Saints 1 Villa 1 Match reaction

[doddisalegend]

I don't think we were as bad as some have been making out. We started the game incredibly well, came out of the blocks like a train. Poor finishing and a lack of composure/confidence in those final moments cost us the win.

 

As the game went on we slumped back a little and lost that intensity we started with and once Villa got the jammiest of goals ever, the heads dropped. It took us a while to get going in the 2nd half, the players looked as if they were walking through mud some of the time. It was an important equalizer though, it stops the rot and can potentially be the starting base for another good run. I like Romeu and he started the season well, but once Wanyama came back on the scene he was out - not sure why entirely, as he's not at the level this year.

 

Ward-Prowse continues to frustrate by consistently doing nothing in a football match. This is a big season for him, lots of talk and lots of expectation, so he needs to start doing something now.

 

Palace will be a tricky match, but we can win there if we play with the same intensity as we started with yesterday.

 

Pretty good summary. Yesterday was, I think, a lesson in not taking our chances when we are on top something that has been a bit of a theme in recent games.

Edited 6 December, 2015 by doddisalegend

[Sour Mash]

For all the talk of individual players, formations and tactics, the biggest thing at the moment for us is a lack of confidence, belief and leadership out there. It was the same problem at the start of the season, f**k knows why, guess it's the biggest price to pay for big turnovers in playing staff.

[Shropshire Saint]

A did not think that the performance was as bad as some on here would have you believe. Ok we missed a hatful of chances which on another day would have gone in. Having said that, there is certainly some of the zip missing from our game at the moment. I thought that the subs did OK but was disappointed in the performance of JWP. I have long been a fan of JWP but I thought that he wandered around looking unsure of his role and without imposing himself on the game and contributed very little apart from the corner from which we equalised.

 

A word of praise to the referee Anthony Taylor who I thought had a excellent game - the best we have seen at St Marys this season.

[sadoldgit]

For all the talk of individual players, formations and tactics, the biggest thing at the moment for us is a lack of confidence, belief and leadership out there. It was the same problem at the start of the season, f**k knows why, guess it's the biggest price to pay for big turnovers in playing staff.

 

It isn't necessarily down to the staff turn over. We had a bigger turn over the season before but that didn't seem to affect us in the same way. Morale is a difficult thing to pin down. Sometimes it is there and stays there, sometimes it can be there for a while and then disappear like a puff of smoke. The top sportsman aren't just the most gifted technically, they are the strongest mentally. You can try and instil self belief in the players during training sessions but you cant force it into them.

[doddisalegend]

For all the talk of individual players, formations and tactics, the biggest thing at the moment for us is a lack of confidence, belief and leadership out there. It was the same problem at the start of the season, f**k knows why, guess it's the biggest price to pay for big turnovers in playing staff.

 

You could see the players physically deflate when villa scored and it took them a while to get going again. They defiantly look short on confidence which isn't a surprise after three defeats on the trot.

[ART]

The so-called lack of confidence is directly linked to Koeman's deluded choice of the same favorite players and by him not including young players showing promise. Even having on or two doing well on the bench sends out a strong message right down the line from top to bottom. Recent results of the first team, Under 21's and Under 18's prove every player is disheartened, doesn't believe in a fair chance of getting ahead if they play well. Every

successful club provides the incentive to every player that if he plays well he has opportunities to progress. Pochettino often included young players doing well on the bench even though he didn't play them.

 

The presence of Wanyama, his attitude and Koeman's constant bigging him up, making him feel important is also affecting others in the squad. There was a notable improvement from other players as soon as he was replaced. Time to get rid of him and get a decent price rather allowing him to fester and poison the entire team. He's nobody any longer, can't pass to save his life, yet the preferential treatment by Koeman is the downfall of morale.

 

The inclusion of Harrison Reed brings more to the team than the likes of 30 minutes from Clasie. This guy is, and will probably remain ineffective playing in the Premier League. Even Ramirez offers more but not player by Koeman. I'm just sick of Koeman's inability to change things around by his deluded attitude of picking the same old players instead of freshening things up. There is no inspiration and motivation.

[S-Clarke]

The so-called lack of confidence is directly linked to Koeman's deluded choice of the same favorite players and by him not including young players showing promise. Even having on or two doing well on the bench sends out a strong message right down the line from top to bottom. Recent results of the first team, Under 21's and Under 18's prove every player is disheartened, doesn't believe in a fair chance of getting ahead if they play well. Every

successful club provides the incentive to every player that if he plays well he has opportunities to progress. Pochettino often included young players doing well on the bench even though he didn't play them.

