Saints V Swindon - Post Match Reaction

[NickG]

Think its simpler than tactics - too many players played below their own standard.

 

Puncheon who has looked great was poor, Harding, Fonte even Lambert played well below their normal standards - just simple things like failing to control the ball.

[NickG]

Yep.

 

Nevermind, everyone gets their day out at Wembley..

 

Got my ticket yesterday, can't wait - didn't think we would be having day like this 12 months ago.

[Gordon Mockles]

I'd like to add, the criticism of James is a tad harsh. Whilst I'd be the first to admit, he was poor, he was thrown in to a poor game having not played in quite some time.

 

I am struggling to understand why so many of our players (Puncheon, James, etc.) need a touch before crossing. Why they don't cross a rolling ball first time, when it's easier to whip in?! Swindon managed. Bizarre. Is this a coaching thing?! If it is, it's wrong.

 

Anyhow, James was poor but his performance is to be expected being young & still relatively inexperienced. He's not played in some time & is clearly rusty & off the pace. He'd have been better suited replacing Hammond IMHO. His crossing is usually very good. It's unfair to slate him when most fans were frustrated with our lack lustre performance. To me, motivation & hunger were missing today, along with tactics, being let down by our wide players & having no steel in midfield.

[BadgerBadger]

same old idiots trolling out the same old sh!t - jaka-fcking-nory fellas

 

strange as they seem to be the ones that don't watch many games (NB this is not a 'I'm a better fan than you fred' just merely an observation, IMO)

Edited 17 March, 2010 by BadgerBadger

[Saintandy666]

If we had started well and the 10 points weren't there, this game tonight would not have mattered as much. We would have just put it down to the old 'you can't win them all'. However, the fact that every game is/was literally a cup final is probably too much pressure to expect us to be able to win every single one. Next year, the odd loss like this won't matter so much as we will be in a much more advantageous position(touch wood).

 

Fair play to Swindon, defended well in the first half, outplayed us in the second. Lloyd James isn't up to it imo and Papa Waigo should start. Also, where the **** is Antonio?

 

That is all. Ciao.

[BadgerBadger]

I kicked every ball of tonights game and enjoyed the passion it dragged out of me and took the brunt of the pain but rest assurred i'd take games like that win or lose every day of the week rather than spout off my petulant bulls!t from afar

[RedAndWhite91]

I'm too young and naive to praise other teams. Swindon were f*cking horrible with a load of pikey fans.

 

Schneiderlin has not yet scored for us but was unlucky not to have 2 tonight.

 

Lloyd James - Terrible performance. He's had his chance, surely he's fluffed it now. 99% of his crosses didn't beat the first man, the same first man he was too scared to take on. Continuously lost the ball too.

 

Other than that I won't single out anyone else, I just don't see how we can play like we did against Leeds at the weekend, and then 3 days later play like that against Swindon. Poor, very poor.

 

I'm usually a positive person, and a positive poster on here, but I am finding it difficult to say anything positive, and oh, bye bye play offs for good.

[BadgerBadger]

I'm too young and naive to praise other teams. Swindon were f*cking horrible with a load of pikey fans.

 

Schneiderlin has not yet scored for us but was unlucky not to have 2 tonight.

 

Lloyd James - Terrible performance. He's had his chance, surely he's fluffed it now. 99% of his crosses didn't beat the first man, the same first man he was too scared to take on. Continuously lost the ball too.

 

Other than that I won't single out anyone else, I just don't see how we can play like we did against Leeds at the weekend, and then 3 days later play like that against Swindon. Poor, very poor.

 

I'm usually a positive person, and a positive poster on here, but I am finding it difficult to say anything positive, and oh, bye bye play offs for good.

 

LJ just back from injury - bit harsh, showed flashes of what he's capable of but he was rusty

[RedAndWhite91]

LJ just back from injury - bit harsh, showed flashes of what he's capable of but he was rusty

 

Even if you're just back from injury, you should be able to get a cross into the box. I really want James to succeed and play well, but he is going to have to buck his ideas up somewhat. He has shown in the past he can play well, but it seems to me every time he has a decent game he will follow it up by playing crap in the following 3 games. Frustrating.

[BadgerBadger]

Even if you're just back from injury, you should be able to get a cross into the box. I really want James to succeed and play well, but he is going to have to buck his ideas up somewhat. He has shown in the past he can play well, but it seems to me every time he has a decent game he will follow it up by playing crap in the following 3 games. Frustrating.

