At the moment would you spend £50million on a new Riverside stand or....

[Steven Ageroad]

spend it on new players?? Wolves went for a new stand and look where they are now!

[Holders]

When we built the Riverside in the first place, at the same time Portsmouth spent on players and look where they are now!

Actually, we need to do both as the stand will help to sustain the team so long as we do enough to stay up in the meantime.

[The Equalizer]

You could spend £500Million on players and it wouldn't make a difference. The issue isn't with the players, it's with the moron managing them.

[epsomraver]

Not the players, it is the manager, simple as that, beat me to it Mr E

[Fulham76]

You could spend £500Million on players and it wouldn't make a difference. The issue isn't with the players, it's with the moron managing them.

Exactly.

[FFC1987]

Another example of the stadium taking priority (not speculating it is but let's face it, we haven't been spending) is Ipswich, got champions league, built a new stand and got relegated. Without Jol will we be better? With Jol will it get better? Tough decision but I fail to see some people's view that its objectively down to Jol. Very flawed argument in my view.

[Barrie]

But we are missing quality in key positions still and have an ageing team.  Not that I'm defending Jol any longer.

[Nero]

Buying players is short term investment  the stand is long term investment that will allow buying players.  Short term sack jabba bring in hans solo no need to buy players

[Buffalo76]

You could spend £500Million on players and it wouldn't make a difference. The issue isn't with the players, it's with the moron managing them.

Exactly.

:plus one:

[Zu-Meister]

we have good players. just ruined by jol.

[alfie]

You could spend £500Million on players and it wouldn't make a difference. The issue isn't with the players, it's with the moron managing them.

1/2 agree 1/2 don't because as much as the manager decides the tactics, it is the players who pass to the opposition or make defensive errors or attacking errors, i am very much of the view that the players MUST take a big part of the resposibility.

I personally do not think our players are good enough, even if Jol had changed it at 1/2 time it would not have made much difference.

[ToodlesMcToot]

You could spend £500Million on players and it wouldn't make a difference. The issue isn't with the players, it's with the moron managing them.

Sorry. Can't absolve the players in this. They're professionals. They know how to defend set pieces and still just blatantly ignore their responsibilities. They get paid handsomely because they supposedly know how to defend, yet they turn their backs on the ball while defending their man. They're internationals, but flounder under pressure, don't show for the ball, and have little awareness of their surroundings when they possess the ball. Playing from behind they do more passing in the defensive third than they do going forward. Jeez, I don't feel too uncomfortable saying that Stek saw more of the ball while we were in possession of it than Bent did.

Yes, it's resulting from tactical decisions, but it's just as much down to professional and very experienced players just flat out not earning their paychecks.

[grandad]

You could spend £500Million on players and it wouldn't make a difference. The issue isn't with the players, it's with the moron managing them.

Sorry. Can't absolve the players in this. They're professionals. They know how to defend set pieces and still just blatantly ignore their responsibilities. They get paid handsomely because they supposedly know how to defend, yet they turn their backs on the ball while defending their man. They're internationals, but flounder under pressure, don't show for the ball, and have little awareness of their surroundings when they possess the ball. Playing from behind they do more passing in the defensive third than they do going forward. Jeez, I don't feel too uncomfortable saying that Stek saw more of the ball while we were in possession of it than Bent did.

Yes, it's resulting from tactical decisions, but it's just as much down to professional and very experienced players just flat out not earning their paychecks.

:plus one:

[MJG]

You could spend £500Million on players and it wouldn't make a difference. The issue isn't with the players, it's with the moron managing them.

Sorry. Can't absolve the players in this. They're professionals. They know how to defend set pieces and still just blatantly ignore their responsibilities. They get paid handsomely because they supposedly know how to defend, yet they turn their backs on the ball while defending their man. They're internationals, but flounder under pressure, don't show for the ball, and have little awareness of their surroundings when they possess the ball. Playing from behind they do more passing in the defensive third than they do going forward. Jeez, I don't feel too uncomfortable saying that Stek saw more of the ball while we were in possession of it than Bent did.

Yes, it's resulting from tactical decisions, but it's just as much down to professional and very experienced players just flat out not earning their paychecks.

They do know how to defend but lets go back to the corner the other day and Jol's quotes afterwards
' maybe before the game we should have told Berbatov to go on Rickie Lambert'

Well if Berbatov was not told pre match to mark Lambert who was?
Was anyone?
Did they work on who marks who?
Who scouted Southampton prior to this match?

This is what we keep seeing..no match plan. Its just pick Xi and send them out almost Sunday league style.

