Saints 0-1 Plymouth - Reaction

[ponto1963]

amazed me how many kicks Kelvin did straight into touch, he really needs to sort that out .

[astrasri]

I didn't see anything in the game to be worried about. We played well in 1st half, and played bad in the 2nd half. A draw would of been a fair result as they made some good saves/blocks near the end.

 

 

1 game down, loads to go. Not the end of the world.

 

Have to disagree in that we currently don't have a plan B to cover Ricky Lambert being injured or having an "off"day

[Chin Strain]

Interesting to see lot's of the supposed favs across the leagues lost today (middlesborugh lost 1-3, reading lost 1-2 etc), i wonder if their forums are the same?

 

We never win our first game so guess that tradition was always set to continue.

 

I didn't see anything in the game to be worried about. We played well in 1st half, and played bad in the 2nd half. A draw would of been a fair result as they made some good saves/blocks near the end.

 

However i do think we miss a Antonio/Waigo type player. The players on the bench are a bit on the weak side. A couple of players who can add a bit of flair is what we need and hopefully we can bring them in before the window shuts.

 

1 game down, loads to go. Not the end of the world.

 

I'll go with that. I do wonder about Hammond though, I just don't reckon he's that good. Thought the same towards the end of last season.

 

Plus side - Dickson. Thought he looked pretty good. I suspect Harding will have a battle on his hands for left back. Llalana certainly gave the side impetus too.

[doddisalegend]

FFS we were not that bad! Plymouth commited daylight robbery. From where I was sat in the chapel Plymouth had one meaningful attack in 90mins, how we didn't score is beyond me. Basically we were all over them for about 85 out of 90mins practically camped out in their half most of the game. The crowd support was awful today (talk about different from the end of last season) which can't of helped the players. If we keep playing like that each week we will be all right. I think alot of people need to turn down their panic metres after one match.

[aintforever]

We desperately missed Antonio and Papa IMO. Not enough pace up front.

 

If we are serious about promotion we will have to bring some players in. At the moment the squad is weaker than last year.

[Weston Saint]

Disappointing result.

 

We started bright, the pace of the game was good and we created chances from wide. Unfortunately they fell to the head of Hammond who realy should know how to head a goal but always seems to mess it up. A couple of free kick positions would have also been ideal for Lambert and it does worry me that we are going to have to rely on him so much.

 

Apart from Lallana on the bench (and he had not kicked a ball in anger since Southend game last season) there was nothing there that could change the game for us like last season. Another worrying factor.

 

We were better than Plymouth over the whole 90 minutes but conceded a silly goal. More worrying, we did not look like we would score, again unlike last season.

 

We are only one match in and the transfer window is still open but at the moment I cannot see us being more than a top 8 side, not top 2 as we all hoped.

 

I hope I am wrong but we need a good replacement for Hammond (Hammond is only a cover player imo) cover for Lambert, an impact player to bring on to change the game and a pacy wide player.

[Rasiak-9-]

Please don't put Dickson at LB, he looked lost there and bombed forward way too much and got caught out. At Left-wing he was much more natural and a real threat going forward. If we can get Lambert on the end of some of his crosses god knows how many we'd score.

 

As for what to do with Lallana, I'd give him a free-role behind Lambert and just go 4-4-1-1. Tbh neither Connolly or Barnard have done enough to get into the team at the expense of Dickson, Lallana, Harding or Puncheon.

 

...Maaaaaybe drop Punch/Dickson, put Lallana on the respective wing and start with Lambert/Barnard up front

 

either way. Dickson looks much better at left-mid than left-back.

[Appy]

Kelvin really needs to talk to his defence a bit more, he hasn't looked as nailed on a number 1 recently as he was before. Perhaps a chance for Bart to stake his claim on tuesday?

[broncoboy]

I don't really get its the first game it doesn't matter.

 

They were woeful in the second half, no width, no pace , no creativity.

 

Not surprising Plymouth were up for the second half when we tried to walk the ball into the net in the first.

