2011-12 Season Review

[channonite]

I want to do an article to keep on the website, like I have with last season's, so I would like as many as possible to try and give an honest answer to the following questions :

1. Your reaction to the season? Try and summarise Saints season in a paragraph

2. Top marks. Whose been your player of the season and why (just a sentence)

3. Bottom of the class: Who has been the donkey/scapegoat/animal of your choice and why (just a sentence)

4. How you rate Nigel Adkins' performance this season (just a sentence or two)

5. Best moment: Pretty straightforward (Could be a goal, a whole match, a signing, a particularly nice pie, whatever you like) (just a sentence)

6. Worst moment: As above (just a sentence)

7. Best fans: Which opposing fans made the best impression (just a sentence)

8. Worst fans: And who were the worst. (just a sentence)

[spot51]

1. Your reaction to the season? Try and summarise Saints season in a paragraph
ONWARDS - AND UPWARDS

2. Top marks. Whose been your player of the season and why (just a sentence)
JOS HOOIVELD - never heard of the bloke before we signed him yet the guy is a winner and has fitted right in.

3. Bottom of the class: Who has been the donkey/scapegoat/animal of your choice and why (just a sentence)
BART - wtf was he doing?

4. How you rate Nigel Adkins' performance this season (just a sentence or two)
I sat smugly listening to his management talk, knowing it was working, knowing he was getting them to be the best that they could be. Shame on you doubters!

5. Best moment: Pretty straightforward (Could be a goal, a whole match, a signing, a particularly nice pie, whatever you like) (just a sentence)
Jos Hooiveld's goal home to West Ham - proved we were going to compete and TBF the difference between the sides after a whole season.

6. Worst moment: As above (just a sentence)
Bastard Reading winning the title we so richly deserved.

7. Best fans: Which opposing fans made the best impression (just a sentence) Cov

8. Worst fans: And who were the worst. (just a sentence)
Barnsley - only 2 of 'em in hospitality FFS!

[shirleymush]

1. Your reaction to the season? Try and summarise Saints season in a paragraph

It's been an incredible season that started against the backdrop of riots with Saints thrashing the living daylights out of everyone and playing football from the heavens. It ended in a nauseating limp to the finish line that that threatened to destroy my family's lives and left me with some memories which I will cherish forever.

2. Top marks. Whose been your player of the season and why (just a sentence)

Rickie Lambert. Schneiderlin is the most accomplished player and Lallana the most exciting, but Saints rose this season on the back of their colossus. A modern folk hero, and a humble, uncomplicated one at that.

3. Bottom of the class: Who has been the donkey/scapegoat/animal of your choice and why (just a sentence)

Dan Harding. The club's loyalty to its players is laudible but sadly in this case it was misplaced. Football is a brutal environment and weakness is very quickly exposed..

4. How you rate Nigel Adkins' performance this season (just a sentence or two)

I've fretted about some of his tactical decisions and he has clearly felt the pressure in recent weeks, but what a coach and motivator he must be. Without actually knowing him, I feel that he is also a very good man.

5. Best moment: Pretty straightforward (Could be a goal, a whole match, a signing, a particularly nice pie, whatever you like) (just a sentence)

Obviously, the final whistle at the end of the Coventry game. A moment of catharsis and sheer exaltation. A distant second was the final whistle at the end of the win over West Ham.

6. Worst moment: As above (just a sentence)

Pompey's second jammy equalising goal at St. Mary's.

7. Best fans: Which opposing fans made the best impression (just a sentence)

Coventry. Courage, defiance and humour in the face of despair.

8. Worst fans: And who were the worst. (just a sentence)

Portsmouth. They finally have the club they deserve.

[Mandochris]

Your reaction to the season? Try and summarise Saints season in a paragraph
A great ride with just right amount of suspense to make the final day even better.

2. Top marks. Whose been your player of the season and why (just a sentence)
I guess it has to be Ricky. He just keeps on getting better and his interview after the Cov game where he said it's just not stopped getting better and better since he came to Southampton ....

