CAN WIGAN BE SAINTS' FIRST PREMIERSHIP SCALP?

I am already nervous about the Wigan match. It worries me that some may see this as the least difficult of the opening games and may not be properly up for it. I desperately hope I am wrong but can see us getting well beat in this one...........

We need points as soon as possible, obviously. The players should be properly 'up for it', they're professionals. I see that Reading - Reading!! - are top with 4 points, as things stand; at the time of typing they are leading Chelsea 2-1. I don't want to be playing catch-up with the likes of Reading but it's early days yet.

Reading lost 4-2 eventually.

Anyway...Victor Moses is unlikely to be in Wigan's team, Wigan have accepted a bid of £9m from Chelsea for him according to the BBC.

Pleased about Moses as he did look good against Chelsea though his final ball was quite poor. Key will be our defence and keeping a clean sheet

The answer, it appears, is "no".

Two matches played, 5 goals conceded (with 2 scored), 0 points, 18th place. Nice to be back in the Premier League...

Well disappointing result and maybe a wake up call to some just how the premiership has moved on in the 7 years we have been away. Sainst didnt play to bad and on chances had enough to win the game but didnt take them when we had them, did hit the bar twice and their goalie made 4 or 5 decent saves but as said before the defence is simply not good enough at this level. Fonte at fault for both goals, first one poor pass under no pressure lost possession which eventually lead to the Wigan attack. Second goal dwelled to long on the ball, looked like he was fouled but ref gave nothing and one on one made no mistake.

Tactically went 4 3 3 and not a fan. Rodrigues out wide seems a waste and Guly out wide as well meant Lambert left with no support. Went to 442 later on but again Lambert and Rodrigues have not played much together and they really were to close to each other making easy for defenders.

Sainst looked good for first 20 minutes, controlled the ball and played with energy. Davies and Schneiderlin did well in midfield and Lallana was providing the threat. Decent free kick in from Fox was just missed and lallana had a decent shot which their goalie just finger tipped onto bar for a corner, if that had gone could have changed the game with Wigan having to chase but we started to run out of ideas, Another free kick swung in from left went all the way across goal and no one got on the end of it. Wigan gave a hint with a couple of chances at end of half but neither troubled Davis.

Lambert had a decent header at start of second half and saints started to build some pressure then out of nowhere end up a goal down. Fonte had the ball and the obvious ball was to Cline on his right, instead he turns in field and passes short allowing Wigan to win the ball, within 30 seconds ball knocked through and di Santos first time strike gave Davis no chance.

Fox had a decent shot which was well saved, no surprise that goalies are better in this league. Adkins for me was same as last season in terms of slow to react. Guly was having one of those frustrating afternoons, does have the skill but just doesnt put in the work and for me slowed the play down. Adkins moved Rodrigues into the middle with Lallana going out wide left. Trouble is Fox seldom got over the half way line second half, no confidence, so it was fairly easy for Wigan to defend. First sub for saints was with just 15 minutes to go, really to late in terms of changing the game, Ward Prowes on for Davies and then Sharp for Rodrigues. Saints last chance came when Hoovield had a looping header with their goalie stranded typical of the day hit the bar and went over instead of dropping in the far corner. Lallana then had a shot saved at the near post. Second goal poor one to concede. Yes we were psuhing forward but Fonte had all the time in the world, dallied on the ball, robbed by their striker who went through one on one and easy goal.

Overall not a bad performance but must strengthen the defence and add some creativity in midfield to Lallana. Adkins has to see that unless Guly puts in a shift his skills are not enough. Also wouldnt mind an attacking left back, Fox has got to commit more to getting forward otherwise our forwards will simply be out numbered.

Davis 7 couldnt do anything about the goals
Cline 7 Really tried, made some mistakes but tried to get forward.
Hoovield 7 Looks our no 1 centre half
Fonte 5 afraid not looking will make the step up
Fox 6 must attack more if this 433 is going to work
Schneiderlin 7 looked good first half faded a bit
Davies 7 good work rate
Lallana 7 still our most creative player
Guly 6 just not consistent enough and his time on the ball loses momentum
Lambert 7 battled away
Rodrigues 6 looks lost out wide left second half, more central player but he and Lambert will work

Subs
Prowse-Ward 6 brought some energy to the side which was missing from others
Sharp 6 not enough time to get up to the pace of the game

Adkins 6 to slow to react to change, subs left to late and out thought by Martinez.

Hmm Manure next Sunday, hope we have a new centre half by then plus another midfield option.

To cheer us up, Hampshire have won the T20 final.

Just a few random thoughts.....

1. Wish my opening post on this thread hadn't been so smart...

2. We badly need points on the board.....but our next 2 games are against Manchester United and Arsenal.

3. Hope the game will prove to be a 'kick up the backside' and won't serve to demoralise the squad.

4. I imagine Saints will be even more determined to strengthen before the transfer window closes......but hope new acquisitions will improve the squad and not just be panic buys.

