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Merrington still thinks he knows it all!


Nutwood2

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Anyone else noticed? Only takes a few bad results and he starts dissing the tactics. Does it in his usual 'Uncle Dave knows best' mode of course. My God, he makes me sick!

I think he is rubbish as well.

 

IMO He only has one point to make in any match and he repeats it 20 or 30 times, e.g. last year at Charlton when Alex & Adam both went off injuried he repeated 20 or 30 times about getting puncheon back. He current point is about "lack of width" which he repeats 20 or 30 times a game, meanwhile in the background you can hear that something is happening because of the crowd noise but he is going on and on and on about his "one point" and ignores the action.

 

If I remember correctly when he was in charge (95/96) we were very limited in our team setup. A Fixed 4-4-2 system with every player restricted to his own area of the pitch.

A quote from Duncan book (page 244) after the "grey shirts" victory over manure in the 4th game from the end of the season.

"It is a measure of Saints desperate straits that Le Tissier's goal was the first in open play this season"

 

So with his "super tactics" (sic), how is it possible for a player like Matty to take 34 games before he scores from open play ?

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I think he does alright tbh. Does a good enough job of putting across what is happening in the games, this is proved by the fact that what he says matches up perfectly with what you see on the "all angles covered" video's on Saints Player. He usually calls it right IMO. He used to be a football manager. He knows more than you do. Na na na na naaaaa :p

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I think there have been a few good points made above, and personally, I do think he can repeat himself a bit, especially when he thinks something is wrong and needs changing. He has more experience than most of us and has obviously managed at the top level, but a lot has happened since he worked in football, and managers like Adkins spend a lot more time analysing the opposition and previous games, to come up tactics and plans to win games, than ever used to happen in Dave's day, and I'm not sure that Dave recognises that. He talks about tactics in quite a simplistic way - much like some fans - who seem to think that 'we should play 4-4-2 not 4-3-3' is all that is needed to turn a poor performance into a good one. It's never that simple and arguably someone like Dave should be the first to recognise that, but it comes across that he doesn't.

 

I do get frustrated when listening to him sometimes because I don't think he tells me much more than the commentator actually does... there's little additional insight into what is happening on the pitch and, importantly from an ex-manager, why that is, which I would expect from an 'expert summariser'.

 

I respect him a lot and am very grateful for his time at Saints. It is of course just his opinion, so I'm not going to criticise him for having one, but for me, I'd like a bit more from the co-commentator.

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The BBC conspiracy against Southampton Football Club strikes again.

 

God help us from the media coverage some of the utter divs on this forum seem to want.

 

"And in sport, Super dooper super Saints played brilliantly and did nothing wrong in a triumphant two nil defeat at Selhurst Park. Everyone did everything right so well done to the lads and the manager and the chairman, who were all super dooper and brilliant and everything and we must have been cheated out of it or something."

 

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

Yes, this site is like that sometimes.

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Dave's a legend and he bleeds red and white stripes. My only gripe with him is when he trots out "What Saints don't want to do now is concede a goal"

 

Agree with your comments about what the Saints "Don't want to do......" but I enjoy Dave's expert opinions and love his enthusiasm. He has been very supportive of Nigel throughout. His criticism has been constructive; even if we disagree with his arguments. I would like Adam Blackmore to concentrate on what is happening with the ball a bit more and know who is in possession or passing to whom, rather than hear what what someone has texted him. :rolleyes:

 

Basically, Solent do a fair job when we can't get to the match and I reckon the op was out of order.

! :uhoh:

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So right. List for me all the wingers tearing up the Premiership?? And yet it's a travesty we have Holmes on the bench...

And I am a big fan of Lee Holmes but we are not a team that plays Naniit wide and crosses it into the box - truth is we're BETTER than that old game...

 

Nani, Nathan Dyer, Routledge, Pennant, Adam Johnson - all wide men finding success with their current clubs.

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Apologies, but I always trot this one out when there's a thread about Merrington.

 

During the Arsenal v Saints game just prior to the 2003 FA Cup final (a second string Saints side lost 6-1) Dave spent the whole commentary referring to Giovani van Bronckhorst as 'van Brockenhurst'!

 

My fav bit of Merrington philosophy today was, when assessing Saints' chances of promotion before the game, he said that 'they've got half of the loaf, they now have to show that they want that whole loaf'.