 

The presence of Wanyama, his attitude and Koeman's constant bigging him up, making him feel important is also affecting others in the squad. There was a notable improvement from other players as soon as he was replaced. Time to get rid of him and get a decent price rather allowing him to fester and poison the entire team. He's nobody any longer, can't pass to save his life, yet the preferential treatment by Koeman is the downfall of morale.

 

The inclusion of Harrison Reed brings more to the team than the likes of 30 minutes from Clasie. This guy is, and will probably remain ineffective playing in the Premier League. Even Ramirez offers more but not player by Koeman. I'm just sick of Koeman's inability to change things around by his deluded attitude of picking the same old players instead of freshening things up. There is no inspiration and motivation.

 

Has it ever struck you that the **** results the U21's and U18's are having is because the current group, in all honesty, is utter turd? And I'd imagine that influences the reason as to why many aren't being given a go.

 

I've read a lot of utter bull on this site over the past few weeks about how Koeman doesn't like the youth, we're a far cry from the MP days etc. One difference, and quite a large one at that, the best young players we had under MP have since been sold - there isn't (as yet) the same level from the academy to replace them, so why people want Koeman to throw young players in who aren't quite ready/good enough is beyond me. Is 2008/09 really that far back for some to remember?

 

And what is all this bull**** about Gaston? I'm sure he becomes a better player every minute he's not selected. He's not playing and isn't involved because he's a failed Premier League player, there's no point debating it anymore.

 

Some people have incredibly short memories and an incredible lack of long-term perspective.

[Batman]

You really don't do yourself any favours with drivel like that.

 

It's true. He must be a loon is aspiring to better last seasons effort

[CB Fry]

It's true. He must be a loon is aspiring to better last seasons effort

And he's still going.

[hasper57saint]

It's not often that I praise the Ref but I thought he had a good match yesterday. We didn't play badly (I have seen a thousand times worse) but on any other day we'd have blown Villa away in the first twenty minutes.Prior to arriving at SMS yesterday my Grandson played for his academy in a village near Wolverhampton.He hit a ball from 18 yards out and normally it would have been goal of the match but it flew over the cross bar.I don't know what part the wind played yesterday but I saw many passes go astray with the wind effect.We can do better and I for one believe RK knows our weaknesses and is (not will) addressing them. Only three more weeks to the 'Window' and "Welcome home Charlie" eh?

[Batman]

And he's still going.

 

Yep

[shurlock]

Has it ever struck you that the **** results the U21's and U18's are having is because the current group, in all honesty, is utter turd? And I'd imagine that influences the reason as to why many aren't being given a go.

 

I've read a lot of utter bull on this site over the past few weeks about how Koeman doesn't like the youth, we're a far cry from the MP days etc. One difference, and quite a large one at that, the best young players we had under MP have since been sold - there isn't (as yet) the same level from the academy to replace them, so why people want Koeman to throw young players in who aren't quite ready/good enough is beyond me. Is 2008/09 really that far back for some to remember?

 

And what is all this bull**** about Gaston? I'm sure he becomes a better player every minute he's not selected. He's not playing and isn't involved because he's a failed Premier League player, there's no point debating it anymore.

 

Some people have incredibly short memories and an incredible lack of long-term perspective.

 

Does the club have the equivalent of the 50 cent party? Keep banging away about how s**t wham and others are, compared to how brilliantly we conduct affairs...

[Verbal Kint]

Has it ever struck you that the **** results the U21's and U18's are having is because the current group, in all honesty, is utter turd? And I'd imagine that influences the reason as to why many aren't being given a go.

 

I've read a lot of utter bull on this site over the past few weeks about how Koeman doesn't like the youth, we're a far cry from the MP days etc. One difference, and quite a large one at that, the best young players we had under MP have since been sold - there isn't (as yet) the same level from the academy to replace them, so why people want Koeman to throw young players in who aren't quite ready/good enough is beyond me. Is 2008/09 really that far back for some to remember?

 

And what is all this bull**** about Gaston? I'm sure he becomes a better player every minute he's not selected. He's not playing and isn't involved because he's a failed Premier League player, there's no point debating it anymore.

 

Some people have incredibly short memories and an incredible lack of long-term perspective.

 

The Gaston thing is very simple. We're paying him a lot of money and we have few attacking options at the moment to change things. He would be one of them, which he did at Liverpool in his only chance. I'd have him on the bench just to give a different option.

