The most worrying thing wasnt the result but the predicability of it all as Saints looked like a beaten side from the very start.

In my articles in the run up to the match I used the phrase "Do the same things, get the same results" and that proved to be exactly the case as Nigel Adkins made no changes to the side that lost to Manchester United, OK he would perhaps defend that decision by saying that this 11 was the one that put themselves in a winning position against United rather than the one that gave the game back to the Red Devils.

But when you have a losing streak you have to change something to get that winning mentality, at the start of last season we had that winning mentality, but it seems that this we have just assumed that would just carry us through, but after this fourth straight defeat its quite clear that whatever mentality we now have, its not the same as last season.

The players looked beaten from the moment the whistle signalled the start of this game, for their part Arsenal had a clear game plan, get at us straight away and punish us for our lack of pace and they succeeded, in a six minute spell shortly after the half hour they ripped us to shreds and could have had more and the game was over long before half time.

The real worry though is what does Nigel Adkins do now, we have a squad that clearly isnt up to the task, the manager knows it, the fans know it and the players do as well, we didnt sign players in crucial positions in the summer with the experience that is needed and unless Nigel can pull out a couple of loan signings in the next few weeks I truly fear for our season.

Some will say Im being pessimistic, but I have watched every game so far, and the problems I have been highlighting on this site going back to last season have not been addressed, no one likes a smart arse, but the reason I have harped on about it week after week is because its happening.

So where do Saints go from here, well hopefully with a few winnable games ahead, we can re group, but the manager has a difficult task ahead, he has to shake up the side, but in the areas he has to shake it up he hasnt got much choice, the rumour is that the manager isnt the master of his own destiny in the transfer market, that he wanted certain players but was overruled, we cannot change that, but now is the time we find out if Nigel Adkins is man or mouse, he needs to lead his team from the front and make the decicions needed, on a day when a player who was supposedly done and dusted for Saints scored a great goal for Man United to highlight how we have missed the boat in key signings over the summer.  

This is where manager's earn their corn, over the next few weeks we will find out if Nigel Adkins can unite the squad and get that team spirit back, in the meantime we our now past the opening spell from hell and there is perhaps a suspicion that we allowed it to beat us mentally before we kicked a ball, however there are no excuses now           

Photo: Action Images

schatfield added 10:39 - Sep 16 Truely awful game. Our 2 central defenders were bad, but not as bad as our goalie who played shocking. With 2 rookie goalies as back-up, what do we do now..
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lockseaf77 added 10:41 - Sep 16 Well written piece. Sums it all up perfectly. Unfortunately it certainly does seem that Nigel Adkins has been overruled in the transfer market. Why employ a manager and then try and do his job for him?
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SaintNick added 10:46 - Sep 16 In fairness we are trying to have a continental system where the manager is only involved with transfers to some extent, Im not particularly against this, it has its merits, but for some reason its not working here properly
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SanMarco added 10:56 - Sep 16 "unless Nigel can pull out a couple of loan signings in the next few weeks" - I dont think that is allowed is it? I think we are stuck with what we have got. I think that the failure to properly strengthen at the back (including keeper) is the biggest Saints blunder since the Branfoot appointment, worse even than the total football fiasco. It doesn't matter how good we are going forward if we play like that at the back - and as we saw vs Wigan the lower sides are if anything harder to break down. The Reading home game at the end of last season, a game we dominated but lost through 3 mistakes at the back that were all punished, was a classic warning about life in the Premier League and NA/NC didn't heed it. Danny Fox and co are STILL in the team.

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saintc added 11:21 - Sep 16 I really hope Nigel can pull it around for his sake. I for one am behind him. Whilst I cannot say whether the rumour about the signings being his are true, be wary of putting too much of your own belief behind these views. My understanding is that the club were well aware of the plethora of signings needed to strengthen but that Nigel felt he only need one or two additions! He was prepared to put a lot of faith

