Southampton Banter Archive December 22 2013

22 Dec 2013 20:59:22
All disappointed about today? Mistakes, mistakes and more mistakes! We're being punished for them. However, one must also look at our inability to capitalise when afforded the same! As fans we have a right to express opinion, to include naming individual poor performances, team selection and tactics.

Please remember where we were this time last year! Yet, now 9th with form of a relegation team, after the last six games, we have the same common denominators, which have already been mentioned on other posts. What's changed? A new manager and 3 summer signings, 2 not playing today, and we are 9th, not to mention illness and injury that has robbed us of many key players during that period.

Our expectations have changed! Ultimately, I blame Cortese?

As I always say at this time of year "I believe".

Although Pochettino has clearly done a marvelous job with Southampton in his 11 months in charge, I still doubt Nigel Adkins would have done any worse.

But, of course, the last six games have seen the points dry up. We did in this spell play at least three of the best teams around, and to be frank, losing 3-2 at home to Spurs isn't all that bad. They could win the title this season (but only if they appoint Hoddle!)

Cardiff are next, that's a biggy for Malky Mackay if he's still in his job (which he should be, as he's done a blooming brilliant job, and is a very good young manager, top man too). We'd have beaten Spurs today if AVB had still be in their dug-out. Sadly, Sherwood's given them a boost, and a kick they needed, as well as more attacking approach. Playing two up front certainly helps.

Points are still up for grabs, we have a great chance of finishing in the top half. And, look at Newcastle last season, finishing in a European position doesn't always bode so well. We're doing very well, and perhaps this blip in form will rectify itself once a few players return to fitness.

Southampton Football Club has one of the brightest future's of all the clubs in England. This is a good time to be a supporter. Rock on!

Saint Etienne.

Cortese is an amazing Chairman! Why would you blame him?! Bayern Munich were after him not so long ago. RESPECT THE TEAM!

I think he was being ironic when he said he blamed Cortese? Ie, He has done such a good job that expectations have been raised too much? (that means that he wasn´t really blaming him, it was just a joke)

I think "I blame Cortese" was said tongue in cheek! Given, the fantastic job he has done and continues to do. Up MARGINAL GAINS!

22 Dec 2013 20:25:53
I think saints must buy after today there was not enough strength in the squad due to injurys I think we need 2 or 3 players.

22 Dec 2013 16:36:21
really unimpressed with team selection today.
not sure why hooiveld and fox made the line-up when there are more suitable cover options and better players available, they shouldn't be in the premier league ket alone near our starting 11. I felt they defended poorly for 2 goals both avoidable if not all 3. this was shown by lovren who was evidently angered at such petulant defending by the pair.
i hope this encourages pochettino to ask for funds in jan and buy a couple for squad strength and get rid of the dead wood, players that don't contribute and aren't really doing anything to add to the sqaud.
Fox
Hooiveld
lee
barnard
forte
martin

Not sure why hooiveld and fox made the line-up when there are more suitable cover options and better players available

er? who exactly?

Couldn't agree with this more. Hooiveld and Fox were the most negative players on the field and it effected every other players performance. I think many Saints fan will be disappointed if the club don't bring in some reinforcements during the transfer window, because when we're not at full strength the cracks are showing. What's more this is the best time to do it, being that it's the last opportunity for certain players to make their mark for the forthcoming World Cup.

? Er exactly who? Apart from matty targett and Jose, fox is awful as is jos both mid championship players at best if this carries on we will be looking over our shoulder at the chasing pack, a must for 3 pts at cardiff

(original poster)
who -
Cork is good RB cover as proven last season when he played in place of Clyne, why not shuffle chambers to LB and play Cork RB. Bring through Targett, and as for Hooiveld, Fonte was fit enough for bench.
Only positive to be taken is schneiderlin is back, Lallana was best player on the pitch and Ramirez actually looked good when he came on.
I agree we need to buy in january, but not panic, GK cover is impotant because Davis is 'past it', gazzaniga is a liability and inexperienced. Another positive would be Boruc with competition would become a much better keeper and cut out the errors. Furthermore I have previously stated we need a first choice CB I said Richards would be good but giving his wage and injury I think a move for someone like
De Vrij[Feyenoord], Mauricio[Sporting],
could be a good idea and if the budget is there a creative midfielder, davis does a job but if we are serious about europe we can't just rely on Lallana. Players that I think are attainable
Poli [Milan]
Ince [Blackpool]
Cabella [Montpellier]
Traore [Lorient]

How do you know Targett is better? he was supposed to come up to the first team with Chambers but didn't cause MoPo deemed him not good enough, Fox is the best cover we have. Fonte is injured, so i'll say again, who exactly?

