Yeovil reaction thread

[Professor]

You talk rubbish about NC and the transfer window policy. He (or Adkins) said that clubs we were talking to pushed their asking prices up to unrealistic levels because they thought we were about to get £10M for Chamberlain. We wouldn't meet their inflated asking prices - but don't let facts get in the way of things eh??

 

Anyone who believes that excuse probably believes in Father Christmas. Do you seriously expect NC to announce that he wouldn't improve the squad because it was his policy not to, or that he'd been instructed by the owners not to spend? We did make signings - Forte and N'Guessan - not at 'inflated' prices, in fact for peanuts, so what did we get..............

[Stu Man Do]

Anyone who believes that excuse probably believes in Father Christmas. Do you seriously expect NC to announce that he wouldn't improve the squad because it was his policy not to, or that he'd been instructed by the owners not to spend? We did make signings - Forte and N'Guessan - not at 'inflated' prices, in fact for peanuts, so what did we get..............

 

 

Forte looks inflated at 500k so far ;-)

[NickG]

Anyone who believes that excuse probably believes in Father Christmas. Do you seriously expect NC to announce that he wouldn't improve the squad because it was his policy not to, or that he'd been instructed by the owners not to spend? We did make signings - Forte and N'Guessan - not at 'inflated' prices, in fact for peanuts, so what did we get..............

 

The only thing we were short of, quick sub wingers - except they opted for two from league above to come as subs in league. 1, pretty impressive

[Chez]

The only thing we were short of, quick sub wingers - except they opted for two from league above to come as subs in league. 1, pretty impressive

 

I'm not making an assessment of Forte's ability based on just the ten minutes I've seen of him, but bringing in a Scunny reject (3rd from bottom in the NPC) isn't all that impressive really. Saying that Chaplow was a reject from bottom of the table Preston (although his high wage was a factor there) and largely he is liked here despite not playing well at the moment.

Edited 11 March, 2011 by Chez

[Barry the Badger]

, but bringing in a Scunny reject (3rd from bottom in the NPC) isn't all that impressive really.

 

A bit ridiculous to call him a Scunny reject given that he had started 18 league games for them this season.

[NickG]

sort of childish comment you get from opposing fans "reject". Clearly you are wrong.

[Gemmel]

You talk rubbish about NC and the transfer window policy. He (or Adkins) said that clubs we were talking to pushed their asking prices up to unrealistic levels because they thought we were about to get £10M for Chamberlain. We wouldn't meet their inflated asking prices - but don't let facts get in the way of things eh??

 

Spot on. I think he also said (can't remember the exact words) something along the lines of the the fact we actually lost out on a player even though we had the highest bid, in reference to other clubs trying to squeeze more out of us, based on money coming in for Chamberlain.

 

I don't believe another club in this league could have had as positive transfer window as we did.

 

Signed Guly

Re-signed Lallana (That would have cost big time)

Kept Chamerlain

Signed two squad players

[Tamesaint]

There were times in the first half that this game looked more like a relegation struggle than a promotion side against a team just above the relegation places. So we won; but if we hadn't won at home against YEOVIL! could anyone have taken promotion as a serious prospect. My confidence in Adkins went weeks ago but I'm not that confident in NC either since he must have set the policy for the January transfers - which was hold what we have but don't improve. What depresses me is that there is nothing that can be done. Its not possible to contemplate another change of manager so we are stuck with what we've got. Second place looks very difficult as our current form is not as good as the teams around us. The play-offs do look assured, but that is no guarantee of promotion and neither is it meeting the target of a team that would hit the NpC running. With the strength of others in the top 6, missing out in the play-offs has to be more likely than not.

 

PMSL

 

Skate on a wind up i reckon.

 

Do you take bets on us getting into the play-offs or better? If so, a wager should be in order.

[Professor]

The only thing we were short of, quick sub wingers - except they opted for two from league above to come as subs in league. 1, pretty impressive

 

Easily impressed Nick! N'Guessan hardly got a game at Leicester - 5 starts and 3 times on as sub. As for Forte, he was playing for a team about to be relegated from the division above but maybe he showed us what he could do with his 1-on-1 with the Yeovil goalie when he cleverly deceived us all by giving the ball to the keeper instead of scoring. Impressive indeed!

[cadiz saint]

Easily impressed Nick! N'Guessan hardly got a game at Leicester - 5 starts and 3 times on as sub. As for Forte, he was playing for a team about to be relegated from the division above but maybe he showed us what he could do with his 1-on-1 with the Yeovil goalie when he cleverly deceived us all by giving the ball to the keeper instead of scoring. Impressive indeed!

