Match Day Thread Southampton v Sunderland Saturday 5 March 15:00

Completely agree with what you're saying LFF. Also, it's important to remember that if somebody is disagreeing with you, that's all they're doing - nobody is ganging up in a clique to attack and push you away from the forum. It's just somebody disagreeing with your opinion, which is, after all, what the forum is about. Discussion of opinions.

 

What I like about this forum is that despite the falling out, experienced by some, more often than not things get resolved with explanations as to why something was said and apologies exchanged, bringing the rancour to an end.
And if someone posts something that is unacceptable (I was guilty of this recently), the mods step in and delete it.
It's all very civilised, on here, most of the time.

In comparison, I used to post on Saints Mad, but felt the moderators were too liberal, allowing Pompey fans to drag all threads down and turn them into pi$$ing contests. I had a look at that site, when this one went down recently, and found it to be a bit of a ghost town, with comments at a very low level, so this one must be doing something right.

 

Totally agree, I have been following Saints since 1967, I never get too excited when we win (1976 was an exception) and never get to irate when we lose, we have seen it all. When I could not go to an away game I took my Dad's season ticket and went a watch the reserves and enjoyed the view and thought one day I will have enough money to buy a season ticket, alas I now live in the States but because of the beauty of satellite TV I can watch all the saints games and pace up and down my basement talking to the TV.

 

Nah, I'd rather be clapping and squealing with delight that we've played well and won. Genuinely.

Just shows how different people are.

 

Think its a case of mellowing with age, I started watching Saint a little before you and remember a time time when my older sister, who also had a season ticket could almost not be approached for a few days until the depression due to a Saints loss had lifted. I still get a bit hacked off but have a more considered approach these days, which has no doubt come withh the passing of time.

 

My depression doesn't last as long as it used to....not sure whether I have mellowed or that Saints don't really frighten me like they used to. We used to fear relegation (and that fear virtually lasted all season) but now we get into a paddy because we might not make Europe this year.

 

My depression lasts until I am out of the ground then there is a life to get on with.

 

I think there is an important discussion to be had about the style of play - and the lack of quality on show - across the season as a whole. We are not as good as some on here think, nor are we a more attractive team than the West Hams and Stokes. For me, this is "negative" which needs addressing. Doesn't mean I don't love the team - I just don't particularly admire our current approach... and I still have Koeman doubts.

 

We are, IMO, a workmanlike team, that has it's good days (Chelsea away, Arsenal home), before becoming workmanlike again.
I really, really hope that we have some flair players, lined up for the summer, especially attacking midfielders of the Couthino, Firmino, Willian, Oscar style of play, who can add something to the team.

 

Agreed

 

The trouble is things coming over in print is not always seen in the same light as the spoken word. Emphasis and mannerisms play a role. Nobody is saying they don't want you or anyone not to air your views when ever they choose.
In turn though are they not right to ask why a view is always negative perhaps when people rarely post?
Is it any wonder they assume that people may be wums that continually do this. We do have a few about.
Their assumptions may be incorrect but sometimes you need to see and understand why they have come to that conclusion.
They are correct when they say "The forum runs fine without you" if you do not like the way the forum is run it is always your prerogative not to come on here. The choice is always yours and it would be a pity if you chose not to contribute as all are genuinely welcome.
As mods we do not like people insulting each other but open discussion on football matters are welcomed. (Unless in designated off topic threads)
If you feel you are being treated unkindly just let a mod know and I'm sure he will help.

 

Yeah, but I mean what team WOULDN'T want those guys? It's not so easy to get those guys, especially for a club of our stature. We'll have to rely on scouting and hope we hit the jackpot.

On the one hand yes, I get the point and I agree. A world-class attacker is the difference between us and the top four clubs. On the other hand, it's not something I would criticize the board or Koeman for lacking.

Having Willian on the team isn't so much a tactic, it's just "Hey, we have an awesome player on our team!" And failure to sign Willian isn't so much "negative football" it's just "Hey, we can't get Willian to sign for us."

So I agree with you and disagree with spacedsaints. We are a pretty workmanlike team, because most teams are workmanlike. Mane and Long are both fast and somewhat exciting when in sprint. Tadic is a creative attacker. Clasie and Romeu can both pick out pretty passes. VVD loves to get forward, as do Bertrand and Soares. Our guys just aren't as good as some of those other guys. We are presently tenth in goals scored. If our finishing were not so woeful, we'd probably be right there with Chelsea and Liverpool, who actually DO have Willian (and Hazard and Costa) and Liverpool with Coutinho. When you look at who Chelsea has at their disposal, they were much more boring under Mourinho. We are much less boring than Man U.

I don't really care that much about football aesthetics, but if I did I wouldn't Saints ugly to watch except when shooting. We just need a super-high quality attacker, not a change in philosophy.

 

We lost players when Koeman came, yet still looked exciting in his first season. We are poorer this season...perhaps we are missing Schneiderlin. After all we lost form when he was injured towards the end of the season. I'm hoping this team is finding its feet and, with a couple of additions, will play better next season.

 

I agree with most of this, particularly the first parts. We are not Chelsea or City so we can't sign those top creative players. When we sign a Juanmi and people moan, they must forget that we are trying to sign the next Oscar, before he is too well known. If he is already the next Oscar, then he's likely out of our market.

The only players that we maybe could have questioned not getting in my opinion were Bojan at Stoke and Payet at West Ham, when they first got signed by their clubs. Mahrez nobody had heard of. So that's down to scouting and relationships with clubs. Hughes had a relationship with Barca and perhaps Payet was attracted to London with his yellow Lambo!

 

Last summer we lost easily the best Centre Back in the division, one of the best Right Backs, and in Schneiderlin arguably the engine room of our previous success. Perhaps because we got away with a mass exodus the season before, a lot of people seemed to think we'd take these losses in our stride, but in hindsight it's a miracle we've done as well as we have to still be in with an outside chance of Europa qualification.

As for conflicting views on a forum, people have every right to criticise and doubt the manager. And I reserve the right to get annoyed with the dolts who doubt the legend that is Ronald Koeman.

 

You can't generalise and call people "dolts"....

 

I apologise unreservedly to any dolts I may have offended; same goes for fools, crybabies and whingers.

 

I don't know about offended but you've just summed me up!

 

I may very well have been describing myself...

 

Accepted.