Southampton (H) League 1 Saturday 5/12/09.

[chestersaddler]

Same again....

Ince
Weston
Smith
Hughes
Sansara
Bradley
Mattis
Richards
Jonwes
Deeney
BYfield

Subs
Gilmartin
Westlake
Till
McDonald
Nicholls
Parkin
O'Keefe

[chestersaddler]

Mattis hits post from free kick

[chestersaddler]

0-1 out of nothing :(

[chestersaddler]

0-2 :( :( All at sea

[BarnsleySaddler]

Seems like Deeney is receiving a lot of attention from Southampton who must see him as a threat. Pity it is Southampton who score, again. ! :(

[Redordead]

Can someone please tell the players that the big bloke in blue and yellow with a number 6 on his back is not on our team, can they please stop passing to him

[SaddlerCraig]

2-0
after a diabolical 10 min
we were playing so well now it's painful
halftime please!

[SaddlerCraig]

30 mind were amazing
but last 15 was pure he'll
I'm
hearing few boos and deserve it really.
main weakness would be sansara/Richards
both on very off game.
Jones ran into ad boards thought he was koed

[BarnsleySaddler]

Methinks we need some manager magic to turn this one around. !! Still time yet.!

[chestersaddler]

0-3 Goodnight Dick!

[chestersaddler]

1-3 maybe not!

Byfield :D

[latviancheese]

Crap. Dont care who your playing, dont concede three at home.

[SaddlerCraig]

3-1
byfield from close range
starting to get confidence back after this shocking display

[SaddlerCraig]

3-1
byfield from close range
starting to get confidence back after this shocking display

[BarnsleySaddler]

The inability of Hutchings to use his substitutes to try and change things around is becoming more and more apparent and looks as though it is going to cost us dear this year. They may not work but at least by trying something different it may just cause the oppostion a problem, but looks like we will not get the chance to see. ! :D V :( :( :(

[chestersaddler]

Sounded like a good game today against a good side. Still confident we can be in the shake up for a play off spot.

[Louise]

Back from the Match and the difference was the quality of Lambert and Connolly.They took their chances and we didnt.
The first 25 mins we played well and should have scored - they had one killer pass and scored.Once the second goal went in our heads dopped and the confidence waned.I was worried it was gonna be a rout at one stage.
Saints have a good team and real quality however we did compete for most of the first half but our spirit easily went and that concerns me.
Bradley 20 mins into the second half completely bottled a tackle and seems to be totally inconsistent.
We needed someone to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and get stuck in but we just dont have the personnel.
What does Nicholls have to do to get a game??
Im not too depressed to lose to Southampton because they have real quality ,however I still see nothing to indicate a play off spot - we are way too inconsistent.

[rusky]

First game I've been to for a while. Not a stayaway, just watching the pennies!! I thought we started off ok and put some decent early pressure on the Saints. As time wore on we started to let the Saints dominate by not pressing the play in the middle of the park. Some basic schoolboy defending let them get there first two goals.

I have to pick fault with Sansara and Richards, who for me were both poor. We had no real width the whole game so when Mattis and Bradley got the ball in the middle there was nobody out wide for the simple ball.

Saints showed some good work and really did concentrate on attacking our weak left sided players.

Ref was a bit picky I thought.

Roll on Norwich when hopefully I'll see us win!

[bleed_red_n_white]

Richards brought a whole new meaning to word inept today

[saddler_nic]

Today just showed how tactically inept we are,and also showed how far we are from being promotion contenders. We were simply found out today. Southampton are without doubt one of the better sides in our league,the attacking options they have are frightening, but to roll over the way we did was very dissapointing.

