AP School Report

[S-Clarke]

Alpine you have, again, conveniently ignored a very reasonable question to justify one of your points -

 

Benji - You reckon our best chance for promotion was when we had a ten point penalty and needed to completely rebuild the team. Could you explain why please?

[John B]

How can you say this ? You have no idea how the team will gel, how the new signings will perform, if the likes of Morgan and Rickie will stay fit.

 

Maybe last season overall with the form we had will turn out to be the best window of opportunity for some time to come.

 

Disappointing that the average Saints fan refuses to see the uncertainty in all this and is being totally complaicent about this season.

 

EDIT: I wonder if that is the reason for some of the aggression towards me - pointing out things no-one wants to hear...

 

Of course you are right there is a very slight possibility that all our stars will be injured and we will get relegated but there is a greater possibility that everything will be OK and we will be promoted

 

 

For some unknown reason most posters think the second scenario will happen but only time will tell

 

 

As we did not get promoted last season surely there is a better chance of it happening this

Edited 25 July, 2010 by John B

[alpine_saint]

Alpine you have, again, conveniently ignored a very reasonable question to justify one of your points -

 

Benji - You reckon our best chance for promotion was when we had a ten point penalty and needed to completely rebuild the team. Could you explain why please?

 

No I havent - my last post lays out the reasons very clearly - FOR THOSE THAT WANT TO READ IT.

[Matthew Le God]

You don't exactly have the best track record for predictions...

 

01-10-2009 08:55 PM

 

Where will Saints finish this season thread (2009/10)

 

16th-18th.

 

Oct 1st 2009 when you said this was pretty much the time the teams form took off and became automatic promotion form.

[alpine_saint]

Of course you are right there is a very slight possibility that all our stars will be injured and we will get relegated but there is a greater possibility that everything will be OK and we will be promoted

 

 

For some unknown reason most posters think the second scenario will happen but only time will tell

 

There is a middle scneario, of course, that we suffer injury problems often enough that we cannot build up momentum and get to the playoffs and lose, or get mid-table mediocrity.

 

Why does it have to be black or white ? Why do people forget all the things that must really click together for a team to have sufficient form for automatic promotion ?

[alpine_saint]

You don't exactly have the best track record for predictions...

 

01-10-2009 08:55 PM

 

Where will Saints finish this season thread (2009/10)

 

 

 

Oct 1st 2009 when you said this was pretty much the time the teams form took off and became automatic promotion form.

 

That's the third time you posted that - I really dont see the relevance of it or the reason you keep posting it. You lot are talking nailed on certainities, I am pointing out that nothing is certain but that a few things could have been done differently to ensure a higher probability of success.

[pele]

No it's just you are an idiot!

[John B]

There is a middle scneario, of course, that we suffer injury problems often enough that we cannot build up momentum and get to the playoffs and lose, or get mid-table mediocrity.

 

Why does it have to be black or white ? Why do people forget all the things that must really click together for a team to have sufficient form for automatic promotion ?

 

Of course what you say could happen but with our resources most people think we will automatically get promoted

 

But I aree with you it is not a foregone conclusion and we will have to wait and see

 

If things go wrong we will see how good a manager Pardew really is - It was pretty easy last season but we could have done better

[S-Clarke]

There is a middle scneario, of course, that we suffer injury problems often enough that we cannot build up momentum and get to the playoffs and lose, or get mid-table mediocrity.

 

Why does it have to be black or white ? Why do people forget all the things that must really click together for a team to have sufficient form for automatic promotion ?

 

People aren't forgetting, the majority of us realize that we have just played a friendly match that actually means nothing, in the grand scheme of things. It's called having a bit of perspective.

 

You say winning well in pre-season helps to start a season?

 

i'll go back to what i dug out yesterday, 12-0 against Svarstad - then we open up the campaign losing 4-1 to Crystal Palace.

 

You cannot judge the potential success of a promotion push on a couple of low-key pre-season friendly's. The plymouth game will be a competley different kettle of fish.