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I think there have been a few good points made above, and personally, I do think he can repeat himself a bit, especially when he thinks something is wrong and needs changing. He has more experience than most of us and has obviously managed at the top level, but a lot has happened since he worked in football, and managers like Adkins spend a lot more time analysing the opposition and previous games, to come up tactics and plans to win games, than ever used to happen in Dave's day, and I'm not sure that Dave recognises that. He talks about tactics in quite a simplistic way - much like some fans - who seem to think that 'we should play 4-4-2 not 4-3-3' is all that is needed to turn a poor performance into a good one. It's never that simple and arguably someone like Dave should be the first to recognise that, but it comes across that he doesn't.

 

 

 

I do get frustrated when listening to him sometimes because I don't think he tells me much more than the commentator actually does... there's little additional insight into what is happening on the pitch and, importantly from an ex-manager, why that is, which I would expect from an 'expert summariser'.

 

I respect him a lot and am very grateful for his time at Saints. It is of course just his opinion, so I'm not going to criticise him for having one, but for me, I'd like a bit more from the co-commentator.

 

He has more experience than all of us surely?

What makes you think managers analysed the oppostion less in Dave's time?

Dave's a saints nut and has 40 years of experince, so he repeats himself a bit..whoopee doo

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If I remember correctly when he was in charge (95/96) we were very limited in our team setup.

 

He was awarded manager of the month in that April. The other managers at the time must have been really poor not to have beaten him, eh? He kept us up in the Premiership with a team that was very average. Souness didn't fare that much better the following season.

 

We were very limited in our team set-up because we had a very limited team.

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Nani, Nathan Dyer, Routledge, Pennant, Adam Johnson - all wide men finding success with their current clubs.

 

There is a difference between using the width of the pitch - which any team would be crazy not to do and the repetitive call for 4-4-2 with two wide men, which seemed to me to be trotted out inanely by both commentators yesterday. Full backs can use the width of the pitch, forwards can use it, midfielders can use it. We get it. We lacked width. But if Lee Holmes had come on and played left midfield with a brief to come inside, what would that have achieved...

 

What irritates me most is posted above by Minty - it's simplistic 'fan assessment' - why didn't they make the point yesterday that Nigel Adkins might have been using a low risk game to analyse where young players might fit in the hierarchy of the club? Why not comment on the difference in tempo between yesterday's game and our early season play? Why assume the manager's tactics are flawed, that players are playing to order (when in fact Adkins was screaming at Lallana to go wider at least twice).

 

Say what you like about them both, but listening to Steve Claridge and Gary Neville is insightful - you learn something most times you listen to them that as an ordinary fan you might not have known. Listening to Solent's commentary is like listening to a couple of old fellas in the crowd.

 

And thankfully, when I don't go to games because I live in London I have to rely on match threads which are of equal quality - all fine and dandy when we're winning, suicidal when we're losing...

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Didn't go yesterday and I value width but its easy to latch onto single causes as an explanation for everything. Worth pointing out that:

 

i) We've never played with genuine width in midfield as Lallana and Guly (or whoever is on the right) have always been encouraged to cut in as inside forwards;

ii) our best form of the season coincided with this formation;

iii) yesterday, even after we changed things, we still didn't play with width as neither Cork or Lallana are natural wingers;

iv) old-fashioned width depends on a proper centre forward -take that away and you can deliver all the crosses in the world into the box, its going to make f**k all difference - see our performance at Donny;

v) the real problem yesterday and places like Donny was not width but the lack of a reliable outlet and cutting edge upfront.

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Those commentaries are either hilarious or annoying in equal measures - they never know how much additional time there is, forget to tell us who has got the ball, get Guly confused with Connelly, or Lambert with De Ridder. It's all a shambles, but when the game is OK they are fine enough.

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Don't get to listen to what he says much as am at the games but when i do have to say i agree with most of things he says.

 

Tactics wise over our last 8 league games or so we have struggled. Tactics have been off. Based on those games we sit 4th to bottom.

 

I was at the game yesterday and first half was up there with the most boring i have seen from us. I imagine he said we got it wrong and we did. We had no width at all and that was the same issue from our previous games. We changed it in the second half and were much better. We took our chances.

 

I just think some people can't handle the fact we are no longer playing well and don't like people pointing out obvious faults in our game. Our tactics over the past few weeks have been pretty strange (morgan as a striker anyone?) so i think he is right to question them. As an away going fan especially it was nice to get a win yesterday as had been a long time since (over 2 months to be exact) we last saw one.

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If you think that Geordie accent is "Lancashire dialect" you've been in Sweden too long.