 

Harsh and lacking in substance

[speculator]

This is a very bad night, I went to school with Charlie Austin, he's one of the most unpleasant individuals I've ever met, so arrogant, always gives it the big I am, had to put up with him for five years, such a tosser, why do the most undeserving people get success? He goes and scores the winner against us tonight, makes me sick.

 

Personal feelings aside, we were poor tonight and just didn't look interested. We put out our strongest eleven, but there just didn't seem to be any commitment there at all, looked strong in the first half, but outplayed in the second half, hope AP slated the team in the dressing room after the game. Can't help but feel that tonight our slim play off hopes have come to an end, the rest of the League One season seems irrelevant now.

 

Austin? I agree with your sentiments but unlike most of our players Austin and his team mates displayed cool heads and a desire to win the ball back, a desire that was lacking in our side tonight. Austin looked quite useful and as he was plying his trade for Poole Town last season you have to ask yourself why did Swindon pick him up and no doubt for peanuts and not us. Surely our scouting network stretched to Poole?

 

Puncheon had an awful game but at least he tried to provide some width unlike the headless Lallana and if the word consistency needs to be applied to any part of our team its in our wide positions where it is most applicable.

 

Our central midfield were too deep and poor when Swindon had possession standing off and giving Swindon every opportunity to play. When we had the ball and and kept it simple we looked very good but to often we reverted to long lobbed punts up field that their centre backs just hoovered up with simple ease. These balls were fruitless but we didn't have the intelligence to work it out and kept on even when James had come on presumably with some form of managerial instruction.

 

Defensively, I thought Fonte and Harding had good games because when they can at least they look to play the ball from defence whereas James, Thomas and Jaidi passing/crossing was very poor and hence their continual resorting to speculative hoofs, especially Jaidi. There was one brilliant peice of attacking playing in the first half when we played the ball from centre to left and switched it to the right only for Thomas to put in a ball that makes you wonder how some footballers can earn a living let alone get taken on professionally. I defended Thomas at right back after the Leeds game but based on that showing tonight we only have one option at RB and it isn't James.

 

We didn't have enough width and anything we did create was usually initiated by Harding. Our CM pairing don't get forward enough to support the strikers and neither did the wide men hence Lambert was having to drift wide leaving Barnard to deal with two small houses in their central defence. Also in the first half our CM's had opportunities to run into space in front of their defenders or shoot at goal from about 25 yards out and they always played it square.

 

At times we are too cute and casual and if the big 'I am' arrogance was on display tonight it wasn't in a blue shirt. Consistency only comes with the right attitude and we didn't appear to 'want it' enough tonight and we need players to be more direct and aggressive and play with their heads and not just use it as an opportunity to show off some fancy tricks and casualness as if we 3-0 up and coasting - Lallana, Puncheon and Waigo especially.

 

All that said we hit the woodwork twice, had a disallowed goal (not playing with our heads) and had a shot cleared off the line and they only really came close with Austin's cross shot in the first half that beat Davis so frankly we should have won, even if we weren't value for it.

 

Time for AP to start pre-season now and giving opportunities to other squad members to ensure next season we don't have a squad heavy in numbers but shallow in cover in key areas. Pointless moving players on for them to go elsewhere and do a great job and the time has come for AP to start challenging some of the permanent fixtures in the side to see what else we have at our disposal and inject some much needed urgency and intelligence into those who are showing signs of a casual attitude. Once he has done that and shown us all what he has to work with then he can give Cortese his shopping list because we are nowhere near ready for a top 2 place next season with this squad.

[up and away]

No, no, not two posts in a row where I agree with Saint Stevo. Is it because I'm coming of age or is it because of a very nice bottle of Merlot tonight?

 

However, (again, have to say something apart from agreeing with him otherwise he might have my love children), I think we did against Leeds what Swindon did against us. We stopped Leeds playing their usual game.

 

Leeds game, we were chasing every ball, making sure if a Leeds player had to control the ball before passing we were on top of them and making them pass quickly and make mistakes. Today, it was the opposite. Not sure whether it was the fact that we didn't bring it to them and challenge every ball and we just sat back, or whether it was Swindon just knowing how to break that down and keep control of the ball. Very very frustrating but fair play to Swindon - they played a very good game tonight.

 

Exactly, we were excellent against Leeds. Leeds never had the options, we removed that source even and though it was only 1-0, we had control over what they did. Swindon was a different kettle of fish, they got on top and had plenty of options.

