3 changes in the back 4, 3 mins that show you why not

[um pahars]

Marina crosses a ball in to row Z

 

Yoshida passes the ball to their centre forward

 

McQueen fccckus it up

 

For probably the only game we will win in this run of three, there is no way we should be pulling 3 out of 4 of the back four.

 

I've seen Saints lose many times over the last 40 years, never easy, but that's the team I follow and always will do, but I'm struggling to remember when we have set ourselves up so spectacularly to fail!

 

I knee jerked a few weeks back, but I don't think I was wrong. Puel may have come in off of the back of one transfer season too many, but he ain't helping himself. Poor tactics, poor team selections and dull as gfccuk football means it's not a happy new year for me.

[alpine_saint]

6 changes from the Spurs starting line-up. Over the half the team. It aint rocket science.

[Saint Martini]

Could be a consequence of us playing Spurs on the 28th whereas WBA played on boxing day.

[wadesmith]

Thinking about it if you INSIST on rotation then it's probably better to play your strongest team against weaker opposition..and your weaker team against stronger opposition..as statistically your more likely to lose those games anyway

[Graffito]

Could be a consequence of us playing Spurs on the 28th whereas WBA played on boxing day.

 

Having gone out of Europe we might have expected less rotation or even a settled team but we've been badly served by a combination of the fixture schedule and Sky TV giving us 3 matches in 6 days. Won't get any easier for a while, until we exit the cups.

[beatlesaint]

Having gone out of Europe we might have expected less rotation or even a settled team but we've been badly served by a combination of the fixture schedule and Sky TV giving us 3 matches in 6 days. Won't get any easier for a while, until we exit the cups.

 

only another 3 and a half weeks.......or two if Liverpool hammer us at home !

[vivasadio]

McQueen wasn't really to blame today, was quite decent

[um pahars]

Thinking about it if you INSIST on rotation then it's probably better to play your strongest team against weaker opposition..and your weaker team against stronger opposition..as statistically your more likely to lose those games anyway

 

I don't expect us to win every game and I was hoping for 3-5 pts from these 3 games, with a real hope that we could at least win at hope to WBA. So if I was going to tinker around as much as Puel is, then you're probably right in that I would be looking to put out the best team for the most winnable game. Fingers crossed a win at Everton will get us back on track, but if not then it's been a poor effort in recent games.

 

BUT for me the massive tinkering is the main cause of a number of problems I think I see out on the pitch.

 

1) No fluidity in our play.

Maybe it's the way the manager wants us to play, but it seems so disjointed and players don't know what each other are doing. Do players need a longer run in the team to get used to it?

 

2) Confidence.

We seem very fragile at the moment, is the chopping and changing one of the reasons for this?

 

3) Lack of team spirit

For most of the game we just looked like a ragtag collection of individuals. Players seem frustrated with each other and there seems to be little collectiveness out on the pitch. I hate to say it, but the last time I saw it was the 2004/5 season!!!

 

4) Lack of mental strength

Too many silly errors at crucial times, perhaps it's due to lack of match sharpness and not having any consistency in the team selection.

 

5) Players just don't look happy

Perhaps it's a good thing that they are looking a bit ****3d off given the results, but I think there's more in it than that. Forget the interviews for the programmes and the stage managed interviews for the Echo & others, I don't see a happy bunch out there at the minute? Are they playing for the manager?

 

Squad rotation only works for me if your squad is rammed with quality, interchangeable players who could easily replace each other, and even then I'd only be doing it sparingly and only when absolutely necessary. We haven't got such a depth of talent, plus we seem to be making wholesale changes almost for the sake of it.

 

And as I said in the first post, I think Puel is struggling from one transfer window too many and critical players not being replaced with those of similar ability, but he just isn't helping himself here.

[um pahars]

McQueen wasn't really to blame today, was quite decent

 

Im not really knocking individual players, more the issue with wholesale changes. McQueen ain't no Bertrand, but he's an OK replacement if he's the only change in the defensive unit.

[70's Mike]

I don't expect us to win every game and I was hoping for 3-5 pts from these 3 games, with a real hope that we could at least win at hope to WBA. So if I was going to tinker around as much as Puel is, then you're probably right in that I would be looking to put out the best team for the most winnable game. Fingers crossed a win at Everton will get us back on track, but if not then it's been a poor effort in recent games.

 

BUT for me the massive tinkering is the main cause of a number of problems I think I see out on the pitch.

 

1) No fluidity in our play.