Fonte isn't injured, he made bench and passed a fitness test therefore could have atleast played 60 mins. As for Targett he is a consistant performer for the u21's and is good enough for england u19's. chambers plays u19 and is good enough why should he not be. only issue is size with him and throwing him in at the deep end. I would still play him over fox but i'm not the manager. The issue is that any fan could have said we would ship goals as sson as we looked at the team sheet, f we can't pick a team that's strong enough then that's down to cortese.

Chambers can't play left back, that would have been worse than playing fox there ffs and fit enough for the bench isn't match fit though, is it? playing 60 mins? that still leaves 30 mins with Hooiveld/Yoshida, then factor in the time it'll take them to settle into the side when everyone else would have done that at the start of the match, then again, playing fonte when he's not fully fit could have injured him again.

how is it down to cortese? are we supposed to buy 10 new players every window? the players are tightly knit, selling a load of them off and buying a load in risks upsetting the moral and we'd be worse off in the long run. Stick to Football Manager kid and leave the real world decisions to MoPo, Cortese and Reed

Fox is unbelievably bad. Who is better than Fox at LB? Anyone else in the squad!

22 Dec 2013 15:39:25
pochettino and saints been found out
and as for hooifeld what a joke he is
heading down the table to our true position

Mp has'nt been found out we just do'nt have the strength in depth of the other teams in the top ten
cornwall saint

22 Dec 2013 15:37:43
I don't care if Poch says we're gunna have a quiet window, he must see that we need a GK and CB, that will take us to the next level, we lost today by 3 defensive errors, which is not good enough, at the start of the season that would've been a 2-0 win. Someone like Micah Richards/Steven Caulker for me would fit the bill and a GK Fraser Forster/Alex McCarthy would be great. Gazzaniga, Fox and Hoiveld are IMO not good enough, we should use Taggart instead to cover Shaw, it's not fair for the rest of the team to have to out score our stupid errors. We can still finish up there but the gap is growing.

How many more times does hooiveld
have to show how useless he is before pochettino does something about it
him and fox how pathetic

To all the wanyama moaners
we are missing him now

We won't get a new GK or CB until the summer

Forster/McCarthy/Richards/Caulker have a chance to make the England squad, they aren't going to want anything less than guaranteed football. Fonte also has a chance to make the Portugal team, he will want first team football, we aren't a big name like Manchester United who can have internationals sat on the bench each week who still get picked, our players will get picked on form and we aren't going to be able to keep top quality players happy on the bench, especially when -possibly their last- chance at a world cup is going down the toilet.

Besides that, both Fonte and Boruc will be back fit before we can buy anyone in.

and yes, Gazza, hooiveld and Yosh are good enough for the prem, Gazza will be a top quality keeper with some experience, he's already shown improvements since he's been in the team, with a lot of people wanting him to take over no. 2 from Kelv. Hooiveld and Yoshida, whilst they may not be top half of prem good, they are top half of prem cover good

support everyone in the team, or don't support the team at all.

All down to the manager we all know that fox mr own goal and gazza are not good enough and he says there's no transfers in January "yes" no players "BUT" there maybe a manager going
Just not good enough!!!!!!

Totally agree to the above post, they are not good enough and we need to strengthen - conceding 3 goals at home is not good enough. New Keeper/better cover for Boruc, new CB, stop playing Hoolivied - he just doesn't cut it and as for Fox, good when we were in League 1, not a EPL player and never will be.
All the great work at the start of the season undone by not having enough depth of quality, a top half finish is looking less and less likely.

To the guy who said we may have a manager going, that's ridiculous. The post was just saying we need to strengthed and not saying we shouldn't support the players selected, it's obivously tough playing a near 2nd choice back 4, with only Chambers looking like adequate cover.

It's bewildering how the above poster can say Hooiveld is prem quality! Think of it this way, all of Lallana's outstanding work was for nothing because it was undone by the performances of Hooiveld and Fox. Gazzaniga is still showing is youth, but I think given the chance to get regular games on loan he might gain confidence, otherwise it's just a Bialkowski repeat.

Its alright saying support everyone
or don't support at all but
hooivelt and fox are both liabilities
every time they play
only so much you can put up with
both championship level even on their best days