Saints 2-3 Bistol Rovers - Autopsy

[Redondo Saint]

Totally gutted. First time at SMS this season and very disappointed.

 

I had no doubt that Rovers would be a tough game and was pleased with some of our play BUT, I can't understand why we gave them so much space on the ball. Nobody seemed interested in closing them down which gave them more confidence.

In the end Rovers played 3 up front.

 

Morgan may be a good player but I didn't think he had a great game tonight at all - perhaps this league just doesn't suit him?

 

Midfield was poor in my opinion and another reason Lambert is not scoring in open play.

 

Pace and fitness were truly lacking tonight which for a relatively young side is alarming.

How many times did we get caught in possession?

I would like to know what AP told Wotton to do!

 

Overall a good game for the neutral but very worrying for me. Staying in this league will be a success based on this performance.

 

Let's hope for a much better performance on Saturday otherwise I will be flying back with a really ****ed off attitude.

[wild-saint]

Oh and anyone else think Lamerts header was over the line and his goal. I was inline with 6 yard box and I was abusing the lino before papa knocked in the rebound. Lambos goal IMO.

[docker-p]

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.

We did play well at times, and then lacked the abiltiy/ motivation/ leadership to press home any advantage when we had it.

Nearly a 1/4 of the season gone and one win.

[docker-p]

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.

You're not serious? Passion? From Papa, Saganowski, Lambert, Schnederlin?

[St Will]

Just back from the game, having been stuck in traffic on the M3 for what seemed like forever...whoever thought it'd be a good idea to chop the M3 down to 1 lane for roadworks on a match night needs shooting.

 

Anyway, having read a lot of what people have been posting, all I can say is: some of you lot are ****ing insane. Especially you armchair fans who have seen the result, put 2 and 2 together and have made up your own conclusions that we were poor, unmotivated, unfit, etc etc. Truly, you need to get a grip. The same people every week (Alpine) slitting their wrists because you're focussing on the result.

 

Here's a fact about sport that a lot of you can't grasp. Actually, this is the reason why you're working in your offices and sportsmen and women are, well, playing sports for a living. In sport, you cannot control results. As tonight as shown, you can play really, really well, and still get beaten. You can't legislate for a 30 yard screamer going in in the last minute of the game. You just can't. Sometimes you just have to accept things like that happen, and move on.

 

Calling for Pardew out is pathetic. The attitude of our fans is a large part of why we've failed as a club over the last however many years....it's a fact, whether some of you like it or not.

 

What I witnessed tonight was a fantastic game of football. I haven't seen a game that good for a few years now. Brilliant. Yep, if we'd have taken those 2 chances in the second half and had Kelvin not made that **** up, we would have won. However, it certainly wasn't Pardew's fault. In fact, nobody was to blame. There doesn't always have to be someone to blame.

 

We were motivated, we worked hard, we played some lovely 1 touch passes and spread the ball from side to side really well. We created more goal scoring opportunities from open play than we have in any of the games I've seen so far this season (I've been to all the home games). We did almost everything we could have done to win. It just wasn't to be. I hope Pardew is focussing on the positives with the players tonight - I'm sure he will be. It's obvious they'll be gutted, but they should also be excited that they played really well, and that the team is really beginning to gel.

 

All you can do in sport is work hard and execute as well as possible, and the results will eventually take care of themselves. I believe Pardew and the team are doing well, judging by tonight's performance, and it really will come together before long.

 

Judge the performance, not the results.

[RedAndWhite91]

Just back from the game, having been stuck in traffic on the M3 for what seemed like forever...whoever thought it'd be a good idea to chop the M3 down to 1 lane for roadworks on a match night needs shooting.

 

Anyway, having read a lot of what people have been posting, all I can say is: some of you lot are ****ing insane. Especially you armchair fans who have seen the result, put 2 and 2 together and have made up your own conclusions that we were poor, unmotivated, unfit, etc etc. Truly, you need to get a grip. The same people every week (Alpine) slitting their wrists because you're focussing on the result.

 

Here's a fact about sport that a lot of you can't grasp. Actually, this is the reason why you're working in your offices and sportsmen and women are, well, playing sports for a living. In sport, you cannot control results. As tonight as shown, you can play really, really well, and still get beaten. You can't legislate for a 30 yard screamer going in in the last minute of the game. You just can't. Sometimes you just have to accept things like that happen, and move on.

 

Calling for Pardew out is pathetic. The attitude of our fans is a large part of why we've failed as a club over the last however many years....it's a fact, whether some of you like it or not.

 

What I witnessed tonight was a fantastic game of football. I haven't seen a game that good for a few years now. Brilliant. Yep, if we'd have taken those 2 chances in the second half and had Kelvin not made that **** up, we would have won. However, it certainly wasn't Pardew's fault. In fact, nobody was to blame. There doesn't always have to be someone to blame.

 

We were motivated, we worked hard, we played some lovely 1 touch passes and spread the ball from side to side really well. We created more goal scoring opportunities from open play than we have in any of the games I've seen so far this season (I've been to all the home games). We did almost everything we could have done to win. It just wasn't to be. I hope Pardew is focussing on the positives with the players tonight - I'm sure he will be. It's obvious they'll be gutted, but they should also be excited that they played really well, and that the team is really beginning to gel.

 

All you can do in sport is work hard and execute as well as possible, and the results will eventually take care of themselves. I believe Pardew and the team are doing well, judging by tonight's performance, and it really will come together before long.

