Saints v Forest - Post match reaction

[1976_Child]

I actually agree whole heartedley with your sentiments. Unfortunately your point is going to be lost on most due, mainly, to the crass manner in which you have chosen to air it.

 

You appear to have some anger issues which may benefit from professional help, and if successful might help you to convey your points in a more appropriate manner.

 

I have no anger issues. Read back to the ****-s\/cker who first called me a "***t" and you might realise why I "aired" my views as I did.

[Bailey]

Poor from start to finish today.

 

We were outmuscled, outplayed and outclassed all over the pitch.

 

I'm not sure what, but something needs to change because if we continue in this vein of form, then relegation is a certainty.

[Legod Third Coming]

Poor from start to finish today.

 

We were outmuscled, outplayed and outclassed all over the pitch.

 

I'm not sure what, but something needs to change because if we continue in this vein of form, then relegation is a certainty.

 

Agreed.

[rocknrollman no2]

Poor from start to finish today.

 

We were outmuscled, outplayed and outclassed all over the pitch.

 

I'm not sure what, but something needs to change because if we continue in this vein of form, then relegation is a certainty.

 

Well i know what we can change to start winning games again.

1-The manager,sorry Head Coach.

2-The Chairman/Coach/Mr Southampton/Saints arent nothing without me....Rupert Lowe.

3-All our younger players who cant handle this league.....McGoldrick!!!!!1

Oh just a point to all of those in charge at SMS.

WE NEED A STRIKER!!!!!

[jasonbenali]

Absolutely cruising for the first 20 minutes against a very nervy Forest side, they finally started playing and we had no answer to it.

 

I don't mind being outplayed, I do mind players not trying and I don't recall ever seeing such a demoralised looking Saints side in that second half. Gasmi was an embarrasement, pure and simple.

 

I don't know where we go from here. I dread to think what a Reading side looking for revenge will do to us at home.

 

Extended player ratings below for those interested:

http://www.southampton-mad.co.uk/news/loadnews.asp?cid=TMNW&id=423132

[WGC Saint]

That was utter ****e today.

 

Another waste of my hard earned on petrol, tickets, food, beer etc etc....

 

This needs sorting out now (ie Jan out and Keane or Ince, **** me, even Billy Davies in) or we're doomed.

 

Totally gutless, lacking in everything performance today. Forest wanted it more and thoroughly deserved it.

 

Not happy!

[Micky]

I have no anger issues. Read back to the ****-s\/cker who first called me a "***t" and you might realise why I "aired" my views as I did.

 

Ahhhh name calling - I used to rise to that when I was a kid in the playground in the late 60's. I see you are long out of the playground yourself - why stoop to their level, no point whatsoever, unless of course you want to join them in the gutter then sobeit.

 

Personally though, I thought - your point was cogent - your delivery tactless.

[miltonroad]

Cogent?

[Whitey Grandad]

Cogent?

'forcefully convincing'

[The Godfather]

Its just getting worse game by game. No creativity, no strikers, no battle and no leadership.

 

If Portaloo thinks we played two up front during the second half then I didn't see it, all I saw was BWP playing wide with Euell used as the target man.

 

The only positive was Lee Holmes coming back, thought he played well for the time he was on after a longish layoff.

 

Its time for a re-think by getting a manager who knows this division and how to play in it.

[James_O_Mac]

Game aside - i think everything has been said on that issue - what the hell did some of the fans in the northam think they were doing singing tosh like "you're only here for united" and waving season tickets etc... it was ridiculous. there are a lot of factors as to why fans cannot/choose not to watch saints atm and the northam decide to revel at the fact that they've paid £300 odd quid to turn up every week to watch **** like todays performance...

 

todays gate was brilliant and if finances are as bad as it seems, don't bloody start trying to drive the fans away?

 

idiots.

[miltonroad]

Thank you Whitey.

[Joneth]

Game aside - i think everything has been said on that issue - what the hell did some of the fans in the northam think they were doing singing tosh like "you're only here for united" and waving season tickets etc... it was ridiculous. there are a lot of factors as to why fans cannot/choose not to watch saints atm and the northam decide to revel at the fact that they've paid £300 odd quid to turn up every week to watch **** like todays performance...

