Gert & TheBoy's Official VNA Soccer... err Football Thread

[PeterL22]

Before anyone else says anything, as a Saints' fan I have to comment on Friday!
Saints were dire, but Leicester were also really good - by far the best side I have seen this season - much,much better than Liverpool,Spurs & Man Utd (I was disappointed that we didn't get more against all of those three).
What on earth Bertrand was doing with that challenge to get a (correct) red card - I have no idea.
However, kudos to Saints fans at Northam End for singing most of second half - couldn't hear Leicester fans at all!

[Andrew35]

holy shit, that's awesome, I do wonder if they get in trouble for letting the stuff hit the field though.

Nope - It's Greece!
Most of the Greek clubs seem to do pyrotechnics - I just think it is awesome and want to go!

Makes me want to go and check it out.

[PeterL22]

Gonna see if I am better at League Cup predictions than Premier League!

Burton v Leicester - away by 2.
Crawley v Colchester - away by 2
Everton v Watford - Everton on penalties
Man City v Saints - no point really (can Saints keep it to single figures)
Oxford v Sunderland - home by 2
Liverpool v Arsenal - difficult until you know teams - Arsenal after penalties (bases on Liverpool starting U23s)
Villa v Wolves - home by 1
Chelski v Man Utd - home by 2

[rokkerr]

Before anyone else says anything, as a Saints' fan I have to comment on Friday!
Saints were dire, but Leicester were also really good - by far the best side I have seen this season - much,much better than Liverpool,Spurs & Man Utd (I was disappointed that we didn't get more against all of those three).
What on earth Bertrand was doing with that challenge to get a (correct) red card - I have no idea.
However, kudos to Saints fans at Northam End for singing most of second half - couldn't hear Leicester fans at all!

Yeah I have to say that was a poor showing.. this weekend will say a lot...

[PeterL22]

This week's results - no problem!

Bournemouth v Man Utd - home by 2
Arsenal v Wolves - draw
Villa v Liverpool away by 2
Brighton v Norwich - home by 1
Man City v Saints - away by 1 (no really home by 5)
Sheff Utd v Burnley - 0-0 draw
West Ham v Newcastle - home by 3
Watford v Chelski - away by 2
Palace v Leicester - away by 2
Everton v Spurs - draw

[rokkerr]

Will Arsenal's manager be sacked for Jose though THAT is the question...

[PeterL22]

Will Arsenal's manager be sacked for Jose though THAT is the question...

Don't think so - Jose is trouble!
Dismal football to watch and it is only a matter of time before he loses the dressing room (see Chelski & Man Utd!)

[PeterL22]

This weekend's results - certainly !

Norwich v Watford - draw (both teams have too much to lose)
Chelski v Palace - Palace by one (got to nudge you from your comfort zone!)
Burnley v West Ham - home by 2
Newcastle v Bournemouth - tricky - probably draw
Saints v Everton - home by 2 (Saints have a great record against Everton down here)
Spurs v Sheff Utd - scoreless draw
Leicester v Arsenal - home by 2
Man Utd v Brighton - home by 3
Wolves v Villa - home by 1
Liverhampton v Man City - draw or home by 2

[PeterL22]

The Liverpool v Man City game yesterday was a bit of a let down really.
Same old Scousers, always cheating - first goal should have been disallowed and penalty for Man City for handball!
All I ask you to speculate, is what would the decision have been if it had been a Man City hand and goal??
By the way I'm not a Man City supporter.

[Andrew35]

Opened a new stadium in Argentina that had been closed since 2015, because of renovations on the old stadium that had started in 2008, for soccer club Estudiantes.

[rokkerr]

But damn... how abut Leicester!?!?

[PeterL22]

But damn... how abut Leicester!?!?

Leicester look pretty good - at St Mary's they were the best team I have seen Saints play all season - and that includes Liverhampton, Man Utd, Spurs, Man City etc.
They have a good mix at the back now and Thielemans is excellent in midfield.
Also they have Vardy upfront, one of the dirtiest players in PL, but boy can he score ................

[TheBoy]

Sorry again for another leave of absence - I haven't been sulking because of Tottenham, honestly!

But on that subject, I see from catching up on the thread you guys have been talking about the prospect of Pochettino on the verge of being sacked. I think he's here until at least January and will be given the transfer window to show he is laying the foundations for next season. From what I hear, the fans going to the matches are still very much behind him, with barely a murmour of unrest. The story is very different on the forums and Twitter, etc where I'd say a good 75% of fans want him gone. I'd also say that considering the awful start to the season and (a fact often overlooked) a woeful 2019 - no away win in the league since January FFS - means that if he hasn't been fired by now, then he's not going to be.

