Doncaster 1 - 0 Saints - Post Match Reaction

[surrey1saint]

Would anyone have thought we would be top of the championship at the beginning of December,if you were asked before this season began?

 

Trouble is because of our form/position all our expectations have risen .

 

We are missing 2 key players ,form has slipped,but this is football.

 

Take it easy & don't panic....know one can know whats around the corner,a couple of signings in January and off we go again.

[Norm]

(posted on the other thread)

 

Back from the game.

 

Knew we would struggle without Lambert but didn't realise how bad it would be. For all the talk about us being Brazil, people underestimate how reliant we are on the direct ball and today exposed this reliance. Without Chaplow or pace, we don't have the movement or dynamism in the team to cut through teams with the short-stuff - instead, its ponderous sideways passing orchestrated by Hammond; and without Lambert, we don't have a player who can bring the likes of Lallana and Guly into play further up the pitch or a player who can capitalise on the delivery and threat coming from our fullbacks (arguably we had more crosses/corners than any other game this season).

 

After today, a target man is a no-brainer greater priority than a pacy forward - hopefully we square the circle by also bringing in a winger -an Adomah rather than a Maynard. But cover for Lambert is a must. On that note, Sharp was OK but we generally marshaled him well. Lukas caused our defence more problems.

 

Guly had a hit-and-miss game - he was simultaneously responsible for our best openings but was error-prone. As the most advanced player, his runs weren't intelligent enough -understandable as he's much better picking out runners e.g. his lovely flick for Morgan. Still I generally felt sorry for him as he was thrown into the deep end and given the thankless brief of competing in the air -and which became more and more one-dimensional as we panicked and went pardewesque. He also had f**K all assistance from the officials having been manhandled all afternoon.

 

The question is why Barney didn't start or come on earlier. IMO NA's decision to rest/leave him out was vindicated. There's alot of goodwill for Barney but again he offered very little. Agree it wasn't easy for him to enter the fray when we were chasing the game, especially when he's been out for so long. But we don't have the luxury of bedding him in and even then its not a given he will cut it at this level. I like him but I find it odd how many of our supporters see him as some kind of talisman.

 

The difference between him and, say, Connolly is night and day. Today was the first time in a while that I missed what Connolly brings to the team. One theory is that Lallana's dip in form is not just attributable to his injury but also Connolly's absence. He is the one player who clearly thinks on the same wavelength as our playmakers who end up trying to do everything -and usually coming out second-best.

 

As such, dont blame NA's team selection - he picked the best 11 players we have at the moment -and obviously thinks this is more important than formations or positions. I can't argue with that -and to anyone who says he got it wrong, I would just ask who would you have played? Holmes (not everyone's cuppa and crossing to who)? Barnard (see above?). The real issue is a very thin squad rather than poor selection by NA. Its a more fundamental problem but also outside NA's control till January.

 

TBH, didnt think Schneiderlin made a bad go at playing CF (he was more than an advanced midfielder today!). It wasn't ideal, though I thought he struck his one real chance well -and if there's one positive today, its that he's got much more in his locker than just being a competent holding player, a flashback to when he first arrived in 2008. The one negative is that he wasn't in midfield to ping balls out SDR who was wasted on the flanks in the first half. Wonder if this will be SDR's last start for a while?

 

The frustrating thing is that Donny made it easier than other teams - they didn't press us with a high line which would highlighted other weaknesses in the team. All in all, it was a woeful Donny team lacking confidence and cohesion -apart from their shot that hit the post and the goal they created nothing and relied on kick and rush, often from our corners. We should have taken them to the cleaners (I stuck a few quid on them being relegated after the game).

 

Still, I think with a fit Lambert, we can just about hobble to the transfer window with our run in tact; but beyond that, we have no chance IMO without reinforcements and being more aggressive in the transfer market. Its not 'lapses of concentration' or whatever ******* euphemism Nige wants to use that will count against us when we have to travel to WHU, Boro, Leeds, Hull, Brum, Blackpool etc in the new year.

 

 

 

 

That was worth reading, thanks for posting. FWIW, I have felt for some time that we are very thin in quality with the squad. We have NO player to fill in for RL. Barnard is no Maynard/Sharp/Luca etc. I like Hammond but his displays of late have been poor imo. I thought that Fox was a good buy but his last home performance was very poor. Perhaps we are just having our little blip?

