Carlisle v Saints post-match reaction

[Clifford Nelson]

You are not allowed to say these things on here, you know !!!

 

I said during the summer that the only way to completely clear out the culture of under-achievement and failure that has blighted this club in recent years was a complete clean-sweep of playing and non-playing staff.

 

The latter has happened, the former is not complete.

 

Well, bugger that, I'll say it anyway! Out of last years team there is only Kelvin that I'm really grateful for. And, by the way, your not entirely right about the non-laying staff. Stewart Henderson is still here and he has managed to follow whatever leads a succession of managers have been giving. He has a lot of responsibility for the lack of character which AP found here by fostering a non-competitive spirit amongst the younger players in the reserve side.

[John B]

My prediction that we will still be 10 points adrift of safety at Xmas still stands.

 

I think you may well be both wrong

 

Probably safe at Xmas

[John B]

The current predicament is not due to AP, but to what he found when he arrived here, very late in the pre-season, with a caretaker manager who went out in the Echo declaring that we were well prepared and ready to start the season.

 

From last years side we are now left with KD, James, Lallana and Schneiderlin. For three of those players there are still question marks. In spite of all the new players we're still not got natural wide players, nor do we have pace, and apart from Holmes on the left wing for natural width, the other things don't exist in the club.

 

Every player need Character, Pace and Technique. Pace has been neglected for years and has ceased to exist in the club. Character was almost killed off with all the excuses and the non-competitive ethic of the coaching staff. AP spotted this immediately, just like Redknapp spotted the lack of pace a long time ago. AP is getting some of the character back.

 

Pace, however, can only be coached in very limited fashion. Either you're quick or you're not, and the older you get the slower you get. It must be bought together with crossing skills.

 

The only question I've got over AP's judgement is holding on to Lallana and James at any price and therefore ending up shunting them from left to right and wide to central rather than just subbing them. With a fit Thomas or Murty at RB there just isn't room for any wide players if AL and LJ are still to play every game.

 

So you are happy with Pardew's performance so far?

 

 

One point per game

[SFKA South Woodford]

For my money, I am happy to give Pardew time becase he was denied a pre-season, but three months or 15 games is my limit. Why? Who knows. It just 'feels right' - it's long enough to gel a team in my view.

 

It doesn't mean I then expect us to win every game but we need to see more wins more often and by bigger margins. These are the things we appear to have got right:

 

Defence

Work-rate

Spirit

 

These are the things we still need to work very hard on:

 

Movement

Use of the ball

Attacking

Shooting

Delivery

 

I won't comment on yesterday's game but I am disappointed that we don't use the ball better. We really did under JP whatever you say about him.

 

The lack of pace people talk about is excacerbated because we go direct too early too often from what I have seen this year. It leaves our players stranded and stretches the play back to front.

 

If Morgan hits a 60 yard cross-field ball he can't then be in the box to receive the cross either... so we need to play higher up the park, push more midfielders on and stop bringing every one back for corners (does my head in always has!!!)

 

I would like to see KD ordered not to pass the ball more than fifteen yards!!!! And then players fined for any ball over 30 yards that does not hit its target.

 

If we're not winning more than we're losing after October 1st then we are in for a long old season, and possibly a long time here in this Division.

 

It's very well saying give Pardew this season, but then what? Surely, we have to be winning games this season to show we can do it, full stop.

 

For the record, I am not calling for change, but I don't believe we can win the league/promotion next season unless we are challenging for it this season, because we simply will not be winning enough games often enough.

 

Le God I almost totally agree with what you say here, the exception being the reason for lumping the ball long.

 

Yes it would be good to see Kelvin bowl the ball out and us build our attacks from the back, but as all the teams know we don't have the pace to hurt them, they push up and play a high line leaving the midfield area looking more crowded than a Mumbai commuter train, and since we don't have a Le Tiss type who can weave his way through this crowd, we have no option but to lump it forward to push the opposition back, which still does us no good as we don't have the pace to reach it.

 

I know this sounds very negative, and i'm not advocating any slashing of wrists, but the fact that we have a lot of possession, but are not achieving the results that the level of possession should be bringing bears this out as the possession is in our half or the midfield. Pardew has a solution to this problem, and that is to make us more dangerous, making the opposition fear us more, and the easiest way to do that is to bring in players with pace. Until that is done, opposition teams will crowd the midfield and know that their chance will come in the game, and whilst we are only one goal ahead we are vunerable.