 

AP sides never have any balls they totally capitiulated in the second half when the goal went in.

 

Tyro league style.

 

I fear Kelvin is over the hill.. He had nothing to do but what he had he did poorly He will cost us dear.

 

How is it acceptable that he cant keep the ball on the pitch.

 

The people we are really going to miss are Waigo and Antonio.

 

Flat one paced and easy to frustrate.

 

Only the first game. Surely after an entire Summer to prepare we could have put a bit of fight in to the match

 

Let me tell you know AP goen by the 1st Dec NC wont put up with it.

[Micky]

I guess I must be the only person here who does not expect us to get promoted - but still feels positive about the season.

 

Yes the bookmakers have made us favourites, but somebody has to be, and we have a decent squad. That said - it is not an easy league to climb out of, look how long it too Leeds to gain promotion - I think we will struggle as well. I think we had better get used to playing teams set up to defend as well - Plymouth were actually very good. Solid game plan, weathered the storm, got to half time, took thier one chance, shut up shop and went home with the points.

 

As for us - I thought 1st half we 'looked good' without really threatening to score, let's be honest - did their keeper actually save anything - I don't think so. Second half, they get a sloppy goal - but our response was pretty timid to be fair. You would have thought we would have thrown the KS at them - but I thought that some heads went down a little and some players weren't available anymore.

 

Ok we got AL on and eventually managed to test their keeper - but by then Plymouth had grown in stature and 'believed' - we could be there now and not scored. Yes we can point to the players that were missing and no it wasn't a disasterous performance, but I think there are going to be quite a few games like that this season. Teams will come, bung a bus in front of the goal and it is up to us to break it down - the players will get frustrated, and so will the fans - best get used to it.

 

As I said - I don't think promotion is the 'nailed on' certainty that others seem to - I'm not expecting to get promoted - but I still think it will be a good season.

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

1 Radhi Jaidi .

This player started the match at walking pace and never got quicker than a gentle trot . Yet despite that he somehow contrived to be virtually knackered after 50 minutes . In all honesty there were fitter people than him watching this game from the stands . With regret I must say it looks like that injury he received at the tail end of last season has cost him (& us) dearly . Trust me on this , put him up against a really quick forward we'd be in deep trouble .

 

2 Kelvin Davis .

I've been watching Kelvin for years & I'm a big fan of his , but seldom (if ever) have I seen his kicking as poor as it was today . Are we playing with the World Cup ball ?

 

3 Lee Barnard .

This player has a reputation of being a prolific lower league goal scorer (indeed the record proves it) but sometimes you look at him and wonder how he did it . It's a team game for sure , but successful forwards do need to be in the vicinity of the opposition goal on occasion .

 

4 Adam Lallana .

Over the years I've grown to accept that many on here can't really tell the difference between a average player and proper talent - if you are ever in doubt think back on the difference Adam made today as soon as he came on .

 

5 Our Squad .

I take it that only the most bone-headed on here will still be arguing tonight that our squad is not only weaker that the squad that finished last season , but without quality impact players such as Antonio or Papa Waigo it's too limited to make achieving promotion this season anything like the certainty some thought .

 

6 Ricky Lambert .

Can we play without him ..........

[View From The Top]

 

Only the first game. Surely after an entire Summer to prepare we could have put a bit of fight in to the match

 

Let me tell you know AP goen by the 1st Dec NC wont put up with it.

 

I wouldn't bet on him getting past August after that 2nd half display.

 

There is something not right at SFC.

[corky morris]

I love how we all see a different game when watching exactly the same thing. I thought we were decent first half, but we never really looked like getting on the end of anything. Sorry, I thought we were **** 2nd half. The defending was shocking for their goal. Why did Kelv keep aiming for Puncheon? IMHO that was Hammonds worst performance in a Saints shirt. Hardings also. And Puncheon frustrated the hell out of me.

