Butterfield: Players have got to get on with it (From Daily Echo)

whether there is a manager or not i still struggle to get my mind round how the players could perform so badly on Saturday....whoever is the manager he isnt on the pitch with them....time for the players to show some character

Saints have got to learn how to keep a clean sheet because there is no-one at the moment to score a goal.

It is no good leaving the team defensively stretched to get the ball to Jason Puncheon who is not able to hit the target - it is wasteful and team is liable to get done on the counter attack.

Went on Saturday I realised that the Team were in Meltdown - when it is like that each member of the team comes under the magnifying glass. Went into the Chapel Arms and Kelvin Dalvis was not popular -a good point was made though - why wasn't Bart given a chance during the JPT - he must b allowed to play some games -he has been loyal and signed a new deal. The back 4 selected were probably the best
on offer but need to be protected and when the game got stretched were punished for the first goal.

Jason Puncheon should be dropped and be on the Training Ground practising shooting and hitting the goal. Tis is not about Saturday but week after week of the same thing. No Lallana and no Barnard so the team were always going to struggle.

David Connolly is past his best and should not be in the first Team any more - he should have been offloaded at the end of last Season and another Striker as well as Barnard signed at the end of last season.

The body language of Rickie Lambert told it all - shoulders curved over - he alone caanot be the only person to score goals and save Saints game after game.

Dean Wilkins spoke about a fine line with success and failure - there is also a fine line between being near the Top of League one and sitting in the regulation zone and near the bottom.

Because Saints cannot keep a Clean Sheet - I predict they will lose to Swindon who are currently surprisingly at the Bottom - and will struggle to score a goal in the next few games and will not climb out of the bottom of the Table - even worse find themselves in the Regulation Zone -if not bottom of the Table.

They should have had a new Striker as well as Barnard on the books long before now - thinking about a loan deal
(but that is as good as it gets at the moment)

Desperately need a new Manager to shake it up. It is not just about the players -it is now about the tactics and style of play.

Let's be honest Saints could beat Rochdale 3-0 or 4-0 at home.

Not able to keep the Clean Sheet. Not able to Score Goals - and the more you look at the Team you have to wonderb when and who will score the next goal !!

RedArmy1 wrote:
Saints have got to learn how to keep a clean sheet because there is no-one at the moment to score a goal. It is no good leaving the team defensively stretched to get the ball to Jason Puncheon who is not able to hit the target - it is wasteful and team is liable to get done on the counter attack. Went on Saturday I realised that the Team were in Meltdown - when it is like that each member of the team comes under the magnifying glass. Went into the Chapel Arms and Kelvin Dalvis was not popular -a good point was made though - why wasn't Bart given a chance during the JPT - he must b allowed to play some games -he has been loyal and signed a new deal. The back 4 selected were probably the best on offer but need to be protected and when the game got stretched were punished for the first goal. Jason Puncheon should be dropped and be on the Training Ground practising shooting and hitting the goal. Tis is not about Saturday but week after week of the same thing. No Lallana and no Barnard so the team were always going to struggle. David Connolly is past his best and should not be in the first Team any more - he should have been offloaded at the end of last Season and another Striker as well as Barnard signed at the end of last season. The body language of Rickie Lambert told it all - shoulders curved over - he alone caanot be the only person to score goals and save Saints game after game. Dean Wilkins spoke about a fine line with success and failure - there is also a fine line between being near the Top of League one and sitting in the regulation zone and near the bottom. Because Saints cannot keep a Clean Sheet - I predict they will lose to Swindon who are currently surprisingly at the Bottom - and will struggle to score a goal in the next few games and will not climb out of the bottom of the Table - even worse find themselves in the Regulation Zone -if not bottom of the Table. They should have had a new Striker as well as Barnard on the books long before now - thinking about a loan deal (but that is as good as it gets at the moment) Desperately need a new Manager to shake it up. It is not just about the players -it is now about the tactics and style of play. Let's be honest Saints could beat Rochdale 3-0 or 4-0 at home. Not able to keep the Clean Sheet. Not able to Score Goals - and the more you look at the Team you have to wonderb when and who will score the next goal !!

All v true.

All this rubbish about we don't need acmanager we're professionals etc it's utter cr@p.

