The team as it stands (or falls)
Stuart Gray was dismissed because he didn't seem a likely candidate to reach Rupert Lowe's benchmark of around tenth in the table. I'm not going to say that Saints were fortunate to finish so well last season as I think that it was earned over the year. However, there was nothing to suggest that we would be able to improve upon that placing. Now Stuart Gray has not sent the club back into relegation fodder by himself (or even with the able assistance of Wadsworth). Gray was well aware of the teams shortcomings and simply wasn't allowed the money to solve them. The problems with the team are very obvious and have been for some time. Now Gordon Strachan's remit would seem to simply keep us in the Premiership again.
The departures of Boa Morte and Kachloul left the club with no recognised left sided midfielder. The signing of Anders Svensson was supposed to redress this but he has never really played there before and has been a disappointment as a result.
Saints defence has been weak for a number of years. One major injury could give the team serious problems. Fans have been pointing this out constantly but no new faces have emerged. The departure of Dean Richards and the club's inability to release funds for Stuart Gray to replace him has cost us dearly. El Khalej is simply not in his best position playing there. While he provides adequate cover, he should not be expected to play there every game.
Another blow this season was the injury to Jason Dodd. Dodd and Benali are often criticised as not being Premiership standard. Yet Saints pretty much define the term with their longevity in the division and both have been at the club for over a decade. Managers (and there have been many in recent years) have tried to replace both without success as they soon recognise the qualities they bring to the side. Only the emergence of Wayne Bridge, a strong candidate for full international honours, has finally displaced Benali. Benali, strangely to the surprise of many, had a superb loan spell at Nottingham forest following this.
Rory Delap, Paul Murray Tahar El-Khalej and even Matt Oakley have all been used at right back but have never looked likely to be realistic replacements. Yet Dodd upon its return has had to play at left back simply to provide balance to a team without a left sided midfielder. Wayne Bridge has been moved back to his original position just as he was improving in leaps and bounds as left back. Rory Delap, in particular, has been poor. Although it was claimed that he was versatile and that he had appeared in numerous positions for Jim Smith at Derby, he has not really made an impact with Saints yet. His versatility may well be the problem. Trying to settle at his new club the right wing back, where he prefers to play, has been a right back in a back four where he looked unsure of his defensive duties. Delap is an attacking player but again has not set the world alight on the right hand side of midfield. As Saints record signing he has a lot to do to win over the support.
Our midfield lacks both attacking creativity and steel. Against Blackburn Chris Marsden was best in both departments but simply couldn't do everything. Strachan has brought in Paul Telfer to add some grit into proceedings. Hopefully this should shake up Matt Oakley who has fallen into his habit of drifting out of games.
Tessem, Murray, Ripley, Gibbens, Draper, Bleidelis and Svensson should all be aware of how much they will need to improve to contribute to a successful Saints team, or at least one that stays in the division. Svensson would seem to be the obvious choice to provide the link to the strikers but his poor form ad low confidence has been added to by his belief that Strachan will always pick Telfer ahead of him regardless. Saints have a large number of midfielders, all of whom at the moment are surplus to requirements. As Lowe has found out, getting rid of them is no easy matter and their drain on the wage bill will prevent too many squad additions.
It's hard to be too critical of our strikers when they have no support. Beattie has added a little more consistency to his game. However he constantly has to deal with high balls thumped up to him. Saints use his height for flick ons far more than his ability to use his size to hold the ball up when passed to feet.
Pahars has suffered with the lack of creativity in the team. His enthusiasm doesn't seem to be at the same level and he has struggled to get back form his long spell back in the midfield. Again having to make the best form Beattie's headers won't exactly get him a load of goals.
There are times when Saints put together passing moves, and do them well, but they are so few that the overall attack is very predictible.
Attacking alternatives are hard to find. We have several promising youth players but it's far to early to say whether they will have any impact. In the senior squad there is Uwe Rosler, who despite his work rate, is destined never to score and Kevin Davies, who has never regained the form he had before his move to Blackburn. At £1 million Beattie has been quite a bargain as has Pahars at a similar price.
So that's the squad Strachan has inherited. Already he has brought in Williams and Telfer. Despite many reservations, Williams had a great game against Blackburn and may well provide a solid partnership with Lundekvam. Telfer was a far way off from full match fitness but already looks just as good as anyone else the the midfield. Strachan clearly wants battlers, winners with a lot of self belief and drive. He's got several in Marsden, Williams, Dodd, Benali, Bridge and Telfer. Hopefully we'll see the same form several more as the realisation of another dogfight settles in.
Given the opening paragraph concerning benchmarks, could our disappointing start to the season have been prevented ?
Lowe seemed more than happy to release funds for Svensson, Delap and El Eyene yet slammed the purse shut when Gray wanted to strengthen in other areas. Clearly in addition to results, off the field apathy and discontentment in training upset enough people to get Gray the chop. Gray simply couldn't make the change from coach to manager and his new post at Aston Villa will suit him perfectly. Strachan was appalled at the fitness level of the players when he took over and we should be seeing more committed displays over the full ninety minutes in the near future. Matthew Oakley may well be one to watch.
With half of the Dean Richards transfer spent on players Strachan had no say in getting, will Lowe be keen to release funds to the new manager ? Clearly the bargain basement approach prevails with Saints for the most part. As the club's most expensive striker ever, Delgado will be expected to make a big impact.
Now that we've seen what Strachan faces, what are his chances ?
Well, he's had started to address the fitness/ training problem on his first morning and within the space of a week had solved two personnel issues so if there's a solution he'll find it quickly which is good news. Saints aren't a selling club so he should be able to build a team and keep it, which he was never able to do at Coventry. His overall record at Coventry was easily as good as all the other managers we've had recently Hoddle excepted, although he nipped off before the tough fixtures.
We've had worse starts than this and pulled through and although I've been pretty critical of the squad, it is definitely among the strongest we've had in a long time.
Kachloul and Richards leaving were blows but they are replaceable so I see no reason why we can't turn things round. Now if we could just settle into the new stadium with a win...
If you think I'm wrong why not e-mail me and I'll put your views on the site.