 

OK Trader, I was trying to recall his time at Burnley...(if that's still in Lancashire ?)..but of course you're right.

 

I must admit he does go on a bit - but then we old men tend to do that at times.

However, I am more than happy to listen as a mark of respect to the best " Youth team coach " we've ever had ...

MLT, Shearer, Maddison, the Wallace brothers...and that was only some of the " big names " who came through in Dave's time. Great fella !

 

 

...so I'll re-phrase the original question to (whoever it was ?)... Is it his Geordie dialekt that you don't like ?

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"

Apologies, but I always trot this one out when there's a thread about Merrington.

 

During the Arsenal v Saints game just prior to the 2003 FA Cup final (a second string Saints side lost 6-1) Dave spent the whole commentary referring to Giovani van Bronckhorst as 'van Brockenhurst'!

 

My fav bit of Merrington philosophy today was, when assessing Saints' chances of promotion before the game, he said that 'they've got half of the loaf, they now have to show that they want that whole loaf'.

 

 

van Brockenhurst, really?..... (maybe the extra syllable was a sign of loyalty to the club).

 

" half loaf /whole loaf " ..I rather like that ...nothing about the glass being half-full, though ?

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Have to say I find him v irritating. very old-fashioned and simplistic. He sounds like one of the guys who sits near us at St. Mary's - Hooiveld gets pronounced differently every time he mentions him. Dave doesn't sound like he's moved on from the 1970's.

 

That would be why he's commentating rather than managing.

 

Have to say he does his job well enough.

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I do know Dave after a few run ins from his time running the youth set up - he used to coach during the game from 10 to 15 metres inside the pitch and was not averse to blocking off opposition players (really) and he lives in Romsey. You have to respect the man but some of what he says is spot on and some is well wide of the mark. However he is much better than the other idiot (another BBC presenter that does not research the background before the game - did you know we were in for Kris Commons) but when he mentioned he had a chat with Adam Leitch of the Echo I was in hysterics. What a combination of total ignorance. :lol:

 

I didn't really have much of an opinion of Merrington, until I found out he lives in Romsey.

 

He's clearly a top bloke who knows what he's talking about.

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Having lots of experience can be a cover for being stuck in the past. Anybody who thinks that 4-4-2 is the "right" way to play naturally finds it difficult to appreciate any other tactics or formations because by definition they are "wrong". The obvious problem with 4-4-2 is that every team in the whole of the pyramid knows exactly how to play against it. I'm afraid that I hear very little analysis from DM, but lots of repeated opinion. Luckily I attend all the home games so my suffering is limited.

 

I am on the other hand certain that DM is a very nice man, like most of the guys around me in the Kingsland.

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hardly ever get the chance to listen, but when I do I find his commentary as dull as dishwater. "Lack of width" "The boy.." "What Saints don't want to do now is concede another" is pretty much all he ever says.

 

IMO he doesn't paint a very good picture of events in the game, which is what he is there for and as the "expert" I expect him to describe elements from a pro's point of view so you really know what happened. He invariably doesn't offer that kind of insight. Co-commentators first and foremost should require good orator skills and sadly he fails at the first hurdle IMO.

 

I know he is seen by some as a legend, but as with most of BBC Solent the coverages comes across as very dated and perhaps aimed at senior listeners. That might be OK for general programmes, but when it comes to football coverage the demographic changes hugely I'd of thought. Perhaps also BBC Solent should change the co-commentator every few games?

Edited by Chez
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Agree that a bit of variety would be nice. Chez, you just reminded me of one of his most irritating traits - calling players like Kelvin Davies "the boy" even though he's 36! Dennis Rofe actually used to do a good job when he filled in a few times. I heard that Dave Merrington was a bit of a bible-basher, even in the changing rooms when he was in charge of the youth team - making them say their prayers. I don't think you could get away with this nowadays.

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I'm in the 'Radio Solent does a good job' camp. Dave Merrington's analysis and comments add a lot to the picture of the game when you only have a vioice commentary to try to keep uo with the action. It's true he doesn't seem to like the diamond midfield and previously he used to critise the 4-5-1 formation when that was used a lot. Some listeners will agree with him and some won't, but isn't the role of the second commentator to give people something to think about by expressing an opinion? How individuals react is entirely up to them, but if he expressed the opposite views, I expect there would be just as many people who didn't like that either!