The players need direction someone to look up to and impress week after week. The only way we will beat Swindon sat is with a new manager. Just remember what Brighton did to us last year when they got their new manager, don't tell me it doesn't make a difference.

New a striker, decent cm and a winger....... Which we've said all summer.

Butters has some pride and passion from what seen so far some appear to be at half effort... if they have some hang ups I'm sure fans would like player to lose them quick. Rickie is still flat footed.. yet he said he was really fit in pre-season before the injury. Is it injured thigh or is their a problem?
How did we get 57% possession, plenty of chances and miss.. why did jose pass across his goal mouth for their second goal?
Yes Butters we hear you.. some of the players need to listen too.
Thanks Adam.. This one balances the other knock to Wilkie... I really feel bad for Wilkie.. good bloke but it's the players letting themselves down I don't think he's had a fair go from the fans.

Hopefully we are due some good news this week.

U can't let 13 players go and bring in 3 Defenders and a loany who isn't up to a battle.

If we brought three new quality offensive players to go with the three defenders we'd b top of the league now.

Simple - and very true.

This is more the reason ap is gone.

We needed 2 quality players i. Each position then u can cope without lallana and Barnard. Which positions do we nit have this cover??

Cm
out wide
striker

This problem of lots of possession and chances but not being able to convert has been present for some time. It cost us a play-off place last year. Sometimes it will all come together and we thrash someone, hence the Bristol Rovers result. The team is there, now we need an experienced manager to get the best out of them. We have to get the right man (or rather NC does), so we may struggle until this is done. We must have patience awaiting the appointment, because the right man will have plenty of time to turn the season round, whereas the wrong man could plunge us into a position from which we can't recover. We've had some blows this season, but it's still early days. Keep the faith.

Tirau Dan wrote:
Butters has some pride and passion from what seen so far some appear to be at half effort... if they have some hang ups I'm sure fans would like player to lose them quick. Rickie is still flat footed.. yet he said he was really fit in pre-season before the injury. Is it injured thigh or is their a problem? How did we get 57% possession, plenty of chances and miss.. why did jose pass across his goal mouth for their second goal? Yes Butters we hear you.. some of the players need to listen too. Thanks Adam.. This one balances the other knock to Wilkie... I really feel bad for Wilkie.. good bloke but it's the players letting themselves down I don't think he's had a fair go from the fans. Hopefully we are due some good news this week.

Don't fall for this sh@t dan.

I can't stand it when players say these sorts of things. I could write their message before the game....... We're not affected blar blar blar. After the game...... We're professionals we need to step up etc!! It's utter rubbish. Look at the saints website on the news articles - before the Swindon, we're not affected by ap departure - after the game, maybe we're effected by ap departure!

All we can hope for now is a strong good manager a couple of loans until jan and three quality offensive players in jan window. We need to try and stay 6-8 points from automatic until jan.

Only one person to blame and that was our arrogant chairman sat right behind me. He cut a very isolated figure all game, expressionless. My question to him is stop taking the ..ss out of us paying customers and loyal fans. I thought we couldn't drop any lower than when we went bust but Saturday was that point. NC,s behaviour has shellshocked the playes and staff. All he has to do is say something ANYTHING. He is proving that he is nothing more than a banker and we all know what we think of them. What Seedhouse says on here is very true, what a shame Ospreysaint has packed up posting(please come back you post well) For the "in NC we trust brigade"...your faith is misplaced, just ask Franny Benali and how he treated his beloved home. Can't wait to hear who this WOW FACTOR manager is.......is it you Eaglespark? and why you have sudenly gone quiet since AP was given the boot.

Has anyone else heard of the Eric Cantona rumour? What do you think?

I had a dream last night that Ryan Giggs was given our manager job. In my dream he was a player manager???? fingers crossed!!

