Saints 2-3 Bistol Rovers - Autopsy

[Tractor_Saint]

Best game of football I have seen at SMS for 2 seasons or more.

 

Completely agree - sparks of inspiration that need to ignite a fire !! Some of the one touch passes between the team in the first 15 minutes of the second half were incredible.

[OldNick]

I haven't seen the table tonight but if we are not careful we will be really cut adrift.

We needed a good start and soon the pressure on the team will be unbearable.

[Thedelldays]

Anyone who says Morgan was rubbish clearly has no idea

 

I made a point of watching him and lallana closely after they both have been in for some stick on here

 

lallana was indeed good with lambert and has superb touch

 

Morgan was awesome for most of the game. At times unplayable. Always wanted the ball always want to spread play.. I think from open play h gave the ball away about twice the whole game. Very good

[saint_stevo]

| Home | Away

Team P W D L F A W D L F A GD PTS

1 Leeds United 10 4 1 0 12 3 4 1 0 6 2 13 26

2 Charlton 10 4 1 0 10 4 3 1 1 10 6 10 23

3 Bristol Rovers 10 3 1 1 6 3 4 0 1 11 6 8 22

4 Colchester 10 4 0 1 10 4 1 3 1 10 5 11 18

5 MK Dons 10 2 1 2 6 6 3 1 1 5 3 2 17

6 Huddersfield 10 3 2 0 12 3 1 1 3 7 10 6 15

7 Oldham 10 2 2 1 6 6 2 1 2 4 5 -1 15

8 Swindon 10 2 3 0 5 3 1 3 1 5 9 -2 15

9 Norwich 10 2 2 1 12 11 1 2 2 6 6 1 13

10 Brentford 10 2 2 1 6 6 1 2 2 4 6 -2 13

11 Walsall 10 1 3 1 6 6 2 1 2 4 7 -3 13

12 Hartlepool 10 1 1 3 5 7 2 2 1 6 4 0 12

13 Gillingham 9 3 1 1 11 2 0 1 3 4 10 3 11

14 Southend 10 1 3 1 5 3 1 2 2 8 9 1 11

15 Millwall 10 2 3 0 6 2 0 2 3 1 6 -1 11

16 Stockport 10 1 2 2 6 8 1 3 1 6 6 -2 11

17 Yeovil 10 2 2 1 9 6 0 2 3 3 7 -1 10

18 Carlisle 10 1 1 3 5 7 1 3 1 5 6 -3 10

19 Exeter 10 1 3 1 6 6 1 1 3 4 8 -4 10

20 Brighton 9 1 0 3 5 8 1 3 1 5 9 -7 9

21 Leyton Orient 10 1 2 2 6 7 1 1 3 6 13 -8 9

22 Tranmere 10 1 1 3 7 11 1 0 4 2 10 -12 7

23 Wycombe 10 1 1 3 3 5 0 2 3 6 11 -7 6

24 Southampton 10 1 3 1 6 5 0 3 2 4 7 -2 -1

[Genk]

Bristol Rovers had pace all over the park, wide right caused us problems all game. The funny thing is we had two point blank chances that were placed and saved instead of blasting them into the net.

 

Waigo was useful and caused problems, Lallana had a decent game when he stayed central. Mellis was poor and stepped aside to let the cross go in for the second equaliser. Davis gifted the first equaliser by coming out 30 yds and not getting to the ball and was stranded, shades of QPR.

 

Waigo provided good width on the right but Mellis came inside all night.

Because of Waigo wide we played our best and most penetrating football of the season. The substitutions were awful. Mellis should have been replaced by Holmes, once Waigo came off we lost our shape and Wotton for Schneiderlin was bizarre.

 

Mills was supposed to help Harding who should have got tight on the winger but all that happened was a narrow shapeless mess that allowed us to be skinned down the lines especially our left. Two left backs and stll getting skinned. The final goal was brilliantly bent across Davis into the right hand side net.

 

Agree totally with this post. You can't expect to win football matches if you don't take your best chances. End of.

[saintsforlife7]

Horror tackle on Hammond deserved a red and everybody could see it, bottled by the ref and would have made it a different game.

 

Quality game for the neutral to watch, attacking and open. Their pace has torn us to pieces and we really need to learn from it, get to the f*****g byline and cross the ball it's not rocket science!

 

Lambert's play for the second was quality, chest down, take it back and fake shot took the defender out, rolled it wide and won the header off the bar and battled for everything tonight.

 

Lallana is on fire at the moment, our best player last two games, but James and Mellis shouldn't be near the starting 11. Morgan and Lallana should have put the game to bed with easy chances.

