4 defeats in a row, no goals......!

[doddisalegend]

.....no Papa, no Antonio, no replacements, no goals, no points. I blame Pardew, the bloke was complacent and thought we would walk this league.

 

Good luck Nige!!

 

The fact is we performed better in his five games in charge than we have since

 

with AP 2wins ,1 draw, 2 loses (1 to PL side) 7 goals scored 3 conceded

without AP 0 wins 0 draws 4 loses 0 goals scored 9 conceded

 

APs gone no more point blaming him any more. I just hope Adkins can turn this round, but I don't think we're going up this season.

[David Strover]

Mind you if we don't go up this season it means we have to get promoted in 2011-12 and then again in 2012-13 and then again 2013-14 to make the FIVE YEAR PLAN come true......oh look my *****. It's a bloater.

[Saint Billy]

We never win with a new manager, we always lose against an opponent with a new manager. If an opposing player is on 99 goals I guarantee they will score against us, if an opposing player hasn't scored for 20 years I guarantee they will score against us. We always concede goals against players who used to play for us and those with ridiculous surnames - Akinbiyi etc etc. It has become part of the Saints' Law.

 

Another one is, if the opposing side brings on a player who has not scored in his ten or so outings.............oh

[.comsaint]

Nigel Adkins sounded well ****ed-off on Solent in his post match interview.

 

Says he found out a lot about the players he had in his squad tonight. Sounded annoyed tbh.

 

I know he's only been here 48 hours - and in that time he's probably enjoyed a light-hearted laugh & a joke over on the training ground whilst getting to know the squad in just 2 days. However - he sounded annoyed tonight & I reckon the next training session over at Staplewood will see a 'nastier' Nigel Adkins - not afraid to kick a few of them up the 'arris!

 

Mentioned taking a better look at what he has to work with & said may well have to bring in new faces.

 

Sounded good to me!

[modern matron]

Not necessarily Pardew's fault at all. Have you considered that he wanted to buy one or both but Cortese disagreed as has been suggested a few times elsewhere?

 

To suggest Pardew wasn't backed in the market is ludicrous. The money was there but frankly was wasted! The lack of replacements, were his fault. He bought full backs and not forwards. Why did he release Semi and James? He built and prepared this team - the buck stops with him.

 

Frankly it is a shambles and has been all season - except BR away. Sadly I think NA will have to start from scratch.....this really reminds me of how Burley left things following a good season.

[The Kraken]

Mind you if we don't go up this season it means we have to get promoted in 2011-12 and then again in 2012-13 and then again 2013-14 to make the FIVE YEAR PLAN come true......oh look my *****. It's a bloater.

 

Where will promotion from the Premier League in 2014 take us to then?

[Jonnyboy]

Wish we still had Pardew. So glad I didnt get a season ticket this year.

[The Kraken]

To suggest Pardew wasn't backed in the market is ludicrous. The money was there but frankly was wasted! The lack of replacements, were his fault. He bought full backs and not forwards. Why did he release Semi and James? He built and prepared this team - the buck stops with him.

 

Frankly it is a shambles and has been all season - except BR away. Sadly I think NA will have to start from scratch.....this really reminds me of how Burley left things following a good season.

 

What have Semi and James got to do with not replacing Waigo and Antonio?

 

Pardew clearly identified Antonio as one to bring back; clearly that didn't happen. You have absolutely no idea whether Pardew was blocked from bringing in players or not, so stating is as fact is clearly disingenuous on your behalf. Wilkins has even said that they tried to bring in players but "it didn't happen". But you carry on ignoring that to make your petty your argument if you like.

[Leyton Lundekvam]

To suggest Pardew wasn't backed in the market is ludicrous. The money was there but frankly was wasted! The lack of replacements, were his fault. He bought full backs and not forwards. Why did he release Semi and James? He built and prepared this team - the buck stops with him.

 

Frankly it is a shambles and has been all season - except BR away. Sadly I think NA will have to start from scratch.....this really reminds me of how Burley left things following a good season.

 

To suggest Pardew wasn't backed in the market is actually a plausable explanation for why we didn't secure Waigo and or Antonio. It is also plausible that Pardew was not solely responsible for deciding on transers, hence ructions behind the scenes. Neither of us know but i'd suggest it's worth considering both sides.

[David Strover]

Where will promotion from the Premier League in 2014 take us to then?

 

My mistake. Anger can do that to you - that and being a complete tosser such as I am.

 

Perhaps I was thinking about winning the Champions League that season or perhaps that crack was stronger than I thought.

