You've scored how many goals this season? Bloody hell, I just looked. Well under 1 a game. In fact only West Brom have scored fewer! And you had scored less than them before Saturday. Must be ******* riveting.
I'd far rather have Dyche back than bloody Flores. Comparing Gracia to either is unfair though. Tactically, I think he's even more unpredictable and versatile than Joka. I read up on him as soon as his name was rumoured after Slither's sacking, and thought he was perfect for us straight away. He's got Troy back on the goal trail as well as organising our defensive play. He's no negative, bore specialist. He will make the best out of whatever players we have available, and he's someone I want to stay around a few years.
To me that shows more style and class than a grandfather clock sized gold Tag Heuer. If it's the one that plays the James bond theme even better.
He seems like a really nice guy and I'm impressed with the job he's done so far but boy is he boring in interviews! I doubt he'll say a single interesting thing the whole time he's here. Edit: to be honest that'll just put him on a par with the rest of our coaches in the Premier League. Silva - arrogant and boring; Mazzarri - incomprehensible and boring; Flores - insincere and boring.
I'd imagine he'd be more interesting in interviews back home, he can speak English OK, but it's hard for your personality to come out. For all we know, Mazzarri might be the life and soul of the party lol
I don’t see it that way. I think CC is a genuine enthusiast & positive thinker.Grabbed SW by the scruff of the scrofulous neck & did well until losing 3 in a row or some such. Prem a better place for him. (Think I kept my Fessi/Allen/Pudil crush nicely in the background there.) Why Almen autowrite as Allen? Almen Partridge?
Great stat on Sky, Javi has the most PPP game of all the managers appointed once the season had started. Lol at Pardew on half a point per game.
Try saying that to the SWFC fans and most of them will think you're off your rocker, seems to be public enemy #1 in S6 and many blame him pretty much entirely for the mess he's allegedly left them in. Without having seen either team this season (apart from our matches against Swansea) I don't buy it. How has Carvalhal somehow turned a seemingly hopeless side from relegation certainties to one that is looking likely to stay up with a higher points per game ratio than Wednesday currently have in a lower division (with largely players that got to the play-offs two seasons running)? Their problems must be deeper-seated than their previous manager.
CC got the Yorkie rabble into the play offs last year. Their highest position since I stopped collecting Soccer Stars footie cards, I fancy. SW = wannabe Geordies?
QSF, WM and especially MS all started well before we found their respective Achilles heels. I'm not going to predict if Gracia will fade or shine, but experience tells me its pointless getting over excited after half a dozen games and talk of a new 6 year contract is silly.
You are totally wrong there. He’s done a good job so far, way better than I think any of us had the right to expect. He also comes across very well as a person. The failings on the road aren’t all his doing anyway. We were poor under Silva too after the win at Newcastle. Perfectly reasonable I think to wish for an improvement away from the Vic, and to see that as the next target in our improvement overall under Javi. Otherwise he could be another Beppe, very strong at home but poor on the road.
He's the polar opposite of Beppe, and he's got more tactical know-how than all three of his immediate predecessors put together.
We can't really expect too much from the remaining away games apart from Huddersfield tbf, you can't hold it against Gracia if we lose all 4 games against the top 6. That said, I do think we'll pick up a draw somewhere, maybe today, or maybe as Spuds/United have nothing to play for
A bit off topic but how many Southampton fans do you reckon are pleased they got rid of Claude Puel? Mistake or what?
Been browsing Saints forums, bit of a split, most are happy to get rid, but are just unhappy to got such a plum as a manager. Some do regret him leaving, especially as he's doing OK at Leicester. Kind of like our opinions of QSF really. They ******* hate Doucs though, that's for sure!
Sorry for the off-topic, but I have to take issues with this as opinions or not, I really don't know how you can think that, especially the manner you expressed it. Not saying Dyche hasn't been doing a good job, but he has only been marginally better than Flores in terms of results, and whereas Flores's football wasn't the most exciting and based on a tight defence, they didn't plunder results on anything like such a frequent basis as Dyche's been doing this season. If you think Dyche is much better because he's working with a worse team than Flores's, that is a matter for further debate, although it's pretty subjective.
To me Eddie Howe and Sean Dyche have both proved they are good managers. As we know these days getting into the Premiership and then holding there is a pretty difficult task. Both have the advantage of being in their job for some years. So far we have held our place despite not having a settled management. It is hard to compare QSF who had one season with Dyche who has had nearly 6 to mould his team. I cannot say though that I would want Dyche - or Howe - here.
Just out of interest, why would you not want Howe? Because his players cheat and/or they seem inconsistent in terms of motivation, ie they get sensational results against top teams while losing to crap ones and don't have a solid home record?
Dunno really. Just never liked him despite a good record. Something about him never seems quite genuine. But cheating and inconsistency do feature in it.
Howe's been auditioning for the England job given many of his squad are English, wouldn't be a bad shout after all you gotta be in the penalty box to get a dodgy pen and there's a few England teams who couldn't manage that much in major tournaments Flores was underrated and never got a chance to play expansive football. He did go two up top in our first season back in prem and his only option off the bench when Deeney/Ighalo weren't firing was an out of position Amrabat. Had he the resources Mazzari had then things could have been even better. I still hold him in high regard for how easy he kept us in the Prem first time round. Gracia is doing a great job, give him a pre season before making any judgements, sure we haven't scored away but we're creating plenty of chances and looking like scoring, be much worse if you couldn't see a goal coming. Steadied the ship after Sliva and it's hard to change the mentality when the team have been playing a certain way all season. Gracias Flores, Gracias Gracia
I agree re QSF. First half of first season back was no time for champagne football & then things collapsed. I believe he was intending to play one up top but was flexible when he saw the Ig in action. Also, somewhat unfair to blame Deeney's pen miss on Gracia, unless he was giving Cech a discreet 'straight down the middle' signal. Improbable.