 

I'd rank Adkins knowledge above youre's prof!!

[Professor]

PMSL

Skate on a wind up i reckon.

Do you take bets on us getting into the play-offs or better? If so, a wager should be in order.

Tamesaint, maybe you hadn't noticed that I said the Playoffs look assured so what's the bet? What is not at all assured is (a) getting to second because that requires other teams who are currently in form dropping points unexpectedly (as we did at Hartlepool and Walsall) and (b) winning the 4-club play-off competition against sides that are basically just as good as we are. I expect us to be in the play-offs but the odds there are 3-1 against. Not impossible but not evens or better.

[Professor]

I'd rank Adkins knowledge above youre's prof!!

 

Fair comment, but knowing more about football than me isn't a great qualification because a lot of people have it! It doesn't make Adkins a great manager, just better than any ordinary fan.

[Guan 2.0]

Went to the Game alongside K Billy's Supersound, (and only a few seats across from Bart, who looked quite Spry and Happy with some Polish Friends)

 

First Half wasn't that great, as we all know. Not helped by yeovil playing Hoof or head (in fact I didn't see their left back (who launched into oxo later) control the ball it for the first half an hour with his feet *****il he skied it). They played very negatively, with only one up front, and only keeping one in our half some of the time *****il they were 3 down, and switched to 3 up front, how odd!).

 

Their supporters were tard-ish, what with "premier league you're having a laugh". Just seemed desperate for attention.

 

Our midfield was bypassed for the first half half well by hoofing, and Chaplow's wrongful booking (if anybody has seen the video and it a foul, I stand corrected, but it looked like he had won the ball fairly), neutered his aggressive game.

 

Adkins spent the first 20-25 minutes screaming at 'deano' because he wasn't doing anything, and returning to the dugout with a face like Thunder several times. Our Silent captain gradually improved.

 

How Butterfield (or Fonte in his absence) is not Captain is beyond me. Several times, Danny would rollick and instruct the back line, as well as coach those in front of him, whilst Hammond was having to be reminded of basics of pass and/or move, and didn't say a peep to help the team! Great vision from Danny on the first goal, too!

 

Barnard worked hard and deserved a hat trick, though I would have preferred to see Lambert go for goal rather than tee up his mate for a third. One thing I liked about Oxo's was that he had a pop from distance, which IMO we don't do enough!

 

Thought Gobern was good when he came on , and seems to be improving all the time whilst I was really willing Fonte in that one-on-one to get the monkey off his back (seems a confidence player).

 

Oxo made me worry when he went down injured (anybody know what happened?) and his attempted cross that left him spinning into the ground was lolsome.

 

Like many others, I like Martin as a player, but he looked nervous on Tuesday, Jhaidi on Saturday please!

 

And Prof and Charlie Wayman, not being funny but you two are either trolls or mental. A solid 3-0 win were we don't get out of second gear but comfortably win in a warm up for Saturday, is not irrefutable proof that we will miss out on the playoffs.

 

I'm sure there are certain mewing 'fans' on here that would prefer a loss to Bournemouth tomorrow so they can engage in a negativo ****fest against Adkins.

[NickG]

Easily impressed Nick! N'Guessan hardly got a game at Leicester - 5 starts and 3 times on as sub. As for Forte, he was playing for a team about to be relegated from the division above but maybe he showed us what he could do with his 1-on-1 with the Yeovil goalie when he cleverly deceived us all by giving the ball to the keeper instead of scoring. Impressive indeed!

 

I'd rank Adkins knowledge above youre's prof!!

 

you would be right not to trust professors football knowledge - for a start N'Guessan has had 24 starts and 15 as sub for Leicester - not bad at his age for a player to warm the bench in league 1!

[Professor]

you would be right not to trust professors football knowledge - for a start N'Guessan has had 24 starts and 15 as sub for Leicester - not bad at his age for a player to warm the bench in league 1!

 

Oh dear Nick, misleading people again with your selective statistics. Your 24 starts are over 2 seasons, but you didn't mention that. After 19 starts in 2009/10 he had 5 starts for Leicester this season and then they looked to offload him via loans. Hardly the great Championship player you implied that we had impressively taken on.

[NickG]

Don't be a childish prat.

 

Couldn't give a **** if its over last 18 months or 6 - he has played pretty regularly for a better team than us in a higher league - and joined us to be on the bench.

 

 

Would have preferred Ronaldo or Messi - but seems not a bad pedigree for a league 1 sub - but I have some understanding of football and know the level we are at

 

Compare his background to Antonio for instance and its much better - and two years older.

