Yeah, Hudds actually was a bit embarassing - late in the second half when we eventually sang OWTS slow, their home fans actually started laughing and cheering us for singing.... There Saturday, Selhurst usually a good atmosphere so hopefully we can get behind the lads!
I'm not sure I buy all this away stuff tbh, if anything think it might suit him more with less pressure etc. Wouldn't be too against Long starting to be honest. Whatever we do we need to stop playing infront of teams and try to turn defences towards their own goal.
This is a worry I have. I don't think the fans have any sort of allegiance to the current players and therefore the team. Morgan was the last player I felt admiration for and regarded as a hero. The rest will be here for five minutes and will be gone. The players and the fans must find a way of re-engaging or the spirit will have gone from this club. It is important that the club is run successfully as a business but it is more than that. It must have a heart and a soul. At the moment it doesn't. As a consequence I find myself nostalgic for those great battling and fiercely loyal sides who played at the Dell. We no longer have players we love and admire. We need a few players as loyal as Jason Dodd, Francis Benali, Matty etc. At the moment I am beginning to admire Yoshida for his loyalty but feel any of the others could be gone at a moments notice.
I agree with a lot of what you write here Chilcs but there could be a situation where we can't afford to give him a year. Hoping it doesn't come to thar obviously (and don't think it will!) but if things were to go really sour it would be interesting to see how long the board give him to turn it round. I'm more concerned about the lack of identity and seeing what it is that's trying to be implemented ar the moment than results/performances but am confident it will come.... Hopefully sooner rather than later
Nail, head. Completely right Don, which is why the atmosphere was better with 10k less in league one Though I do think there's been a change in the fan base too and we've become some of the most self entitled supporters in the country.
Gota try something different, I'd be going with: Forster Cedric Stephens Hoedt Bertrand Davis Romeu Lemina Boufal Gabbi Long
Interesting to see a lot of people thinking we should turn to Long for our lack of goals, when a few weeks ago it was 50/50 for fans wanting to cash in because he didn't offer/score enough!
Unfortunately them days is gone. I haven't felt quite the same since the exodus when Rickie lallana et al left. As others have mentioned we need our identity back. A few seasons of challenging for top6/7 may make a few stick around. If MP2 makes a go of it it would help if he stays.
I don't necessarily think we should turn to long so much. More wouldn't be against it. For what it's worth, I'd probably go: Cedric Maya Hoedt Bertrand Romeu Lemina Redmond JWP Boufal Gabbi Only other thing id be tempted to do is drop Gabbi back for JWP and play Austin up top, reckon Gabbi got the qualities to play that role.
Must admit , I was a season ticket holder in L1 , the Championship & the first two seasons back in the PL . Not been to a game since , I take an interest , but don't enjoy anything like I used to . I still miss the Dell !
Thought so, though at the same time I'm not sure if I want to move our most potent threat further away from goal! I do think he could be that link though like I say, no matter who plays we have to try and turn defences, playing everything in front of them is just so so easy to defend against.
I agree, recent history shows that the board won't exercise much patience with MP2 if we start languishing in the nether regions of the PL. After all, Claude got us to 8th place and a cup final and they still sacked him, so you wonder what the expectations are for his successor! The problem lies with the fans I think, they just aren't going to put up with much more of the rubbish that was served up last Saturday, and if they start booing the team the way they did towards the end of last season who knows what could happen. I'm with you, I really like to think things will turn the corner soon. It would be a typically Saints thing to lose to Palace and then thump Man U next week!
Forster, Cedric, Stephens, Hoedt, Bertrand, Romeu, Lemina, Gabbiadini, Ward-Prowse, Redmond, Austin. Play Gabbiadini on the RW where he scored 20 goals in 50 odd games there in Serie A. Cant hurt to try something different...
