First 10 compared to Last 24

[Chez]

Dont forget the samething happened to both Charlton and Norwich but they started to win early

 

Charlton were winning games at the end of the previous season - they took us apart at SMS for example - so they had already turned things around.

[Dig Dig]

BUt Alps the problem is that you see these results as unacceptable BECAUSE of the points lost during those first 10 games - had we had two points per game average all season (as we have had this year ( we would now have an extra 11 points with a game in hand) and would be in a play off place should we win it- beacuse some of thos epoints would have come against teams above us in those places now)

 

Had we not had such a bad start, then the bad results such as those against Tranmere would be seen for what they actually are - anomolies due to a variety of circumstances that EVERY team suffer even during a very good season - its why Leeds and Norwich have lost and drawn games that on paper they would have been expected to win.

 

I am not making an excuse for the defeats, but just pointing out that you defining them as 'unacceptable' is based on the context of the early season bad form - WHICH has been put right. Had we not had that bad form at the start, then the context of these defeats would be entirely different... that is all anyone is pointing out, not making excuses.

 

 

Well said FC. A couple of months ago when we had the "poor results" and "failure to beat top 6 teams" debate yet at the time we were playing a disproportionate amount of away games and we still had most of the top 6 to play again with this team.

 

For many reasons this has been a slightly strange season considering the start we had, -10 and the cups runs which required us to chop and change the team and have a few home games pp. I don't see these as excuses, rather critical observations when trying to summarise the season. The issue is that because of everything which has impacted our promotion chances, normal results which happen over a season to all teams suddenly become an indictator for under performance

[krissyboy31]

Really I thought the squad came back early and played a number of Friendlies

 

Mmmm. The game at Cheltenham in mid-July that I went to had the following team.

 

Poke (Forecast, 45)

Murty (Reeves, 78.)

Molyneux

Lancashire

Thomas

James (Gillett, 45)

Pulis (McNish, 57)

White

Lallana (Rasiak, 45)

Doble (Dunford, 57)

Paterson

Subs: (not used) Saville.

 

Really stood us in good stead for the season.

[up and away]

Originally Posted by Saint_clark

We get the message, FFS.

OR

How long are we going to use the poor start to the season as an excuse?

(Never understood that second one. Those first 10 results were awful whether we are 12 games in or have played all 46).

I didn't say it was an excuse. I'm just saying it is hard to criticize Pardew because over a long period (i.e. the last 24 games) he has made Saints into a team that is earning enough points to win this League if form is maintained. Yes, I know the season didn't start in October, but it bodes well. Makes Cortese's recent comments about League performance a little harsh. Pardew turned it round 5 months ago.

 

The main point is that we got so close to the play off's in December, then threw all that good work away by concentrating on the cups. That makes Corteses comments very valid and shows the contrast with Simon Grayson. Leeds rested something like 7/8 players in the JPT before our game and never gave the JPT priority at any time. Even though miles ahead in the league, those decisions could be vital at the end of the season, equally ours. Only Grayson deserves any praise for that stance.

[saintwarwick]

Mmmm. The game at Cheltenham in mid-July that I went to had the following team.

 

Poke (Forecast, 45)

Murty (Reeves, 78.)

Molyneux

Lancashire

Thomas

James (Gillett, 45)

Pulis (McNish, 57)

White

Lallana (Rasiak, 45)

Doble (Dunford, 57)

Paterson

Subs: (not used) Saville.

 

Really stood us in good stead for the season.

 

Really I thought the squad came back early and played a number of Friendlies

 

Do you think that team above would of got us more points in the first 10 games? AP wasn't even the manager for the first 5 friendlies, he only had two games in charge before the season opener.

[Dig Dig]

Mmmm. The game at Cheltenham in mid-July that I went to had the following team.

 

Poke (Forecast, 45)

Murty (Reeves, 78.)

Molyneux

Lancashire

Thomas

James (Gillett, 45)

Pulis (McNish, 57)

White

Lallana (Rasiak, 45)

Doble (Dunford, 57)

Paterson

Subs: (not used) Saville.

 

Really stood us in good stead for the season.

 

Wow.Certainly puts thing into perspective. AP's task coming in at the start of the season was immense

[The9]

Really I thought the squad came back early and played a number of Friendlies

 

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/FixturesResults/0,,10280,00.html

 

Of players who have played for Saints in the last 3 matches, the first friendly on July 4th at Eastleigh featured only Wayne Thomas (and he only came on as sub on Saturday) and we changed the entire team at half time for kids and Poolis.

 

Not a single player who played at Totton preseason (again swapping all XI at half time) has been in our first team since Lloyd James got dropped.

Only Davis and Lallana of the current side played against Bournemouth.

Only Thomas and Lallana of the current starting side played at Cheltenham.

Davis, Schneiderlin, Thomas and Lallana played v Ajax.

Davis, Thomas, new signing Harding and Lallana played v Hearts, which was on 27 July and our first win of preseason - that's right, we didn't win any of the previous matches, some form...

 

I have no idea what

 

Otsemobor, Jaidi, Fonte, Seaborne, Antonio, Waigo, Hammond, Lambert, Connolly and Barnard

were doing for preseason, but the point is that they weren't playing for us at the time and therefore wouldn't be contributing much to the team at the start of the season. Pardew didn't even join until mid-July !

 

How people fail to comprehend that the team we were putting out in preseason and in the first couple of months' games barely resembles today's and it's therefore logical to extrapolate form from the point where the core of the CURRENT team began to perform is beyond me.

 

The first match this season where we looked remotely competent was against Birmingham in the League Cup (a surprise as there were few changes to the league side at that point but they played much better), and the first league match we won was at home to Yeovil.

 

By the time we faced Yeovil [sep 15] the side was :

Davis; Thomas (Wotton), Jaidi, Trotman, Harding; Lallana, Hammond, Schneiderlin (Mills), James; Lambert, Saganowski (Waigo).

 

Can't say that looks TOO dissimilar to the team from the weekend excluding Fonte for Trotman, Puncheon for James and Barnard for Saga. And that's when we had the core of a decent side for the first time.

 

Not in July, not even in August. In mid-September, and we've improved the squad again since then.

Edited 16 March, 2010 by The9