3. Bottom of the class: Who has been the donkey/scapegoat/animal of your choice and why (just a sentence)
Well, Bart for that howler.

4. How you rate Nigel Adkins' performance this season (just a sentence or two)
He's still learning but I think I love hime.

5. Best moment: Pretty straightforward (Could be a goal, a whole match, a signing, a particularly nice pie, whatever you like) (just a sentence)
Jos's goal against Coventry when it was no longer in doubt.

6. Worst moment: As above (just a sentence)
Pompey's late equaliser. Alone in a hotel room in China in the middle of the night. Devastating.

7. Best fans: Which opposing fans made the best impression (just a sentence)

8. Worst fans: And who were the worst. (just a sentence)

[OneBeat]

1. Much better than I dared hope for. I don't really get bogged down in formations or tactics too much, I just want to watch good passing football from players looking like they're enjoying playing for Saints. I think I got that this season.

2. Davis, Morgan, Jos, Lallana and Guly have all impressed me this season, but Lambert gets my vote. Some said he couldn't cut it at championship level, well he proved them wrong with goals and general all round superb team play.

3. No one. Everyone has played their part during the season, even SDR!

4. I'm a big Adkins fan. His positive outlook and obvious man-management skills have made the difference I think. He may have made mistakes this season, but we've generally bounced back from any disappointments.

5. Yesterday is still fresh in my thoughts, but the one thing that springs to mind instantly is Tadanari Lee's screamer at SMS.

6. Not many bad moments. Probably the thing that annoyed me most was the dingbats running on the pitch when we scored the second against Pompey. It seemed inevitable that they'd equalise in the time added on.

7. I don't take too much notice of away fans really, I'm the other end of the ground and usually watching the footer (I saw Palace fans on the TV enjoying themselves, that impressed me, but it was nothing to do with Saints).

8. See above (not the Palace bit).

[THE BEAST]

1. Your reaction to the season? Try and summarise Saints season in a paragraph

It's been a season I expected to see us comfortably mid-table with next year being the year we pushed on to the play-offs probably, instead, we have been leading all the way and although it was a brilliant and surprising journey I'm still not sure I can believe it?

2. Top marks. Whose been your player of the season and why (just a sentence)

Rickie Lambert. not just for his goals, even though they should be enough, his overall gameplay is nothing short of magnificent.

3. Bottom of the class: Who has been the donkey/scapegoat/animal of your choice and why (just a sentence)

Bambi Bialkowski, if you can't rely on your backup goalkeeper to do the simple things then what is the point of employing him?

(Special mention to Tommy Fourpast, yet again getting his ugly mug on the scaffold to celebrate being a champion whilst actually doing nothing at all all year!)

4. How you rate Nigel Adkins' performance this season (just a sentence or two)

he either needs to learn some different formations or get some players that can play within different systems if required, other than that, how can you complain too much about a man given a job to do and doing it so well he beat his own deadline by two years?

5. Best moment: Pretty straightforward (Could be a goal, a whole match, a signing, a particularly nice pie, whatever you like) (just a sentence)

first game of the season, walloping a championship team and looking easy doing it, and to my intense surprise this feeling continued all year ;D

6. Worst moment: As above (just a sentence)

losing at Middlesbrough, I wasn't even there but God I needed the pressure lifted by us winning that one and having a nonsensical game as the last one of the season…still, it all turned out okay

7. Best fans: Which opposing fans made the best impression (just a sentence)

not sure

8. Worst fans: And who were the worst. (just a sentence)

not really sure, I'm with OB

[OneBeat]

Can I change my answer to Q7?
Athletic Bilbao fans were fun at that per-season tournament thing. What do you mean that doesn't count?

[Furry Frank The Combat Wombat]

1. Your reaction to the season? Try and summarise Saints season in a paragraph
Nothing short of incredible - in both senses of the word.

2. Top marks. Whose been your player of the season and why (just a sentence)
Has to be Ricky, not just our star striker, but our heart. Jos gets best newcomer award.