If Poch can survive losing 7-2 to Bayern, 3-0 to Brighton on top of losses to Newcastle, Colchester, etc then I think Levy has already shown he's not itching to pull the trigger.

My personal thoughts are that this is a big mistake and as gut wrenching as it is to admit, he really should have gone weeks ago. The sad fact is, it seems highly unlikely we'll ever win anything under him, he's let the squad age and been very stubborn in the transfer market to the point we are at now with an entire first choice defence all unsettled: Toby is leaving for free in the summer, Vertonghen has been left out to hang since the start of the season and we tried desperately to sell Rose and Aurier in the summer to no avail. Add in Eriksen plus squad players like Dier, Moura and you've got half the team wanting to leave all at once!

We're now paying deeply for the farcical 2018 season of signing no-one for over 500 days, when Poch was so stubborn in the targets he wanted that he refused to sign anyone else (Frankie de Jong for example who decided unsurprisingly he'd rather wait for Barcelona).

If however he does get the sack or indeed walks (or perhaps the ideal scenario for all concerned and the rumours that Bayern want him come true) then for me, it's time to stop with the 'project' managers and finally make the move for a bonafide winner. We often say teams are lacking winners on the pitch and I think the same is true for a manager. For me, I'd love Jose and think he'd be perfect for us. I think he'd like the squad we have, I think Levy would be much more open to spending some money and I also think Jose seems like he wants to prove a point after his United period. And let's also not forget that during his 'failed' time at Old Trafford, he won the Europa League, a League Cup and Coummunity Shield. Lesser trophies they may be, but ask any Spurs fan if they'd like even one more League Cup since 2008 and I'm sure they would not say no, let alone the Europa League!

Spurs have three trophies in the last 30 years. Mourinho won three (ok, you can't really count the Community Shield, but again, Spurs haven't won one since 1991 and that was shared!) in his last job and was classed as a failure.

As a side note, I also don't think Arsenal are in a hurry to sack Unai 'Good Ebening' Emery either. Chalk this one up to not wanting to admit a mistake and hoping that that with enough other teams being crap this season, they might just get away with it.

No doubt after saying all of this, both will get the chop by next weekend :)

[PeterL22]

Sorry again for another leave of absence - I haven't been sulking because of Tottenham, honestly!

But on that subject, I see from catching up on the thread you guys have been talking about the prospect of Pochettino on the verge of being sacked. I think he's here until at least January and will be given the transfer window to show he is laying the foundations for next season. From what I hear, the fans going to the matches are still very much behind him, with barely a murmour of unrest. The story is very different on the forums and Twitter, etc where I'd say a good 75% of fans want him gone. I'd also say that considering the awful start to the season and (a fact often overlooked) a woeful 2019 - no away win in the league since January FFS - means that if he hasn't been fired by now, then he's not going to be.

If Poch can survive losing 7-2 to Bayern, 3-0 to Brighton on top of losses to Newcastle, Colchester, etc then I think Levy has already shown he's not itching to pull the trigger.

My personal thoughts are that this is a big mistake and as gut wrenching as it is to admit, he really should have gone weeks ago. The sad fact is, it seems highly unlikely we'll ever win anything under him, he's let the squad age and been very stubborn in the transfer market to the point we are at now with an entire first choice defence all unsettled: Toby is leaving for free in the summer, Vertonghen has been left out to hang since the start of the season and we tried desperately to sell Rose and Aurier in the summer to no avail. Add in Eriksen plus squad players like Dier, Moura and you've got half the team wanting to leave all at once!

We're now paying deeply for the farcical 2018 season of signing no-one for over 500 days, when Poch was so stubborn in the targets he wanted that he refused to sign anyone else (Frankie de Jong for example who decided unsurprisingly he'd rather wait for Barcelona).

If however he does get the sack or indeed walks (or perhaps the ideal scenario for all concerned and the rumours that Bayern want him come true) then for me, it's time to stop with the 'project' managers and finally make the move for a bonafide winner. We often say teams are lacking winners on the pitch and I think the same is true for a manager. For me, I'd love Jose and think he'd be perfect for us. I think he'd like the squad we have, I think Levy would be much more open to spending some money and I also think Jose seems like he wants to prove a point after his United period. And let's also not forget that during his 'failed' time at Old Trafford, he won the Europa League, a League Cup and Coummunity Shield. Lesser trophies they may be, but ask any Spurs fan if they'd like even one more League Cup since 2008 and I'm sure they would not say no, let alone the Europa League!

