There is an incredible contradiction from many posters on this thread and English supporters in general. Puncheon leaves for whatever reason and their is a huge clamour for us to sign a replacement. JWP has played in the role Puncheon sometimes occupied this season and offered himself as an alternative and now a replacement. People complain young English players don't get a chance and then as soon as they do they want to cut that opportunity. Southampton are at a point where we can't sign players who will perform every game at the highest level to the highest standard and we will be inconsistent in the challenge of the EPL. Patience is a virtue sadly lacking in today's society.
I agree with this and mentioned the contradiction in my earlier post. JWP is not the same as Punch but he's doing very well and is better in other areas than Punch. I like your last sentence best.
Am I the only one who is more likely to read drivel if it is short than a considered opinion if several paragraphs long?
I often read while at work or on the move and therefore on my phone. This is when it's easier to take in a short concise comment. That is not to say that a long, well considered post is a problem. Replying to it can be tough if you have not the time to answer all points.
Which Sunderland game? This season he came off the nelvench and looked quite bright. Last season, the team was dire and he was the only one who put on a positive performance; not great, but certainly positive. I think there is an element of consistency at the moment, just not the right sort of consistency. We always seem to try and play the game the way we want to, whereas some teams will just play negatively or defensively which is difficult to break down. Right now, I'm relatively happy. We have a good coach. We have three new players who look very good. We have three young teenagers in the team that have come through the academy and they look good. We have won one, drawn one and lost one. We are in a position to have a solid season. If solid is above 14th then I'll be happy (unless its 18th until April!). If the season really clicks then it could be above 10th. Sometimes people forget how tough and unforgiving this league can be.
Expect to be gunned down for this, but I don't think Poch is much of an improvement on Adkins so far.
I quite liked (and still like) Nigel, but I'd argue that Poch has been better even if the results have not. If this was a judged sport, we'd win more often than not...we didn't outplay Norwich, but we have outplayed the majority of our opponents since his arrival. The lack of width and slow tempo is absolutely of concern, but some of the blame for that rests on the shoulders of Cortese more than Pochettino; we failed to bring in any natural wide players (with one such move apparently breaking down because the target got injured in the final 48 hours of the window), and the personnel is a bit of an unwieldy fit at the moment.
I think he's slightly better tactically and better at attracting players than Adkins. We're more solid defensively under him as well. That's all at the moment (so far). Adkins was better at scoring goals and for exciting games and interviews!
I think the Sunderland game was a few days before Xmas, the weather was very much like todays game. He certainly wasnt great that day and there were a few stuttering performances that day, but he just didnt do anything near what I would expect him to do. Whilst I know he didnt put the 12 m price tag on his head, it just cost that much to stop other having him, he really needs to do a lot to impress me.
Yes it was a few days before Xmas. He was our most creative player that day and the only one who looked like doing anything. I'm not saying he was great that day, but the most likely to do something. I took a mate to that game and his neutral comment was that we were poor, the full backs didn't bomb on enough and Ramirez was the only one who looked like doing anything.
Well another game has passed since my OP in this thread and sadly after opening up some interesting debate yesterday and leaving optimistic last night with a prediction of a 2-0 win and higher tempo football I feel disappointed again this evening. We were certainly unlucky not to win the game, having come up against a goalkeeper on top form, and being unlucky with hitting the post again. We were certainly the better side and the starting lineup selected gave me optimism. Unfortunately our passing, tempo, pressing and creative spark was still no where near to what it was in the middle of last season up to the final 6 games. And once things weren't happening I looked at the bench and was underwhelmed and unconvinced that anyone could come on to improve what we already had on the pitch. Why Cork is not involved is still beyond me as I think that he could have at least come on today and its the sort of game that Punch would have come on in last year. The postives: Our league position is ok still, and we're only a couple of points off fourth; so as people say if the post was a bit thinner or if J-Rod hadn't have been rules offside things could be much rosier. We also look solid at the back. The team has a lot of potential to do things based upon what we know it can do from last seasons performances. Negatives: The depth of the squad in attacking areas and full backs does not look great. We look so out of sorts. I guess Mr Poch needs to get on the old training pitch and work with the boys this week as next weekend will be very difficult, with Liverpool looking impressive for the first time in a long time. Strange substitutions again too.
Nick, for me the credibility in that last post went when you said our league position was ok... 4 games. FFS
Let me check what the social boss has on and I'll drop you a message. Thursday is a possibility I think, but will check. * forum dating*
FLT you are right to an extent about reading into our league position after four games, but I'm trying to be fair as I am questioning our form leading in from the end of last season, for which I have come in for a lot of criticism, so I'm just trying to be fair by giving credit where it's due as the majority seemed to be raving about how it's our best start. Hope you enjoyed your date boys.
To update our situation: Lovren's brilliant, Osvaldo is showing flashes of class and Wanyama, apart from his passing, has been good. The Liverpool game was a great result, but we're still yet to score from open-play and was able to create many chances through Liverpool having out of position players and a more open set-up. If we beat Palace 2-0 with both from open play, I'd be very satisfied (a bonus if Lambert gets on the scoresheet). I liked the fact that we had 5 centre midfielders on at one point! I agree with MP ha we should press the top teams high up the field and to attack them at the start where they're most vulnerable. As they get stronger as the game goes on, bring on some more defensive minded players to see the game out.
