

 

 

I actually think that you are right in your basic point. Comparing the positions we were doing better last season.

 

The fundamental worry that we as fans held last year was whether the youngsters could keep it going. In the end, a succession of naive early goals in games and in all likelihood the injury to Holmes at QPR dented the already thin playing resources and confidence slipped away pretty quickly.

 

We had hopes that the "experiment" would work, while also feeling deep down that it was probably one step too many. Those hopes disappeared much quicker last year than this so perhaps the external factors also helped weigh against the experiment

 

But the one real issue as I see it that marks the difference between the two situations is that this year we have seen a great disruption to the playing staff, (hopefully for the better) and that is probably why we feel that progress is being made. Players with experience at this level have joined us rather than players with "potential"

 

Without opening the old debate, the feeling at the moment is that there is improvement so panic is not yet spreading.

 

How many more weeks that will last is of course open to judgement, not beating Yeovil will be a blow to the general attending fans confidence, but it is probably a few weeks yet before anyone will join in the valid argument on your side.

 

Early adopter of a reasoned argument for being worried though, fair post

[shurlock]

Sounds like you've changed your tune from last season St Marco.

 

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=44701#post44701

 

 

We are in the relegation zone even without our 10 point deduction and you are telling us we are doing well.

 

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=52682#post52682

 

 

How come 5 points from 7 games was not good enough last season but you are ecstatic this season in Div 3 .

 

Double standards

 

The difference was that last year we looked like we could crumble at any moment not just whether we could sustain the form. Recall that at the same point we had already lost more league games -Cardiff, Birmingham, Blackpool and QPR and had a worse goal difference. This season we look stingier and much more competitive; the question is whether we can now build on this and add some creativity and threat going forward. But personally (and doubtless for the forwards) there is nothing better for the nerves and confidence than a team that looks solid at the back.

Edited 13 September, 2009 by shurlock

[Alucard]

I actually think that you are right in your basic point. Comparing the positions we were doing better last season.

 

The fundamental worry that we as fans held last year was whether the youngsters could keep it going. In the end, a succession of naive early goals in games and in all likelihood the injury to Holmes at QPR dented the already thin playing resources and confidence slipped away pretty quickly.

 

We had hopes that the "experiment" would work, while also feeling deep down that it was probably one step too many. Those hopes disappeared much quicker last year than this so perhaps the external factors also helped weigh against the experiment

 

But the one real issue as I see it that marks the difference between the two situations is that this year we have seen a great disruption to the playing staff, (hopefully for the better) and that is probably why we feel that progress is being made. Players with experience at this level have joined us rather than players with "potential"

 

Without opening the old debate, the feeling at the moment is that there is improvement so panic is not yet spreading.

 

How many more weeks that will last is of course open to judgement, not beating Yeovil will be a blow to the general attending fans confidence, but it is probably a few weeks yet before anyone will join in the valid argument on your side.

 

Early adopter of a reasoned argument for being worried though, fair post

 

I don't want to open old debates either Phil and totally agree we are heading slowly in the right direction. Hopefully a good win playing football not hoofball against Yeovil will be the kickstart we need but we've been saying that for the last 5 games.

 

I would just like to know why such an opiniated poster as St Marco is now preaching the happy clappy line after his statements from exactly a year ago

 

Originally Posted by St Marco

So we are in the relegation zone and we "are doing well"? Not quite sure how that lodgic works exactly. The whole point of a football club is to play football and to win games. If you dont win games you get relegated. Thus meaning if you are nearer the bottom then the top you have failed.

 

and

 

Originally Posted by St Marco

7 games gone, 21 points up for grabs. 3 home games against average teams in Barnsley,Blackpool and Ipswich and we have a grand total of 5 points. That is not good enough. .

 

Considering we now have the divisions leading scorer from last season, current Polish international (was 2) and experience in spades I would expect a better start than we had last season when 50% of our squad had never even started a league game playing a league higher. However St Marco is over the moon with our start and tells us

 

others are only happy when we lose, they enjoy the fact it gives them the chance to once again be negative.

 

Was this not you last season St Marco or are you now on happy pills?

[Wes Tender]

I don't want to open old debates either Phil and totally agree we are heading slowly in the right direction. Hopefully a good win playing football not hoofball against Yeovil will be the kickstart we need but we've been saying that for the last 5 games.

 

I would just like to know why such an opiniated poster as St Marco is now preaching the happy clappy line after his statements from exactly a year ago

 

Originally Posted by St Marco

So we are in the relegation zone and we "are doing well"? Not quite sure how that lodgic works exactly. The whole point of a football club is to play football and to win games. If you dont win games you get relegated. Thus meaning if you are nearer the bottom then the top you have failed.

 

and

 

Originally Posted by St Marco

7 games gone, 21 points up for grabs. 3 home games against average teams in Barnsley,Blackpool and Ipswich and we have a grand total of 5 points. That is not good enough. .

 

Considering we now have the divisions leading scorer from last season, current Polish international (was 2) and experience in spades I would expect a better start than we had last season when 50% of our squad had never even started a league game playing a league higher. However St Marco is over the moon with our start and tells us

 

others are only happy when we lose, they enjoy the fact it gives them the chance to once again be negative.

 

Was this not you last season St Marco or are you now on happy pills?

