Match Day Thread Southampton vs Arsenal 10/05/2017 KO 7:45PM

I am sure that Puel knows all the technical words by now....what he doesn't have is presence when interviewed. He comes out with the same phrases....and a lot of English managers do that.

 

Not read the thread yet; I need to gather my strength first, I suspect.

I enjoyed the game; we went out to win it and didn't. Exciting.

However, at one point in the first half Nathan was down the left wing and two or maybe three Arsenal players were round him and pushed him towards the touchline. He wasn't sprinting, just a probing move up the touchline. All his passing options were blocked. So he turned and passed it back maybe 15 yards to Ryan. The large contingent off to my left in the middle of the Northam who booed (loudly) at that point should be taken away and soundly horsewhipped.

Vin

 

He's a thinker. He may find it difficult putting his thoughts into words before the cameras, but what matters is how he communicates his ideas at the training ground.

I understand that some of our supporters think he is failing at that, but I disagree; I see plenty of evidence of improvement - in some cases considerable improvement - from individual players.

He needs and deserves to be given a real chance to put his ideas into practice, through a decent pre season, backing in the transfer market, and a chance to begin next season with a settled and balanced squad.

I see no evidence at all to support the conjecture that hr has 'lost the players'. No evidence at all, just the usual bellicose opinions masquerading as fact.

He may have lost a section of the fans, but that, imo, is their problem not his. Maybe he'll win them back, maybe with some of them he can simply never win. In which case, sod 'em.

 

He communicates them as badly with the players as he does with the media.

However it is very unfair to say he has "lost respect from the players"


.... you can't lose what you never had.

 

cf

Vin

 

I see you haven't lost your gift for misery

Nor your tendancy to express your opinion as fact.

 

And you've still got your over-inflated sense of superiority.

So let's call it even.

 

Fair enough. We all have our gifts.

 

I heard a bloke say as I left the ground "For what we pay for our season ticket we should win every game".

 

I'm still looking for my gift....still I am only 66, so plenty of time.

 

Priceless.

 

****ing hell CBK you're an even more miserable old git than me and then some. At least I try to make an occasional rational comment.

 

Worried about your crown, Godders. Don't worry, we know you're the best.

 

He will never win over some elements of the fan base because he is French. It is any excuse to have a pop at the French and last night's loss gave these "less than enlightened" individuals a chance to vent their dislike of anything French. It seems that the outcome of last year's referendum has given vent to some elements of society including football fans to vent their anger at anything French or German, save the actual words. I suppose these fans want an English manager. Are there any even good enough for a midtable PL side?

 

As far as I've been told, most the senior players just about tolerate Puel, but the quote I heard from one was "what he says goes in one ear and out the other". They have never liked his training methods, finding his drills boring and hard to understand, with the result that Ian Black now does most of the work at Staplewood. That's not unusual in top flight football for the coach / manager role to be separate like that, but that wasn't what the club sold Puel as. He was supposed to be a technical coach, someone who would personally improve players. I don't really see much evidence that he has drastically taken players to the next level. Jack Stephens maybe, but the lad himself has grasped the nettle and he's not really a youngster anyway. For me, JWP & Redmond are the same as they were before Puel. 1 good game followed by 3 or 4 average/poor ones.

Players are playing for their own pride and to keep themselves in the shop window. No coincidence that Cedric & Bertrand had good games at Anfield.

 

WHAT?!

You're clearly about as observant about my views on football as you are observant about football.

Vin

 

I noted a comment from the commentator, pitches will have to have the same horizontal patterns from next year... How boring... Last night's looked good I thought.

 

Totally disagree with that. I'm sure a section of fans don't like him for footballing reasons, but doubt they immediately disliked him because he is French. The French have been our foes/rivals throughout history, so are butts for jokes. Swedes tell jokes about Norwegians and Canadians about Americans....it's natural when you live close to people. I object to racism being thrown into any argument....just as I feel about sexism being thrown at normal human interaction. Some people don't like Puel as a manager and he happens to be French.

 

That's another way of looking at it. You are probably correct in the main, but I still feel there is a small element who are anti-French for no rational reason.

 

I couldn't care less where Puel is from, sadly for him and us, he just lacks the necessary gravitas and personality to be the manager. He could almost get away with it if he had a top notch coaching team behind him, but he doesn't.

I know Koeman wasn't exactly Mr Personality, but he was one of the world's best players and had that instant command with players he then managed.

It appears that when appointing Puel, Les Reed was happy to overlook Claude's lack of gravitas in favour of the fact that he would be a yes man.