 

Judge the performance, not the results.

 

Good post =D>

[St Will]

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

 

get a grip

[Gordon Mockles]

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

 

Bristol Rovers are a good side with width and pace. We matched them for much of the game on the right but we were woeful on the wide left.

 

Davis at fault for there first goal, Mellis for the second by not closing down their winger as he cut in from the bye line. The third was a cracking goal.

 

If we continue to play as we did the first hour we will get the right results. However when they equalised we went narrow, took off the only player giving us width and pace and missed a couple of good chances.

 

I'd agree with much of that although I didn't spot all Morgan's praised passes but that could be down to my attention span or just not picking out the individual although he was anonymous (imho) last half hr. Wotton replacing him mus have been an insult though. Play for that draw. In fairness, at that point, I think it was a desperation sub. We were being murdered down our left flank & Mills made no difference to Bristol running riot.

 

Great game up until we stopped playing & stood static, as has happened on too many occasions. Something in the roots of our club wrong. Losing mentality? Managers being changed won't solve it but I'd be bloody keen to know why we can't shake off this perpetual St Mary's headache of not seeing games out & succombing to pressure. It's almost inevitable when we reach that certain point in the game....

 

3 points Saturday & a string of better results a must. No more excuses! This Bristol game must be used as a learning bench mark. No more repeats. We are who we are. Perform!

[up and away]

Disappointing result, some great play from Saints. Our biggest weakness at the present is the midfield give virtually no cover to the full backs and they have to struggle alone. This has to be addressed and may require sacrificing the best players for the best team. Remembering what Billy Davies did to Bale that time and shut him out of the second half, I could easily see him putting Gillet on and taking the back of Williams ankles out, leaving the rest for the full back. Not Pardews style and I am ****ed if I want to watch a Billy Davies team over a season but certainly would not be averse to a bit now and again. Would like to see Waigo play in the middle more, just to see what effect he has there. May seem strange when we looked at our most effective for ages in the middle, but just get the feeling it could unbalance the opposition more, such that it makes it more difficult for them to counter.

 

If we had played like this all season we would have several wins on the board now, I take this as encouraging but still am desperate for points.

[docker-p]

Just back from the game, having been stuck in traffic on the M3 for what seemed like forever...whoever thought it'd be a good idea to chop the M3 down to 1 lane for roadworks on a match night needs shooting.

 

Anyway, having read a lot of what people have been posting, all I can say is: some of you lot are ****ing insane. Especially you armchair fans who have seen the result, put 2 and 2 together and have made up your own conclusions that we were poor, unmotivated, unfit, etc etc. Truly, you need to get a grip. The same people every week (Alpine) slitting their wrists because you're focussing on the result.

 

Here's a fact about sport that a lot of you can't grasp. Actually, this is the reason why you're working in your offices and sportsmen and women are, well, playing sports for a living. In sport, you cannot control results. As tonight as shown, you can play really, really well, and still get beaten. You can't legislate for a 30 yard screamer going in in the last minute of the game. You just can't. Sometimes you just have to accept things like that happen, and move on.

 

Calling for Pardew out is pathetic. The attitude of our fans is a large part of why we've failed as a club over the last however many years....it's a fact, whether some of you like it or not.

 

What I witnessed tonight was a fantastic game of football. I haven't seen a game that good for a few years now. Brilliant. Yep, if we'd have taken those 2 chances in the second half and had Kelvin not made that **** up, we would have won. However, it certainly wasn't Pardew's fault. In fact, nobody was to blame. There doesn't always have to be someone to blame.

 

We were motivated, we worked hard, we played some lovely 1 touch passes and spread the ball from side to side really well. We created more goal scoring opportunities from open play than we have in any of the games I've seen so far this season (I've been to all the home games). We did almost everything we could have done to win. It just wasn't to be. I hope Pardew is focussing on the positives with the players tonight - I'm sure he will be. It's obvious they'll be gutted, but they should also be excited that they played really well, and that the team is really beginning to gel.

 

All you can do in sport is work hard and execute as well as possible, and the results will eventually take care of themselves. I believe Pardew and the team are doing well, judging by tonight's performance, and it really will come together before long.

 

Judge the performance, not the results.

One win in 10.

Great performance? Not as good as BRFC. Continue this form and we're in League 2 next season. But I'm glad you enjoyed the game.

[Roger]

Pardews subs made us worse. When saga came on he was awful and papa was actually looking pretty good second half. Why mills and not holmes? Mills is rubbish imo and harding was shocking, james is a sunday league player aswell. Morgan was class as was lallana but lambart was lazy tonight. Need thomas back on sat, start papa and start holmes aswell. Worried about harding though.

[rpb]

All you can do in sport is work hard and execute as well as possible, and the results will eventually take care of themselves. I believe Pardew and the team are doing well, judging by tonight's performance, and it really will come together before long.

 

Judge the performance, not the results.

 

Well written and very true. Even the Pompey fans were upbeat on Saturday despite losing seven in a row!

[St_Tel49]

Oh well - sh*t happens.

 

Lost a cracking game to a cracking goal by all accounts.

 

Let's look forward to Gillingham. What more can you do?

Yep - he took his goal well but why the hell was he allowed to get the shot off. It was perfectly defendable. Nevertheless, while the final result was gash, there were periods in the game where we had them chasing shadows. I felt that if we had got the third goal they would have collapsed. Instead we conceded and lost our bottle instead. On the balance of play the draw would probably have been fair. But there is a mental fragility in this team that needs to be addressed urgently.