 

Well, happily add me in with St Marco. There are good reasons to be have an optimistic outlook this season compared with last season. And instead of "slowly", I'd say that we were steadily heading in the right direction

 

Last season:-

 

Crap chairman largely despised by most of the fan base, a failure during his first period in charge and returning with the support of another failed chairman. Responsible for two relegations and eventually administration.

 

Crap managers (two). Neither well known for their management prowess and both with nil experience in this Country, even at Fizzy Pop level. Directed by incompetent chairman to employ mainly the youth team playing a formation alien to them, expectations that the end result would be failure were entirely predictable.

 

Crap players; or at least youngsters thrown in at the deep end before they were ready. Used to winning at youth level, it did not take a genius to predict that they would find it difficult psychologically to come to terms with failing more often then not. Senior experienced players would have been able to help them, but they were all out on loan elsewhere.

 

This season we have a wealthy owner and decent investment coming in for the first time in years and years. We have a manager with experience in this division and the two above. He is arguably a much better manager than we could reasonably expect to have at this level.

 

We have a very decent squad being formed, as you rightly say.

 

So I'm with St. Marco. It's all about perspective. Last season after those first few home games, it was already becoming apparent that the mad experiment was going to fail dismally and relegation was a realistic prospect with the infrastructure we had in place then.

 

This season, although the results have not been spectacular in terms of wins, we have been hard to beat with the defence looking solid for the first time in many years. Most sensible fans acknowledge that it has taken time to identify and get in those new players that are completing the jigsaw, but that everything is almost ready and that real progress will ensue. The outlook looks considerably brighter for the club and its future prospects than it did one year ago.

[S-Clarke]

Well, happily add me in with St Marco. There are good reasons to be have an optimistic outlook this season compared with last season. And instead of "slowly", I'd say that we were steadily heading in the right direction

 

Last season:-

 

Crap chairman largely despised by most of the fan base, a failure during his first period in charge and returning with the support of another failed chairman. Responsible for two relegations and eventually administration.

 

Crap managers (two). Neither well known for their management prowess and both with nil experience in this Country, even at Fizzy Pop level. Directed by incompetent chairman to employ mainly the youth team playing a formation alien to them, expectations that the end result would be failure were entirely predictable.

 

Crap players; or at least youngsters thrown in at the deep end before they were ready. Used to winning at youth level, it did not take a genius to predict that they would find it difficult psychologically to come to terms with failing more often then not. Senior experienced players would have been able to help them, but they were all out on loan elsewhere.

 

This season we have a wealthy owner and decent investment coming in for the first time in years and years. We have a manager with experience in this division and the two above. He is arguably a much better manager than we could reasonably expect to have at this level.

 

We have a very decent squad being formed, as you rightly say.

 

So I'm with St. Marco. It's all about perspective. Last season after those first few home games, it was already becoming apparent that the mad experiment was going to fail dismally and relegation was a realistic prospect with the infrastructure we had in place then.

 

This season, although the results have not been spectacular in terms of wins, we have been hard to beat with the defence looking solid for the first time in many years. Most sensible fans acknowledge that it has taken time to identify and get in those new players that are completing the jigsaw, but that everything is almost ready and that real progress will ensue. The outlook looks considerably brighter for the club and its future prospects than it did one year ago.

 

Great post - agree with every word.

 

The building blocks are being put in place at all levels of the club, and all the indications so far indicate that these building blocks are being laid on sound foundations.

 

If you get that right, long-term success is only around the corner

[Alucard]

This season, although the results have not been spectacular in terms of wins, we have been hard to beat with the defence looking solid for the first time in many years. Most sensible fans acknowledge that it has taken time to identify and get in those new players that are completing the jigsaw, but that everything is almost ready and that real progress will ensue. The outlook looks considerably brighter for the club and its future prospects than it did one year ago.

 

All I've said is that St Marco laid down 12 months ago 2 criteria by which he was allowed to judge failure and not being good enough. We have not met either of HIS criteria this year either but he feels he that others should not be allowed to use the criteria to make a judgement on our start to the season. I can't get my head round whether his criteria have changed or have we still failed.

 

As for strengthening the defence yes we do have better defenders but they are also playing against div 3 strikers not the likes of the CCC strikers we faced last season so I would be really worrried if the defence looked worse.

[dubai_phil]

All I've said is that St Marco laid down 12 months ago 2 criteria by which he was allowed to judge failure and not being good enough. We have not met either of HIS criteria this year either but he feels he that others should not be allowed to use the criteria to make a judgement on our start to the season. I can't get my head round whether his criteria have changed or have we still failed.

 

As for strengthening the defence yes we do have better defenders but they are also playing against div 3 strikers not the likes of the CCC strikers we faced last season so I would be really worrried if the defence looked worse.

 

 

Many of us can look back at last season at our opinions and be less than pleased, in fact probably embarrassed by what we said. Some of us are prepared to admit that, some aren't.

 

I actually felt that the concept of being different or creative could just work, in the same way I felt SCW in his original role as outlined when he was appointed in developing the kids after 18 but before the first team was a good move.

I was wrong about the "Dutch experiment" as I think it was probably one risk too many but still think the SCW issue could have worked with better handling (as does Glenn Hoddle with his academy), and would debate in the pub but not on here whether it could have stood a chance if other circumstances or decisions had been made.

 

What is important though is to look back on what happened last year and learn, whether it is those who were at the club or us fans. Just be careful not to become another 19C/UP battle though.

 

FWIW I think many at the club did learn and "some" of course never would or more likely could be able to learn.