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Saints Need To Find Consistency
Wednesday, 25th Oct 2017 10:17

Last season's problems all stemmed from our failure to find consistency and if we are not careful we will follow the same path this term.

A look at last seasons results shows that we could never find any sort of consistency, at the end of September we won two Premier League games in a row beating Swansea and West Ham, but we would only repeat this feat once more and that came in April with Crystal Palace and then West Brom despatched in quick succession.

That was the story of the season, a good squad that was chopped and changed and could never find its rythym, whereas in previous seasons we could go on winning streaks, last year we could not manage even three Premier League wins in a row, let alone a decent run.

That meant that we swam around in mid table never managing to pull away from the rest as Everton did, although come the final table we still managed 8th position.

It is looking like the same type of season again, although this year we do not have the excuse of needing to rotate the squad due to the Europa League, in fact the opposite, in recent weeks the starting XI has stayed pretty much the same with only one change at most for the bulk of games, although Mauricio Pellegrino seems ready and able to use his subs fully and change things in the game, he seems unwilling to break up the core of the side, to try something different be it in his starting line up or even substitutions when it is mostly like for like.

This would be fine if we were winning games and scoring goals, but we aren't and we have to start doing so otherwise we will stay in the same rut as last season, albeit without the constant rotation.

So far the season seems to be mirroring last although last season we had already won two games in a row and now is the time to do that at least and build a platform to make it three in a row at home the following week.

The game against Brighton is pivotal in our season, beat them and we surge away from them, beat Burnley the following week and we will see ourselves right up in the top 6/7 and pulling away from the rest of the pack.

But it is a big IF, we have to find that consistency not just now but on more regular occasions, last seasons pattern cannot be repeated, nor can this seasons so far of wins surrounded by defeats and draws.

Despite what some would have you say, it is not about the quality of the squad, it is about getting that squad to play to its potential week in week out, not just on odd occasions , at the moment we are not doing that for several reasons.

One is we are not picking the best players in our best team, that means that although we are not losing many games, we are not winning enough, Stoke City and Newcastle are both games we should have taken more out of and didn't, we are still a work in progress, yet we should not be, we should be the finished article by now.

The manager seems unwilling to make harsh decisions at present, he seems happy to let players stay in the side who are either underperforming or who are merely sufficient whilst letting those who are better sit on the bench, he seems to be waiting for something to happen that forces his hand rather than being proactive and canging things.

The worry is therefore that we just keep doing the same things and getting the same results, that is a favourite phrase of mine, but it is true, the win against West Brom took something different to win it, that won't be repeated in every game, so we have to look to make other sides think about us, rather than being able to know our gameplan from the start and cope with it easily.

I have been a little harsh on Pellegrino in this article and in fairness to him he has probably a little hampred by the side he has got, he has only widemen who can cross a ball, yet he wants to play a small forward in the European style and for that he needs someone who can pass a ball into the channels and he hasnt got that, the only man who can put in a defence splitting pass is James Ward Prowse and he is not exactly making himself undroppable with his performances.

So like last season we are an unbalanced side, that is why I don't blame Tadic or Redmond, they have little to aim at to win a ball from a cross, hence the constant checking back rather than put in a ball that is eaten up by a big central defender.

In this respect I have sympathy for Pellegrino, but he does have options, he could put in a big man in Charlie Austin or he could put in a passer like JWP, but he doesn't he continues with trying to use a style in midfield that is not complimentary to the style he is using up front and that is why we have not found consistency and why we are not gelling.

Tadic and Redmond are proven, it is easy to blame them, but they are not complimentary to either Long or Gabbiadini who thrive on through balls rather than crosses.

The fact that we are getting results despite this show that we have quality in the side, the manager just has to get the best out of his squad and get a run of wins in that breeds confidence and that then breeds consistency.