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

The table still shows we're the top team in this division, and when we're at our best you can quite see why. But football fans are greedy and it would be nice to see us place a real stamp of authority on this division by brushing aside lessor opposition such as Doncaster. Well the truth is that our patchy away form proves that we're not good enough to do that yet.

 

The business end of this season could be a real nail biter ..... I can't wait.

[sperm_john]

I think its a number of factors;

 

- lallana not playing his usual best (still getting back in the swing after injury)

- missing chaplow who has been outstanding for us this season

- ricky is our talisman and does a good job when not on the ball of drawing players

- guly is not an out and out striker and should never of been left up to alone in the first half

- de ridder is a wide man and should be played as a wide man and not as striker circa second half

- players like fonte who scored bags last season are not getting the odd goal (although hooiveld has stepped up to the mark in that department)

 

for what its worth ...think barnard should of started as the striker, although maybe adkins is easing him back in ...

 

I was of the opinion we didnt need to strengthen and that it would just upset the balance but when your looking at our bench at the moment we are missing something ...

 

come on totton!

[Window Cleaner]

The table still shows we're the top team in this division, and when we're at our best you can quite see why. But football fans are greedy and it would be nice to see us place a real stamp of authority on this division by brushing aside lessor opposition such as Doncaster. Well the truth is that our patchy away form proves that we're not good enough to do that yet.

 

The business end of this season could be a real nail biter ..... I can't wait.

 

As you say we're still top in what is evidently a very difficult league and (without checking) it would seem to me that we've lost the least matches,perhaps jointly with West Ham.Knowing Habib Beye and Marc-Antoine Fortune as I do, I'd say they are probably the reason why we got nothing yesterday. I wish we had Beye cos to my view he's better than any of our current centre-backs.May be he's just too costly for us because if I was a manager in the Championship and Beye was known to be available for loan I'd be at the front of the queue with my cheque-book at the ready.

[Shroppie]

I was disappointed with nothing at all made of our 10 corners and 3/4 free kicks in good positions. With no RL to worry about it was just too easy for them to defend.

[Dalek2003]

Shurlock's post is a good one. He mentions that we need to be more 'aggressive' in the transfer market. I said it back in June, July and August. I prefer the words decisive and committed.

I maintain my view that we set out this season to consolidate on a budget. I am sure that is what we will achieve. The nice thing is that we have got the points up front so we should finish mid table (17th which is lower mid table), with a fair degree of comfort. This will allow NA to experiment with the team and look for some bargains in the transfer market thus fitting our 'sustainable plan. It was obvious to me in the summer, we aint going to get any big names on big wages.

[LostBoys]

Very disappointing a great opportunity to extend our lead at the top missed

[miserableoldgit]

Shurlock's post is a good one. He mentions that we need to be more 'aggressive' in the transfer market. I said it back in June, July and August. I prefer the words decisive and committed.

I maintain my view that we set out this season to consolidate on a budget. I am sure that is what we will achieve. The nice thing is that we have got the points up front so we should finish mid table (17th which is lower mid table), with a fair degree of comfort. This will allow NA to experiment with the team and look for some bargains in the transfer market thus fitting our 'sustainable plan. It was obvious to me in the summer, we aint going to get any big names on big wages.

Is this what you think that we need then??

[Jonnyboy]

I think we should spend in January as we may not have such a good shot at promotion for a long, long time.

[madruss]

We screwed up over the summer, I told you so and recieved a load of abuse for speaking the truth. Like the Hoddle debacle, people can bury thier heads in the sand but it wont do them much good.

 

We screwed up over the summer, I told you so and recieved a load of abuse for speaking the truth. Like the Hoddle debacle, people can bury thier heads in the sand but it wont do them much good.

 

What on earth are you talking about? We 'screwed up ' in the summer did we? Maybe we should have taken the Ipswich approach and spent tons on 'quality' players, disrupting the squad and upsetting the balance and momentum built up from last season.

 

Every time saints have a poor result, you seem to think you've somehow been proved right about your ludicrous prediction of 17th.

 

You haven't. We're still top. Deal with it.

[SaintRobbie]

Urgent, urgent foray into transfer market required in preparation for opening of transfer window.

