Back from the Game - Southampton

[Dirk Gently]

Of course it does make a difference to performance. But as long as the opposition have had them same reduced recovery time it shouldn't give an advantage/disadvantage, as long as there isn't a major fitness difference between the two teams.

[Ian Royal]

Of course it does make a difference to performance. But as long as the opposition have had them same reduced recovery time it shouldn't give an advantage/disadvantage, as long as there isn't a major fitness difference between the two teams.

In theory, but that doesn't take into account different styles of play which may be more adaptable to players at different levels of fitness. Or rather be less dependent on a high level of fitness.

We tend to play quite a high tempo game driving forward quickly with lots of attacks, which is clearly going to require a better level of refreshedness than a team that just pumps it forward to a big striker to knock down, or a team that plays a slow build up passing game.

Just to play Devil's Advocate.

[rabidbee]

Of course it does make a difference to performance. But as long as the opposition have had them same reduced recovery time it shouldn't give an advantage/disadvantage, as long as there isn't a major fitness difference between the two teams.

But then, if we have the resources to play fitter players - players who didn't turn out in the earlier game - and the opposition don't, then we have an advantage.

[Dirk Gently]

Of course it does make a difference to performance. But as long as the opposition have had them same reduced recovery time it shouldn't give an advantage/disadvantage, as long as there isn't a major fitness difference between the two teams.

But then, if we have the resources to play fitter players - players who didn't turn out in the earlier game - and the opposition don't, then we have an advantage.

Yes, but that advantage is only theoretical beacuse there's a very real danger of either those players not being as good as the ones who are being rested or that the changes to the team disrupts the team and their style of play.

[Southbank Old Boy]

Of course it does make a difference to performance. But as long as the opposition have had them same reduced recovery time it shouldn't give an advantage/disadvantage, as long as there isn't a major fitness difference between the two teams.

But then, if we have the resources to play fitter players - players who didn't turn out in the earlier game - and the opposition don't, then we have an advantage.

Yes, but that advantage is only theoretical beacuse there's a very real danger of either those players not being as good as the ones who are being rested or that the changes to the team disrupts the team and their style of play.

Surely that's the art of management though

[TFF]

Thanks to two fcukwits sat behind us Mrs TFF and the two mini TFFs (6 & 8 ) won't be attending another away game this season, and probably none for a few seasons to come.

I asked for seats near the front, reasoning that the "hardcore" support would be stood up at the back. I got row J and was delighted to find that our seats were right above the lowest concourse entrance so no-one could stand in front of the kids. Apart from the sunshine the view was great. Behind us were two old boys, a respectable looking married couple in their 50s and a chap in his thirties. We exchanged greetings and everything was hunky dory.

Then the saints fans in the stand to our right stood up and the conduct of the police, the stewards (particularly the fat one at the bottom of the stand that "looked like a whale") and the Reading fans apparently became more interesting than the game.

(Married Bloke) "Look at them telling the Reading fans to sit down, fcukers should be out catching paedos or rapists"
(30s) Fcuking hell. Reading are sitting - what's up with them cnuts?
(MB) Look at them stewards, just fcuking staring at us. What the fcuk are they staring at?
(Wife) They're just making sure there's no trouble dear
(MB) Well they can fcuk off.

Then

(30s)Reading fans are fcuking shit. This is embarassing.
(MB)I ain't coming here again. This place is a fcuking shithole. They should cut it off and float it out to the Isle of Wight and make it a prison. It's shit. (Because that was so funny he repeated it two or three times)
(30s)Cardiff only had 3000 and they didn't put up with any of this shit. This is fcuking embarrasing. Reading fans are fcuking shit.

I let this go on (non stop) for about twenty minutes before I turned around and suggested they put up or shut up and that I didn't appreciate their behaviour in front of my kids. Perhaps it would be better if they supported the team instead of moaning about the fans?

30s bloke waits about 5 mins it taps me on the shoulder. "Don't ever embarrass me again mate!" I tried to explain that wasn't my intention, I was just trying to protect my lads. "Don't use kids as an excuse mate, I got kids, I saw them the other day"

We moved for the second half.