[Nineteen Canteen]

I read the first 50 posts and it felt like I was reading remarks about a club in crisis on the verge of going bust and with 10 games to play (not played) and 4 wins from a survival bid. Unbelievable the moaners on here and I apologise in advance if anything I write has already been in posted in the subsequent 200 posts but I was losing to the will to live.

 

Was it just me who came out of the stadium feeling massively disappointed but also encouraged that we gave a very physical and in parts talented team a good game and mostly held our own? For want of a bit more confidence in front of goal and some brilliant saves by the Rovers keeper in the 2nd half we should have won that game 4-3 but our finishing let us down.

 

Also we were undone by a wonder strike of pinpoint placement in injury time. Their first goal we were found ourselves wanting on the left and Davis caught in nomansland but it still required a classy angled shot to just hit the inside netting nearest the post. One iota of a degree of error and it would have probably hit the post and come back out as it was it was a nice piece of skill.

 

Their second goal was woeful from our point of view and again our left side has questions to answer with Mellis seemingly running away along the bye line and looking over his shoulder at the Rovers player with the ball as oppose to standing his ground and making the player at least work to get around him. Anyway where was Harding? Mellis is very weak in his challenges and was found wanting against a very physical side so my complaint to Pardew would be why bring him on second half as he was non-descript in the first.

 

All in all a very entertaining game and still positives to come out of it but the main negative being our left side with Harding being too reckless at times and both our left and right midfielders tucking in. Harding for me has been the player of the season although signs of cracks showed in his performance at Yeovil and he was even more gung ho tonight when he could at least afford it with a weak Mellis in front and stronger opposition and his over exuberance may be reason why all the goals were scored down their right our left.

 

Pardew is a good man and has a good coach with Downes in tow and those who are calling him to be sacked have not considered the position we started in and Coppell, Keegan, Pearson or Mcmenemy couldn't have done any better in the circumstances IMO. Those same fans no doubt expected us to walk the league or steam into the play offs which was always a false hope given them by themselves and no one at the club has ever mentioned anything other than consolidation and rebuild and a promotion push next year as part of the 5 year plan.

 

To the delusioned fans please stop moaning and start listening and watching a bit more objectively and adjust your sights for success this season and you will start enjoying the ride. We didn't get hammered tonight and in fact should have won it and that is a lot better than the team that ran out against Huddersfield back in the middle of August.

 

Progress is and will be slow but it has been positive and improving and tonight our unbeaten run of 6 games in the league has just ended it wasn't our 7th consecutive defeat. We seem to be plotting a similar course to Bournemouth during last season, except I don't think we will require a change of manager and look how they are doing at the moment. Survival and consolidation this season for next we feast on our first trophy for a while, League One Champions.

 

Rabid and ridiculous fan apathy and delusion is our only risk to success.

[St Will]

One win in 10.

Great performance? Not as good as BRFC. Continue this form and we're in League 2 next season. But I'm glad you enjoyed the game.

 

We played as well as they did. Just because we played as well, doesn't mean we have to draw though. That's sport. Just because they won, doesn't mean they played better than us. They had one swipe from 30 yards out and it went in. One kick of a ball, and they get 3 points and we get nothing.

 

But you keep focussing on the negatives if that makes you happy.

[St Will]

Pardews subs made us worse. When saga came on he was awful and papa was actually looking pretty good second half. Why mills and not holmes? Mills is rubbish imo and harding was shocking, james is a sunday league player aswell. Morgan was class as was lallana but lambart was lazy tonight. Need thomas back on sat, start papa and start holmes aswell. Worried about harding though.

 

Papa looked totally exhausted 5 minutes before he got subbed....he started to stray offside and slowed down considerably. Pardew was right to take him off....Saga was the only option.

 

Same with Schneiderlin....he looked tired and Wotton was the best replacement for centre-mid.

[St Will]

I read the first 50 posts and it felt like I was reading remarks about a club in crisis on the verge of going bust and with 10 games to play (not played) and 4 wins from a survival bid. Unbelievable the moaners on here and I apologise in advance if anything I write has already been in posted in the subsequent 200 posts but I was losing to the will to live.

 

Was it just me who came out of the stadium feeling massively disappointed but also encouraged that we gave a very physical and in parts talented team a good game and mostly held our own? For want of a bit more confidence in front of goal and some brilliant saves by the Rovers keeper in the 2nd half we should have won that game 4-3 but our finishing let us down.

 

Also we were undone by a wonder strike of pinpoint placement in injury time. Their first goal we were found ourselves wanting on the left and Davis caught in nomansland but it still required a classy angled shot to just hit the inside netting nearest the post. One iota of a degree of error and it would have probably hit the post and come back out as it was it was a nice piece of skill.

 

Their second goal was woeful from our point of view and again our left side has questions to answer with Mellis seemingly running away along the bye line and looking over his shoulder at the Rovers player with the ball as oppose to standing his ground and making the player at least work to get around him. Anyway where was Harding? Mellis is very weak in his challenges and was found wanting against a very physical side so my complaint to Pardew would be why bring him on second half as he was non-descript in the first.

 

All in all a very entertaining game and still positives to come out of it but the main negative being our left side with Harding being too reckless at times and both our left and right midfielders tucking in. Harding for me has been the player of the season although signs of cracks showed in his performance at Yeovil and he was even more gung ho tonight when he could at least afford it with a weak Mellis in front and stronger opposition and his over exuberance may be reason why all the goals were scored down their right our left.