Every week I swear I am not going to read the posts on here and not going to read the Echo reports. But hey, what can I say, Red and White through and through. After Saturday's performance I am feeling disappointed, confused and a little angry. Can or should the sacking of a manager effect a professional team? Surely the hype about being favourites to go up should not be such a millstone. Shouldn't it make you go out play like favourites, with a bit of swagger and pride. I just hope that things settle down very soon and we can get back to winning and winning with some panache. I find it difficult to critisize the players or the manager as I have never had the privilege to be either. I just want them to know how the fans feel and do something about it.

franiow wrote:
This problem of lots of possession and chances but not being able to convert has been present for some time. It cost us a play-off place last year. Sometimes it will all come together and we thrash someone, hence the Bristol Rovers result. The team is there, now we need an experienced manager to get the best out of them. We have to get the right man (or rather NC does), so we may struggle until this is done. We must have patience awaiting the appointment, because the right man will have plenty of time to turn the season round, whereas the wrong man could plunge us into a position from which we can't recover. We've had some blows this season, but it's still early days. Keep the faith.

Nice comments franiow. We need to have patience. Difficult, but necessary.

saintssaintssaints wrote:

Tirau Dan wrote:
Butters has some pride and passion from what seen so far some appear to be at half effort... if they have some hang ups I'm sure fans would like player to lose them quick. Rickie is still flat footed.. yet he said he was really fit in pre-season before the injury. Is it injured thigh or is their a problem? How did we get 57% possession, plenty of chances and miss.. why did jose pass across his goal mouth for their second goal? Yes Butters we hear you.. some of the players need to listen too. Thanks Adam.. This one balances the other knock to Wilkie... I really feel bad for Wilkie.. good bloke but it's the players letting themselves down I don't think he's had a fair go from the fans. Hopefully we are due some good news this week.

Don't fall for this sh@t dan.

I can't stand it when players say these sorts of things. I could write their message before the game....... We're not affected blar blar blar. After the game...... We're professionals we need to step up etc!! It's utter rubbish. Look at the saints website on the news articles - before the Swindon, we're not affected by ap departure - after the game, maybe we're effected by ap departure!

All we can hope for now is a strong good manager a couple of loans until jan and three quality offensive players in jan window. We need to try and stay 6-8 points from automatic until jan.

back up a bit please.. Sutton 1-1, Barnet 0-1, Plymouth 0-1, Os 1-1 decision made then probably even if you don't listen to the Stapleford rumours? I watched the game on Saturday my personal opinion is that many of the players are trying but a few have their knickers in a knot... and Butters is pointing the finger. Rickie to me and others looks flat footed.. it could be form or his thigh but he wasn't getting in the game.
If one or two keep it up they'll show themselves up so I doubt if it will last long.. anyway still just 6pts from the top. game in hand and new manager syndrome as well as loaners to look forward to.. so plenty of faith and hope.
Have you seen the way the Echo poll fell from 80% saying Champs or auto to only 58% including those saying via play-offs..
I'm still on Auto and I bet you are too
Does any Saint seriously believe we won't.

Tirau Dan wrote:
Butters has some pride and passion from what seen so far some appear to be at half effort... if they have some hang ups I'm sure fans would like player to lose them quick. Rickie is still flat footed.. yet he said he was really fit in pre-season before the injury. Is it injured thigh or is their a problem? How did we get 57% possession, plenty of chances and miss.. why did jose pass across his goal mouth for their second goal? Yes Butters we hear you.. some of the players need to listen too. Thanks Adam.. This one balances the other knock to Wilkie... I really feel bad for Wilkie.. good bloke but it's the players letting themselves down I don't think he's had a fair go from the fans. Hopefully we are due some good news this week.

With the risk of being accused of belonging to Dan's Fan Club, I just want to say good comments Dan. I DONT always agree, but at least your comments are balanced and upbeat. PS Hope you werent affected by the earthquake Dan.

Haha - Eric Cantona obviously isn't going to come and manage us but I do like the idea of it. Would he be any good as a manager, do you think

Saint H wrote:
Only one person to blame and that was our arrogant chairman sat right behind me. He cut a very isolated figure all game, expressionless. My question to him is stop taking the ..ss out of us paying customers and loyal fans. I thought we couldn't drop any lower than when we went bust but Saturday was that point. NC,s behaviour has shellshocked the playes and staff. All he has to do is say something ANYTHING. He is proving that he is nothing more than a banker and we all know what we think of them. What Seedhouse says on here is very true, what a shame Ospreysaint has packed up posting(please come back you post well) For the "in NC we trust brigade"...your faith is misplaced, just ask Franny Benali and how he treated his beloved home. Can't wait to hear who this WOW FACTOR manager is.......is it you Eaglespark? and why you have sudenly gone quiet since AP was given the boot.