[oxfordshire_saint]

How can you say this ? You have no idea how the team will gel, how the new signings will perform, if the likes of Morgan and Rickie will stay fit.

 

Maybe last season overall with the form we had will turn out to be the best window of opportunity for some time to come.

 

Disappointing that the average Saints fan refuses to see the uncertainty in all this and is being totally complaicent about this season.

 

EDIT: I wonder if that is the reason for some of the aggression towards me - pointing out things no-one wants to hear...

 

How can you say with absolute certainty that a couple of poor pre-season results and the fact that we've not added the couple of cover players we need means that this season is destined to be a failure?

 

I'm not advocating complacency, more realism.

 

We've got more quality in our squad than any other side and I'm confident they'll deliver.

 

Whilst preparation is key, I'll start reading something into results come the 7th of August.

 

What will your view be if we beat Barnet and Reading?

[John B]

Yes I agree but if we dont perform well in our next few games is it likely we will start playing well against Plymouth - This is the Concern of some.

 

Others possibly like you appear to think three points are certain from the Plymouth Game.

 

Everybody is different and have different ideas

[S-Clarke]

 

What will your view be if we beat Barnet and Reading?

 

He won't have one, he'll vanish until our next poor result.

[alpine_saint]

How can you say with absolute certainty that a couple of poor pre-season results and the fact that we've not added the couple of cover players we need means that this season is destined to be a failure?

 

I'm not advocating complacency, more realism.

 

We've got more quality in our squad than any other side and I'm confident they'll deliver.

 

Whilst preparation is key, I'll start reading something into results come the 7th of August.

 

What will your view be if we beat Barnet and Reading?

 

That we've woken up and started to play in the manner in which we need to - a promising sign.

 

Sorry, I am still scarred by watching England v Japan in Graz and thinking it was nothing to worry about because the team would rise to the occasion when the real WC started....

[alpine_saint]

He won't have one, he'll vanish until our next poor result.

 

Another myth - I posted feedback on EVERY game last season.

[Katalinic]

Another myth - I posted feedback on EVERY game last season.

 

I particularly enjoyed the ones when we went a goal down and then fought back to win - there you were, like clockwork, salivating prematurely over our downfall and then silence....I hope true to form, this trend continues from pre-season to when the real football starts.

[NickG]

As stupidly disingenuous as usual, NickG. The squad in post #37 only played a few games in that form, and you know it. Compare the squad from the last games of the last season with now and the first 16 is weaker.

 

You prove time and again that any sensible discussion with you is as big a waste of time as any discussion with me is accused of being. However, you strike a better chord with the happy-clappy contingent, of course.

 

you always fail to come up with footballing or stats based reason.

 

You said last season was our best chance of promotion, totally ignoring the -10 and the huge difference in the squads going into the season.

 

You know that AP did well last season - in both assembling a good squad and also in the consistent performance gaining 2 points per game for the time he had this team.

 

It doesn't fit in with your agenda to ever accept a positive about saints but you are struggling

[alpine_saint]

you always fail to come up with footballing or stats based reason.

 

You said last season was our best chance of promotion, totally ignoring the -10 and the huge difference in the squads going into the season.

 

You know that AP did well last season - in both assembling a good squad and also in the consistent performance gaining 2 points per game for the time he had this team.

 

It doesn't fit in with your agenda to ever accept a positive about saints but you are struggling

 

And your agenda doesnt fit with acknowledging the perfectly valid arguments I've made.

[Dark Munster]

In his first term Alan showed that he has a good understanding of the subject but he could improve his consistency in putting this knowledge into practice. Alan has generally displayed a positive attitude, although he may tend to be a little less certain when challenged by the headmaster. He does have ready explanations for failings which is appropriate when necessary to deflect criticism but Alan should avoid being mislead by his own propaganda as he assesses what is required to achieve success in the coming term.

How about your report for the 2 Dutch clowns? You know, the ones you said were going to be vast improvement over the boot boy. And while you're at it, how about a progress report on the boot boy's achievements since he was dumped by the duck hunter?

