This season v last season

[Smirking_Saint]

Now you put it like that yeah, you do have a point. Although once again in Saints' story we have had ANOTHER completely disasterous pre/early season.

 

The team is underperforming and we are only in a better position IMO this season than last because every other team around us is having a bad season. But yeah, what you are saying is correct the league is weaker and if we had hit the ground running (and scoring) then we would be happilly sitting pretty IMO.

 

Our main problem isn't so much our performance as we are shooting, and creating chances but being clinical and TBF i made comments about this last season, even when we were scoring we were missing so many chances it wasn't true and this season it has got even worse ! Had we had someone this season whos shooting boots were on fire we would be laughing.

 

But all in all, no matter how you look at it, we are closer this season than last, and hopefully, things should click into place.

[PokingFun]

We are on 28 played 19, 1.47 a game, over a season over a course of a season that is 67 points.

 

Or if you argue that the new manager is achieving in the region of 1.85 pts per game then you would have to say that we should achieve around 78 points which would put us in the play-offs.

 

The facts are that our poor start (which Adkins had no influence over) has put us on the back foot yet still well in contention, but if we can do some decent business in January and some of our players start firing again then we will climb the league as there are no dominant teams this season that look capable of achieving 90+ league points. Even Brighton have started to slide a bit as their squad is not overly strong once injuries and suspensions hit.

 

I'm still confident we will make the play-offs at least and very hopeful that we can achieve top 2 status.

[NickG]

This season

 

Played 19 - Points = 28 - position = 10th

 

Last season

 

Played 19 - Points 29 - Realtime position ( not inc -10pts ) = 9th

 

_______________________________________________________________

 

Just for all you people who think we are making great progress... we're actually going backwards.

 

progress since the first 10 games under Pardew / Wilkins - not particularly on last season

Edited 20 December, 2010 by NickG

[Window Cleaner]

Or if you argue that the new manager is achieving in the region of 1.85 pts per game then you would have to say that we should achieve around 78 points which would put us in the play-offs.

 

The facts are that our poor start (which Adkins had no influence over) has put us on the back foot yet still well in contention, but if we can do some decent business in January and some of our players start firing again then we will climb the league as there are no dominant teams this season that look capable of achieving 90+ league points. Even Brighton have started to slide a bit as their squad is not overly strong once injuries and suspensions hit.

 

I'm still confident we will make the play-offs at least and very hopeful that we can achieve top 2 status.

 

We shall see but the flaw in this argument is our away form. true we're getting 1.85 points a game overall,but away from home we're only on 1.4 and we have 15 away games to play. On our performance against Huddersfield or Carlisle is it reasonable to expect us to go to Oldham,Brighton and Charlton and win. Our season will revolve around the next 2 or 3 games,ie before we can get any reinforcements in, Charlton away, Huddersfield at home,Exeter at home/ Lose any 2 of those 3 and automatic promotion is gone. Probably won't happen though.

[Mowgli]

I bet he thought we would beat Brentford at home though!!!!

 

Yeah, you're right there. Most of us did I think. We get cocky after a couple of wins and doom merchants after a couple of defeats. Luckily NA sees the bigger picture and can keep the players focussed. At the end of the season we may look back on that Brentford result and say we got what we deserved from a team that has performed exceptionally well away from home. Let's hope so!!

[saintscottofthenortham]

Throughout August & September we won two games. TWO. That people, is why we are stuck in 10th place in the f*****g League One. Something was clearly wrong on day one of the Season. Cortese eventually saw it fit to relieve Pardew of his duties. The fact that not even Pardew spoke out and defended himself should speak volumes to you nimwits who STILL, Three & a Half MONTHS later, bleat on about AP.

 

It is not Adkins fault we are 10th in League One, and IMVFHO if we still had AP in charge, we would be further down the table and watching "Hoof to a totally ineffective Ricky Lambert", showing no signs of improving.

 

At least last Saturday, even though we were absolutely SHOCKING, we still had 4-5 very, very, very good chances to score. When we played badly under AP, it was nothing. Because it was hoof to RL or nothing. That, is Fact.

