Sam Allardyce

[Barnfred 55]

Was you that confident after the Southampton game? I genuinely feared we were going if we carried on the way we were. I think Allardyce was an evil necessity.

It was November ffs. We had a much easier run of games coming up. Key players coming back from injury. A transfer window coming up to get that much needed striker in. And we didnt have to juggle around euro matches.

So yes. I was always confident that we'd finish 7th. Moreso than I am now tbh.

 

[Paulie]

I’ll be honest I’m with you , I’m glad plenty of others were relaxed about it but I certainly wasn’t .

We got turned over by a team that are odds on to be relegated. To me Silva was a risk at that point and imo Allardyce was the least risky, it was that bad.

 

[Paulie]

It was November ffs. We had a much easier run of games coming up. Key players coming back from injury. A transfer window coming up to get that much needed striker in. And we didnt have to juggle around euro matches.

So yes. I was always confident that we'd finish 7th. Moreso than I am now tbh.

Forgive me for not being confident:

 

[MikeH72]

It was November ffs. We had a much easier run of games coming up. Key players coming back from injury. A transfer window coming up to get that much needed striker in. And we didnt have to juggle around euro matches.

So yes. I was always confident that we'd finish 7th. Moreso than I am now tbh.

You were confident we'd finish 7th when we were 16th at the end of November with the second worst goal difference in the league? Ok

 

[Barnfred 55]

You were confident we'd finish 7th when we were 16th at the end of November with the second worst goal difference in the league? Ok

I was Mikey yes. Well if not 100% confident I certainly still thought thats where we wiuld finish. And I posted at the time along those lines and many on here felt the same.

In the league we'd played nearly all the teams above us and had a much easier run of games coming up. We also had a very hard euro group for a non functioning side so there was no let up.

The 12 league places you referred to equated to about 8 points and none of the teams outside the top 6 and Burnley were showing any great form. In fact 3 games on we were 9th. It didnt actually take that much of a leap of faith to still think we would finish 7th.

 

[Jc74]

I have a good track record of predicting then mate

Their inevitable meltdowns are amusing though just prior.

Same here m8, can smell them a mile off

 

[MikeH72]

I was Mikey yes. Well if not 100% confident I certainly still thought thats where we wiuld finish. And I posted at the time along those lines and many on here felt the same.

In the league we'd played nearly all the teams above us and had a much easier run of games coming up. We also had a very hard euro group for a non functioning side so there was no let up.

The 12 league places you referred to equated to about 8 points and none of the teams outside the top 6 and Burnley were showing any great form. In fact 3 games on we were 9th. It didnt actually take that much of a leap of faith to still think we would finish 7th.

We were the worst form team in the league at the time of that Southampton game. And that "easier" run of games you're referring to, we were mid way through that already and had just been hammered by a team that now look doomed. It's fine to look back in hindsight now that we're safe (we're still not finishing 7th by the way) but at the time it would have taken an incredible level of delusion to think that state of a team had any chance of finishing 7th.

 

[Barnfred 55]

Forgive me for not being confident:

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At least you aren't just quoting the Southampton game like most on here.

Koeman had to go. Unsworth had a very difficult start with 3 away games to good sides. Chelsea and Leicester performances were a marked improvement on what went before and we were already out of EL so it wasnt priority.

The longer the search for a manager went on the more Unsys role as temp manager was undermined and many of the senior players downed tools.

However there was still more class and talent in our squad than in all the other clubs around us and I always believed it was a case if just coming up with a line up and formation that suited this group of players and we would have more than enough to deal with teams outside top 6.

That proved to be the case with West Ham game and Allardyce pretty much ran with same team and tactics for next 5 games and lapped up all the plaudits.

I credit Allardyce with the draw at Anfield and the winding up of Klopp. I also credit him with our best performance of the season, also at Anfield, when we deserved more out if the FA cup game. But he was happy to go out of that competition so set up to take the game to them. That match proved to me what this group of players is capable of if it didnt have such a negative manager in charge.

 

[Barnfred 55]

We were the worst form team in the league at the time of that Southampton game. And that "easier" run of games you're referring to, we were mid way through that already and had just been hammered by a team that now look doomed. It's fine to look back in hindsight now that we're safe (we're still not finishing 7th by the way) but at the time it would have taken an incredible level of delusion to think that state of a team had any chance of finishing 7th.

