If ever there is a case to show how statistics should be taken with a pinch of salt, it is this. They are a very useful tool; very useful. They are also a dangerous one. The best case to show this, is actually anything that comes out of any politicians mouth, then accountants and then a football person trying to prove something or spin something. Lies damn lies and statistics.
While I am very much a subscriber to this view, it's better than simply stating we are x points worse off after 12 games. As a great believer in the use of qualitative data, I'd add that I feel a genuine confidence in this side, whereas last season I always felt it was a bit of a flash in the pan. I think we look stronger - coming back against Liverpool; taking the game to Sunderland - in games that last year we lost, and in the case of Sunderland lost lamely. We haven't looked lame this year. Everton were brilliant; United fortunate, but we were in the game and - Pelle's shameful head drop aside - competing.
My gut feeling is we are more resilient this season, however there are more clubs battling in the top 10 so we'll need to be. As for stats', for a quick fix (and Liverpool fans convincing themselves they'll win the league) don't forget - - http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=322215.400 I know a few here enjoyed it last year even if it took half a season for the buggers to include us. Wonder how many points ahead of Liverpool Leicester have to be before inclusion this year?
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/14040517.Saint_Ted_gets_Krueger_meeting/?ref=rss Kreuger keeps his promise to catch up with people he couldn't answer in full at the Fans' Forum. Wonderful to have someone who has the answer to everything at his fingertips (unlikely), but also good to have someone who looks into a matter and gets back to you rather than pretending he knows.
That in a way is what I meant by 'play a different way at Liverpool'. Here he wasn't the leader and admits it, but the video still clearly shows that he is a good and brave tackler....so it may also be the case that Liverpool has shot his confidence to pieces....his thought process is probably 'if I fail to clear that ball, there will be a nasty gap behind me' whereas at Saints, he could forget the gap because someone else would be filling it.
http://www.hexham-courant.co.uk/new...field-fb1e98e4-c354-4e7c-9f20-68ee19a3b2a6-ds Just an additional piece about Stocksfield expecting a payment of £100K+ for helping in Fraser's development. To give an idea how good this will be for a small club....their fundraisers often raise £1K, so 100 times that will be extremely useful.
Good job I read up the thread as I was going to post this too. Yep, isn't it great.? We have some genuine people running the club. Krueger especially, is very Chairman like in the positive sense of the word. He takes note and remembers. Rare.
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crim...ne-long-s-transfer-fee-to-west-brom-1.2437031 Does not affect us or Shane, but there is a court case going on with a man claiming that he should have received 10% of the fee paid when Shane Long was sold by Reading to WBA. He apparently claims he bought it when Cork City went into receivership.
http://sportwitness.ning.com/forum/...uthampton-already-wants-return-to-former-club Talk of Juanmi failing to settle and wanting to go back to Malaga.
http://playingfor90.com/2015/11/19/southampton-to-liverpool-transfers-kill-careers/ Piece about how leaving Southampton for Liverpool kills careers. It is suggested at the end that it should be an example to players outside the top four teams to beware of such moves. I suppose it might give a youngster pause, but most players are confident in their ability and will never think it will happen to them. P.s. I still wish it had worked out for Rickie.
Then again, the same guy says we should sell Graziano in January because he doesn't want to be here and he's over the hill: http://playingfor90.com/2015/11/16/southampton-should-cash-in-on-graziano-pelle/ Vin
Not as if Graziano is our main scorer, our big front man, or is even trying #sarcasmalert Pelle may not be willing to sign an extension (none of us know), but he is the main man for us and he certainly cares....to lose him in January (never going to happen) would be to abandon all hope this season.
Certainly the system we currently employ resolves around Pelle. With Rodriguez out and with Ron's obvious doubts about Long we don't really have any alternatives. If and when Pelle leaves us we will definitely need a major signing to real;ace him. But there again we never thought we could replace Rickie but Pelle has done a pretty good job albeit in a different way.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...tml?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490 As mentioned before, Saints said not to be happy with the match time that Gallagher and Stephens are getting on loan.
Wow, perhaps we're twins, me and Dusan. well, apart form a few years difference, oh and it's not my birthday
http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2015/11/20/southamptons-romeu-did-not-foresee-chelsea-exit/ Romeu saying that he didn't expect to leave Chelsea and it was the club that asked him to leave. Happy to be here and still in the PL (not that he'd say anything different).