The players: Out of confidence, out of position and lacking leadership & experience

[SaintJackoInHurworth]

There has been talk about how much our current malaise is the fault of the players. As I write Saints are losing 3-0 at half time to West Ham and some fans are already jumping on the bandwagon that says 'It's all the player's fault'. Now I'm not about to defend what sounds like a gutless first half performance but I think it is simplistic of some fans to now simply jump to this conclusion without a bit more analysis. I think there are a few things to be considered here:

 

1. These players are playing without confidence following the woeful mis-management of MoPe. Sadly, I'm not convinced instilling confidence is one of Mark Hughes' greater traits as a manager.

2. A number of these players are not being played in their best formation and best positions. Mark Hughes cannot be expected to suss that out immediately, but sadly time is against him and that is exactly what he is being asked to do. Many have commented that Tadic and Redmond should be swapped in position; to that we can add that Lemina is a good box-to-box player, but not a good holding player; similarly, Hojbjerg is also not a holding player.

3. We are lacking leaders on the pitch. Van Dijk provided that leadership and Romeu provides that leadership (but has been dropped to the bench by Hughes). The next best leader is Davis who is presumably injured.

4. We are lacking experience. We have so many younger players that it is hard for these players to draw on experience to help themselves. Romeu, Davis, Cedric, Bertrand and Long have experience, but we particularly need that experience in the middle and that is not where we have got it at present.

 

All-in-all, these players should be doing better, but many of them are far from the finished article. The failure to bring in a leader to replace Van Dijk has been a big mistake. Also, I fear that Mark Hughes may not be the man who can quickly get-to-grips with what we need to do in this situation. I don't want to criticize him too soon and we have got to get behind him and the players, but I can't help but feel that the club were wrongly resistant to appointing a manager who might have been better skilled in this circumstance.

 

As things stand as I write, it looks like our relegation is inevitable, but nevertheless, let's still get behind the side and see if there is any way we can cheer them on to a surprise against one of the bigger clubs.

[washsaint]

We are down.....the players are gutless and spineless with no fight in them. Hughes is a terrible manager and the Board have screwed up - mainly firing Puel and bringing in the clown Pellegrino.

 

Still supporters wanted puel out and got their wish...........

 

And if Puel lost some of the dressing room - well maybe those players should have been shipped out as they have shown themselves to be the spineless cowards they really are this season.

[Cartman]

Oh give over. What is the excuse for the 22 points from our final 21 games last season? Neither Puel nor Pellegrino were nobodies with a track record of failure when we hired them. Look at Schneiderlin after he got his big move, since handing out new contracts we have a whole squad of Schneiderlins and what is worse is that that attitude infects the new players that come in to the squad. Face it, this is the most dislikeable, mercenary, spineless bunch of cünts we have ever had, they are uncoachable.

[Badger]

We are down.....the players are gutless and spineless with no fight in them. Hughes is a terrible manager and the Board have screwed up - mainly firing Puel and bringing in the clown Pellegrino.

 

Still supporters wanted puel out and got their wish...........

 

And if Puel lost some of the dressing room - well maybe those players should have been shipped out as they have shown themselves to be the spineless cowards they really are this season.

 

It's the appointment of Pellegrino that has been the disaster, and refusing to get rid from December onwards that has been the root cause.

 

Hughes would not have been a choice pre-season, but given Muppet Reed's trademark dithering there was probably no realistic alternative.

[Useful Idiot]

Oh give over. What is the excuse for the 22 points from our final 21 games last season? Neither Puel nor Pellegrino were nobodies with a track record of failure when we hired them. Look at Schneiderlin after he got his big move, since handing out new contracts we have a whole squad of Schneiderlins and what is worse is that that attitude infects the new players that come in to the squad. Face it, this is the most dislikeable, mercenary, spineless bunch of cünts we have ever had, they are uncoachable.

 

This 100%. I genuinely hate this squad of players. They always seem to look for excuses instead of shouldering any responsibility and fold under the slightest hint of pressure.

[saint1977]

What can you do. VVD is world class and was appalling for us this season. Bertrand is an experienced international and excellent defender and he's been largely dreadful. Cedric is a euros winning experienced and previously top level performer, he's been absolutely dire.

 

Individuals mean little. You'd take organisation and fight over talent in a relegation fight every time. You do see managers come down and immediately bring confidence and form, but its rare. Plus, Hughes has never done that anywhere.

 

Just got to get on with it now. Sort out who we might be able to keep financially, who might actually be willing to drop down and play for us in the Championship otherwise start looking for the best prices we can get. Will be an extremely busy summer.

 

People will bang on about players not being good enough but most the bottom half of the premier league is dross and most our squad have performed at high levels somewhere. I'd expect the following to leave: Forster, Cedric, Pied, Hoedt, Bertrand, Targett (to Fulham as they overtake us), Romeu, Hojbjerg, Lemina, Tadic, Boufal, Redmond, JWP, Gabbiadini, Carrillo.

 

That said, personally if we had Long/Austin/Sims up front in that league i'd be pretty happy.

 

Well said, would keep McCarthy, Yoshida, Targett, McQueen, Sims, Charlie, Long - and that’s all for Championship next year. Rest of them I have no interest in whatsoever. Bring Gallagher back, will at least work hard. 20 odd in and 20 odd out - Gao needs to find a new head of football now and get rid of Reed and Wilson. Can’t see club being proactive whatsoever though.

 

Hope the fans that have been going all season and last to watch the diabolical dross under Puel, Pellegrino and Reed enjoy Wembley, least they deserve. After that, best to empty the stadium for rest of this term and let the players have a horrible experience of silence before they pocket their signing on fees at new clubs with their reptile agents.

[spyinthesky]

Probably the most pathetic take. Stick with something average in case you get worse!

 

Christ. No supporter picked the new manager, they were just fed up with awful football and a downward spiral of results. Reed fcking up twice is Reed's fault.

 

I think Puel/Pellegrino were definitely part of the problem but player recruitment (and to some part player development) has been very poor in recent times compared to our successful period

 

The club has wasted money by paying inflated transfer fees, and wages, for players that are wholly unsuited to Premiership (and possibly Championship) football and this has had an adverse affect on the existing players all of whom, apart from McCarthy, have suffered poor form as a consequence.