Adkins - Now looking to win the league

[Thedelldays]

he says...

 

 

he came in and the club was sat 22nd.

the aim was to get us in the hunt for top 2 come january

going all out to win the league

not looking to sell anyone in jan

Kenny Dalgleish was at the game (apparently has family in area)

Lambert working extremely hard behind the scenes to get back to his best

talk about adding to the squad in Jan

 

 

good times ahead...

 

Adkins has done very well so far IMO

[saint lard]

Manager gives positive post match interview shocker.

 

All sounds wonderful.

 

Lets just keep our feet on the ground after this somewhat isolated convincing victory.

 

This squad should be competing for promotion.

 

Adkins remains so so,i will give him credit when/if he gets us promoted,but then he should with what is at his disposal.

Edited 29 December, 2010 by saint lard

[Thedelldays]

Manager gives positive post match interview shocker.

 

All sounds wonderful.

 

Lets just keep our feet on the ground.

 

This squad should be competing for promotion.

 

Adkins remains so so,i will give him credit when/if he gets us promoted,but then he should with what is at his disposal.

 

remains so so...despite getting more points than any other manager in the league (bar maybe poyet)

yeah..so so

[NickG]

I'll give him credit when he is doing well - and he is.

 

Albeit the job isn't complete without promotion.

[sadoldgit]

To be honest we have been fortunate in that whilst we have stuttered teams ahead have not pulled away. He will need to find more consistency this half of the season but we are in the frame and that is the crucial thing. It will be interesting to see who he brings in. I hope you are right about good times ahead but there is still a lot of football to be played and we need to do better for the rest of the season.

[sadoldgit]

remains so so...despite getting more points than any other manager in the league (bar maybe poyet)

yeah..so so

 

Wouldn't that make us second????

[Thedelldays]

Wouldn't that make us second????

 

yep..which would do me nicely

[EastleighSoulBoy]

From the Solent interview:

 

Puncheon? "He's our boy, let's get him back here"

 

Do any of our players have a price on their head? "We are looking to improve the team"

 

Liverpool/Dalglish in the crowd? " I think the are visiting family for Christmas"

 

What can we spin from those comments?

 

Happy/clappy and doom merchant opinions welcome.

 

Me? I'm with our mad, , tin tubed mate on this. NA is positive and he intends to make this team into his own AND get them in the top two, if not first, at the season's end.

[thefunkygibbons]

Set well for the second half

 

Still in our hands

[Dalek2003]

Anyone of 12 teams could say the same thing.

[saintscottofthenortham]

Anyone of 12 teams could say the same thing.

 

You don't change do ya!? EVER!

[paulwantsapint]

saints = false dawns

But (massive) if Rickie & Barny are in form & fit they are more than capable of netting 30-40 more goals between now & end of season which should help NA

[S-Clarke]

It's the sort of statement we've needed a manager to come out and say for years.

 

Burley should have said this in 2006 but he kind of played the safe card by aiming for the play-offs.

[Viking Warrior]

I see Dubai Phils article on the ANT syndrome article is based on saints fans judging by the comments on many threads on here

[Big Bad Bob]

Anyone of 12 teams could say the same thing.

 

Dalek in post with no mention of Hoddle shocker!!

[skintsaint]

we are this close to the top without having a striker in form...thats whats missing for us I feel.

[Cabrone]

Anyone who can put a decent run together will win this league and I see no reason why that can't be us.

 

Ricky Lambert is the key, get him back to last season's form and we will be top 2.

[Golden Balls]

I still feel Brighton will fall away. Much like Cardiff do every year.

 

The next 5 games are massive. That will be when teams pull away a bit and that will be our chance to be one of them.

[Chez]

From the Solent interview:

 

Puncheon? "He's our boy, let's get him back here"

 

That's interesting. I wonder if Millwall have decided against signing him on a permanent deal. If he fell out with Crosby I can't believe time apart has solved things.

[dune]

Is he as good as Jan Poorvliet Delldays?

[S-Clarke]

That's interesting. I wonder if Millwall have decided against signing him on a permanent deal. If he fell out with Crosby I can't believe time apart has solved things.

 

The stuff I've read is that Millwall want him, but they cannot afford the transfer fee or the wages. So I assume we're still paying a %.

 

I wonder if we'll let him stay there for the season on loan?