 

todays gate was brilliant and if finances are as bad as it seems, don't bloody start trying to drive the fans away?

 

idiots.

 

agree competely, I probably have about 50 more important things to spend £15 on. Today was a fantastic opprtunity for the players to save the club from almost inevitable administration by encouraging fans who dont usually go to turn up next week. They bottled it completely. I don't intend to even watch the manure game on sky, i actually have a family and friends away from football. Why on earth would I pay money to watch a ****e team play a ****e team in order to watch that same ****e team get tonked 6-0 by a decent teams youth team a few weeks later? Sorry I have a life.

[Wade Garrett]

That's the ******* spirit! Well done matey, s\/ck my c0kk. I am a member of a football CLUB... Pick and Choose you say? F\/ck off you c_u_n_t. If you support saints, then get there and support the lads come rain or shine or f\/ck off and sign up to PLC Britain and its f\/cked up for-profit duck-hunting way of life. Not for me you f@cking piece of sh!t. Once a MEMBER of Southampton FC, forever a MEMBER. Not a shareholder: A MEMBER. Our club. Not f\/cking Lowe's. Not anyone's expect for the people who take time out of their week to SUPPORT their football CLUB because they know that it is not about television cameras or 'celebrity football stars' but about a fundamental and worthy part of the City of Southampton's heart.

 

Now don't go crying little 'cause I swore at you! There is more to life, and more to a football club than pure f\/cking pound notes in Rupert's pockets.

 

Southamton football CLUB not Southampton Leisure Holdings Plc.

 

 

You sound really hard, and seem to have some sort of internet Tourrettes Syndrome.

 

I hope I don't pass you in a dark street, or 'mug you off in front of your pals'.

[solentstars]

terrible performance today,one of the worst of the season no one wanted to shoot at the goal,the players need to take a good look at themselves and start showing a fighting spirit.

[Loyal Saint]

Game aside - i think everything has been said on that issue - what the hell did some of the fans in the northam think they were doing singing tosh like "you're only here for united" and waving season tickets etc... it was ridiculous. there are a lot of factors as to why fans cannot/choose not to watch saints atm and the northam decide to revel at the fact that they've paid £300 odd quid to turn up every week to watch **** like todays performance...

 

todays gate was brilliant and if finances are as bad as it seems, don't bloody start trying to drive the fans away?

 

idiots.

 

Idiots that turn up week in week out? Thought the chant was a bit daft I must admit but its also a bit gutting seeing half the ground empty every home game and all of a sudden a sniff of Utd & cheap tickets & we're packing them in like 'arry does with his notes & brown paper bag. Delighted to see SMS fullish and glad the pricing seemed to work well today but I don't think you can have a pop at the regulars

[Northant Saint]

WE NEED OUR STRIKERS!!

lallana is a midfielder so i'd sell him on hes been useless lately use the money to pay the wages of john and rasiak

our team with these strikers would be complete, our midfield is good, our defence would be good provided that the service to these strikers get goals then the opposing team would be two down or so and the pressure on our defence would be far less, giving them more confidence.

 

If this doesn't go according to plan in our important games over january, then the manager should go but for f***'s sake get some strikers and get some goals!!

 

100% agree with you. At the moment we have absolutely no clue as to how to score, and if you can't do that, you're certain to be down. I don't care how we do it, I dont care how many players we sell, I just want one of john, rasiak or saganowski to return. If they don't, I really think we are sunk.

[benjii]

Really ****ed off today! but mainly with the supporters! Although it appears that not all the players put in a full 90 minutes worth of commitment, in my opinion the players are not the main blame for the situation we find oursleves in.

 

The people that annoyed me mostly today were the people tat call themsleves 'fans' or supporters of SFC, which sat around me in the huhum Kingsland block 35 today! first time ive sat ther during a competitive game! Sat in Northam every game for last 5 years, this is the first year i havnt had a season ticket as at uni,a ltho anly missed 2 games, (although this is not the point) My mate was supposed to get me a ticket but told me last ngt hed 4goten so i had to get one, but Northam was sold out!