3. Bottom of the class: Who has been the donkey/scapegoat/animal of your choice and why (just a sentence)
Calamity Dan

4. How you rate Nigel Adkins' performance this season (just a sentence or two)
While he's got some blind spots, his man-management and coaching have been second to none since he took over; and all done with a sunny disposition and class.

5. Best moment: Pretty straightforward (Could be a goal, a whole match, a signing, a particularly nice pie, whatever you like) (just a sentence)
Mmm, pie.
Probably Jose's goal...that was pretty much where I felt we'd crossed the finish line.

6. Worst moment: As above (just a sentence)
Brighton's hatchet-job on Ricky & us, that was galling

7. Best fans: Which opposing fans made the best impression (just a sentence)
Maybe Cov, but that might be cos the memory's freshest.
8. Worst fans: And who were the worst. (just a sentence)
Saying Pompey'd be too easy; but noone else springs to mind

[Deleted]

1. Your reaction to the season? Try and summarise Saints season in a paragraph
One of the most enjoyable of the 35 years I've been going.

2. Top marks. Whose been your player of the season and why (just a sentence)
Rickie. Not just the goals but a decent human being too. He personifies SFC to me.

3. Bottom of the class: Who has been the donkey/scapegoat/animal of your choice and why (just a sentence)
It has to be Bart for that one performance.

4. How you rate Nigel Adkins' performance this season (just a sentence or two)
Impressive. I don't think that he is anywhere near as tactically naive as some of our fellow posters on here think.

5. Best moment: Pretty straightforward (Could be a goal, a whole match, a signing, a particularly nice pie, whatever you like) (just a sentence)

The final whistle yesterday.

6. Worst moment: As above (just a sentence)
A weekend in Blackpool when I seriously wondered if the team had sufficient gas left in the tank, both physically and mentally; they couldn't seem to get galvanised. (Note to N.A. - please can we have an experienced Leader for midfield next season)

7. Best fans: Which opposing fans made the best impression (just a sentence)
Torquay - friendly bunch


8. Worst fans: And who were the worst. (just a sentence)
Portsmouth - their mean-spirited minority really are to be pitied.

[Mandochris]

Another best moment for me was the IBO outing in corporate.

[ivangolac]

1. Your reaction to the season? Try and summarise Saints season in a paragraph

I knew we would do well, I thought we would be in the playoffs, but the way we went about it was a surprise, especially at home. We simply tried to play everyone off the park, and it usually worked. The football was top drawer.

2. Top marks. Whose been your player of the season and why?

SRL, we not only witnessed a player having a great season, we witnessed a player becoming a Saints legend who will be remembered for decades.

3. Bottom of the class: Who has been the donkey/scapegoat/animal of your choice and why?

For me no-one, we won as a team and we lost as a team. For me the donkeys are the idiot fans of our own who single out our players for dogs abuse. Guly is a case in point, some of his stick was ridiculous

4. How you rate Nigel Adkins' performance this season?

10/10 mission accomplished, he lived with the pressure of the chasing pack all season, he got it right more often than not, and most importantly more often than nearly everyone else.

5. Best moment: Pretty straightforward (Could be a goal, a whole match, a signing, a particularly nice pie, whatever you like)?

For me it was Cheung's goal, it was a thing of beauty that defined us at our best completely

6. Worst moment?

Bart v Blackpool when we were going for the victory record, he is a clown

7. Best fans: Which opposing fans made the best impression?

No one really blew me away

8. Worst fans: And who were the worst?

Brighton....wenkers

[Deleted]

1. Your reaction to the season? Try and summarise Saints season in a paragraph
It was brilliant from start to finish.

2. Top marks. Whose been your player of the season and why (just a sentence)
Rickie Lambert for making the step up and more.

3. Bottom of the class: Who has been the donkey/scapegoat/animal of your choice and why (just a sentence)
It has to be BB.

4. How you rate Nigel Adkins' performance this season (just a sentence or two)
He's been amazing.

5. Best moment: Pretty straightforward (Could be a goal, a whole match, a signing, a particularly nice pie, whatever you like) (just a sentence)
The first goal against Coventry as I knew Saints would go on and win.