[Turkish]

Anyone is entitled to a view. I think what people object to is your assertion that because it is your opinion it is a fact.

 

Personally, I think we should listen to NA who, when he came here, said he wanted to be in the race at Christmas and push on afterward for automatic promotion. So far so good. It's been well documented that pre season did not go well and the change in manager upset the momentum. I see no point in using statistics in the way that you have.

 

Well the FACT is that we had more points than this time last season, depsite the fact that last season we had no pre season and were building a team and a squad during the season rather than before it. So do you not agree that Leeds and Norwich 2nd and 5th in the championship respectiveand Millwall, midtable in the NPC are better sides than Sheffield Wednesday, Peterborough and Plymouth? If you do, then if the best three teams are no longer in the league and replaced by 3 teams clearly not as good, then the league is not as strong as it was last season, right or wrong?

[Turkish]

Throughout August & September we won two games. TWO. That people, is why we are stuck in 10th place in the f*****g League One. Something was clearly wrong on day one of the Season. Cortese eventually saw it fit to relieve Pardew of his duties. The fact that not even Pardew spoke out and defended himself should speak volumes to you nimwits who STILL, Three & a Half MONTHS later, bleat on about AP.

 

It is not Adkins fault we are 10th in League One, and IMVFHO if we still had AP in charge, we would be further down the table and watching "Hoof to a totally ineffective Ricky Lambert", showing no signs of improving.

 

At least last Saturday, even though we were absolutely SHOCKING, we still had 4-5 very, very, very good chances to score. When we played badly under AP, it was nothing. Because it was hoof to RL or nothing. That, is Fact.

 

Oh right so Pardews hoof to Lambert tactics didn't give us championship winning form between January and May? And the hoof to Lambert created no chances at all when we didn't win? Really, what about the at the stats of Oldham at home for example, under your theory it would show 0 attempts at goal, not 19 according to the BBC website.

[saintscottofthenortham]

Turkish... You have misunderstood my argument. I said when we played badly, not when we didn't score. And AP's tactics of HOOF2RL didn't work against Plymouth, nor Orient, nor Brizzle. Fortuneatly Brizzle gifted us 4 goals so it didn't matter.

[Turkish]

Turkish... You have misunderstood my argument. I said when we played badly, not when we didn't score. And AP's tactics of HOOF2RL didn't work against Plymouth, nor Orient, nor Brizzle. Fortuneatly Brizzle gifted us 4 goals so it didn't matter.

 

Might that be because Rickie Lambert didn't play against Plymouth or Orient prehaps?

[Appy]

Might that be because Rickie Lambert didn't play against Plymouth or Orient prehaps?

 

How did Lambert score against Orient without playing?

[Turkish]

How did Lambert score against Orient without playing?

 

F*ck yeah, okay i made a mistake, deflected free kick wasn't it. He didn't play against plymouth though.

[Appy]

F*ck yeah, okay i made a mistake, deflected free kick wasn't it. He didn't play against plymouth though.

 

I'll let you off.

[saintscottofthenortham]

F*ck yeah, okay i made a mistake, deflected free kick wasn't it. He didn't play against plymouth though.

 

True. Which supports my argument even more. Without Lambert, AP knew not what to do. When Lambert comes off now, we look f*****g better.

[Appy]

True. Which supports my argument even more. Without Lambert, AP knew not what to do. When Lambert comes off now, we look f*****g better.

 

As long he isn't replaced by the equally useless Guly.

[Saint_John]

This season

Played 19 - Points = 28 - position = 10th

 

Last season

Played 19 - Points 29 - Realtime position ( not inc -10pts ) = 9th

 

Just for all you people who think we are making great progress... we're actually going backwards.

 

Your comparison is flawed, it should be :-

Last Season Played 19 - Points 29 = 1.53 points per game.

 

This Season

PRE-NIGEL - Played 5 - 1 win, 1 draw; 3 defeats = 4 Points

With NIGEL - Played 14 - 7 wins 3 draws 4 defeats = 24 points = 1.71 points per game (which is 2nd in the points per game, however it will only give us 4th at the end of the season if you add on the 5 games before he came).