 

The atmosphere wasnt the best considering the attendance at all! But the silent fans around me had the cheek to moan about northam singing 'swing lowe' even tho for the rest of the game they get behind the team every game. Then when we concede they start slating the team and booing ect! Excpet from the minority that sing plus the Northam, from my experienec today, the average SFC fan gets what they deserve from the players performance.

 

The players say that they prefer to play away from home, as the home atmosphere is too nervous and negative. This is not that clear from the middle of the Northam but i agree after today!

 

I also agree that people that pay the money to watch SFC deserve their opinion and to sing or sit in silenece as they wish, as well as critcise the players when they feel they deserve it. But FFS most are just kids still, they do try and play a style of football which is attractive but not affective most of the time in getting results, this is not their fault in a big way, so lets try and get behind them, judge them after the game has finished, trya dn create a positive motivational atmosphere during the 90 minutes!

 

One home win all season says it all!

 

COYR! BACK TO THE NORTHAM FOR READING!

 

I'm not sure whether this revelation is more depressing than Saints or not.

[rpb]

Gasmi was an embarrasement, pure and simple.

 

I know he has only come on late in three games but has he actually kicked the ball for us yet?

[EFM]

How come I have never hear regular away fans ever going on about the part-timers who only turn up for a bus ride trip to SMS but can't be arsed to travel away every fortnight?

 

Maybe some of those who think they are the only 15,000 "special" "real" supporters could explain what it is that makes them not go to away games too? Because it's only about 2% to 5% who do regularly?

 

Are you saying that you have other commitments or that it is too expensive or that you can't be bothered with the journey or that you've other ways to spend your time or better things to do or what?

 

Interested to see how we narrow down those "real" fans now. Perhaps we only have 500 then? Perhaps they should take the **** when you home game only fans turn up for a big important away game?

 

If there could be anything more depressing (football wise) than today's game it is those who don't even want other Saints' fans to be there so you can rave on about how you are the only proper fans and slag them.

 

You must be dying for the time when this club goes into obscurity and there's 50 of you watching. Big big pat on the back for you - you're the ********.

 

Genuine respect to those who do go regulalry and would prefer to see as many Saints fans there as possible.

[Kingsbridge Saint]

And here is the result of the Brisbane Jury. Southampton nil. As ****ing usual. Portvliet Out Now. First time I've said it. Bloke ain't delivering. Not much to work with, but not every side in this division has. We are utter ****e and he has to go. No hope of ousting Lowe - so it has to be Portvliet. Something has to change or we are going down. 0-2 at home to Forest. Merry ****ing Christmas.

[Kingsbridge Saint]

Just been reading a bit more around this latest defeat and I see Jan has said:

 

1. That playing 4-4-2 at home would make no difference and

 

2. He doesn't know how we are going to start scoring goals.

 

Surely time to throw in the towel then Jan? Don't bang your arse on the door on your way out.

[Professor]

The theory was good. Young players, with a few experienced heads around them would grow into a stronger team and should get better as the season progressed. The whole team is six months older than it was when the new board took over and they should be getting better by now. Some of the loans, Cork for example, are clearly quality players and some of the signings, Holmes for example, also look quality. Injuries have had an affect but not enough, in large squad, to account for the poor performances.

Yesterday was dire, but once again the more moronic members of the crowd start chanting against the chairman. All that will do is demoralise the players even more, as it did during the late Prem years. Maybe it is time for Lowe and Wilde to consider if the Dutch experiment has worked as on yesterday's evidence the team are simply heading for relegation, but Lowe needs the support of the fans to make changes, not mindless abuse.

[70's Mike]

The theory was good. Young players, with a few experienced heads around them would grow into a stronger team and should get better as the season progressed. The whole team is six months older than it was when the new board took over and they should be getting better by now. Some of the loans, Cork for example, are clearly quality players and some of the signings, Holmes for example, also look quality. Injuries have had an affect but not enough, in large squad, to account for the poor performances.