Edited 11 March, 2011 by NickG

[Crispypie]

How funny was Yeovil's free kick just before we scored. After that happened I turned to my brother and said we should show them how to take free kicks properly.

[Professor]

Don't be a childish prat.

 

Couldn't give a **** if its over last 18 months or 6 - he has played pretty regularly for a better team than us in a higher league - and joined us to be on the bench.

 

 

Would have preferred Ronaldo or Messi - but seems not a bad pedigree for a league 1 sub - but I have some understanding of football and know the level we are at

 

Compare his background to Antonio for instance and its much better - and two years older.

 

Neither Forte nor N'Guessan are in the first choice 11 or are even competing for places with Lallana and Chamberlain. They are understudies and so far, not very convincing ones. Adkins says that its all about competition for places, but these two have not increased competition, except between each other for 10 minutes as a sub. Attempting to claim that they are established Championship players looks either delusional or dishonest. Forte's career path has gone from 19 championship games in a season to 5 games the next season, to being off-loaded as a sub to a L1 side. I simply disagree with your statement, Nick, that these signing are impressive and its sad that you need to resort to insults and asterisks because implied foul language doesn't make your argument any more accurate.

[John B]

Neither Forte nor N'Guessan are in the first choice 11 or are even competing for places with Lallana and Chamberlain. They are understudies and so far, not very convincing ones. Adkins says that its all about competition for places, but these two have not increased competition, except between each other for 10 minutes as a sub. Attempting to claim that they are established Championship players looks either delusional or dishonest. Forte's career path has gone from 19 championship games in a season to 5 games the next season, to being off-loaded as a sub to a L1 side. I simply disagree with your statement, Nick, that these signing are impressive and its sad that you need to resort to insults and asterisks because implied foul language doesn't make your argument any more accurate.

 

I tend to agree with you apart from Chaplow we dont seem to have enhanced our team that much in the last year.

 

Butterfield/Richardson at RB is really the only other one

[Professor]

I agree JohnB, that Chaplow was a good acquisition although I didn't think he had a particularly good game against Yeovil. Richardson's signing was indication of a serious intention to raise the level of the squad, as with signing Jose Fonte. It was unfortunate that Richardson was injured so quickly so that Butterfield came as cover, but the outcome was that we ended up with two good RBs. More accident than design, and of course under Pardew, not Adkins.

[benjii]

Anyone who believes that excuse probably believes in Father Christmas. Do you seriously expect NC to announce that he wouldn't improve the squad because it was his policy not to, or that he'd been instructed by the owners not to spend? We did make signings - Forte and N'Guessan - not at 'inflated' prices, in fact for peanuts, so what did we get..............

 

How much did we pay for Forte?

[Fowllyd]

Neither Forte nor N'Guessan are in the first choice 11 or are even competing for places with Lallana and Chamberlain. They are understudies and so far, not very convincing ones. Adkins says that its all about competition for places, but these two have not increased competition, except between each other for 10 minutes as a sub. Attempting to claim that they are established Championship players looks either delusional or dishonest. Forte's career path has gone from 19 championship games in a season to 5 games the next season, to being off-loaded as a sub to a L1 side. I simply disagree with your statement, Nick, that these signing are impressive and its sad that you need to resort to insults and asterisks because implied foul language doesn't make your argument any more accurate.

 

Many a time you have sprung to the defence of the truly dreadful Pulis, who has never got past the bench in a proper first-team match for Saints in almost three years (and has only even made it there once or twice). A player who has totalled fewer first-team appearances per year for a succession of clubs, mostly lower than our level, than the two who you now disparage.

 

And yet you're all too willing to condemn current players who have as yet had little chance to make any impact. You've complained at others for judging Pulis without having seen him play - surely you can't now be doing the same for Forte and N'Guessan?

[NickG]

who would keep Lallana out of the side who we could of signed in Jan?

 

No-one?

 

Therefore we signed back up for him. I am sure many would have been excited if that back up was just Antonio. Instead we have signed two players with better pedigree than Antonio.

 

But still some moan!

 

I have not seen a lot to get excited about so far from them, but am willing to give them a chance - for the role they have been recruited. Solent gave N'Guessan mom.

 

 

Our squad is miles ahead of all in this division - the answer is not to keep throwing money at it - but to get this squad to keep its consistency levels going.

 

 

I think you are getting confused with fantasy football and not understanding reality

[saint lard]

who would keep Lallana out of the side who we could of signed in Jan?

 

No-one?

 

Therefore we signed back up for him. I am sure many would have been excited if that back up was just Antonio. Instead we have signed two players with better pedigree than Antonio.