 

In the meantime I am going to pray Lambert is back by the next game, and Chaplow for the Pompey game (probably a folorn hope)

 

I'm not quite as alarmist-thinking as Alps, no need to panic yet, but I do think his sentiment is essentially correct. We need to reinforce to ensure that promotion is indeed ours. I hope we have the ability (Cortese's reputation to package an attractive deal in the market is of course one of our weaknesses) to attract some serious quality to reinforce ourselves not just for promotion but to bolster our chances of staying in the Premiership in 12/13.

 

Again, no need to panic yet, but we need to become the CCC team of choice the best wish to come to in every department. We need to bolster. We need to improve our squad robustness to see this brilliant campaign out to its rightful conclusion - promotion. We therefore need strength in depth to cope without the Lamberts and Chaplows. I share the sentiment, though not the panic!

Edited 4 December, 2011 by SaintRobbie
spellink

[Window Cleaner]

Penalty ref ????

 

 

But no he's giving a free kick to Donny by the looks of it.Unless of course they're in our box and not the otherway round.

[S-Clarke]

Cardiff have just taken the lead against Brum......

[Dalek2003]

Is this what you think that we need then??

 

I would like some big name good quality players into the club, preferably on realistc wages, but I am not sure that will happen. If Saints have a policy on this then fine. It could be we are looking for younger players that we can develop. However, in this case the fans need to understand this, be patient and allow the club to build slowly. In other words we are not doing a West Ham.

[Dalek2003]

What on earth are you talking about? We 'screwed up ' in the summer did we? Maybe we should have taken the Ipswich approach and spent tons on 'quality' players, disrupting the squad and upsetting the balance and momentum built up from last season.

 

Every time saints have a poor result, you seem to think you've somehow been proved right about your ludicrous prediction of 17th.

 

You haven't. We're still top. Deal with it.

 

Every time we win you think we are going to storm the league and knock the opposition to the far corners of the universe.

The season finishes in May and your prediction of 1st looks just as ludicrous IMO !

[graveworm]

All this result shows as with our other defeats, this is a tough division. As is the norm if you do not perform to the top of your ability, you get beaten. Personally I would like us to get promoted whether we won it or finished second. My thoughts are if we are near the top at the end of January I really fancy us. Still you only have to look at the likes of Cardiff over the past few seasons to know how early form proves nothing. It is annoying that our away form is terrible. Still have not seen any of our competitors taking advantage of our slip ups. I am just enjoying the fact we have changed beyond recognition. It makes me laugh when you read some of comments on here. I have supported the Saints for over 40 years and it does not get much better than this . Obviously promotion to the Premier would be the icing on the cake.... Couldn`t care less ...... this last 18 months have an absolute dream.........who knows whats round the corner........Always glass half full please

 

COYRS

[View From The Top]

Dalek2003 really does want Saints to fail doesn't he.

 

He just cannot stand being wrong, as he was last season and needs our football team to fail so he can feel good about himself.

Edited 4 December, 2011 by View From The Top

[madruss]

Every time we win you think we are going to storm the league and knock the opposition to the far corners of the universe.

The season finishes in May and your prediction of 1st looks just as ludicrous IMO !

 

I predict we'll finish in the top six, minimum. However if we make two quality signings in January, we'll go up automatically

[positivepete]

I would like some big name good quality players into the club.

 

I take it you mean press favourites rather than long names, big can be ambiguous! Just good quality players, being press favourites do not make them better players.

[miserableoldgit]

I would like some big name good quality players into the club, preferably on realistc wages, but I am not sure that will happen. If Saints have a policy on this then fine. It could be we are looking for younger players that we can develop. However, in this case the fans need to understand this, be patient and allow the club to build slowly. In other words we are not doing a West Ham.

Do you think that Richard Chaplow was a big name/big money signing? What is your opinion of his contribution to the team this year? what about Jack Cork? 750K? Big money/big wages? Please do not equate big names/big wages with success.

[Leicestersaint]

I was really disappointed with Cork yesterday - very anonymous.

[Window Cleaner]

Right ..seen the highlights, woefully bad goal that. Fonte let Fortune squeeze the ball between himself and the goal line and Frazer (well think it's him) just lets Sharp have a free shot. Somehow I think that this non-tackling policy is playing us some dirty tricks.Fonte could have easily tackled Fortune and not let the cross go in, Frazer was slow..very slow to react.

Edited 4 December, 2011 by Window Cleaner

[corky morris]

Just seen the same highlights & indeed Fonte simply lets him pass without a challenge. Kelvin could have done better too. Not a good day defensively.................or offensively for that matter!!

