Have to say well done Saints

[spring hall convert]

Some nice comments here. It certainly is good times being a Saints (and Lewes!) fan at the moment. When you think that at Old Trafford, Anfield and at SMS today the following were playing at the Withdean against Albion in league 1 only 4 years ago: Schneiderlin, Lallana, Fonte, Lambert, Guly. Just goes to show that the secret is not to do what Sunderland, Palace and QPR have done which is to get to the Prem and then change the whole team. Very rarely works.

Shall be having a little flutter on the Albion against Watford. Who is top scorer at the moment?

Of the fit players it will be Crofts.

 

[Soulman]

He speaks good English but uses the language excuse to avoid yabbering to the press, and instead just gets on with his job, extremely well too IMO.

Yes, and i don't blame him.
Glad Adkins is not the manager, it makes it easier to take the fact that they are doing well.

 

[symyjym]

Errrmmm... just like to point out we were founding members of the Prem in 1992, moved into St Mary's in 2000 and were relegated from the Prem 5 years later in 2005...

I didn't say you weren't founding members of the Prem. You moved into St Mary's 2001 and got relegated in 2005 my mistake but I'm not the oracle of all things Saints. However, you struggled in the Championship for five seasons and were relegated to League One for two years.

My point wasn’t a dig at you, it was a point that even if you have a new stadium it doesn’t guarantee instant success but with patience good things will come.

It was a compliment and I used it as an example to where we are today, and that even with a new stadium things take time.

 

[ferring seagull]

Some nice comments here. It certainly is good times being a Saints (and Lewes!) fan at the moment. When you think that at Old Trafford, Anfield and at SMS today the following were playing at the Withdean against Albion in league 1 only 4 years ago: Schneiderlin, Lallana, Fonte, Lambert, Guly. Just goes to show that the secret is not to do what Sunderland, Palace and QPR have done which is to get to the Prem and then change the whole team. Very rarely works.

Shall be having a little flutter on the Albion against Watford. Who is top scorer at the moment?

Perhaps you shouldn't waste your money there given our current injury situation ! As a point of interest, please advise what a 'scorer' is ?

But yes it is great to see how Southampton are doing and an object lesson in terms of how things need to be done vis a vis 'Academy' and, hopefully, how the Albion will progress in the not too distant future.

 

[HoveSaint]

I didn't say you weren't founding members of the Prem. You moved into St Mary's 2001 and got relegated in 2005 my mistake but I'm not the oracle of all things Saints. However, you struggled in the Championship for five seasons and were relegated to League One for two years.

My point wasn’t a dig at you, it was a point that even if you have a new stadium it doesn’t guarantee instant success but with patience good things will come.

It was a compliment and I used it as an example to where we are today, and that even with a new stadium things take time.

I didn't take your comment as a dig

Having a really good academy and a good, large catchment area for youngsters is more important than the stadium, at first. And no doubt Brighton has a large catchment area for the academy. Between the two of us we should be able to, literally, squeeze the division four muck in between us into having no recruits ever again !!

 

[spring hall convert]

Between the two of us we should be able to, literally, squeeze the division four muck in between us into having no recruits ever again !!

I really like the sound of that.

 

[Soulman]

Some nice comments here. It certainly is good times being a Saints (and Lewes!) fan at the moment. When you think that at Old Trafford, Anfield and at SMS today the following were playing at the Withdean against Albion in league 1 only 4 years ago: Schneiderlin, Lallana, Fonte, Lambert, Guly. Just goes to show that the secret is not to do what Sunderland, Palace and QPR have done which is to get to the Prem and then change the whole team. Very rarely works.

Shall be having a little flutter on the Albion against Watford. Who is top scorer at the moment?

We could be working along similar lines to the Saints. You got a new stadium, which is well attended, so have we. You have a good academy/players, and ours is getting better at the moment, and should improve when the new academy is up and running. I say ours is getting better because over the last couple of seasons our academy players were losing quite heavily to some teams. This season we have not only closed the gap, but are beating sides from many top academy's, although yours is still one of the best.
Our owner is running the club well, as is yours.
Hopefully in a couple of seasons time we will be competing in the top flight.

We do not seem to have a goalscorer t the moment with our injuries, best bet is Lita or Crofts.