[up and away]

Yesterday was a great game of football, we all went away happy. But if this game had been at Huddersfield, it would not have surprised me for us to lose this game. The first 20 minutes we were dire at the back and should have been 2-0 down. Then it's a lot down to chance to be able to pull ourselves back from that, similar to how it panned out at their place when we got mullahed.

 

We have to tighten things up, because against any half decent team with some endeavour, we will be in deep water. If we play like that we won't be clawing things back away from home and our forwards will need to be really sharp just to get something at home. This is not automatic form, until we learn how to defend from the whistle. This is not something new but something that keeps recurring and until it actually is addressed, why should it suddenly stop?

[Whitey Grandad]

Wouldn't that make us second????

 

Only if he had joined us at the start of the season?

[buctootim]

The stuff I've read is that Millwall want him, but they cannot afford the transfer fee or the wages. So I assume we're still paying a %.

 

I wonder if we'll let him stay there for the season on loan?

 

I imagine Adkins would want him back. JPs performances at Millwall are much improved; Holmes is out and Adkins has hinted (i think) in interviews that January transfer targets are hard to come by. Maybe JP has eaten a little humble pie too.

[ottery st mary]

I am told we are world class..

 

Personally, I feel we have some way to go yet..

 

Win our next 3/4 games without fail and I will also start wearing my rose tinted glasses.

 

Happy New Year fellow Saints fans.

 

Come on Nigel you can do it...

[sammysaint]

He talks a good game as do the players, but NA still has not convinced me he's gonna get us top 2 he needs to get lambo in form and find a decent quick striker to help him achieve ours and his ambitions, I think he's good enough to get us to playoffs and into the championship with a bit of luck, just need him to sort his game plan if the free following football doesn't go to plan.

[Thedelldays]

He talks a good game as do the players, but NA still has not convinced me he's gonna get us top 2 he needs to get lambo in form and find a decent quick striker to help him achieve ours and his ambitions, I think he's good enough to get us to playoffs and into the championship with a bit of luck, just need him to sort his game plan if the free following football doesn't go to plan.

 

this is what I dont get

he has raked in more points than any other manager apart from (maybe) poyet...with lambert scoring about 3 goals in the process..the other in and out of court and needing an operation...

 

???

[Lighthouse]

Just goes to show how sh*t this league is. We've played very poorly this season and are still 5th with a game in hand over a couple above us. It's quite encouraging really. Adkins has done pretty well really. He's won something like 8 out of 12 home games to games since coming here. We just need to start doing the business on the road and get Rickie scoring and we'll be set.

[NickG]

He talks a good game as do the players, but NA still has not convinced me he's gonna get us top 2 he needs to get lambo in form and find a decent quick striker to help him achieve ours and his ambitions, I think he's good enough to get us to playoffs and into the championship with a bit of luck, just need him to sort his game plan if the free following football doesn't go to plan.

 

after 6 games (maybe 5) when he came in we had lowest points in the division. After 20 games we are in play offs, 2 points off 2nd! He has proven he can get us to the required level already.

[NickG]

Just goes to show how sh*t this league is. We've played very poorly this season and are still 5th with a game in hand over a couple above us. It's quite encouraging really. Adkins has done pretty well really. He's won something like 8 out of 12 home games to games since coming here. We just need to start doing the business on the road and get Rickie scoring and we'll be set.

 

think his home record is W8,D2,L1

[S-Clarke]

I imagine Adkins would want him back. JPs performances at Millwall are much improved; Holmes is out and Adkins has hinted (i think) in interviews that January transfer targets are hard to come by. Maybe JP has eaten a little humble pie too.

 

Yeah - i got that from his interview tone too, seemed to be playing down the chances of seeing too many players coming in but said we'll try for 1 or 2 positions.

 

He's right though, the market is OTT at this time of year and even though we've got money we've never been silly with it which is a good way to be IMO.

 

Anyway, our squad is pretty much strong enough anyway.

[Chez]

we are half decent at home but far from convincing both away. IMO we are not nearly as good as we were last season (ignoring the first ten games) but there is still time for us to really find our feet. We need strikers to score goals away from home against the run of play. Ricky is probably the key especially as Connelly and Barnard seem to have fallen from grace a little. A play off position despite effectively having no strikers is not bad. Onwards and upwards I hope.

[Chez]

even though we've got money we've never been silly with it which is a good way to be IMO.

 

 

have we got money though?

[Thedelldays]

have we got money though?