Spurs have three trophies in the last 30 years. Mourinho won three (ok, you can't really count the Community Shield, but again, Spurs haven't won one since 1991 and that was shared!) in his last job and was classed as a failure.

As a side note, I also don't think Arsenal are in a hurry to sack Unai 'Good Ebening' Emery either. Chalk this one up to not wanting to admit a mistake and hoping that that with enough other teams being crap this season, they might just get away with it.

No doubt after saying all of this, both will get the chop by next weekend :)

Good to have you back old chap!
Regarding Spurs and Potch' - I think they would be crazy to get rid of him. Not sure (like a lot of clubs) how much say he has in transfers these days. He is a really good manager and Eriksen apart, has got a great deal out of the players he has. Think he should use Son much more - my favourite Spurs's player by far. Levy is the blueprint for modern owners who run CLUBS (capitals used deliberately) as businesses (more the pity.). I know Poch hasn't won anything there, but you vastly over-achieved by getting to Champions League Final last year - even with help of VAR!!!!!

Arsenal will lose patience with Emery soon. They are so flaky in defence at present, that even us Saints fans have hope we will get something up there next Saturday.
However, my money, in the sack race, is on Mr Rabbit Hutch here at Southampton - not only are the results dire, the team is playing really badly, and he doesn't seem to know how to select it!

[PeterL22]

Massive game in Cardiff tonight - Wales v Hungary in Qualifiers for Euro 2020.
We need to win to qualify (or face playoffs)
A little encouragement for the boys!!!


COFIO FFRAINC 2016 - YMLAEN A'NI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TheBoy]

I think he's here until at least January and will be given the transfer window to show he is laying the foundations for next season...

No doubt after saying all of this, both will get the chop by next weekend :)

Well what do I know lol! I'm genuinely shocked to see Poch go at this exact moment. I can only think that our prime target to replace him either suddenly became available, or was too close to going elsewhere. One thing is for sure, we'll all know what the club's ambition is for the next few years with whoever gets hired. There's a level of expectation now that there hasn't been in at least the last 30+ years and the fans are no longer expecting a small upgrade. We shall see.

As I said before, I'm gutted that it has come to this with Poch, but I think it had to be done :(

Looking good for Wales as I write this Peter, good luck!

[PeterL22]

I think he's here until at least January and will be given the transfer window to show he is laying the foundations for next season...

No doubt after saying all of this, both will get the chop by next weekend :)

Well what do I know lol! I'm genuinely shocked to see Poch go at this exact moment. I can only think that our prime target to replace him either suddenly became available, or was too close to going elsewhere. One thing is for sure, we'll all know what the club's ambition is for the next few years with whoever gets hired. There's a level of expectation now that there hasn't been in at least the last 30+ years and the fans are no longer expecting a small upgrade. We shall see.

As I said before, I'm gutted that it has come to this with Poch, but I think it had to be done :(

Looking good for Wales as I write this Peter, good luck!

To be honest, not totally surprised.
And now they have appointed Jose ...............







Oh dear, Oh dear, Oh dear!

[rokkerr]

Massive game in Cardiff tonight - Wales v Hungary in Qualifiers for Euro 2020.
We need to win to qualify (or face playoffs)
A little encouragement for the boys!!!


COFIO FFRAINC 2016 - YMLAEN A'NI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yay for Wales 2-0

[PeterL22]

More importantly, we DID win!!!!!!!!!!!

[rokkerr]

I think he's here until at least January and will be given the transfer window to show he is laying the foundations for next season...

No doubt after saying all of this, both will get the chop by next weekend :)

Well what do I know lol! I'm genuinely shocked to see Poch go at this exact moment. I can only think that our prime target to replace him either suddenly became available, or was too close to going elsewhere. One thing is for sure, we'll all know what the club's ambition is for the next few years with whoever gets hired. There's a level of expectation now that there hasn't been in at least the last 30+ years and the fans are no longer expecting a small upgrade. We shall see.

As I said before, I'm gutted that it has come to this with Poch, but I think it had to be done :(

Looking good for Wales as I write this Peter, good luck!

My biggest complaint wasn't Poch.. it's that they didn't make serious moves in the transfer market (unless I missed something over here)... a second top flight striker and festering situation with Erickson was bad for moral...