Tranmere 2 Saints 1 Reaction Thread

[alpine_saint]

No I am not, I might not take offence to it being Hampshire born and bred but some might.

 

 

Then you take yourself too seriously.

 

They say helluva lot worse about us, and do you really want the board completely PC'd to prevent p*ss-taking out of Scotland and such like ?

 

I assume we cannot use "skate" anymore either ?

[CanadaSaint]

Getting told off by the self appointed poster police for going to bed...lol

 

Not the police. Just someone telling you you were posting like a d*ck. BTW I wasn't the only one so I guess that's a tactical unit. LOL.

[St Lightjaw]

I have lost count of the number of times we have gone away and lost a game everyone thought we would

 

 

I've lost count too.

 

People praise Sesame Street, but I feel totally unprepared for the world only being able to count up to ten. And nobody has ever asked me for the spanish translation for the word "enter" and "exit" .

[SFC Forever]

Fair comment. What I involved myself in is thinking along the lines of: Wide midfield is a support role for the main striking department and one could expect any wide midfielder to have supported a number of strikes with assists, but 5 so far in the season? That looks very poor. Then on the other side AL has weighed in with 14 goals, which is much more than would be expected from a support player.

 

AL has clearly also noted this and has experimented with him playing a more central role, but without any success. He is more dangerous coming in from wide. In the middle he seems to get lost in the melee of players.

 

The conclusion seems to be that we don't get much support in terms of measurable assists from him, but on the other hand quite a few goals. Does one outweigh the other? Would a more orthodox wide midfielder who could knock in crosses with regularity be more useful to the team than the goals AL scores. I don't think it is an easy decision, but come the summer it may be made for us regardless.

 

 

Give us a left sided Jason Puncheon and watch us go.

[saint_stevo]

Not that bothered.

 

Wemberley Wemberley we're the famous Southampton and we're going Wemberley.

 

oh dear.

[Barry the Badger]

Give us a left sided Jason Puncheon and watch us go.

 

Yes. That would solve everything.

[doddisalegend]

Morning derry! I heard an interesting comment from Jamie O'Hara (if one dares to mention the name of somebody from down the road) on Solent yesterday. He said that he had played under several english managers and coaches, but Grant was more interesting to listen to, and learn from, because he had an understanding for the strategies of the game, whilst the english coaches merely underlined commitment and hard work.

 

It feels he made my case for me.

 

Didn't we try that last season. If the Dutch clowns are an example of European football I'm quite happy with the solid English style football we are playing this year. I have to say (and its all opinion) I'm a big fan of hard tackling, big gutsy English style with players called Chopper and Razor, with the odd flair play thrown in. Sadly we are still missing a Chopper I think a hard dirty bastard would be useful in this league, sadly I dont think Hammond is it.

[Window Cleaner]

Didn't we try that last season. If the Dutch clowns are an example of European football I'm quite happy with the solid English style football we are playing this year. I have to say (and its all opinion) I'm a big fan of hard tackling, big gutsy English style with players called Chopper and Razor, with the odd flair play thrown in. Sadly we are still missing a Chopper I think a hard dirty bastard would be useful in this league, sadly I dont think Hammond is it.

 

 

The days of Chopper Harris,Nobby Stiles,Billy Bremner and Brian O'Neill are long gone, none of them would have survived on the pitch 10 minutes under today's rules.Refs are self important and deliver cards like confetti as we saw yesterday.

 

NB I've look at the "lowlights" on saints Player and the only reason I could see for giving a penalty is that Seaborne sort of puts his leg behind the other blokes knee in a sort of judo fall effort. In effect the bloke can't move backwards without falling over like that.Doubtful still but probably a well known pro foul technique.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

Not the police. Just someone telling you you were posting like a d*ck. BTW I wasn't the only one so I guess that's a tactical unit. LOL.

 

:smt015

 

Oh yeah, it was two of ya and the "negative one"

 

 

But tbh i guess you are siding with him because from miles away both

of you have no real grasp on what is going on during our games.