[NickG]

How often are you going to repeat this completely one-sided summary ? Are you trying to bore the dissenters / concerned to death ?

 

Some of the points are reasonable explanations for last season. This season (including a disappointing pre-season) there are NO excuses. NONE.

 

and this was your first attempt at reasoned debate?

 

logic, football knowledge, support of saints, discussing the point in question are all things you fail on.

 

you appear as another of these trolls having a little project.

[Matthew Le God]

That we've woken up and started to play in the manner in which we need to - a promising sign.

 

Sorry, I am still scarred by watching England v Japan in Graz and thinking it was nothing to worry about because the team would rise to the occasion when the real WC started....

 

Why do you keep bringing up England vs Japan?

 

1) Saints players had just had 2 months holiday and are currently playing friendlies to build up fitness for a new season.

 

2) England players should have already been fit when they played Japan as they just finished a League season.

 

There is a huge difference between the two situations. The games were used for different reasons.

[NickG]

And your agenda doesnt fit with acknowledging the perfectly valid arguments I've made.

 

must have missed that, what did he do wrong last season and why will it be harder this?

 

have a go at answering reasonably

[John B]

Why do you keep bringing up England vs Japan?

 

1) Saints players had just had 2 months holiday and are currently playing friendlies to build up fitness for a new season.

 

2) England players should have already been fit when they played Japan as they just finished a League season.

 

There is a huge difference between the two situations. The games were used for different reasons.

 

 

You do seem to have problems analysing other peoples ideas dont you

 

 

What i think Alpine is saying is that it was no surprise that that England played badly during the World cup as their performances were poor leading up to it.

 

 

So it is quite possible that if Southampton's Preseason does not go well the first few league games will not go well either.

 

 

It is also possible that the first few games will go well but we dont know.

 

 

I would expect us to start performing better but that is not guaranteed - we were not very good at Farnborough and I was expecting us to play better at Sutton but that did not happen

[NickG]

wonder how the odds compare between this season and last? Guessing bookmakers, who judge on facts etc not just wanting to slag saints off, tell a very different story!

[alpine_saint]

must have missed that, what did he do wrong last season and why will it be harder this?

 

have a go at answering reasonably

 

Nope, I've already elaborated on the reason why I think fans and club are being complacent about this season, on this thread earlier

 

have a go at trying to find it and actually considering it with an open mind.

[alpine_saint]

wonder how the odds compare between this season and last? Guessing bookmakers, who judge on facts etc not just wanting to slag saints off, tell a very different story!

 

Yep, I just want to slag Saints off....

 

Yep, I place more credence in what is going on than what a bunch of bookies say.

 

Pathetic.

[ottery st mary]

Professor is a Domestic Science Teacher and a big pudding......Some would say a dunce...

 

 

Whereas...

 

Pards is top of the class in wizadry....Spellbinding magician.

[NickG]

open mind tells me the squad has been improved from last season, and that we had to contend with both -10 and 7 games without a win.

 

we won't have -10 this season.

 

The fact that we then averaged for the last 8 months or whatever it was 2 points a game suggest we are more likely to get around 14 points from first 7 not 5 points.

 

Our weakest position was RB and we have signed 2 decent experienced RBs.

 

Still can't see where you are getting that we had a better chance of promotion last season? Or are you just being awkward?

[alpine_saint]

open mind tells me the squad has been improved from last season, and that we had to contend with both -10 and 7 games without a win.

 

we won't have -10 this season.

 

The fact that we then averaged for the last 8 months or whatever it was 2 points a game suggest we are more likely to get around 14 points from first 7 not 5 points.

 

Our weakest position was RB and we have signed 2 decent experienced RBs.

 

Still can't see where you are getting that we had a better chance of promotion last season? Or are you just being awkward?

 

Nope, you didnt bother, did you ?

[NickG]

Yep, I just want to slag Saints off....

 

Yep, I place more credence in what is going on than what a bunch of bookies say.

 

Pathetic.