[winchester_royal]

It's a good point you made to the ignorant tits TFF. If some of our so called fans put their energies into supporting the team rather than whingeing and (in some moronic cases) singing self-abusive songs, then the whole atmosphere would be a hell of a lot better.

[brendywendy]

Since ivar and doobs kept their places it looks like rest wasnt the only consideration

[Hoop Blah]

Since ivar and doobs kept their places it looks like rest wasnt the only consideration

As has been pointed out on here, and by Coppell this season, the central midfield players in our system have to cover a hell of a lot of ground and so their level of fatigue is greater than the rest of the team.

Playing centre back you can get away with covering a lot less distance. The physical side of the game is more about getting and giving a few whacks which is easier to get on with than just running out of steam.

I don't see what the fuss is about. According to many on here we played our best midfielder with his best minder on Saturday and only brought on the useless Harper and Cisse when the first two had run out of legs.

Personally I'd have started with Harper, but I can see where Coppell is coming from with his changes.

[Big Foot]

I let this go on (non stop) for about twenty minutes before I turned around and suggested they put up or shut up and that I didn't appreciate their behaviour in front of my kids.

I thought you said they were sat behind you? Inconsistency to your story makes it doubtful for me to believe TFF

With regards to the whole "standing vs seating" / "atmosphere" discussion/argument - can anyone really be bothered?

Neither side seems to care enough to do anything concrete. Personally I would prefer to stand at football, home and away, and enjoy the kind of atmosphere I sampled as a child at Elm Park on a continual basis. The sights and sounds of The South Bank were magical - seeing grown men hanging from the entry to the commentators gantry starting "we are staying up" chants and hearing "f#ck off Mark McGhee..." for the first time and then going home and singing it non-stop round the house to the annoyance of my 'rents (I appreciate that those of a different opinion to me will no doubt find this disgraceful, but c'est la vie)

The thing that really, really winds me up (and I don't know why it does or should as, quite frankly I've more important things to care about) is the number of gobshites who are between the age of 14 & 24/25 who go to the games and are those who turn up half cut, wearing gimp outfits - i.e. "Hobnob username 9" on the back of their shirt and then try and be as abusive as possible with no end acheivement. These are more than likely the Reading fans who were singing "our support is f#cking sh#t" etc. They've been around for a while though - I remember even at Newcastle away on a Wednesday night there was a group of 10/12 at the back of the stand shouting at fans around them to stand up....

There was another instance I saw on the way to the ground on Sunday of a couple of hard men - whom I know of, I was dieing of embarrassment to be slightly associated with them - antagonising a couple of female Southampton fans on the way to the ground and then giving it the billy big bollocks once they were within 10/15ft of the stewards at the away end. WELL DONE

[Far Canal]

It's a good point you made to the ignorant tits TFF. If some of our so called fans put their energies into supporting the team rather than whingeing and (in some moronic cases) singing self-abusive songs, then the whole atmosphere would be a hell of a lot better.

....but self-abuse is probably the thing that they do best.

[pace=forster]

i spent the whole bloody game on my feet (despite complaints from behind me) i was about half way down to the right ,trying to get the atmosphere going almoast single handedley, i kept turning round and trying to get people on there feet but was being looked at as is i had shit on my face, top left were good but the support was dire the bloke behind me even said i'd give up its like a morge i just dont understand why our support is so awfull it was christmas a local game and judging by yates in town centre and a pub closer to the ground a fair few of us whwere there early and drinking.

Are you by any chance bald? Myself and a mate were sat a few rows behind you and did feel quite sorry for you by the end. Was amazed that we were able to stand for the first 35 minutes and actually attempt to make some noise depsite no one joining in around us but meh, few games aside that's how it's always going to be!

[rabidbee]

I finally got around to processing my photos from the match:

[Dirk Gently]

I finally got around to processing my photos from the match:

I assume this is "processing" in the digital sense of the word, rather than in the old sense of either sending them off to the chemists or messing about in a dark room?

[papereyes]

Did I completely miss this game?

LOL