 

I would suggest the squad we have..getting a manager from the league above...talk of getting players in that are good enough for the NPC and the training ground upgrades (which are no way required in this league or the next one above)...would suggest we are doing OK on the money front

[shurlock]

The upcoming game at Oldham will be a barometer of where we are - we're still a bit iffy on the road. And apart from sheff weds, we still have to play all the top sides on their patch.

[smithy]

Personally I see no reason why we cannot and will not win this league. Sure, we will lose some games, but it is all in our hands and with our squad it's very do-able.

[SuperSAINT]

The stuff I've read is that Millwall want him, but they cannot afford the transfer fee or the wages. So I assume we're still paying a %.

 

I wonder if we'll let him stay there for the season on loan?

 

Will be interesting to see who else bids for him in January. If Chambo does leave, I'd want Punch back ASAP.

[doddisalegend]

Adkins - Now looking to win the league

 

Were we not looking to win it before then?

Edited 30 December, 2010 by doddisalegend

[Doctoroncall]

Adkins - Now looking to win the league

 

Were we looking not to win it before then?

 

I think it was one step at a time. We are now 5th in touching distance of the top spot with half the season left. When he arrived, we were 22nd so maybe not the best time to make such a bold statement.

[NickG]

Adkins was asked, after the Brighton draw, whether it would be between us and Brighton at the end of the season for the title. Adkins replied that he couldn't see them staying with us!

[NickG]

Just looked at the league table for the 15th September, when Adkins had just come in and we had lost to MK.

 

Since that time, we have won more points than any other in this division.

 

Taking over a side struggling to get a point that is pretty impressive and suggests that Adkins has what it takes to win this league.

[Doctoroncall]

Saints have played more home games than anyone else so conversely less away games, and it's the away form which is the worrying aspect which needs fixing quickly- played 8, won three and lost 4 with one draw.

[S-Clarke]

Our away form isn't great, but i don't think we've been given much of a chance to build up any away momentum this year. Our away fixtures have been very disjointed which probably doesn't help the consistency.

 

Hopefully we can get a run of away games under our belts, but if the forecast is anything to go by for the new year week then I'm already worried about the daggers game. If it freezes they have no chance.

[Legod Third Coming]

Just looked at the league table for the 15th September, when Adkins had just come in and we had lost to MK.

 

Since that time, we have won more points than any other in this division.

 

Taking over a side struggling to get a point that is pretty impressive and suggests that Adkins has what it takes to win this league.

 

He's doing ok but let's not credit him with raising Lazarus just yet. We weren't dead. We had the best squad in the league which the Chairman had rendered demoralised by virtue of sacking a fine manager and appointing an idiot.

[NickG]

whilst I questioned the decision to replace Pardew, particularly at that time, he was not gaining points as Adkins is.

 

He is doing much better than ok.

 

The true test is the end of the season.

[Legod Third Coming]

whilst I questioned the decision to replace Pardew, particularly at that time, he was not gaining points as Adkins is.

 

He is doing much better than ok.

 

The true test is the end of the season.

 

He is doing ok. We're making progress but we need to now go on a long winning run and stamp our clear class on this league. Losing to Brentford proves we're not there quite yet but we're not far off either.

I fully expect us to win the league. But so we SHOULD. We are giants in a pond of minnows - even Charlton need the takeover or they'll go into administration.

[NickG]

Disagree about just doing ok bit.

 

Agree we need a good run.

[Thedelldays]

He is doing ok. We're making progress but we need to now go on a long winning run and stamp our clear class on this league. Losing to Brentford proves we're not there quite yet but we're not far off either.

I fully expect us to win the league. But so we SHOULD. We are giants in a pond of minnows - even Charlton need the takeover or they'll go into administration.

why do we have to stamp our sheer class on the league..?

I could not care less if we go up (in 2nd) with a record low points a stutter our way overt he line...

 

Leeds nearly blew it last season and stumbled over the line...now look at them.

[Legod Third Coming]

why do we have to stamp our sheer class on the league..?

I could not care less if we go up (in 2nd) with a record low points a stutter our way overt he line...

 

Leeds nearly blew it last season and stumbled over the line...now look at them.

 

Yes I suspect that the Chairman is also looking for the Liebherr's sizeable investment to result in us stumbling to promotion. Our problem is a winning mentality in the boardroom and losing one on the terraces... thankfully the Chairman and manager agree with me...

[NickG]

think if at the time of his appointment we were offered a manager who would get more points than any other until end of 2010 we would have jumped at the offer.