 

Have to say though, what a quality goal by their right winger Hughes, even shown the inside which is what you would teach a left back, showed onto his left foot curls an absolute pearler with his wrong foot into the top corner from 25 yards, deserved to win any game, the one class point of the game and it won a very even encounter.

[tommi]

Well I must have watched a different game? If Morgan had scored that 'easy' chance to make it 3-1 we would have won 4 or 5 -1. We finally managed to score from open play and at times played some excellent stuff. It will come, keep the faith..

[S-Clarke]

I haven't seen the table tonight but if we are not careful we will be really cut adrift.

We needed a good start and soon the pressure on the team will be unbearable.

 

still currently 10 points off, but Brighton have a game in hand.

[Genk]

Anyone who says Morgan was rubbish clearly has no idea

 

I made a point of watching him and lallana closely after they both have been in for some stick on here

 

lallana was indeed good with lambert and has superb touch

 

Morgan was awesome for most of the game. At times unplayable. Always wanted the ball always want to spread play.. I think from open play h gave the ball away about twice the whole game. Very good

 

I thought he started off slowly but gradually got into the game and looked alot better than previous games. Some of Lambert and Lallana's link up play was excellent.

[saint_stevo]

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/4655531.No_excuses_from_boss_as_Saints_lose/

 

Pardews thoughts

[S-Clarke]

Anyone who says Morgan was rubbish clearly has no idea

 

I made a point of watching him and lallana closely after they both have been in for some stick on here

 

lallana was indeed good with lambert and has superb touch

 

Morgan was awesome for most of the game. At times unplayable. Always wanted the ball always want to spread play.. I think from open play h gave the ball away about twice the whole game. Very good

 

+1, adam and morgan were the key players when we were dominant, rovers couldn't handle them at times.

 

the only thing that worry's me about morgan in particular, is he has a tendency to go missing for bits of the game - and during those periods rovers came back at us.

[Micky]

Sorry Micky missed the irony! (again)

 

No problem - an emotive night - glad you boys are back to put some real perspective on the situation.

[docker-p]

Idiot. fact

Do you want to pm me your contact details and we can arrange to meet and talk about it? Or is giving it large behind a screen as good as it gets?

[OldNick]

I thought he started off slowly but gradually got into the game and looked alot better than previous games. Some of Lambert and Lallana's link up play was excellent.

Lamberts set up for Lallanas goal was superb.He is too good for the rest.I was impressed with their forward Dickson.

[saintsmike25]

I actually feel strange although we lost, it was an absolute sickner, we were pushing for the winner and the problem i'm convinced today for whatever reason, Harding had an absolute shocker he couldn't deal with a player running at him at pace it's where their second goal came from, whilst Davies made a shocker too but that was down to bad communication with Trotman, our defence can't deal with pacy strikers now it's got 'bigger' however Davies should have been much quicker off his line.

 

Their goal was absolutely stunning, it was hit in Christiano Ronaldo like fashion from out of nowhere 30 yards or 35 yards and is one of the goals of the season certainly one of the best I've ever seen at St Mary's.

 

Morgan and Hammond were superb at times, i felt when we were 2-1 up and having our best spell we tried to "overplay" it in Arsenal like fashion when we NEEDED that third goal at times we passed when it's easier to cross/shoot.. and is anyone frustrated that our players DON'T take on the man and always cross from deep it can be frustrating as we should be teaching them to run at defenders instead of giving the chance for the defence to reshape and organise for a predictable cross.

 

Lambert won alot and played very well at times I thought, Melis looked good was really biting with the challenges, Lallana was playing very well tonight when him and Morgan linked up we cut them open. What we have to do is work on feeding off lambert from his flick ons which can be done on the training pitch.

 

Moaning is useless, Bristol were a good side, Kuffour & Dickson were VERY good strikers especially Kuffour who was a pain in the ass when he picked the ball up in the hole all game.

[Thedelldays]

+1, adam and morgan were the key players when we were dominant, rovers couldn't handle them at times.

 

the only thing that worry's me about morgan in particular, is he has a tendency to go missing for bits of the game - and during those periods rovers came back at us.

 

Agree about morgan but he is still. Teenager... He ran the game at times just a shame the set up if the team does not bring even more out of him

 

I won't hide from this. For the first time am concerned if pardew is up to it.. As the subs he made turned us the back foot more each time...

 

Not the first time this has been said either

hope it was "just one of them things" tonight

[hoozonside10]

Minor point really, but I'm sure Lamberts header crossed the line. I was in the itchen at the chapel side and had a pretty good view. I'm sure I saw the ball bounce down over the line.

