Halfway: One win versus top 13

[Saint Charlie]

Is this a concern?

 

Certainly suggests much above our current position is unlikely unless form is better in the second half of the year.

 

Half Term grade: C-

[Whitey Grandad]

Nothing to worry about, unless you think that we should be in the top 6 every season. We're a mid-table team, you'd expect us to beat the teams below us and to lose to those above, on the whole

[Roger]

Nothing to worry about, unless you think that we should be in the top 6 every season. We're a mid-table team, you'd expect us to beat the teams below us and to lose to those above, on the whole

 

The board have stated Europe is our aim so we are behind schedule.

[Sour Mash]

What sort of weirdo modern football fan gives his team a half term grade.

[Sheaf Saint]

My biggest concern is fitness. It's absolutely shocking the way our players fade in the second half of games this season. Too many times have we seen a one-sided game from us in the first half only for the complete opposite to be true in the second.

 

Something is seriously wrong with our fitness training regime IMO.

[Whitey Grandad]

The board have stated Europe is our aim so we are behind schedule.

 

Did they say when? We are bound to have ups and downs and top six can only ever be a long-term aim and it's not going to happen when players want away every season and we don't have a settled team. I'm pretty sanguine about it all.

[Saints foreva]

Didn't even make the Europa League. Got trounced in the League Cup.

 

Aside from wins against Chelsea and Arsenal its been a pretty disappointing season so far imo.

 

Here's to a better second half.

 

Guess it kind of shows how far we've come that I'm deeming it disappointing from my point of view. We were relegation candidates playing at a 15,000 seater ground when my old man started taking me.

Edited 28 December, 2015 by Saints foreva

[badgerx16]

Let's go back to the 90's - I miss those last match of the season 'great' escapes.

[S-Clarke]

What sort of weirdo modern football fan gives his team a half term grade.

 

The number one wum-weirdo, Charlie.

[Saintandy666]

Given we are 12th, is this stat that unsurprising?

[nta786]

Well our 'grade' depends on your expectations really.

 

If we're aiming for the title: F

If we're aiming for top 4: E/D

If we're aiming for top 6/7: C

If we're aiming for mid/upper mid-table: B

If we're simply looking to stay up (Dalek): A

 

My grade for the season? B-

A cup final would boost any of the above by two grades.

Edited 29 December, 2015 by nta786

[Pamplemousse]

I'm hoping for new signings in the new year to reinvigorate our squad and our season. We can still finish as high as we did last season IMO and there's no reason we can't reach the FA Cup Final, given that a very poor Villa side did it last season.

[benjii]

It's mainly frustrating that our poorest season for quite a while has come in the weakest premier league. Keep a couple of players, invest well and it could be us doing what Spurs are right now.

 

I don't really know what we can do with this squad right now. Too many expensive players who wouldn't fetch much money elsewhere. Pelle doesn't score enough, Long never has, midfield misses chances every game, defence makes more mistakes, Stek doesn't make saves.

 

BUT, it wouldn't take a huge amount to turn it round and inject some hope. A big signing, a show of intent from the board, that it's about more than profit, just 1 signing. Add Forster and Rodriguez and things look a lot healthier. Tadic/Rodriguez/Mane would be a good direct forward 3 who can all swap positions. That for me, would leave the important signing being a creative goalscorer who can play in front of Wanyama and Clasie or Romeu.

 

I agree exactly with your first paragraph.

 

The club itself talked about "being in the right position if one of the big boys slips up". Well, this is the weakest Premier League I can remember and we are in the bottom half.

 

Obviously we will have good and bad seasons so it's not time to moan and wail but it's quite legitimate to point out that we seem to lack intensity and desire compared to last season and, aside from the Arsenal match (in which they were awful) we haven't really had a notable performance all season.

 

We were awful in the biggest matches - Midgetland and Liverpool.

 

So, overall, a very poor season so far.

[Saint Charlie]

I agree exactly with your first paragraph.

 

The club itself talked about "being in the right position if one of the big boys slips up". Well, this is the weakest Premier League I can remember and we are in the bottom half.

 

Obviously we will have good and bad seasons so it's not time to moan and wail but it's quite legitimate to point out that we seem to lack intensity and desire compared to last season and, aside from the Arsenal match (in which they were awful) we haven't really had a notable performance all season.

 

We were awful in the biggest matches - Midgetland and Liverpool.

 

So, overall, a very poor season so far.

This.

[Give it to Ron]

This.

 

Do you ever post or start a positive thread - moan, nag moan your just like my missus without the occasional highlight.

