**** me, people blaming Pellegrino? It's ****ing clear our attacking players just aren't up to it. Same as with Puel. (Redmond, Tadic, Boufal are just not good enough). Playing 2 strikers isn't going to solve the problem - they're still not going to get any ****ing service with those 3 behind them. It's a personnel problem, not a formation problem.
Not seen the game, or even listened to it, so difficult to comment on the game. I was at Watford and there was no style or shape or energy. I watched Palace and thought we were improved without being great. United we were energetic second half and looked good. I'm wondering if we need to stop the instruction to play a certain way from the club and let the coach stamp his own style. I'm beginning to feel football has moved on from Saints and we need to change our style. It might be time to stop being nice with a change to aggressive and more pressing. Against Watford we didn't hunt as a team. Perhaps we need to be doing that again.
I think Pelegrino needs to try something different just because it clearly did not work today. But ultimately I don't see how putting in JWP or Boufal and/or swapping sides for the wingers or any other sort of shuffling is going to change anything, unfortunately. We will have better days than this, but ultimately our attack just kind of sucks.
Good chance it doesn't fix anything, but let's at least see some different personnel groupings together. Start Boufal at the 10. Play Tadic on the left. Play Gabbiadini on the right, with Long up top. Maybe it doesn't work at all, but we don't know yet. We definitely know that what we have been using doesn't.
I remember being so confused at looking how Ron set us up against Watford. Targett at LWB? Bertrand at CB? Long as the focal point of the attack? I thought he was off his head, and could not see it working. Was he playing for 0-0 at home to Watford? We won 2-0, went on a great run, and qualified for Europe. (By the way, off topic somewhat, but there was a poll on here prior to that game about whether Ron should be sacked. Now that is having a meltdown, not today's reaction). Some people - particular those who think Ron is yet another devil, along with Lallana, Lovren and co - might say that Ron got lucky. I don't really care whether he did or he didn't. The fact is he tried something different. And it worked. Luck, judgement, whatever, it worked.
On more cheerier notes, my mate just sent me this: He's at a birthday party in Northampton! Wish I was there.
I’m not blaming the manager but that is bollocks. I get pissed off when people blame Boufal. **** it, I blame the ball boys, they’re given as much of a chance. The problem is a lack of creativity and imagination. Playing at Davis is part of the issue, as he’s not a 10. He receives the ball so much in attacking positions and plays it either side ways or back wards
It was a formation that played to the strengths of our personnel at that time, too. We had fullbacks with some defensive frailties but good crosses on them; we made them wingbacks. We had two very fast attackers who excelled in open space: we moved them closer together to allow us to hit quickly and make complementary runs. We had central mids who were calm on both sides, but not spectacular: we used them to choke off the centre of the pitch and retain possession while Mane/Long did the dangerous bits. I'd add another note: the Watford match wasn't the first where we used it, either. We deployed the back three with Mane/Long up top in the match previous, against Palace. We lost that one (and the team selection got slagged) but Koeman saw enough to work with that he stuck with it.
So, I arrive back home in the pissing rain, unpack, and settle down with a beer to catch up with Saints' brilliant win at Stoke. Thanks a bunch guys, thanks a ****ng bunch!
Do you not think this view is just as blinkered as the people (are there any?) purely blaming Pelligrino. It's not a black and white situation. Obviously we should have strengthened in attack, but we didn't, so now it's the job of the manager to get the best out of the players we do have. I think it's fair to say it's not worked thus far, so a change in the way we play/formation/personnel/position they are deployed, is needed as that's all that can be done until January.
I absolutely agree that everyone is entitled to argue that they know better than a proven international manager about tactics and formations, and despite having no first hand knowledge of the fitness, attitude and performance on the players training during the week, who should be selected. It's also perfectly ok to decide that the season is written off after 8 games. Anyone suggesting that this not allowed is totally wrong. It's always happened after any defeat, in my experience. Of course, you might get accused of overreacting, though. I am not happy with our performances either. I am unsure of the reasons why we are not doing better but I know that we have a new manager who has only had 8 games, our best player not with the squad and signings who are new the EPL. Time will tell how things pan out. To criticise Les Reed with expressions such as "he is happy to take the credit when things go well, but..." strike me as ridiculous. I have never heard him sounding boastful. And we have always been "a couple of good signings away from being a good side" If we still had MP1 in charge, I am sure that the football would be easier on the eye, but he only achieved 8th place with better players. For some perspective, I have just returned from a Country where over 100000 people have had to abandon their homes because of a likely volcanic eruption and they have no idea when or even whether they will be able to return.
Sorry CF, but I find it hard to suggest that "signings who are new to the EPL" are part of the issue, given that we only have two of them, and both have bedded in quite nicely. Almost every team in the PL has gotten more minutes from new signings than we have. We have fielded an attacking quartet with a wealth of experience: Redmond, Long, Davis and Tadic have combined for more than 500 starts in the Premier League alone. They're playing in a setup that should be exceedingly familiar to them. It isn't a matter of waiting for them to round into form: this is their form.
Well I did say that I wasn't sure why things have not got better and I don't disagree with the points you make, except to say that the squad is similar to last seasons so producing a massive improvement in the performance in a short period may be difficult.
Producing a massive improvement in a long period will probably be equally difficult with our personnel. I'm mostly hoping for a change in approach that'd allow for a marginal improvement now, followed by an overhaul of the squad that might allow for a long-term jump in goals tally.
Agree wholeheartedly. But Les works with what is given to him, just like the manager. Did we recruit badly or just too cheaply? I'm sure there are lots of bargains and hidden gems but generally you get what you pay for.