[RidgeRider]

In the reality I hope that our owner would invest in both, however, if you gave me a choice, I think we should invest in the new stand, then more more money towards players. The players we have at the club now are quality. As a unit, they are not playing well at the moment. What we should expect from this group is what we saw against Everton, so the quality exists already. There is not a pundit out there, who don't think we have good players.

[ToodlesMcToot]

You could spend £500Million on players and it wouldn't make a difference. The issue isn't with the players, it's with the moron managing them.

Sorry. Can't absolve the players in this. They're professionals. They know how to defend set pieces and still just blatantly ignore their responsibilities. They get paid handsomely because they supposedly know how to defend, yet they turn their backs on the ball while defending their man. They're internationals, but flounder under pressure, don't show for the ball, and have little awareness of their surroundings when they possess the ball. Playing from behind they do more passing in the defensive third than they do going forward. Jeez, I don't feel too uncomfortable saying that Stek saw more of the ball while we were in possession of it than Bent did.

Yes, it's resulting from tactical decisions, but it's just as much down to professional and very experienced players just flat out not earning their paychecks.

They do know how to defend but lets go back to the corner the other day and Jol's quotes afterwards
' maybe before the game we should have told Berbatov to go on Rickie Lambert'

Well if Berbatov was not told pre match to mark Lambert who was?
Was anyone?
Did they work on who marks who?
Who scouted Southampton prior to this match?

This is what we keep seeing..no match plan. Its just pick Xi and send them out almost Sunday league style.

I never count Jol's comments as matter of fact. There's always some innuendo.

But let's consider that Berbatov really didn't know that Lambert was his man. When he looked around, saw Lambert and saw no one within five yards of a proven goal scorer and a fairly high caliber header of the ball, shouldn't a player with his vast experience....and being the freaking captain of the team....have at very least said something to alert his teammates before covering absolutely nobody?

Heck, I only ever play pickup games...no league. If I'm defending a corner, I'm at very least going to make sure that I'm impeding someone from moving within my own 18. He makes 60 grand a week and decides it's best to cover empty space. Inexcusable. Plan or no plan.

These professionals are forgetting/ignoring things they were taught to do as school children.

[alfie]

You could spend £500Million on players and it wouldn't make a difference. The issue isn't with the players, it's with the moron managing them.

Sorry. Can't absolve the players in this. They're professionals. They know how to defend set pieces and still just blatantly ignore their responsibilities. They get paid handsomely because they supposedly know how to defend, yet they turn their backs on the ball while defending their man. They're internationals, but flounder under pressure, don't show for the ball, and have little awareness of their surroundings when they possess the ball. Playing from behind they do more passing in the defensive third than they do going forward. Jeez, I don't feel too uncomfortable saying that Stek saw more of the ball while we were in possession of it than Bent did.

Yes, it's resulting from tactical decisions, but it's just as much down to professional and very experienced players just flat out not earning their paychecks.

They do know how to defend but lets go back to the corner the other day and Jol's quotes afterwards
' maybe before the game we should have told Berbatov to go on Rickie Lambert'

Well if Berbatov was not told pre match to mark Lambert who was?
Was anyone?
Did they work on who marks who?
Who scouted Southampton prior to this match?

This is what we keep seeing..no match plan. Its just pick Xi and send them out almost Sunday league style.

I never count Jol's comments as matter of fact. There's always some innuendo.

But let's consider that Berbatov really didn't know that Lambert was his man. When he looked around, saw Lambert and saw no one within five yards of a proven goal scorer and a fairly high caliber header of the ball, shouldn't a player with his vast experience....and being the freaking captain of the team....have at very least said something to alert his teammates before covering absolutely nobody?

Heck, I only ever play pickup games...no league. If I'm defending a corner, I'm at very least going to make sure that I'm impeding someone from moving within my own 18. He makes 60 grand a week and decides it's best to cover empty space. Inexcusable. Plan or no plan.

These professionals are forgetting/ignoring things they were taught to do as school children.

But let's consider that Berbatov really didn't know that Lambert was his man

Parker actually took Berbatov over to Lambert and told him to mark him, then he just ignored him.

[Vinnieffc]

You could spend £500Million on players and it wouldn't make a difference. The issue isn't with the players, it's with the moron managing them.