 

I have been saying exactly the same thing since we played Pompey where there was a marked difference in our style of play, even believing we would do Norwich. We just cannot keep this style of play up when playing twice a week with the players we select. Either rotate the players or use a more defensive system that does not require the same energy levels. It is so obvious when you see us fail to get to second balls first while the opposition do, something we do very well when we have the energy levels.

 

You can have a go against some players, even Swindon being lucky, but it will continue to happen when a team fronts up to us in midfield and we don't keep it going or get the cushion of goals. One thing I was impressed was how Swindon tracked back to double up in the full back position, nullifying our threat from the wings. Papa changed the shape of things, but we never had enough control at that point.

[Big John]

I think I am right in saying that the real table (ie +10 points) shows that we now only have to play one team who are above us in the rest of this season!

 

 

Actually, there cannot be many teams in division 3, apart from the top two perhaps, who are in a similar position?

 

For that reason I am feeling quite positive about not only our prospects but our progress thus far. After games like tonight's we can either stare at the pavement or look ahead, when we all wake in the morning let's use our combined positive energy to will the teram onwards and upwards.

[Smirking_Saint]

Give over, for heck's sake. Pardew has had six weeks to work with the full squad of his choice. No one but Unite would expect 'jobs for life' and I ain't arguing for that and you know full well. You also know that success is built, not 'won'. Too many youngsters these days think that success is instant. It ain't. Success only comes after defeat. Only. You have to be defeated before you can taste what success is not, and thus crave success the more.

 

Good night!

 

Give over ??? I am trying to make a reasoned viewpoint and not just completely disregard an oppposing opinion.

 

I am not getting at you really, just that for every so called negative there are the RTG's that are just as bad if not worse as they believe that they are on the moral high ground.

 

You said you owe a business, so therefore you must know about KPI's in the same way that if you look at saints as a 5 year project then there will be milestones. My point is for every long term goal that you set out to achieve to manage it correctly and so be in a position to push that goal to completion you need to have control over the short term, and look at that short term as a judgement to reach the long term achievement.

 

NC obviously looked at this short term and realised we could be promoted quicker, thus shortening the timescales, he spent a lot of money and still missed out.

 

We gave it a go, we failed, we also had a terrible start to the season and have been inconsistant ever since, that is not good enough, and ok we were in the sh*t and all that boolacks but for the first 10 games ?? Terrible.

 

I would love instant success we all would, but i am not naive, equally i look at what we have done and believe we could have done better, is that not a fair point ??

[Smirking_Saint]

Austin? I agree with your sentiments but unlike most of our players Austin and his team mates displayed cool heads and a desire to win the ball back, a desire that was lacking in our side tonight. Austin looked quite useful and as he was plying his trade for Poole Town last season you have to ask yourself why did Swindon pick him up and no doubt for peanuts and not us. Surely our scouting network stretched to Poole?

 

Puncheon had an awful game but at least he tried to provide some width unlike the headless Lallana and if the word consistency needs to be applied to any part of our team its in our wide positions where it is most applicable.

 

Our central midfield were too deep and poor when Swindon had possession standing off and giving Swindon every opportunity to play. When we had the ball and and kept it simple we looked very good but to often we reverted to long lobbed punts up field that their centre backs just hoovered up with simple ease. These balls were fruitless but we didn't have the intelligence to work it out and kept on even when James had come on presumably with some form of managerial instruction.

 

Defensively, I thought Fonte and Harding had good games because when they can at least they look to play the ball from defence whereas James, Thomas and Jaidi passing/crossing was very poor and hence their continual resorting to speculative hoofs, especially Jaidi. There was one brilliant peice of attacking playing in the first half when we played the ball from centre to left and switched it to the right only for Thomas to put in a ball that makes you wonder how some footballers can earn a living let alone get taken on professionally. I defended Thomas at right back after the Leeds game but based on that showing tonight we only have one option at RB and it isn't James.

 

We didn't have enough width and anything we did create was usually initiated by Harding. Our CM pairing don't get forward enough to support the strikers and neither did the wide men hence Lambert was having to drift wide leaving Barnard to deal with two small houses in their central defence. Also in the first half our CM's had opportunities to run into space in front of their defenders or shoot at goal from about 25 yards out and they always played it square.

 

At times we are too cute and casual and if the big 'I am' arrogance was on display tonight it wasn't in a blue shirt. Consistency only comes with the right attitude and we didn't appear to 'want it' enough tonight and we need players to be more direct and aggressive and play with their heads and not just use it as an opportunity to show off some fancy tricks and casualness as if we 3-0 up and coasting - Lallana, Puncheon and Waigo especially.