Photo: Action Images



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Sanguin added 10:26 - Oct 25
We should've got a lot more out of the Swansea game too.
5

perazi added 10:53 - Oct 25
As a matter of interest - please tell me when Ward-Prowse has produced a defence splitting pass in any of his 150 + appearances. Did you see the pass Boufal sent through to Austin late in the game last week? Did you see the pass from Davis that put Bertrand through in the same game? They were defence splitting passes - most of Ward-Prowse's go sideways or backwards

10

SanMarco added 11:15 - Oct 25
Whether you go for 'unbalanced' squad or 'lack of quality' in squad you have to accept that it is the transfer committee who have caused the problems we have. Our attacking options were quite obviously a problem last season so over the summer window we brought in how many attacking players? NONE.

We can argue all we want about the qualities of Long, Boufal, Tadic and Redmond but do they all, or even three of them, belong in the same squad? Also, as Perazi points out, JWP does NOT do what it says on the tin. Free-kick goals? I remember one. Defence slpitting passes? The odd good free-kick swept into the area to be fair. Penalties? He doesn't even take them when he is on the pitch at the time. The club was (and presumably still is) desparate for him to become the wonder boy - but it would have happened by now if it was going to happen wouldn't it?

All this leaves us with a structural problem in scoring goals. Until January we have to muddle through - and to be fair to MP he is going through the options in a way that I don't think CP (soon to be Leicester manager??!!) did.
8

petedoors1 added 12:52 - Oct 25
JWP is not good enough for the Premier League. He would probably do alright for Pompey that's how good he is. He should never start a League game for Saints again.
4

SaintPaulVW added 15:18 - Oct 25
If I was in a job where the previous incumbent was sacked after one season, despite finishing eighth and a fellow manager was sacked after 5 games, I too would be gradually evolving my side. After all undertaking drastic changes which fail could kill my career stone dead.
2

BoondockSaint added 15:58 - Oct 25
"the only man who can put in a defence splitting pass is James Ward Prowse " ???

Nick must live in that alternate universe where Mr. Spock has a beard, because it's not this one!
4

LordDZLucan added 16:02 - Oct 25
Every team needs a special player. If nothing else the opposition is forced to focus on that player leaving gaps for other players to exploit. We have not had that type of player since Mane left. Boufal was meant to be that player last season and because he failed to adapt to the Premier League we struggled and ultimately Puel paid the price. Pellegrino is faced with the same issue this season. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Boufal's confidence must be sky high after last weekend and as a result he may at last kick on; also I really do think we have a very good player in Lemina and playing him in a more attacking role could be the answer.
7

Bettwsresident added 18:09 - Oct 25
"the only man who can put in a defence splitting pass is James Ward Prowse and he is not exactly making himself undroppable with his performances."

Boufal, Lemina and Tadic?
0

VancouverSaint added 19:32 - Oct 25
I would love to see Hoedt and VVD pair up from the start, with Yoshida standing by if needed. No knock on him...but just to try it. Have Austin start with Gabbi and Boufal start over Tadic and Redmond. Davis made tons of great passes last weekend, so has to start. Let Lemina go forward a little deeper and see what he can create. My team...Forster, Bertram, Soares, VVD, Hoedt, Romeu, Lemina, Davis, Boufal, Gabbi and Austin.
3

saintmark1976 added 20:14 - Oct 25
So now Nick, the reason that Redmond and Tadic are serial under performers is because of Long and Gabby not being "complimentary" to them. What?

Top flight players adapt to the rest of the teams skill set. They do not expect others to change to suit them. Put simply, you have either got it or you haven't and time has shown that in the case of Redmond and Tadic the answer is they haven't.Please stop making excuses for them,there just not good enough.The same can also be said for J W P.

0

saintpp added 20:51 - Oct 25
saintmark1976 . Last season redmond was our top scorer with 8 goals dont know how many assists which isnt many goals but enough goals for a winger.
Tadic Not having a great season but his stats for assists in his previous years are amongst the best in the PL during the time he has been with us.
Both have been playing on the wrong wings which explains why they have to keep passing and cutting back.This only works if the fb s overlap.
Why Mp does this is beyond me tho at least v west brom he started taidic on his natural position.
When Boufal comes on he is also playing in his natural position.Playing Davis forward is also strange as he carrys zero goal threat.
Mp must play the right players in the right positions ito get the best out of them its not that difficult..
1


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