Dickson did well, but the foul that got the booking really took the steam out of him. I am convinced Reid instucted the full back to do it. Lallana was our best player. We looked so much better when he came on.

I am worried for Pardew. If Lambert is not fit & we dont win for 4 or 5 games I can see him going. I am not saying I want him to go, but i would not be shocked. A bit disapointed he did not try something in the last 10 minutes. Maybe bring Chamberlain on or Holmes & take Butterfield or Hammond off. Pretty disappointed tonight.

[musesaint]

amazed me how many kicks Kelvin did straight into touch, he really needs to sort that out .

 

It was six

 

We counted

 

TBH his kicking generally is not good ...only about 1 in 3 gets to one of our players ...but today's kicks into touch were unacceptably poor

[corky morris]

***** me i have just realised that it was Molyneux that made Puncheon look so sh1t today!!!!!!!

[Nexstar]

***** me i have just realised that it was Molyneux that made Puncheon look so sh1t today!!!!!!!

 

Molyneux was rubbish.

[corky morris]

molyneux was rubbish.

 

and puncheon was worse!!!!!!

[docker-p]

I reckon we would have won had we been wearing Red & White stripes.

[trousers]

I reckon we would have won had we been wearing Red & White stripes.

 

Yep. We always win the first game of the season when wearing red and White stripes.

 

;-)

[Professor]

Dickson was average as wide MF but to be fair its not his position. When Lallana came on and Dickson replaced Harding at FB, he was definitely an improvement on Harding and his attacking FB play was far better than his MF role. Disapointed that the MF didn't play more on the ground, and that the defence gifted so many high balls to the Plymouth defence, that just sent them back.

[lenwilkins]

WTF does that mean?

 

I'm sure Pardew knows where the squad is weak without your expert advice FFS.

[WGC Saint]

The omens were against us before KO.

 

We always lose our first game of the season.

 

We never win on Sky.

 

We never beat Plymouth.

 

Did anyone expect any different outcome today?

 

Our season starts next Saturday at MK Dons where I shall be cheering the boys to victory before going on my holidays.

 

Chins up everyone.

[lenwilkins]

Pardew needs to drop the cagey b*ll*cks in the transfer market and show his cards before half the season is gone through contract negotiations and "gelling"

 

Whoops - the above was a response to the above.

[lenwilkins]

A few more unimaginative and lathargic performances like we've seen today and NC will bring in a new manager I feel. I'm of the view that NC was close to sacking AP last season so don't see our chairman "giving it time".

 

LMAO - One match FFS.

 

Great to see there are no knee jerk reactions from the boo boys on here.

[Smirking_Saint]

Chelsea played like a Winning team during them losses. If you can honestly say we looked like a side that could have won today, and looked like we were better than Plymouth then I will accept this post.

 

We did

[Joey-deacons-left-nut]

Puncheon was fine, he was just marked non stop by 2 or 3 other players.

 

Dickson looks ace...

 

I think Harding did his knee in the first half... he seemed to be hobbling around for a bit...

 

Missed someone tall'ish to get on the end of some crosses mind..

[dune]

The omens were against us before KO.

 

We always lose our first game of the season.

 

We never win on Sky.

 

We never beat Plymouth.

 

Did anyone expect any different outcome today?

 

Our season starts next Saturday at MK Dons where I shall be cheering the boys to victory before going on my holidays.

 

Chins up everyone.

 

We sat on our arses in pre-season and didn't get into a competitive mindset.

[Nexstar]

We sat on our arses in pre-season and didn't get into a competitive mindset.

 

Atleast we didn't spend it in Swedish parks smashing teams 12-0.

[dune]

Atleast we didn't spend it in Swedish parks smashing teams 12-0.

 

I think the Switzerland Jolly was a mistake. The players were treated like royalty by Mr Liebherr and from the performance today they clearly bought into the hype that they just had to turn up and bag the league title. They looked lazy and unfit. Next season get them running like Strachan used to do.

[mitch01]

Davis - 5.5 Questionable decision to rush out for the goal and some poor kicking.