[S-Clarke]

thoroughly deserved to lose. Again no left winger, too much hit and hope, woeful defending and often lambert alone up front. Lambert didn't look up for beating his old side, but then the whole team seemed to lack that extra bit of effort, motivation and fitness. It was a shambles. I was down about the game before the winner, it didn't make much difference really.

 

I know pardew needs time but its been appalling. its depressing listening to him and he doesn't seem to aim that high. Oh well

 

Cannot agree with the people who are saying we lacked effort/motivation.

 

Seriously - how could you not see our passion in the 2nd half? We wanted it, and we wanted it bad. We harried their players more than i've seen a saints team for a long time, maybe too much at once - because we couldn't sustain it.

 

I agree re: left wing though, that was our weak area, Harding had a shocker but alot of that was down to him being exposed by Mellis - who was awful.

[OldNick]

Cannot agree with the people who are saying we lacked effort/motivation.

 

Seriously - how could you not see our passion in the 2nd half? We wanted it, and we wanted it bad. We harried their players more than i've seen a saints team for a long time, maybe too much at once - because we couldn't sustain it.

 

I agree re: left wing though, that was our weak area, Harding had a shocker but alot of that was down to him being exposed by Mellis - who was awful.

I agree.It frustrates me seeing Holmes on the bench

[saintsmike25]

Cannot agree with the people who are saying we lacked effort/motivation.

 

Seriously - how could you not see our passion in the 2nd half? We wanted it, and we wanted it bad. We harried their players more than i've seen a saints team for a long time, maybe too much at once - because we couldn't sustain it.

 

I agree re: left wing though, that was our weak area, Harding had a shocker but alot of that was down to him being exposed by Mellis - who was awful.

 

Agreed for 20 minutes we played like a team possesed and then the obviously tiredness kicked in for players like Waigo/Morgan/Lallana and even Mellis the younger players have the stamina issues because they don't pace themselves. Mellis wasn't awful today, but defensivily i see where you're coming from, but harding had a bad game.

[maysie]

Do you want to pm me your contact details and we can arrange to meet and talk about it? Or is giving it large behind a screen as good as it gets?

 

Um, no because I am not 12. I apologise I just didn't agree with your post as I would be quite happy if we won 1-0 in the last minute. I thought it was a total over reaction. I thought we played well at times today and were undone by a very good sub (which we should have reacted better too) and a wonder goal.

[Milton]

Great game and fair play to Bristol Rovers who run us ragged at times in the second half especially on the the left. Thought Morgan was awesome tonight but we seemed to run out of stamina after 65 - 70 mins. Where did the ref get 5 minutes from ?

[Tractor_Saint]

Minor point really, but I'm sure Lamberts header crossed the line. I was in the itchen at the chapel side and had a pretty good view. I'm sure I saw the ball bounce down over the line.

 

Scared the life out of me far end of Kingsland - linesman was flagging just after Lambert hit the crossbar with his header (I missed Papa putring it in because the linesman was flagging). Thought he was flagging for a foul... but then he looked at the ref and pointed his flag back up to the centre line and ran back to halfway.

[gaz]

Hysterical overreactions FTW.

[The Kraken]

After having been to the match and got back and read this thread, I guess it just shows how different people have different opinions to the game, as I've agreed and disagreed with various opinions that have been given from various other match go-ers. There's certainly no need for the hysterical postings seen earlier in the thread. Yes, we should have closed out the game for at least a point (and maybe even all three) but the suggestions that there's been no improvements from earlier in the season are just ridiculous.

 

As I saw it, we were undone all game by Harding having no support defensively down the left hand side. First Mellis, and then Mills when he came on, just seem to forget about their defensive duties and think that the left back would bail them out each time.

 

I actually thought Schneiderlin had quite an average game, though he seems to be getting a bit of praise on here. Hammond was excellent though, a real leader. Jaidi and Trotman were superb at the back in the most part, I've rarely seen a Saints defence be so dominant at clearing the ball from an aerial assault. Papa seems to be a striker and not a winger, though with Lallana playing like he did he'll do well to displace him. Lambert didn't do enough for me today, I've seen him play much better than that. James is not good enough at right back for me, hopefully Murty will be back soon. And neither Mellis or Mills are the answer at left wing, Holmes has to be given a chance as I just don't think these two will cut it there.

 

In summary, I think that at 2-1 up we just seemed terrified to win the game. And then at 2-2, full time couldn't come quick enough for us. After habing 15 minutes following half time where we utterly dominated all over the pitch, we just seemed to stop playing and invited them on to us, and we've all been watching Saints for long enough to know that you just can't do that.