[yorkie]

Bitterly disappointed yesterday - but today doesn't seem that bad. Asong as we beat Noddy Hooloway next week and back to full strength against the blue few - I'd be happy!

[Legod Third Coming]

Even without Lambert, we should be (and are) good enough to beat Donny. The idea that Barnard can't cut it against a defence destined for League One is a nonsense.

I think Nigel has to take this one on the chin as poor selection.

If we were being outplayed every week it would make the arguments for drastic signings more valid.

 

We do need signings but is the lack of another striker the reason we lost yesterday?? Or was it playing square pegs in round holes?? Morgan up front - really??...

[Papa Shango]

My take on yesterday's game. Good in spells, but overall very disappointing. Miss Rickie big time. My report/player ratings can be read here if anyone's interested http://www.thesaintshub.com/doncaster1-0saints.html

[derry]

Schneiderlin was played into a gilt edged chance and just shot straight at the goalkeeper, his record as a goalscorer is abysmal and playing him behind Guly was a waste. Sharp made no such mistake and being a striker went across the keeper. The conceded goal was poor, Richardson looked as though he lost track of Sharp and was caught flat footed.

 

It is very easy to lose the balance and teamwork by playing players out of position together with other players that individually are decent but can't play together but in spite of that are fitted in. Barnard may not be right yet but he had to play a part and in my opinion the first half was where he should have played. I don't know how effective he could be but Butterfield scored a hat trick for Palace v Premier League Wolves in the FA Cup a couple of years ago. He could have filled in on the bench and taken over from Barnard if necessary leaving two from three midfielders in the midfield with one to come on. Lallana, De Ridder, Holmes covered the two wide positions with Guly in his usual position. Not ideal but at least the natural balance is retained. I've never seen a team yet that can be successful with players selected together who don't gel, balance is absolutely vital.

[THEVMAN]

I think a couple of players aired their thoughts to NA after the game,they were`nt happy with the changing of tactics during the game,they were getting pulled from one position to another.

[Legod Third Coming]

Schneiderlin was played into a gilt edged chance and just shot straight at the goalkeeper, his record as a goalscorer is abysmal and playing him behind Guly was a waste. Sharp made no such mistake and being a striker went across the keeper. The conceded goal was poor, Richardson looked as though he lost track of Sharp and was caught flat footed.

 

It is very easy to lose the balance and teamwork by playing players out of position together with other players that individually are decent but can't play together but in spite of that are fitted in. Barnard may not be right yet but he had to play a part and in my opinion the first half was where he should have played. I don't know how effective he could be but Butterfield scored a hat trick for Palace v Premier League Wolves in the FA Cup a couple of years ago. He could have filled in on the bench and taken over from Barnard if necessary leaving two from three midfielders in the midfield with one to come on. Lallana, De Ridder, Holmes covered the two wide positions with Guly in his usual position. Not ideal but at least the natural balance is retained. I've never seen a team yet that can be successful with players selected together who don't gel, balance is absolutely vital.

 

I wasn't there but I can see that Barnard would have scored the chance Morgan missed. Seems bizarre to have a striker who scored so many in League One and not play him when needed.

As for those who wonder if he can cut it in this league, are they the same people who asked the question about Rickie??

[shurlock]

Schneiderlin was played into a gilt edged chance and just shot straight at the goalkeeper, his record as a goalscorer is abysmal and playing him behind Guly was a waste. Sharp made no such mistake and being a striker went across the keeper. The conceded goal was poor, Richardson looked as though he lost track of Sharp and was caught flat footed.

 

It is very easy to lose the balance and teamwork by playing players out of position together with other players that individually are decent but can't play together but in spite of that are fitted in. Barnard may not be right yet but he had to play a part and in my opinion the first half was where he should have played. I don't know how effective he could be but Butterfield scored a hat trick for Palace v Premier League Wolves in the FA Cup a couple of years ago. He could have filled in on the bench and taken over from Barnard if necessary leaving two from three midfielders in the midfield with one to come on. Lallana, De Ridder, Holmes covered the two wide positions with Guly in his usual position. Not ideal but at least the natural balance is retained. I've never seen a team yet that can be successful with players selected together who don't gel, balance is absolutely vital.

 

Obviously you didn't go to the game - we changed things at half-time and then midway through 2nd half. Lack of balance had nothing to do with it.