 

All that said we hit the woodwork twice, had a disallowed goal (not playing with our heads) and had a shot cleared off the line and they only really came close with Austin's cross shot in the first half that beat Davis so frankly we should have won, even if we weren't value for it.

 

Time for AP to start pre-season now and giving opportunities to other squad members to ensure next season we don't have a squad heavy in numbers but shallow in cover in key areas. Pointless moving players on for them to go elsewhere and do a great job and the time has come for AP to start challenging some of the permanent fixtures in the side to see what else we have at our disposal and inject some much needed urgency and intelligence into those who are showing signs of a casual attitude. Once he has done that and shown us all what he has to work with then he can give Cortese his shopping list because we are nowhere near ready for a top 2 place next season with this squad.

 

This, though TBH i feel we probably have the best first 11 in the division.

 

Sort the consistancy out over the run in and get a decent end of the season, this would then give me the view point that we will be contenders for next season.

 

Otherwise, i just can't see how you can argue that we are ??

[RedAndWhite91]

Harsh and lacking in substance

 

I apologise for sounding harsh, but I am a little p.ssed off after tonight's showing. James has had ample opportunity to prove himself, Pardew obviously sees something there, but he won't get to start many games if he plays like that.

 

I feel LJ is better as a midfielder than a defender anyway, but if he has to play RB then I'd sooner see Thomas start in that slot, providing Otsemobor is injured. And then I can't really see any place in our midfield for James.

 

Good player to have on the bench, providing he doesn't put in a below average performance like tonight.

[BadgerBadger]

I apologise for sounding harsh, but I am a little p.ssed off after tonight's showing. James has had ample opportunity to prove himself, Pardew obviously sees something there, but he won't get to start many games if he plays like that.

 

I feel LJ is better as a midfielder than a defender anyway, but if he has to play RB then I'd sooner see Thomas start in that slot, providing Otsemobor is injured. And then I can't really see any place in our midfield for James.

 

Good player to have on the bench, providing he doesn't put in a below average performance like tonight.

 

Still disagree - respect your view but got alot of time for LJ and think he's a good sqaud player, always welcome and hope he gets time on the park to get his game back on track - may not set the world alight but he puts in good solid performances and will get better and better

[speculator]

This, though TBH i feel we probably have the best first 11 in the division.

 

Sort the consistancy out over the run in and get a decent end of the season, this would then give me the view point that we will be contenders for next season.

 

Otherwise, i just can't see how you can argue that we are ??[/QUOTE]

 

You can't. If we carry on playing like we have until the end of the season winning games 5-0 one minute and then losing games there for the taking the next then we can only hope for a top 6 and that won't be good enough and AP will be sacked by this Christmas at the latest in that event.

 

I agree we have the best first 11 so why the inconcistency and recently letting ourselves down against lesser teams in games we have displayed an opportunity to win?

 

Players don't become bad / talentless players overnight so the issue has to be pschological / motivational. Complacent and living off the laurels of a previously great win or unable to motivate themselves against teams perceived as 'lowly'. It could be false pride, arrogance and over - confidence, prima donna attitude (this team / pitch is below me) or it could be an inability to cope with hype and weight of expectation after a big win. A good manager will be able to get his players heads right or identify he has an issue and get in some help to keep them focussed. Alternatively, if its purely arrogance or Prima Donna attitude then dropping a few players and give some others a chance may be the wake up call they need.

 

I'm sure Gillett's terrier like presence in midfield would not have allowed Swindon the luxury to knock it about in midfield as easy as they did so why did our established first choice CM pairing allow it? We're safe and so I think its time to mix it up and let the first 11 know they still need to earn their keep.

[dune]

Give over, for heck's sake. Pardew has had six weeks to work with the full squad of his choice. No one but Unite would expect 'jobs for life' and I ain't arguing for that and you know full well. You also know that success is built, not 'won'. Too many youngsters these days think that success is instant. It ain't. Success only comes after defeat. Only. You have to be defeated before you can taste what success is not, and thus crave success the more.

 

Good night!

