Football thoughts

[webberg]

A rare chance for a Southampton fan to claim a bit of recognition.

Went to the game yesterday to see us beat West Ham 1-0 and play really well and have a record crowd (31,152).

late night but worth it.

Now 5 points clear at the top of the table.

As with all Saints fans, now waiting for the sky to fall in (which might be tonight when I attempt an 8 x 750 )

Coome on you Reds! =D> =D> =D> =D>

[Wolfmiester]

Wel done Graham, as a Birmingham fan I know exaclty how you feel!
Enjoy it whilst you can.

A few of us are off to Bruges early tomorrow to watch Blues in Europe. May be the only opportunity I get in my life time (allegedly 10,000 going from Brum!!)

[webberg]

We played Birmingham recently and 3-1 to Saints flattered them.

Enjoy Bruges. It's a place I've been to a fair bit and I know some decent bars and restaurants if you need them.

[strider77]

Yes Graham it's all a bit surreal at the moment, my sister was there last night and the Derby away match on Saturday, I gave her a lift as I was rowing at Grimsby

The Derby fans told her Saints were the best team they had seen there so far this season, a rare compliment

Long may it last, let's enjoy it while we can

[webberg]

Mr Strider, we still need to arrange for you to come along to a game.

I'm going to the Reading match on saturday and then it's Middlesborough at home. Hopefully Llalana will be fit by then as he's been missing a couple of matches and he is clearly our best player.

Two wins there and possibly we're going into November with a 6 or 7 point cushion.

Given how everybody is beating everybody else in this league, making up that gap is probably a 12 game plan.

We did play well yesterday. West Ham hardly had a kick in the first half and the second was all about long ball forward from them. They are a typical Allardyce team, full of 6 foot plus types and big boot. They play very little of the passing game and the WH purists of old must be despairing.

Our game is pass and move and come January it'll be interesting to see if we take a more direct approach. If we do, then we need a couple of reinforcements. A quick and consistent forward as neither Forte nor De Guessen look like making the grade. And perhaps get Barnard fit as he's not played this season. Then some decent cover at full back. Richardson and Fox are doing well but Harding struggles and Butterfield is past it.

All a bit surreal as you say. But in a league where no team seems able to keep their form for more than 4 - 6 games, just keeping going might be good enough.

I remember reading a statistic that says team who get promoted pick up 70% of the points available against teams who finish outside the top six and 50% of the points available against the top six. Seems we're well on course at the moment.

[Wolfmiester]

Wow, what a night.
There are many things wrong with modern football, but occasionally it rises up and shows you why it's the best spectator sport in the world.
1-0 down, then coming back to win 1-2 with a 10th minute injury time goal (and become the 1st English team ever to win in Bruges )
6,000 away fans dancing with delight.
Many a grown man behaving like an excited child.
Brilliant.

[Paul Victory]

Wow, what a night.
There are many things wrong with modern football, but occasionally it rises up and shows you why it's the best spectator sport in the world.
1-0 down, then coming back to win 1-2 with a 10th minute injury time goal (and become the 1st English team ever to win in Bruges )
6,000 away fans dancing with delight.
Many a grown man behaving like an excited child.
Brilliant.

I was thinking of you when I saw the result. Great performance and great result. Hope you're not too hungover today.

By the way, you should watch the movie In Bruges, if you haven't already seen it.

[andy walls]

Wow, what a night.
There are many things wrong with modern football, but occasionally it rises up and shows you why it's the best spectator sport in the world.
1-0 down, then coming back to win 1-2 with a 10th minute injury time goal (and become the 1st English team ever to win in Bruges )
6,000 away fans dancing with delight.
Many a grown man behaving like an excited child.
Brilliant.

Steve, great result for the Blues, glad you had a great time. How sincere was that

[Paul Victory]

Another good result for Southampton today. Premiership beckons?

[webberg]

Bit early for that Paul.

I've been a fan for a long time and we can yet muck this up.

Good result though. Next up is Brighton at home. They were promotoed ahead of us last season but have tailed off now. Could be an interesting game.

I think though being 5 points clear now is good. If we can stay that far clear by Christmas, then we have a chance.

[Paul Victory]

Estonia 0 Ireland 4

I don't think even we can screw this one up. Euros here we come!

[webberg]

Spare a few thoughts for the family of Gary Speed today.

Always thought he was a pretty honest player and committed to his clubs.

Obviously a thinker about the game and Wales have benefitted eventually.

Real shame that he decided that he could not carry on as I think he could have become a real force in the managerial sphere.

[Paul Victory]

Spare a few thoughts for the family of Gary Speed today.

Always thought he was a pretty honest player and committed to his clubs.

Obviously a thinker about the game and Wales have benefitted eventually.

Real shame that he decided that he could not carry on as I think he could have become a real force in the managerial sphere.

I got on here to have a rant about the referee in tonight's Tottenham-PAOK game and saw your post.

Thanks for reminding me that there are things that are a lot more important than winning or losing a match.

Paul V

[hewitt]

WHEN is Steve Kean just going to walk out.The spineless asshole. He is ruining my team.

[andy walls]

WHEN is Steve Kean just going to walk out.The spineless asshole. He is ruining my team.

Don't think he will walk away Jase, he will need pushing and I'm not too sure the chicken farmers will do that yet, I have to agree that it's not looking good for you guys!