 

You may well be right about the academy players in general, but I'm pretty sure if MP had been here we'd have seen a lot more of Reed who showed promise in games he featured in last season. Targett got his chance early on and showed he's not up to it yet and I wouldn't expect many others to have got a chance, although with Rodriguez unavailable for so much I think it would be nice to see what Seager has to offer. My main disappointment though is it's a wasted season for so many of these players now. If Koeman doesn't rate them then that's fine, but at least get them out on loan to the Championship because Reed, Targett, Seager are not learning anything by playing for the U21s every week

[simo]

Has it ever struck you that the **** results the U21's and U18's are having is because the current group, in all honesty, is utter turd? And I'd imagine that influences the reason as to why many aren't being given a go.

 

I've read a lot of utter bull on this site over the past few weeks about how Koeman doesn't like the youth, we're a far cry from the MP days etc. One difference, and quite a large one at that, the best young players we had under MP have since been sold - there isn't (as yet) the same level from the academy to replace them, so why people want Koeman to throw young players in who aren't quite ready/good enough is beyond me. Is 2008/09 really that far back for some to remember?

 

And what is all this bull**** about Gaston? I'm sure he becomes a better player every minute he's not selected. He's not playing and isn't involved because he's a failed Premier League player, there's no point debating it anymore.

 

Some people have incredibly short memories and an incredible lack of long-term perspective.

 

Gaston = 2 apps 2 assists!

[doddisalegend]

The Gaston thing is very simple. We're paying him a lot of money and we have few attacking options at the moment to change things. He would be one of them, which he did at Liverpool in his only chance. I'd have him on the bench just to give a different option.

 

You may well be right about the academy players in general, but I'm pretty sure if MP had been here we'd have seen a lot more of Reed who showed promise in games he featured in last season. Targett got his chance early on and showed he's not up to it yet and I wouldn't expect many others to have got a chance, although with Rodriguez unavailable for so much I think it would be nice to see what Seager has to offer. My main disappointment though is it's a wasted season for so many of these players now. If Koeman doesn't rate them then that's fine, but at least get them out on loan to the Championship because Reed, Targett, Seager are not learning anything by playing for the U21s every week

 

Koeman was quoted a couple of weeks ago saying he turned down loans for some under 21 players because we need squad depth. I think the message is he'd use them if he gets desperate with injuries.

[TheCholulaKid]

The Gaston thing is very simple. We're paying him a lot of money and we have few attacking options at the moment to change things. He would be one of them, which he did at Liverpool in his only chance. I'd have him on the bench just to give a different option.

 

You may well be right about the academy players in general, but I'm pretty sure if MP had been here we'd have seen a lot more of Reed who showed promise in games he featured in last season. Targett got his chance early on and showed he's not up to it yet and I wouldn't expect many others to have got a chance, although with Rodriguez unavailable for so much I think it would be nice to see what Seager has to offer. My main disappointment though is it's a wasted season for so many of these players now. If Koeman doesn't rate them then that's fine, but at least get them out on loan to the Championship because Reed, Targett, Seager are not learning anything by playing for the U21s every week

 

Despite the clamour for him on here I wasn't impressed by Reed last year. Early days and hopefully he'll improve but strikes me that people are using him as a stick to beat Koeman with. Clasie has shown far more so far than Reed did last year.

 

Not sure why this is a wasted year for them either. They are in or around the 1st team. Being coached by a top half Premier League coaching team rather than an inferior one in the Champ/L1 and are training day in day out with international class players.

 

There are things that can be improved clearly but I'm always amazed by how quickly fans turn on the management (especially when we've been so successful). I think I'll put my trust in a European Cup winning player who played for Barcelona for 15 years while making 80 appearances for Holland rather than somebody who probably has zero experience of professional football.

[CB Fry]

Gaston = 2 apps 2 assists!

 

One assist.

[Dig Dig]

Does the club have the equivalent of the 50 cent party? Keep banging away about how s**t wham and others are, compared to how brilliantly we conduct affairs...

 

Armstrongs hatchet job shoot blog from the summer

 

Over this season and the next we'll see that we've not found some secret solution which all other clubs fail to emulate. We muddle through on occassion like everyone else and are in danger of becoming a club of contradictions.... We don't buy players unless they are better than what we have which must be why we went for quantity over quality this sunmer. Our transfer policy and recruitment strategy is seamless and not dependent on who the manager is which must be why the majority of our signings are from Holland or at least have a link to Koeman. We plan meticulously for any eventuality which must be why we end up playing a mediocre CB at RB when our 1st choice isn't deemed suitable for a particular game. We plan to have the team made up of 50% academy players and don't believe in sending them out on loan and we target young British players who have a high re-sale potential.....