 

 

Sorry "officer"...:smt058

[Clifford Nelson]

Good post and a view I entirely support.

 

Thanks, it's nice to know that it's a few of us who think about the game. It's not easy to get elbow room between the "Yaboos!", "gratuitous insult makers", "AP outs" or alternatively "give him lots of more time, I'm sure he knows what he's doing".

 

I have posted varieties of this post for some time now, and not a single person has so far tried to tell me how, exactly, it is that AP is trying to get this team to play, and how that is different from everybody else, or how it is proposed to try to exploit weaknesses in the oppositions way to play.

 

I am now seriously starting to suspect that it is because no strategy exists. And if that assumption is right it doesn't matter how long AP is given, this current performance is and remains the actual product. Worse, that means, that judging from performances it will be a bit of a lottery whether we get promoted this, next, or any year. I really don't think we are going to "walk it".

[Clifford Nelson]

Give us a left sided Jason Puncheon and watch us go.

 

Jason Puncheon is left sided.

[Clifford Nelson]

Didn't we try that last season. If the Dutch clowns are an example of European football I'm quite happy with the solid English style football we are playing this year. I have to say (and its all opinion) I'm a big fan of hard tackling, big gutsy English style with players called Chopper and Razor, with the odd flair play thrown in. Sadly we are still missing a Chopper I think a hard dirty bastard would be useful in this league, sadly I dont think Hammond is it.

 

No we didn't. We got the cheapest coaches we could get from Holland and gave them a bunch of boys, mostly with limited talent. And in spite of that it happened that occasionally they ran rings around the opposition. Clearly not often enough, but nevertheless.

 

Personally I really liked Nobby Stiles in 1966, but the days of dirty bastards are history.

[GenevaSaint]

Then you take yourself too seriously.

 

They say helluva lot worse about us, and do you really want the board completely PC'd to prevent p*ss-taking out of Scotland and such like ?

 

I assume we cannot use "skate" anymore either ?

 

****, I'll have to have a pop at my Liverpudlian mate next time he calls me a SouthernMonkey now.

[VectisSaint]

I've not given up just yet. We have 13 left and if we beat Leeds that could make up 1 or 2 points and if we beat Swindon H the following Tues, that will definately make up another 3 meaning 10 or 11 off with 11 games to go. Dont forget we were 19 off before the wallsall game. We need to make up a point per game.

 

Dont forget also, as the sun comes out these away pitches wont be as boggy

Interesting idea, make up a point a game, and find ourselves 2 short of the playoffs. We are 15 behind with 13 to play and we only have 1 game in hand over Millwall. The (distant) dream of the play-offs ended in the mud at St James Park.

 

Nonetheless we should enjoy a good run in with lots of wins, and that will be great and should set us up well for winning the League next season.

[St Landrew]

Interesting idea, make up a point a game, and find ourselves 2 short of the playoffs. We are 15 behind with 13 to play and we only have 1 game in hand over Millwall. The (distant) dream of the play-offs ended in the mud at St James Park.

 

Nonetheless we should enjoy a good run in with lots of wins, and that will be great and should set us up well for winning the League next season.

 

Allowing for the fact that the distant dream never got off the ground, due to the bad start and minus 10, I'm sort of that opinion now, even though I think it is still possible for a team as good as Saints to make it into a playoff position. The real caveat is can an actual Saints team do it..? To be the epitome of a Saints team one has to be inconsistent. Brilliant by turns, terrible by another. This team isn't ever terrible, but its lows aren't good enough. It is a Saints team, and it needs to stop being one, and start to be consistent. It's going to have to learn how to do it for next season anyway, so it might as well start learning now.

 

Listening to Leroy Rosenior, on the Football League show, he thinks almost anything is possible with Saints, and that they may still do it. Last time I checked, he was still a neutral, so perhaps, as a fan, I should have a bit more faith in my own team. Whatever.., it sure beats the hell out of a relegation fight.

