For those who like omens: I've now attended 4 Saints games in a row without seeing the same us score, the last time I did see us net, was an away match to a London team beginning with C* *the score's not important.
I went to this fixture last season, full of confidence. Giving it a miss this time, not confident at all, so if superstition means anything we'll win, right?
My concern is that this board is generally a pretty positive place, and we're all a bit doom and gloom, so no wonder the atmosphere has been a bit crappy recently amongst our more vociferous fan base. Still, a nice 4-0 victory will see that right. Pogba out for up to 6 weeks by the way, so don't see any chance of him playing against us next week.
I would take that at the moment. You can build on clean sheets and another point could be useful....it would mean only one loss so far. I can live with that....don't want to face United desperate for a win after 2 losses.
We have a stronger squad and team now than we had last season. We only had Gabbi for half a season and VVD for half a season and Austin for less than half a season! We had a tonne of extra games, and no proper DM partner for Romeu. We had to play half a season with what was our 3rd and 4th choice CBs. Okay we haven't improved one of our biggest problem areas, and so far there seems to be little change in the style of our play or the results we are getting BUT WE ARE ONLY 4 GAMES IN! I'm not hoping for miracles here, we probably aren't going to evolve into a free flowing attacking side. However we can sure as hell improve on these initial few games. Lemina and Hoedt will settle in and we have potential for the return of VVD. We have a strong and solid base that can be built on. We need to accept that we aren't going to be watching the red arrows this season, and we probably won't score many goals, but we can be difficult to beat and we can still finish in the top 10. I think we just need to all adjust our expectations for the season, support OUR players, OUR manager and OUR wonderful football club. We still have a lot to be proud of. COYR
I think its fine for us to voice our concerns on this board, but the Northam has gone very quiet and that isn't going to help the team I am normally very positive but it is dificult watching the team looking fragmented and the car-crash of the Wolves game I've been worried about our lack of a credible No10 for quite a while, for me that is fundamental to our attacking play particularly because 4231 relies on it and we had some potentials who haven't worked out. I worry that we don't have the players for 433 - you need pace and 442 is not credible these days - you lose the midfield and end up with 2 players with no service or playing long ball Key Q for me then is where is our No10 Davo - he isn't a real No10 not offensive enough JWP - too lightweight, too slow, not clever enough Redmond - never gets a chance, not sure why Tadic - too slow Boufal - can he play in the EPL? Charlie - come on! Not sure there's anyone else Our defence looks good but we need to score more to avoid trouble
We all know we're lacking a number ten. My greater concern is I can't help but wonder if we'd have these issues, and to this extent, with a Pochettino style manager? I know there's very few of those to the pound, but I see a selection of confused, uninspired players, and an uninspired crowd. I do hope MP2 has this in him, but I'm still bemoaning missing out on Silva.
Spot on post. Only 4 games in, 2 new players in crucial positions bedding in. I can see us getting a few 0-0's before we start to score. Re no10, I would like a fluid front 3 of tadic Redmond and Davis/JWP. Boufal needs game time, he could be the no10 we need. Although I agree it still has to be established that he can play in the PL
I'd like to see Boufal start again over Tadic. If we're going to unlock that talent then it's not going to be by giving him the odd start and 15 minutes here there.
I am wondering if the fact that we sell out every game, despite the quality and poor-ish results, is down to a lot of people that are turning up just to watch Premiership football, rather than being Saints supporters? If you have no allegiance to a particular side, you will applaud good play, but you won't be roaring a side on? Has there been a change, or is our support truly as apathetic as is being made out.
Whilst I agree with your general point, I am not sure he is the guy for away games. I would actually start with Redmond and Long either side of Gabbi and play Davis with Lemina and Romeu in this one. Think we need to be all about a clean sheet in this one and hope to nick a goal on the break.
Fraser Cedric, Yoshida, Hoedt, Berty Lemina, Romeo Redmond Boufal Long, Gabbi Something needs to changeto score goals and maybe its going 2 up front and have Romeo and Lemina as CM rather than DM. Long will cause problems with pace and chasing down and I think he deserves a chance
Many of us were saying when Mauricio was appointed that he needed a whole season to get the squad playing the way he wanted. Having had time to recover from the Watford debacle I find myself still thinking this way. Yes, we need some goals from somewhere, and we do have the players capable of both creating and scoring them, but they all need to improve certain aspects of their approach to make the goals happen. Tadic, for example, needs to forge a similar instinctive partnership with Gabbiadini and Austin that he had with Pellé. Boufal needs to learn the right moment to pass the ball rather than try and beat another defender. JWP needs to start practicing crossing with a moving ball as well as a stationary one. Davis and Romeu need to learn to shoot on target. Cedric and Bertrand need to get to the byline more. And so on, and so on.... We all know these things, so the manager, coaching staff and players must all know them too, and one would hope they are all working on it. It can't be too long before they start banging them in can it? Can it?
