http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/footba...=#qpr&utm_content=#qpr&utm_source=twitterfeed Quite interesting to read something about him that seems informed from a rival but also someone who has a great appreciation of him and heralds him as a "boyhood hero" DTLW
Great article. Very well written, with the love of a club shot through it. Recommended. One trivial thing popped up in my head at one point - Saints played Espanyol during one pre-season, for the Ted Bates trophy, IIRC. I wonder whether Poche [his local name, according to the article] was involved in any capacity..? I don't remember any line ups from the time.
Makes me feel once again that we have the right man. I'm sure (as much as one can be) that Mo-Po will be given time. He fits.
Espanyol has a bit of a smack of Saints about it. Interesting that his style worked initially, but that he persisted when he no longer had the team to play it. As mentioned before, Steve Cotterill reviewed our new style in a very positive way, but when asked if our pressing style was so good why doesn't everyone do it. He said that you have to have the players and the strength to do it. Mauricio mentioned that the team have taken to his playing style and are willing to learn. I think that, for the moment, this may be a marriage made in heaven. It will be interesting to see how MP adapts when other teams suss us out a bit more. If we continue to improve, our style will beat a lot of teams and keep us safer next year, but we will need to offer more to win enough to scale the heights. P.s. I really fancy us for a Cup next year (or at least a good cup run) if we have the luck of the draw.
We lost to Espanyol 3.4 in our opening game at the new St Marys Stadium in 2001. He was sold by Espanyol in 2000, so wouldn't have been involved.
Great article, thanks DTLW. it puts a bit of flesh on the bare bones I knew about Pochettino, or Poche as we will now have to call him.
Thirded.......nice article well spotted DTLW...........Gives Saints a better insight into their new manager. We have no choice to back him and for the time being that is what he will get. However he has been brought in to get us to the next level we will have to see if he has got what it takes to do just that. In that the jury is still out................
Just seen this quote from him in the Echo “We spend from 7am to 8pm at the training ground so we don’t get to see much of the city, but it is true that we experience football in a much more intense way here." He's certainly putting the work in!
Just been made aware that I have passed over 50,000 points...and I believe some may even have been interesting Now realised that points are not the same as posts...only on 17,000 posts....will have to try harder.
That is four times as many posts as me. How many hours of time does that equate to and how do you fit in the rest of your life?
Right, so if he has a legitimate nickname, is their any chance we could drop this awful 'Mo-Po' business? ...Pretty please.
Its interesting to hear about our tactics being sussed out - on MOTD2 last week Shearer (i think) showed how Newcastle sussed out our tactics and in essence said if anyone wants to beat Southampton "this is what you need to do". While I don't think QPR have anything like as good players as Newcastle, it will be interesting to see if they 'suss' us out too
I don't think we need to worry about every team beating us after sussing us out. If we continue to improve, our pressing style will beat enough teams for us to get to safety early...it's the final push that then has to be worked on and I think increased confidence will help there. Newcastle are a good side...especially now they have strengthened their side. As I said before, I fancy us to do well in a cup next year...often a side that plays with high energy and determination can beat even a top side that starts with the wrong attutude. (Sorry, Nicola...I did not mean to imply that Saints were not a top side...no need to send your goons round).
Even if our tactics have been sussed out we were unlucky not to get something from Newcastle. QPR just haven't got the same quality.
I think teams like Newcastle can out-muscle us, but they're in a minority. In fact I rather suspect we'll struggle more against teams like West Ham than a footballing side like the two Manchesters (though in some senses that's always been the way with Saints). Regarding the Mo-Po thing, it's the first time I've used it and it was very tongue in cheek, but it did make me feel slightly dirty, so it won't be utilised again.