[saint1977]

Thanks, it's nice to know that it's a few of us who think about the game. It's not easy to get elbow room between the "Yaboos!", "gratuitous insult makers", "AP outs" or alternatively "give him lots of more time, I'm sure he knows what he's doing".

 

I have posted varieties of this post for some time now, and not a single person has so far tried to tell me how, exactly, it is that AP is trying to get this team to play, and how that is different from everybody else, or how it is proposed to try to exploit weaknesses in the oppositions way to play.

 

I am now seriously starting to suspect that it is because no strategy exists. And if that assumption is right it doesn't matter how long AP is given, this current performance is and remains the actual product. Worse, that means, that judging from performances it will be a bit of a lottery whether we get promoted this, next, or any year. I really don't think we are going to "walk it".

 

This sums up the unease I'm feeling. We play brilliantly at Carrow and home to Walsall and Hudds and then nightmares at Wycombe and second half yesterday. I'm certainly not saying AP out, far from it, but the side is lacking something and I believe it is leadership. Leaders enforce managers' instructions and patterns of play and just don't have any leaders. Marsden or other players we have had in the past with those qualities would have been issuing the neccessary hairdryer rollockings yesterday in the second half to stop the laziness and going to sleep for 20 minutes. I'd hoped after the brilliant performance Tuesday night that we had finally grown out of drifting off during whole periods of the game but we need a leader, not a thug. Mazza didn't break legs but he led lads like Bridgey and Beatts well.

 

Lallana has huge talent but needs to be scoring the six-yard tap-ins as well as the pretty goals at Hartlepool. Can't we bring in MLT, who hardly ever missed those, to help him one-to-one? Barnard is looking like a goal machine at the moment and Puncheon has been a great decision. Not sure why Antonio wasn't on earlier.

[Legod Third Coming]

This sums up the unease I'm feeling. We play brilliantly at Carrow and home to Walsall and Hudds and then nightmares at Wycombe and second half yesterday. I'm certainly not saying AP out, far from it, but the side is lacking something and I believe it is leadership. Leaders enforce managers' instructions and patterns of play and just don't have any leaders. Marsden or other players we have had in the past with those qualities would have been issuing the neccessary hairdryer rollockings yesterday in the second half to stop the laziness and going to sleep for 20 minutes. I'd hoped after the brilliant performance Tuesday night that we had finally grown out of drifting off during whole periods of the game but we need a leader, not a thug. Mazza didn't break legs but he led lads like Bridgey and Beatts well.

 

Lallana has huge talent but needs to be scoring the six-yard tap-ins as well as the pretty goals at Hartlepool. Can't we bring in MLT, who hardly ever missed those, to help him one-to-one? Barnard is looking like a goal machine at the moment and Puncheon has been a great decision. Not sure why Antonio wasn't on earlier.

 

Was he not present when Premiership Southampton were dumped out of the cup by Rotherham of European football elite fame...

[captainchris]

Thanks, it's nice to know that it's a few of us who think about the game. It's not easy to get elbow room between the "Yaboos!", "gratuitous insult makers", "AP outs" or alternatively "give him lots of more time, I'm sure he knows what he's doing".

 

I have posted varieties of this post for some time now, and not a single person has so far tried to tell me how, exactly, it is that AP is trying to get this team to play, and how that is different from everybody else, or how it is proposed to try to exploit weaknesses in the oppositions way to play.

 

I am now seriously starting to suspect that it is because no strategy exists. And if that assumption is right it doesn't matter how long AP is given, this current performance is and remains the actual product. Worse, that means, that judging from performances it will be a bit of a lottery whether we get promoted this, next, or any year. I really don't think we are going to "walk it".

 

Very precise and accurate....................

[captainchris]

I think there is a trend emerging when we play away. Against better sides who want to play footbal our ball players will be given more freedom and therefore our natural attacking tendencies will shine.