 

Pardew is a good man and has a good coach with Downes in tow and those who are calling him to be sacked have not considered the position we started in and Coppell, Keegan, Pearson or Mcmenemy couldn't have done any better in the circumstances IMO. Those same fans no doubt expected us to walk the league or steam into the play offs which was always a false hope given them by themselves and no one at the club has ever mentioned anything other than consolidation and rebuild and a promotion push next year as part of the 5 year plan.

 

To the delusioned fans please stop moaning and start listening and watching a bit more objectively and adjust your sights for success this season and you will start enjoying the ride. We didn't get hammered tonight and in fact should have won it and that is a lot better than the team that ran out against Huddersfield back in the middle of August.

 

Progress is and will be slow but it has been positive and improving and tonight our unbeaten run of 6 games in the league has just ended it wasn't our 7th consecutive defeat. We seem to be plotting a similar course to Bournemouth during last season, except I don't think we will require a change of manager and look how they are doing at the moment. Survival and consolidation this season for next we feast on our first trophy for a while, League One Champions.

 

Rabid and ridiculous fan apathy and delusion is our only risk to success.

 

Well put.

[S-Clarke]

Papa looked totally exhausted 5 minutes before he got subbed....he started to stray offside and slowed down considerably. Pardew was right to take him off....Saga was the only option.

 

Same with Schneiderlin....he looked tired and Wotton was the best replacement for centre-mid.

 

I do agree with that, i saw the logic in the subs at the time.

 

The game started to pass Morgan by...made sense to bring on someone to strengthen it (although id have preferred gillet on the bench tbf)

 

Mills was another lgoical choice - Harding needed help, was obvious -b ut for some reason it just didn't work, kind of made it worse. Again, mills didn't really offer the support to harding i thought he was put on to do.

 

Papa was never going to play 90 anyway, was knakcered after 60mins and Saga was the only option. Although he didn't really offer too much.

 

So...the subs were logical and made sense to me at the right times, but they just didn't work out as they should have. I'm sure pard's is wondering why too.

 

Lessons to be learned though, by everyone.

[St Will]

I do agree with that, i saw the logic in the subs at the time.

 

The game started to pass Morgan by...made sense to bring on someone to strengthen it (although id have preferred gillet on the bench tbf)

 

Mills was another lgoical choice - Harding needed help, was obvious -b ut for some reason it just didn't work, kind of made it worse. Again, mills didn't really offer the support to harding i thought he was put on to do.

 

Papa was never going to play 90 anyway, was knakcered after 60mins and Saga was the only option. Although he didn't really offer too much.

 

So...the subs were logical and made sense to me at the right times, but they just didn't work out as they should have. I'm sure pard's is wondering why too.

 

Lessons to be learned though, by everyone.

 

The only negative thing I would say about any of our players is that Saga needs to go. He needs replacing with a small, nippy striker - just like what Brizzle had today.

[S-Clarke]

The only negative thing I would say about any of our players is that Saga needs to go. He needs replacing with a small, nippy striker - just like what Brizzle had today.

 

again - completely agree. We need pace off lambert, it's bleeding obvious to even a blind man.

 

Dickson for them was excellent, he's only on loan from charlton and was one of pard's signings when he was there - possible target i'd hope after tonight.

[up and away]

Papa looked totally exhausted 5 minutes before he got subbed....he started to stray offside and slowed down considerably. Pardew was right to take him off....Saga was the only option.

 

Same with Schneiderlin....he looked tired and Wotton was the best replacement for centre-mid.

 

What is it with Schneiderlin? I have never seen him look strong at the end of a game and gets subbed by every manager he has played for. Great performance tonight, but I get the feeling there is some issue here for it to happen so often.

 

I really felt we may have missed a trick by not having Gillet as an option later in the game and Holmes has shown in the past he can track back, maybe tonight was too soon?

[St Will]

again - completely agree. We need pace off lambert, it's bleeding obvious to even a blind man.

 

Dickson for them was excellent, he's only on loan from charlton and was one of pard's signings when he was there - possible target i'd hope after tonight.

 

I was surprised how well Lallana played when up with Lambert actually - maybe there's something in that.

 

I actually quite liked Papa too....considering he's got giraffe legs, he's actually got a very good touch. He's surely only going to get better as he adapts to playing in England.

 

I like the team Pardew put out tonight, except, with 2 left wingers on the bench, you'd have thought he could have used one of them from the start....maybe the Harding would have had better protection from the start, thus being sharper in the second half.

[St Will]

What is it with Schneiderlin? I have never seen him look strong at the end of a game and gets subbed by every manager he has played for. Great performance tonight, but I get the feeling there is some issue here for it to happen so often.

 

I really felt we may have missed a trick by not having Gillet as an option later in the game and Holmes has shown in the past he can track back, maybe tonight was too soon?

 

He's still a kid. Surely, you are at your fittest into your 20's....he probably just doesn't quite have the stamina as yet. Remember, you have to cover a lot of ground in centre midfield.

[chrisobee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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

 

 

get a grip

 

Don't you just love such articulate posts!

[Saint_clark]

Anyone else get extremely p*ssed off with Papa/Lallana switching all the time, and then Mellis/Lallana/Papa swapping wings every 5 minutes? Get some f*cking consistency, no wonder Harding and James were left exposed so often.