[Dalek2003]

Do you think that Richard Chaplow was a big name/big money signing? What is your opinion of his contribution to the team this year? what about Jack Cork? 750K? Big money/big wages? Please do not equate big names/big wages with success.

 

Read my post again carefully and you will see the answer to your question is already there.

[derry]

Obviously you didn't go to the game - we changed things at half-time and then midway through 2nd half. Lack of balance had nothing to do with it.

 

Playing Schneiderlin, Cork and Hammond upset the natural balance. In the last three games only the second half against Hull was ok.

[derry]

I wasn't there but I can see that Barnard would have scored the chance Morgan missed. Seems bizarre to have a striker who scored so many in League One and not play him when needed.

As for those who wonder if he can cut it in this league, are they the same people who asked the question about Rickie??

 

He may well step up but his enforced absence hasn't helped. He is the only nearly fit striker so I don't see any other solution but throw him in. He had to be better than Schneiderlin if a chance came his way.

[captainchris]

This squad is too thin and there is currently no competition for places - never the less NA needs to wake one or two up and drop them. Have to say Butterfield seems a very good player to me and should play more of a part. Martin is capable and with more games would have the chance to improve further - he is very mobile... And Holmes-if fit and with Chappers out should slot in. Why we still haven't got anyone in reserve for the Centre Forward Pos is beyond me and most other fans I think. On the Adkins front - surely he needs to learn by the numerous experiments he has indulged in recently and get back to the tactics he knows the players know best with round holes in round players or what ever it is !!! As someone else said we have been a liitle Pardewesque lately with odd players, positions and tactics - ummm on reflection, Pardew had no tactics but that's another story.....

[S-Clarke]

I think a couple of players aired their thoughts to NA after the game,they were`nt happy with the changing of tactics during the game,they were getting pulled from one position to another.

 

It sounded like that in the 2nd half, seemed like the constant changes made us totally lose our way.

[shurlock]

Playing Schneiderlin, Cork and Hammond upset the natural balance. In the last three games only the second half against Hull was ok.

 

Second half we went to a 4-3-3/4-3-2-1 with SDR playing up the middle and closer to Guly and Lallana in the hole; with the subs, we switched to playing with width -Holmes on one wing; and Lallana on the other with Guly and Barnard down the middle.

 

Both formations were balanced; yet we probably worked more chances and enjoyed greater pressure in the first half when we had less 'balance'.

 

Am all for balance but not if it means sacrificing quality. Barney offered nothing. Ditto Holmes, though I have more time for him than some others. And Butterfield upfront is a joke. For whatever reason -match fitness, quality at this level- all those three players are far behind our regular starters at the moment, so the idea that with their 'balance' things would have been different is hard to take seriously. Without better quality in the squad, starting Hammond, Schneiderlin and Cork wasn't ideal but made sense. My only complaint, perhaps, is that we didn't play Lallana up with Guly in the first half (we did in the 2nd) and play Schneiderlin somewhere else -say CM with Cork on the right and SDR on the left. But I wouldn't have changed the personnel.

Edited 4 December, 2011 by shurlock

[Leicestersaint]

My take on yesterday's game. Good in spells, but overall very disappointing. Miss Rickie big time. My report/player ratings can be read here if anyone's interested http://www.thesaintshub.com/doncaster1-0saints.html

 

Thnaks for an interesting report - it generally accords with what i saw (I was there) but i don't agree with your ratings for Hammond (poor) or soemof the others. Overall i thought our midfield was pretty ordinary.

[Professor]

Q. What is more depressing than seeing your team lose 2 games out of 3.

A. Reading some of the complacent posts on here.

[InvictaSaint]

Q: what is more depressing than seeing your team lose 2 games out of 3?

 

A: reading the depressing, wrist-slitting negative drivel of people who cannot find a balanced perspective, who cannot enjoy the fact that we are almost half way through the season and top of the Championship, and who seemingly only come out of the woodwork when things go slightly wrong to demonstrate that they gain absolutely no pleasure from their short sojourn on planet earth, other than in being miserable pains in the arse.

[Hedgehog]

The problem i can see is, that although we may still be top at the momment, and not looking at the other automatic promotion contenders etc. our inability to take maximum points against the bottom teams may cost us. I can't imagine the likes of West Ham, Boro and Cardiff will go and lose to the likes of Doncaster away. Again i could be wrong, and they may already have played them.

[Red]

So the puzzle for me is that at home (where we are excellent – 100% record) is where you expect teams to park the famous bus and frustrate the living day lights out of us – which happens and we overcome!