 

Lesser sides on poorer pitches will play 5 across midfield and harry and chase our creative players into mistakes so that they cannot easily and quickly play down the channels.Invariably we end up, perhaps unwittingly playing hoofball at times.

 

Another factor is that both Spider man and Llalanna are both young and perhaps not so tactically adept yet at changing their game.Perhaps against these sides next year we need to be able to change our tactics earlier or have on the bench someone who can fight and hastle as well as not be limited to hoofball (aka Wooton). It might also make sense to have quicker players up front earlier so that pace will restrict how far a midfield of five will play. We all know that Papa can exploit this,if he stays onside.

 

Anyhow yesterday's defeat was disapointing but we are still learning as a team and Huddersfield type performances will be repeated more I am sure.

 

'next year, next year, next year, next year, next year what the hell is going to be so different about next year? If you're going to change something - and I don't believe we will, do it now - not next year. As others have said, I think what you see/have is the sum total of what you will get as far tactics and pattern of play is concerned this year, next year and the year after.........Take it or leave it................

[Whitey Grandad]

Are we safe from relegation yet?

[CanadaSaint]

:smt015

 

Oh yeah, it was two of ya and the "negative one"

 

But tbh i guess you are siding with him because from miles away both

of you have no real grasp on what is going on during our games.

 

Sorry "officer"...:smt058

 

No, as you've seen on other threads it's more than two of us who find your childish posts offensive.

 

And I'd bet I have a better handle on things from this far away than you do with your little nose pushed against the window. That's more a comment about you than about me, by the way.

 

Take a look at the views on here and you'll see some thoughtful people who have concerns about AP. They don't want to lynch him and they don't want to fire him but they DO want to question some of his decision-making, and they are doing that in a respectful way.

 

Learn to deal with it without coming back with your infantile little snipes.

[John B]

Thanks, it's nice to know that it's a few of us who think about the game. It's not easy to get elbow room between the "Yaboos!", "gratuitous insult makers", "AP outs" or alternatively "give him lots of more time, I'm sure he knows what he's doing".

 

I have posted varieties of this post for some time now, and not a single person has so far tried to tell me how, exactly, it is that AP is trying to get this team to play, and how that is different from everybody else, or how it is proposed to try to exploit weaknesses in the oppositions way to play.

 

I am now seriously starting to suspect that it is because no strategy exists. And if that assumption is right it doesn't matter how long AP is given, this current performance is and remains the actual product. Worse, that means, that judging from performances it will be a bit of a lottery whether we get promoted this, next, or any year. I really don't think we are going to "walk it".

 

I agree with you regarding the lack of a strategy or plan but I do believe that we will be in the top six next season.

 

Whether we get promoted is of course not definite but the standard of the League will probably not be as high as this season.

[alpine_saint]

Thanks, it's nice to know that it's a few of us who think about the game. It's not easy to get elbow room between the "Yaboos!", "gratuitous insult makers", "AP outs" or alternatively "give him lots of more time, I'm sure he knows what he's doing".

 

I have posted varieties of this post for some time now, and not a single person has so far tried to tell me how, exactly, it is that AP is trying to get this team to play, and how that is different from everybody else, or how it is proposed to try to exploit weaknesses in the oppositions way to play.

 

I am now seriously starting to suspect that it is because no strategy exists. And if that assumption is right it doesn't matter how long AP is given, this current performance is and remains the actual product. Worse, that means, that judging from performances it will be a bit of a lottery whether we get promoted this, next, or any year. I really don't think we are going to "walk it".

 

Man, this is such a good post. I hope some of our "In AP we Trust" fans wake up to the risk that exists. I have tried several times to make this point, but because of reputation no-one will take it from me.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

No, as you've seen on other threads it's more than two of us who find your childish posts offensive.

 

And I'd bet I have a better handle on things from this far away than you do with your little nose pushed against the window. That's more a comment about you than about me, by the way.

