I agree all round, good post.

I am quite positive about Roy being here now but rightly or (most likely) wrongly I had the same criticisms as everyone else before he left and reservations when the announcement was made recently.

I think whether you are optimistic and positive about Roy being here now, or sceptical/negative about the whole thing, I'd very much suggest the mentality to just enjoy the fact he is on a 100% win rate as things stand and hope this continues is probably the best course for any of us individually and collectively.

I would struggle enormously to be convinced that PV should have stayed however, I view it as wishful thinking at best to suggest we'd of been fine and seen the same results if he stayed and at worst, we could well have seen a very painful and unsalvageable slide towards a nailed on relegation. The only plus side there is the half-wit crew could have handbags and a cuddle-off at Saint Mary's again next season.

Long live Sir Roy and this long awaited and very much needed winning streak.

COYP, 40 hours or so before Everton K.O.!!!

Now Zaha's got a bit of green grass ahead of him here... and finds Ambrose... not a bad effort!!!!

We had some terrible long runs without wins under Roy too, such as the seven straight defeats at the end of the 2019/2020 season (which followed a four game winning streak), the one win in 11 games in 2018/2019, or the very patchy final season when we basically stayed up by beating the relegated teams and stealing a win at Brighton and then hung on for dear life. PV came in and suddenly we were getting players in the opposing box, playing exciting football and loving life.

This season PV gradually regressed to playing how Roy had us playing in our final season with a low block, no attacking ideas and praying for a goal. Roy comes in and suddenly we are getting players in the opposing box, playing exciting football and loving life.

Dowie commented on issues with the coaches in his commentary last week and spoke as if he knew more about the behind the scenes issue. He seemed to indicate that much of the problems lay with having coaches more suited to international football than the day-to-day rigors of the PL. Whatever the case, I think most of us agree that post-Christmas under PV was a hard watch, first season PV was great. Equally, final season Roy was a hard watch, new Roy is great.

Roy is a pragmatist and I am a dreamer, I think personally that's why I struggle to get fully onboard with him. It's also why I should never be in charge of a professional football team!

I wonder if what's happening now isn't to some extent a credit to both managers. Vieira isn't, I don't think, a really competent manager (at least yet) but what he did give us (last year at least) was the license and confidence to retain the ball. He fundamentally changed the ethos of our approach to games and even if, particularly without a driving midfielder, we couldn't build on the change this season, what he left behind gave Roy far more to work with than he had fifteen months ago. Add a competent, experienced tactician like Roy to a squad that was now comfortable in posession and bingo...look what's happened. Suddenly, not only do we know how to keep the ball but we suddenly we also know how to use it.

Sydenham by birth. Selhurst by the Grace of God.

I think previously Roy did what he could with a limited squad.. now, he has these attacking players he can utilise them far better than the inexperienced Patrick could...

This was once a quality forum....

Lampard, he has lost loads more than a single game.🙂

I think for me what highlighted there were issues with Vieria was the Southampton cup
game.

Everyone says about playing teams higher in the league, that game pretty much represented Vieria’s entire managerial career.

The team started off well, had a blip, then looked bereft and unfit and no identity.