The first ten minutes we had a bit of a go, with Deeney going close,but once the Saints got settled,we never really got a look in.We looked solid enough in defence, but one straight ball over the top completely bypassed our back four, cant take anything away from the finish though. That goal just seemed to kill our confidence and we started playing like we had a month or so a go. The second goal was equally awful,Sansara failing to follow his man (looked as though he stepped up to play offside), then a great block from Hughes fell kindly to Lambert who bundled it in.Three of our men went to close down the inital shot,which left Lambert with 10 yards of space infront of our goal.

We never really threatened,mainly due to the hoofball we played.I dont mind a long ball,as long as theres some direction to it.But every time we hit it long,it was head height at Deeney or Byfield,who are never going to win anything against someone as tall as Jaidi. Everyone else can see this isnt working,why cant Hutch and MOC?Our wide players never really got any service either,and when they did,it was continually run out of play or the quality of the cross was poor.

Second half was always going to be tough,and atleast we had a bit of a go at them,but by then it was too late.The substitution came far too late,but atleast when Parkin came on,we looked a little more dangerous,and he linked the play pretty well.You just felt though,that Southampton had a couple of exrta gears if they needed them,which they didnt.

Dissapointing with the performance,but maybe it'll bring us back down to earth a bit.

I felt a bit sorry for Manny and Hughes who were run ragged by Lambert and Connelly,but didnt have any sort of help from either full back

[SaddlerCraig]

For the first 25 minutes we were sublime I think when you think of who we were playing.
I do feel the left flank was a bit weak though both Sansara and Richards off their game today.

Saints just seemed like they had another player with their pace and their ability to get their passes to their own players. They pass the ball beautifully and are willing to go for chances from outside the box ( a talent i think we should try sometime even if it goes wrong like byfields late attempt).

During half time O conner bought the team out for a training drill involving cones so i guess they wanted to try and improve their movement which was a nice sign.
When the second half began we started brightly thanks to Byfield and their seemed hope but by 10 minutes into the half our heads had dropped again. Their 3rd goal was inevitable and within minutes we had scored ourselves Byfield with a low shot from close range. To be honest he couldnt of missed but very happy to get a consolation goal.

Bradley had done well first half but then he lost his way and was subbed for Sam Parkin and we had a effective 3 man strike force ( which i personally like) Parkin and Byfield passed between each other well.

There was one save by their keeper on the line everyone called for which i thought was so close but most people around me doubted it.

Highlights:
Manny had a consistent performance like usual.
Hughes didnt do bad he was just outpaced for the one goal.
Darren Byfield was superb as usual scored a easy goal and had some fine moments running and when we scored he lit right back up
Sam Parkin ( never thought i'd say that) he ran well and passed well actually finding his team mates, he also had 2 good heads but their goalkeeper made good saves of them)

Need improvement:
Midfield passing - very poor today needs to be worked on in training
Steve Jones- Anonymous today except when he ran into the ad boards at the away end which I thought had knocked him out
Matt Richards- After doing so well lately has slipped up today his open play and distributing not up to scratch except his corners they were good
Sansara- Left his wing repeatedly and led them to their second goal he didnt turn up on the pitch today which is a shame as he is a promising youngster
Free kicks- What was up with them lifting it up to signal they will do a long ball and Jones is a poor free kick taker, stick with richards or get practicing at training

overall a poor performance all round but the lads did well to get a consolation goal, dissapointed in Hutchings lack of subs but very impressed with 3 man strike force could be a future tactic if only they gave the 3 man strike force longer. I expect Saints to be around 4th with a performance like that today they have a quality we and alot of other league one clubs dont.

[addo]

First game I've been to for a while. Not a stayaway, just watching the pennies!! I thought we started off ok and put some decent early pressure on the Saints. As time wore on we started to let the Saints dominate by not pressing the play in the middle of the park. Some basic schoolboy defending let them get there first two goals.

I have to pick fault with Sansara and Richards, who for me were both poor. We had no real width the whole game so when Mattis and Bradley got the ball in the middle there was nobody out wide for the simple ball.

Saints showed some good work and really did concentrate on attacking our weak left sided players.