 

Take a look at the views on here and you'll see some thoughtful people who have concerns about AP. They don't want to lynch him and they don't want to fire him but they DO want to question some of his decision-making, and they are doing that in a respectful way.

 

Learn to deal with it without coming back with your infantile little snipes.

 

Of course you do........no you think you do.

 

Infantile little snipes...pmsl

 

A regular attender of sfc football matches does at least give me an

view on what is actually happening rather than yours from forum commentary.

And before you get all prissy again,it does not make me a better fan than you

just a fisrt hand view.

 

Have a nice day....

[John B]

Man, this is such a good post. I hope some of our "In AP we Trust" fans wake up to the risk that exists. I have tried several times to make this point, but because of reputation no-one will take it from me.

 

I am not a "In AP we Trust" fan but with the type of player we are buying I cannot see why we should not be in the mix next season for promotion with or without Pardew our results over the last twenty five or so League games is pretty good.

 

However if we continue to miss chances my optimism may fade

Edited 8 March, 2010 by John B

[Saint Billy]

Mood seems a bit flat this morning.

 

As others whom have posted above, if we cannot be consistent with the team we have now, how the hell are we going to get promotion next season let alone this one, and that is assuming that we keep our best players until then.

 

I do wonder if the likes of Lambert, Fonte, Barnard etc have been sold the story that we will definately gain promotion this season hence one of the factors why they joined us and not a club in a higher league. Yes good salaries help , but will these guys want to stay in this crap league another season. If they do up and go what, chance have we got next season.

[doddisalegend]

'next year, next year, next year, next year, next year what the hell is going to be so different about next year? If you're going to change something - and I don't believe we will, do it now - not next year. As others have said, I think what you see/have is the sum total of what you will get as far tactics and pattern of play is concerned this year, next year and the year after.........Take it or leave it................

 

That fact that we won't draw so many home games will be the difference next year. We started poorly at home this season with to many draws, looking at our home form now I don't believe that will happen next year. our away form is not that bad win at home draw away is what we need, we are capable of that. we will lose the odd game away but we will win a few as well as we have done this year. It's really not hard to understand.

 

1) We started poorly this season, there are reasons (or if you perfer excuses) for this but that killed our season off early. Those factors won't be there next season.

 

2) The team we have now has only being playing together for a few weeks it doesn't resemble the team that started the season. Barring some sort of fire sale this will be the team that starts next season.

[Saint Billy]

The team we have now has only being playing together for a few weeks it doesn't resemble the team that started the season. Barring some sort of fire sale this will be the team that starts next season.

 

That is my concern, not a fire sale as such, but we have a few players in there who may not want another season in this league.

[Professor]

Some fans take the attitude that a manager is only as good as his last game, but on that measure, AP did OK on Saturday. Picked his best side, played an attacking formation, and used his subs to refresh the side towards the end. It should have been a draw, given that the penalty was not remotely justified. The failure to score was inexplicable, given how often these same players had found the net in the last two games, so in no way can AP be blamed for the result. It is disapointing that apart from the JPT, we'll be treading water in the league for the rest of the season, but even thats a big improvement on fighting relegation which is what we became used to for so many years. I plan to just enjoy the games and hopefully some more good results. Beating Leeds would be brilliant.

[up and away]

This sums up the unease I'm feeling. We play brilliantly at Carrow and home to Walsall and Hudds and then nightmares at Wycombe and second half yesterday. I'm certainly not saying AP out, far from it, but the side is lacking something and I believe it is leadership. Leaders enforce managers' instructions and patterns of play and just don't have any leaders. Marsden or other players we have had in the past with those qualities would have been issuing the neccessary hairdryer rollockings yesterday in the second half to stop the laziness and going to sleep for 20 minutes. I'd hoped after the brilliant performance Tuesday night that we had finally grown out of drifting off during whole periods of the game but we need a leader, not a thug. Mazza didn't break legs but he led lads like Bridgey and Beatts well.