[Saint_clark]

And Rovers were by no means sh*t, they're attacking play was strong, direct and pacy. Not to mention they never went down the centre.

[alpine_saint]

Just back from the game, having been stuck in traffic on the M3 for what seemed like forever...whoever thought it'd be a good idea to chop the M3 down to 1 lane for roadworks on a match night needs shooting.

 

Anyway, having read a lot of what people have been posting, all I can say is: some of you lot are ****ing insane. Especially you armchair fans who have seen the result, put 2 and 2 together and have made up your own conclusions that we were poor, unmotivated, unfit, etc etc. Truly, you need to get a grip. The same people every week (Alpine) slitting their wrists because you're focussing on the result.

 

Here's a fact about sport that a lot of you can't grasp. Actually, this is the reason why you're working in your offices and sportsmen and women are, well, playing sports for a living. In sport, you cannot control results. As tonight as shown, you can play really, really well, and still get beaten. You can't legislate for a 30 yard screamer going in in the last minute of the game. You just can't. Sometimes you just have to accept things like that happen, and move on.

 

Calling for Pardew out is pathetic. The attitude of our fans is a large part of why we've failed as a club over the last however many years....it's a fact, whether some of you like it or not.

 

What I witnessed tonight was a fantastic game of football. I haven't seen a game that good for a few years now. Brilliant. Yep, if we'd have taken those 2 chances in the second half and had Kelvin not made that **** up, we would have won. However, it certainly wasn't Pardew's fault. In fact, nobody was to blame. There doesn't always have to be someone to blame.

 

We were motivated, we worked hard, we played some lovely 1 touch passes and spread the ball from side to side really well. We created more goal scoring opportunities from open play than we have in any of the games I've seen so far this season (I've been to all the home games). We did almost everything we could have done to win. It just wasn't to be. I hope Pardew is focussing on the positives with the players tonight - I'm sure he will be. It's obvious they'll be gutted, but they should also be excited that they played really well, and that the team is really beginning to gel.

 

All you can do in sport is work hard and execute as well as possible, and the results will eventually take care of themselves. I believe Pardew and the team are doing well, judging by tonight's performance, and it really will come together before long.

 

Judge the performance, not the results.

 

Getting all abusive again ??

 

Some people dont agree with your rose-tinted happy-clappy persepective. Deal with it. We have 1 win in ten, have let slip the lead on about 7 occasions this season and are entering October still in the negative. The manager has irrational favouring of some players even if it means playing them out of position (how unusual for us...) and doesnt know jacksh*t about how to use his subs. Some of our players are showing inconsistent effort and motivation.

 

Considering we have a reasonable quality squad, these are major sources of concern, and "wrist slitters" like me have every right to express our concerns.

[alpine_saint]

The only negative thing I would say about any of our players is that Saga needs to go. He needs replacing with a small, nippy striker - just like what Brizzle had today.

 

Ahhh. Whos seeking a scapegoat now ?

[70's Mike]

And Rovers were by no means sh*t, they're attacking play was strong, direct and pacy. Not to mention they never went down the centre.

 

exactly

when they got it wide they hammered in the cross

when we got it wide we turned back and played it either to the full back or inside, the full back was crossing from poor positions and if it went inside it went across the field.

 

we broke from defence to slowly and the other 3 midfield players should donate their wages to Hammond who, in the 2nd half, played on his own.

[Tamesaint]

Do not have the time to read the first 5 pages but St Will and Nineteen Canteen both make excellent posts which sum up the night and our performance - especially the point about the muppet who scheduled roadworks on a match night!!

 

Lets learn from tonight, eradicate the mistakes and get 3 points on Saturday.

[surrey1saint]

I read the first 50 posts and it felt like I was reading remarks about a club in crisis on the verge of going bust and with 10 games to play (not played) and 4 wins from a survival bid. Unbelievable the moaners on here and I apologise in advance if anything I write has already been in posted in the subsequent 200 posts but I was losing to the will to live.

 

Was it just me who came out of the stadium feeling massively disappointed but also encouraged that we gave a very physical and in parts talented team a good game and mostly held our own? For want of a bit more confidence in front of goal and some brilliant saves by the Rovers keeper in the 2nd half we should have won that game 4-3 but our finishing let us down.

 

Also we were undone by a wonder strike of pinpoint placement in injury time. Their first goal we were found ourselves wanting on the left and Davis caught in nomansland but it still required a classy angled shot to just hit the inside netting nearest the post. One iota of a degree of error and it would have probably hit the post and come back out as it was it was a nice piece of skill.

 

Their second goal was woeful from our point of view and again our left side has questions to answer with Mellis seemingly running away along the bye line and looking over his shoulder at the Rovers player with the ball as oppose to standing his ground and making the player at least work to get around him. Anyway where was Harding? Mellis is very weak in his challenges and was found wanting against a very physical side so my complaint to Pardew would be why bring him on second half as he was non-descript in the first.

 

All in all a very entertaining game and still positives to come out of it but the main negative being our left side with Harding being too reckless at times and both our left and right midfielders tucking in. Harding for me has been the player of the season although signs of cracks showed in his performance at Yeovil and he was even more gung ho tonight when he could at least afford it with a weak Mellis in front and stronger opposition and his over exuberance may be reason why all the goals were scored down their right our left.