[Smirking_Saint]

As long he isn't replaced by the equally useless Guly.

 

Which basically is exactly my point, we have arguably 2 of the best strikers in the division, an experienced striker who has played at a higher level and is argued (not by me) is better than Barnard and Lambert and another player who should be playing Seria A football.

 

None of which are able to put the ball away at any real regularity this year.

 

Its also worth noting that the equally worse Guly has scored more in open play this year than our out of sorts talisman.

[Turkish]

Your comparison is flawed, it should be :-

Last Season Played 19 - Points 29 = 1.53 points per game.

 

This Season

PRE-NIGEL - Played 5 - 1 win, 1 draw; 3 defeats = 4 Points

With NIGEL - Played 14 - 7 wins 3 draws 4 defeats = 24 points = 1.71 points per game (which is 2nd in the points per game, however it will only give us 4th at the end of the season if you add on the 5 games before he came).

 

It isn't flawed, it's a like for like comparision of this season or last. If i'm not much mistaken our season started against Plymouth in August, not in September when Nigel Adkins took over.

[sandwichsaint]

and below Bournemouth, Colchester and Exeter who 4 years ago were a non league club.

 

I had to queue on the phones this morning from 09-00 to 09-39 to buy four tickets to see Saints play the mighty Dagenham and Redbridge; not sure if that's a measure of how far we've fallen or that we are indeed a massive club - virtual queues to buy tickets for D+R FFS!

[Appy]

Which basically is exactly my point, we have arguably 2 of the best strikers in the division, an experienced striker who has played at a higher level and is argued (not by me) is better than Barnard and Lambert and another player who should be playing Seria A football.

 

None of which are able to put the ball away at any real regularity this year.

 

Its also worth noting that the equally worse Guly has scored more in open play this year than our out of sorts talisman.

 

If i was David Connolly i would be fuming that those 2 get picked ahead of him.

[Turkish]

I had to queue on the phones this morning from 09-00 to 09-39 to buy four tickets to see Saints play the mighty Dagenham and Redbridge; not sure if that's a measure of how far we've fallen or that we are indeed a massive club - virtual queues to buy tickets for D+R FFS!

 

I am going to this one. New Years day 2004 myself and a few mates were at a loose end so decided to do Aldershot v D&R in a vauxhall conference game, Saints were 4th in the PL at the time. Almost 7 year to the day i'll be watching us play in a league match. Unreal.

[Window Cleaner]

If i was David Connolly i would be fuming that those 2 get picked ahead of him.

 

which he probably is. Didn't leftback tell us that there was a "Connolly Issue".

Whilst on the subject I just cannot understand the management or rather non management of this problem. We knew (apparently) that Barney wasn't 100% we knew that Lambert wasn't 100% (thanks to AP's pre-season if you believe stuff that was on this forum yesterday), Connolly is treatment room regular, yet we don't obtain a striker in the loan window,other than Bignall that is and we lost him because of lack of game time. How can anyone tell me that with all the data to hand we could not manage this issue in a better way.There must have been at least 1 palatable striker available on loan surely.

[darren]

We only have to improve by 3 pts on last season to finish in top 2, Look at the last 8 seasons 86 pts (3 more than last season) would have seen us finish in 2nd in 7 of the last 8 seasons.

Even if we pick up the same pts as last season we could still go up, 07-08 season 2nd place got 82 pts, 05-06 79 pts, 03-04 83 pts.

[darren]

Also from now till the end of the season (last season) we only had one good winning run of 4 games and there where a couple of times we won two in a row.

[JRM]

I am going to this one. New Years day 2004 myself and a few mates were at a loose end so decided to do Aldershot v D&R in a vauxhall conference game, Saints were 4th in the PL at the time. Almost 7 year to the day i'll be watching us play in a league match. Unreal.

 

those were the days. we probably saind to each other, "i wonder where we'll be in 7 years time....."