 

Lallana has huge talent but needs to be scoring the six-yard tap-ins as well as the pretty goals at Hartlepool. Can't we bring in MLT, who hardly ever missed those, to help him one-to-one? Barnard is looking like a goal machine at the moment and Puncheon has been a great decision. Not sure why Antonio wasn't on earlier.

 

Without doubt there is a major flaw in our team and this has to go down to Pardew, I just hope he can sort it out before it's too late for him. It's not the opposition or the pitch, our performances just disappear off the radar after games of exceptional bliss. I still cannot believe we never even won a corner at Wycombe we were so far off the boil?

 

We do not have the ability to absorb pressure and hit back, well not with the formation and players we are playing at present. When I look back on those games against Portsmouth, Walsall and Huddersfield our midfielders took the game to them, quickly closed the opposition space and were nigh on first to every first and second ball. We just cannot maintain this type of game when playing twice a week.

 

Compare this to when we were playing 451 with Wooton in front of the back four, resulting in the strings of 3-1 in our favour and what got us within touching distance of the play off's. We could get control of the midfield and we created plenty of chances, normally not taken and often going to a goal down against the run of play. When we had to turn things around and go to 442 to chase the game, it was never an issue. Just an additional player and plenty of energy reserves to take the game by the scruff of the neck. The home league game against MK Dons epitomised this, such total midfield domination it was embarrassing, then changing to 442 to get the job done.

 

If we do not change, such we can absorb pressure when we are not on top, this basic flaw of performances totally dropping off will continue to happen. The better players we have the lesser this effect, but it will not eradicate it. We have to be able to control the midfield without every player needing to be on the top of his game. Which in my mind means sacrificing one of our attacking midfielders for a defensive midfielder, preferably a bit more mobile than Wooton, but he clearly demonstrated what could be achieved. You can always throw on that attacking midfielder when the need arises and you have taken the sting out of the opposition.

[Whitey Grandad]

Some fans take the attitude that a manager is only as good as his last game, but on that measure, AP did OK on Saturday. Picked his best side, played an attacking formation, and used his subs to refresh the side towards the end. It should have been a draw, given that the penalty was not remotely justified. The failure to score was inexplicable, given how often these same players had found the net in the last two games, so in no way can AP be blamed for the result. It is disapointing that apart from the JPT, we'll be treading water in the league for the rest of the season, but even thats a big improvement on fighting relegation which is what we became used to for so many years. I plan to just enjoy the games and hopefully some more good results. Beating Leeds would be brilliant.

You and I agree.

[derry]

Morning derry! I heard an interesting comment from Jamie O'Hara (if one dares to mention the name of somebody from down the road) on Solent yesterday. He said that he had played under several english managers and coaches, but Grant was more interesting to listen to, and learn from, because he had an understanding for the strategies of the game, whilst the english coaches merely underlined commitment and hard work.

 

It feels he made my case for me.

 

It is pretty much what has happened throughout the history of football except for the odd coach that is revered abroad.

[alpine_saint]

Without doubt there is a major flaw in our team and this has to go down to Pardew, I just hope he can sort it out before it's too late for him. It's not the opposition or the pitch, our performances just disappear off the radar after games of exceptional bliss. I still cannot believe we never even won a corner at Wycombe we were so far off the boil?

 

We do not have the ability to absorb pressure and hit back, well not with the formation and players we are playing at present. When I look back on those games against Portsmouth, Walsall and Huddersfield our midfielders took the game to them, quickly closed the opposition space and were nigh on first to every first and second ball. We just cannot maintain this type of game when playing twice a week.

 

Compare this to when we were playing 451 with Wooton in front of the back four, resulting in the strings of 3-1 in our favour and what got us within touching distance of the play off's. We could get control of the midfield and we created plenty of chances, normally not taken and often going to a goal down against the run of play. When we had to turn things around and go to 442 to chase the game, it was never an issue. Just an additional player and plenty of energy reserves to take the game by the scruff of the neck. The home league game against MK Dons epitomised this, such total midfield domination it was embarrassing, then changing to 442 to get the job done.