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I'm in the 'Radio Solent does a good job' camp. Dave Merrington's analysis and comments add a lot to the picture of the game when you only have a vioice commentary to try to keep uo with the action. It's true he doesn't seem to like the diamond midfield and previously he used to critise the 4-5-1 formation when that was used a lot. Some listeners will agree with him and some won't, but isn't the role of the second commentator to give people something to think about by expressing an opinion? How individuals react is entirely up to them, but if he expressed the opposite views, I expect there would be just as many people who didn't like that either!

 

It is his job to express an opinion, but not the same thing over and over and over again. On Saturday the two of them were like those 2 blokes in the muppets, waffling on and agreeing with each other. They cant even get simple facts right, kept banging on about Lambert missing the Cardiff game. Same with Brighton game, kept banging on about Morgan Schneiderlin not being in the squad. It took a listener to text in to tell them he was suspended.Whilst Sky and even the BBC have moved on, with people like Claridge, Souness and even Gary Neville giving real insights into the game,Solent is moving more and more towrads Partridge teritory every year. It's getting like Partridge commentating with Ron Manager as the co commentater.

Edited by Lord Duckhunter
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I heard that Dave Merrington was a bit of a bible-basher, even in the changing rooms when he was in charge of the youth team - making them say their prayers. I don't think you could get away with this nowadays.

 

well it must have worked for them ..when he was in charge...we had the best Youth squad in the clubs history!

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Agree that a bit of variety would be nice. Chez, you just reminded me of one of his most irritating traits - calling players like Kelvin Davies "the boy" even though he's 36! Dennis Rofe actually used to do a good job when he filled in a few times. I heard that Dave Merrington was a bit of a bible-basher, even in the changing rooms when he was in charge of the youth team - making them say their prayers. I don't think you could get away with this nowadays.

 

not a nice term bible basher. Offensive to a lot no doubt.

 

Anyways, like Swedish Dave says, if it got that Youth team to where it got to, carry on!!

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well it must have worked for them ..when he was in charge...we had the best Youth squad in the clubs history!

 

Are you seriously suggesting MLT, Shearer and the Wallace brothers were successful because Merrington made them say their prayers???

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There seems to be quite a few who fancies a change, so what about alternatives.

 

MLT comes to mind, but then Solent would fall out with the club because NC fell out with MLT.

 

I struggle a bit to think of a suitable ex-player or manager. Dennis Rofe has done OK when he has stood in for DM, but he isn't a great analyst, and after a number of games on the trot I imagine we'd be having the same discussion as now.

 

Jonathan Wilson could certainly analyse the game and bring our football discussions up to date, but then he hasn't got any connection with Saints as far as I know.

 

If the conditions are that it needs to be somebody without a belief in the "correct" formation or tactic; an analytical mind; and unafraid of offering his opinions, who would you think of?

Edited by Clifford Nelson
Preposition Pedantry
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Those commentaries are either hilarious or annoying in equal measures - they never know how much additional time there is, forget to tell us who has got the ball, get Guly confused with Connelly, or Lambert with De Ridder. It's all a shambles, but when the game is OK they are fine enough.[/

QUOTE]

 

This is simply not true: Merrington always emphasises the fact that he's got his stopwatch out and is keeping an eye on exactly how much time is left.

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Are you seriously suggesting MLT, Shearer and the Wallace brothers were successful because Merrington made them say their prayers???[/quote

 

I didn't suggest anything, the original item seemed to denegrate DM for his beliefs (bible-basher)- and suggested he made players pray.

There are still people who believe in God... and pray regularly ... but if they did (say their prayers)....it didn't seem to harm their careers any!

Edited by david in sweden
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It is his job to express an opinion, but not the same thing over and over and over again. On Saturday the two of them were like those 2 blokes in the muppets, waffling on and agreeing with each other. They cant even get simple facts right, kept banging on about Lambert missing the Cardiff game. Same with Brighton game, kept banging on about Morgan Schneiderlin not being in the squad. It took a listener to text in to tell them he was suspended.Whilst Sky and even the BBC have moved on, with people like Claridge, Souness and even Gary Neville giving real insights into the game,Solent is moving more and more towrads Partridge teritory every year. It's getting like Partridge commentating with Ron Manager as the co commentater.

 

I think that sums up my feelings exactly. Maybe if you live in London, watch a lot of SKY sports, you have a different expectation to the yokels??

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He has more experience than all of us surely?

What makes you think managers analysed the oppostion less in Dave's time?

Dave's a saints nut and has 40 years of experince, so he repeats himself a bit..whoopee doo

 

Talkihg of folks repeating themselves have you read this and other threads....so called experts haha

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