 

Totally agree with your other points though, we have to start winning more than we are losing or drawing and to be just below the play off places at the end of this season to stand any chance of a push next season, we must have that mentality that comes with winning regularly, before we can think that we'll go up next season.

 

The minus ten should not be a psychological factor, as once it's gone, we are not going to be suddenly magically released from some yolk of repression, we will be playing, as always for points and the first goal is the amount that gets us out of and then away from the relegation zone. Which we are no nearer achieving than we were before the season started, the only good thing that you can say about this, is that we are no further away, but that is only a small blessing.

[NickG]

My prediction that we will still be 10 points adrift of safety at Xmas still stands.

 

my prediction that we won't still stands!

[RedAndWhite91]

Was at the game yesterday and I feel that we are showing inconsistency from game to game. We played excellent against Charlton for example, away from home, and outplayed Yeovil, but then Carlisle matched us and we were lucky in the end to come away with a point. The same old criticisms are corners, and that final ball problem. On a few occasions the corners failed to even beat the first man, and there was a lot of hit-and-hope through balls which went straight to the keeper or a defender. We did create chances which was good but in the end failed to capitalise on the chances or the pressure we showed in the first half. I still think the team has a lot of potential, we just need some momentum to get us going. Getting past that 0 point mark will be a psychological weight off everyone's shoulders so the sooner we do that the better. Lallana played well in my opinion, as did Harding and Jaidi. Trotman was again good but needs to sort his studs out as he slipped up twice and mistakes like that can cost us!! I'll settle for a point, especially as we were looking at a defeat, but we were lucky the keeper fumbled the ball and it fell to one of our biggest players! Bring on Bristol Rovers, but to get anything out of that we really will need to step up a gear.

[Saint Fen]

Just got back from Carlisle stayed the night. I thought we were really good yesterday and the better side. We need to start turning these performances into 3 points. Lallana played well up front and thought we always looked fairly solid at the back.

[RedAndWhite91]

Oh yes and forgot to add, very impressed by our support, didn't expect it to be a vocal one, but it was, a top turn out. Just looked on the Carlisle forum and they said they were impressed by our support (and P*rtsmouth's but we don't really care about that).

[Kaiser Soze]

Lloyd James was the worst player on the pitch, shortly followed by Melis and Hammond.

[Saint_clark]

Lloyd James was the worst player on the pitch, shortly followed by Melis and Hammond.

 

On the radio Mellis sounded our most dangerous player, running past players and creating a lot of chances - are you sure you're not just marking him down because of that missed chance through on goal?

[Kaiser Soze]

On the radio Mellis sounded our most dangerous player, running past players and creating a lot of chances - are you sure you're not just marking him down because of that missed chance through on goal?

 

No - that chance through on goal was offside so it wouldn't have counted anyway

[saint_stevo]

My prediction that we will still be 10 points adrift of safety at Xmas still stands.

 

Worryingly, i agree

[badgerx16]

I think you may well be both wrong

 

Probably safe at Xmas

 

We will most certainly NOT have 50+ points, and therefore be safe, by Xmas

( I assume you mean out of the bottom 4, which is a sentiment I just about concur with ).

[scotty]

Well, bugger that, I'll say it anyway! Out of last years team there is only Kelvin that I'm really grateful for. And, by the way, your not entirely right about the non-laying staff. Stewart Henderson is still here and he has managed to follow whatever leads a succession of managers have been giving. He has a lot of responsibility for the lack of character which AP found here by fostering a non-competitive spirit amongst the younger players in the reserve side.

 

 

lmao

 

Freudian slip or deliberate quip?

[Clifford Nelson]

So you are happy with Pardew's performance so far?

 

 

One point per game

 

Overall I have got confidence in the manager, yes. As I was very clear about what my concerns are, and that there are very few alternatives in team selection. I am certainly not going to join the rather moronic criticism of the manager. AP joined at a very difficult time, inheriting a team he knew little or nothing about. He has already sorted our defensive frailties and has improved our character. He can't turn middling players into pacy wingers with talent for putting in crosses, so I think he will have to buy them.

 

Of course I'm not happy with our win ratio, but these are early days, and if anything it shows that we were even worse when AP took over than probably both you and I thought at the time, although I can remember only wanting to retain three players from last year, KD and Gillett were two of them. But from there to start moaning and groaning about the manager? I don't think so.