 

All things which have been lauded on here over the last couple of seasons whilst arrogantly scoffing at what anyone else is up to.

[Batman]

Armstrongs hatchet job shoot blog from the summer

 

Over this season and the next we'll see that we've not found some secret solution which all other clubs fail to emulate. We muddle through on occassion like everyone else and are in danger of becoming a club of contradictions.... We don't buy players unless they are better than what we have which must be why we went for quantity over quality this sunmer. Our transfer policy and recruitment strategy is seamless and not dependent on who the manager is which must be why the majority of our signings are from Holland or at least have a link to Koeman. We plan meticulously for any eventuality which must be why we end up playing a mediocre CB at RB when our 1st choice isn't deemed suitable for a particular game. We plan to have the team made up of 50% academy players and don't believe in sending them out on loan and we target young British players who have a high re-sale potential.....

 

All things which have been lauded on here over the last couple of seasons whilst arrogantly scoffing at what anyone else is up to.

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?54855-Saints-fans-have-no-reason-to-envy-transfer-dealings-of-the-likes-of-Palace-and-Stoke

 

http://www.shoot.co.uk/why-saints-fans-shouldnt-be-envious-of-palace-and-stoke/

 

it is an absolute 'load of trash' to suggest palace will finish above us.....yeah!!!

Edited 6 December, 2015 by Batman

[Verbal Kint]

Koeman was quoted a couple of weeks ago saying he turned down loans for some under 21 players because we need squad depth. I think the message is he'd use them if he gets desperate with injuries.

 

Wanyama, Clasie, Romeu, Davis, Ward-prowse. FIVE midfielders ahead of him in Koeman's pecking order. We'd need 4 of them to get injured at the same time for him to get a game and the odds of that are huge

 

Despite the clamour for him on here I wasn't impressed by Reed last year. Early days and hopefully he'll improve but strikes me that people are using him as a stick to beat Koeman with. Clasie has shown far more so far than Reed did last year.

 

Not sure why this is a wasted year for them either. They are in or around the 1st team. Being coached by a top half Premier League coaching team rather than an inferior one in the Champ/L1 and are training day in day out with international class players.

 

I think I'll put my trust in a European Cup winning player who played for Barcelona for 15 years while making 80 appearances for Holland rather than somebody who probably has zero experience of professional football.

 

Not much point in having a forum then if we aren't allowed to disagree with the manager. They do get things wrong occasionally you know?

I think young players who have already had a season or two playing for the u21s will improve a lot more playing competitive games week in week out in the Championship than he will having a few more training sessions with the first team. Why have we sent Gallagher out on loan if you think young players are better off training with the first team?

[Dalek2003]

Can't argue with any of that.

 

My concerns: no squad depth as a result of summer sales. Not replaced quality with quality and not able to 'March on'. Boardroom failure.

 

Wanyama looks like he wants out and has been mediocre for a while. Agents fault. Made Romeo look good, and he's not as strong as Wanyama - if he's the replacement when Vic goes in January (?) then we are in trouble - he did well yesterday I grant you, but is not consistently high quality.

 

JWP simply not good enough in my opinion - squad player at best.

 

Mané is our only high quality player - and so we will sell him and fail to replace him on current trends. But he is better as a Kevin Phillips type striker and running at defences not on the wing where he's wasted.

 

Koeman has brought in all his good quality targets - Tadic, Pelle, Clasie. Who else can he attract? Can he in January?

 

We are where we deserve to be - table doesn't lie from this part of the season.

 

I see potential for a relegation fight - I don't think we will go down but we can certainly enter the mix by late January.

 

So? I think we need x2 - 3 quality players in January to reinforce us up front and at right back (Yoshida not PL quality in that position). We need a defensive midfielder of Schneiderlan quality. And a midfield goalscorer (JWP isn't that player).

 

Will the Boardroom reinforce??? No chance in my opinion. We might be witnessing the start of the slide and end of Koemans reign. Gutted if so. But our Boardroom have failed to invest and support RK. Not enough quality in depth - not replaced Clyne, Schneiderlan, Aldervereld, not able to March on. We are weaker than this time last year.

 

I agree and said so at the start of the season. Mark my words we will be sucked into the relegation fight. We might just have enough to stay up. But as for the jokers at the start of the season talking about European and Cup adventures ? Remember, what I said, don't take EPL status for granted.

