That's the 64 million dollar question. Maybe Gao fancies watching us win the Championship next season?
We also took out a loan with MacQuarrie not long after the summer window closed. So perhaps every bit of liquidity Gao had outside out China went into buying the club.
I don't know, either. If it's in the filing, my eyes glaze over before I get to the relevant bits (it's the 'registration of charge' on Sept 27): https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/00053301/filing-history
I've just finished watching the game and it was absolutely not the disaster we have seen at times this season. Needless to say first half we were very good, energetic, and co-ordinated. Ward Prowse was generally excellent and Tadic had a blinder. Watching just re-inforces that we shouldn't be in this position. Yet we are. 2nd half I thought we were coping very well until about the 60th minute. Tadic, Bertrand, Long and Prowse all started to look weary and our attacks lacked any of the danger we had in the first 45. Watford's lofted long balls caused Hoedt problems he looked flustered and a lot more ragged. Generally Watford just out muscled and outfought us. Up until the 60th I thought MP2 had it under control, Lemina sub was bang on. However, the signs were there that the players needed some re-inforcements from 60 and once again MP2 did nothing at all. we were coping ok defensively but there was nowhere to go from where we were. Obviously MP2 knew what he needed to do - bring on Boufal and Sims to inject some energy up front and push Watford back but he lacked the courage to do it until it was too late once again. How they got away with the handball is amazing but that happens. We were Robbed, MP2 was robbed even though he should have done better. We need the guts and commitment that was on display first half. Loads of respect to JWP for his 3 goals in 2 games. I really like Stephens, he seems to me to be a great footballer, very good on the ball every game, with a bit more experience I hope will be a key player. Hoedt is a bit too erratic for me at the moment, needs to settle in some more. Bertrand has gone off the boil in the last third of a few games this year - lacking commitment maybe. Once again Lemina looked the business on the ball, he's a great signing. Not a bad performance overall. Cheated out of it at the end.
Yesterdays performance made things seem brighter. We really needed that win and we were so close to it that I think everyone overlooked the generally good game we played. A few have said that we can't use the handball at the end as an excuse but I disagree. They had to cheat to nick it in the 90th minute and they got away with it. It happens but I say we SHOULD focus on that and use that as an excuse. Its a win to me so looking to the next game we are on a winning run
I actually think he nailed the team selection today, they all contributed something important in the first 60. Once again its his reluctance to change the game that lets him down - just as you say.
I think that MP2 has lacked belief in the squad since he arrived. He has said many times that 'they' weren't ready to play. I think he has very fixed ideas and struggles to see outside of those. Hence his insistence on playing the same line-ups repeatedly despite poor results. Hence not playing Boufal or Austin until it was as plain as the nose on his face that he could. And I think that's what is hindering his substitutions, he doesn't have faith that bringing on Boufal or Sims will win him the game. He's fixed on what's in front of him and afraid to take what he sees as a risk. I think he's joined a team he didnt know, wasn't prepared for or ready to manage and has struggled to get to grips with it and I think that has trickled down through every aspect of our play. When MP1 arrived he seemingly had faith in everyone and everything. It was a garden of roses. MP2, its like he wants them all to start over from scratch or something.
As long as he's in charge of the team we have to cling to whatever we can. I'm honestly not beyond imagining an upswing in form, I really want him to get it right and deliver some results because its about Saints not MP2. Things can get better and maybe they will, with a bit of luck and some belief we could still be PL at the end of the season.
I'm still clinging to the thought that there are worse teams than us in the division - unfortunately one of them is West Brom, and they won yesterday. 3 points at Watford would have been such a boost.
Away all day yesterday and only just seen the highlights. Not read through all the thread and I haven't got anything significant to add that probably hasn't already been said. Seems we werner desperately unlucky, not our worst performance of the season and the same old scenario of conceding late. MP obviously coming in for criticism but the players on the pitch need to stand up and be counted. We are in a sh1t relegation battle and this is no time to hide. They are all in this together and need to show some guts. Still an unjust result and done enough to have fairly won the game.
We would have won apart from a bad decision about a handball....we can take from that that we are capable of winning a game, but someone at the club has tripped over a black cat whilst walking under a ladder carrying a large mirror.
They could say the same about their penalty. That handball is no excuse for throwing away a two goal lead
Was it a blatant penalty?? From what I saw there was a pull on the shirt but that happens week in, week out and I would say rightly or wrongly 80% not given. We were cheated out of the win, and a small part of me feels sorry for mp on that.
Stuart Burt can leave the dungeon and return to his family. Now, whats the name of the new chump on the line?