 

you meeting up with that family you made friends with that day?

 

I recall the funny response you had from other D&R fans when you posted your account on the day on their forum!! haha

[Turkish]

those were the days. we probably saind to each other, "i wonder where we'll be in 7 years time....."

 

you meeting up with that family you made friends with that day?

 

I recall the funny response you had from other D&R fans when you posted your account on the day on their forum!! haha

 

I bet you £1m the answer wouldn't have been watching Saints play this lot in League one!

 

They were a nice family that lot, proper friendly and down to earth, that girl must be legal by now!!

 

Yep, i dont think they quite saw the funny side of my day report! I wonder if the family stilll post on their forum? Might go on later and have a look, steal a march on you for the girl!!

[Deppo]

Your comparison is flawed, it should be :-

Last Season Played 19 - Points 29 = 1.53 points per game.

 

This Season

PRE-NIGEL - Played 5 - 1 win, 1 draw; 3 defeats = 4 Points

With NIGEL - Played 14 - 7 wins 3 draws 4 defeats = 24 points = 1.71 points per game (which is 2nd in the points per game, however it will only give us 4th at the end of the season if you add on the 5 games before he came).

 

It isn't flawed, it's a like for like comparision of this season or last. If i'm not much mistaken our season started against Plymouth in August, not in September when Nigel Adkins took over.

 

Let's just agree that you are both skewing the facts to suit your arguments.

[Deppo]

I had to queue on the phones this morning from 09-00 to 09-39 to buy four tickets to see Saints play the mighty Dagenham and Redbridge; not sure if that's a measure of how far we've fallen or that we are indeed a massive club - virtual queues to buy tickets for D+R FFS!

 

Sold out now. All 1200 gone.

[Andy_Porter]

good point....however this time we are 5 points from 2nd with 2 games in hand...??

 

the test will be (where we let ourselves down big time last season) is the 2nd half of the season...we never made up the ground after xmas

 

We had an amazing second half to the season, the problem was so many other teams did as well.

 

There was a run of three away draws and the odd dodgy loss but really it was as good as expected, 2.1ppg I think, brilliant form.

[shurlock]

Don't know what the OP wants to say - don't know if the OP himself knows what he wants to say. Still, its time of the year to be charitable.

 

The fact is that we weren't on 29 points and we weren't in 9th place, so its a totally moot point - we had a 10 point deduction.

 

Again fact is that most people thought that we were worldbeaters this time last season, and without the 10 point deduction and a poor start, many felt we would have have been right up there - so whats wrong if we have a similar points haul? Its like saying Chelsea or Man U have gone backwards if they win a title with less points.

 

And fact is that no two seasons are the same - the club has had to deal with different challenges on and off the pitch (Lambert has 1 (deflected) goal from open play this season, compared to 12 with last season, a change of management and a destabilising transition and the baggage of being favs that means teams are setting up differently against us are just a few of things that make it silly to compare seasons).

 

Given the change in management, the most important point is are we going in the right direction - to answer this, its plainly misleading to look at the aggregate numbers and to a lesser extent, its misleading to judge a new manager on 10 or so games without having had a real opportunity to bring his own players in and introduce his own style which require time. In the short-term, our points haul has picked up under NA (1.84 pg not including MK Dons), though perhaps not as quickly as some of the knee-jerks on here would have hoped and given our poor, poor start, time, I agree, is not a massive luxury this season.

 

While claiming its holy-than-thou neutrality (just reading the numbers gov), the OP is ultimately full of s**t and part of the brigade that will be jumping on every minor setback -which will happen- as we shape up for the most important half-season in club's recent history.

Edited 20 December, 2010 by shurlock

[Turkish]

Don't know what the OP wants to say - don't know if the OP himself knows what he wants to say. Still, its time of the year to be charitable.

 

The fact is that we weren't on 29 points and we weren't in 9th place, so its a totally moot point - we had a 10 point deduction.

 

Again fact is that most people thought that we were worldbeaters this time last season, and without the 10 point deduction and a poor start, many felt we would have have been right up there - so whats wrong if we have a similar points haul? Its like saying Chelsea or Man U have gone backwards if they win a title with less points.

