Team playing so well under Mopo: MYTH

[Ludwig]

In years to come, parents won't be reading their children traditional folk stories, they'll read a selection of Glagow Saint's posts and the little ones will be asleep with seconds, barely able to muster "but you read that one yesterday!".

[Dalek2003]

In years to come, parents won't be reading their children traditional folk stories, they'll read a selection of Glagow Saint's posts and the little ones will be asleep with seconds, barely able to muster "but you read that one yesterday!".

 

Telly Tubby posts....'Again, again, again !'

[SuperMikey]

Stats aren't necessarily an indisputable truth, although in this instance they do seem to be in Adkins' favour. Personally, I think we played better football under NA, but we're playing more successful football under MP which is still very easy on the eye. Also, don't forget that we spent most of the early part of this season in the Top 6, whereas we spent most of the early part of last season under NA in the Bottom 6. It all evens out eventually, and tbh I think we could've potentially finished top half under NA last year, but I think we're around the level we should be at.

 

We've not been at our best recently, but I don't think that's entirely down to the manager either. The team selection yesterday was spot-on, but like the Sunderland game the players didn't put in a good enough performance for the full 90 minutes. I think the players have gotten complacent after the cup exit and are mentally on their holidays already.

[Dalek2003]

Last season we finished 5 points clear of relegation (I think)

 

This season we are comfortably in the top half.

 

It's been disappointing recently but that is good progress.

 

You know me, a bag of nerves when it comes to the relegation zone. And you know what ? we might again finish half a dozen points above 18th !!!!

[david in sweden]

Mopo apologists wont like this and i expect the usual "troll", "agenda" and "he's ruining the forum" chat.

 

However ive seen a number of comments recently saying "mopo is the best manager weve had in my lifetime" and "players have improved so much under mopo"

 

However over the last 18 games his record is very similar (but worse) to Adkins last 18. Adkins was "out of his depth" and "clueless"?

 

Mopo last 18

W4 D5 L9

 

Adkins last 18

W5 D7 L6

 

 

What was it Churchill said? .....Lies, dam* lies and statistics.

 

Of course I don't doubt you've quoted stats. correctly, but last season was last season..and which 18 teams had we played then, compared to the last 18 this season.

 

Adkins had the benefit of an on-form Lambert last season.... and the partial emergence of Boruc ...(instead of KD who, let's face it) .... had a nightmare season.

 

Few would deny that we had a dynamite start to this season, but that was before Boruc was injured and then Wanyama and Lovren, too. Most of our poor games came in that period.

 

We don't have " ready-made clones " of them in the Academy ..just waiting to come into the side and take over.

Edited 2 March, 2014 by david in sweden

[Saint_Tony]

But what are the reasons for an 'out of form' Lambert? Is that MPs fault?

[Charlie Wayman]

Are you suggesting we sack him?

 

I think it will happen naturally. The family will want their own man in sooner or later. My bet is this summer and Poch is serving out his notice.

[chi saint]

Some of the football the team plays under Poch is fantastic, there is no doubt about that. There was a spell in the first half yesterday where Liverpool were on the backfoot big time. It happened against Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal at home as well as away to Man Utd, Liverpool and Everton, all top 6 or 7 teams as you know.

 

The only problem we have is not taking chances, trying to score the perfect goal or just not being ruthless enough in front of goal. Osvaldo was supposed to solve that, it didnt work out. The only difference between us and Liverpool yesterday was the quality of their strikers.

 

The players have improved under him, wether you like it or not its a fact. But primarily they are a young team so they are still learning and developing. The problem with you and others on this board is you want jam tomorrow and it doesnt happen that way.

 

Its not a myth they are playing well. Results dont always reflect performance, thats a fact.

 

Agree with most of this post, except....we were in Lge1 playing superb one touch footie, this continued into the C/ship and even today the football is at time sublime.

 

However the issue is in the final third, it always has been. Even when we were getting promoted with goals galore, we should have been scoring more when you consider the amount the possession we had. This has continued into the Prem, only now were getting punished by teams who do make the most of their possession.

I know it sounds simple but I'd like to see us shoot!!!

[BARCELONASAINT]

I appreciate Alpine that you don't go to games and probably watch very few so to you the end result is all thats important. However i watch all the games and i want to see attractive football which no one can argue we MOST DEFINATELY DO PLAY! Yes like every other Saints fan i want to win every game but i accept that will not happen. I am perfectly happy with this season. The football has at times been brilliant and we have had some great results along the way. Do i want to watch the style West Ham play? no i dont and i dont care if they won the league playing that brand i still would not want to watch it if Saints played that way!