 

I don't know whether you are being pathetic, or why you do want to slag saints off, never understood that.

 

Bookies are right more often than wrong.

 

Last season, in our "best chance" we were long outsiders for promotion, this year they have us, last time I looked, as the hottest favourite to win any league in the country - why are they so wrong then?

[NickG]

Nope, you didnt bother, did you ?

 

yet another post with fact and backed up opinion that you choose not to debate - because you are incapable.

[alpine_saint]

yet another post with fact and backed up opinion that you choose not to debate - because you are incapable.

 

Still not bothering, I note....

 

You stubbornly refuse to consider the points others make and then have the sheer cheek to accuse them of the same.

 

Not really much point in carrying on then, is there ?

 

Go on, I let you have the last word. Make up something suitably and characteristically childish.

[NickG]

no will stick with these facts:

 

Last season

AP built a good squad

The team was consistent after slow start

We won a cup.

AP had a very good season.

 

This season

have much better squad

do not have -10

no reason for slow start

I can see no reason why last season's form cannot be continued.

The chances for promotion are much much higher than last

expectation and therefore pressure is high

 

Happy to hear any footballing views to the contrary!

Edited 25 July, 2010 by NickG

[sidthesquid]

I know where you're coming from Alps, So far we've played 0 Won 0 Drew 0 Lost 0. It's not good enough.

 

OMG, Alps is right - three months without a win. We're doomed

[NickG]

lol

[Torres]

Glad to see that Alps has begun his Edinburgh Festival preview shows and that his unique brand of comedy is still going strong.

 

I am up there for a long weekend during the festival Alps, I will try to catch your show and maybe we can have a beer afterwards?

[captainchris]

Alan has fitted in well. However he leads a gang which which are short of one or two members who left last term and have not been replaced........

 

Alan rarely performs to his own professed high standards and will not make Prefect unless he shows more organisational skills. The Head Master is ware of Alan's shortcomings and will not lower this school's expectations to fall to Alan's level if he doesn't prove himself to be a pupil with the right application by October!

[Big Bad Bob]

How can you say this ? You have no idea how the team will gel, how the new signings will perform, if the likes of Morgan and Rickie will stay fit.

 

Maybe last season overall with the form we had will turn out to be the best window of opportunity for some time to come.

 

Disappointing that the average Saints fan refuses to see the uncertainty in all this and is being totally complaicent about this season.

 

EDIT: I wonder if that is the reason for some of the aggression towards me - pointing out things no-one wants to hear...

 

Bloody hell Alps, I sometime wonder how you struggle to get out of bed in the morning. I mean, you might trip over you discarded duvet cover and crack your wee noggin.

 

If you happen to survive the domestic dangers, watch out for flying toast from the oversprung toaster, then you must really be taking your life into your hands walking down the street.

 

Seriously, there's a always a danger players may get injured, but do you really suggest that we get (exceptional) cover for every single position just in case! C'mon seriously.

 

What next, all the squad players taking separate flights/buses to the next far flung away game?

[Big Bad Bob]

In his first term Alan showed that he has a good understanding of the subject but he could improve his consistency in putting this knowledge into practice. Alan has generally displayed a positive attitude, although he may tend to be a little less certain when challenged by the headmaster. He does have ready explanations for failings which is appropriate when necessary to deflect criticism but Alan should avoid being mislead by his own propaganda as he assesses what is required to achieve success in the coming term.

 

Point of Order Prof!! Did you mean to use assesses, because if you did the sentence doesn't really scan well! Maybe possesses was on your mind?

[westofshannonsaint]

On Topic>>> Alan has had quite a good first year and should his progress continue will have a very successful future at Saints. However, on occasion, despite full support, he needed to be reminded of his goals.

 

Off Topic>>>Mods, any chance of deleting off topic posts, I tried to look for the quote about "playing the ball, not the man" in the T&C's thread but the links seem to be broken.

 

Alpine, I kinda like and agree with some of your posts, but can I ask if you are able to say ONE positive thing about the current saints team? and did you really predict we would finish 16th - 18th last year?