6. Worst moment: As above (just a sentence)
Blackpool away

7. Best fans: Which opposing fans made the best impression (just a sentence)
Coventry's

8. Worst fans: And who were the worst. (just a sentence)
I'm not sure






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[jamin]

1. Your reaction to the season? Try and summarise Saints season in a paragraph

Somehow managed to both massively exceed and yet not live up to expectations. Every single Saints fan would have snapped your hand off had you offered them second place in August, and yet there's an undercurrent of frustration at the fact we didn't win what looked like 'our title' for so much of the year.

2. Top marks. Whose been your player of the season and why (just a sentence)

Jos for me - if only for the way he completely defied the expectations of certain fans who claimed he was a terrible signing before he'd kicked a ball.

I'm sure most people will say Rickie, and for good reason, but Jos has looked great when Jose wobbled, and scored a lot of important goals. Special mentions for Danny Fox and Tadanari Lee too, for being way, way better than we had any right to expect.

3. Bottom of the class: Who has been the donkey/scapegoat/animal of your choice and why (just a sentence)

I like Bart, but if you choose to play without a substitute keeper on the bench, I guess that says it all.

4. How you rate Nigel Adkins' performance this season (just a sentence or two)

I guess he's proved that all that management lingo is a cliche for a reason. One of my moments of the season was his post-match interview after Coventry when he so clearly wanted to get back on the pitch and join in the fun, and he finally said "there's some scene's going on out there, so if you'll just excuse me...." and shot off up the tunnel.

5. Best moment: Pretty straightforward (Could be a goal, a whole match, a signing, a particularly nice pie, whatever you like) (just a sentence)

Leeds Away - I knew we'd get up after that game - we had no right to come away with a point, and yet we nabbed all three.

6. Worst moment: As above (just a sentence)

From 1-1 to 2-1 to 2-2 at home to Pompey was horrible, and made worse by my premature celebration of three points.

7. Best fans: Which opposing fans made the best impression (just a sentence)

Not been to enough games to answer this really.

8. Worst fans: And who were the worst. (just a sentence)

Come on - Pompey, obviously. Couldn't have happened to a nicer bunch. (Special mention also to some of the more moronic elements of our own supporter base.)

[eusebio]

1. Whoosh.....where did that go. Superb


2. SRL.....he's 6ft3".................

3. No such thing..........no negative waves

4. See St Baz

5. Leeds, had a feeling we were on to something

6. Worst moment: BHA away, SRL sent of and we fell apart.......and I ain't stopped hearing about it....FPS

7. ALL fans are idiots, I just tolerate them

8. As above

[lostboy]

1. Your reaction to the season? Try and summarise Saints season in a paragraph

Above expectation, like climbing the highest rollor coaster ever before being released at the top on Saturday.


2. Top marks. Whose been your player of the season and why (just a sentence)

Morgan and Ricky. One gets the plaudits, the other doesn't. We miss them both equally when they are not there, a sure sign that they are the most important members of the team.


3. Bottom of the class: Who has been the donkey/scapegoat/animal of your choice and why (just a sentence)

Tricky choice between Harding and Hammond, although one is clearly now being overlooked, there's some kind of strange of selection policy that sees the other still get games.


4. How you rate Nigel Adkins' performance this season (just a sentence or two)

Generally excellent. A touch stubborn about one or two things but you can't argue with the overall result.


5. Best moment: Pretty straightforward (Could be a goal, a whole match, a signing, a particularly nice pie, whatever you like) (just a sentence)

Beating Leeds on the television in the opening game of the season and realising that we weren't just going to be in it to make up the numbers. Expectation was raised almost instantly.......


6. Worst moment: As above (just a sentence)

When Reading scored their second and I knew that the title was probably gone.


7. Best fans: Which opposing fans made the best impression (just a sentence)

I'd have to say "none". As none came and actually gave their club any real support, unless they scored. Most of the time they just sat there in dumb silence and even when they scored they struggled.

8. Worst fans: And who were the worst. (just a sentence)

Cardiff, no real support for the team and just desperate for a fight.