 

You're right, but once you become sucessful you can maintain it, although many don't, so you don't have to experience failure to fuel that hunger i.e new players comes into a sucessful club and club continues to be sucessful. We got so many challenges ahead but we have got to aim to be like man utd. They are the best and have been the best for a decade and more baring a few brief spells when they dipped a little bit. AP is alright but he's no Fergie, you have got to be both respected and feared have a fiery temper balanced by a good heart to be a top manager, youve got to trust your people because they are working for you and most people thrive whern given responsibility and are respected and you've got to be good laugh and likeable and finally you'e got to be someone that stands up for whats right, not someone that brown noses because brown nosing only gets anyone so far and even if they fluke it really high up they'll never be the best because they don't have the whole package of abilities that are required. Brown nosers i.e Wotte or Hoddle soon get sussed and because theyre a brown noser theyre all ****s and that's why Hoddle ultimately failed - he could only live on record as a great player for so long before players started thinkimg this guy is nobhead and he couldn't get them motivated to want lay their lives on the line for him and try that necessary bit extra because there wasa bond of respect. Not sure AP has the fiery temper and can use it to give a great motivational blast. Of course he has a temper - the interview the other week showed that, but is his temper fiery enough to put the fear of god into players and them take it seriously and act on it and not take it personally but be inspired by it ad then (and this is vital) be able to change like the wind and not hold grudges or sulk and treatb everyone (it must be everyone) as genuine friends and part of your team - there because you really want them there. Liking someone in business and football should have nothing to do with whether you like them as a person, but whether they do their job well and therefore give the results that in turn are used to judge your performance.,AP is who he is and it'd be so false and transparent to try to change. Hell you can even be wrong about things in everyone elses opinion so long as you are right. The worst thing to do when your back to the wall and everyone disagrees is to back down because if you're right you're right and it matters not if you **** people off, but the vital ingriient of sucess and i think this is AP's main strength is that what you see is what you get and he seems the sort of man that has honour and integrity and he'll fall on his sword if need be, but at the lesser extreme he'll not tell NC what he ~may~ want to hear, but the truth. I reckon this how NC would want it because any manager that gets off on flattery and nodding dogs is a fool. NC is no fool, he is on a mission and when you're on a mission you win at any cost and your pride and ego is irrelevent compared to the objective. NC is ruthless - you dont get that high up at his age by being anything less than an utter cuunt if it's required and you don't think twice about it - it's just natural and business. wining winning winning - that is allthat matters. Basically Fergie is a god to his players and that's the ideal situation. I'm comparing the perfect manager (Fergie) with AP so it's a bit unfair and AP will always comes out with weaknesses, but you've gotta calibrate with a top quality bench mark and Fergie is the manager that everyone should want to be.

Edited 17 March, 2010 by dune

[dune]

I would love instant success we all would, but i am not naive, equally i look at what we have done and believe we could have done better, is that not a fair point ??

 

It's a fair point and the truth. We've done well but could've and should've done better. We've been good most of the time, but what with the start to the season we had with the turmoil and starting from scratch very late on it was always going to excusable having a bad start. If we'd had an average start we'd be knocking on the door or even in the play-offs now, but que sera sera and all that, we are doing alright now and next season is what we've got to look to. We've got to get better though and money isn't going to help us reach the next level in L1. It's all about players and managers doing their jobs well. The play-off should be easily reachable next season - in fact it's a certainty imo that we'll do this much, but that aint gonna be a good job done, that's second prize and only a salvaged sucess if we win the lottery and get through it. At least 2nd is a must and Champions is what we should be achieving.

Edited 17 March, 2010 by dune

[del boy]

Sh1t - just woke up and remembered last nights score.

 

Still, next season is going to be one to enjoy!

[Fair Oak Saint]

Pardew will not be here next season. Already been agreed.

A new manager has already been lined up.

You heard it here first.

[Wade Garrett]

Pardew will not be here next season. Already been agreed.

A new manager has already been lined up.

You heard it here first.

 

Why would they agree now to dispense with Pardew, yet still keep him to the end of the season.

 

Can't see it.

[John B]

So ****ing what? Are you such a dumb-arse ignoramus that you honestly belief that money buys success? For ****s sake. One would have thought that the cretinous wage bill of last season would have put paid to such idiotic assumptions.

 

Are you a youngster? A student?

MONEY, BY AND OF ITSELF, DOES NOT BUY ANYTHING.

 

Only sweat, tears and passion buys success. Not money.

 

I do agree with that money does not buy guarantee success but with the money spent we we should perhaps be doing better.

 

 

Having been around in 1960 1966 and 1978 I know that good players playing good football get promotion not blood sweat and passion.

 

 

We have bought in good players

 

Davis Thomas Schenderlin Lambert Barnard Puncheon Jadi Fonte Harding Hammond plus Lallana but the team is not playing consisently well so there is a problem somewhere.

 

By the way being a tossa and calling people names is not a very good way to put your point across although I am not really sure what your point is

[alpine_saint]

No plan B when opponents refuse to roll over for us and instead show a bit of fight.