[Mr Saints]

I appreciate Alpine that you don't go to games and probably watch very few so to you the end result is all thats important. However i watch all the games and i want to see attractive football which no one can argue we MOST DEFINATELY DO PLAY! Yes like every other Saints fan i want to win every game but i accept that will not happen. I am perfectly happy with this season. The football has at times been brilliant and we have had some great results along the way. Do i want to watch the style West Ham play? no i dont and i dont care if they won the league playing that brand i still would not want to watch it if Saints played that way!

 

Well said.

[Sour Mash]

Agree with most of this post, except....we were in Lge1 playing superb one touch footie, this continued into the C/ship and even today the football is at time sublime.

 

However the issue is in the final third, it always has been. Even when we were getting promoted with goals galore, we should have been scoring more when you consider the amount the possession we had. This has continued into the Prem, only now were getting punished by teams who do make the most of their possession.

I know it sounds simple but I'd like to see us shoot!!!

One of the reasons we have so much possession is we are clearly instructed to be cautious as to when we shoot or cross, that will equal more possession, but less attempts on goal. The other factor is we have play a team that contains Cork/Wanyama, Schneiderlin and Davis - putting out a team with those three in should ensure your side is good at winning the ball back and retaining possession, but you're fielding a team made up a back 5 +3 others that don't really score or create too many outright chances - it asks a lot of the rest of the side at times.

[Graffito]

"That a side of Liverpool's calibre should change their formation is a tribute to Southampton's talent and high tempo style. Arsenal, for one, have struggled to cope with the pace and fluent passing of the Saints...".

 

This is from the Sunday Times reporter at the match. Some of us may quibble with the reference to pace, though I take it he's referring to moving the ball quickly which is something we can do, but he makes a good point. Despite Liverpool changing formation to a diamond, playing two up front the whole game to occupy our defence and despite England's captain being detailed to do a job on Lallana, we played well in the first half. Take a look at Liverpool's forums and see what they think. Only on here do you get witless comments like those in the OP.

[Tom28]

Playing Devil's advocate, where were we in the net spend table for the Premier League this season?

 

Mopo last 18

W4 D5 L9

 

Adkins last 18

W5 D7 L6

 

Your thoughts?

 

My thoughts are that you've picked 18 games as a measure because it just so happens that those 18 games best support your subjective agenda. If you'd picked 28 games I.e. the entire season this far, it would show that we've won 10, drawn 9, lost 9 which would, in turn, show that you've excluded a run of results that returned 5 wins and 4 draws with no defeats.

 

My thoughts are also that you're a moron.

[Olallana]

Nothing to do with mopos tactics? 2 x England strikers and 1 x Italy internationals and theyve all struggled under mopo.

 

 

You keep saying this a lot......could you please also tell us who these english strikers had as manager who turned them into national team players and in Osvaldos case was the manager to turn him into a player of the quality that led him to make a big money move to Roma and earn his first call-up just months after leaving Espanyol?

Edited 2 March, 2014 by Olallana

[View From The Top]

Personally I hope Glasgow gets a very, very serious illness that is recoverable from, eventually, but ensures he can never use the internet again.

 

Couple of my Liverpool ST holder mates who I've been with this morning were utterly gushing in their praise. TBF, they were after the Anfield game and I was the same regarding the Bin Dippers, who I thought were excellent.

[Whitey Grandad]

There was an article in The Times a couple of weeks ago which concluded that the amount of possession had no bearing on the outcome of the match based on an analysis of previous matches.

[Graffito]

There was an article in The Times a couple of weeks ago which concluded that the amount of possession had no bearing on the outcome of the match based on an analysis of previous matches.

 

Whose possession? Which matches? I'd be interested to know how they did that analysis and arrived at that conclusion.

[Secret Site Agent]

The Team playing well under MOPO: Truth and everyone agrees with this.

The Team SCORING well under MOPO: MYTH. If Ossie had been the goal machine we all expected, and not a nutbar off the field perhaps we would be doing better, and if Gaston had fitted in straight away, the same.

"troll": if the cap fits,

"agenda": So easy to destroy, so difficult to create

and "he's ruining the forum": Most certainly not! you carry on. the world isn't black and white, thats why it's filled with colourful people.

[bridge too far]

There was an article in The Times a couple of weeks ago which concluded that the amount of possession had no bearing on the outcome of the match based on an analysis of previous matches.

 

Just look at Sunderland right now - 27% possession and a goal to the good!

[Saint_Tony]

Just look at Sunderland right now - 27% possession and a goal to the good!