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LenWilkins added 11:22 - Sep 16 "In fairness we are trying to have a continental system where the manager is only involved with transfers to some extent, Im not particularly against this, it has its merits, but for some reason its not working here properly" It's a system that will only work when all the peple involved in the transfers all work together to an agreed end.
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sotonwillbeback added 11:27 - Sep 16 has a keeper ever let as many goals in at his near post than davis? every week there is another shot gliding in untouched at the near post. pathetic. sign craig gordon, even if he is injured half the season at least we will have some quality for the other half.
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vectis added 11:53 - Sep 16 I don't know who is to blame but issues we all saw werent addressed in the summer. That is worrying. The real Acid test will be the next week and the week after. Having watched Wigan, villa and Fulham will know exactly what to do to beat us. Hell, they might even take the Aresenal approach. Whatever the case, they are gonna be really hard games. One only hopes that Ramirez and Mayuka get starts, an Yoshida gets a run in the side with Fonte. At least with Jos injured it sorts out which defender should be dropped. And I think Fonte and Yoshida started to look good...although rather top late. Said all along it's gonna be a difficult season. We'll know how difficult a fortnight from now.

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Zambucco added 12:33 - Sep 16 We took a good thumping yesterday, but I'm sure Arsenal will hand out a few more along the way. It's been a baptism of fire and we're where we all knew we'd be. I'ts been okay thinking about it, but the reality is harsh, played 4 lost 4, bottom zero points. But as Nigel has said, the season begins now, and I'm sure he'll be able to muster the troops, they'll be so fired up against Villa, it's a game I'm looking forward to. Out of our thumping yesterday, there were a few glimmers of hope, Ramirez looks the real deal, he'll take the pressure off Lallana to single handedly save us, Davis is growing in each game, although he got a bit lost yesterday. Puncheon is relishing his chance and is making life tricky for defenders, Rickie is battling away and getting into goalscoring situations. Jay Rod showed a tougher side of his game and I think he will link beautifully with Ramirez, given the chance. Clyne is stil learning, but learning fast. Fonte seems determined to find his old classy self. Ward Prowse is responding to the chance he's been given. I thought Morgan would be shining brighter by now, but he still has his chance. Chaplow is the big impact sub he should be used for this. We still have pace with Mayuka, I'd love to see Shaw given a chance, he couldn't be any worse than Fox who is struggling. It's not any surprise that Kelvin is struggling, give Gazzanigga a chance, I have a good feeling about him. That leaves Jos, I love this guy, but he seems out of his depth, you can't fault his passion and heart but at the moment he's not cutting it. This where who I believe will be our new spiritual leader will fit in MAYA YOSHIDA. He has a style and poise that leaders possess, he needs a couple more games to find his place in the team and for his confidence in that to grow. But once that has happened his partnership with Fonte will be exciting, it will inspire the team through the security of a strong defence. Although we do need 2 more defenders with experience to make it rock solid and cover injuries. It's not all doom and gloom, the future is still bright, we're still a great team, we've got a great squad, of young talented, willing stars. A manger who inspires them and a very determined Chairman who will push for perfection. Our signigs will prove to be some of the best. No I've not got rose tinted specs on, I've got vision, no we're not going into Europe, but we're now going to build on the good in our 4 games and start to shock a lot of teams.

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landsdownsaint added 12:42 - Sep 16 I really like Adkins but I think he might be struggling tactically in the Prem, same goes for KD and a couple of others, let's just remember what they've done for us as I really wouldn't want to start seeing them get abuse.I was there yesterday and KD and the usual suspects aren't premiership quality, it's a shame really
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StSaint added 12:48 - Sep 16 Well said Zambucco. Great post.
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thingummy added 12:54 - Sep 16 This is going to be bumpy ....but I think we all know what we will be writing in 3 weeks. Back 5 will be shell shocked after that - will have to defend well as a team while Villa will come for a draw to nick a win if they can If we can dominate midfield and get Morgan on the ball we will give someone a spanking .... that's the plan. Come on, let's enjoy the ride. Still wouldnt want a big sam in place ... this is much more fun

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SonicBoom added 13:24 - Sep 16 Can someone tell me where the rumour comes from that the chairman decides who to sign? If it is a rumour then its not fact and is simply perpetuated by those that choose to believe it. We tried to get defenders but I have no idea why we didn't. Maybe they all asked for way too much who knows? Also buttner did not score a brilliant goal. He benefitted from some shocking defending, no one tackled him, and he scuffed a shot come cross that wouldn't have gone in til it hit the keeper. I know it suits your point of view, but be realistic...