 

Been our problem for years, one-pace management, especially prevalent during the Burliniho years...

[doddisalegend]

I do agree with that money does not buy guarantee success but with the money spent we we should perhaps be doing better.

 

 

Having been around in 1960 1966 and 1978 I know that good players playing good football get promotion not blood sweat and passion.

 

We have bought in good players

Davis Thomas Schenderlin Lambert Barnard Puncheon Jadi Fonte Harding Hammond plus Lallana but the team is not playing consisently well so there is a problem somewhere.

 

By the way being a tossa and calling people names is not a very good way to put your point across although I am not really sure what your point is

 

Just maybe they are not the good players people say they are part of being good is to play well week in and week out. These are league one players for a reason they can't do that. We have over spent on average players simple as that. Only Lambert has jusified his price this seson and even he was shocking last night. I would also suggest looking at Swindon, Colchester and Millwall that player and team spirit, blood, sweat, tears and hard work counts for a lot more than skill in this division.

Edited 17 March, 2010 by doddisalegend

[alpine_saint]

Cheers for the thoughts and observations Weston.

 

I suspect the reaction to your post won't be as confrontational as the reaction it would attract had certain so called negative posters posted exactly the same thoughts....

 

No sh*t, Batman...

[alpine_saint]

same old idiots trolling out the same old sh!t - jaka-fcking-nory fellas

 

Riiiight...

 

strange as they seem to be the ones that don't watch many games

 

Oh, the irony of the "same old sh*t" comment...

 

(NB this is not a 'I'm a better fan than you fred'

 

Oh yes it is...

[John B]

Just maybe they are not the good players people say they are part of being good is to play well week in and week out. These are league one players for a reason they can't doThat. We have over spent on average players simple as that. Only Lambert has jusified his price this seson and even he was shocking last night. I would also suggest looking at Swindon, Colchester and Millwall that player and team spirit, blood, sweat, tears and hard work counts for a lot more than skill in this division.

 

Are you saying that NC does not know what he is doing buying in expensive players?

 

By the way I disagree Puncheon Fonte Jaidi Barnard Harding and Hammond have all played very well at most games this season

 

So have Lallana Morgan and Davis

 

 

We have the players but not the team

[The Fat Controller]

I thought St Mary's was flat on atmosphere last night, the build up to the match etc and the performance and result matched it.... totally flat

[NickG]

No plan B when opponents refuse to roll over for us and instead show a bit of fight.

 

Been our problem for years, one-pace management, especially prevalent during the Burliniho years...

 

Did you not think we were on top going into half-time, Swindon came out the stronger for the second half, deservedly went into the lead.

 

Pardew then changed Barnard for Papa to try a more pacey attack.

 

He then added Connolly and played 3 up front, also gave Jaidi licence to stay forward.

 

Easy criticism to make but feel it was more good players playing well below their recent standard - Puncheon and Fonte examples.

[Master Bates]

Where's Antonio?!?!?!

[NickG]

dropped I think.

[saint_stevo]

same old idiots trolling out the same old sh!t - jaka-fcking-nory fellas

 

strange as they seem to be the ones that don't watch many games (NB this is not a 'I'm a better fan than you fred' just merely an observation, IMO)

 

harsh and lacking in substance.

 

Who was it even aimed at, exactly?

[s0108787]

I now have to go to work with 2 swindon fans having lost a £20 bet that we would win. 1st half we were unlucky, 2nd we buckled under the pressure.

[dubai_phil]

Sleeping off the disappointment, some thoughts overall.

 

The talk of the most expensive team in the League getting turned over - meh, it isn't as if the Old Saints never went away to Man Ure or Liverpool or Arsenal and put in a hard shift of harrying battling and tactical nous to get a result against big bucks and better players.

 

The worry though i that teams HAVE worked out how to stop us playing.

 

The coaching adage is either our superior players will work it out and overcome that and our "Class Will Tell" or you understand that you need different Horses for Different Courses. The problem with the "imposing yourself" route is that it needs confidence and consistency, and I don't know if it is there yet. Are we being arrogant as a team and as fans? Swindon are agood side, we seemed to go out and play our normal way (and support our normal way) and we expected a win...

 

Some weeks we can play expansive football with two wide players, other weeks we will need a tighter tougher midfiled 3 or 4 with only one wide player or one up front.

 

IMHO it is valid to lay the blame at AP's door with this "pick the best team" approach, and there is no doubt that in a 4-4-2 we have a damned good 1st XI, but sometimes we need something dfferent.

