| News Comment | Southampton At Liverpool The FA Cup Verdict at 10:17:37
In 1976 our priority was promotion, but I seem to remember we gave it a good crack in the cup. I do not understand this obsession with promotion which, if achieved, will be followed by a season of misery, struggling at the bottom with relegation highly probable. |
| News Comment | Southampton V Millwall The Verdict at 13:55:35
Plenty of teams play a possession based game now - indeed the suggestion is that teams that don't are stuck in the dark ages, but no one ever said it had to be ponderous. Arsenal, to pick just one example out of many, are fluid and fast paced. They see no need to pass endlessly along the back line, allowing the opposition to get as well organised as they could possibly be, before venturing forward. In addition, whatever the sport, if you do the unexpected, the opposition can often be caught off guard. So yes, why not give the 'keeper licence to kick it long once in a while. There is nothing to be gained from being predictable and that, on Saturday, is exactly what we were. |
| News Comment | FA Cup 4th Round Memories 28th January 1984 Fratton Park at 11:26:51
Seeing the goal again still makes me smile as much as it ever did. The greatest game in the greatest season I've ever known. Never forget trying so hard not to look ecstatic as we made our way back to the car. Just the best memories - before the cup became the soulless hollowed out competition it is now. |
| News Comment | Saints Launch New Home Kit For 2023/24 Season at 10:04:45
Desperately disappointing. To my surprise I seem to be in a minority here, but last season I looked with envy at Sheff Utd, Brentford and Sunderland. All proud to wear red and white stripes -front AND back. They recognise the importance of what we are these days required to call 'the brand', whereas we feel it necessary to constantly reinvent ourselves. |
| News Comment | Rumour Mill Starts Turning On Next Southampton Manager at 11:47:12
Potter is the obvious choice, especially as Lampard's record since succeeding him at Chelsea seems to suggest the problems there go much deeper than who is in charge. If not him, take up Bowlercow's suggestion and google Will Still. No, I'd never heard of him either. |
| News Comment | Escape From Alcatraz Gives Saints A Psychological Lift Off The Bottom at 09:14:27
I think you are making too much of this strength in depth, Nick. If all were fit and available for selection, we now have enough players to put out THREE teams. This bloated squad is mediocre in quality and a clear example of how to spend money badly. It also leaves us in a position where nobody knows what our best 11 are - not even the manager(s). It is months, if not years, of poor recruitment that I fear will send us down. The mistake was going for quantity rather than quality. For the same outlay, a much more talented squad of, let's say 18 could have been put together, augmented by half a dozen old pros whose best days were behind them, but who had the experience to come in and DAJ as and when required. I was going to add the best from the academy, but that supply seems to have dried up for now. |
| News Comment | Southampton V Wolverhampton Wanderers The Verdict at 18:16:46
It's irrelevant now, obviously, but there were clear signs of a different approach yesterday. I'm thinking particularly of the 'keeper kicking the ball long, rather than rolling it out to non ball playing centre backs, which achieved nothing and gave us all heart attacks. Going long generated flick-ons and often seemed to cause problems in the Wolves defence. I for one was celebrating the end of tippy-tappy and hope that whoever takes over doesn't change this. |
| News Comment | Southampton V Brighton The Verdict at 17:44:45
The paths both sides have taken since they last met is barely believable. The skill levels demonstrated by Brighton were from a different planet. Coaching may have something to do with it, but the main problem is recruitment. Nick, you have many times commented on the improved strength in depth compared to last season, but what we have now is a bloated squad of mediocrity. Given the limitations of our budget, I've always felt that investing in a group of, say, 16 high quality players topped up by some talented youngsters and a few hardened pros whose better days are behind them (Romeo?) should be the way to go. Yes, there will be injuries and suspensions, but we will also turn over teams with bigger budgets as we have done many times in the past. Until quite recently it was generally agreed what our best 11 would look like. Not now it isn't. |
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