Wasyls Pec Deck

Sometimes to succeed you need to bottom out first. That season certainly provided that. But League One was fun and good for the club to start winning again. I remember Steve Howard’s hat trick in a 4-1 win at promotion chasing West Brom made me think we’d stay up as well. I was in Australia on my gap yah for that Stoke game. I got up at silly o’clock to listen online. Devastating but have been in worse places!

Yes

Good question - what is that next level? I guess there’s an argument to say it’s not yo-yoing? I would hope though that it’s a bit more than that - and perhaps the Rafa and warchest scenario you speak of. 7-8th, challenging the top 6 and regularise European football. If we think it is merely not yo-yoing, then is that ambitious enough? If you’re not ambitious you risk staying still, and there’s a slippery slope between that and declining - like Southampton and Stoke have this season.

Maybe the last legacy of 15-16 will simply be not yo-yoing between the top 2 divisions and the odd European foray. Perspective and seeing the wider picture - at last...

I’m not giving him a free pass by any stretch. The transition of taking the club to the next level appears to have been managed fairly badly, and he must take a large portion of responsibility for that. Yet you cannot ignore past successes either. What I will say as well is that people seem to take discussions on forums as gospel. There are very few people that are actually privy to goings on behind the scenes, and I doubt very much whether they go on forums like this and spill the beans. You get a few ITK, and ‘my mates best friends dog’ claims, but how much of our perspectives and opinions are based on actual facts. Not many I would have thought. Yet people make statements and judgements based on little more than hear say.

How does that work then? Given I’ve been heavily critical of Morgan for some time

Yes, those in charge at the club seem to have largely wasted that one off opportunity to get to the next level. Mind, I think getting into Europe on a regular basis constitutes that next level and we weren’t far away this season. Although we might end up quite far off!

I’m sympathetic to those who are antii Rudkin, and have been myself IF things are to be believed. But people never mention he has been part of the set up that won the Premier League. A sense of perspective please!

They were also 4 points from 17th or 18th, and 12 points worse off. It was an odd league that year in terms of points distribution. I recall Le Tiss saying how only those who watch them week in week out know what it was like. Sounds familiar to now as most pundits think he’s done a great job...

I have noticed that the communication and body language between Puel and Appleton does appear increasingly strained and stand-off ish. Wouldn’t be surprised if he left. Shame, because I like him. Unlike Puel, Appleton comes across as someone who would instil discipline.

This is one of the most sensible things I have ever read on this forum, and why Pep is massively overrated. I hate that the media love him like they do. Could Pep succeed with his style at Stoke? No. Comparing Puel to Pep is a stretch (if Pep is Waitrose, Puel is Poundland), but ultimately this is why possession style isn’t working with this group who were 5,000/1 champions playing fast paced in ya face football.

Good thread and post this. I turned yesterday, and was furious and then ended up just feeling sorry for him - for some of the reasons you outline above. I would dearly love to give him time. The first 8 games were very promising - and I thought we finally had that plan a AND b - possession and the ability to counter. It’s been bizarre because the last 17 games we’ve just done plan a - very badly. Now I don’t know what to think. I think if we keep him, we need to have a big clear out - starting with Morgan. And to be fair to Puel, he has began a clear out of sorts... haha now I’m talking myself around!

We’re a fickle lot - Puel in!

I fell for that yesterday and started a thread saying he’d been sacked. Sadly I misread it in my excitement!

Where have you heard this? I want to back him, but feel after yesterday it is difficult.

Same here. I turned yesterday. The selection of Morgan is baffling. And as for Morgan, it’s all a bit embarrassing if he doesn’t realise he himself can’t cope with the pace of the Premier League anymore. Carthorse is being kind to describe him yesterday. Top top sides move people on, and he he should have been moved on at the end of last season.

They probably saw it on here

It’s nearly May, you’re well out!

A mate of mine is a Saints fan, and I asked him earlier about his pereception of Puel now the dust has settled. I think you’ll find it’s worryingly reflective our recent experiences - player rifts, playing players out of position, constant changes, starting well and then going tits up... “The impression was not impressed at all! Lots of outsiders said how we finished 8th and got to a cup final however he got lucky. We started the season fairly well however when I look back, much of that rolled on from the previous season. Whilst we finished 8th, we were only 4 points off 17th. I got the impression Puel didn’t really know what he was doing, constantly chopping and changing the team, playing players out of position and such dull, negative tactics. There were rifts in the dressing room as well. Our season last year completely petered out like yours did and we didn’t score in any of our last 5 home games. I was pleased when he went. Our big problem is that we somehow managed to replace him with someone even worse!” It seems most on here want to replace him. But there is the danger we appoint a Pellegrino and it gets worse... what is the bigger gamble? The next game will be interesting. The writing is on the wall it seems, but if he doesn’t get a reaction and we don’t show up again that is irrefutable evidence something is seriously wrong.

I watched the game on a dodgy stream and Puel’s solitary walk to the tunnel seemed to be reflective of this. After slagging him off today from behind my keyboard I’m starting to feel sorry for him!

I heard Chris Powell in an interview after Ranieri was fired. He said Shakey told him that CR just wasn’t getting a reaction out of the players anymore, so it’s entirely possible Shakey dug the knife in. Fair play, there is no sentiment in getting relegated. I’ve been watching the body language and communication between Puel and Appleton. I don’t know if it’s just me, but it seems very distanced and stand-off ish compared to what it used to be. If there is an issue there, then there needs to be a change ASAP.

I feel sorry for him as well. But I just cannot see him having the requisite character to command the respect of this squad. Though that is also a problem with this squad, and probably the modern footballer. It really is a right mess, and only a few wrong moves away from being totally catastrophic. A few key players could go, with poor replacements (recent history doesn’t instil much confidence) and whoever is in charge it could go tits up. Its a tough call, but you could see Benitez commanding the respect of this current lot, clearing out deadwood (by all accounts he’s quite ruthless) and also attracting the calibre of player we want. He would have got us into Europe this season if he was in charge - of that I have no doubt.

I imagine a lot of conversations like this happen, but I would give my right testicle for Benitez. Ah **** it, and my left one too.

I think this is the least of our concerns at the moment to be honest.

I would take Dyche. He’s done a miracle at Burnley, and I think he’d be a good fit.