 

So, a very poor result. But, if we'd have put our very good chances away we'd have been out of sight. I'm not going to panic yet, though talk is very cheap and we absolutely need to put together a run of victories, and soon. There's no doubt we're good enough, but it's whether the team can believe in themselves enough.

[trousers]

Well I must have watched a different game? If Morgan had scored that 'easy' chance to make it 3-1 we would have won 4 or 5 -1.

 

If my Uncle was a woman he'd be my Aunt. If.....

[solentstars]

Anyone who says Morgan was rubbish clearly has no idea

 

I made a point of watching him and lallana closely after they both have been in for some stick on here

 

lallana was indeed good with lambert and has superb touch

 

Morgan was awesome for most of the game. At times unplayable. Always wanted the ball always want to spread play.. I think from open play h gave the ball away about twice the whole game. Very good

i thought morgan had a terrific game and has played well in the last few games but i,ve still waiting for lambert to impress me has a centre forward.

[Bevans]

Minor point really, but I'm sure Lamberts header crossed the line. I was in the itchen at the chapel side and had a pretty good view. I'm sure I saw the ball bounce down over the line.

 

From the Kingsland / Chapel corner it was definitely in. The linesman on our side was dreadful most of the game and seemed completely oblivious to the fact that it crossed the line.

[Wade Garrett]

Got a number of problems with tonight.

 

If Dan Harding was as aggressive in the tackle as he is with ball boys we might have been OK. Williams destroyed us when he came on, and Pardew's sub to neutralise this (bringing on Mills) was laughable. James was equally as bad as Harding on the opposite side. We should have gone 3-1 up but Lambert missed an easy chance, and Lallana spurned an even easier one.

 

My main gripe is our lack of pace. Pace is what wins games, tonight Kuffour and Williams caused us trouble with their pace. We have none, and you have to look at the manager and the players he has chosen to bring in. Their defence never hardly had to face their own goal (although the impressive Lallana twice made clever runs round the back of them). At our level it is raw pace that defenders don't like.

 

1 win out of 10 is garbage. The manager still has my support, but it is waning and we are in a results business. Stating the bleddin' obvious, if we don't get some wins on the board pretty sharpish we will get cut adrift.

[harvey]

I thought like we played like a bunch of pussy's tbh, and Bristol wanted it more than we did.

 

We just haven't got that 'killer' instinct.

[NickG]

Thought we played very well for a lot of the game - spell in 2nd half until their goal was great.

Schneiderlin and Lallana particularly good - Bristol couldn't cope.

 

Then they scored...

 

our confidence went and were under pressure.

 

Thought Mills was a good idea to support against their sub winger - but he played dreadfully and didn't get near him.

 

BTW - set watch on 90 mins - their goal was way over time 0 but sh1t happens!

[Jesus Reigned]

As others have stated it's difficult to know what to make of tonight's result.

 

Both of Rovers first two goals came from nowhere; really no idea what Davis was doing out there for their first, but still a decent finish.

 

Saints played well for 70 minutes I'd say; if we'd have gone 3-1 up I could have seen us getting 5, as Rovers were well and truly rocking.

 

Schneiderlin missed a sitter at 2-1 at looking back that was the turning point.

 

We played some great football at times, and actually overplayed it on occasion rather than being more direct.

 

Last 20 minutes there was really only one team who was going to win it, although Lallana should have buried one at 2-2 when put on a plate for him, and I thought a good shout for a pen on Hammond/Lambert (they look the same to me) in injury time that the ref was never going to give at such a late stage.

 

Their winger Williams changed the game and scared the life out of us when he ran with it, very direct and strong; I thought Harding had a decent game but he was overrun in the end.

 

Can't see where 5 minutes of injury time came from, and there was an audible groan when the board went up rather than the usual rousing cheers; almost as if the crowd could sense what was coming.

 

I'm a half-empty kinda bloke but too early to start getting really worried; if we're still deep in it at Christmas I'll start getting properly worried.

 

Tonight will teach me for not taking my nipper; he's got a 100% record watching Saints (4 wins out of 4 including Yeovil) but thankfully I'm taking him on Saturday!!

Edited 29 September, 2009 by Jesus Reigned

[Saints foreva]

Should have killed the game off at 2-1 but we can't do anything.

 

Lloyd James is the new Jermaine Wright - terrible player.

 

Don't get all this Saganowski love stuff, he was awful when he came on.

 

Davis was at fault for the first goal, Jacob Mellis at fault for the second.

