I think it's a valid point, but i honestly belive that Brighton, Southampton and Huddersfield are all good enough to stay up relativley comfortably in the Championship, so I think we'd be alright at the moment to get to a safe lower-mid table position. Add the signings that we want, and who knows where we may end up.
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Southampton/Huddersfield are the level for next season
- Thread starter k2bluesky
- Start date
bhaexpress
New member
Next season will be a very different matter, irrespective of who joins us. Given the number of seasons sold so far I doubt that we'll be too hard up. The wage bill may go up but at the same time it will also be trimmed by players not being renewed. I can't see why having a proper home won't be a positive step for the club. It does make me wonder why it is that with this season not even over the pessimists are out in force. Granted we didn't last long on our last two promotions to the Championship but we have a very different situation now.
The Large One
Who's Next?
Southampton's prospects for the Championship (assuming they get there) are only going to be improved by removing Adkins from his post.
They evidently have some good players, whose talents are wasted by the excessive long balls being played.
They evidently have some good players, whose talents are wasted by the excessive long balls being played.
Sussex Nomad
Well-known member
No you're wrong in my humble opinion, this is a level headed debate, not pessimism.
Personally I would have more concerns for next season if I was a Huddersfield or SCC supporter. Playing our style of football has seen us dominate league 1 since September 2010 and led to our promotion as champions. Playing their style has led them both to be in a battle for a place in promotion/playoffs. Pushing forward with all out attack and constant high balls into the box will be severely dealt with by Championship teams. Yes we need to strengthen the squad but our foundations are good, in Gus we trust!
ROSM
Well-known member
I was impressed with the way the route one of Adkins has been moulded with the passing style of Wilkins. On Saturday we had the spectacle of Hammond getting the ball, running sideways with it, playing it backwards to the defence who would then launch it long into the box.
But we didn't deal with it particularly well in all honesty - El Abd was beaten by Fonte for their winner and when Connolly scored Elphick and El Abd couldn't work out who was going on the line and who would take the loose attacker. I cant see Championship defences being as lax as we were.
Scotty Mac
New member
- Jul 13, 2003
- 24,405
there will be three worse teams than us in that league next year. but anybody who seriously thinks we will march straight into the top ten without some serious investment (particularly if murray goes - our record without him in the side bar swindon away is WOEFUL) needs their heads examined
Can't believe so many people think the OP has made a valid WORTHWHILE point. Gus and Tony know what they're doing FFS. I think they have probably realised that we'll be playing better teams next season and will need to strengthen the squad significantly to compete. After all, Gus has already stated that this is exactly what he intends to do. So I ask, what exactly is the point of this thread?
pasty
A different kind of pasty
Completely agree.
mcshane in the 79th
New member
- Nov 4, 2005
- 10,485
What is the point of 99% of threads on here?!
Gritt23
New member
Even with our foot off the gas, flip-flops and Hawaiian shirts on, we still lead with less than 10 mins to go, against a Southampton team giving absolutely everything they have in the desperate push to grasp our coat-tails.
I wouldn't worry too much fella. Our job is done for this season.
madinthehead
I have changed this
At the beginning of the season, most of us thought we may have scraped the playoffs this season.. Look how well we have done.. The championship is always very tight, with few points separating the teams in the playoff places from the teams fighting to stay in the league.. A part of this is down to the teams mental attitude, not just the strength of the squad.. Gus seems to have got the team believing in themselves.. Our results against Udders and Saints are irrelevant, as we have managed to win the league comfortably.. I am looking forward to next season and only time will tell how well we will do, but look at how well the teams who went up to the Championship last season have done this season!
We're the Stripes
Well-known member
Agreed. Let's be honest, Gus is never going to abandon the patient passing game we've proven to be so successful this season. What this means, however, is that he'll be looking to bring in players who are technically a step up from most of our current crop. Players who can receive the ball in tighter areas, under pressure - and still retain possession. Whether increased pace and strength are of equal importance I'm not so sure, but Gus & John Stephenson (and his scouting network) will know types of players we need to recruit to avoid being overpowered next season.