 

And fact is that no two seasons are the same - the club has had to deal with different challenges on and off the pitch (Lambert has 1 (deflected) goal from open play this season, compared to 12 with last season, a change of management and a destabilising transition and the baggage of being favs that means teams are setting up differently against us are just a few of things that make it silly to compare seasons).

 

Given the change in management, the most important point is are we going in the right direction - to answer this, its plainly misleading to look at the aggregate numbers and to a lesser extent, its misleading to judge a new manager on 10 or so games without having had a real opportunity to bring his own players in and introduce his own style which require time. In the short-term, our points haul has picked up under NA, though perhaps not as quickly as some of the knee-jerks on here would have hoped and given our poor, poor start, time, I agree, is not a massive luxury this season.

 

While claiming its holy-than-thou neutrality (just reading the numbers gov), the OP is ultimately full of s**t and part of the brigade that will be jumping on every minor setback -which will happen- as we shape up for the most important half-season in club's recent history.

 

I thought it was quite obvious. People keep banging the drum that we are progressing, but the facts dont back this up. This time last season we had more points in a tougher league.

[Thedelldays]

I thought it was quite obvious. People keep banging the drum that we are progressing, but the facts dont back this up. This time last season we had more points in a tougher league.

 

would it be progress if we got promoted with less points than last year (giving back the 10 we lost)...?

[Saint Fan CaM]

I've just watched again our 5-1 drubbing of Walsall last season. That should tell you all you need to know about why we are where we are this season (i.e. in terms of style of play, some individuals performances and players no longer here).

[Turkish]

would it be progress if we got promoted with less points than last year (giving back the 10 we lost)...?

 

Promotion would be brilliant, but expected. Given the strength of the division this season i expect progress to be promotion and more points that last year. TBH if we get promoted with less points i wont care. But the fact will be that as a team we have not performed as well as least season, because we have less won less games, lost more and have fewer points in a weaker league.

[Thedelldays]

Promotion would be brilliant, but expected. Given the strength of the division this season i expect progress to be promotion and more points that last year. TBH if we get promoted with less points i wont care. But the fact will be that as a team we have not performed as well as least season, because we have less won less games, lost more and have fewer points in a weaker league.

 

it would be odd..getting promoted (even top 2) on less points than last year...

still, would give the loons enough ammo to have a pop at the chairman and adkins

[shurlock]

I've just watched again our 5-1 drubbing of Walsall last season. That should tell you all you need to know about why we are where we are this season (i.e. in terms of style of play, some individuals performances and players no longer here).

 

Yep, punch was in his early world-beating form, barny wasn't carrying an injury and those were the days when Lambert would have been disappointed just to get the one goal a game.

[Window Cleaner]

I've just watched again our 5-1 drubbing of Walsall last season. That should tell you all you need to know about why we are where we are this season (i.e. in terms of style of play, some individuals performances and players no longer here).

 

I looked at that game the other day (I've got 3 weeks imposed leave cos i got behind in the summer). I thought we looked really really handy that day.I also looked at the highlights of Yeovil saints just now, we looked far better than we did last Saturday to be sure.

Pity we don't do the full 90s any more though.Player costs the same ,now if they did F90s still I'd pay more.

[saint lard]

and saint lard and co will be happy

 

Thats a bit harsh and incorrect DD.

 

I,like others want SFC to be successful and go on to thrive in the future.

 

But that does not mean i have to sit back and pretend to be enthralled by Adkins' tenure thus far.

We are underperforming in many aspects and what makes me so much more bloody grumpy about it is that Adkins what put on a pedastool before a ball was kicked,yet he has made no major in roads or revolutionised our play despite his supposed 'modern approach' and being renowned for his 'fast free flowing football'.,in fact we are not moving forward one iota.

Yeah sure,lets wait till the january transfer window to see who he may bring in so those that champion him so blindly can not have that same old excuse wheeled out to fall back on,fact is he should be getting more of what he has now.