Yesterday was dire, but once again the more moronic members of the crowd start chanting against the chairman. All that will do is demoralise the players even more, as it did during the late Prem years. Maybe it is time for Lowe and Wilde to consider if the Dutch experiment has worked as on yesterday's evidence the team are simply heading for relegation, but Lowe needs the support of the fans to make changes, not mindless abuse.

 

Sort of agree but you are wrong about chants against lowe they only started in earnest after relegation

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

I wasn't at the game (flu not a protest) but clearly we had to win it to retain any real belief that we're going to avoid the drop this season , personally I'm at the 'All hope abandoned' stage now . It seems to me we'll have to hit rock-bottom before we can start to recover and if that means Administration and relegation then so be it . Almost any price is worth paying to now rid this club of Lowe , Wilde and the Dutch duffers .

[Wildgoose]

The theory was good. Young players, with a few experienced heads around them would grow into a stronger team and should get better as the season progressed. The whole team is six months older than it was when the new board took over and they should be getting better by now. Some of the loans, Cork for example, are clearly quality players and some of the signings, Holmes for example, also look quality. Injuries have had an affect but not enough, in large squad, to account for the poor performances.

Yesterday was dire, but once again the more moronic members of the crowd start chanting against the chairman. All that will do is demoralise the players even more, as it did during the late Prem years. Maybe it is time for Lowe and Wilde to consider if the Dutch experiment has worked as on yesterday's evidence the team are simply heading for relegation, but Lowe needs the support of the fans to make changes, not mindless abuse.

 

I agree with your first paragraph, I've been thinking the same thing. We should be gelling by now (even Wotte said it would take a few months) but at the time when things should finally be showing signs of coming together, instead we are falling apart.

[Plumstead_Saint]

The theory was good. Young players, with a few experienced heads around them would grow into a stronger team and should get better as the season progressed. The whole team is six months older than it was when the new board took over and they should be getting better by now. Some of the loans, Cork for example, are clearly quality players and some of the signings, Holmes for example, also look quality. Injuries have had an affect but not enough, in large squad, to account for the poor performances.

Yesterday was dire, but once again the more moronic members of the crowd start chanting against the chairman. All that will do is demoralise the players even more, as it did during the late Prem years. Maybe it is time for Lowe and Wilde to consider if the Dutch experiment has worked as on yesterday's evidence the team are simply heading for relegation, but Lowe needs the support of the fans to make changes, not mindless abuse.

You're not a real professor are you?

First paragraph is fair comment well put, but the 2nd one is rubbish.

I think you'll find that it is more demoralising for players when fans boo the team, rather than when they insult the chairman.

I also suspect that Lowe doesn't give a toss about the support of the fans. If that mattered to him then he wouldn't be here now, and he would have resigned a lot earlier last time round, rather than waiting until it was clear that he was about to be humiliated and ousted anyway.

HTH.

[ahill]

It is time to vote with our feet - boycott the Reading match - and do something entertaining like watching a Midsomer Murders repeat ?!

[Andy_Porter]

Davis 5 - A couple of decent saves but that was it really.

 

James 6 - One of his better games, not a defender but he at least put in a shift and tried hard yesterday unlike the rest of the team.

 

Perry 3 - Shocking, obviously can't play every game and is suffering. God knows how he is going to cope with so many games in a short space coming up.

 

Pearce 3 - Looked good the first three times he played and terrible ever since, yesterday was even worse than Palace.

 

Skacel 4 - Got into some good positions but his crossing was really off. Again not a full back but he did link up well with Holmes.

 

Cork 6 - Not his best game but he was still head and shoulders above most our midfielders. We will be in a terrible position if he leaves in January when his loan move is up.

 

Surman 5 - One decent shot that hit the post and a few decent runs, looked like he might do something in the first half but fadded badly in the second.