 

**** it I'm off the bed .

[S-Clarke]

To suggest Pardew wasn't backed in the market is ludicrous. The money was there but frankly was wasted! The lack of replacements, were his fault. He bought full backs and not forwards. Why did he release Semi and James? He built and prepared this team - the buck stops with him.

 

Frankly it is a shambles and has been all season - except BR away. Sadly I think NA will have to start from scratch.....this really reminds me of how Burley left things following a good season.

 

He was backed in january and last summer, and he didn't waste a penny. All of his signings were well thought out and they all added something to the team.

 

I have no idea why we've been so quiet this summer, but i don't think you can say that pardew wasted money.

[SNSUN]

No Lallana, No Barnard, no Waigo, No Antonio, No Luck, No Cutting Edge, Good Players out of form, No Hope.

 

Thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiings, can only get better....

 

 

.....right?

[S-Clarke]

No Lallana, No Barnard, no Waigo, No Antonio, No Luck, No Cutting Edge, Good Players out of form, No Hope.

 

Thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiings, can only get better....

 

 

.....right?

 

let's hope so...

[Saint Billy]

He was backed in january and last summer, and he didn't waste a penny. All of his signings were well thought out and they all added something to the team.

 

I have no idea why we've been so quiet this summer, but i don't think you can say that pardew wasted money.

 

Perhaps his heart was not in it come the summer!

[St. Jason]

.....no Papa, no Antonio, no replacements, no goals, no points. I blame Pardew, the bloke was complacent and thought we would walk this league.

 

Good luck Nige!!

 

You blame Pardew?? Funny really as Pardews last game see us score 4 and concede 0! Maybe Pardew wanted to replace the named players but was refused any finances which culminated in Pardew being relieved of his duties!!!

 

Besides, haven't we had an avalanche of posters telling us all that ' anyone could get this team promoted' funny how quite these posters are now!

[CB Fry]

We've put our season back months.

 

We're now unlikely to be challenging the top four before christmas.

 

If the top two teams in the division carry on picking up points at a rate of two per game - they usually do - then we'd need to win nine games in a row to reach parity with them at game 15 (we'd hit 30pts, top couple of teams would hit 30 points). That would be late November ish.

 

We're obviously not going to win nine games in a row so even in a real but optimistic world, we are 15-18 games or so from really being up there - ie February.

 

So we now have a real mountain to climb just to take the pressure off.

 

Good luck Nigel.

[CB Fry]

The good news is that Leeds did lose ten last season, and Norwich lost nine.

[The Kraken]

We've put our season back months.

 

We're now unlikely to be challenging the top four before christmas.

 

If the top two teams in the division carry on picking up points at a rate of two per game - they usually do - then we'd need to win nine games in a row to reach parity with them at game 15 (we'd hit 30pts, top couple of teams would hit 30 points). That would be late November ish.

 

We're obviously not going to win nine games in a row so even in a real but optimistic world, we are 15-18 games or so from really being up there - ie February.

 

So we now have a real mountain to climb just to take the pressure off.

 

Good luck Nigel.

 

So true; the comparisons with last season are just incredible. A poor pre-season, lack of fitness amongst the players, a poor start to the seasson, being massively off the pace by the end of August. I only hope Adkins is able to turn this around, and quickly. We haven't got the kindest set of fixtures coming up (not that that should worry us normally), but at the moment I can't even see us winning 1 game in a row, let alone the 9 you suggest we need.

[S-Clarke]

So true; the comparisons with last season are just incredible. A poor pre-season, lack of fitness amongst the players, a poor start to the seasson, being massively off the pace by the end of August. I only hope Adkins is able to turn this around, and quickly. We haven't got the kindest set of fixtures coming up (not that that should worry us normally), but at the moment I can't even see us winning 1 game in a row, let alone the 9 you suggest we need.

 

It's true and it's a bloody disgrace. We've had no excuse this summer, we've had everything we need - the money, the continuity, the best players staying. What have they been doing? What a waste.

[Liquidshokk]

Wish we still had Pardew. So glad I didnt get a season ticket this year.

 

The first season I've bought one. all of a sudden 27 quid a game doesn't sound bad cos I would have stopped paying it 4 games ago when we became sh!t

[Liquidshokk]

So true; the comparisons with last season are just incredible. A poor pre-season, lack of fitness amongst the players, a poor start to the seasson, being massively off the pace by the end of August. I only hope Adkins is able to turn this around, and quickly. We haven't got the kindest set of fixtures coming up (not that that should worry us normally), but at the moment I can't even see us winning 1 game in a row, let alone the 9 you suggest we need.