 

But still some moan!

 

I have not seen a lot to get excited about so far from them, but am willing to give them a chance - for the role they have been recruited. Solent gave N'Guessan mom.

 

 

Our squad is miles ahead of all in this division - the answer is not to keep throwing money at it - but to get this squad to keep its consistency levels going.

 

 

I think you are getting confused with fantasy football and not understanding reality

 

Yet our style is mediocre at best.

We have no consistancy.

Although we consistantly underperform,i will conceed that point.

Edited 12 March, 2011 by saint lard

[NickG]

2 points a game for 6 months = consistency

[saint lard]

Hardly pulling up trees with a 'squad miles ahead of all in this division'.imo.

 

You can direct me to all the numbers you can throw about,but on the pitch we are not living up to the billing some would have us believe.

 

Very unispiring season thus far,never reaching the expectations many went into this season, with or without Adkins at the helm

[NickG]

would have hoped for better - I agree.

 

we have not done exceptionally well.

 

could have done better.

 

slow start is the real problem - once again - without that us and Brighton would have been clear.

 

Since Adkins here he has matched Brighton and bettered everyone else.

 

expectations is individual thing.

 

You may not like is but numbers are what counts - if Adkins continues exactly as he has and we get promoted then its job done and time to look forward to the next division.

 

I have enjoyed most games I have seen this season.

[um pahars]

2 points a game for 6 months = consistency

 

A return roughly matched by quite a few others who by your own admission have a squad miles worse than us!

[saint lard]

would have hoped for better - I agree.

 

we have not done exceptionally well.

 

could have done better.

 

slow start is the real problem - once again - without that us and Brighton would have been clear.

 

Since Adkins here he has matched Brighton and bettered everyone else.

 

expectations is individual thing.

 

You may not like is but numbers are what counts - if Adkins continues exactly as he has and we get promoted then its job done and time to look forward to the next division.

 

I have enjoyed most games I have seen this season.

 

Yep,the points tally at the end of the season.

Those are the ones that dictate what league we will be in next season.

 

Next season? my god some work needs to be done to make us even competative.

Some big decisions and some decent aquisitions will be required,has Adkins got the ability to lure those aquisitions is my concern.

Anyway,that is a while off yet.

[NickG]

A return roughly matched by quite a few others who by your own admission have a squad miles worse than us!

 

only Brighton - who, last time I looked were bit better than us, rest bit behind.

 

Honestly believe our first 11, and squad is clearly better than Brighton, and everyone. We should have been looking at winning this league

[NickG]

Yep,the points tally at the end of the season.

Those are the ones that dictate what league we will be in next season.

 

Next season? my god some work needs to be done to make us even competative.

Some big decisions and some decent aquisitions will be required,has Adkins got the ability to lure those aquisitions is my concern.

Anyway,that is a while off yet.

 

of course end of season - we are on target to go up based on games in hand and either recent or season form (post adkins form even better) so why not save the criticism of any drop of in performance leading to failure until that happens?

 

Leeds and Millwall were not setting league 1 on fire, Norwich were good. They currently sit 3rd, 5th and 12th.

[Professor]

Many a time you have sprung to the defence of the truly dreadful Pulis, who has never got past the bench in a proper first-team match for Saints in almost three years (and has only even made it there once or twice). A player who has totalled fewer first-team appearances per year for a succession of clubs, mostly lower than our level, than the two who you now disparage.

 

And yet you're all too willing to condemn current players who have as yet had little chance to make any impact. You've complained at others for judging Pulis without having seen him play - surely you can't now be doing the same for Forte and N'Guessan?

 

Please don't get me wrong, I'm not condemning Forte and N'Guessan, both of whom I'm sure will do their best and are looking like they will be adequate squad players, although Forte's miss against Yeovil is hard to forgive. I simply don't accept NickG's statement that signing them was an 'Impressive' step by the club, and I do get bored by NickG's constant sucking up to the management. Impressive would have been a CMF playmaker for a £1m or Mackail-Smith to provide real compettition for Ricky and Barney.

 

As for Pulis, who's re-signing by Pardew has been hard to understand, I'm not so much defending him as objecting to people who use him as a whipping boy by just following the crowd. He's clearly not a 'dire' player because he does seem to be capable at L2 level, which makes him a better footballer than most of us fans, but he's clearly not L1 standard or he would have made the team.

[NickG]

they are not impressive signings in that they excite fans as bettering Lallana or Ox-C - but if you really thought that is possible in league 1 you don't have a clue.

 

Most agreed all this squad needed was another winger on bench option. What is impressive is that rather than just 1, from lower league we got two with reasonable backgrounds.

