Why so Archers? After all the style of football I expect to watch is the self same one espoused by the club themselves. I don't think it is unreasonable to expect us to at least be attempting it! That is why I fear for MP. A few more lacklustre and tepid displays and I think he'll be summoned for a meeting without coffee.
I'm starting to think the problem with our play is the "Southampton Way". It seems to based around playing safe football, recycling the ball when there's not a clear opportunity to move forward and penetrate the oppositions defence. Players like Gaston & Boufal don't fit in as they're players that try to make things happen and invariably it doesn't come off a lot of the time and it messes with the philosophy on the pitch that is breathed throughout the club. Redmond and Tadic are both very happy to retain possession and play it safe hoping someone else will create an opening, while offering absolutely no off the ball movement. It really is painful to watch. It was painful for long spells under Koeman (Mane & Pelle/Tadic link up saved us), last season was dire throughout & this season is looking to be the same. Only Pochettino had us playing genuinely exciting football and that's because he is destined to be one of the best Managers/Coaches in the world.
No, but Vietto presumably was, and he stated after the window that Atletico was not interested in loaning him out, and all reports from the summer were that we were seeking an initial loan.
If the Southampton Way is a Poch style of football, we need to appoint a manager with a Poch identity and strength of character. Either that or the manager shouldn’t have to bend to whatever the ‘Southampton Way’ is, because they have a strong enough identity of their own. Which is actually what we need. Which brings us nicely back to Marco Silva.
The real unknown factor here (both on what we did and didn't do in the summer and what we might or might not do further down the line with the squad and the manager) is the Gao family. I wonder what they're like. It's fine for the current regime to say they've promised no major and wholesale changes, but the Gaos own 80% of Saints now and if their investment starts sliding down the table then I'd be shocked if they didn't make changes.
There's a difference between aspirations and expectations. The former are fine, everybody needs hope; the latter are just disappointments waiting to happen. As for what style of football we try to play, that will always depend to a large extent on the players available. And whilst I understand that we now live in an "I want it now" era of instant gratification and zero tolerance for failure, I would hope we still had the decency to offer a struggling manager a cup of coffee, whatever the tone of the meeting.
Very true. And those who feel Kat retaining shares will give her influence on the future direction of the club only need to look at Arsenal for an example of a significant share holder who has no say in how the club is run.
On the radio on Sunday MP2 was talking about giving the team an identity. If he has it isn't a good one so far
That's no way to teach toughness. Give him a bowl of lukewarm water, and if we fail to beat West Brom, take away his team tracksuit. Conduct a few practices and a match or two in his underclothes and he'll be forced to develop a winning mentality.
I agree In pre season when he was asked when we would see a pellegrino team he said it would be a slow change and he would focus on building the links between players rather than massive changes which I haven't really seen. Similar reason when he was asked why redmond played on the left. I've been living in hope he will realise that isn't enough and impose some sweeping changes.
Poch was a Cortese pick though and the ethos of the club changed when Cortese left. We were also lucky to have an incredibly talented team that season, our best since being in the PL. We'll struggle to reach that level of play again IMO.
Poch may have been picked under Cortese, but we will never know who brought his name up.....remember Nicola wasn't a football man. I've no doubt that a clone of him would have been selected next if available, but you can only select from those willing and available.....we aren't a United or Chelsea that can pick and choose. Poch leaving caught the board out and Koeman was a success....they were really caught out when RK left and although not a great success, Puel was a fit on paper and not truly a failure. They had more time to select MP2 because, although they delayed sacking Puel, the phone books must have been out. I'm disappointed that Mauricio didn't return us straightaway to more exciting play, but I'm still in the give him more time camp. And I am sure Saints don't want to lose another manager....and that is now a major plus for Mauricio.
It's tricky, because I'm firmly in the happy clapper club, but then I do have concerns and when I voice them on here, it's just that - voicing my concerns to see if there's a discussion to be had. It's certainly not a call to sack EVERYONE!
The "Pellegrino Out" thread over on Saintsweb makes great reading. Some of the best: Those are all just from the first page, it is 6 pages long, well worth a read.
Yes we do know who brought his name up... Asked if he would be staying if Cortese left, the Argentinian said: "Of course not, because the person that has put his faith in me in this club and as a manager is Nicola Cortese. "Nicola Cortese has basically been the reality at Southampton for the past four years. "Of course, the people that are in the club, that are part of the club, that are behind the scenes in the club were a little bit worried about what has been said. "Me on a personal sense, I would not understand a Southampton without Nicola being here. "When I first arrived here, nobody knew who Mauricio Pochettino was. Nicola put his faith in me and knew me from way, way back. Koeman was ultimately successful, but lets not pretend the football wasn't dire for a lot of the time. We did hammer some teams but that was more because of the way Mane/Pelle/Tadic clicked on those occasions and were all at their best.