 

Pardews subs - Clueless, was Lee Holmes on the bench? If so why didn't he play?

 

Sorry to say this, but Pardew OUT.

[Saint Fan CaM]

OK - everyone is tending to state that we're crap, despite the fact that we scored two goals and at times played Rovers off the park. So why did we lose? Here's why...

 

1. Lambert didn't look particularly interested in roughing it with his old mates. Very poor game from him and he didn't look too bothered, although TBF he was continually fouled by their CB's.

 

2. Pardew played for a draw in the closing 10 minutes - that emphasised the nerves in the team and the crowd.

 

3. Lallana and particularly Schneiderlin should be shot for missing guilt-edged chances in front of open goals.

 

4. The Northam end fans for not leading the rest of the stadium in song when we went ahead 2-1 and particularly when they equalised 2-2. Or course we're all to blame for going quiet and hence making the players more nervous, but surely the Northam is the ONLY stand that will invoke noise from the rest of our timid fans?

 

5. James was a complete liability. I have decided he is useless. He let the ball dribble over his feet allowing their players plenty of opportunities to attack - he just doesn't know how or can't put his foot in. ALSO! He is VERY slow at releasing the ball, including taking throw-ins. ALSO! He is INCAPABLE of getting to the byline despite several opportunities to do so. We must play Perry at RB and get a decent loan RM/winger into the team.

 

6. Papa is better than Saga at hurting defences, however he needs to be MUCH more disciplined at looking along their back line to ensure he does drift off-side - its happening too much to him.

 

7. Lastly, the ref bottled it on two handballs in their area and the tackle in the 2nd-half (on Hammond?) which should have been a straight red. Oh, and the lino on the Kingsland side must have received payment from Rovers because he flagged some extremely bizarre decisions indeed.

 

I would say the team played great until 75th minute approx. and up to that point I would score then collectively an 8. After that 3 - because they switched off, lost all their shape and collapsed under pressure. That said, the winning goal was unstoppable and fact is, it was a worthy winner. Pity our players didn't have the sense to have a go like that and instead kept on hoofing it to nobody.

[derry]

It was sickening to hear it go pear-shaped so it must have been even worse to actually watch it.

 

Poor substitutions are an indictment of the manager (especially shape-destroying subs), and allowing yourself to be so vulnerable to their sub (Williams) makes the issue worse.

 

Dave, are there signs of turning the corner (playing well be not getting a points reward) or are you starting to doubt AP?

 

The short answer Bill is yes I do doubt Pardew because of the elementary errors. Waigo gave width on the right but there was little on the left consequently although it partially spread the defence it wasn't the real deal.

 

I understand they were lining up 4-5-1 but only sometimes as they were worried about Waigo tracking back which was bizarre as the big problem was on the other side. This came from the father of one of the players.

 

Lallana may well be able to play off Lambert but we have to be braver and that has to come from the Manager. I was quite satisfied with Waigo overall but to get the results Holmes has to start on the other side. Mellis is a lightweight.

 

It's no good the manager talking about winning mentality then setting up a safety first system. You know as well as I do that positivity has to come from the manager. If playing the way we do only brings in 9 points in ten games then change it.

 

Bristol were a breath of fresh air, pace all over the park, attacking on the break in numbers, by making the changes we dumped the shape and gave them the room to attack us wide and all the goals came from their right side. When you think that Lambert massively increased his wages coming to us and that they get by on 9000 crowds there wasn't one of their players I wouldn't take and the goalkeeper would be number one. Considering our resources we really have a pretty poor team in terms of pace and attacking.

Edited 29 September, 2009 by derry

[Saints Warrior]

Much better than the Yeovill game but I think Saints are struggling to keep pace with this leaque. The fitness is not there 70 mins and most of the team is knackard.

 

-10 or not we are still 10 points a drift and draws wont save us going down, only wins can keep us safe. For all the possesion there was too much passing, why cant we shoot when infrom of the goal more often, wide wide side side...we should have buried 2 chances and thats the difference not scoring enough.

 

Saints defence is too soft and not able to keep switched on under pressure. We all could see that 3rd goal going in, why the hell dint someone take the player our early before he crossed it..BR hacked us about and got 3 points.