 

Gotta take your chances. I'm sure the 'would you rather be in Sunderland's position' thread will be re-ignited very soon if it stays like this.

[Leslie Charteris]

The stats don't tell the whole story. We get and retain possession pretty well. We generally pass it around nicely. We create a good number of chances of which a few head towards goal. We score now and then. We have occasional defensive/goalkeeping lapses which result in us conceding goals. We win some and we lose some.

 

This team seems to have reached its current natural level and, on the whole, most people are happy with what they see, given the talent and depth of our squad. An alternative could be to play like Stoke did under Pulis which got them to a similar level for a while but I would fear for the suicide rate in Hampshire if that happened.

 

We will not make significant further progress without some big investment in the team and that is in the hands of those that own and run the club. I think some folks need to step back, chill out and enjoy the ride and put away all unrealistic expectations. When we can afford to put on three subs costing a total of £130 million but still cannot close out a game or hold on to a lead, then would a better time to whine.

[badgerx16]

I appreciate Alpine that you don't go to games and probably watch very few so to you the end result is all thats important. However i watch all the games and i want to see attractive football which no one can argue we MOST DEFINATELY DO PLAY! Yes like every other Saints fan i want to win every game but i accept that will not happen. I am perfectly happy with this season. The football has at times been brilliant and we have had some great results along the way. Do i want to watch the style West Ham play? no i dont and i dont care if they won the league playing that brand i still would not want to watch it if Saints played that way!

 

[Fitzhugh Fella]

Whatever the stats say some of the football we have played since he came in has been the best for a quarter of a century. Just the end result is lacking.

[SuperSAINT]

Whatever the stats say some of the football we have played since he came in has been the best for a quarter of a century. Just the end result is lacking.

 

Agree with this. Just a shame the Osvaldo deal didn't work out.

[OldNick]

Whatever the stats say some of the football we have played since he came in has been the best for a quarter of a century. Just the end result is lacking.

thank-you for adding some sense to the nonsense, his hero(GS) Adkins would not be getting the results with our squad we have now. The way we have integrated a lot of our acadamy players into the team is admirable.

[mrace777]

Does someone have a list comparing points for Atkins and Mopo playing the same opposition? That's a better comparison.

[shurlock]

Agree with this. Just a shame the Osvaldo deal didn't work out.

 

The dippers say the same thing - the rest of the team looks v.good- we're just missing a striker. Osvaldo promised to be the final piece in the jigsaw and there are no guarantees any future striker will be a success.

[Glasgow_Saint]

Adkins would not be getting the results with our squad we have now.

 

Eh?

 

 

Mopo last 18

W4 D5 L9

 

Adkins last 18

W5 D7 L6

 

Better return using players with no prem experience, no Boruc, no Lovren, no chambers, no Wanyama, no Gallagher, no Shaw

[saintroyt]

Glasgow saint

 

just a nerd trying to find arguments if every ignored him he can swim in own self opinion

[trousers]

if every(one) ignored him

 

[Glasgow_Saint]

4 posts on this thread Trousers... Zero on topic or relevant to the thread.

 

Be careful some might think youre a bit obsessed or even a troll?

[badgerx16]

Eh?

 

 

Mopo last 18

W4 D5 L9

 

Adkins last 18

W5 D7 L6

 

Better return using players with no prem experience, no Boruc, no Lovren, no chambers, no Wanyama, no Gallagher, no Shaw

 

MoPo last 18 - how many without Lovren, Boruc, or Wanyama ? And you can hardly count Sam G as a differential between the 2.

[Scallysaint]

Last time I looked, we were 9th in the premier league, 4 Saints in the England squad, great players coming through the academy in various positions and playing some fantastic football.

 

And still people moan! If all you want from your club is trophies or European football best you go and support someone else!

 

I love they way we are progressing and fans of most clubs love our set up and approach.

[miserableoldgit]

"That a side of Liverpool's calibre should change their formation is a tribute to Southampton's talent and high tempo style. Arsenal, for one, have struggled to cope with the pace and fluent passing of the Saints...".

 

This is from the Sunday Times reporter at the match. Some of us may quibble with the reference to pace, though I take it he's referring to moving the ball quickly which is something we can do, but he makes a good point. Despite Liverpool changing formation to a diamond, playing two up front the whole game to occupy our defence and despite England's captain being detailed to do a job on Lallana, we played well in the first half. Take a look at Liverpool's forums and see what they think. Only on here do you get witless comments like those in the OP.

 

You did see who started this thread didn't you

 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

[alpine_saint]

Yes like every other Saints fan i want to win every game but i accept that will not happen.

 

Thats good, because you are clearly oblivious to Glasgow's stats...

