Most clubs outside the top 6 play dross football now though, the money's got so much it's results at all costs.
I'm not being snarky or argumentative but I would genuinely like someone to explain to me how the style we are playing now will suddenly change over the rest of the season? If anything this chap seems to want to prove he is resolute in his belief that the style of football he is coaching is correct and we are a few unlucky bounces and some hard work away from winning some games. I'm not so sure.
We aren’t and it won’t. It’s not just that we’re not winning and he persists with doing the same thing, it’s the fact that there is nothing positive and no sign of improvement. And yet he still tries the same thing.
Perhaps my comment came across a little strong. Most of our managers in recent times have been of the 'my way or the highway' style. MP2 is different - he wants to change things gradually which is a great way of keeping the squad with you as long as we see progress in the right direction. Unfortunately, I think those little improvements in certain areas each week have not translated to results and the longer it goes on, the more difficult it will be for him to impose his own style. Players will retreat to what they are familiar with and that, as under Puel, was keeping possession as opposed to shots on goal. I like MP2 and I hope it works out for him. Whatever, he needs time. But right now I think he should get the players together and say 'right we've tried the gradual approach to change and we need to now speed that process up'.
Comment didn't compare across as strong, just interested in the perspective of someone different to mine. I'm hearing players and mp2 that this is the style and philosophy not that we are working things out. Defend while you attack, don't lose possession. Play from the back with control. Curious as to where you're getting this gradual change bit from and why you think he has some other place he's trying to get to because I don't get that at the moment.
Rowett was looking at buying a house in the village where i live last month. With the owner that Derby have he'll probably be available soon anyway
Saw this question asked over on Saintsweb and thought it was interesting, so thought would ask here as well. Lets say that Pellegrino played what seems to be the preferred formation of the fans and a 5-3-2/3-5-2 (3 CBs with wing backs and 2 up top) for the next 3 games and got hammered in every single one, would fans still want him out because he is trying something different and something that a lot of fans have wanted to see and thought was the answer? Or would people then switch the main focus of their displeasure towards the squad/recruitment team?
Mainly from his own quote about the 'players are slowly adapting'. JWP admitted in the Echo that the players are taking time to adapt to the new style of play and Tadic said something similar after the Liverpool defeat. Meanwhile, I think MP2 is struggling to adapt to the demands of the Premier League. The style and philosophy you describe is, of course, correct - the bit that is missing in theory and practice is converting that dominance to shots on goals and a decent goal to shot ratio.
Formations be damned. I would change my opinion if we started playing like a team, with energy and passion. If we started finding gabbiadini's quick runs. If tadic played left side and Redmond got dropped in favour of JWP for a few games, if hojberg steps up to fill the gaps, if Forster is benched till he stops being a total liability, if our line up reflected the opposition and if the manager displayed the ability to change or significantly affect the actual games. These to me would be signs that someone is in charge and that we have leadership.
There is a lot of sense on this post but I was talking to another Saints fan earlier this week who had implied that Pellgrino needed to bring in some new faces because the squad seemed jaded and was desperately in need of freshening up. At the moment it seems we have too many squad players and not enough creative players to force a result. It was interesting to see Rickie Lambert's comment that the club should not panic and ditch Pellegrino. I concur that the performances have been ineffectual this season as opposed to the dour yet sometimes effective results ground out under Claude Puel. Neither is an ideal solution nor can in any way be considered to field entertaining teams or at least perform in the intangible "Southampton way." However, I think Lambert is right to get behind Pellegrino with the caveat that he should be judged after the transfer window. Come the spring, I think that Pellegrino has to demonstrate his ability to mould and fashion a team in his vision with an upswing in performances and results.
Increasingly find myself agreeing with you this season; which is a bit disconcerting. Still, anyone who has Miles Davis as an avatar must be okay
We are worse under MP2 than under Puel. Right now, if it was my call I would be actively looking to sign a new manager but would not sack him until we have a replacement. If he does nothing different this weekend I expect to see performances get worse still in the run up to January as demoralisation sets in. I don't believe the guy knows what to do and I dont think the club will back him with massive signings in January. They never have and dont see them doing it for MP2. I'm pretty sure they are as unimpressed as the rest of us so why think 2-3 new players will make all the difference.