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Vital Time of the Season

Discussion in 'Southampton' started by Brixham Saint, Jan 2, 2017.

  1. Brixham Saint

    Brixham Saint Well-Known Member

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    IMHO we are now at a defining point of the Premier League Season.

    There have been many comments on here about the style of football, rotation etc etc, and comparisons to our like for like league position from last season. Around the same time last season many were questioning RK's position at the club, and in fairness he turned things around spectacularly. I think it would be unfair to expect Puel to quite match those of last season, however we have a very similar run of games coming up over the next several weeks.

    Last Season: Norwich (a) L / Watford (h) W / W'Brom (h) W / Man Utd (a) W / Arsenal (a) D / W'Ham (h) W / Swansea (a) W . 16 points from a possible 21.

    This Season: Everton (a) / Burnley (a) / Leicester (h) / Swansea (a) / W'Ham (h) / Sunderland (a) / Arsenal (h).

    If we can pick up 10/11 points, then I think this would be enough to at least give Puel until the end of the season, however if we only pick up 5/6 points, then he will be in trouble?
     
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  2. Dark Lord SFC

    Dark Lord SFC Well-Known Member

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    The main difference between the two seasons is simply goals, we sold 25+ goals in Mane and Pelle and brought in ...... well? Redman who at best half a dozen.
    As simple as that, we are over playing in our build up because it's no us slinging in an early cross as we haven't got the players waiting for it.
    It's no great science.......no new striker, lower mid table finish, discontented fans, dropping attendances and more pressure on Puel
     
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  3. fran-MLs little camera

    fran-MLs little camera Well-Known Member

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    We had a very strong second half to the season in 2015/16....I cannot see that happening this season. One...because it would be pretty rare to happen twice and two.....we don't seem to have settled in as a team and lack game changers. The team should be familiar with Puel by now and, although not exciting, should be churning out results. The points on the board suggest we are average to ok and that is what I expect in the second half. Unless there is a team riot, I cannot see us sacking Puel (as Brixham suggests if we do poorly). I cannot see us flirting with relegation and a knee jerk reaction isn't really the way we work. It would be interesting to get in the players heads....are they blaming the manager or are they furious with themselves or a bit of both.
     
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  4. Beddy

    Beddy Plays the percentage

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    The biggest disappointment for me this season is that we don't appear to have a striker that can turn half chances into goals. Austin rarely does that. Pelle used to, Jay is just not up to that at the moment. While we have had the odd wonder goal we really haven't had anyone that can terrorise defences. We have pace without craft our build up is chronically slow and is mainly defensive. While Puel has had the odd success I am still not sure he is the right manager for a premier league club. Losing is not my problem, it is how we lose that is causing concern for me. We seem to have lost our sparkle in most games.
    That for me is down to tactics, the guys clearly are not in favour of this so called diamond and seem not to be able to express their natural abilities.
    Sorry guys.......that is just how I am seeing things. Saints are really getting me down by not squashing all these rumours of our best players leaving. It doesn't matter if its mid season or end of season.......stop the bloody exodus saints or we are going nowhere.......ok rant over........COYS
     
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  5. Missing Lambo

    Missing Lambo Well-Known Member

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    It's impossible to not agree with you in the main. I too am a very frustrated fan. Getting home twice on the trot after 10 hour round trips when you've seen such toothless displays does lead me to question my sanity (and if I don't my missus certainly does!).

    However, I do like Puel. I think he is trying to build something at Saints and do what we have always wanted in using our home-grown talent. The problem is deeper than the name on the manager's door and formations. Talk of Chinese takeovers lead to the suspicion that there is some sort of political agenda behind the failure to replace Pelle and Mane. Now there is talk of Virgil going. Without doubt he is one of the best signings we've ever made, and I don't care if we're offered £100m we don't want him to go now. Not just because he is such a great player, but because of the message it sends - Saints in meltdown cashing in on one of their few assets.

    I don't know what's happening at Board level, and probably never will. If Puel goes he'll be a scapegoat. And I can't see many proven managers rushing to take his place, so we'll end up with an unknown or a known failure.

    So I'm off to Goodison today to support my team with my usual red and white specs. I probably won't read the papers tomorrow, but I shan't be screaming for a change of manager.
     
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  6. garysfc

    garysfc Well-Known Member

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    Totally agree with all your comments Beddy. I've been wanting to write something similar but whenever I started constructing in my head, it just went on & on & on .... without real focus, all rather sideways & backwards & without any real penetration. Sadly all rather deju vu <doh>
     
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  7. ChilcoSaint

    ChilcoSaint What a disgrace
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    I just can't see us failing to sign a striker in this window. If we do, and Virgil stays, and Jose stays, then the board will have answered some of the questions we are asking. I personally don't blame Puel for our current run of form: it really isn't his fault we can't score goals, and that is the main reason we are where we are. I hear what people say about our tactics, but if we had a target man up front then we would naturally play a different way. With Charlie out there is no focus in attack, no one to hold the ball up while runners set off, no one to occupy defenders while others come into the box. We need a striker at the moment more than we have for years beyond count.