 

Now at away matches, teams are generally more open (agreed not always, etc.) and so in theory should suit us better? I think this is largely all in the mind – we are too hung up about away matches! How else can you explain that we beat everyone at home – big teams, small teams at ease, and same team fails away??

 

Part of the reason we are doing so well this year is our winning habit – wonder if the losing away habit is playing on some of our players minds? Certainly in the last few games our home and away results have been chalk and cheese – what’s the reason/difference ?? NA would get a better night’s sleep if this can be fixed.

 

Still, all said – very happy as we are still top of the league!

[SaintJackoInHurworth]

OK - I wasn't at the game, though had originally planned to be there as it is one of the few fixtures that are less than a couple of hours away from me. However, it seems to me that comments here fall largely at either of two extremes:

 

1. Panic, we are doomed unless we spend mega millions and will soon be in a relegation struggle.

2. Don't worry, we have had a mini wobble and now we will go on another amazing run-in until the end of the season, breaking world records in the progress!

 

(Ok - I exaggerate!!)

 

Can I suggest a few thoughts from hopefully a more balanced perspective (though tilted towards a glass half full approach I think!):

 

1. We are still top.

2. The fixtures against Blackpool and Pompey will be tough ones and we may not be top for much longer.

3. We are nevertheless likely to be more motivated for the games against Blackpool and Pompey.

4. We tend to do better against better opposition or opposition for which we realise the difficulty of the tie - which suggests we could be better in the next two games.

5. Our away form has been poor for some time - it was quite poor last season.

6. Our away form is worst against clubs in the North - in the amazing run that we have had over the past ten months I have yet to see a Saints win!! I don't get to that many matches, admittedly, but I get to some of the away matches up north and so this statistic stands out for me!

7. When Alan Pardew was manager I rarely saw Saints lose! For some reason under Pardew we did as well or better away from home as at home, whereas with Adkins our home form has been immense but our away from distinctly dodgy. (NB I am not trying to say that one is better than the other, just that they each have their strengths and weaknesses).

8. We did not expect to be doing this well at the start of the season. Before the season started most fans on here predicted we would have a relegation struggle and finish mid-table at best.

9. We have got our two best strikers injured and our next striker (Barnard) is not fully fit. Other strikers have been sent out on loan! Chaplow is also injured.

10. Lallana is maybe also still struggling with injury.

11. Chaplow was being criticised by many on here at the start of the season. He wasn't getting picked with Cork and Hammond on fire, with Lallana and Guly supplying Barnard and Lambert up-front.

12. Schneiderlin has never been good at getting goals and has generally been used in a more defensive/distibutory role in midfield rather than as an attacking midfielder. Hammond has generally taken the more attacking role. I would have thought playing Hammond up front with MS and Cork in midfield might have been a more logical decision. Alternatively, Lallana could have played up front and Schneiderlin out wide or we could have used Butterfield as a winger.

[alpine_saint]

Q. What is more depressing than seeing your team lose 2 games out of 3.

A. Reading some of the complacent posts on here.

 

This. The smug comfyness is painful to read.

 

We have our best chance ever to get back into the PL, and some dont seem to care that the magic may be wearing off. May be a long time before we get another chance as good.

 

I wish the happy-clappies would at least have the decency to admit they are in their comfort zone in this division.

[Chez]

Q: what is more depressing than seeing your team lose 2 games out of 3?

 

A: reading the depressing, wrist-slitting negative drivel of people who cannot find a balanced perspective, who cannot enjoy the fact that we are almost half way through the season and top of the Championship, and who seemingly only come out of the woodwork when things go slightly wrong to demonstrate that they gain absolutely no pleasure from their short sojourn on planet earth, other than in being miserable pains in the arse.

 

can I ask whether you did the 500 mile round journey to Donny and also went to City last week? I ask because it is usually those that attend games have a far more balanced view than those that are forced to watch teletext or highlights, but on this occasion I think its those that have attended that are the most unhappy and posting the most negative opinions.

 

The reason for this is that they are the ones that not only saw a defeat - which currently you can bare when we are top of the league and winning right left and centre - but they are also the ones that had to endure two woeful displays and tactical **** ups by the manager. They are also the ones that will be fratton on the 18h.

