Why all this negativity

[IANichols]

We have played played 3 games, one won lost 2 and those two were away

vs Stoke we were the better side, deserved win
vs Palace I thought we were the better side and deserved a point
vs QPR we were poor in the first half, didn't think the second goal should have been allowed, we were the better side in the second half but didn't deserve anything from the game based on our first half showing

With the exception of the first half at QPR we havent been over run and a lot of the tie we have had the lions share of possesion in games, just need to quicken up the attack in the last third of the field, get defences on the back foot

Now the defence has looked a touch creaky at times but we have a quarter of a million pound player to come and Efe Sodje who is a class defender in my opinion still to come in. Gutts has been below average so far and I am sure he will improve, probably taking him time to find his feet in this league and personally I would like to see another 6 foot CM player added to the squad and I am sure so does Tilly

Up front hopefully Ricketts gets fit and will provide a bigger goal threat than Bradbury, Freddie does seems over burdenend at times.

What will shape our season is making Roots Hall a fortress and picking up the odd point away from home. So its essential we up the performance and heap more misery on Sunderland side low in confidence.

Lets not get all doom and gloom after 3 games chaps it is going to take us half a dozen to eight games to find our feet and we still have 3 quality players to come into the side in areas where we are lacking

 

[palexander]

Good shout - it is easy to get a bit over-the-top. You are right about the first two games, but the big worry for me is the quality of finishing at this level.

Eastwood has done well, but showed signs Saturday that he can have stinkers!

Hopefully Ricketts can get in asap and provide some support for him - until then, Tilly has got to get Paynter and Clarke in. No point having half a million quids worth of talent on the bench...

 

[Soton Blue]

Just returned from holiday last night having received text messages from Southampton Shrimper as to what is going on. Let's keep upbeat and be positive. Surely it is not all bad? Looking forward to saturday already!

 

[Prodigal Son]

We are 4 points off a promotion place, one point behind favourites like West Brom and Leeds, only the very lucky Palace have pulled away and some big clubs are below us.

 

[Jam_Man]

I didnt log on over the weekend as I knew what it would be like here!

I knew that the first half a dozen games were going to be tough and that it was important to get a win vs stoke as I couldnt seem many points in the 4 or 5 games after.

Lets get some perspective though, we are in a tough league and as said have only had one home game.

It is important to start getting points as soon as possible but lets not panic just yet though and try not to call for half the team to be dropped everytime we lose.

Could be worse, we could have lost two home games to Plymouth and Barnsley.

 

[sufcintheprem]

I think what gets me is that the QPR game, even after our start was one that we could have won. As we were nearing half time, I was getting happier and happier because at 1-0 I thought we'd come out as we did and get a goal back. 2-0 was always going to be a big ask.

My eyes certainly didn't see the champagne football from QPR that all the reports I have read seem to be reporting on. If we played a team playing as poorly as we were, I would have expected us to do exactly the same to them without even playing our best.

 

[Richard_Cadette]

I have read most of the comments on here re the weekend, and yes there are a couple that go over the top, but I think the majority are more than in perspective.


We all know we have only played 3 games, but we all know that the defending in two of those games was not good enough, and must improve otherwise we will struggle.

I dont see anything wrong with that, every other team in the land will have fans saying the same things about them, and so we should do.... We are the fans and are entitled to an opinion.

I also think even some of those posts where people were calling for some to be dropped were not too far off the mark. We have, as someone said, £500,000 of players sitting on the bench, and I believe both of those should be playing against Sunderland, as I believe even those who moan about the pessimism believe. Therefore, two people would have to be dropped..... Whats the big deal? I think if either Barrett or Prior (and in my view, Francis) would all admit they havent started well and take the lions share of the blame for the last two results.

I think those complaining about the people pointing out the negatives need a little perspective!!

When we are winning, things are going well, there are no end of people on here saying we are the best thing since sliced bread, and rightly so, so you have to expect that after two defeats in three days, the same fans will question why, and look to answers for resolving those problems.

Its part and parcel of being a football fan, and it cant be good all the time.

If we didnt moan, let off steam and generally try and find a way in which we could stop the problems, it would mean none of us cared, but we all do, and thats what these posts show, everyone on here cares what happens to there beloved!

Oh, and just one final point, can we please stop harping back to the 'well look where we were two years ago...' argument, who cares where we were two years ago?... I dont, I only care about the future, and yes, everyone involved with the club has done a wonderful job to get us here, but we cannot look back, we have to look forward, we are here on merit, we deserve to be here and it is irrelevant how long it took us to get here..... We have to concentrate only on staying up and consolidating, otherwise all those people who keep saying look where we were two years ago will not have to look back, we will be there next season!!

UP THE BLUES!

 

[Badger74]

A happy that we are in the championship

 

[Its grim up north!]

This is Shrimpermoan, what else are people going to do but moan?

 

[The Eternal Optimist]

Moan, moan, moan. We are worse than old women!

 

[Technician]

Previous 2nd Tier starts...

1 Sat 17-Aug 1991 - Bristol City (H) 1-1
2 Sat 24-Aug 1991 - Derby County (A) 2-1
3 Sat 31-Aug 1991 - Leicester City (H) 1-2 ... 4 Points
(Finished 12th in division)

1 Sat 15-Aug 1992 - Newcastle United (A) 2-3
2 Sat 22-Aug 1992 - Peterborough Utd (H) 0-1
3 Sat 29-Aug 1992 - Brentford (A) 1-2 ... 0 Points
(Finished 18th in division)

1 Sun 15-Aug 1993 - Nottingham Forest (H) 1-1
2 Sun 22-Aug 1993 - Millwall (A) 4-1
3 Sat 28-Aug 1993 - Peterborough Utd (H) 3-0 ... 7 Points
(Finished 15th in division)

1 Sat 13-Aug 1994 - Millwall (A) 1-3
2 Sat 20-Aug 1994 - Middlesbrough (H) 0-2
3 Sat 27-Aug 1994 - Luton Town (A) 2-2 ... 1 Point
(Finished 13th in division)

1 Sat 12-Aug 1995 - Portsmouth (A) 2-4
2 Sat 19-Aug 1995 - Luton Town (H) 0-1
3 Sat 26-Aug 1995 - Millwall (A) 0-0 ... 1 Point
(Finished 14th in division)

1 Sat 17-Aug 1996 - Tranmere Rovers (H) 1-1
2 Sat 24-Aug 1996 - Oxford Utd (A) 0-5
3 Tue 27-Aug 1996 - Portsmouth (A) 0-1 ... 1 Point
(Finished 24th in division - relegated)

What does this all mean? maybe nothing, but a fine start like the 1993/4 season doesn't necessarily mean a great season ahead, as we finished 15th that season. On the other hand, we started 1994/5 & 1995/6 with just 1 point from three games and still managed to finish higher with 13th and 14th respectively.

Just another view to be considered before we start taking two straight defeats too seriously.

Information courtesy of Robin Michels database... Here

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

Don't worry -- be happy!

 

[* ORM *]

We're ALL doomed !