 

Lallana 3 - Powder puff twinkle toed and totally ineffective. We can't keep making room for a luxury player like this in our current position, lots of potential if he gets the right sort of coaching but right now i'd happily sell him in January if we can get a decent replacement. Seems to think he's some sort of 20 year old Steven Gerrard when in reality he's all tricks with zero end product.

 

Euell 2 - Worst performance since this time last year - totally shocking.

 

Holmes 5 - The only good thing to come out of the game was Holmes performance, glad he's coming back to fitness we really need him.

 

McGoldrick 3 - Out of his depth, not fair on the lad that he's having to lead the line on his own.

 

BWP - Not my favourite player but he should have started in place of Lallana, far more effective.

 

Gasmi - Rather have Thomson on the bench.

 

I really don't understand why we have no one in the squad who can take a corner or even strike the ball, it's embarassing. It can't be that hard to just spend an extra hour every day with Surman and Lallana practising corners. I can't remember one decent corner, everyone seemed to be cleared easily by the first man.

[ahill]

You gave McGoldrick and Lallana 3 and James 6 !! 1 at most.

 

I agree about Cork though - he was the only one that looked the least bit motivated.

[Andy_Porter]

I thought James was one of our better players, mainly he got a 6 because of all the running he done and the effort he put in.

 

Lallana and McGoldrick where both very poor. They are two of our main attacking outlets and neither of them made decent runs or could strike the ball properly. Very poor yesterday and they have been for a while tbh.

[John Boy Saint]

We look like a an Automatic gearbox without a functioning kickdown, Forest just switched on cruise control and kept pressing the accel button every so often.

 

My one good memory from the game has to be the sweetness of their second goal, yes it hurt, but it was worthy of the applause that it was getting from Saints areas of the ground.

 

Ah well the longest slow motion car crash in history continues! C'est la vie.

[miserableoldgit]

So right!

The time has come for The Messiah

 

Sadly we have already had the Second Coming so we may have to wait another 2000 years.

[Steeleye Saint]

Jan Poortvliet was the wrong appointment, at the wrong time; appointed by a man with a track record of poor decisions and the drastically misguided belief that he "always knows better" than anyone else.

 

We had a very able young manager in Nigel Pearson (note readers, Leicester won 4-0 today to cement their place at the top of League 1), some promising youngsters who could have been brought through in a considered and sensible way, without over-pressurisinng them, and some seasoned pro's who could help their progression. We could easily have cut costs etc. but have retained Pearson and the hub of a half-decent side. But oh no, it was time for another moment of 'genius' by the leader of the board...

 

I totally agree with this post, and I've been saying it for some time now.

Lowe has ALWAYS thought he knows best, and nothing can sway him. Any other manager would have sacked by now. Of course with all the fanfare about total football etc. JP can't be sacked - what would that do for Lowe's credibility? I'm afraid we have to see this through right to the bitter end, but if we do go down, then Lowe should recognise he got it wrong and go.

[miserableoldgit]

I have no doubt that many were the same bloody idiots that kicked up a fuss and stopped the appointment of Glenn Hoddle in 2004 and started this sorry saga !

Oh please grow up!! Can you ever post anything without Hoddles name in it? Firstly he is not the Messiah, he is a very average manager (please by all means post his "Roll of Honour"). Secondly our current problems started when RL failed to loosen the purse strings after the FA Cup Final and WGS left. IMHO Strachan was/is a far better manager than the "Sainted" Hoddle and much more of a loss. In the back of my mind, however, I have the feeling that you are just a WUM in the mould of scooby with your apparent GH fixation. I hope that for your sake you are because if you are not you do have a problem!

[Neil]

Complete and utter ****e.

 

Could expand on that but can't be arsed to be honest.

[Window Cleaner]

Oh please grow up!! Can you ever post anything without Hoddles name in it?

 

 

It's in line with the user name, most Daleks only ever said Annilhate or Exterminate, this one just say Hoddlelate

Edited 21 December, 2008 by Window Cleaner

[aintforever]

Jan needs to be sacked and the players need a kick up the arse.

 

Crying out for Billy Davies type appointment IMO, probably too late though, this Dutch disaster has blown our chances already IMO.