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1teeminants added 13:31 - Sep 16 Sonic answer me this Do you honestly believe that Nigel Adkins would have got rid of Billy Sharp ? a player who he had been after for a long time, a player who played under him at Doncaster, a player who scored some vital goals for Saints in the Championship and scored more than any other in the freidlies. Adkins had no say in it. FACT
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sholingred added 13:51 - Sep 16 People now realising Kelvin and Fonte not good enough,replace them or we will go down as smple as that.
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JimmySteal added 14:12 - Sep 16 'Saints job is to stay tight from the start and get the crowd on Arsenal's back, I feel there are goals in the game and that Saints have every chance of pulling off a result, but truthfully I cant see anything better than a draw.' That was the end quote from 'The Preview'. Well....one out of 5 isn't bad.....is it? There was...... 'goals in the game'.......
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Whatsforpud added 14:12 - Sep 16 "Do the same things, get the same results", is a little harsh. I am not surprised that Ramirez and Yoshida didn't get a start as they only joined up with the team on Thursday. But they must start against Villa. It does look like Jos will be the stand-by CB, although I expect Adkins might try each combination over the weeks. I agree with Sotonwillbeback re Davis and the near-post goals. Just not quick enough in his reactions. Please lets play 442 against Villa, and give Lambert the partner he needs.

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LostBoys added 14:18 - Sep 16 I have now seen the goals rather than listen to them on the radio (and that was bad enough) and they were all awful. The worst culprit except for the Clyne deflection was Davis. Every prem striker will now be shooting towards his near post. Help
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smiffdub added 14:37 - Sep 16 Davis was awful, there's no two ways about it. And strikers now know to go near post when one on one with him, as LostBoys suggests. Apart from that Gervinho goal he was at fault for the Jos o.g., and the Podolski free kick. Stop even one of those and it might have been a different game. Dunno what can be done about this, but we're not gonna win many games with him!
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BlackRod added 15:23 - Sep 16 "Do things the same way, you get the same results." This was the same team that came within a whisper of taking three points off Man City and Man Utd. Truth is this Arsenal team is something special. Yes we need to tighted up at the back but we've got the makings of a team that will take this League by storm. Look at Zambucca's post above. Many bright embers that are about to burst into flames. This club was built for success. Live the dream.

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splurty added 15:33 - Sep 16 Spot on zambucco ! COYR
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splurty added 16:09 - Sep 16 A BIG well said to blackrod and zambucco , We must stick together as one , COYR
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sidsaint added 16:28 - Sep 16 Agree we don't have much in reserve at centre back and keeper which we've known since the end of last season. I believe NA wanted to strengthen the defence, he said so often enough about 2 new centre halves etc, but was unable or not allowed to. The first signs of this were when we tried to sign Gorkss last January and he was scathing about our negotiating tactics. Buttner wanted to sign for us and we were given all sorts of reasons why it was not possible. Weeks later Man U snap him up with no fuss. Anyway we are where we are and unless we can get some loan signings or free agents in its going to be a long wait until January when we will probably have a new manager. Lets hope the new signings settle in quickly and spark us into life. A win next week will do wonders for our confidence, if not September could be another blank month.

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REEDYREEDOREEDZ added 16:30 - Sep 16 I think the critisism of Kelvin Davis is harsh. He didn't have a chance with Gervinho's first goal and if he'd saved Podolski's free kick it would've been save of the season. OK, he's not a top class keeper but his only mistakes so far this season was the poor distribution against United and he could've done better with the first goal yesterday. The faults lie in front of him. Fonte and Hooiveld are not good enough, which everyone pointed out in the summer. Fox is also suspect defensively. I can only guess that Cortese failed to complete the deals for a centre back or two, and obviously they should've pushed the Buttner deal through. Yoshida- There's now a lot of pressure on him to be a solid defender. He made an awful mistake for Gervinho's first goal yesterday but did ok after that. We need him to be good or we'll have an awful defence until January. The defence must improve hugely or we'll conceed in every game and be the whipping boys of the division. On the positive side, we do look good going forward. Ramirez looks top class and we have a lot of exciting attacking options. We need a great performance against Villa now and we must get that win. Its down to Adkins and his team to sure up the defence. His job depends on it. If they can do that then the points will come.

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SonicBoom added 16:47 - Sep 16 1teem, I have no idea about sharp and neither have you. Maybe nige chased him because he wanted him in the championship but when push came to shove nige said he had tell Billy he would be on the bench. Maybe he wanted to keep him that doesn't mean he would play. You don't know, and writing FACT after your post does not make it a fact.
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