5. If Lee is fit I would like to see him given a chance.......and I hope NA will not persist in playing Rodriguez out of position.

6. I am wondering how much confidence NC has in NA.....could he now be treading on very thin ice???

That's what we get when no Premier League-standard players are signed. The club has only signed Championship players and, while these players (Clyne, Rodriguez, plus the SPL's Steven Davis - and the SPL is nowhere near PL quality) are good prospects, I don't believe that they are PL standard yet. We need at least one Premier League CB and a fast winger, as everyone across the various forums has pointed out for ages. We have seven players in the team from L1 and, overall, we are a very good Championship side but the PL is a massive step-up in quality, we were found out yesterday and will continue to lose matches like this if the lack of quality and depth are not addressed before the transfer window shuts on Friday night.

I am sure that Nicola Cortese and Nigel Adkins are 'working very hard behind the scenes' (as Nigel is fond of telling us) but, for some reason, the quality is eluding us and going elsewhere and, personally, I think that is cause for concern. If we fail to sign anyone of the right standard before the current transfer period closes we are going to struggle and be bottom at Christmas. Why do we seem incapable of signing quality players? Why the fiasco over Büttner and Ramirez, for example? And why do we seem to get 'gazumped' easily? But, please, no late panic-buying crap over-the-hill donkeys (I heard Heskey's name mentioned elsewhere; please, for the love of sanity NO! He's f**king crap, always has been. What's the point of a striker who doesn't score goals?).

I try not to take an overly negative attitude but neither am I that positive about the coming season (my view of the world is never black and white). However, a lot of people have rose-tinted glasses about the quality of this current squad and seem to think that they'll adapt to the Premier League. They won't, not without an injection of PL-standard quality. That lacklustre showing against what is a poor PL side tipped to be fighting relegation yesterday showed this in spades. Saints did well last week against a sub-par Man City side but were found out against Wigan.

On the bright side, the Championship is a good league and the club will get loads of money just for going down.

I still remain confused by how we do transfers and think primarily Cortese and Reid. The inability to make deals stick is why we are struggling as no top league experience be that Premier or la Liga etc and plenty of other clubs have been in and signed, look at Swansea and others.

The point is we have now lost any benfit of pre season training, if we have to bring in new players now will have to gell on the pitch. Also has surprised me we have no African players in the team. Normally have strength and pace which is what we lack yet never even seem rumoured to be a signing.

If going to survive we need at least 1 centre half (Yoshida) but ideally another who can also cover left back (Biyik). A creative midfield player, we lacked creativity in the championship other than Lallana and that is even more obvious now (Rameriz). A wide player with pace but also willing to put in a shift and defend when he has to (Philips). By my reckoning that would be around 28m and despite what Cortese says we have that kind of money to spend.

If we strengthen defence, (must be the main priority) and play 442 bringing Rodrigues in from out wide could still do okay by not going for Rameriz and half the cost.

On the plus side squad will be better when Cork and Lee are back. Option of Cork, Schneiderlin and Davis in midfield Lallana with a free role behind front 2 of Lambert and Rodrigues with Guly on the bench. Lee then able to be brought on until fully fit to run at defenders and cause some panic.

Re how long will NC give Adkins I think 6 games. Not that I endorse chopping and changing just Cortese comes across as impatient and doesn seem any real rapport between them. Bit harsh on Adkins as think main fault is Cortese as it his job to deliver the players and on that side of business he has failed so far.

I think that part of the inability to make deals stick is Cortese's intransigence, i.e. he's an awkward sod who won't budge from any particular course of action. Doing what is right for the club and not having another club extract the piss is one thing, but there should be give and take and, from what I've read, Cortese won't give and take. That's not doing 'what's right for the club' that's damaging and will get the club a reputation as awkward to deal with, and we'll end up the poorer for it.

I like your 4 signings Matty but I betcha Saints won't sign them....maybe 1 at the very best. My guess is maybe 2 signings this week and I think we will be underwhelmed by them.
As well as the positions you mentioned, I think we need to sign another keeper (for back-up at least) as we will be terribly thin on the ground if Kelvin should get injured.

If any new signings are no better than what we have, particularly defenders, we'll be adrift before Christmas.

Well I will give Cortese the benefit of the doubt and see who he gets in by Friday though I do think he is the problem.

If he just strengthens the defence it might be enough to keep us in contention until January when the real panic buys set in!

I would also like another goalie but again think we have left to late to get anyone decent.

My brother a brighton fan reckons someone is in for Lewis Dunk their young highly rated centre half, didnt play yesterday. A decent prospect but hopefully not us as we need experience now at the top level

I read in today's Mirror that Saturday's final whistle was met with lots of groans and moans of discontent from fans. Dismayed if this report is right because the team need the supporters behind them, and it's only the second game ffs.......

Yeah some groans but most fans in the Northam stood and applauded the team off the pitch