[Andy_Porter]

Crying out for Billy Davies type appointment IMO, probably too late though, this Dutch disaster has blown our chances already IMO.

 

It's not too late. Half a season is more than enough time to rescue the season, we have some decent Championship players we just need to get the best out of them and along with a couple of decent loans I think a decent coach/manager could get the best out of them.

 

Billy Davies would be amazing, I reckon he would come if we could afford his wages. We're a big club in this league with good facilities its just the playing staff we're lacking atm.

[the wedge]

As a student living in North London, Saints games are somewhat of a 'treat' for me. That said, I have been to more games this season than I ever have in my 20 years, and I can categorically say that we have given worse performances every time.

 

I've also been to every away game in London bar Palace, which I listened in on, and by all accounts we were appalling then too.

 

But from my point of view, there is no leadership coming from the dugout. It's all well and good having 'old heads' amongst what are some excellent individual youngsters, but if they can't lead from example then who is?

 

Our manager seems inept, from what I have seen, to give our players the extra lift and encouragement they need to get off their arses and work for the shirt. It was kindly pointed out to me yesterday by a charming racist in Block 3 that Jan never moves into his technical area other than to fold his arms and do sweet FA else. That's not what our players need. WGS was always there. Pearson was there. Jan is not, and our squad nowadays need that type of manager more than ever.

 

The level of support I have for this club has never wained, and it will never die. But to the charming racist in Block Three, please don't ever say what you did to David McGoldrick ever again. It's people like you that put off the large family of 4 young boys and girls and their parents from ever seeing their team again.

 

As Will Champion, Coldplay's drummer sat in the row in front of me yesterday said, 'They've lost the spirit of the shirt and the club...' He left at half time.

 

I will be at the Reading game and Manyoo, my student loan's never looked so bleak, but then again, neither's my club.

[team-saint]

You gave McGoldrick and Lallana 3 and James 6 !! 1 at most.

 

I completely disagree about Lloyd James. The fans have been getting on his back for a while but over the last few games he has been really good. Did you not see his brilliant tackle yesterday after Perry and Pearce allowed one of their players to stroll past them? Our right side is a complete joke because of McGoldrick and Lallana's crap positional sense, whichever is supposed to be playing there. Poor old Lloyd James is having to play right-midfield and right-back, despite being the least experienced player in the team. What do you expect from him, he always gives his best but is being told to do something impossible.

 

His comments yesterday were wrong, but it's what's done on the pitch that matters and James is one of the few who has done okay in the last few games.

[Bristol_Benji]

Inept and abject display. The last twenty minutes today reminded me of our last 20mins in the Premiership against Man Utd. They look like a team with no desire, no determination and a feeling of helplessness and hopelessness amongst the players. I feel they are lost and when they look at their manager they see someone as completely clueless as them.

 

However, I also believe that these players, especially the home-grown ones, DO care about Southampton. It just doesnt look like it. They care, but they're knackered, mentally knackered. They don't have a clue what to do. In these situations you look to your boss, your mentor to help you, but they've no confidence in him, so they've given up on doing that now. They look towards Euell and Davis, but they're no managers, and in Euell, you get a sense there's a player who just doesn't think he should take on this role. And he's right. He's a footballer, not a manager.

 

Before the game I compared the two sides warming up. There was Forest - some practising passing, some shooting. There was Saints - 20 mins on beautiful, intricate, one-touch football. And very little else. I wonder how much this resembles a weekday training session, because for all their comfort on the ball, Southampton have clearly forgotten that the aim is to get the ball out side, to cross, to get into the box, and above all to shoot. They've forgotten that although 4 yard passes look good, you need perfect weighted 20-30 yard passes to split defences. They've forgotten that to split defences you need runners on diagonal runs. Today we were clueless, no one wanted to carry the side and no one had confidence in the manager to look towards him. You feel that the players now question Jan's tactics, but because they're so inexperienced they can't be sure he is wrong, so they carry on half hearted.

