Saints 2-2 Norwich - Reaction

[krissyboy31]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/8353368.stm

[Andyb1]

Thought we were poor and lucky to get anything. Disappointed we are persisting with 4-4-2, thought we looked weak in the middle.

 

Then I couldn't figure out what the formation was when Murty came on.

 

Were you watching the game? We were far from poor. We were playing a good side. We had plenty of chances and were by far the better team in the first half(as my two Norwich supporting friends acknowledged). 2nd half they were better although we still had a couple of great chances to win it. They also had a couple.

 

One thing i would say is that Trottman is NOT as good as people seem to think..

[VectisSaint]

Simples. We were winning 1-0 and he gives away the most stupid, pointless, predictable penalty that you will ever see. I would have been happy with 1-0.

Yes, but its not "simples" is it. If he gives away a goal and we score 2 then he hasn't cost us 2 points. He may have put pressure on us to score a second, but we had best part of 45 minutes and we did score so don't go blaming James for costing us 2 points. Simples.

[Whitey Grandad]

Yes, but its not "simples" is it. If he gives away a goal and we score 2 then he hasn't cost us 2 points. He may have put pressure on us to score a second, but we had best part of 45 minutes and we did score so don't go blaming James for costing us 2 points. Simples.

It doesn't matter whether he gives them a goal in the first minute or the last, it is still an extra goal advantage to the opposition. I can only assume that you were not at the game, because that penalty was an outright gift to them. Instead of a 2-goal lead we only had a 1-goal lead and we ended up drawing the game. This is not the first time that James has cost us goals with his poor positioning and lack of speed, but in this case having been caught in a poor position he tried to catch up and committed the most brainless attempt at a tackle that I have ever seen. I'm not talking about letting a winger get in a cross, or failing to mark his player properly, this was an outright present of a goal. He might just as well have caught the ball and thrown it into the net.

[krissyboy31]

He might just as well have caught the ball and thrown it into the net.

 

That would have been handball, due to the fact James isn't French!

[Jez]

but still not sure about passing the ball 15 times before deciding to cross

 

You rather we had 3 passes then crossed it, or 42 passes then crossed it? :confused:

[Wes Tender]

It doesn't matter whether he gives them a goal in the first minute or the last, it is still an extra goal advantage to the opposition. I can only assume that you were not at the game, because that penalty was an outright gift to them. Instead of a 2-goal lead we only had a 1-goal lead and we ended up drawing the game. This is not the first time that James has cost us goals with his poor positioning and lack of speed, but in this case having been caught in a poor position he tried to catch up and committed the most brainless attempt at a tackle that I have ever seen. I'm not talking about letting a winger get in a cross, or failing to mark his player properly, this was an outright present of a goal. He might just as well have caught the ball and thrown it into the net.

 

Agree totally. I'm usually firmly in agreement with most of Vectis' posts, but had James not given away a stupid, unecessary penalty, we would have had the three points. Therefore, James and Davis conceded the goals that cost us the match. I'm not blaming Davis unduly for spilling the ball for their second, as conditions were atrocious, but James' tackle was crass, especially when there was cover and he could have just stood his ground and any cross that came in would more than likely have been defended.

 

I'm pretty certain that James has been identified as a weakness by rival managers and our play improved the minute that Murty came on and James moved midfield. I hope that Murty remains fit to the end of the season, as the improvement that might result from having him back will be tangible IMO.

 

As for the match, it was entertaining, but the atmosphere in the stadium was eerily quiet in the first half, like a morgue. Neither Norwich or us made much noise, but in the second half it all came alive.

 

I question Pardew's tactics, bringing on Papa so late. Had he been on earlier, I'm convinced that he could have made the difference and gained us another goal, as he is unpredictable for rival defenders.

 

What was telling, was that both of our goals were top drawer finishes, whereas both Norwich goals were opportunist, reliant more on luck than skill. As they are another of the top handful of teams that we have either beaten or drawn with since we got over our early season slow start, I don't think that we should have been too disappointed with the result. We should be afraid of no team in this division.

[dronskisaint]

'as was Kelvin's mishandling from a shot so far out'

 

A little harsh...it was a hard shot that bounced infront of him - on a dry day he'd probably have smothered it but I hadn't realised how hard it was raining until I got out of the ground. I watched the ball swirling around in the wind & it must have been greasy as hell. Disappointing but understandable I think.

[Whitey Grandad]

'as was Kelvin's mishandling from a shot so far out'

 

A little harsh...it was a hard shot that bounced infront of him - on a dry day he'd probably have smothered it but I hadn't realised how hard it was raining until I got out of the ground. I watched the ball swirling around in the wind & it must have been greasy as hell. Disappointing but understandable I think.

A fair point. I did notice that the Norwich keeper was punching the ball away right from the start. I thought 'he looks dodgy, perhaps we can get something from those punches'. Silly me .

[Singapore Saint]

Saints are more highly regarded than Norwich: http://sports.williamhill.com/bet/EN/betting/e/369707/English%2BJohnstone%2527s%2BPaint%2BTrophy.html

[kpturner]

Saints are more highly regarded than Norwich: http://sports.williamhill.com/bet/EN/betting/e/369707/English%2BJohnstone%2527s%2BPaint%2BTrophy.html

Probably for no other reason than we are playing them at home. I suspect the odds would be different if the reverse was true.

[St Marco]

One of if not thee most entertaining game i have seen this year. A good advert for English league football.

 

It is dissapointing not to win but we played very well but so did Norwich. They are a good team with some good players and will probably get promoted this year. This year was always a season too soon for us so hopefully now people can see we are a good team but are not yet the finished article.

 

Will be at the game tonight, looking forward to it.