[doddisalegend]

Wanyama, Clasie, Romeu, Davis, Ward-prowse. FIVE midfielders ahead of him in Koeman's pecking order. We'd need 4 of them to get injured at the same time for him to get a game and the odds of that are huge

 

 

 

That's why I said desperate.

[Griffo]

Disappointing result but always going to have dips in form throughout the season. Support was good today. Itchen North was very good in the 2nd half when we were behind. Kept going and got the goal. Villa were looking over at us, couldn't sing over us and then gave up.

[Lets B Avenue]

when was the last time we scored with a shot outside of the box?

 

Yoshida against Villa.

 

You must remember it. It's the only game you've been to.

[Lets B Avenue]

we need to address our weak underbelly - call for Kevin Nolan, we need his nastiness

 

I thought you were off the beer?

[CB Fry]

Armstrongs hatchet job shoot blog from the summer [emoji38]

 

Over this season and the next we'll see that we've not found some secret solution which all other clubs fail to emulate. We muddle through on occassion like everyone else and are in danger of becoming a club of contradictions.... We don't buy players unless they are better than what we have which must be why we went for quantity over quality this sunmer. Our transfer policy and recruitment strategy is seamless and not dependent on who the manager is which must be why the majority of our signings are from Holland or at least have a link to Koeman. We plan meticulously for any eventuality which must be why we end up playing a mediocre CB at RB when our 1st choice isn't deemed suitable for a particular game. We plan to have the team made up of 50% academy players and don't believe in sending them out on loan and we target young British players who have a high re-sale potential.....

 

All things which have been lauded on here over the last couple of seasons whilst arrogantly scoffing at what anyone else is up to.

 

The idea we had some magic formula has been massively over-egged on here, you're quite right.

 

I like our strategy and ethos - not because it is unique or unrepeatable anywhere else but it is sensible.

 

Beyond that, we've signed some players that might not be quite good enough and we might have a gap or two in the squad. Gosh.

 

Guess what, that ain't unique to us either. I mean, I can't be too sure but I think there are maybe three or four clubs over the last twenty years who have probably done that too.

 

If nothing else if the last few weeks has started to rebase some of the more ridiculous expectations of the fanbase then great.

[doddisalegend]

The idea we had some magic formula has been massively over-egged on here, you're quite right.

 

I like our strategy and ethos - not because it is unique or unrepeatable anywhere else but it is sensible.

 

Beyond that, we've signed some players that might not be quite good enough and we might have a gap or two in the squad. Gosh.

 

Guess what, that ain't unique to us either. I mean, I can't be too sure but I think there are maybe three or four clubs over the last twenty years who have probably done that too.

 

If nothing else if the last few weeks has started to rebase some of the more ridiculous expectations of the fanbase then great.

 

I remember people getting pretty excited about Swansea and Newcastle's transfers in the summer. Chelsea's capture of Pedro and Falco was being bigged up in the media. .......it's working out well for all those teams at the moment.

[doddisalegend]

Disappointing result but always going to have dips in form throughout the season. Support was good today. Itchen North was very good in the 2nd half when we were behind. Kept going and got the goal. Villa were looking over at us, couldn't sing over us and then gave up.

 

Made up for the first half which was dire. Not just the Itchen north tbf the whole of the home support just seemed nervous in the first half.

[VectisSaint]

Made up for the first half which was dire. Not just the Itchen north tbf the whole of the home support just seemed nervous in the first half.

Nervous?

Quelle surprise.

[derry]

I'm not impressed by our loaning out. Only Turnbull and McCarthy are getting a game. Stephens and Gallagher are just training with Championship teams. They would be much better if they came back or went to a club that played them.

[Dig Dig]

The idea we had some magic formula has been massively over-egged on here, you're quite right.

 

I like our strategy and ethos - not because it is unique or unrepeatable anywhere else but it is sensible.

 

Beyond that, we've signed some players that might not be quite good enough and we might have a gap or two in the squad. Gosh.

 

Guess what, that ain't unique to us either. I mean, I can't be too sure but I think there are maybe three or four clubs over the last twenty years who have probably done that too.

 

If nothing else if the last few weeks has started to rebase some of the more ridiculous expectations of the fanbase then great.

 

What is up for debate though is whether we have taken full advantage of having, at one point, 5 England Internationals in our team/players now competing at the very top end of the table and over £120M in player sales coming through the books? None of the other clubs in our bracket have come close to be being in a position like that and I'm not sure we've really done enough to keep ourselves just ahead of the chasing pack in order to achieve success by our own defintion, either a cup/and or a couple of decent seasons in Europe. If it pans out that way, I think that's slightly disappointing.