Sorry. Can't absolve the players in this. They're professionals. They know how to defend set pieces and still just blatantly ignore their responsibilities. They get paid handsomely because they supposedly know how to defend, yet they turn their backs on the ball while defending their man. They're internationals, but flounder under pressure, don't show for the ball, and have little awareness of their surroundings when they possess the ball. Playing from behind they do more passing in the defensive third than they do going forward. Jeez, I don't feel too uncomfortable saying that Stek saw more of the ball while we were in possession of it than Bent did.

Yes, it's resulting from tactical decisions, but it's just as much down to professional and very experienced players just flat out not earning their paychecks.

They do know how to defend but lets go back to the corner the other day and Jol's quotes afterwards
' maybe before the game we should have told Berbatov to go on Rickie Lambert'

Well if Berbatov was not told pre match to mark Lambert who was?
Was anyone?
Did they work on who marks who?
Who scouted Southampton prior to this match?

This is what we keep seeing..no match plan. Its just pick Xi and send them out almost Sunday league style.

I never count Jol's comments as matter of fact. There's always some innuendo.

But let's consider that Berbatov really didn't know that Lambert was his man. When he looked around, saw Lambert and saw no one within five yards of a proven goal scorer and a fairly high caliber header of the ball, shouldn't a player with his vast experience....and being the freaking captain of the team....have at very least said something to alert his teammates before covering absolutely nobody?

Heck, I only ever play pickup games...no league. If I'm defending a corner, I'm at very least going to make sure that I'm impeding someone from moving within my own 18. He makes 60 grand a week and decides it's best to cover empty space. Inexcusable. Plan or no plan.

These professionals are forgetting/ignoring things they were taught to do as school children.

But let's consider that Berbatov really didn't know that Lambert was his man

Parker actually took Berbatov over to Lambert and told him to mark him, then he just ignored him.

Spot on. Parker actually pointed at Lambert and was obviously telling Berba to mark him. As usual he did his own thing and went waalkabout aimlessly in the box. Bad and needless goal to concede. I love Berba but he is now a liability. BerbaOut.

[ToodlesMcToot]

You could spend £500Million on players and it wouldn't make a difference. The issue isn't with the players, it's with the moron managing them.

Sorry. Can't absolve the players in this. They're professionals. They know how to defend set pieces and still just blatantly ignore their responsibilities. They get paid handsomely because they supposedly know how to defend, yet they turn their backs on the ball while defending their man. They're internationals, but flounder under pressure, don't show for the ball, and have little awareness of their surroundings when they possess the ball. Playing from behind they do more passing in the defensive third than they do going forward. Jeez, I don't feel too uncomfortable saying that Stek saw more of the ball while we were in possession of it than Bent did.

Yes, it's resulting from tactical decisions, but it's just as much down to professional and very experienced players just flat out not earning their paychecks.

They do know how to defend but lets go back to the corner the other day and Jol's quotes afterwards
' maybe before the game we should have told Berbatov to go on Rickie Lambert'

Well if Berbatov was not told pre match to mark Lambert who was?
Was anyone?
Did they work on who marks who?
Who scouted Southampton prior to this match?

This is what we keep seeing..no match plan. Its just pick Xi and send them out almost Sunday league style.

I never count Jol's comments as matter of fact. There's always some innuendo.

But let's consider that Berbatov really didn't know that Lambert was his man. When he looked around, saw Lambert and saw no one within five yards of a proven goal scorer and a fairly high caliber header of the ball, shouldn't a player with his vast experience....and being the freaking captain of the team....have at very least said something to alert his teammates before covering absolutely nobody?

Heck, I only ever play pickup games...no league. If I'm defending a corner, I'm at very least going to make sure that I'm impeding someone from moving within my own 18. He makes 60 grand a week and decides it's best to cover empty space. Inexcusable. Plan or no plan.

These professionals are forgetting/ignoring things they were taught to do as school children.

But let's consider that Berbatov really didn't know that Lambert was his man

Parker actually took Berbatov over to Lambert and told him to mark him, then he just ignored him.

Thanks for correcting my poor memory......something I'm somewhat thankful for when it comes to losses like this one.

Your reminder does nothing good for my mood with regard to Fulham though.  :54:

[Forever Fulham]

A stadium or new players?   What good is a stadium if we go down?  We need 3-4 quality players who can thrive regardless of the manager.  A creative attacking center mid.  A left back.  A big target man to get Ruiz, Berbatov, and Kasami opportunities.  A winger who can penetrate with pace.  And a new training ground staff to whip the players into shape and teach them how to break high pressure defending.  By now, every club in the EPL has a video of the Southampton game--a blueprint for how to play Fulham through the end of the season...  Few will be able to come close to Southampton's ability to execute it.  But some will have a go at it.