[NN2 Saint]

Never went yesterday but I feel we are starting to improve now. It is vital that 6 points are gained this week and if we can start to win home games and keep getting a point or more ideally we will be fine come May. Personally I would be quite happy this season to finish comfortable mid table and reach JPT final and have a good go at automatic promotion next year. Mainly due to just starting a new job which I have to work a fair number of Saturdays but come next year will be much easier to get the Saturdays off

[Professor]

So you are happy with Pardew's performance so far?

 

 

One point per game

Goes almost without saying that no one can be satisfied with an average of one point a game, but that would include Pardew himself, and Cortese. This doesn't imply that AP is an ineffective manager. I feel confident that AP and the Chairman will take steps to change things around if that record doesn't improve, and it is actually improving now. The win last week means the last four or five game average is higher than the season to date average. If that trend continues with wins in the next two home games, the average will be significantly improved.

[saintjinksie]

On the radio Mellis sounded our most dangerous player, running past players and creating a lot of chances - are you sure you're not just marking him down because of that missed chance through on goal?

 

mellis has the worst touch of any pro ive ever seen, he cant finish and his movement is poor. so no, not just because he missed that chance. Any player with a football brain would have pulled it across not put it at the near post.

[benjii]

mellis has the worst touch of any pro ive ever seen, he cant finish and his movement is poor. so no, not just because he missed that chance. Any player with a football brain would have pulled it across not put it at the near post.

 

It's when people say things like this that their opinions become instantly without value.

[View From The Top]

So you are happy with Pardew's performance so far?

 

 

One point per game

 

Yes, I am.

[John B]

Overall I have got confidence in the manager, yes. As I was very clear about what my concerns are, and that there are very few alternatives in team selection. I am certainly not going to join the rather moronic criticism of the manager. AP joined at a very difficult time, inheriting a team he knew little or nothing about. He has already sorted our defensive frailties and has improved our character. He can't turn middling players into pacy wingers with talent for putting in crosses, so I think he will have to buy them.

 

Of course I'm not happy with our win ratio, but these are early days, and if anything it shows that we were even worse when AP took over than probably both you and I thought at the time, although I can remember only wanting to retain three players from last year, KD and Gillett were two of them. But from there to start moaning and groaning about the manager? I don't think so.

 

I dont think he is doing a bad job but he just seems to be a bit conservative and I would personnally not have employed him.

 

However he maybe what is required at the moment to stablize the team and looking forward to the future I am not sure what type of football we will be playing when we return to the Championship.

[John B]

We will most certainly NOT have 50+ points, and therefore be safe, by Xmas

( I assume you mean out of the bottom 4, which is a sentiment I just about concur with ).

 

Yes sorry that is what I meant

[Leicestersaint]

Overall - disappointing - we really do need to put a winning run together, starting on Tuesday night. Draws are simply not good enough.

[JustMike]

No - that chance through on goal was offside so it wouldn't have counted anyway

 

no it wasnt!! what game were u watching to suggest that Hammond was one of the worst???

[SFC Forever]

If we are just out of the bottom 4 by xmas we will still not be doing that well. It will though, help us in so far as we will know that we are climbing away from the bottom.

[Neil]

It's a good point only if we beat Bristol R & Gillingham. We've now put real pressure on ourselves to win both of those two home games, and I'm far from convinced that our players have the ability to deal with the pressure / expectation to win games.

 

That said at least we played until the 96th minute, and kept the unbeaten run going. We know that we're tougher to beat than we were at the start of the season, still cannot turn that into wins though - that must change quickly. My stance has been that after September (i.e. the Bristol R game) the excuse cupboard will have run pretty bare and we must be winning fairly regularly.

 

The corners that hit the first defender are driving me mad! Although Fish hit a few decent ones.

 

PS - The supporters were excellent. If only the Northam could get the Ricky Lambert song going - Tuesday would be a good time to start! :-)

[trousers]

Seeing Saints 4th in the Premier League made me think back to where we were this week 4 years ago. Being happy with a point away to Carlisle, that's where!

[bangkoksaint]

God 4years ago? Remember that game. I went into the rugby club next door and blagged loadsa free sarnies!! Didn't Radi get our goal with a header in virtually injury time?

[Saint_clark]

So 4 years ago we were on negative points, bottom of league one? Christ.

[Bobbyboy]

Lambert has still to prove he is a top goal scorer

 

At the time most of us agreed with this. Even now when he isn't *quite* on top form it's amazing to see how far he has come even since joining us. True legend and fought his way to that reputation.

 

And I'm still curious about how we reached the 95th minute of injury time.