[derry]

JWP ever since his first game has been over hyped by both Saints and England. As far as I am concerned he is almost the biggest con in football. He has done little in the last two seasons to even earn a place which just seems to come his way by rote. He has in fact gone backwards. His much vaunted dead ball delivery is a commentators myth, his shooting is a joke because he can't shoot but attempts a side foot lacking the power required. He is slow, won't run with the ball and plays sideways and backwards as a first choice. His tackling is innocuous and plays like the original seven stone weakling. It seems U21 is his level.

[Roger]

JWP ever since his first game has been over hyped by both Saints and England. As far as I am concerned he is almost the biggest con in football. He has done little in the last two seasons to even earn a place which just seems to come his way by rote. He has in fact gone backwards. His much vaunted dead ball delivery is a commentators myth, his shooting is a joke because he can't shoot but attempts a side foot lacking the power required. He is slow, won't run with the ball and plays sideways and backwards as a first choice. His tackling is innocuous and plays like the original seven stone weakling. It seems U21 is his level.

 

Couldn't agree more.

[Lets B Avenue]

Tadic is a ten minute player, but I guess we have no alternative to him, so have to carry him for the other 35 mins of each half since Ramirez doesn't even give ten minutes when he is on the pitch. It was disgusting when Tadic bottled that challenge with Ireland in the first half when he would have been clean through had he got even the meerest of touches before Ireland did.

 

Yet another rubbish referee and linesman again yesterday, Ireland should have been booked in the first minute for the drag back on tadic, Lescott should have had at least a yellow for the drag back on Pelle, the officials let Villa get away with the most blatant time wasting I've seen in a long time and were also letting them advance the ball ten yards on every one of their throw ins. Then there were at least two offsides against Pelle where he was behind a villa player when the ball was passed including one where he actually had to run inside Ireland to get the ball. Having decent officials for once could help get the win that the team's confidence so badly needs atm, as they look so fragile.

 

 

Who the feck is Ireland? Stephen? He plays (not recently) for Stoke.

 

As others have said on here, the ref was fine yesterday. He played quite enough additional time in both halves, allowing for the time wasting.

[derry]

Who the feck is Ireland? Stephen? He plays (not recently) for Stoke.

 

As others have said on here, the ref was fine yesterday. He played quite enough additional time in both halves, allowing for the time wasting.

 

No he didn't, he gave five minutes injury time at the end, of that there was one injury in injury time that took two additional minutes to resolve plus a substitution which equated to seven and a half minutes, he was about one minute twenty seconds short of that.

[St_Tel49]

It's not often that I praise the Ref but I thought he had a good match yesterday. We didn't play badly (I have seen a thousand times worse) but on any other day we'd have blown Villa away in the first twenty minutes.Prior to arriving at SMS yesterday my Grandson played for his academy in a village near Wolverhampton.He hit a ball from 18 yards out and normally it would have been goal of the match but it flew over the cross bar.I don't know what part the wind played yesterday but I saw many passes go astray with the wind effect.We can do better and I for one believe RK knows our weaknesses and is (not will) addressing them. Only three more weeks to the 'Window' and "Welcome home Charlie" eh?

 

I said before the match that the wind would bring an element of randomness into the game - but i don't think that it was influential on the final result.

[Lets B Avenue]

No he didn't, he gave five minutes injury time at the end, of that there was one injury in injury time that took two additional minutes to resolve plus a substitution which equated to seven and a half minutes, he was about one minute twenty seconds short of that.

 

I respectfully suggest you get your watch mended.

[CB Fry]

What is up for debate though is whether we have taken full advantage of having, at one point, 5 England Internationals in our team/players now competing at the very top end of the table and over £120M in player sales coming through the books? None of the other clubs in our bracket have come close to be being in a position like that and I'm not sure we've really done enough to keep ourselves just ahead of the chasing pack in order to achieve success by our own defintion, either a cup/and or a couple of decent seasons in Europe. If it pans out that way, I think that's slightly disappointing.

 

We finished eighth and then we finished seventh - if that's slightly disappointing fair enough. This year I thought we'd be about tenth but was actually expecting Europa fixtures.

 

I am more than slightly disappointed about our cup failures, this and last December especially and our Europa failure was frankly a disgrace. That's where this season is a waste and I don't think we've quite recovered from it. Ronald needed a Europa run to build his reputation a little more and we needed it because we might not get another one for a while. I think it has winded us and here we are.