[Chez]

OK - I wasn't at the game,

6. Our away form is worst against clubs in the North - in the amazing run that we have had over the past ten months I have yet to see a Saints win!! I don't get to that many matches, admittedly, but I get to some of the away matches up north and so this statistic stands out for me!

We've not played that many northern clubs over the last 18 months but have beaten Barnsley, Oldham, Sheff Wed, and Notts County, losing to Donny, Huddersfield, Rochdale, Carlise and Tranmere, drawing with Hartlepool, Derby and Burnley

[doddisalegend]

can I ask whether you did the 500 mile round journey to Donny and also went to City last week? I ask because it is usually those that attend games have a far more balanced view than those that are forced to watch teletext or highlights, but on this occasion I think its those that have attended that are the most unhappy and posting the most negative opinions.

 

The reason for this is that they are the ones that not only saw a defeat - which currently you can bare when we are top of the league and winning right left and centre - but they are also the ones that had to endure two woeful displays and tactical **** ups by the manager. They are also the ones that will be fratton on the 18h.

 

It's interesting I don't do away games (1 in the last three seasons) but do all the home games so it's quite hard to workout how a team that have in general been surperb (with the odd poor half here and there) at home blowing teams away at times. Can suddenly turn into a pile of shyte (at times not all our away games have been bad) away from home. I suppose If NA can figure it out will be ok.

 

I get the need for people to vent about the performance and NA getting it wrong (we all do that). I'm just not sure why some seem to think this is the beginning of the end for our season.....

 

Still thanks to the telly we will all get to see why we are shyte away from home on the 18th.

[doddisalegend]

Having just watched the highlights how the hell did Morgan miss that chance? I'd of put money on Barney to put that shot away. Defending for the donny goal was shocking how route 1 was that? punt up field, cross and sharp had all the time in the world to turn and shoot.

[Frank's cousin]

This. The smug comfyness is painful to read.

 

We have our best chance ever to get back into the PL, and some dont seem to care that the magic may be wearing off. May be a long time before we get another chance as good.

 

I wish the happy-clappies would at least have the decency to admit they are in their comfort zone in this division.

 

Thing is Alps, no one is suggesting we should not be dissapointed, nor that its fine doing nothing about it (especially in Jan if we can), but there is a difference between being all out happy -clappy and not seeing this, and emaining POSITIVE that all is not bad. I think EVERYONE is surprized how we have started and the momentum has taken us to the top of the league against all but teh most positive fews expectations.

 

I think its fair to assume that after not getting one or two key targets (most likely due to unrealistic wage demands) in teh summer, the plan was to be top 10 maybe better with the cahnce of pushing on come Jan (as Adkins has said) - and then depending on how we are doing, where the weaknesses are AND IMPORTANTLY whether we can get the right players, to add what we need for a promotion push if there was a good chance for it.

 

We have over achieved so far and now the the tough period is beginning, a combination of injuries, maybe a little complancey, the fact we are now taken as a serious challenge and teams are adapting to stifle us + like EVERY side we maybe having a dip in form - it happens... so its not a question of being happy clappy, but being positive - Positive 1, we are ahead of where we expected to be, Positive 2. We KNOW (adkins and NC) we have a great chance of getting promoted IF we can maintain the results and improve further, postive 3. WE KNOW what the weaknesses are, (not knowing what the problem is is 10 x worse) Positive 4. We know we have the finance to address the weaknesses - and we are now in a far better position (re possible promotion) to be attractive to players who may have been weary of joining a newly promoted side in the summer)

 

So yes those defeats are dissapointing, yes, our performances have been poor and that is a concern, BUT if we look at the positives above, I cant see why there is so much anger and bitetrness about it... I would suggest that with teh exception of WHU (or even including them) all other 22/23 clubs would gladly take our position right now, home and away form included... because being top when we KNOW we have not been great in the last 4 games, and DESPITTE having a crap away record (relative to the home form), is not a bad position to be in.

 

We also know we CAN improve and with graft, luck and few key additions will do - the players want it, Nige and NC want it, the fans want it - so yes disspointed, but also feel surprisingly good about teh position we are in right now - ahead of the plan and can we expect more than that at this stage?

[ericofarabia]

I think a couple of players aired their thoughts to NA after the game,they were`nt happy with the changing of tactics during the game,they were getting pulled from one position to another.

 

Lets hope it was done amicably and both sides see what can be done to improve the situation.

 

For those of you who aren't around on here Matchday Threads ... THEVMAN certainly is ITK.