I wonder if an experienced player (Jose, hi) might have the gumption to say "boss, this diamond formation, not so much..."
All the passes around the back before we give it away make our possession stats look nice, so long as one doesn't pay much attention to the match. So we've got that going for us.
I'm beginning to see the managers post-match quotes every week and becoming hugely disillusioned. He says JRod may go and perhaps one or two players in to get some energy in the squad. Well the energy was there last season so where has it gone? Could it be forcing a system on players that they are uncomfortable with - and while were at it I've read several posts saying the Un23s play the old system. I thought all teams at the club play the same way, so come one Saints let's make them unhappy and unenergised too.
I did say more than once not to take this start of the season lightly. All this talk about waiting until 1 September until commenting, despite the fact that the season starts before the window closes. Painfully obvious to me that we lacked enough creativity today (and the one creative player we did have on the pitch, got taken off...). That said, that is no excuse for playing this formation. That lies solely at the door of the manager. It's far too early to be talking about his future, but given Arsenal away is unlikely to produce three points, then I do fear the backlash he could be in for if we don't beat Swansea at home (even if we win in Europe first).
If after today's game, Fonte were to say to Puel that the problem was the diamond I would have him at Man U tomorrow.
Agree on all counts. We can talk about settling in to things, but it only gets more difficult from here...our October/November schedule is really challenging, as is the fixture congestion thanks to Europe. If we don't sort it out quickly such that we're capable of winning these home matches, we're going to be staring uncomfortably at the drop line for a couple months.
I don't know what the under 23s have played the last few games (I don't really get the formation talk), but they have certainly played the diamond in at least one game. Might be in their biggest win, actually. http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/arti...th-under-23s-southampton-5-1-qpr-3236885.aspx Maybe they switched up to diamond for that one because of Austin and JRod being involved, but either way they scored 3 goals between them so can't see the diamond being that big of an issue that they can't play it - given that they scored 3 in a game with a diamond formation. Anyway, I've seen a lot of people talking about U23s not using the diamond, so wanted to share this where Hesketh says explicitly that, for that game at least, they were playing the diamond.
My measured post-match response. RUBBISH. I really hate this kind of football. Just goes no where, does nothing. It's the worst aspect of "foreign football" and I'd rather have kick & rush everyday, compared to this. I'm not getting excited about a flurry of pressure at the end. We got lucky, 99 times out of 100 the Sunderland keeper would have saved Jay's shot. (and I'm certainly not advocating Jay is "back" after that). However, to let any players leave this squad right now would be stupid. I said last week we needed 4 or 5 players and I stand by that. Boufel would not be able to change it around single handed and to be honest, I struggle to see where he would play in that diamond, anyway! Does Puel do any set-piece training? Either offensive or defensive? Really poor at both. Also think I've listened to my last interview with Puel. It's a bit painful to listen to. I appreciate the language barrier, but he seriously lacks gravitas. Not good.
There will be plenty of people saying it is too soon to judge the manager, but from what I can see the only thing he is good at is substitutions to try and rectify the awful situations his formation have created.
I don't think anyone took it lightly. I still think we will get around 9th - 11th. The formation needs to **** off though.
Have to agree. I was listening g to Solent on the way home, and VVD's interview was very telling. Said that the players gave to get used to the system quickly or quote"it's going to be a very long season". Also said that the players don't want Jay Rod to leave. Then Puell comes on. My god, nearly sent me to sleep at the wheel. Cannot see him motivating the players, the diamond system is so boring to watch, it's clear we haven't got the players to play it successfully. I just hope he isn't as stubborn as his old manager and mentor (Wenger)? Please for the love of God and my love of football, change this boring negative form of football. Rant over
People were definitely commenting to me that we didn't need to be concerned about not having our squad complete prior to Watford and Sunderland etc. Not that it's new of course. We start every season poorly, no doubt in part because of the deficiencies which we carry whilst still adding to the squad.
Puel will be out by November. I have not heard or read one Saints fan arguing in his favour. Read any commentary or assessment by people in the game and they will tell you his use of the diamond is not working. Some of the comments about today's match seem totally wrong. Tadic was our only creative player until he came off. Redman had an off day and Charlie Austin still looks like an impact player who comes off the bench instead of starting. I thought that Targett was superb but both Fonte and VVD looked out of sorts. The game sould have been dead and buried by Sunderland with Kone's missed header in the first half being exceedingly poor. Druing the first twent minutes we looked good but Sunderland were not really threatened after this until Tadic came off and we seemed to wake up. Rodrigues proposed departure to WBA now looks totally nonsensical and no longer looks like a attempt to get a player to match fitness and more the kind of mistake by someone who clearly does not know what they are doing. It is weird to read about Koeman's first few matches in charge but this was eventually rectified by the signing of VVD. The whole team then seemed solid at the back and to be built on a solid foundation. The problem with Puel is that there have now been five games that have been witnessed by Saints fans (incuding the two friendlies) where the consensus amongst fans is that Puel is out of his depth. Back in the 1990s, Ian Branfoot's changing of our style of play to the then fashionable long ball style of play proved a disaster. No matter how obvious the failings of the system was tofans, Branfoot persisted and this intransigence continued to have an impact throughout the 1990s and the good work by Lawrie McMenemy was undone. Sorry, but I can see the same happening with Puel and although I consider myself a Francophile, the sooner he goes the better as his judgement with players such as Jay-Rod is clearly suspect. The appointment of a Championship manager would be considered a risk at St Marys. With teams like Lille and Nice being of broadly the same calibre, I am shocked that we took a risk with Puel. I am convinced that he will be out of the door pretty quickly and a new man in ready for the transfer window in January. Puel really worries me.
Fair enough - my big concern is if it genuinely doesn't work, much further into the season will we as a club or the manager at least have the balls to say, 'This is wrong, we need to change', I have a feeling that the way the club operates and thinks about itself the answer might be, "No everyone else has got this wrong, we're right", and just carry on regardless. Let's hope not anyway.
I think that's more a problem for fans as much as anything. He's pretty tough to warm to, and that means our patience is likely to be less forthcoming.
The thing is though, we (Les) bought into Claude Puel & his philosophy. They actively thought this was a good plan to implement. So I can't see him scrapping the diamond after a few games, even if he is getting some heat. This is set to continue, it just depends on when the first three points fall. Pressure will start cranking up around the Swansea game.
The first sign will be when a few whispers come out of the club of Puel not being popular with staff (the rumours won't mention players). Although I believe he's not been making many friends as it is.