 

 

I want him to succeed,but he shows no sign that he is the 'excellent aquisition' and 'we are lucky to have him' bollix.

Prove me wrong Adkins be he longterm and take us to the Premier league please.

I don't think he will cut it in the Championship however.

Again NA i sincerely hope i'm wrong,just start showing me some reason for optimism.

Trust me,i am more than happy to eat copius amonts of humble pie,but something is not right somewhere along the line and as far as i'm concerened as well as the players not performing to their potential nor is Adkins reaching his supposed potential.

All imo.

Edited 20 December, 2010 by saint lard

[Born In The 80s]

I completely agree with Turkish and can't really see how people are arguing with him to be honest. I guess this thread goes to prove that football truly is a game of different opinions.

 

When i compare this team to the one last year, there really is no comparison. I think we've been poor this year, both before and after Adkins. If you ask me, that is a direct effect of unsettling the squad just 3 games into the season by sacking the manager. Last season one thing that struck me is that we seemed like a happy squad. You never heard any rumblings of players misbehaving/falling out with staff etc. We finally had a squad who wanted to play for the manager. It took a bit of time to get going (as it does in most clubs around the country), but once we started to gel from about October onwards, we were the team to beat in the division along with Norwich. We weren't only scrapping 1 and 2 nil wins either. We were rolling over pretty much any team in the league. I don't know where this 'hoof ball' thing came from. I went to all but a few of last years games and enjoyed the vast majority of them from October onwards.

 

This year has been the total opposite unfortunately. We had a poor start by last season's standards (3 points from 3 games), but surely Pardew deserved at least till xmas to get us into the top 2? I strongly believe we'd be sitting alongside Brighton at the top now if Pardew was still here.

 

When you're in this league, heart and passion count for a lot more than some fans realise. Anyone who thinks our squad is not the best in this division is barking mad. From 1 to 11 we have one of the best players in the division in each position. The real difference is the attitude of some of our players. We've lost that cutting edge that we had last year when we used to show teams no mercy. I feel sorry for Adkins because there is little he can do. These are Pardew's players, and it looks as though some of them are still reeling from his sacking.

 

I know people will point to Adkins record as being 'pretty good'. But really, you need to look deeper than that. Look at the games we've played. We've had a run of very straightforward home games and i'm yet to really see us look a happy unit and play a side off the park. Now, unless something drastically changes, i can't see us replicating last season's 2nd half results this year. The squad looks disjointed and unhappy to go on any meaningful run.

[saint lard]

I completely agree with Turkish and can't really see how people are arguing with him to be honest. I guess this thread goes to prove that football truly is a game of different opinions.

 

When i compare this team to the one last year, there really is no comparison. I think we've been poor this year, both before and after Adkins. If you ask me, that is a direct effect of unsettling the squad just 3 games into the season by sacking the manager. Last season one thing that struck me is that we seemed like a happy squad. You never heard any rumblings of players misbehaving/falling out with staff etc. We finally had a squad who wanted to play for the manager. It took a bit of time to get going (as it does in most clubs around the country), but once we started to gel from about October onwards, we were the team to beat in the division along with Norwich. We weren't only scrapping 1 and 2 nil wins either. We were rolling over pretty much any team in the league. I don't know where this 'hoof ball' thing came from. I went to all but a few of last years games and enjoyed the vast majority of them from October onwards.

 

This year has been the total opposite unfortunately. We had a poor start by last season's standards (3 points from 3 games), but surely Pardew deserved at least till xmas to get us into the top 2? I strongly believe we'd be sitting alongside Brighton at the top now if Pardew was still here.

 

When you're in this league, heart and passion count for a lot more than some fans realise. Anyone who thinks our squad is not the best in this division is barking mad. From 1 to 11 we have one of the best players in the division in each position. The real difference is the attitude of some of our players. We've lost that cutting edge that we had last year when we used to show teams no mercy. I feel sorry for Adkins because there is little he can do. These are Pardew's players, and it looks as though some of them are still reeling from his sacking.