 

Pardew is a good man and has a good coach with Downes in tow and those who are calling him to be sacked have not considered the position we started in and Coppell, Keegan, Pearson or Mcmenemy couldn't have done any better in the circumstances IMO. Those same fans no doubt expected us to walk the league or steam into the play offs which was always a false hope given them by themselves and no one at the club has ever mentioned anything other than consolidation and rebuild and a promotion push next year as part of the 5 year plan.

 

To the delusioned fans please stop moaning and start listening and watching a bit more objectively and adjust your sights for success this season and you will start enjoying the ride. We didn't get hammered tonight and in fact should have won it and that is a lot better than the team that ran out against Huddersfield back in the middle of August.

 

Progress is and will be slow but it has been positive and improving and tonight our unbeaten run of 6 games in the league has just ended it wasn't our 7th consecutive defeat. We seem to be plotting a similar course to Bournemouth during last season, except I don't think we will require a change of manager and look how they are doing at the moment. Survival and consolidation this season for next we feast on our first trophy for a while, League One Champions.

 

Rabid and ridiculous fan apathy and delusion is our only risk to success.

 

Good post

[teamsaint]

Good things. At last we played some really good stuff against a decent team. We might easily have wrapped the game up.

 

Bad things. Our midfield just cannot cope with tough direct opposition when we don't have the ball- and we are positively weak defensively on the flanks. Lallana and Papa left Harding badly exposed, and THAT was with a 5 man midfield.

 

 

For all that lallana is a terrific ball player he typifies us.He scored on goal, but then cost us one.

[St_Tel49]

Ahhh. Whos seeking a scapegoat now ?

 

What exactly did Saga contribute?

[Wade Garrett]

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.

 

Harding needed protection, fair point. But when he was one on one with their forwards he was crap. He tackled like a girl.

[John B]

Harding needed protection, fair point. But when he was one on one with their forwards he was crap. He tackled like a girl.

 

Who played well then?

[a1ex2001]

PARDEW OUT.

 

That is all.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

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?

 

Calm down tough guy...

 

LMAO

[ALWAYS_SFC]

I read the first 50 posts and it felt like I was reading remarks about a club in crisis on the verge of going bust and with 10 games to play (not played) and 4 wins from a survival bid. Unbelievable the moaners on here and I apologise in advance if anything I write has already been in posted in the subsequent 200 posts but I was losing to the will to live.

 

Was it just me who came out of the stadium feeling massively disappointed but also encouraged that we gave a very physical and in parts talented team a good game and mostly held our own? For want of a bit more confidence in front of goal and some brilliant saves by the Rovers keeper in the 2nd half we should have won that game 4-3 but our finishing let us down.

 

Also we were undone by a wonder strike of pinpoint placement in injury time. Their first goal we were found ourselves wanting on the left and Davis caught in nomansland but it still required a classy angled shot to just hit the inside netting nearest the post. One iota of a degree of error and it would have probably hit the post and come back out as it was it was a nice piece of skill.

 

Their second goal was woeful from our point of view and again our left side has questions to answer with Mellis seemingly running away along the bye line and looking over his shoulder at the Rovers player with the ball as oppose to standing his ground and making the player at least work to get around him. Anyway where was Harding? Mellis is very weak in his challenges and was found wanting against a very physical side so my complaint to Pardew would be why bring him on second half as he was non-descript in the first.

 

All in all a very entertaining game and still positives to come out of it but the main negative being our left side with Harding being too reckless at times and both our left and right midfielders tucking in. Harding for me has been the player of the season although signs of cracks showed in his performance at Yeovil and he was even more gung ho tonight when he could at least afford it with a weak Mellis in front and stronger opposition and his over exuberance may be reason why all the goals were scored down their right our left.

 

Pardew is a good man and has a good coach with Downes in tow and those who are calling him to be sacked have not considered the position we started in and Coppell, Keegan, Pearson or Mcmenemy couldn't have done any better in the circumstances IMO. Those same fans no doubt expected us to walk the league or steam into the play offs which was always a false hope given them by themselves and no one at the club has ever mentioned anything other than consolidation and rebuild and a promotion push next year as part of the 5 year plan.

 

To the delusioned fans please stop moaning and start listening and watching a bit more objectively and adjust your sights for success this season and you will start enjoying the ride. We didn't get hammered tonight and in fact should have won it and that is a lot better than the team that ran out against Huddersfield back in the middle of August.

 

Progress is and will be slow but it has been positive and improving and tonight our unbeaten run of 6 games in the league has just ended it wasn't our 7th consecutive defeat. We seem to be plotting a similar course to Bournemouth during last season, except I don't think we will require a change of manager and look how they are doing at the moment. Survival and consolidation this season for next we feast on our first trophy for a while, League One Champions.

 

Rabid and ridiculous fan apathy and delusion is our only risk to success.

 

Good post and a fair reflection.

[Saint Billy]

Despite who was at the game and who was'nt, it is very simple to form an opinion based on results.

 

The amount if times I have heard "If we keep playing like that we will win more than we lose", complete and utter b*llicks, at the end of the day we are routed to the bottom of the table and even without the -10 we are still very close.

 

I dont give a monkeys nut about that we are still gelling, Pardews finding his feet or even the -10, we should be at least showing signs of the wealth and support behind this club, but no, we are carrying on the same way as when we were in the championship. This vehicle saints has had a major overhaul, basically a new engine, and yet it still chugs away just like it always did.

 

I was expecting some sort of saints revival this season, I was hoping for some exciting appointments and playing staff, I was hoping that saints climb up the table was being noticed by the media, but no, different setup, same old limp dross.