So Pardew doing something pretty horrendous to warrent getting the bullet wasn't to blame then. Niether were the players who at times looked pretty inept at their jobs. Niether was Wilkins who decided what tactics and substitutions we used It was all down to Cortese That should be easy to solve then
SW plus hill Harry Hill as manager maybe

SaintMark wrote:
Has anyone else heard of the Eric Cantona rumour? What do you think?

Now that would be a wow factor. Imagine the passion. You don't play well, kick in the head, superb.

I'm getting message after message this morning Stuart Pearce.

I am saddened by the short term memory of alot of you fans, and this wasn't the start to the season I'd expected.

I had to listen to a fan all through the game on Saturday blabbering on about how bad Puncheon was, and the arrogance of NC. Please be considerate of those who don't want to hear your negative rants.

We don't know the reason for AP going, if it was purely footballing reasons then its surprising, but if more as suggested AP should have gone!!

From the way I see it my opinion is as follows

1. If we had played excellently against Plymouth and Leyton and bagged a hat-full I could understand it, but we didn't, so if we are getting on at Wilkins' we should have got on APs.

2. Papa and Antonio scored 32 goals last season as mainly subs which is a fantastic result, we don't have any one like that as we haven't replaced them.

3.For some reason AP bought in mainly defenders and not a CM or striker. Our squad is worse than last season.

4. Puncheon is a decent player and could be much better. He can do some think well and then blows it. He is slow to release the ball and the advantage goes away. His glaring miss was not the worst I saw I think Harding's was even worse.

Oh how the 'feel good' feeling has gone.

ive never seen as much schoolboy defending as i did on saturday also the finishing was absolute shocking everybody knows we need wide c/m and a front speedy player ow almost forgot a new manager so take your finger out n/c

ANdy in Germany.. cheers and I'm always fine with some honest negativity and disagreement if people are prepared to debate.. heck we can all change minds too.

Fine here in Tirau.. NZSaint was in CHch..on 3rd floor of hotel shook like crazy..big scare.. all well though.. I know we have other saints there too.. billions of damage very very luck not more injury.

sw drug-test... yes!!! test all the players.. wise old Echo.

Whoever decided to dispense with, or not try and keep Ant and Dec (aka Papa) is culpable. These 2 gave us a touch of the unexpected and successfully rattled the opposition. We don't have that at present..

AND I want to see Bart given a game. KD should have done better on Sat.

Defeat against rochdale 2-0 at home is all down to no manager the player's have no motivation we are sitting duck's . team's that play us are having a field day . the scary thing is if rochdale can beat us 2-0 at home and swindon 3-0 just think of what better team will do to us away from home .

Personally from the rumours that have been floating around AP's dismissal could be unrelated to what goes on on the playing field. They are rumours just the same as existed when AP was at West Ham.The West Ham stuff can be accessed thru Google and is not related to his Management skills.

I think we should all be relieved that what is happening is happening now and not a month or two from now. At least there is time to address the situation.

Think of the boost the Club and players alike will have should a popular person such as Giofranca Zola become Saints next Manager....the excitement of this happening would create a complete turnaround in the morale of the Club, the players and the fans alike.

Hopefully there will be a new beginning starting later this week!!!

Ontario Saint wrote:
Personally from the rumours that have been floating around AP's dismissal could be unrelated to what goes on on the playing field. They are rumours just the same as existed when AP was at West Ham.The West Ham stuff can be accessed thru Google and is not related to his Management skills.

I think we should all be relieved that what is happening is happening now and not a month or two from now. At least there is time to address the situation.

Think of the boost the Club and players alike will have should a popular person such as Giofranca Zola become Saints next Manager....the excitement of this happening would create a complete turnaround in the morale of the Club, the players and the fans alike.

Hopefully there will be a new beginning starting later this week!!!

First thing I did when I heard he was sacked was google Pardew Affair. It was interesting to read the press speculation and control that was alleged.

Every bit of it may be rubbish as not one player has spoken out one way or the other... but everyone has a right to make their own minds up about how much smoke makes fire.

On the other side of the balance of sensibility there is just as much smoke around about The Chairman being a Dominatrix

But then Markus Liebherr sided with Nicola Cortese when I think of that the smoke just goes away.

Dan in NZ out!