 

I know people will point to Adkins record as being 'pretty good'. But really, you need to look deeper than that. Look at the games we've played. We've had a run of very straightforward home games and i'm yet to really see us look a happy unit and play a side off the park. Now, unless something drastically changes, i can't see us replicating last season's 2nd half results this year. The squad looks disjointed and unhappy to go on any meaningful run.

 

I can't disagree with that, if i'm being honest

[Turkish]

I completely agree with Turkish and can't really see how people are arguing with him to be honest. I guess this thread goes to prove that football truly is a game of different opinions.

 

When i compare this team to the one last year, there really is no comparison. I think we've been poor this year, both before and after Adkins. If you ask me, that is a direct effect of unsettling the squad just 3 games into the season by sacking the manager. Last season one thing that struck me is that we seemed like a happy squad. You never heard any rumblings of players misbehaving/falling out with staff etc. We finally had a squad who wanted to play for the manager. It took a bit of time to get going (as it does in most clubs around the country), but once we started to gel from about October onwards, we were the team to beat in the division along with Norwich. We weren't only scrapping 1 and 2 nil wins either. We were rolling over pretty much any team in the league. I don't know where this 'hoof ball' thing came from. I went to all but a few of last years games and enjoyed the vast majority of them from October onwards.

 

This year has been the total opposite unfortunately. We had a poor start by last season's standards (3 points from 3 games), but surely Pardew deserved at least till xmas to get us into the top 2? I strongly believe we'd be sitting alongside Brighton at the top now if Pardew was still here.

 

When you're in this league, heart and passion count for a lot more than some fans realise. Anyone who thinks our squad is not the best in this division is barking mad. From 1 to 11 we have one of the best players in the division in each position. The real difference is the attitude of some of our players. We've lost that cutting edge that we had last year when we used to show teams no mercy. I feel sorry for Adkins because there is little he can do. These are Pardew's players, and it looks as though some of them are still reeling from his sacking.

 

I know people will point to Adkins record as being 'pretty good'. But really, you need to look deeper than that. Look at the games we've played. We've had a run of very straightforward home games and i'm yet to really see us look a happy unit and play a side off the park. Now, unless something drastically changes, i can't see us replicating last season's 2nd half results this year. The squad looks disjointed and unhappy to go on any meaningful run.

 

Indeed, i dont recall people complaining about it when we were beating Leeds, Huddersfield, Charlton and Norwich.

Edited 20 December, 2010 by Turkish

[sfc4prem]

We're crap compared to last season. Hard to argue otherwise. Don't see it changing dramatically this season so we'll have to write this one off.

[saintscottofthenortham]

We're crap compared to last season. Hard to argue otherwise. Don't see it changing dramatically this season so we'll have to write this one off.

 

8 points. Lets no throw ourselves overboard now hey...

[Legod Third Coming]

We are on 28 played 19, 1.47 a game, over a season over a course of a season that is 67 points.

 

Hmmm Dell Days needs to read this then. Because he doesn't think we kicked on last season. But we must have done because we ended on 73 points and yet only had 19 afetr 19 games...

[Thedelldays]

Hmmm Dell Days needs to read this then. Because he doesn't think we kicked on last season. But we must have done because we ended on 73 points and yet only had 19 afetr 19 games...

did I say we never kicked on...we did stutter at times...we did lose games...we did NOT make up much ground on the top six after getting within 3 wins at this time last season

[Turkish]

did I say we never kicked on...we did stutter at times...we did lose games...we did NOT make up much ground on the top six after getting within 3 wins at this time last season

 

good point....however this time we are 5 points from 2nd with 2 games in hand...??

 

the test will be (where we let ourselves down big time last season) is the 2nd half of the season...we never made up the ground after xmas

 

Err, you did.

[Legod Third Coming]

I completely agree with Turkish and can't really see how people are arguing with him to be honest. I guess this thread goes to prove that football truly is a game of different opinions.