Having said that we are not much better, our manager appears intent on setting up a defensive team that can't defend, 62% of our goals against are set pieces, unfortunately I have accepted Mcleish is here to stay, for this season at least

[Paul Victory]

WHEN is Steve Kean just going to walk out.The spineless asshole. He is ruining my team.

I presume that if he walks out, he won't get compensation. So I guess he'll hang in there until they fire him.

I have to say that I think the abuse he's getting from the fans is way over the top. It's hardly likely to encourage other managers to go there if they know that's what they can expect from the fans if things go wrong.

Sorry for sticking my oar in.

Paul V

[hewitt]

I have to say that I think the abuse he's getting from the fans is way over the top.

Paul V

I don't really think you know what you are talking about Paul. He is an absolute arsehole . He has not got any clue what he is doing.

[Paul Victory]

I don't really think you know what you are talking about Paul.

You're probably right Jason. I haven't been watching it that closely and I know how I felt about Juande Ramos when he was messing things up at Tottenham. I hope Blackburn get things sorted out quickly and that you manage to stay up.

[andy walls]

Jase, has Steve Kean redeemed himself, 4 great points in the last 2 tough away games =D>

Great result for Villa today, top way to see out 2011

[Paul Victory]

Yes, interesting question Jason. Has there been any change in your opinion of Steve Kean over the last week?

[hewitt]

I believe that Steve Kean is still not the man to lead Blackburn. They were to solid performances and i was VERY pleased with the result against UTD.
The main problem at our club at the moment is the Venky's. Steve Kean is just a puppet for them,a yes man.(that is why big Sam left)
The Venky's seem to see Blackburn as a profit making selling team which is very unfortunate. First it was Phil Jones to go and i am pretty sure that Samba,Hoillet,Formica and a few others will be on there way out soon for big money. Things are looking very glum at the moment until we get the Venky's out and replace Steve Kean with someone who actually has a clue about football.

The last couple of home games he has played Gamst Pederson at Left back an he is a winger. Plus hi insists on playing 1 up front at home when we clearly need 2. The 1 up front works great away from home on the counter attack.

Enough rambeling or i could go on forever.

[andy walls]

Sorry I asked now

To be honest Jase I think the last 4 points you have took are papering over the cracks, a little bit like our win over Chelsea, we both have owners who don't understand the passion an dedication of the British footy fan, I do however feel we are both stuck with the owners we have, it's like it or lump it I'm affraid for both of us. I think we will both lose our better players in the transfer window

[webberg]

The position with Blackburn is unfortunate but reflects the future of our football clubs.

Laying aside the Glasgow mafia connection in the Man U result (I wonder how many people in Glasgow had a bet that Blackburn would win as they did?) I have to observe tha BB are presently a basket case and would be my tip for relegation.

However the way in which the Venky's run the club is how more will be run in the future. The club is a business first, second and last. A business can survive only if it makes profits that are reinvested. In Premier League football, nobody makes a profit without selling players because the wage demands of the "top" players outstrip gate and merchandise receipts.

The imposition of "Fair Play" rules will make little difference as the biggest clubs will find ways around them. For example, Chelsea may pay their stars a flat salary and bonus within the Fair Play system but they will increase the amounts paid for image rights and non football related activities, such as sales of replica kit, which will go into a separate company and be outside of UEFA audit.

Thus teams like BB and probably others with a half decent academy with stars of the future who can be used to cash in will end up in the Championship and perhaps bounce up and down from the Premiership. The premier league will inevitably reduce to around 8 to 10 clubs with the financial muscle.

These clubs will play in a pan European league with perhaps the best from Italy, Spain, Germany and European second division perhaps for the bottom 2 in our legaue each year.

UK clubs under the new breed of owner, owe nothing to the fans and don't recognise loyalty. It's no different to saying that you will buy only Nike trainers or Shell petrol. They're just brands which have a loyal following and nothing else. Those who love the game will end up supporting second or thiord division outfits because they have an interest in bums on seats and the big clubs simply don't because they know that Chelsea v Real Madrid or Man U v inter Milan will sell out every time.

I'm afraid that loyalty and passion are no longer needed by club owners and they think that they can ignore fans.

Until fans can exercise a significant economic veto on clubs by perhaps not turning up, they have no power, no voice and no impact and football at the top level will continue down the mercenary path started many years ago.

Sorry - rant over - back to work

[Paul Victory]

Laying aside the Glasgow mafia connection in the Man U result (I wonder how many people in Glasgow had a bet that Blackburn would win as they did?)

Very good post Graham, but I'm intrigued by the above statement. Whatever do you mean?

[webberg]

I'm suggesting - purely speculatively and without hard evidence - that Ferguson and Keane are both from the Glasgow scene and the former has been very public in his support of the latter and in railing against the venom being directed at him and then fields a team whihc could be described as "weak" or "unbalanced" for no good reason.

The team that Man u played against Newcastle was from the same squad but more balanced.

Consequently the number of goals scored, the timing, the pub side defending, could perhaps have been part of a conspiracy?

The odds on BB winning - irrespective of score - were 23-1.

BB winning 2-0 was priced at 70-1!

Can't find a cache for 2-3 but I reckon it was substantial odds.

Just a bit fishy for my liking.