 

Anyhow, my ratings:

 

Davis - 7 - Davis has played excellently this season, but i feel now the weight of responsibility of his shoulders is starting to wear him down. However, I honestly cant see how some are giving him less than this. Ok, he dropped a corner, his punching was poor, but he's always been bad at these! Did no one see his two exceptional saves in the first half?

 

James - 5 - Reminds me of Telfer. When the team play well, he looks sh*t. When the team play poorly, he actually looks alright. Defending is questionable, but at least he can cross. But Lloydy, please, please, get further down the line. You crossing is good, but from the byline i think it may just be lethal. Then again, with Lallana's inability to stay anywhere near the wing probably means he's too scared to as the wing will then be exposed to a break away.

 

Pearce - 4 - He's declining in form.

 

Perry - 5 - A couple of good tackles - but again, the first goal was just poor, poor defending.

 

Skacel - 5 - Some good runs forward, but poor crossing.

 

Cork - 6 - He was ok, but he has to be more desciplined. He is a holding midfielder, and yet I always see a big gap between defence and midfield. However, his tackling, heading and passing is good, and he is too good for Saints i'm sorry to say.

 

Surman - 5 - First half good, arguably our best player. Second half, I didnt see him. At all. Hid when the going got tough, which wouldn't be the first time. Can you blame him though, when players are looking towards him for help and he's far too young for that role.

 

Holmes - 6 - So Jan, after bringing back Morgan too early, decides to take the same risk with Lee. Oh that's intelligent. Played well (relatively) given the time away, but I really think asking 75mins of a player after 3 months out without any reserve matches is just ludicrious.

 

Lallana - 3 - Great feet, little else. Kinda feel sorry for him though. He plays on the wing, a position he clearly doesnt like, and given he can't cross, you can understand why. He's good enough to play in the hole, and i'd like to see him there again.

 

Euell - 2 - Players looking towards him, but he's old and tired and just going through the motions. So many stupid fouls it was ridiculous.

 

McGoldrick - 1 - I'm sorry, but go away. Come back when your not lazy and not arrogant. Unfortunately, I honestly feel that McGoldrick's arrogance is caused by low self esteem. On one on one's he looks terrified. He is so afraid to admit he's playing poorly though that he convinces himself he's great and swans around like a woman. He deludes himself so much that he thinks he's good enough to do flicks and tricks. Watch him, in every game, for the first 25 mins, he'll mope around and do some flicks and tricks. These don't work, and so he then spends 10mins running to apologise. He runs no where and then on 35mins it hits him again that 'oh, i really am quite poor at this game of football'. He then disappears from the game.

 

Subs:

BWP: Good for 2 mins

Gasmi: Bad for 15mins

 

Jan - 2 - Out of ideas, out of money, out of his depth.

[Berkshire Saint]

I honestly can't remember seeing a worse Saints performance than that.

[ExSt Peter Saint]

A few points.

1) Did anyone see any passion from Portaloo yesterday? I didn't see him bark any order or do anything to indicate to the players what was going wrong. Looks clueless and depressed.

 

2) I was in the Itchen North and for about 15 minutes we sang OWTS non-stop to try and get some reaction from the players, but just before the 2nd goal went in it all seemed useless, the anti-Lowe chants started (I was tempted to join in) and then fights nearly broke out between our own supporters, so much so that I was looking around worried at some aggro and missed the goal. After that the atmosphere was almost as bad as the play on the pitch.

 

3) That is not total football - it was total b0ll0cks. Loads of long balls started being hoofed up towards players incapable of competing for them. A few pretty touches, but no pattern to the play, no system and definitely no goal threat.

 

4) Our forwards look as likely to score as I am to win the world's strongest man.

 

5) Why can noone cross? A lot of the corners and crosses didn't get higher than knee height - shocking. I could have done better than that when I was 15, never mind 19 or 20.

 

Plenty more awful things about yesterday. I will not be wastuing money on going to see that again. I may come to watch the last game of the season if there's still anything riding on it, but don't expect there to be after that performance.