 

We may well have a squibby season finishing mid table but that ain't beneath us and the petulant griping already apparent on this forum will, I'm sure, evolve into full-on toddler tantrums if we dare to look like we might end up thirteenth. Oh, the shame of it.

Edited 6 December, 2015 by CB Fry

[doddisalegend]

We finished eighth and then we finished seventh - if that's slightly disappointing fair enough. This year I thought we'd be about tenth but was actually expecting Europa fixtures.

 

I am more than slightly disappointed about our cup failures, this and last December especially and our Europa failure was frankly a disgrace. That's where this season is a waste and I don't think we've quite recovered from it. Ronald needed a Europa run to build his reputation a little more and we needed it because we might not get another one for a while. I think it has winded us and here we are.

 

We may well have a squibby season finishing mid table but that ain't beneath us and the petulant griping already apparent on this forum will, I'm sure, evolve into full-on toddler tantrums if we dare to look like we might end up thirteenth. Oh, the shame of it.

 

That's a decent summary for me. I think the early Europa games and subsequent exit defiantly effected Ron and the team. The only thing I would add about our cup exit was at least this time we played the best team available to us (not that it did us any good) something we have been guilty of not doing in past seasons.

[ART]

I do not have the faith that Koeman is capable of turning things around in such a way to finish in the Top Six. Everything about him is going to how I predicted it would when he was appointed. He did a marvellous job during parts of last season, but I believe he only did so by following on what Pochettino had started. As each game passed we went from playing attacking football to becoming more and more defensive. Nowadays we tend to play more of the ball back to the defenders than forward to our strikers. My blood boils as the ball heads forward only for one of our players to pass the ball backwards and eventually to the keeper. This is not they type of football we will take things forward with.

 

We need to shore up our defense quickly and a make a swift move and l be signing Ron Vaar on a free. When the Window opens we need a player to truly be up to replacing Schneiderlin and a striker who will put Pelle under pressure. Sadly I believe Pelle has a guarantee of playing no matter what he achieves.

 

Had Vardy been signed Koeman's insistence on Dutch League experience and usual expectations for playing first team football would have ensured he never got a game. I'd like to see Gallagher brought back into the squad and the likes of Seagar sent out on loan as Koeman has no intentions of ever giving him a game.

[stknowle]

That's a decent summary for me. I think the early Europa games and subsequent exit defiantly effected Ron and the team. The only thing I would add about our cup exit was at least this time we played the best team available to us (not that it did us any good) something we have been guilty of not doing in past seasons.

 

Agree with most of that but I've read it too many times now to just ignore - In the context with which it is used above the word is DEFINITELY not "defiantly". "Pacific" in lieu of "specific" is the only effort that comes close.

[Dig Dig]

We finished eighth and then we finished seventh - if that's slightly disappointing fair enough. This year I thought we'd be about tenth but was actually expecting Europa fixtures.

 

I am more than slightly disappointed about our cup failures, this and last December especially and our Europa failure was frankly a disgrace. That's where this season is a waste and I don't think we've quite recovered from it. Ronald needed a Europa run to build his reputation a little more and we needed it because we might not get another one for a while. I think it has winded us and here we are.

 

We may well have a squibby season finishing mid table but that ain't beneath us and the petulant griping already apparent on this forum will, I'm sure, evolve into full-on toddler tantrums if we dare to look like we might end up thirteenth. Oh, the shame of it.

 

I'm not disappointed with a couple of 7th, 8th finishes but it's not bizarre to suggest that momentum shouldn't stop there considering the opportinuty presented to us. The league and cup are not completely unrelated. You generally need a very good team to be able to do well. If we suddenly end up in 13th or whatever because of our transfers then it's pretty poor tbf. That's not a tantrum, just an opinion.

[Donatello]

We finished eighth and then we finished seventh - if that's slightly disappointing fair enough. This year I thought we'd be about tenth but was actually expecting Europa fixtures.

 

I am more than slightly disappointed about our cup failures, this and last December especially and our Europa failure was frankly a disgrace. That's where this season is a waste and I don't think we've quite recovered from it. Ronald needed a Europa run to build his reputation a little more and we needed it because we might not get another one for a while. I think it has winded us and here we are.

 

We may well have a squibby season finishing mid table but that ain't beneath us and the petulant griping already apparent on this forum will, I'm sure, evolve into full-on toddler tantrums if we dare to look like we might end up thirteenth. Oh, the shame of it.