 

The football has at times been brilliant and we have had some great results along the way.

 

One could argue the results were better last season.

[trousers]

4 posts on this thread Trousers... Zero on topic or relevant to the thread.

 

Be careful some might think youre a bit obsessed or even a troll?

 

Trolls? On this forum? First time for everything I suppose.

[Ohio Saint]

4 posts on this thread Trousers... Zero on topic or relevant to the thread.

 

Be careful some might think youre a bit obsessed or even a troll?

 

Not while you are posting stark reminders of what a troll actually is.

[Grey Crab]

I do chuckle at the 'if we had Suarez playing for us we'd be doing better' lines that are trotted out. Every team in the world could say the same if they had one of the best strikers in the world playing for them.

 

Exactly. Like Robin Van Persie.

[tedmaul]

Not while you are posting stark reminders of what a troll actually is.

 

What do the Mods on this site actually do? Glasgow Saint's continual anti Pochettino agenda is trolling and it's obvious and dull.

[Batman]

What we should have done, is buy RvW and all of the other signings of Norwich

 

We would be utterly flying now

[Whitey Grandad]

Whose possession? Which matches? I'd be interested to know how they did that analysis and arrived at that conclusion.

 

It was Daniel Finkenstein (I think) a couple of Saturdays ago.they do all sorts of analyses and in this case it was all teams, all matches. I'll try and search for it but the trouble with The Times is that you have to log in first and it's a bit of a palaver.

[Dig Dig]

One could argue the results were better last season.

 

One could argue that but one would sound ridiculous. Look at the league table, we haven't been in the bottom half all season whilst we spent all of last season down there, a lot of it in the bottom 3. Yet results were better last season?

[Batman]

One could argue that but one would sound ridiculous. Look at the league table, we haven't been in the bottom half all season whilst we spent all of last season down there, a lot of it in the bottom 3. Yet results were better last season?

 

Last seasons results being better is certainly a new low in the trolling abilities on here

 

Guess the mods don't really need much money as I really can't see how many are going to renew

[Dr Who?]

You know me, a bag of nerves when it comes to the relegation zone. And you know what ? we might again finish half a dozen points above 18th !!!!

 

Yes but there is a difference between winning your last few games to stay up and falling over line after being safe for months. I for one would prefer to get there, then not win many, than around the other way.

[Dr Who?]

Thats good, because you are clearly oblivious to Glasgow's stats...

 

 

 

One could argue the results were better last season.

 

We beat Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea at home last season, so you could have an augment there, but quite clearly overall have been better in the league this season!

[tedmaul]

We beat Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea at home last season, so you could have an augment there, but quite clearly overall have been better in the league this season!

 

Alpine Saint, is genuine I think although suffering from clinical depression, he needs your help. Glasgow Saint, is a classic troll, wou.ld be funny but you wonder he spends so much time online it's a bit of an obsession

[berkshiresaint]

I'm very tempted to say you are a complete tool Glasgow but obviously you would like that then you can you can accuse me of being a Mopo apologist. However i would point you in the direction of a good optician. The football this Saints side are producing is some of the best i have ever seen a Saints side play and i am well placed to make that judgement having followed the team for over 40 years. Yes we have lost games and yes we have lost games where we have totally outplayed the opposition, but the football has been a pleasure to watch and i have been entertained ever since Poch walked through the doors. Even yesterday we were very good for large parts of the game in particular the first half. We are minus a couple of pieces of the jigsaw puzzle.....we may never get them i accept that, but no one can say that we have not been entertained by a brilliant young Saints side since Poch arrived....and as much as i liked NA he did not have the side playing like this!

Playing entertaining football is all well and good but points are what's needed. Our easy start to the season has allowed us to be in a decent position now, however without a killer instinct we will struggle as teams now know how to play against us. Yes we will run rings around lots of teams but without that ability to kill games off then we will be just playing attractive football whilst trying to stay clear of the bottom 3 & not vying for a place in Europe.

[shurlock]

We beat Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea at home last season, so you could have an augment there, but quite clearly overall have been better in the league this season!

 

Of course, those wins all came under MP.

[Glasgow_Saint]

Trolls? On this forum? First time for everything I suppose.

 

Thats 5

[Unbelievable Jeff]

Glasgow, do you think we should sack him and bring back Adkins? Or bring in another manager?

 

Personally I think this season has been great. It's been enjoyable, we've played some of the best possession football in the league, and I think a lot of this is due to Pochettino.

 

Glasgow obviously doesn't like Pochettino, can only speculate as to why, but personally I think we'd be stupid to get rid.