Recent improvement in attitude

Archers, I think you know I admit when I get it wrong....

Gaston, Clasie.... Salah this season. I’ll argue the toss like a terrier but I do admit when I’m wrong.

It is there in black and white what I said.

Nobody is right or wrong yet. We’ve had three and a half good games and seem to be heading in the right direction... which sort of suggests my commment about giving people
time was right

During the discussions around that time, I was getting frustrated (mainly with Ian) that people wanted to give MP2 time that they hadn’t given Puel. They both should have had time and I am glad MP2 is getting that time. If he continues with the current way, then my instinct at that time would have been wrong.

Long way to go.

 

I'm certain he knows all that mate.

 

I can't remember his exact words, but Puel recently said that there was something wrong at Saints....probably connected with the dragged out take over. The team certainly didn't play as you would expect from a good squad of players at the end of Puel's reign and the beginning of MP2's. It may sound simplistic to suggest that a kick up the pants would change things to any great extent, but I do think the team has been painting by numbers...everyone doing their part but no more. The recent little upturn in performances may have shown them that what can be achieved with that extra 10%. Some success raises their spirits and then (hopefully) more success follows. It's not just the lack of success that upsets fans....it is knowing that the team is capable of more and not seeing it. What we are seeing now is what happens when each player takes responsibility for themselves and the team gets lifted from their lethargy. Belief can be the twelfth man.

 

Put the shovel down Fats.

That slight tugging sensation you may have felt on your leg? That was me.

 

Sounds plausible and fair play to Les if true. He also needs a kick up the backside although I know it's been mentioned he is top of the chain and nobody is really in a position to do this.

 

But "best of the rest" isn't some accolade to throw about, it can, and has, changed hands very often. The difference between "the rest" is very small and all it takes is one bad transfer window (or another team having a very good one) and you can be overtaken into the coveted 8th place. With the amount of money every established club has floating around any team could feasibly finish 8th, but they would still probably be closer to getting relegated than breaking the top 6 (team wise, if not points wise if that makes sense).

 

Oh and I voted IN at the time as I simply couldn't think of another manager off the top of my head that I wanted, and thought if we were to sack him then it would be a sign that we would be going for one of the classic Allardyce appointments.

I voted IN for a more "we probably won't go down so just let him see out the season then re-assess"

 

Sacking a manager after one season that veered from acceptable (league position) to great (cup final) was really not saintly...we must have had delusions we were Man United! MP2 has a virtual get out of jail free card....he was never going to get sacked unless we seriously flirted with relegation. And even then the club would want to appoint a possible long term manager rather than a sticking plaster one (and how many of them are available). We had lost collective oomph in the team....hopefully they have found it (though life is rarely that simple). We need a reasonable season and some stability in the managerial position allowing for the arrival in the summer of missing cogs in our engine.

And that is also what I hoped for with Puel...if he'd been given a good summer we would probably have had a better start to this season....and if not, we would at least have known that Puel wasn't for us. People who forget their past are doomed to relive it.

 

Absolutely Fats. We are discussing whether the manager should stay now that a third party came in and tore strips off the whole playing and managing squad. By definition that means they were doing a less than satisfactory job. Nobody should be saying mp2 has actually turned anything around yet.

I was convinced he wasn't the right man for the job, I'm now not convinced, but I may be giving him credit where it should go to the senior management at the club. I'll re-evaluate after 24 games, seems fair to me.

 

B#%tard... do you want your hook back?

 

That a meeting was needed was obvious. That it had taken place was also obvious and was subsequently confirmed by players after the Everton game. However, if Vin is correct in who instigated it and what the content was then my own conclusions were certainly wrong. I had it pegged as a frank discussion between MP and the players where ultimately an agreement was reached on putting our pedestrian approach to the sword.

By the way, if it was Les and it was indeed a roasting then I don't think any criticism of him is particularly fair. He's recruited staff to behave and conduct themselves professionally. Potentially they were not. After his intervention they now are. It doesn't exactly point to poor recruitment per se now does it?

 

Could have been a bit of both....after a meeting with Les, I can imagine MP2 calling the team together and having a discussion about the way forward.

 

To quote Kat we only want what is best for the Club, what we want isn't always right though.

 

So, if the meeting happened, and the improvement is down to Les giving the club a collective kick up the arse, what does that say about MP2s powers of motivation?
Was it beyond him to get the team up for it?

 

Maybe, maybe not.

Sometimes it needs someone higher to put things into perspective.

If for example players were playing up and thought that MP2 had no say, then maybe LR just pointed out in no uncertain terms that MP2 does, and what he says goes. He may have reiterated that if MP2 says someone is out, they are out. All of a sudden those players may start to listen a bit more to MP2.

 

This is more or less what I was thinking.

 

I have enjoyed a glass or two of wine with Italian friends and they drink in moderation and drink plenty of water with it. I therefore think suggestions that it is Gabbi are wide of the mark.

 

Yeah, I can go with that.

 

Yeah, I'm sure there are no Italian pissheads. Or druggies. Or hooligans.