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

To be honest I was hoping to come across as a diplomat rather than a politician, and I don't set any protocols, just offer opinions, that is for others to sort out.

 

I resemble that remark, but being stupid also, I am not offended.

 

I played as a whinger once and also a gaol keeper, but was better as a fatback.

 

I took offence. My wife made me give it back to my neighbour the next day.

*yes, I know... coat*

 

I think you have missed my point.
I didn't say I wanted us to sign those players, but players that play in the same style.
I am aware of our shortcomings with regard to the standard of player that we do/can buy and that we have to speculate with unknown quantities.
Last January we speculated with Djuricic, on loan. It didn't work out, but he showed the type of skills we are lacking - a ball running midfielder, that has a bit of trickery to beat a player in a crowded space and draw defenders.
This is an area where we are long overdue investment, IMO.

 

Isn't Tonny Vilhena an attacking midfielder of the sort being discussed? From what people like Beefy have said he is heading our way in the summer.

 

He can't of he's not allowed to say that. Don't worry Beefy I've got your back

 

I am sorry but I don't think you are going to like what I have to say especially as I am at fault for this off-topic discussion due to my lack of manners.
I disagree strongly with the statement " 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" this strikes me as "We don't like what you have to say and you are not welcome here" if one were to take that further could it mean "We don't like the colour of your skin and your are not welcome here"? Is this how discrimination starts, an elitist selective society where only the established have a say in the status quo? I am a strong believer in free speech as long as it does not incite violence nor hatred, free speech must be heard however much it goes against the mainstream. For where do we start and where do we stop with censorship? And more importantly who makes the rules?
Getting back to this forum, some time ago a chap called Gomarchingin was merrily wumming away annoying everybody. I suggested that instead of hounding him out as several regular posters were trying to, he should simply be ignored and the general public of this board should happily go on their way. Eventually he was hounded out because of either his views or manner. (I am sorry if my facts are wrong and he was being abusive because I didn't see any of that) . My point being is that we have to be careful in monitoring ourselves and how we deal with those factions of the forum (a microcosm of society as a whole) we don't agree with or dislike.
ps I already know I talk a load of bollocks! lol

 

We tried with Juanmi. It hasn't worked to date.

 

Thank you for pointing out what the responsibilities of the moderators of the forum are. The reality is that most of the time on here we never have a problem at all, unlike some other boards which can resemble World War III. All shades of opinion get along fairly well most of the time, but things can get out of hand when personal abuse is bandied around. People have to remember that words on a page can only be taken at face value: you don't have the nuances of a face to face conversation to help you out. So name calling is not tolerated at all, and this is often the only time that the moderators have to step in. We took a back seat during your altercation with Fatletiss the other day, because it appeared that you had sorted it out between yourselves in an adult way. But you don't seem to be able to let things go, and now you are selectively quoting Beddytare to make out we are some sort of embryonic Nazi movement. What he said was, you are welcome to stay or go as you wish, but he then said that "it would be a pity if you chose not to contribute as all are genuinely welcome." You chose to ignore that part of Beddy's post, presumably because it didn't fit in with your perceived view of this board as a place from which dissenters are "hounded out". Gomarchingin, by the way, and I remember this very clearly, was not hounded out but banned, not for his infuriating wumming, but for using abusive language.

You are absolutely right about free speech: however much I might disagree with some of your views about Saints matters, I would defend to the death your right to air them, provided you don't resort to personal abuse. There is no censorship on this board and it is nonsense to even suggest such a thing. The site owner, Maltese Mick, and his group of super-moderators make the rules and we forum moderators see that they are followed on the various boards.

I hope that clarifies things and I genuinely hope you stick around: your views are always welcome. The world would be a very dull, grey place if we all thought the same about everything.

 

I think you missed the part of my post where I said I agreed with you?

 

No, I saw that, but also saw your opening paragraph which was

"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."

I took that to mean that you had misinterpreted my comment as let's sign the guys I named, rather than players that are similar in style, which is what I did say.

 

Very true - words written on a page etc etc. I did try to use the universal "we" to include myself and refrained from any finger pointing "you" throughout my post so I am sorry you seem somewhat offended by it. I was generally trying to make a point about free speech and how all of must be vigilant. I also didn't suggest there was censorship going on in this forum in any part of my post. Nor did ignore " that part of Beddy's post, presumably because it didn't fit in with your perceived view of this board". He wrote to me earlier and he said I was welcome and I believed him. Sorry but please don't "presume" I have a hidden agenda.
When I write a reply to a post I like to try not to write a sarcastic opening line, just seems to help the conversation along.
Thanks and bye for now

 

It's very hard to actually find the thread I was looking for in amongst the infighting, bad jokes and general foolishness...