 

One win in 10 games in this division says it all! saints now 9/2 to go down

 

let us pray we get some wins

[Rebel]

No width on the left all game - from either Mellis or Mills - and no cover or support for Harding (which is why he looked os bad - he was knackered for the last 10 mins after having to do it all on his own for the whole game)

 

Jaidi seemed to hit a brick wall at about 70 mins and just ran out of steam - seemed to affect Trotman as well

 

too many players stopped tackling or wanting the ball for the last 20 mins

 

Kelvin was a disaster for the first goal and his long kicking off the ball was a complete waste of posession all game (why don't we feed the ball to our fullbacks, play it out from the back and stretch the play)

 

Lallana and Schneiderlin were good with the ball at their feet

 

Mellis, James and Schneiderlin all chickened out of 50/50 challenges in the second half which gave Rovers the scent of or blood

 

Hammond seemed to give up on defending after 70 minutes!

 

Lambert just doesn't attack the ball - seems to want it on a plate - I'm starting to think he's a bit lazy!

 

and no one seemed to want the ball when James was taking the throw-ins - particularly Hammond, Trotman and Kelvin

 

Rovers deserved the win as they outplayed us for the 95 mins and wanted it more

 

we desperately need some width on the left and right - and some more pace all over the pitch!

Edited 29 September, 2009 by Rebel

[Wade Garrett]

The short answer Bill is yes I do doubt Pardew because of the elementary errors. Waigo gave width on the right but there was little on the left consequently although it partially spread the defence it wasn't the real deal.

 

I understand they were lining up 4-5-1 but only sometimes as they were worried about Waigo tracking back which was bizarre as the big problem was on the other side. This came from the father of one of the players.

 

Lallana may well be able to play off Lambert but we have to be braver and that has to come from the Manager. I was quite satisfied with Waigo overall but to get the results Holmes has to start on the other side. Mellis is a lightweight.

 

It's no good the manager talking about winning mentality then setting up a safety first system. You know as well as I do that positivity has to come from the manager. If playing the way we do only brings in 9 points in ten games then change it.

 

Bristol were a breath of fresh air, pace all over the park, attacking on the break in numbers, by making the changes we dumped the shape and gave then the room to attack us wide and all the goals came from their right side. When you think that Lambert massively increased his wages coming to us and that they get by on 9000 crowds there wasn't one of their players I wouldn't take and the goalkeeper would be number one. Considering our resources we really have a pretty poor team in terms of pace and attacking.

 

Spot on.

[trousers]

Pardew played for a draw in the closing 10 minutes - that emphasised the nerves in the team and the crowd.

 

I'm sorry, but if Pardew did indeed play for a draw with 10 mins + added time to go then that is it for me...at no point should we be going for a draw at home at any point in the game when on -2 points after nearly a quarter of the season.

 

Shoot me down in flames....

[alpine_saint]

I'm sorry, but if Pardew did indeed play for a draw with 10 mins + added time to go then that is it for me...at no point should we be going for a draw at home at any point in the game when on -2 points after nearly a quarter of the season.

 

Shoot me down in flames....

 

I commented as soon as someone reported that Wotton was going on that we were no longer going for a win.

[SFC Forever]

Today I am totally dejected. We had the game by the balls and gradually started to back off instead of pressing. Even when they were losing, Rovers continued to press and attack the ball. We retake the lead and then stop playing after a few minutes where we couldn't add to the tally. Why we had some of the subs that we did confused a lot of people. AP is going to lose the fans unless he starts doing things that make sense.

[harvey]

Completely agree - sparks of inspiration that need to ignite a fire !! Some of the one touch passes between the team in the first 15 minutes of the second half were incredible.

 

Brilliant! :smt041............we still lost though :-({|=

[saint lard]

I really hope we/Pardew learned something tonight.....but i have doubts.

[St Marco]

Firstly what a great game of football!! One of the best games i have seen in a longtime.

Credit to Rovers they brought a lot of fans and that helped build the atmosphere. Was a very enjoyable game to watch and a excellent advert for english football. In a wierd way reminded me of when we were in the prem league.

 

Now that said i am not surprised one bit to read the remarks by people, you could copy and paste their responses for the past 3-4 years, maybe that is what they do who knows.

 

Up until the 65 mark or so i think was possibly the best football i have seen us play since dropping out of the top league. The players were well up for it and the tempo was very high. Both teams trying to attack such as how football should be played. The first half we played some simply outstanding football with nearly everyone doing one touch and move and this created space. Sometimes we found ourselves in good positons but the ball would just not sit down. When it was in the air Lambert got nearly everything and brought players into it, i thought he was excellent. The commitment was there for all to see. We deserved to take the lead and Lallana did very well.

After that we were trying to push forward for the 2nd and had a few chances and then they did us on the long ball over the top with Kuffour running on to it.

At this point i think Kelvin made the wrong decision. He was left of the penalty box so the angle would of been hard to score if he stayed back. But you can't blame him really as he pulled off a great save later on.