Ref was a bit picky I thought.

Roll on Norwich when hopefully I'll see us win!

I have to agree with your assessment there.

I don't think our midfield really got into the game at all.

We didn't help things by constantly hoofing balls forward from defence.
Also have to pick out Weston's woeful passing.

[King Crimson]

Richards brought a whole new meaning to word inept today

Not as bad as the lad behind him. Sansara is rubbish.

[scott_powell]

Sansara should be sacked. Absolutely shocking

[philthesaddler]

no qualms about the result, we got beaten by a far superior side, they kept the ball well and took their chances, simples.

The worst thing about the game was the referee, he was truly awful.

He booked Mark Hughes when the ball hit his shoulder/chest...but then when Ricky Lambert slid in very late on Hughes, he didnt even give a free kick. Then he gave a foul against Mattis...what for I hear you ask...god knows, he and another player jumped up for a header...the contact was minimal...but the ref gave a free kick. Awful referee, really spoiled the game.

[Redordead]

no qualms about the result, we got beaten by a far superior side, they kept the ball well and took their chances, simples.

The worst thing about the game was the referee, he was truly awful.

He booked Mark Hughes when the ball hit his shoulder/chest...but then when Ricky Lambert slid in very late on Hughes, he didnt even give a free kick. Then he gave a foul against Mattis...what for I hear you ask...god knows, he and another player jumped up for a header...the contact was minimal...but the ref gave a free kick. Awful referee, really spoiled the game.

I think our defence spoiled the game

[saddler_nic]

no qualms about the result, we got beaten by a far superior side, they kept the ball well and took their chances, simples.

The worst thing about the game was the referee, he was truly awful.

He booked Mark Hughes when the ball hit his shoulder/chest...but then when Ricky Lambert slid in very late on Hughes, he didnt even give a free kick. Then he gave a foul against Mattis...what for I hear you ask...god knows, he and another player jumped up for a header...the contact was minimal...but the ref gave a free kick. Awful referee, really spoiled the game.

Yeah,the ref was absolute crud.Couldnt believe it when previously Deeney had been fouled atleast five times,then he trips one of their players and was booked for his first foul,crazy :evil:

[scott_powell]

no qualms about the result, we got beaten by a far superior side, they kept the ball well and took their chances, simples.

The worst thing about the game was the referee, he was truly awful.

He booked Mark Hughes when the ball hit his shoulder/chest...but then when Ricky Lambert slid in very late on Hughes, he didnt even give a free kick. Then he gave a foul against Mattis...what for I hear you ask...god knows, he and another player jumped up for a header...the contact was minimal...but the ref gave a free kick. Awful referee, really spoiled the game.

Agreed.

Oh id just like to mention, the people around me who thought the challenge on Jones was a straight red are a bunch of tossers. You have no clue about football

[Wyrley_saddler]

No grit, no determination, no spirity, nothing.

Today was the complete opposite of tuesday and a very dissapointing result. I thought Southampton were very average, apart from Conolly who was a class above.

Closing down. None what so ever. Every time Saints got the ball we backed off and left them with space.
Secondly, the defensive line. Why so deep? Southampton don't have the quickest of strikers so what was the point. One instance, Southampton a free kick for an offside a few yards outside their box, so we were near enough in our box! Why?

As for individuals, no one was particulaey good but Sansara was woeful. He's been in decent form lately but today he kept playing centre back. For the first 2 goals he was out of position which cost us. Richards was poor and our strikers were ineffective.

MOTM? well...

[saddlerJP]

Sansara was shonky i completly agree but Southampton were playing with 3 down the middle on the break. Sansara was covering the man down the middle and leaving the left back positon vacant which was where thier attacks were coming from. Any manager worth his salt would of spotted that within 10 minutes of the game and taken appropiate action. Hutch did nothing.

aside from that I can't be to critical, Southampton are a good side - just need to move on and hopfully come away from the den with at least a point