 

Exactly... I just don't know how we will ever score again this season. We don't know how to.......

[brmbrm]

Failing to build on last season, and not replacing Papa and Antonio IS Pardews fault. This reminds me of the season with Burley after losing the play off game with Derby. Poorly motivated, complacent, unfit poorly prepared, and with no depth or competition for places....

 

To be fair, Saints never had the registration of either of these players: they just weren't ours.

 

But of course you don't want to be fair: blame it all on the one who is no longer here. Very very convenient whinghing position that one.

[Kingsbridge Saint]

We need to start with a goal, then get out of the relegation zone. Anything else is a bonus. Promotion with this squad of strolling wasters is a pipe dream.

[doddisalegend]

The first season I've bought one. all of a sudden 27 quid a game doesn't sound bad cos I would have stopped paying it 4 games ago when we became sh!t

 

Me too for years I just went when I could afford it, get the time off work, young family all the usual excuses. This year on the back of last season I became a glory seeker. I expected this season to fanatastic didn't want to miss out on "our best season in years".I Even got one for the boy. So I can only conclude that the difference between this season and last is that you and I bought season tickets, Maybe we should hand them back?

[modern matron]

What have Semi and James got to do with not replacing Waigo and Antonio?

 

Pardew clearly identified Antonio as one to bring back; clearly that didn't happen. You have absolutely no idea whether Pardew was blocked from bringing in players or not, so stating is as fact is clearly disingenuous on your behalf. Wilkins has even said that they tried to bring in players but "it didn't happen". But you carry on ignoring that to make your petty your argument if you like.

 

He should have spent the 700k he spent on Dickson and Robertson on replacing Waigo and Antonio. THAT was the priority. James or Semi didn't have to be released. Pardew managed to WEAKEN the squad not strengthen it in the close season.....

[RedArmy]

We're digging ourselves a very deep hole.

[Charlie Wayman]

You get what you pay for, we do it on the cheap we get cheap results. Get ready for life in Division 4, it'll be interesting as we haven't been that far down before. Can't happen? Luton used to be in Division 1... say no more.

[Liquidshokk]

Me too for years I just went when I could afford it, get the time off work, young family all the usual excuses. This year on the back of last season I became a glory seeker. I expected this season to fanatastic didn't want to miss out on "our best season in years".I Even got one for the boy. So I can only conclude that the difference between this season and last is that you and I bought season tickets, Maybe we should hand them back?

 

If there was an option I'd consider it. Deep down I know that we are going through a blip and eventually we are going to be ok but I'm not sure how many more times I can stop myself from leaping off the itchen bridge on the way back to my car in the process....

[sfc6mufc3]

I can't believe we have played 8 games in all comps this season and have failed to score in 6.

 

We all knew back up in attack was required in the summer and in the last transfer window and I'm blaming whoever is responsible for not ensuring this happened whether that is AP or NC.

[WGC Saint]

Nigel Adkins sounded well ****ed-off on Solent in his post match interview.

 

Says he found out a lot about the players he had in his squad tonight. Sounded annoyed tbh.

 

I know he's only been here 48 hours - and in that time he's probably enjoyed a light-hearted laugh & a joke over on the training ground whilst getting to know the squad in just 2 days. However - he sounded annoyed tonight & I reckon the next training session over at Staplewood will see a 'nastier' Nigel Adkins - not afraid to kick a few of them up the 'arris!

 

Mentioned taking a better look at what he has to work with & said may well have to bring in new faces.

 

Sounded good to me!

 

Having just witnessed that shockingly awaful second half tonight I wouldn't be surprised if Adkins makes a lot of changes. The only player that slightly impressed tonight was Chamberlain.

 

I thought Harding, Hammond, Puncheon & Lambert were a shoadow of themselves last time I saw them.

 

A season that promised soooo much has started to fade faster than my tan after returning from Spain a fortnight ago.

 

I hope Nigel has a magic wand because we're gonna need it before I put my hand in my pocket and watch Saints again.

[Legod Third Coming]

.....no Papa, no Antonio, no replacements, no goals, no points. I blame Pardew, the bloke was complacent and thought we would walk this league.

 

Good luck Nige!!

 

Are you some sort of idiot. Pardew's last game - 4-0 win.

[Dr Who?]

We look completely toothless in front of goal, but managed to stick 4 past Bristol Rovers, and I really did think our season was off and running, but for whatever reason things changed 48 hours after and things have not looked right before the Bristol Rovers game or after.