    If, on the other hand, we sign no one, and either or both of Virgil and Jose leave, then I and all the other happy clappers will have to admit we have a big problem.
     
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  8. Le Tissier's Laces

    Le Tissier's Laces Well-Known Member

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    Apparently we've faced less shots and had more shots than at this stage last year (by some distance). That suggests the problem lies in the quality of player more than the quality of manager.
     
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  9. SouthamptonFCroatia

    SouthamptonFCroatia Well-Known Member

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    He's got to take some (imo a lot) of the blame; otherwise it's like stating that managers have no effect on the play and it's just about the players.
     
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  10. ChilcoSaint

    ChilcoSaint What a disgrace
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    As I said, Puel didn't decide we had enough of a strike force all by himself. I wouldn't mind betting he was told to see how things go until January. It could have worked, but Redmond, Long, and Rodriguez haven't scored enough, despite getting plenty of chances, and Austin got injured. So that's why I think we'll see someone coming in.
     
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  11. fran-MLs little camera

    fran-MLs little camera Well-Known Member

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    No manager turns down having more good players. Puel was told what to expect and he accepted it to get a good job in the EPL....probably the same reason why Koeman was reluctant to sign a contract extension. We were a good team last year, but lost three of our better players. I'm sure the intention was to replace them, but, for one reason or another, we ended up light of a striker or, at the very least, an exciting attack-minded MF or two. I don't think you can point a finger at any of our new players, but the mix hasn't worked. I think any of them would have been good with our previous sides, but none are exciting enough to be the answer to a manager's prayers. The real question is...is there a player that we need available now? There is certainly no point in signing another pretty decent player...the Black Box has to throw us up a reasonably-priced genius. Good luck with that.
     
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  12. thereisonlyoneno7

    thereisonlyoneno7 Well-Known Member

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    I will admit, this self confessed 'Happy Clapper', 'Glass half full' poster is beginning to wane in his enthusiasm.

    Is it Puel? Maybe, but probably not
    Is it the Board. Again maybe. The problem I see is that after all the good the board has done over the years and the trust we have (had) in them, it feels dirty to me blaming the board. But, ask me on Feb the 1st and I may feel different.
     
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  13. Dark Lord SFC

    Dark Lord SFC Well-Known Member

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    The silence from the board, especially the usually very talkative RK is defening at the moment
     
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  14. fatletiss

    fatletiss Well-Known Member

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    That's a nice line DL, but what do you mean? Puel is on his last moments? The Board should be making a statement?

    The silence maybe deafening if it is Feb 1st and nothing has happened during January.
     
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  15. King Grimlock

    King Grimlock Well-Known Member

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    Still wouldnt hurt for them to acknowledge that it's not quite running to plan and that they have a strategy in place.
     
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  16. Dark Lord SFC

    Dark Lord SFC Well-Known Member

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    A hell of a lot can happen in a few weeks as we have seen in December. From where I am sitting:
    - The fans are beginning to revolt
    - Fonte kicking up trouble
    - Constant rumours about VVD
    - Lack of available strikers & goals
    - Poor results/performances
    - Manager under severe pressure
    - More rumours about dodgy Chinese syndicates sniffing around

    I would like to see RK &/or LR come out and address some or all of these otherwise things might get a bit messy
     
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  17. fatletiss

    fatletiss Well-Known Member

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    I actually disagree. If you tell people things aren't going well, then they'll believe it and take on a more negative view. Without doubt, negativity breeds negativity. (We know it isn't anyway)

    I don't believe that thousands of grown-ups need a statement from their football club to tell them things aren't going well. Surely not? We're not a bunch of kids. It's actually a little embarrassing if people really need that.
     
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  18. fatletiss

    fatletiss Well-Known Member

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    I'm a believer that you don't need to say anything until there is something to say.
     
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  19. Dark Lord SFC

    Dark Lord SFC Well-Known Member

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    Totally agree however if they are not addressing some or all of the issues then we really are in trouble.
    I actually have faith in the board that many of these are in hand and feel a strong positive message would plicat fans and players.
    Uncertainty is a real enemy
     
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  20. fatletiss

    fatletiss Well-Known Member

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    It maybe that they have no uncertainty, which is my point. We don't know, we're the fans. As I said earlier. We've had one horrific week, following 4 months of some good some bad, following 6 years of incredible progress.... the big picture may still look very pleasing for the club/board and they may just be relaxed and keeping an eye on things a little more closely at the moment.

    There is no need to throw the baby out with the bath water... not yet anyway.

    Personally, I think a strong positive message would be ridiculed!
     
    #20
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