 

Also, when you look at the bench we don't have real options in central midfield, Thomas is not a "Rampaging Full Back" and you start to wonder if we have got the 1st XI right but at the expense of a squad that gives us cover to play the same way. Clearly Thomas is not going to replace like for like style with Semi. He is a different type of player (A CB by trade)

 

So, we have quality on the bench in Papa, Connelly, Antonio, but Wotton & James in CM? At least Mills is a youngster learning his trade, not in the same level as Harding but at least not a CB getting a game and possibly upsetting the balance. But we have a lot of rubbish hanging around the fringes that needs to go and be replaced by fewer better stand-ins.

 

I'm a happy bunny, we've had a damned good season, I enjoy listening to the games and seeing the team progressing. I am damned disappointed that we have thrown away stupid points, and I think that AP isn't matching his tactics to the need of a paticular set of circumstances or type of game.

 

But I keep saying that I look for learning from mistakes and I believe it is better that as a unit our management and players stay together into next season.

 

But, without joining the wrist slitters I do feel that "Something must be done" about our seeming (from a distance) inability to "tweak things around" and to keep walking into the trap of being out competed.

 

Our creative players need space. Deny them that and we don't perform - ain't my sentiment it's Big Dave's. I worry he keeps saying it because it keeps happening

[paris]

I hope so...

 

Do you think that your pre-emptive sneering somehow nullifies the validity of anything we have to say ?

[View From The Top]

Got my ticket yesterday, can't wait - didn't think we would be having day like this 12 months ago.

 

It's something the mongs fail to understand.

[Sour Mash]

A poor performance against a good Swindon side. We looked exactly what we are. A team with nothing to play for in the league, with a Wembley final coming up soon.

[paris]

Well put..

I think I am right in saying that the real table (ie +10 points) shows that we now only have to play one team who are above us in the rest of this season!

 

 

Actually, there cannot be many teams in division 3, apart from the top two perhaps, who are in a similar position?

 

For that reason I am feeling quite positive about not only our prospects but our progress thus far. After games like tonight's we can either stare at the pavement or look ahead, when we all wake in the morning let's use our combined positive energy to will the teram onwards and upwards.

[doddisalegend]

Are you saying that NC does not know what he is doing buying in expensive players?

By the way I disagree Puncheon Fonte Jaidi Barnard Harding and Hammond have all played very well at most games this season

So have Lallana Morgan and Davis

 

 

We have the players but not the team

 

How long has NC been in football? he could well make some mistakes. I have a feeling he like many on here assumes that price automatically equals quaility.

 

The point is playing well in most games isn't enough. They need to be consistent, just turning it on when they feel like it is no good. Players make mistakes but the number of wayward passes, poor postioning and wrong desicions was shocking last night and unacceptable from supposedly quaility signings.

 

The players just didn't look bothered last night. I can cope with losing if I feel the players tried but last night they where so poor. I came away from the pompey game feeling my team had done me proud. I wasn't upset by Tranmere becuase we played well enough and got screwed by the ref.

 

Last night however we where done by a team who just wanted it more, and thats what is lacking from our team at times. Money it seems can't by you players who want to win week in week out.

 

I don't even blame AP he put out our strongest team, when it became obivous it wasn't working he made changes. Yet the players just didn't perform. You have to wonder what the manger can do, if his expensive supposed quaility players can't even get the basics right.

[View From The Top]

We have the players but not the team

 

I'm sure you were saying the same after the recent Norwich, Walsall, Huddersfield and Leeds results as well weren't you?

 

Oh wait, you weren't because you're full of ****.

[sidthesquid]

It was a classic smash-and-grab from Swindon. They rode their luck at times, but they earnt it. They were a typical Danny Wilson team, neat and tidy on the ball, busy off the ball and fully committed and I thought they looked as good a team as we have played this season.

We weren't terrible, we did create chances, but they did their homework, closing Puncheon, in particular, down so quickly he never had an opportunity to use his tricks. And maybe the fact that everyone knew what was at stake made our players edgy, as well.

In different circumstances we would be able to write this one off as 'one of those nights.' Unfortunately, with the stakes as high as they were we can't. But the play-offs were always a long shot, anyway. (Just as a point of interest, the team in the first play-off CCC & League 2 are both on 55 points, and League 1 it is 63, just to make an impossible task harder.)

I'm just going to enjoy Wembley and the rest of this season in an anxiety-free manner and I fully expect us to go up next season. Since the start of October we have P25 W14 D6 L5 and that form next season would see us get promoted.