Cripes I am glad you weren't about when we were really **** under the 2 Dutch jokers, Dodd and Gorman, Stuart Gray and that twitchy tw8t.

[Saint Charlie]

Nothing to worry about, unless you think that we should be in the top 6 every season. We're a mid-table team, you'd expect us to beat the teams below us and to lose to those above, on the whole

I don't expect top 6 any season, but am disappointed that a number of teams we were quite superior to last season have overtaken us over such a short time period.

 

We are mid table, but all those below us (Chelsea aside) are relegation candidates which isn't what anyone expected.

 

Les Reed said we would be there to capitalise when one of the big boys imploded - well this was the season and we have gone backwards considerably to the extent we can only beat the very poor sides in the league.

[Saint Charlie]

Do you ever post or start a positive thread - moan, nag moan your just like my missus without the occasional highlight.

Cripes I am glad you weren't about when we were really **** under the 2 Dutch jokers, Dodd and Gorman, Stuart Gray and that twitchy tw8t.

Its a factual thread.

 

People take things to heart too much.

 

Feel free to start a positive thread. Looks like your last one was well over 2 years ago.

[Give it to Ron]

Its a factual thread.

 

People take things to heart too much.

 

Feel free to start a positive thread. Looks like your last one was well over 2 years ago.

 

Yep because this forum isn't my life like yours where you come to nag and moan and groan, whinge and *****. Go on say something positive it won't hurt you.

We are a middle table club - some games will be great others rubbish. Our first eleven is fine - our bench contains no-one that can change a game. We have no leaders - until that's addressed we will always be that side.

Love you researching me so some stats to help - first game 1963, first away 1967 Skates 2 Saints 5 (Dean hat-tick), was a season ticket holder for 15 years until last 2 when the cost was too much and my lad went to uni. Travelled to games to Crewe, Blackpool, Plymouth, Dagenham and Redbridge as well as occasional Prem games and loved going to those grounds rather than the plastic, prima donna fans you get in the Prem.

Still go every now and then and it hurts when we lose but realised there are more important things in life now.

[Lets B Avenue]

Love you researching me so some stats to help - first game 1963, first away 1967 Skates 2 Saints 5 (Dean hat-tick).

 

PEDANT ALERT!!

 

1966. Feb 5th. My first away also.

[Give it to Ron]

PEDANT ALERT!!

 

1966. Feb 5th. My first away also.

Cripes this age thing is getting to me....I did see Norman a few years ago working at Staplewood.

[Batman]

we are an alright side

we are around the level of norwich, bournemouth and WBA for 12th-15th place finish

 

Luckily for us. No real major threat of relegation IMO

Villa, Sunderland will both go down. That leaves about 6-8 sides for 1 spot

Edited 29 December, 2015 by Batman

[Give it to Ron]

we are an alright side

we are around the level of norwich, bournemouth and WBA for 12th-15th place finish

 

Luckily for us. No real major threat of relegation IMO

Villa, Sunderland will both go down. That leaves about 6-8 sides for 1 spot

 

4 wins and 3 draws will be plenty and we have enough quality to get that .

Complete re-appraisal required on what the club is doing IMO.

We need to strengthen the youth by buying from other clubs to get us enough time to get our good youngsters through the next batch.

 

New right back, leader in midfield and scoring pace up top and we are back in the top ten.

[Batman]

4 wins and 3 draws will be plenty and we have enough quality to get that .

Complete re-appraisal required on what the club is doing IMO.

We need to strengthen the youth by buying from other clubs to get us enough time to get our good youngsters through the next batch.

 

New right back, leader in midfield and scoring pace up top and we are back in the top ten.

agree. But that is pretty much what we needed the summer just gone.

 

[davefoggy]

we are an alright side

we are around the level of norwich, bournemouth and WBA for 12th-15th place finish

 

Luckily for us. No real major threat of relegation IMO

Villa, Sunderland will both go down. That leaves about 6-8 sides for 1 spot

 

Its exactly this type of complacency from players/board/fans alike that will get us dragged into a relegation scrap. Since when were we too good to go down? Just cos we finished top ten last season??

Can you imagine the likes of Tadic and Gaston in a relegation fight?? Frightens me, as we don't have the fighting spirit of other teams. Look at yesterdays game, was so obvious when W Ham scored one they would go on and win it. Same with Leicester at home, they got one and you just knew the second was coming. Bournemouth didnt have anyone able to put the ball in the back of the net otherwise they would have rolled us over also.

While the Aresnal result was fantastic it was without doubt a freak result and the worrying signs are there for all to see.