 

I really cannot work out why, and it is not the supply as we had plenty of chances and some of the shooting was woeful. The chances are there, but even in the first half we were over doing it when we should have shot earlier. The second half well do not get me started, should have gone home after my half time coffee!!

[eelpie]

unfit, unfit

\unfit, unfit

//unfit, unfit

\\unfit, unfit

//unfit, unfit

 

yup

 

You left one out. Who was the fit player?

[darren]

Last season P46 L9

This season P6 L4 already.

Top two finish means we can only allow around 6 more defeats in the next 40 games. FFS

[Badger]

Every team wins with a new manager and every returning player (Puncheon) usually scores! That is unless you are saints of course!

 

How many games did Burley need for a league win ?

[Badger]

Last season P46 L9

This season P6 L4 already.

Top two finish means we can only allow around 6 more defeats in the next 40 games. FFS

 

Peace of p!ss, we'll manage that by Christmas, easy ...

[Saint Fan CaM]

In Prem it was often said of our team under Lowe's reign - "if you pay peanuts expect to get monkeys". Now I wonder whether it's more appropriate to say "if you pay monkeys a lot of money you're still left with monkeys". That's what it seems to me - let's face it Adkins got Scunny promoted with supposedly lesser players - AP assembled a bunch of supposedly top players for this league and now he's gone, well they've just lost interest now.

 

Adkins has got a massive job turning this around...possibly needs 5-6 new players to go straight into the 1st team to sort things out. Of course that's not going to happen, so the task looks pretty much impossible and destined to fail. Gutting.

[shurlock]

Forget Pardew and move on. He was nothing special. And please stop hammering on about Bristol Rovers - if you were there, you would have seen that it was not exceptionally different from the way we've played all season. Alas a good number of people weren't there.

 

Anyway, all that matters is Saturday, Colchester and how the current crop of players can start to turn things around.

[Saint~Claire]

It's disappointing that yet again the new manager syndrome has not kicked in at saints... But surely no one can blame nigel after one day in charge and as a people manager he was expecting a better response from his Team! But he also said he now knows how they respond and their traits and as a people manager this will be now be immediately addressed and resolved!! Did I want want pardew gone no I believed and trusted in him and most importantly enjoyed supporting saints and our success with him in charge but adkins is now in charge and will support him. Bottom line it's a devestating start but when do we ever make it easy!! Fingers crossed we will achieve our aims to get promoted this season I still I have faith we will !

[austsaint]

The players obviously are not happy with Pardew's sacking.

 

It does seem as though the team is still unsettled by the method of Aps exit.

[dubsaint]

Yes, physically and mentally.

 

I'm sure Adkins can and will address both.

 

I hope he is good at moulding sh1te into a piece of quality !!!!!!!!!!!!

[dune]

If the players are so unfit what the **** was Pardew doing over the summer?

 

I really hope NA is a fulltime manager (unlike Pardew who lived in London) and is able to devote all his time to sorting the mess out.

[CB Fry]

You get what you pay for, we do it on the cheap we get cheap results. Get ready for life in Division 4, it'll be interesting as we haven't been that far down before. Can't happen? Luton used to be in Division 1... say no more.

 

What exactly have we done "on the cheap"? We're the biggest spenders in the flippin' league and Adkins got Scunny up, twice, on a fraction of our budget.

[em00jie]

I wonder how many of the players brought in last season were sold on the promise of promotion to the championship at the 1st attempt.

 

All the BS from AP last season saying it would be better to miss out on promotion to build a winning mentality this year in L1 was rubbish. IMHO Missing out on promotion last year has had an impact on the players. Just look at last years key players Fonte, Lambert, Puncheon a shadow of their former selves. Fitness might play a part but if their hearts aren't in it then NA has a hell of a job getting them motivated again, and the longer our poor form continues and the less likely promotion seems the harder that will get.

[The Old Codger]

Good to see there are a few others here who have sensible football brains and don't let the massive disappointment lead them to ridiculous knee-jerk reactions everytime something doesn't go our way.

 

This time last year the "knee-jerkers" were telling us that Lallana was not good enough to wear the shirt.....

 

All of our games this year have had the same ingredients, even Brizzle Rovers. Saints start brightly, play excellent football, pass and move, plenty of possession, running the opposition ragged, no luck/rub of the green, players heads drop, confidence drops, crowd get nervy, players start to pass their way towards goal rather than keeping the cut and thrust... need I go on?