Everyone goes on about that Southampton game like we can be relegation favourites based on one game performance. Thats crazy. Especially as early as November. Southampton have 4 or 5 good footballers in their line up and are capable of turning it on in isolated games. Happens all the time mate. I remember Stoke turning Man City over on one of tge rare occassions that the Hobbit, Anautovic and Bobin all turned up on the same day.

We had a bad day at the office mate. I reckon I've seen 4 or 5 equally poor perfirmances under Allardyce. The two draws against WBA, given that we were totally outplayed in both games, spring to mind. The only difference is that WBA missed their chances.

As far as the easy run you refer to being half way through, can I remind you that our results in those games were home wins against Watford and West Ham. Away draws with Palace and Brighton and away defeat to, oh yes Southampton.

 

[Barnfred 55]

We were the worst form team in the league at the time of that Southampton game. And that "easier" run of games you're referring to, we were mid way through that already and had just been hammered by a team that now look doomed. It's fine to look back in hindsight now that we're safe (we're still not finishing 7th by the way) but at the time it would have taken an incredible level of delusion to think that state of a team had any chance of finishing 7th.

If we had even a half decent manager in charge we'd have had 7th pretty much sewn up by now. But I agree no way we're finishing 7th under Allardyce.

Now that would be delusional.

 

[nsno-chris]

The fat man is the answer to no football related question

He his, however, the answer to the following:
Name a well known crook in British football?
Name an egotistical dinosaur in British football?
Name a gravy swigging, lard chugging brummy?

 

[Harryflashman]

Everyone goes on about that Southampton game like we can be relegation favourites based on one game performance. Thats crazy. Especially as early as November. Southampton have 4 or 5 good footballers in their line up and are capable of turning it on in isolated games. Happens all the time mate. I remember Stoke turning Man City over on one of tge rare occassions that the Hobbit, Anautovic and Bobin all turned up on the same day.

We had a bad day at the office mate. I reckon I've seen 4 or 5 equally poor perfirmances under Allardyce. The two draws against WBA, given that we were totally outplayed in both games, spring to mind. The only difference is that WBA missed their chances.

As far as the easy run you refer to being half way through, can I remind you that our results in those games were home wins against Watford and West Ham. Away draws with Palace and Brighton and away defeat to, oh yes Southampton.

Why Southampton impacted on me was I don’t think I’ve felt like that since sitting at Highbury when arsenal took us apart to win the league and I felt we were nailed on for relegation . Now admittedly that was at the end of the season but for me , and obviously I can only talk for me , it had that feel about it . The lack of energy , lack of effort , a clear lack of morale and what looked like a group of disparate amateurs strolling around the pitch providing zero passion.

 

[nsno-chris]

Why Southampton impacted on me was I don’t think I’ve felt like that since sitting at Highbury when arsenal took us apart to win the league and I felt we were nailed on for relegation . Now admittedly that was at the end of the season but for me , and obviously I can only talk for me , it had that feel about it . The lack of energy , lack of effort , a clear lack of morale and what looked like a group of disparate amateurs strolling around the pitch providing zero passion.

There was no difference in the Southampton game or the Spurs & Arsenal games. Yes, they obviously have better quality but it was still a distinct lack of energy, desire and defensive stability which he claimed would be easy

He got lucky in a couple of games early on and is now riding his usual wave of the “saviour”

 

[Harryflashman]

There was no difference in the Southampton game or the Spurs & Arsenal games. Yes, they obviously have better quality but it was still a distinct lack of energy, desire and defensive stability which he claimed would be easy

He got lucky in a couple of games early on and is now riding his usual wave of the “saviour”

I’m certainly not calling him a saviour and I think you can only talk about how you feel and that’s how I felt watching that Southampton game . Without hyperbole it’s one of my recent lowest points watching Everton , it just felt as things were only getting worse and was going to end badly .

 

[Barnfred 55]

Why Southampton impacted on me was I don’t think I’ve felt like that since sitting at Highbury when arsenal took us apart to win the league and I felt we were nailed on for relegation . Now admittedly that was at the end of the season but for me , and obviously I can only talk for me , it had that feel about it . The lack of energy , lack of effort , a clear lack of morale and what looked like a group of disparate amateurs strolling around the pitch providing zero passion.

It was shocking mate. Even the young lads heads went down and it was the first time I'd seen that. I'd come to expect it from the senior players. But it was still only 1 game and the opposition all turned up tbf. It happens.

I saw worse in that first half away to Arsenal and in the 2 games against WBA. But I put those down to selection and tactics rather than player attitude. Neither can be condoned by the way.