[Andy Durman]

The club is an embarrassment. The worst club to support in world football. I hate its guts. We are in League One, have better players individually than arguably all of the teams in the league, and yet we are on a results basis one of the worst teams in the league. The club is set for relegation now and there seems no way of stopping it. Pardew must be sacked if we don't beat Gillingham, in order to send a message out to the useless f*cks that are our players.

 

1 win in 10 games and in League One, playing some sh*t teams. The club may as well be dead. Absolute disgrace, DISGRACE, DISGRACE

 

Today I totally agree with you. Enough is Enough!!!!!!!!!!!! & by christ I've had enough. How much heart ache can a supporter take. Even my wife at 2-1 up said we would lose 3-2 and she knows nothing about football.

[maddog]

2 moments that cost us the game both when we were 2-1 up

 

1. Schniderlin with the just the keeper to beat, hit it straight at the keeper

2. Lallanna with just the keeper to beat, hit it straight at the keeper

 

Even his goal was straight at the keeper but somehow it went it due to poor keeping

 

We need to learn how to finish and kill off a game. Also a little concerned that one sub by them changed a game so much. We bought Mills on to double up on the side yet mills didnt do what he was supposed to do!

[Wes Tender]

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.

 

Another post that has me agreeing broadly. As I said in my earlier post, why is it that we seem incapable of believing in ourselves? For much of the game we were playing awesome football, making BR look an extremely ordinary side. As soon as they scored their second equaliser, we looked certain to lose. It was almost as if we were a totally different team. We're the Jekyll and Hyde of this division.

[badgerx16]

Don't worry...we are too good to go down.............

[West End Saint]

Just back from the game, having been stuck in traffic on the M3 for what seemed like forever...whoever thought it'd be a good idea to chop the M3 down to 1 lane for roadworks on a match night needs shooting.

 

Anyway, having read a lot of what people have been posting, all I can say is: some of you lot are ****ing insane. Especially you armchair fans who have seen the result, put 2 and 2 together and have made up your own conclusions that we were poor, unmotivated, unfit, etc etc. Truly, you need to get a grip. The same people every week (Alpine) slitting their wrists because you're focussing on the result.

 

Here's a fact about sport that a lot of you can't grasp. Actually, this is the reason why you're working in your offices and sportsmen and women are, well, playing sports for a living. In sport, you cannot control results. As tonight as shown, you can play really, really well, and still get beaten. You can't legislate for a 30 yard screamer going in in the last minute of the game. You just can't. Sometimes you just have to accept things like that happen, and move on.

 

Calling for Pardew out is pathetic. The attitude of our fans is a large part of why we've failed as a club over the last however many years....it's a fact, whether some of you like it or not.

 

What I witnessed tonight was a fantastic game of football. I haven't seen a game that good for a few years now. Brilliant. Yep, if we'd have taken those 2 chances in the second half and had Kelvin not made that **** up, we would have won. However, it certainly wasn't Pardew's fault. In fact, nobody was to blame. There doesn't always have to be someone to blame.

 

We were motivated, we worked hard, we played some lovely 1 touch passes and spread the ball from side to side really well. We created more goal scoring opportunities from open play than we have in any of the games I've seen so far this season (I've been to all the home games). We did almost everything we could have done to win. It just wasn't to be. I hope Pardew is focussing on the positives with the players tonight - I'm sure he will be. It's obvious they'll be gutted, but they should also be excited that they played really well, and that the team is really beginning to gel.

 

All you can do in sport is work hard and execute as well as possible, and the results will eventually take care of themselves. I believe Pardew and the team are doing well, judging by tonight's performance, and it really will come together before long.

 

Judge the performance, not the results.

 

Good Post

 

It was a very good game of football I thought we were the better side 1st half and defo worth a point at least they played very well 2nd half but a bit lucky to win.

 

Harding has been my player of the season so far but he got turned inside out by there winger who you have to say played well & Harding didnt have any protection.

 

We played some great 1 touch Football had 3 clear cut chances to score when we were 2.1 up & should have taken at least 1 & killed off the game

 

If we could supply Lambert with the sort of wing play & crossing that Rovers showed last nite we would start to see the best of him.

 

There was a Lot of positive things & a Lot of negative about that performance some individual errors that you have to hope wont happen again.

 

We miss Murty at right back even Thomas would have been a better option we must learn how to hold onto a lead & kill a team off & have to provide better delivery from wide area's.

 

I am sure AP we sort it out we are not a bad side they will get it right just hope it is soon.

[John B]

Good Post

 

 

 

Harding has been my player of the season so far but he got turned inside out by there winger who you have to say played well & Harding didnt have any protection.

 

QUOTE]

 

 

But with the new scouting network you would have thought Pardew would have picked someone on the left in midfield to help Harding

[Toomer]

We ran out of steam and ideas after about 20 mins into 2nd half. AP and his team have been in place long enough now to get this bunch playing as a unit and winning games.

[Toadhall Saint]

I read the first 50 posts and it felt like I was reading remarks about a club in crisis on the verge of going bust and with 10 games to play (not played) and 4 wins from a survival bid. Unbelievable the moaners on here and I apologise in advance if anything I write has already been in posted in the subsequent 200 posts but I was losing to the will to live.