 

[symyjym]

I didn't take your comment as a dig

Having a really good academy and a good, large catchment area for youngsters is more important than the stadium, at first. And no doubt Brighton has a large catchment area for the academy. Between the two of us we should be able to, literally, squeeze the division four muck in between us into having no recruits ever again !!

Cool, yep, the more southern teams in top flight the better, and with grass roots youth development can only be good for us. I sort of see us as 10 years behind Saints as far as the project goes, but hopefully can make up for some of that over the next 3-4 years with a bit of extra pace.

 

[Canonman]

Anyone know if The Saints have got plans to increase the capacity at St Marys, the way they are going they might need it.

 

[Meade's Ball]

I'd never say it to the part-time Saints fan at work who i enjoyed getting one over those few years back, but they are an incredibly hard-working side of determination and quality. Their workrate is pretty much unrivalable, and as long as they keep their fitness levels up and get to enjoy what they're doing without fear and pressure crippling them, they could be the season-long surprise of the year. A good side worthy of at least temporary reward.

 

[El Presidente]

Some nice comments here. It certainly is good times being a Saints (and Lewes!) fan at the moment. When you think that at Old Trafford, Anfield and at SMS today the following were playing at the Withdean against Albion in league 1 only 4 years ago: Schneiderlin, Lallana, Fonte, Lambert, Guly. Just goes to show that the secret is not to do what Sunderland, Palace and QPR have done which is to get to the Prem and then change the whole team. Very rarely works.

Shall be having a little flutter on the Albion against Watford. Who is top scorer at the moment?

Of the starting XI on Monday only Crofts has more than one goal this season.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

They bought very well in the summer and they are another example of a club being stronger through working to a clearly defined playing style. They have signed players with a formation and a style in mind. Fair play to the scouting department, and to the board for backing him.

But also to the acadamy for providing Luke Shaw, James Ward-Prowse and Adam (?) Chambers. Not to mention Lallana who has been there for years having come through. Quality team, and a massive pointer to us.

Follow Southampton's lead and success is sustainable. Or do a Palace, have no infrastructure and flop around like a fish out of water. PLR is an annoying management term, but there is rationale behind it.

 

[Working class pride]

Happy to say well done Saints but we might as well say well done some other irrelevant team to us tho? One thing I do know, they wouldn't get 30,000 for Wolves at home in the second tier or 28000/29000 for Watford on a Monday night in the second tier. Just goes to show what might be achieved at the Albion.

 

[User Removed]

Agreed, and we have seen the likes of Burnley, Blackpool and Hull start well before but then slide down the table in the past.

What Saints seem to have done right is invest in the stadium and the academy, waited for those to bear fruit and then reap the rewards. For that you need a patient chairman and fanbase.

Absolutely spot on. Sound familiar anyone?

 

[nicko31]

They are getting results and continue to develop English talent and credit to them for that. So glad we've got a Bloom in charge though over a Cortese..

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Between the two of us we should be able to, literally, squeeze the division four muck in between us into having no recruits ever again !!

Oh yes, especially as they used to scout and poach the great local talent when they were living it up in the premiership.

 

[El Presidente]

Happy to say well done Saints but we might as well say well done some other irrelevant team to us tho? One thing I do know, they wouldn't get 30,000 for Wolves at home in the second tier or 28000/29000 for Watford on a Monday night in the second tier. Just goes to show what might be achieved at the Albion.

Errrr...........two seasons ago they got 30,000+ in the second tier for Bristol City, Palace, Pompey, Reading, Doncaster, West Ham, the Albion and Coventry, so I am not sure what point you are trying to make.

 

[W.C.]

I thought their sacking of Adkins was a bit out of order considering where he'd got them but it seems they knew they'd got the right man. Doing an excellent job so far.

 

[Mutts Nuts]

They have certainly kicked away from us and all that 'mind the gap' crap seems a bit stupid now

I think it`s because their management realised that it`s the team that gets you success not a kfcu off great big white elephant.

 

[beardy gull]

Don't know why people are so surprised. They have spent a lot over the last two seasons (only Man C and Chelsea had a higher net spend this summer). It's also well documented they pay massive wages. Fair play to them but it's hardly the romantic little club story some of the tablets are making out.