Article: West Ham v Saints match thread Football Southampton

Your banter should be posted in an environment in which it would be deemed acceptable. We're all ****ing depressed at the moment, so perhaps it ain't the best time?

 

Clearly it does, because I count a few cheeky jokes, calling Adkins a physio, chuckling at our fairly hapless defence, joking about Lambert being left on the bench or making fun of the fact that dished out out record transfer fee on a player who played a few games and then got injured for six weeks with a dead leg, as harmless bits of light hearted banter, those are the kind of things I hear from my numerous non-Saints supporting friends.

Coming over here, lording it up, calling our manager useless and smug, and definitively telling us that we need to sack our manager and that our defence is laughable and both need to go or we'll be relegated, like you know more about our team than we do, and ironically considering your comments on Adkins, smugly stating you are a class above us and are 'too good for us'. That is not light-hearted banter, a few of them thrown in here and there in posts which were mostly made in jest, maybe, but all you've done is not make a few little jokes, but just act like a bit of a prat with a false sense of superiority.

 

You obviously didn't read my autograph at the bottom of the thread.

 

We've been promoted from the Championship with Adkins and relegated from the Premiership with Redknapp, does that answer your question?

 

So tell me what you don't agree with out of the highlighted statements? They all seem pretty much spot on to me.

We were a different side in the second half. And I do believe that was down to what Allardyce did at half time. Like him or not , he is a proven premier league manager and he was probably the difference. Last season I was reading comments on here that Allardyce is a dinosaur and how McDermot and Adkins were far superior and the way forward. I guess 7 months makes a big difference as you now have a large chunk of your fans calling for Adkins to go.

Once we got one goal we became too much for you. Again, true. You had loads of possession first half but created nothing. Once we went ahead and you actually had to try and score, you couldn't cope with us. I don't need to explain this any further as we won the game 4-1 and that speaks for itself.

You do need to spend on your defence in January. Many saints fans I spoke to after the game on Saturday agreed. If you don't, you probably will go down. You are conceding on average, 3 goals per game. Again, no need to say any more on this one.

Adkins is not up to the job in my opinion. Fine if you think it's none of my business. It isn't I suppose. It doesn't mean my opinion is wrong just because I support another club. Your back to back promotions were an incredible achievement. Of course they were. But were they not down to the form of Ricky Lambert rather than Adkins tactical ability? Adkins reached his level in the championship. He deserved a chance in the prem, but he has blown it.

I think my next comment is the one that got to you. Calling Adkins Smug and perma-tanned. Well I'm sorry, but he is one of the smuggest individuals I have ever seen in football with so little to back it up. And he does use an unreasonable amount of fake tan.

I called your defence laughable. This is one where perhaps my choice of words was slightly unwise. However. You have broken the premier league record for goals conceded after 8 games. So if not laughable, perhaps I should have said shambolic? Calamitous? The end result is the same. You spent in the wrong areas in the summer.

I stand by my comments. I know you are hurting at the moment. We were a mess 2 seasons ago under Avram Grant. But we stuck with him for the whole season and look what happened. My comments may seem provocative, but it doesn't mean they are wrong I'm afraid.

 

Trixter I thought you'd emigrated towards the end of last season. You went very quiet! Maybe you had neck strain! Nigel may not be good enough but I and many others are confident he will turn this around! Let's see where both teams are come May!

 

I know where West Ham will be , save this Lamb because in May it will be a great starter thread about the benefits if instant cash injections needed to compete at a premiership level .

 

I do not know your exact net spend over the summer. But from what I can gather from a brief google search, we both spent similar amounts.

You spent the money, just in the wrong areas IMO.

 

And now you have resorted to calling me a prat when all I have done is speak the truth.

We have just beaten you 4-1. I have come on and had a bit of fun and you have taken it very badly my fiend.

Name calling, telling me I am not level headed or reasonable and over reacting to a bit of banter tell me that you need to develop a thicker skin. Fight back. But don't try and make me sound like a bully for a few jokey comments.

I do not have any false sense of superiority. We both came up last season. We finished a single point behind you and spent a similar amount to you in the summer. There is no superiority here. Just that we have perhaps been a bit shrewder with our business and tactics than you this season.

 

You should wait and watch Ramirez in the return game at St Marys before saying that.

 

I am sure he is a cracking player and I am sure he is as good as his price tag would suggest.

But I just think that if you'd had spent the money (was it about 12m?) on some defenders and maybe loaned a midfielder instead (Yossi?) you would be sitting a bit more comfortably in the table.

Do you disagree?

 

We don't need a Yossi, we may have needed an old head "toughie" and I believe we did try and sign an extra defender or two, but although things aren't great, I'm not panicking yet.

 

Nothing wrong with giving a bit out .... we are a little frazzled over here at the moment. Hopefully we can pop over to your side next time and give you a load

 

We bought 2 defenders, Clyne (RB) and Yoshida (CB). Yoshida is an international player but was forced to play LB on Sat so don't judge him from that performance. We were also in for Buttner (LB) who was desperate to come to us but ended up mysteriously going to Man U instead. He would have been a big help this season as a lot of our frailty has been down the left wing. Our midfield is fine, but the LM, whoever plays, needs to cover LB more. Personally I would start Ben Reeves, an academy graduate, who can play LB or LM, in either position until we can get in the market again. We also need another CB I agree.

 

Fair enough. I'm just saying that the 12m could have been spent on 2 experienced, tough centre backs and a Tough midfielder. Maybe Yossi on loan to bring a bit of flair.

I think it would have been money better spent rather than on a luxury like Ramirez buy what do I know.

Anyway. About time I went and did some work. Have a good day Saints.

 

What on earth is a luxury player? It's a meaningless phrase - Ramirez is good enough to build our whole attack around making him possibly the most vital part of our team, which isn't a "luxury". There's no such thing. Ask Saints fans what they thought of our last "luxury" player... think you'll find most are pretty grateful.

 

If you are defensively sound and comfortably holding your own in the premier league then by all means go out and buy £12m flair players.

When you have just come up and you have one of the weakest defences in the history of the premier league it is very unwise IMO.

 

Now I really am going!

Back later. COYI.

 

No, that's daft. Your use of phrases like "luxury player" and "flair player" make it seem like you think he's an unimportant part of the team. I don't know why you assume so much knowledge about our team.

 

Trixter, I believe we did try and sign two defenders. One was allegedly a big money CB... didn't happen though and at the point of deadline day, we had played Ciy away, United and Wigan. The only games that we looked really poor defensively in those three was City and United. The Wigan game they had three chances only and took two of them.

Despite all the know alls, it seems we tried to sign both.