 

Was it just me who came out of the stadium feeling massively disappointed but also encouraged that we gave a very physical and in parts talented team a good game and mostly held our own? For want of a bit more confidence in front of goal and some brilliant saves by the Rovers keeper in the 2nd half we should have won that game 4-3 but our finishing let us down.

 

Also we were undone by a wonder strike of pinpoint placement in injury time. Their first goal we were found ourselves wanting on the left and Davis caught in nomansland but it still required a classy angled shot to just hit the inside netting nearest the post. One iota of a degree of error and it would have probably hit the post and come back out as it was it was a nice piece of skill.

 

Their second goal was woeful from our point of view and again our left side has questions to answer with Mellis seemingly running away along the bye line and looking over his shoulder at the Rovers player with the ball as oppose to standing his ground and making the player at least work to get around him. Anyway where was Harding? Mellis is very weak in his challenges and was found wanting against a very physical side so my complaint to Pardew would be why bring him on second half as he was non-descript in the first.

 

All in all a very entertaining game and still positives to come out of it but the main negative being our left side with Harding being too reckless at times and both our left and right midfielders tucking in. Harding for me has been the player of the season although signs of cracks showed in his performance at Yeovil and he was even more gung ho tonight when he could at least afford it with a weak Mellis in front and stronger opposition and his over exuberance may be reason why all the goals were scored down their right our left.

 

Pardew is a good man and has a good coach with Downes in tow and those who are calling him to be sacked have not considered the position we started in and Coppell, Keegan, Pearson or Mcmenemy couldn't have done any better in the circumstances IMO. Those same fans no doubt expected us to walk the league or steam into the play offs which was always a false hope given them by themselves and no one at the club has ever mentioned anything other than consolidation and rebuild and a promotion push next year as part of the 5 year plan.

 

To the delusioned fans please stop moaning and start listening and watching a bit more objectively and adjust your sights for success this season and you will start enjoying the ride. We didn't get hammered tonight and in fact should have won it and that is a lot better than the team that ran out against Huddersfield back in the middle of August.

 

Progress is and will be slow but it has been positive and improving and tonight our unbeaten run of 6 games in the league has just ended it wasn't our 7th consecutive defeat. We seem to be plotting a similar course to Bournemouth during last season, except I don't think we will require a change of manager and look how they are doing at the moment. Survival and consolidation this season for next we feast on our first trophy for a while, League One Champions.

 

Rabid and ridiculous fan apathy and delusion is our only risk to success.

 

Probably the first time I've agreed with you 19C.

[Wade Garrett]

Who played well then?

 

Hammond, Schneiderlin and Lallana (first half).

[Gaucho]

Anger, frustration and deep disappointment. Familiar feelings from recent seasons gone.

However, one thing is different this season: HOPE.

[Wes Tender]

I read the first 50 posts and it felt like I was reading remarks about a club in crisis on the verge of going bust and with 10 games to play (not played) and 4 wins from a survival bid. Unbelievable the moaners on here and I apologise in advance if anything I write has already been in posted in the subsequent 200 posts but I was losing to the will to live.

 

Was it just me who came out of the stadium feeling massively disappointed but also encouraged that we gave a very physical and in parts talented team a good game and mostly held our own? For want of a bit more confidence in front of goal and some brilliant saves by the Rovers keeper in the 2nd half we should have won that game 4-3 but our finishing let us down.

 

Also we were undone by a wonder strike of pinpoint placement in injury time. Their first goal we were found ourselves wanting on the left and Davis caught in nomansland but it still required a classy angled shot to just hit the inside netting nearest the post. One iota of a degree of error and it would have probably hit the post and come back out as it was it was a nice piece of skill.

 

Their second goal was woeful from our point of view and again our left side has questions to answer with Mellis seemingly running away along the bye line and looking over his shoulder at the Rovers player with the ball as oppose to standing his ground and making the player at least work to get around him. Anyway where was Harding? Mellis is very weak in his challenges and was found wanting against a very physical side so my complaint to Pardew would be why bring him on second half as he was non-descript in the first.

 

All in all a very entertaining game and still positives to come out of it but the main negative being our left side with Harding being too reckless at times and both our left and right midfielders tucking in. Harding for me has been the player of the season although signs of cracks showed in his performance at Yeovil and he was even more gung ho tonight when he could at least afford it with a weak Mellis in front and stronger opposition and his over exuberance may be reason why all the goals were scored down their right our left.

 

Pardew is a good man and has a good coach with Downes in tow and those who are calling him to be sacked have not considered the position we started in and Coppell, Keegan, Pearson or Mcmenemy couldn't have done any better in the circumstances IMO. Those same fans no doubt expected us to walk the league or steam into the play offs which was always a false hope given them by themselves and no one at the club has ever mentioned anything other than consolidation and rebuild and a promotion push next year as part of the 5 year plan.

 

To the delusioned fans please stop moaning and start listening and watching a bit more objectively and adjust your sights for success this season and you will start enjoying the ride. We didn't get hammered tonight and in fact should have won it and that is a lot better than the team that ran out against Huddersfield back in the middle of August.

 

Progress is and will be slow but it has been positive and improving and tonight our unbeaten run of 6 games in the league has just ended it wasn't our 7th consecutive defeat. We seem to be plotting a similar course to Bournemouth during last season, except I don't think we will require a change of manager and look how they are doing at the moment. Survival and consolidation this season for next we feast on our first trophy for a while, League One Champions.

 

Rabid and ridiculous fan apathy and delusion is our only risk to success.

 

Credit where it's due. A good summary.