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The International Break

Discussion in 'Southampton' started by The Ides of March, Aug 28, 2016.

  1. The Ides of March

    The Ides of March Well-Known Member

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    Here we go again. Just as all clubs around Europe are getting their season under way, we have this inflicted by the daft footballing authorities. Although I have not looked at the international calendar, I suspect there will be another one in October and maybe another in the spring. Surely it would make more sense to clump the 3 different breaks into one big one in say December, once the group stages of the European club competition have been concluded. It would also give the international managers more quality time with their players to gel as a squad.
     
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  2. ImpSaint

    ImpSaint Well-Known Member

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    Hurrah for the International break. The first time I've welcomed it for a long time.
     
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  3. Saints Fan4Life

    Saints Fan4Life Well-Known Member

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    I never welcome the international break. Surely it just means longer of in-fighting with the fans, rather than the team putting it right.
     
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  4. sotonsaint

    sotonsaint Well-Known Member

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    Already ! I doubt I will even watch the qualifiers, no interest in the national time is at an all time low and it was none to high before are performance in France.
     
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  5. Libby

    Libby 9-0

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    Well I'm quite interested to see Sams first squad and how he sets up in these games tbh.
     
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  6. ImpSaint

    ImpSaint Well-Known Member

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    Yes but it will also mean plenty of time for the new manager to work out what on earth he should do with the 9 new signings we are about to make and what formation to put them in.
     
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  7. The Ides of March

    The Ides of March Well-Known Member

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    Mods! If someone posts a thread on Sam's England squad, do we merge this and that thread to save space for more and interesting threads on page 1?
     
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  8. fran-MLs little camera

    fran-MLs little camera Well-Known Member

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    I'm all for masses of threads to take our mind off diamond formations :)
     
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  9. sotonsaint

    sotonsaint Well-Known Member

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    It will still be there when they all get back from duty, just means they would of have 2 weeks without practising it! This dosent fill me with confidence as we've been doing that all summer and were still **** at it!<laugh>
     
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  10. fran-MLs little camera

    fran-MLs little camera Well-Known Member

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    You know how sometimes there is a completely surprising result....when a poorish team beats a top side. I am praying for one of those....just to kick start the season. :)
     
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  11. Saintharry13

    Saintharry13 Well-Known Member

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    Just read on the SSN app the article about who Big Sam may choose and I honestly think that I've never been less interested in the England team.

    We failed miserably over the last 8 ish years and have been pathetic on and off the pitch.

    Largely the same players from the same clubs playing average football, players with talent having it drubbed out of them by clueless managers, the introduction of younger players following the one step forwards, two steps back model by playing them out of position, the continual tapping up of non top 6 club players, and the insistence of the FA that we are a footballing force in the world.

    Although I won't give it anything other than a passing glance, I just hope that Big Sam is his own man and doesn't fall into the same trap as many England managers of recent years.

    Well aware that this ain't a happy clapper post.... Thought I'd open up the debate though.....
     
    #11
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  12. Osvaldorama

    Osvaldorama Well-Known Member

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    ^ spot on, we are awful. Wouldn't be surprised if it's a record-low attendance at Wembley.
    I won't even bother watching
     
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  13. fran-MLs little camera

    fran-MLs little camera Well-Known Member

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    Sam's first match? I bet there will be a decent crowd. We will qualify for the WC, but what the England manager has to do is get a good response in the actual tournaments. We are not a rubbish side...we are ever qualifiers and we can/have beaten most teams in the world. However, it is time that we won when it mattered.
     
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  14. Libby

    Libby 9-0

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    First home match is Malta so don't see there being a decent crowd after the Euros regardless of the new manager.

    I'd like to think Sam won't be a yes man for the FA and has the balls to tell people a few home truths.

    I guess we'll see.
     
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  15. Saintharry13

    Saintharry13 Well-Known Member

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    My frustration lays with the fact that we never take the exhibition/friendly/qualifiers as any part of a pre thought out plan.

    The friendlies are better on the road, giving people that don't live in the Saaaarf a chance to see the games live but often are held in the same old same old grounds. We should mix it up and play at smaller grounds and create an atmosphere, let's go crazy and give fans from those grounds priority ticket sales...!!!

    Experimenting is fine, but not different players and different systems in the same games or it becomes farcical. We know that on the South coast not too far away from St Mary's that succession planning is par for the course now. This doesn't seem evident on the pitch for England.... If one player is injured for England, we tend to adopt a new player and a new system-this new system often needs new/different players, and so the merry go round starts again.

    I couldn't be more hopeful that Sam turns round and picks players on form. Just imagine a conversation where he says to one of the first names on the team sheet under Roy. I'm sorry Adam, you've been picked by team name alone so far, fancy touches and sideways passes won't cut it at this level and I'm not going to play someone on the vague off chance that he scores. I'm going to play Player X as he might play for Team Y and not be as fancy, but his results are better on the pitch.

    The whole England DNA project is a cover story detracting from the real issues going on at the FA.
     
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  16. San Tejón

    San Tejón Well-Known Member

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    I just hope Saints break with recent tradition and don't play carp, in the first game after an international break.
     
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  17. The Ides of March

    The Ides of March Well-Known Member

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    That is no way to talk about Arsenal, a club with the finest traditions that the likes of Chelsea can only dream about!
     
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  18. ImpSaint

    ImpSaint Well-Known Member

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    Will Sam go with a flat back 10 or will he be adventurous with a Brenda Diamond 4-4-2?
     
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  19. Shepherd's Clearing

    Shepherd's Clearing Well-Known Member

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    I genuinely couldn't care less - the ice hockey season is starting up that weekend so I'll start to concentrate on that.
     
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  20. Paddy Podped

    Paddy Podped Well-Known Member

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    Weird how it comes with the end of the transfer window. There'll be players signed on DEADLINE DAY who don't go to their new clubs for over a week.
    Would have thought it will be 8-1-1

    Not sure who'd be in the 8, but the front two will be Nolan and Carroll
     
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