In Jan we MUST invest in a proven RB, a frontman (charlie austin would do) and a creative midfielder and get Stek out as he is merely a spectator whenever we concede. If we dont i am seriously worried. West Ham were a very poor side yesterday with lots of players out but the way we gave up in the second half doesnt bode well at all.

[Give it to Ron]

agree. But that is pretty much what we needed the summer just gone.

 

The signings just haven't worked out am afraid - Clasie starting to show - I will never understand the Martina one though.

A full back who is better in the 90 English clubs shouldn't be hard with the resources we have.

Jayrod was going to be like a new signing but seems to be struggling again - Juanmi maybe in time but we need now with Jayrod down again.

So in short if we recruit well in January which isn't easy we could push on and get top ten again but if the wallet is closed ...hhmm.

Fresh legs and pace required in the team will help bring on the others and assist our style. If I am greedy then a winger would be good to change our play every now and then when we can't unlock sides.

On paper our squad looked stronger this year but it's not worked yet - just like many other sides. Zaha, Fellaini, Memphis for Man Utd big signings never made it.

[CB Fry]

Its exactly this type of complacency from players/board/fans alike that will get us dragged into a relegation scrap. Since when were we too good to go down? Just cos we finished top ten last season??

Can you imagine the likes of Tadic and Gaston in a relegation fight?? Frightens me, as we don't have the fighting spirit of other teams. Look at yesterdays game, was so obvious when W Ham scored one they would go on and win it. Same with Leicester at home, they got one and you just knew the second was coming. Bournemouth didnt have anyone able to put the ball in the back of the net otherwise they would have rolled us over also.

While the Aresnal result was fantastic it was without doubt a freak result and the worrying signs are there for all to see.

In Jan we MUST invest in a proven RB, a frontman (charlie austin would do) and a creative midfielder and get Stek out as he is merely a spectator whenever we concede. If we dont i am seriously worried. West Ham were a very poor side yesterday with lots of players out but the way we gave up in the second half doesnt bode well at all.

 

We are too good to go down because we are too good to go down.

 

That's not complacency.

 

We need about 14 points from half a season to not go down, basically dreadful relegation form for half a season from now, and even if we only achieved that, we probably still wouldn't go down as other teams still need to get to 38 too.

 

12th at the half way stage is not relegation form so it's not complacency to dare to suggest we're not in a relegation scrap right now. We're closer to eighth than the bottom three.

 

And why would we be relying on Gaston Ramirez in a relegation fight? You've noticed he hardly ever plays, right?

[saintalan]

Given we are 12th, is this stat that unsurprising?

 

This!

 

Accepting the factuality of the thread (& previous), I cant quite see the logic. If all our wins had been against top 13 would we be arguing we are not beating teams below?

[simo]

You dont get any extra points for beating top teams !

[niceandfriendly]

You dont get any extra points for beating top teams !

 

Since when?

[eddie]

What sort of weirdo modern football fan gives his team a half term grade.

 

an argentinian one?

they have two leagues, half as long as the premier league each

 

there's a champion at the end of each mini season

 

those crazy argentinians

[VectisSaint]

You dont get any extra points for beating top teams !

 

This is very true. In fact in a fight to avoid relegation it is much more important to beat the teams below you. Not losing against Norwich is important. The Arsenal win though was important , it means we now need only 16 points to stay up, though its possible 18th place could be more than 40 points this year. 16 points from 19 games would seem to be achievable. But does tend to indicate how poor we have been this season compared to the last 2 seasons. We have seriously regressed.

[eddie]

an argentinian one?

they have two leagues, half as long as the premier league each

 

there's a champion at the end of each mini season

 

those crazy argentinians

 

ah. apparently that whole system stopped a couple of years ago

 

you should google their new league system. credit where credits due if you can actually understand it

[Saint Charlie]

We have seriously regressed.

 

It seems that way. But you are a WUM to point it out IMO.

[Jonnyboy]

we are an alright side

we are around the level of norwich, bournemouth and WBA for 12th-15th place finish

 

Luckily for us. No real major threat of relegation IMO

Villa, Sunderland will both go down. That leaves about 6-8 sides for 1 spot

 

We are around the level of Bournemouth?!!

 

Depressing if true.

[bazza]

The fact is we're not as good as we have been in recent seasons: Leicester, Palace, West Ham, Watford & Stoke all seem to have leapfrogged us; out of Europe early; and an embarrassing exit from the League Cup. Disappointing really but it shows how far the club has come to be feeling uninspired by 12th place in the Premier League. Onwards & upwards, hopefully!