 

When i compare this team to the one last year, there really is no comparison. I think we've been poor this year, both before and after Adkins. If you ask me, that is a direct effect of unsettling the squad just 3 games into the season by sacking the manager. Last season one thing that struck me is that we seemed like a happy squad. You never heard any rumblings of players misbehaving/falling out with staff etc. We finally had a squad who wanted to play for the manager. It took a bit of time to get going (as it does in most clubs around the country), but once we started to gel from about October onwards, we were the team to beat in the division along with Norwich. We weren't only scrapping 1 and 2 nil wins either. We were rolling over pretty much any team in the league. I don't know where this 'hoof ball' thing came from. I went to all but a few of last years games and enjoyed the vast majority of them from October onwards.

 

This year has been the total opposite unfortunately. We had a poor start by last season's standards (3 points from 3 games), but surely Pardew deserved at least till xmas to get us into the top 2? I strongly believe we'd be sitting alongside Brighton at the top now if Pardew was still here.

 

When you're in this league, heart and passion count for a lot more than some fans realise. Anyone who thinks our squad is not the best in this division is barking mad. From 1 to 11 we have one of the best players in the division in each position. The real difference is the attitude of some of our players. We've lost that cutting edge that we had last year when we used to show teams no mercy. I feel sorry for Adkins because there is little he can do. These are Pardew's players, and it looks as though some of them are still reeling from his sacking.

 

I know people will point to Adkins record as being 'pretty good'. But really, you need to look deeper than that. Look at the games we've played. We've had a run of very straightforward home games and i'm yet to really see us look a happy unit and play a side off the park. Now, unless something drastically changes, i can't see us replicating last season's 2nd half results this year. The squad looks disjointed and unhappy to go on any meaningful run.

 

I cannot disagree with that. I so hope you are wrong though. Mainly the £500 I had on us to win the league at 4/1 hopes you are wrong...

[Thedelldays]

Err, you did.

 

well..did we make up the ground..?

 

people seem to make out we were this all star stunning team....truth is, we were not..

the amazing away days at colchester, wycombe, gillingham, tranmere...and the great display at home to oldham when we were in the hunt spring to mind...

 

you say we just beat leeds at home last season...well, we have beaten 2nd place team away this year and drew at home to the top team...4 points from 6 from the top two aint a bad return..

 

can we improve..of course and we will have to to go up.....we are very capable of doing so and I think we will

 

just take january last season...we won one game against the mighty stockport

Edited 20 December, 2010 by Thedelldays

[Turkish]

did I say we never kicked on...we did stutter at times...we did lose games...we did NOT make up much ground on the top six after getting within 3 wins at this time last season

 

good point....however this time we are 5 points from 2nd with 2 games in hand...??

 

the test will be (where we let ourselves down big time last season) is the 2nd half of the season...we never made up the ground after xmas

 

well..did we make up the ground..?

 

people seem to make out we were this all star stunning team....truth is, we were not..

the amazing away days at colchester, wycombe, gillingham, tranmere...and the great display at home to oldham when we were in the hunt spring to mind...

 

you say we just beat leeds at home last season...well, we have beaten 2nd place team away this year and drew at home to the top team...4 points from 6 from the top two aint a bad return..

 

can we improve..of course and we will have to to go up.....we are very capable of doing so and I think we will

 

just take january last season...we won one game against the mighty stockport

 

Of course the other way of looking at it is of the 3 league games we played in Jan, 2 were away, one against the team with the best home record last season and we were unbeaten winning one and drawing two. Do you think this current side would go to Millwall and get a point?

[Thedelldays]

Of course the other way of looking at it is of the 3 league games we played in Jan, 2 were away, one against the team with the best home record last season and we were unbeaten winning one and drawing two. Do you think this current side would go to Millwall and get a point?

 

should it matter where we play these teams...? after all, we SHOULD be beating them..right..?

 

we won one game and dropped home points....one game against the mighty stockport...what aboutt he debacle at home to oldham...home to swindon...away to the great gillingham side (that went down)

 

whether this side could have gone to last seasons millwall and got a point is irelevant..we have however, beaten this seasons 2nd place team on their own patch..under this (apparenly not very good) manager