 

If we do not change, such we can absorb pressure when we are not on top, this basic flaw of performances totally dropping off will continue to happen. The better players we have the lesser this effect, but it will not eradicate it. We have to be able to control the midfield without every player needing to be on the top of his game. Which in my mind means sacrificing one of our attacking midfielders for a defensive midfielder, preferably a bit more mobile than Wooton, but he clearly demonstrated what could be achieved. You can always throw on that attacking midfielder when the need arises and you have taken the sting out of the opposition.

 

Controversial.

[derry]

Of course you do........no you think you do.

 

Infantile little snipes...pmsl

 

A regular attender of sfc football matches does at least give me an

view on what is actually happening rather than yours from forum commentary.

And before you get all prissy again,it does not make me a better fan than you

just a fisrt hand view.

 

Have a nice day....

 

This guy you are arguing with played in the same Saints team with Mick Channon. I bet you have never played at that level.

[View From The Top]

4-5-1 v 4-4-2 away from home.

 

There is much merit in what your write and I'm inclinded to agree with you.

 

On Saturday another body in a defensive midfield role, to absorb the pressure and break up the play, would have allowed the attacking midfielders more options to break forward and support the lone striker.

 

However, after 4-4-2 had worked so well that week it is understandable why it wasn't changed.

[Window Cleaner]

There is much merit in what your write and I'm inclinded to agree with you.

 

On Saturday another body in a defensive midfield role, to absorb the pressure and break up the play, would have allowed the attacking midfielders more options to break forward and support the lone striker.

 

However, after 4-4-2 had worked so well that week it is understandable why it wasn't changed.

 

Although from what I've heard Hammond's contribution was pretty insignificant on Saturday. Would you agree with that?

[View From The Top]

Although from what I've heard Hammond's contribution was pretty insignificant on Saturday. Would you agree with that?

 

They had 5 in midfield and seriously pressed and we had 4.

 

It showed IMHO.

[up and away]

There is much merit in what your write and I'm inclinded to agree with you.

 

On Saturday another body in a defensive midfield role, to absorb the pressure and break up the play, would have allowed the attacking midfielders more options to break forward and support the lone striker.

 

However, after 4-4-2 had worked so well that week it is understandable why it wasn't changed.

 

This was not so much a 451 against 442, more the issues we face because of the players and the demands put on them. There is absolutely no doubt 442 can work for us, it is what it takes to get it to work and whether it's sustainable with the players selected. I remember Craig Brown replying about his secret to get average players doing so well for Scotland, just one simple tactic of having one more midfield player than the opposition.

 

I don't want this to come over as heavy criticism of Pardew because he has done a lot of good things, but if he does not address this problem it will remain. You can take away an attacking midfielder and still have the most offensive line up in the division! Even better you can bring on that attacking midfielder when the opposition has been blunted.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

This guy you are arguing with played in the same Saints team with Mick Channon. I bet you have never played at that level.

 

Fair play to him on that but

Does that give him a right to tell me how to post...?

[derry]

Fair play to him on that but

Does that give him a right to tell me how to post...?

 

I think the point he is making and I know him well is regarding your apparent reversion to a bit of sarcasm and one liners.

 

There really isn't any point in getting personal. Far better to move on to something else than give somebody a bite.

[Clifford Nelson]

It is pretty much what has happened throughout the history of football except for the odd coach that is revered abroad.

 

We both know because of our impeccable source that you are right. But I just wonder whether having the club run by somebody like NC may just about give us the edge of not continuously repeating the same mistakes. I bet noone ever walked into the banks boardroom suggesting that everyone should just work harder, show more commitment and deal for the badge. So why should it work when it comes to footballers?