[Matthew Le God]

Alpine, did you really predict we would finish 16th - 18th last year?

 

He sure did, on October 1st 2009 (after the Bristol Rovers game).

 

After 46 games the team that was 18th was Exeter with 51 points.

 

Which is 32 points fewer than what Saints earnt last season.

 

Quite a massive margin of error there when he tried to predict how well Saints would do!

[westofshannonsaint]

He sure did, on October 1st 2009

 

OP, sorry for keeping this off topic, but I would imagine that if you were to multiply the points per game achieved before Oct 1st by 46 we would have finished fairly low on the table & that is very similar to the argument that says that we are going to walk the title this season.

[alpine_saint]

OP, sorry for keeping this off topic, but I would imagine that if you were to multiply the points per game achieved before Oct 1st by 46 we would have finished fairly low on the table & that is very similar to the argument that says that we are going to walk the title this season.

 

Hey, dont let little facts like that get in the way of a good dig...

 

The fact that MLG is now going on about this for the 5th time in 24hrs must suggest I dont get a lot wrong.

[alpine_saint]

On Topic>>> Alan has had quite a good first year and should his progress continue will have a very successful future at Saints. However, on occasion, despite full support, he needed to be reminded of his goals.

 

Off Topic>>>Mods, any chance of deleting off topic posts, I tried to look for the quote about "playing the ball, not the man" in the T&C's thread but the links seem to be broken.

 

Alpine, I kinda like and agree with some of your posts, but can I ask if you are able to say ONE positive thing about the current saints team? and did you really predict we would finish 16th - 18th last year?

 

We have a first XI that if in form, fit and available for the whole season, will walk this league.

[Doctoroncall]

OP, sorry for keeping this off topic, but I would imagine that if you were to multiply the points per game achieved before Oct 1st by 46 we would have finished fairly low on the table & that is very similar to the argument that says that we are going to walk the title this season.

 

And that's the whole point, if Alpine used the form up until that date to predict where Saints would finish last season, it was shown to be wrong.

 

I don't know what Alpine is predicting this season or what he is basing it on. I've seen the lack of cover in central midfield, lack of pace, lack of creativity, not a good pre-season and AP not knowing how to play the team. All have their own merits of concern but also can be remedied in weeks.

[Big Bad Bob]

And that's the whole point, if Alpine used the form up until that date to predict where Saints would finish last season, it was shown to be wrong.

 

I don't know what Alpine is predicting this season or what he is basing it on. I've seen the lack of cover in central midfield, lack of pace, lack of creativity, not a good pre-season and AP not knowing how to play the team. All have their own merits of concern but also can be remedied in weeks.

 

How about AP experimenting with the team in meaningless pre-season friendlies so he has a better idea for the season proper. After all isn't that (part of) what pre-season is for??

[alpine_saint]

How about AP experimenting with the team in meaningless pre-season friendlies so he has a better idea for the season proper. After all isn't that (part of) what pre-season is for??

 

Fair comment, but we are now 2 weeks away from the first match and things should be taking shape faster now than they are.

[Big Bad Bob]

Fair comment, but we are now 2 weeks away from the first match and things should be taking shape faster now than they are.

 

I think you'll still see a bit of experimentation tomorrow against Barnet, fringe players getting a run out, seeing how they cope when the stars of the 1st XI are injured etc.

 

Reading, I think, will be the real acid test.

[saint simes]

Yet another promising thread ruined, not that I'm suprised anymore......

[alpine_saint]

Yet another promising thread ruined, not that I'm suprised anymore......

 

I agree, the personal stuff is unecessary.

[NickG]

How often are you going to repeat this completely one-sided summary ? Are you trying to bore the dissenters / concerned to death ?

 

Some of the points are reasonable explanations for last season. This season (including a disappointing pre-season) there are NO excuses. NONE.

 

Yet another promising thread ruined, not that I'm suprised anymore......

 

I agree, the personal stuff is unecessary.

 

 

last until post 4