 

2nd half we came out with real determination and got a deserved 2nd goal. After that again we were trying to get forward to kill the game off. I remember seeing Jaidi just in their box with the ball and simply had to much time to think and eventually lost it.

 

Then came their 2nd goal and it drained the life from us. We had one of the best build up's i have seen from us in so long with i think was either Morgan or Lallana taking the shot and their keeper made a fantastic save. Was amazing.

 

Then in my view the game turned into a complete nervous fest. Jaidi is normally solid but he looked knackered today, a lot of them did maybe due to the effort they put in up to that point. The crowd started to get nervous too and from then on we just seemed to play very disjointed. Never really got forward much and that was a worry. Nobody seemed to close anyone down and passes were going to nobody. It was very sloppy and to be honest dire. As i mentioned they looked tired and were 2nd best to every ball.

Bristol then looked more up for it and looked the more likely to score.

However with 2 mins to go the game again went a bit flat with both teams making mistakes, then 5mins go up......where the hell did that come from?

Then came their 3rd goal, credit to Williams it was a good goal, curled into top left corner if looking at goal. Was a quality strike. But i think it was a total fluke, if you asked him to do it again i doubt he could.

 

So all in all did we deserve to lose? No. Did we deserve to win? No. Did we play well? Up until 65mins we were 1st class, after that we were pretty average.

A lot of decisions went against us. Their tackle on Hammond was disgraceful and probably if in the prem would of been straight red, the ref bottled it.

The linesman on the kingsland side was a muppet, he kept getting things wrong. Some blatent offsides were not given while we were onside a few times and was given off. I personally thought one of their guy's handled it in the area but would of been harsh on Bristol.

 

So all in all a great game of football and on another day it would of been different. Some of the play from us was excellent and this made the atmosphere great. But we also did some bad and sadly this has cost us today.

 

We lack a player who can run at defenders. Waigo did not really impress me today, he seemed a little lazy and did not want to take the defenders on. Where as they had a couple of those players who want to run at the defence and this caused us many problems.

 

In January we have to buy at least one player with pace who can run at the defence and create something, a player in the Lennon,Walcott type of mentality. That won't be cheap but that is what we must do. Because in my book that is what we are missing. Mellis tried and did some good but he just did not do those runs, neither did Waigo or Mills etc..

 

Manager wise i fail to see what he could of done different. He brought on Saga and he did nothing. Bringing on Wotten was the right move as tried to stop them from getting balls through midfield and Morgan looked shot by then. Pardew tried to get us to win the game and then with 5 mins to go could see we were being run ragged so tried to get the draw and in my book that was the right call simply because their pace was killing us. We had no outlet.

 

We will not be promoted this year, people have to let that go, that is where their dissapointment comes from. If we play like the first 65mins for 90mins we will win nearly every game. But if you play like the last 25 you will draw/lose most games. And that is what we need to work on.

 

It will come good in the end.

[sad saints fan]

Say what you like about tonights match I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it bar the result.Rovers are a very good team ,well organised and with no small amount of skill

I think we still have the same problems of lack of confidence ,when leading and tonight the concentration levels of the team dropped noticably on a couple of occasion which led to Rovers first and second goals.Nothing could have been done about their winner a real belter and if you have to lose ,lose to a goal like that.

Small note to Mr Pardew,if you want to use papa waigos pace then get players to pass the ball into the space in front of him not straight at him.

[RedAndWhite91]

I don't really know what to say. So I will repeat what a Rovers fan said to me on the train.

 

He said that for times in the game they couldn't see Rovers getting past us, we were terrific but we just lacked the finalities. He said our stadium and facilities are magnificent and despite what their fans were saying about us "not being famous anymore", this game was their most anticipated away game of the season, because of our history, our Premiership ground and because we are a good team. He said we will have no trouble in this league once we find our feet and in Lambert we really do have a quality player, he just needs support.

 

I am still gutted about their goal which won it, it's a shame we just can't hold on. When we went 2-1 up I really thought that we could go on to win the game. Everything that I think has been covered already in this thread so I'll leave it there.

 

Roll on Gillingham...

[wild-saint]

Papa waigo is no winger IMO. That first half performance was once of the worst I have seen. ****ing clueless springs to mind. Appeared for a man with pace to have no ability to take on the defender.

 

Second half was better once playing up top. Showed a few decent touches and gained in confidence but still looked like to get caught offside too often.

[southamptonfclegend]

will it ever get better??? seriously F*ck it, its getting worse, they were SH*T yet they still managed to beat us, can't even defend all our players looked tired and Sh*t scared after about 65 minutes

[the great escape]

oh my ****ing god.