 

If we sold Lallana and Ox-C and got these two I would have been far from impressed.

 

But as signings for a league 1 squad player, probably not always even getting guaranteed place on bench -then they are fairly impressive signings.

 

 

I support saints - and therefore approach them positively as most who really support them do.

[Saint_clark]

Fortes miss was pretty bad, but had it been on the opposite side I think he would have scored - he just didn't feel comfortable shooting with his left foot, which is fair enough seeing as he is a squad player in league one.

Chances are he'll only ever make a handful of appearances for us before moving on.

[Fowllyd]

Please don't get me wrong, I'm not condemning Forte and N'Guessan, both of whom I'm sure will do their best and are looking like they will be adequate squad players, although Forte's miss against Yeovil is hard to forgive. I simply don't accept NickG's statement that signing them was an 'Impressive' step by the club, and I do get bored by NickG's constant sucking up to the management. Impressive would have been a CMF playmaker for a £1m or Mackail-Smith to provide real compettition for Ricky and Barney.

 

As for Pulis, who's re-signing by Pardew has been hard to understand, I'm not so much defending him as objecting to people who use him as a whipping boy by just following the crowd. He's clearly not a 'dire' player because he does seem to be capable at L2 level, which makes him a better footballer than most of us fans, but he's clearly not L1 standard or he would have made the team.

 

Central midfield playmaker for £1M? Do you honestly think we'd get somebody better than any of Hammond, Chaplow or Schneiderlin for a million? It's possible we were interested in MacKail-Smith (we don't know this of course, but Fry has mentioned bids for him in January) and that Posh's asking price was too high. As I say, we don't know what happened. Realistically, we were never going to get players equal to or better than the ones we already have in January.

 

As to Pulis, he's been on loan to various L2 clubs, had a few games, got dropped and come back again. Personally, I think L2's above his level - and yes, i've seen him play.

[um pahars]

only Brighton - who, last time I looked were bit better than us, rest bit behind

 

But with a squad miles better, they should be miles behind.

 

Like you I also believe we have a much stronger squad than anyone else in this division, but recent performances have been somewhat lack lustre and even points per game would suggest we are underperforming when compared to our rivals given the resources we have to hand.

Edited 12 March, 2011 by um pahars

[NickG]

um pahars - think we are saying same thing?

[Minsk]

And the Richard Cranium award for post of the thread goes to...........

 

A win's a win so we'll take it.

 

Other than that this was the biggest load of crap you could ever imagine, how on earth did we win and score three goals - Chuck only knows!

 

What happened to winning with a smile on our faces, Nige? I didn't see many fans smiling when they left they all looked effing relieved it was all over. Adkins is no longer in charge that's obvious, the players are just ignoring the idiot and his useless sidekick - it was only rare moments of genius from one or two of our lads that got us the points. What's happened to Chaplow???????????????????

 

If we play like that against a better team we'll be shafted so pull your socks up Saints before Saturday.

 

Still, a win's a win for all that.

[NickG]

I am just back and I am sorry to deflate anyone who hasn’t been and thinks a 3-0 win is satisfactory but that first half we were absolutely dire – the worst I have seen for ages. We looked absolutely clueless and my confidence in Adkins is draining.

 

2nd half obviously a bit better because we put the ball in the net twice and gained an element of control but that was only because Yeovil were awful. We were far better at Walsall last week – believe me.

 

I am going to Bournemouth but we are going to perform a lot better to get anything.

 

it was about this time that some posters were criticising the manner of wins - it has been a real positive the way NA sets his team out / motivates - rather than having to blow teams away you feel the team will just keep winning.

 

last 12 now W10 d1 l1

Edited 25 April, 2011 by NickG

[NickG]

A win's a win so we'll take it.

 

Other than that this was the biggest load of crap you could ever imagine, how on earth did we win and score three goals - Chuck only knows!

 

What happened to winning with a smile on our faces, Nige? I didn't see many fans smiling when they left they all looked effing relieved it was all over. Adkins is no longer in charge that's obvious, the players are just ignoring the idiot and his useless sidekick - it was only rare moments of genius from one or two of our lads that got us the points. What's happened to Chaplow???????????????????

 

If we play like that against a better team we'll be shafted so pull your socks up Saints before Saturday.

 

Still, a win's a win for all that.

 

lovely! suppose 10 wins in 12 we'll take!

[The Cat]

We've won 20 of our last 12?

 

Wow.

[NickG]

if he had dressing room still he should have! corrected

[St Chalet]

Could have sworn the Yeovil game was weeks ago.