Maybe it's the way the manager wants us to play, but it seems so disjointed and players don't know what each other are doing. Do players need a longer run in the team to get used to it?

 

2) Confidence.

We seem very fragile at the moment, is the chopping and changing one of the reasons for this?

 

3) Lack of team spirit

For most of the game we just looked like a ragtag collection of individuals. Players seem frustrated with each other and there seems to be little collectiveness out on the pitch. I hate to say it, but the last time I saw it was the 2004/5 season!!!

 

4) Lack of mental strength

Too many silly errors at crucial times, perhaps it's due to lack of match sharpness and not having any consistency in the team selection.

 

5) Players just don't look happy

Perhaps it's a good thing that they are looking a bit ****3d off given the results, but I think there's more in it than that. Forget the interviews for the programmes and the stage managed interviews for the Echo & others, I don't see a happy bunch out there at the minute? Are they playing for the manager?

 

Squad rotation only works for me if your squad is rammed with quality, interchangeable players who could easily replace each other, and even then I'd only be doing it sparingly and only when absolutely necessary. We haven't got such a depth of talent, plus we seem to be making wholesale changes almost for the sake of it.

 

And as I said in the first post, I think Puel is struggling from one transfer window too many and critical players not being replaced with those of similar ability, but he just isn't helping himself here.

 

Good summary i have been thinking 3 and 5 for a few weeks

been going to games for 55 years and used to losing more than we win, current generation of fans has not known many disappointments, this could all go tits up very quickly

[derry]

I don't care who is at fault but this is just about the most dismal, disjointed, dispirited, sterile, football played by a Saints team. 11 goals from play in 19 games says it all. Either Puel changes the way we play to high tempo pressing football or we should change Puel. The supporters were unhappy yesterday and unless the team does something to lift the crowd it won't be long before they turn on the manager and the team. That won't be pleasant but it may get a response when the board come under fire because listening yesterday it isn't far away.

[simo]

From Claudes protégé !

[um pahars]

I don't expect us to win every game and I was hoping for 3-5 pts from these 3 games, with a real hope that we could at least win at hope to WBA. So if I was going to tinker around as much as Puel is, then you're probably right in that I would be looking to put out the best team for the most winnable game. Fingers crossed a win at Everton will get us back on track, but if not then it's been a poor effort in recent games.

 

BUT for me the massive tinkering is the main cause of a number of problems I think I see out on the pitch.

 

1) No fluidity in our play.

Maybe it's the way the manager wants us to play, but it seems so disjointed and players don't know what each other are doing. Do players need a longer run in the team to get used to it?

 

2) Confidence.

We seem very fragile at the moment, is the chopping and changing one of the reasons for this?

 

3) Lack of team spirit

For most of the game we just looked like a ragtag collection of individuals. Players seem frustrated with each other and there seems to be little collectiveness out on the pitch. I hate to say it, but the last time I saw it was the 2004/5 season!!!

 

4) Lack of mental strength

Too many silly errors at crucial times, perhaps it's due to lack of match sharpness and not having any consistency in the team selection.

 

5) Players just don't look happy

Perhaps it's a good thing that they are looking a bit ****3d off given the results, but I think there's more in it than that. Forget the interviews for the programmes and the stage managed interviews for the Echo & others, I don't see a happy bunch out there at the minute? Are they playing for the manager?

 

Squad rotation only works for me if your squad is rammed with quality, interchangeable players who could easily replace each other, and even then I'd only be doing it sparingly and only when absolutely necessary. We haven't got such a depth of talent, plus we seem to be making wholesale changes almost for the sake of it.

 

And as I said in the first post, I think Puel is struggling from one transfer window too many and critical players not being replaced with those of similar ability, but he just isn't helping himself here.

 

Have to say that I am now mega worried about point (3) above now.

 

Players aren't playing for the manager, nor for each other. Will the banked 24 points be enough to see us through the second half of ththe season???

[S-Clarke]

There will clearly be a lack of team spirit and fludity in our play as it's never the same bunch, they're not able to build on the field relationships. I saw a clear rotation policy when we were going from league to EL, but now it just seems like a mess. No real reason, no real pattern to who gets rested. 6-7 changes per game isn't going to equal anything other than a few wins here and there but ultimatley a team lacking in any on the field relationships or partnerships.

 

My hope is that now we are out of this very unfiar period over christmas, we can find a team - our best team - stick with it and get some consistancy building. There's no reason for us to continue rotating in the 2nd half of the season.