I asked the question about our style because I get the feeling I am not the only one who feels the actual football-as-entertainment factor has been pretty piss poor this season. Perhaps it is fair that our team is worse and therefore there is no option, but I thought this club was based on a footballing philosophy? That philosophy is pretty hard to find - in any of its previously stated forms.

Let me qualify what I mean when I deride our team's entertainment factor: I am a fan and therefore I am still gripped. I care about the result, and therefore I am still motivated to watch. However, this year - for the first time since we were relegated to League 1 - I cannot say I have felt any pride in the "style" of our performances against equal or lesser opposition. Some of the results have been good, but most of the displays have been drab, uninspiring bores.

Note: I agree we play well against good teams. It suits us. We don't have to think. We don't have to control. We simply defend with a beautiful organisation (RK's fave word) and react. We are good at reacting. We are not very good in the driver's seat.

The high press is gone. Fine. The dominant possession without end product is gone. Okay. What, exactly, has replaced all that? I have no idea.

If I wasn't a Southampton fan, I would not want to watch our games.

 

We have a more pragmatic approach, a bit more direct and a bit more emphasis on discipline in defence rather than on fighting for possession; but any system is only as good as the personnel playing it, and we lost our three best players last season.

I have several friends who are spurs fans, and I think they all enjoyed watching us on boxing day.

 

Do you go to the games Spaced? (No sarcasm in that question). I'm just trying to understand where your perspective comes from.

I remember watching the first leg of the Mijtyland game that we seemed to be just knocking it long and I wasn't impressed. I thought the second leg was even worse. There were a few games around then that I thought we just weren't the same team, but I was always fully aware that the season before had been almost a miracle. We lost a team over two summers and our keeper and a bright young striker just finding his form to injury.

I would love us to be playing exciting stuff every week, but there aren't may times over the years we really have done that consistently. The last third of a season under MP was awfully dour. There aren't many teams that are really like that all the time, and that is why we find ourselves still in the top half of the table during what a lot of people think has been a poor season. I think all fans apart form Leicester and Spuds could say similar things to you about their team.

I think I must just have a subconscious acceptance of the realism and therefore deal with it in a less frustrated way. Having said that, you wouldn't want to sit near me when it's not good or be in the car for the two hour drive home

Match day still makes me feel like a 12 year old.

 

The high press. Used to good effect to dispossess teams, and stop them from playing fluent football.
If all the teams, in the league, played the high press, would there be room for any football, or would we just be watching matches between two teams constantly dispossessing each other?

 

It is clear we as fans have had a modicum of success over the last 5 years or so. Perhaps our expectations of continued success needs more reality.
Many have said recently "when you lose pretty well a whole team for whatever the reason" (or words to that effect) you are bound to struggle and be inconsistent. This is so correct, we do have to rebuild the team. That will take time and not all signings will make the required standard. However it is not helped when you continually lose your best players or keep changing managers.
Our current squad are not up to the required standard imo to much better than hold on to our status in the EPL. We are far too inconsistent to even dream of doing much better than our current standing.
The board keep telling us we are in a transition period but you have to ask sometimes are we really or are we just hanging on?
Our recent draw only highlighted our inconsistency in fact it did remind me so much of our previous struggles for 27 years while in the premier. (As previously mentioned in another post.)
Although disappointed and pulling my hair out with frustration at recent results, I will always come back for more. After all I have done so for so long now I consider myself as part of the wood work.

 

I've wasted my money on three utterly drab affairs this year. I have watched every game online. It isn't that we are boring sometimes. We are dull 90% of the time. Losing players is no excuse.

I think you are confusing realism with defeatism, btw. It is not realism that we have to play a style of dull football. You believe being a good fan means accepting it. It probably does. However, I am not happy with it.

What nobody seems to be doing is actually trying to say we play pretty football - so I guess I am right... Our football is dull.

 

Totally agree with this. What makes us special if we change to suit the new players? We have lost the philosophy, the Southampton way, which seemed to let us lose players and still rebuild. I feel as though "clinging on" sum it up perfectly.