 

Brizzle Rovers we happened to score a poor goal from a corner and managed to stick a couple of other chances away too. Otherwise, it was a very similar game to all the others.

 

We did see the 'new manager' effect last night. The team came out and played far more directly, keeping the ball down and passing and moving. We swept forward at will and the trigger was pulled far earlier than previous games. Even lambo had a dig from an unlikely angle. If any of those early chances had gone in we would have romper away, much like Brizzle. Unfortunatley, the ref and lady luck had not read the script. The linesman in the corner nearest the Saints fans was just incompetent, proven when he made the same mistakes in the second half.

 

Yes, the second half was terrible. Yes, the players loom to be unable to keep up the pace for 90 mins. Yes, our key players are not fit/performing. But, this is not the road crash that so many people seem to think!

 

NA will get them right. These players are good enough to get us promoted, this year. They need some work, both physically and mentally. AP has gone, he played a dangerous game pre-season by trying to demonstrate how shallow our skills pool is in the squad. Playing Pulis from the start against Reading? That. to me', was "doing a rednapp" in the way he crucified our youth up at Mansfield, point scoring vs the chairman.

 

NA has the psyche to get into the heads of this set of players and turn a poor start into top 2 form. We haven't been that far off in any of our games this year. It's small tweaks, not major surgery. No doubt part of the recovery will be to get some fresh blood in, just to demonstrate that no-one is guaranteed a starting place.

 

Lambo has been our worst performer so far. He has carried an injury but appears to undroppable. He needs to warm the bench on Saturday and have a 20 minute cameo. One deflected free kick and a penalty is not what we need from him.

 

Rant over. Just everyone take a 'reality' pill, watch the full 90 mins and get supporting the 11 on the pitch for 90 mins. We have our part to play in this, the fans hav not yet stepped up to the plate either.

[rolosfc]

I think we took for granted how important Lallana was last season. I know Lambert got player of the year deservedly for his goals but the amount Lallana chipped in with and assisted in made a huge impact. With Barnard back hopefully we'll be slightly improved but we will struggle until AL is back.

[Cabrone]

I wonder how many of the players brought in last season were sold on the promise of promotion to the championship at the 1st attempt.

 

All the BS from AP last season saying it would be better to miss out on promotion to build a winning mentality this year in L1 was rubbish. IMHO Missing out on promotion last year has had an impact on the players. Just look at last years key players Fonte, Lambert, Puncheon a shadow of their former selves. Fitness might play a part but if their hearts aren't in it then NA has a hell of a job getting them motivated again, and the longer our poor form continues and the less likely promotion seems the harder that will get.

 

That's not an excuse though, the players should be professional enough to get over it and roll their sleeves up for this season. Their response has been pathetic.

 

As far as the winger issue, yes I think it has been detrimental but not enough to explain 4 straight losses and next to no goals.

 

No, the players need to take a lot of the blame for this and AP needs to take a fair chunk of blame for a powder puff pre season that reeked of arrogance and complacency.

 

We can still turn this around, 1 win could spark us back into life and I sincerely wish NA the best of luck. Either he'll get this shower of prima donnas licked into shape or we could see a lot of departures in the coming months.

[david in sweden]

.....no Papa, no Antonio, no replacements, no goals, no points. I blame Pardew, the bloke was complacent and thought we would walk this league. Good luck Nige!!

 

Sure I would have liked to see Antonio , or even Papa on the books but I believe that Cortese may have barred or ignored the purchase of strikers and considered we were " OK " with last seasons four.

As a many of us feared; an injury (to Lallana - no return date yet), and Barnards unfortunate suspension has left us with two (slightly unfit) out-of-form strikers... and no cover.

 

As it seems Cortese dicatates who we will buy / acquire (Papa, Guly) and how much we will pay, (ex. refused to pay more for Notts Forests Tyson... or to make an offer for Antonio)... showed he had no priority for that spot either. I wouldn't blame AP for that!

 

Those FOUR defeats you mentioned ..have all come AFTER Pardew left the club.

Prior to that AP had; two wins (incl. 4-0 away), one stupid draw and unfortunate defeat (Plymouth) ..and a narrow 0-1 Cup defeat against a Premiership side. Not that bad, surely ?

Edited 16 September, 2010 by david in sweden

[Andover_Saint07]

The players obviously are not happy with Pardew's sacking.

 

 

Nail on head i think....just seems funny that he gets the sack and we lose 4 on a trot.

[steveo]

Great post Old Codger. Many on here should take note. Best post I`ve seen on this site for a while. Thanks.