 

[Saint-Fred]

I do not have the faith that Koeman is capable of turning things around in such a way to finish in the Top Six. Everything about him is going to how I predicted it would when he was appointed. He did a marvellous job during parts of last season, but I believe he only did so by following on what Pochettino had started. As each game passed we went from playing attacking football to becoming more and more defensive. Nowadays we tend to play more of the ball back to the defenders than forward to our strikers. My blood boils as the ball heads forward only for one of our players to pass the ball backwards and eventually to the keeper. This is not they type of football we will take things forward with.

 

We need to shore up our defense quickly and a make a swift move and l be signing Ron Vaar on a free. When the Window opens we need a player to truly be up to replacing Schneiderlin and a striker who will put Pelle under pressure. Sadly I believe Pelle has a guarantee of playing no matter what he achieves.

 

Had Vardy been signed Koeman's insistence on Dutch League experience and usual expectations for playing first team football would have ensured he never got a game. I'd like to see Gallagher brought back into the squad and the likes of Seagar sent out on loan as Koeman has no intentions of ever giving him a game.

 

Lol

[derry]

I respectfully suggest you get your watch mended.

 

As it happens I was checking the time as it was brought up by a mate just before the board was held up that referees don't allow accurate extra time in injury time if there are stoppages after ninety minutes. Out of interest I then checked. I always time the second half 45 minutes so I can have an accurate finish time and can add the injury time as the stadium clock stops at 90 mins. The injury at the Chapel end took 1 min 56 secs before play resumed and there was a substitution which made just under two and a half minutes the game ended after six minutes and ten seconds not the required seven minutes twenty six seconds. As for the watch it is radio controlled and as accurate as you can find anywhere to the second.

[No 2 to Maybush]

We finished eighth and then we finished seventh - if that's slightly disappointing fair enough. This year I thought we'd be about tenth but was actually expecting Europa fixtures.

 

I am more than slightly disappointed about our cup failures, this and last December especially and our Europa failure was frankly a disgrace. That's where this season is a waste and I don't think we've quite recovered from it. Ronald needed a Europa run to build his reputation a little more and we needed it because we might not get another one for a while. I think it has winded us and here we are.

 

We may well have a squibby season finishing mid table but that ain't beneath us and the petulant griping already apparent on this forum will, I'm sure, evolve into full-on toddler tantrums if we dare to look like we might end up thirteenth. Oh, the shame of it.

 

Nothing wrong with finishing 13th in the Premier League, but it would trash Ronald's reputation. For his own sake, he needs to get us back in the top 3rd of the division. Otherwise I can see his career going the same way as Martin Jol.

[doddisalegend]

Nothing wrong with finishing 13th in the Premier League, but it would trash Ronald's reputation. For his own sake, he needs to get us back in the top 3rd of the division. Otherwise I can see his career going the same way as Martin Jol.

 

I think Koeman is OK in that he will never have a problem getting a job in the Netherlands regardless of how the job here goes.

[Window Cleaner]

Nothing wrong with finishing 13th in the Premier League, but it would trash Ronald's reputation. For his own sake, he needs to get us back in the top 3rd of the division. Otherwise I can see his career going the same way as Martin Jol.

 

What reputation would that be then? He's had a few good years in the dutch leagues to be sure but his excursions in portugal and spain weren't all that convincing really. He has a reputation as a solid Dutch league manager, apart from that he has no global reputation as a manager.

[sadoldgit]

What reputation would that be then? He's had a few good years in the dutch leagues to be sure but his excursions in portugal and spain weren't all that convincing really. He has a reputation as a solid Dutch league manager, apart from that he has no global reputation as a manager.

 

But he also seems to be a shoo-in as the next Dutch National Manager and his name has been linked with Barcelona (not that means anything of course). Mind you Poch is toted as a great manager and he has still yet to win anything.

[Window Cleaner]

But he also seems to be a shoo-in as the next Dutch National Manager and his name has been linked with Barcelona (not that means anything of course). Mind you Poch is toted as a great manager and he has still yet to win anything.

 

Poch is an up and coming manager, never seen him touted as a great manager as of yet. Then again he's about 10 years younger and has no real failures on his resumé. Koeman failed at Valencia and was at best mediocre at Benfica. Perhaps he needs to manage mainly Dutch players to get the best out of his ideas. The Dutch national teams has a sort of hand down

managerial system, the next is always known in advance, after Danny Blind i've no idea who's up next.