 

I don't know if you spotted the bit about Man U at the weekend. They didn't win the title because they beat the top six, but because they beat the bottom thirteen, out of sight: 26 wins and no losses. Nobody could say that this was because they were especially inspired to play the bottom clubs. But they will always resort to the system which inferior clubs just can't cope with, whether the champions are massively committed or not.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

I think the point he is making and I know him well is regarding your apparent reversion to a bit of sarcasm and one liners.

 

There really isn't any point in getting personal. Far better to move on to something else than give somebody a bite.

 

Yep time to move on.

 

Roll on saturday.

[Clifford Nelson]

Man, this is such a good post. I hope some of our "In AP we Trust" fans wake up to the risk that exists. I have tried several times to make this point, but because of reputation no-one will take it from me.

 

Thanks, I'm glad to be of some service. There is, it seems, a little growing band of posters who is starting to take this debate a little bit seriously, which is great, but I'm desperate to hear a proper argument for why we're wrong. I'm still waiting.

 

I've read your posts on quite a few occasions and thought that they were rather interesting. You obviously care very much about the club. It's the red mist which sometimes spoils it. The opposing posters are seldom that important so that they are worth all that ire. Cool dudes are often the best company.

[sadoldgit]

Should be interesting next season...we will be clear favourites to win the league...

 

top 2 minimum for me...playoffs a dissapointing 2nd...

 

I also hope we give ALL cup competitions a wide berth and just worry about the league...

 

I don't know about clear favourites DD, but certainly strong contenders. I shall be interested to see what happens in the Summer transfer market. I still think we are a couple of CCC quality players short of being a Leeds or Norwich next season. I would be very surprised if we weren't top 6 for most of next season though.

[CanadaSaint]

I don't know about clear favourites DD, but certainly strong contenders. I shall be interested to see what happens in the Summer transfer market. I still think we are a couple of CCC quality players short of being a Leeds or Norwich next season. I would be very surprised if we weren't top 6 for most of next season though.

 

My worry is that NC is sitting halfway on AP - not ready to fire him but not willing to give him full support either, including a transfer budget for the positions that need strengthening. That would be a really dangerous situation in a window environment because it could see a disappointing first four months and little chance to address the weaknesses until January. If that's where NC's head is (hopefully not), it could make it very difficult for AP to succeed.

 

And to you, ALWAYS_SFC, page turned.

[John B]

Leeds seem to know how to beat Tranmere 4 1 up at the moment

[Thedelldays]

I don't know about clear favourites DD, but certainly strong contenders. I shall be interested to see what happens in the Summer transfer market. I still think we are a couple of CCC quality players short of being a Leeds or Norwich next season. I would be very surprised if we weren't top 6 for most of next season though.

I bet we will be clear favourites by every bookies/news paper/pundit and fans...

[Rory]

I bet we will be clear favourites by every bookies/news paper/pundit and fans...

 

Reading will.

[doddisalegend]

Leeds seem to know how to beat Tranmere 4 1 up at the moment

 

True but it doesn't really mean much after all they couldn't beat Walsall or Huddersfield could they. I wonder how we would have faired with tonights ref I see he gave Leeds a penlty and that Tranmere commited more fouls tonight.

[derry]

Thanks, it's nice to know that it's a few of us who think about the game. It's not easy to get elbow room between the "Yaboos!", "gratuitous insult makers", "AP outs" or alternatively "give him lots of more time, I'm sure he knows what he's doing".

 

I have posted varieties of this post for some time now, and not a single person has so far tried to tell me how, exactly, it is that AP is trying to get this team to play, and how that is different from everybody else, or how it is proposed to try to exploit weaknesses in the oppositions way to play.

 

I am now seriously starting to suspect that it is because no strategy exists. And if that assumption is right it doesn't matter how long AP is given, this current performance is and remains the actual product. Worse, that means, that judging from performances it will be a bit of a lottery whether we get promoted this, next, or any year. I really don't think we are going to "walk it".

 

Sadly Clifford I think you are spot on. Pardew seems to have a pretty negative outlook, sets the team up that way and is reactive rather than proactive.