 

that is sick - absolutely sick.

 

I've had a bit of time to sit and think about it - and i still feel ****ing sick.

 

Not sure if i can be arsed to sum up the game, but i'll try.

 

first half was a bit huff and puff, we did try and get the ball down - we didn't hoof it as much has we have done, but Rovers were a constant threat down the flanks and through the middle with their attacking pace and it was worrying us - esp harding who seriously struggled all game.

 

Our goal was well worked though - nice little through ball by lambert and adam had held his position really well to keep onside - nice finish under the goalie - game on.

 

...then we let rovers have a feel of the ball again but they never really threatened us massively after we'd scored, but i hate to say it, it was a complete **** up by Kelvin - pretty much identical to the one he made against QPR a few seasons back, no idea wtf he was doing....and then it was 1-1.

 

2nd half..

 

I was blown away by how well we came out in the 2nd half, it was the perfect start with the goal. Cracking build up play, ball finds its self to Lloydy on the right, he whips a fantastic ball into the box....Lambo heads it, hits the bar, bounces on the line...but Papa anticipated it and got us back in front.

 

After that, for the next 10mins it was complete 1 way, we just battered them, harried them, chased them - they didn't know what hit them.

 

....then we just stopped. Just like that, we stopped doing the chasing, we let them control the game and they felt their way back into it. Harding was completely done by their winger for the goal, their player played the ball across the box and there was only going to be one outcome from there.

 

Rest of the game was pretty much played by rovers, we huffed and puffed a little bit, but rovers were using the width very very well and their pace was causing us all sorts of problems. Trotman and Jaidi were all over the place 2nd half.

 

Their winner was a ****ing joke though, ok it was a stunning 30 yarder into the top corner...but the guy was allowed to win the ball in space, play it...and then the other guy was just allowed to shoot, no one near him...95th min, seriously? what's that about? where's the closing down...?

 

Unbelievable game of football though - swung from side to side all game, a draw would have probably been fair - neither team did enough to win it outright IMO, but this is what happens when you loose control of the game.

 

Alot of lessons learned tonight..but by watching rovers more than us. Their wide play was brilliant and it's a lesson to how we need to play.

 

The pressure is on for Saturday now, make no doubt about it. If we fail to win that one, there could be trouble.

 

Ratings...

 

 

Kelvin 5 - Muck up for the goal, shouldn't have come out like that. Was a bit edgy for a bit too.

 

Harding 5 - Was done all game IMO - couldn't handle their winger. Worst game i've seen him play.

 

Jaidi - 6 - okish first half, but completely off the pace in the 2nd. Won the ball well in the air, but just couldn't handle their tricky pacy front men.

 

Trottman 6 - again - same as Jaidi pretty much, struggled with the game 2nd half and were just pulled about at times by rovers.

 

James - 7 played ok i felt. Got wide well and his crosses into the box were excellent, esp for the 2nd goal.

 

Mellis - 5 - not good for me. has the pace, did chase the ball down well but didn't offer an inch of support to Harding - he was so exposed, one of the reasons Harding struggled IMO.

 

Hammond 7 - gave his all, 110% - was key in our dominant period and kept us playing.

 

Morgan 9 - Best game he's had for us - unbelievably good. Ran the show when we were in charge, running with the ball, passing, could have scored...he was brilliant. But i must say, he lost his way a little on about 70ish mins.

 

Papa 7 - did well, decent anticipation for the goal - but needs to watch his runs! caught offside too often.

 

Lallana - 7 - did ok - good goal, chased and harried well and picked up pockets of space in and around Lambert which made us dangerous.

 

Lambert 7 - could have cored, unlucky not to IMO - but his hold up play was quality and his passing is very good. We should get it on the deck and play it to him like that - he's v good on the floor IMO.

 

 

....i'll go and lay down now i think.

 

the reason Harding was done was because the whole game he had no protection, there second was the fualt and lack of protection by mellis and there third was because Mills got pulled inside then harding was left with two on him. Both full backs recieved no protection all game from too very forward thinking wide men. Nearly and could have been a good bit of tactical play if adam had stuck it away at 2-2 but in the end it cost us a point.

[S-Clarke]

will it ever get better??? seriously F*ck it, its getting worse, they were SH*T yet they still managed to beat us, can't even defend all our players looked tired and Sh*t scared after about 65 minutes

 

It will get better IMO - keep the faith, i know it's tough but i saw the passion out there tonight - those players want it as much as us.

 

Rovers were good though, they're weren't **** at all.