[St Landrew]

I'd appreciate it if Hughie... and 1976Child might keep their disagreements to the subject matter, and not bandy insults about. Please keep your comments to the subject of the thread.

 

Thanks.

[benjii]

A few points.

1) Did anyone see any passion from Portaloo yesterday? I didn't see him bark any order or do anything to indicate to the players what was going wrong. Looks clueless and depressed.

 

2) I was in the Itchen North and for about 15 minutes we sang OWTS non-stop to try and get some reaction from the players, but just before the 2nd goal went in it all seemed useless, the anti-Lowe chants started (I was tempted to join in) and then fights nearly broke out between our own supporters, so much so that I was looking around worried at some aggro and missed the goal. After that the atmosphere was almost as bad as the play on the pitch.

 

3) That is not total football - it was total b0ll0cks. Loads of long balls started being hoofed up towards players incapable of competing for them. A few pretty touches, but no pattern to the play, no system and definitely no goal threat.

 

4) Our forwards look as likely to score as I am to win the world's strongest man.

 

5) Why can noone cross? A lot of the corners and crosses didn't get higher than knee height - shocking. I could have done better than that when I was 15, never mind 19 or 20.

 

Plenty more awful things about yesterday. I will not be wastuing money on going to see that again. I may come to watch the last game of the season if there's still anything riding on it, but don't expect there to be after that performance.

 

That's unlucky - it's the best thing I've seen at SMS this season by a mile.

 

Watched it float in with a sort of macabre automatism. It was class.

[rpb]

I honestly can't remember seeing a worse Saints performance than that.

 

Trust me, there have been plenty worse - we only conceded two goals for a start. It was poor though and really disappointing considering the importance of the game.

[Andy_Porter]

I honestly can't remember seeing a worse Saints performance than that.

 

The worst since Bristol Rovers last season, I thought that was the low point stood there watching us getting destroyed in some tin pot ground. I can't believe it's got to the point it has now.

 

Yesterday was definatly worse, we're **** and getting worse.

 

I don't even want to think what Reading will do to us, could be 4 or 5 nil.

[saint1977]

As a student living in North London, Saints games are somewhat of a 'treat' for me. That said, I have been to more games this season than I ever have in my 20 years, and I can categorically say that we have given worse performances every time.

 

I've also been to every away game in London bar Palace, which I listened in on, and by all accounts we were appalling then too.

 

But from my point of view, there is no leadership coming from the dugout. It's all well and good having 'old heads' amongst what are some excellent individual youngsters, but if they can't lead from example then who is?

 

Our manager seems inept, from what I have seen, to give our players the extra lift and encouragement they need to get off their arses and work for the shirt. It was kindly pointed out to me yesterday by a charming racist in Block 3 that Jan never moves into his technical area other than to fold his arms and do sweet FA else. That's not what our players need. WGS was always there. Pearson was there. Jan is not, and our squad nowadays need that type of manager more than ever.

 

The level of support I have for this club has never wained, and it will never die. But to the charming racist in Block Three, please don't ever say what you did to David McGoldrick ever again. It's people like you that put off the large family of 4 young boys and girls and their parents from ever seeing their team again.

 

As Will Champion, Coldplay's drummer sat in the row in front of me yesterday said, 'They've lost the spirit of the shirt and the club...' He left at half time.

 

I will be at the Reading game and Manyoo, my student loan's never looked so bleak, but then again, neither's my club.

 

Sadly we've always had that element in the crowd - I can remember Arsenal being at SMS and someone in Kingsland North shouting loudly at Vieira (and it echoed) "get up you big black bastard". I can also recall blatant racism at away games as well. Fortunately we have never had the organised racism that some clubs - Chelsea, Leeds and Millwall for example, have been blighted by but it's still unpleasant to be sat in amongst such ignorant, outdated inbreds. McGoldrick isn't good enough to be a professional footballer but his race has nothing whatsoever to do with it.

Edited 22 December, 2008 by saint1977

[monkadill]

http://www.football.virginmedia.com/page/Football/Championship/VideoIndex/0,,12555,00.html