[doddisalegend]

I'm sure you were saying the same after the recent Norwich, Walsall, Huddersfield and Leeds results as well weren't you?

 

Oh wait, you weren't because you're full of ****.

 

Uncalled for John makes some good points and is a pretty balanced poster. How about trying to reply with a proper arguement rather than an insult and people might take your views more seriously.

 

We played well in all those matches, but as we can't sustain it week in week out so something is clearly wrong. I have seen us play some great football this year and seen many great goals, but for every good performance we seem to churn out an equally bad one, and last night was one of the worst I've seen in some time. You don't agree so why not give me your reasons why you don't agree (with out the insults).

[Give it to Ron]

Too narrow, too static, too bereft of ideas.

 

Swindon made us look like fools at times.

 

In the first 15 minutes you could see Pardew's game plan. Keep it narrow, keep it compact sending out a signal to Swindon that we were frightened of them.

 

Lambert worked hard without really threatening.

 

Schneiderlin tried his best but because of the narrowness had no outlet.

 

Defence was OK although not at their best.

 

Davis is just not good enough. Not blaming him for the goal, he tried his best but too many long ineffective kicks and although he is a good shot stopper that is it. As a friend said sat next to me, he is like a brick wall...everything bounces off of him.

 

Pardew is a decent Manager at this level but lacks the positivity it takes to be a winner.

 

Many players had an off day but Pardew did nothing at half time to change the shape, width or general tactics.

 

Very disappointed.

 

Spot on....how many times did Morgan get the ball look up and have the 2 wide men alongside him?

Kelvin looked like an old man...well older than me going down for 2 of those shots he could of walked across and picked one up it was going that fast and he pushed it for a corner!

What was the James substitution all about? Good idea bring on a ful back that pings it in from 40 yards out and cant beat the first man!

 

Their goal came about after a shocking period of play yet we set and faffed about warming up players...why when they did that at half-time.

We were clearly losing midfield and should of put Waigo wide right and James in the middle 4-5-1 with Lallana tucked in .

Poor from Pardew last night IMO.

[rooney]

Could not go to the match last night but judging by the posts, we were not at our best, Despite that, the stats showed us to have the edge, and we hit posts, goals disallowed and shots cleared off the line. Swindon are in the playoffs too. We cannot win every game and we will have games like this from time to time. The disappointment will go away and we must remember have come a long way since the first game of the season when mid table was our goal.

 

The playoffs were always a big expectation with the 10 points deduction, so let us enjoy those great wins we have had and of course the visit to Wembley on the 28th.Whatever happens, no one can deny we have some very good players and overall ,are enjoying our football once again.

[saint_stevo]

Could not go to the match last night but judging by the posts, we were not at our best, Despite that, the stats showed us to have the edge, and we hit posts, goals disallowed and shots cleared off the line. Swindon are in the playoffs too. We cannot win every game and we will have games like this from time to time. The disappointment will go away and we must remember have come a long way since the first game of the season when mid table was our goal.

 

The playoffs were always a big expectation with the 10 points deduction, so let us enjoy those great wins we have had and of course the visit to Wembley on the 28th.Whatever happens, no one can deny we have some very good players and overall ,are enjoying our football once again.

 

We had the edge in the first half, second half very poor.

 

Mid table still probably is our goal, tbf

[The Cat]

Pardew will not be here next season. Already been agreed.

A new manager has already been lined up.

You heard it here first.

 

Sven

[saint_stevo]

Got my ticket yesterday, can't wait - didn't think we would be having day like this 12 months ago.

 

Is that because we were in the CCC, and thus not eligible for the JPT?

[dune]

Too narrow, too static, too bereft of ideas.

 

Swindon made us look like fools at times.

 

In the first 15 minutes you could see Pardew's game plan. Keep it narrow, keep it compact sending out a signal to Swindon that we were frightened of them.

 

Lambert worked hard without really threatening.

 

Schneiderlin tried his best but because of the narrowness had no outlet.

 

Defence was OK although not at their best.

 

Davis is just not good enough. Not blaming him for the goal, he tried his best but too many long ineffective kicks and although he is a good shot stopper that is it. As a friend said sat next to me, he is like a brick wall...everything bounces off of him.

 

Pardew is a decent Manager at this level but lacks the positivity it takes to be a winner.

 

Many players had an off day but Pardew did nothing at half time to change the shape, width or general tactics.

 

Very disappointed.

 

Interesting points and if true, and i've no reason to question the points as you normally are fair, it's not good.