- Jul 7, 2003
- 47,499
Elphick isn't going to be our regular centre half next season so the argument about Fonte's goal is a bit daft.
We'll be fine. I'm not expecting us to breeze straight through the Championship, but neither do I expect us to be facing a relegation battle as I did the previous two times we came up. There will be plenty of worse teams.
And come on, I know Adkins isn't popular on here but why anyone thinks Saints would be better off without him I have no idea. He is in all certainty going to get them up, and yes I know a trained monkey could get that squad up with the players they have, but then again Pardew didn't look like doing it. He also got Scunny promoted and held their own. I have every confidence he will be pissing of plenty of Championship teams with his Brent-esque philosophies next season.
We'll be fine. I'm not expecting us to breeze straight through the Championship, but neither do I expect us to be facing a relegation battle as I did the previous two times we came up. There will be plenty of worse teams.
And come on, I know Adkins isn't popular on here but why anyone thinks Saints would be better off without him I have no idea. He is in all certainty going to get them up, and yes I know a trained monkey could get that squad up with the players they have, but then again Pardew didn't look like doing it. He also got Scunny promoted and held their own. I have every confidence he will be pissing of plenty of Championship teams with his Brent-esque philosophies next season.
Sussex Nomad
Well-known member
I personally believe we will be a mid table side and definitely hold our own in the championship next season. We obviously know Gus will strengthen because he has already stated it. However I still believe this is a valid and interesting topic.
Basil Fawlty
Don't Mention The War
Let me remind you. We won the league, by beating the teams who were relatively mid-table, relegation fodder and teams who were fighting it out for a play-off spot. We went unbeaten at home, all the way to last Saturday. When the league was summed up already. We drew 0-0 against Southampton away. After surviving a barage of constant attacks from them in the first half. We also nearly knicked it with the missed penalty. Charlton and Peterborough away we played them off the park both times, Southampton at home was a meaningless game and they wanted it more then us. But for you to get worried about the Championship in April, when the season aint even finished yet is just f***ing ridicolous.
Scotty Mac
New member
- Jul 13, 2003
- 24,405
people have taken their personal hatred of the man to lead them to conclude that he isn't a good manager. as you quite righty say, three promotions, one title and keeping a team with the budget that scunthorpe had in the championship, as well as selling on players like bill sharp, andy keogh and gary hooper, means that he is quite clearly a very good manager at this sort of level
ROSM
Well-known member
I was mentioning Fonte's goal, not so much as a criticism of our defence who you rightly point out are unlikely to be next seasons first choice, but more to point out that championship teams will likely do better than we did against that
I agree again - I wasn't saying he would/should be got rid of from a Southampton perspective. BUT the style of football he plays will likely be enough to hold their own next year and with a fit Lallana and Oxlade- Chamberlain they may well be near the play offs. However without those two, I think it will look a bit one dimensional unless he has a plan C. What may get to him will be if unreasonable expectations are placed by the Saints fans and so no leeway is given if things dont immediatley go right for him.
The Large One
Who's Next?
...is the key phrase.
His management record in the Championship at a 'big' club has yet to be tested, for his Championship record at a 'lesser' club is, understandably, poor.
It's how he can cope with an enormous expectation that may well be placed upon him, while coping the real possibility of losing some of his team's better players.
Scotty Mac
New member
- Jul 13, 2003
- 24,405
his championship record may be poor, but his achievements at that level are nothing short of miraculous. he was bought in to get southampton out of league one, and it is looking very much like a case of job done - meaning the only season of his managerial career he could be considered a failure is the year scunthorpe came down from the championship first time around. and that would be extremely harsh. they kept the faith with him though and were rewarded with an instant return
just because he hasnt done a high pressured job at championship level doesnt mean he cant do it or that southampton would be better off getting rid in order to make way for someone who has. otherwise you could argume that bloom should get rid of poyet in the summer as he has never managed at that level and bring in somebody who has in order to give us a better chance of progressing. which would quite clearly be a totally mental decision