 

Buterfield - 6.5 Did fine, solid debut and put a few decent crosses in.

 

Harding - 5 I thought he was pretty poor compared to his usual standards, some aimless passes in the second half set our attacks back.

 

Jaidi 6 - Fairly solid, won a few good headers.

 

Fonte 6 - Composed as ever, even put a decent cross in.

 

Puncheon 5 - Not his best game to say the least, lost the ball more and more as the game went on and should have shot when Lallana teed him up.

 

Dickson 5.5 - Some good runs and whipped a few balls in, but got sucked into chipping pointless balls into Barnard, who stood no chance of doing anything with them.

 

Connolly 6 - Not much he could do with little decent service.

 

Barnard 6 - Worked hard but it just didn't come off for him today.

 

 

 

Lallana 7 - Immediate impact with his clever and direct running.

[VectisSaint]

Puncheon was fine, he was just marked non stop by 2 or 3 other players.

Completely out played by Lee Molyneux, he certainly did not look fine, he looked unfit and devoid of ideas.

[mitch01]

Add to that

 

Schniederlin 5.5 - Pretty anonymous in the second half, one particularly bad corner.

 

Hammond 5.5 Tough game for him, a few good tackles but looked pretty unfit, truth be told.

[Smirking_Saint]

Please don't put Dickson at LB, he looked lost there and bombed forward way too much and got caught out. At Left-wing he was much more natural and a real threat going forward. If we can get Lambert on the end of some of his crosses god knows how many we'd score.

 

As for what to do with Lallana, I'd give him a free-role behind Lambert and just go 4-4-1-1. Tbh neither Connolly or Barnard have done enough to get into the team at the expense of Dickson, Lallana, Harding or Puncheon.

 

...Maaaaaybe drop Punch/Dickson, put Lallana on the respective wing and start with Lambert/Barnard up front

 

either way. Dickson looks much better at left-mid than left-back.

 

Nail on head

 

442 just doesn't work for me, we look like breaking teams down so much more effectively when playing 451 or 4411 or whatever you want to call it.

 

Hammond is all puff and no end result and connelly and barnard are both strikers suited to playing off of a big man, thats why they don't work or find each other.

 

Jaidi is looking older, clumsier and doesn't seem to concentrate enough and Davis will never kick a ball properly.

 

That said, i saw enough today to be confident for the season

[Cabrone]

From what I saw in the 2nd half we didn't look like we wanted it enough.

 

Doesn't matter who we have in the team if we are not sharp and alert in every game this will happen many more times over the next 9 months.

 

We really missed Lambert too.

 

If we want to get promotion we'd better develop some real hunger.

[Smirking_Saint]

Davis - 5 Nothing to do but think he was a bit at fault for the goal, he could have looked big and didn't. Kicking was terrible.

 

Buterfield - 7 Thought he looked very good and very solid, won headers, plays the ball well, i would even sit him alongside Fonte when Richardson is fit.

 

Harding - 6 Game of 2 halves, crossing is good and defending was good in first half, worked well with Dickson, then his mind wandered and he didn't get over that mistake.

 

Jaidi 6 - Solid at winning headers but i worry now when the ball goes near him, plus he is just so slow. His mind went walkabouts.

 

Fonte 7 - Class act as always, looks good on the wing 2 !!

 

Puncheon 7 - Don't understand why everyone thought he was bad today ? Worked hard, crossed well, decent shots and passing but with Connelly and Barnard not finding any space he just had no where to pass the ball.

 

Schneiderlin 6 - Started well but faded like everyone else, nice to see him having a go aswell, would rather see him getting involved up the pitch more often.

 

Hammond 6 - Runs around a lot................thats about it, he pops up in the right places but just can't convert chances, if we could get better i would have him on the bench.

 

Dickson 7 - Fantastic game today, constant thorn in the big RB's side, his crossing was fantastic and worked hard, didn't look as good at LB as he did LM.

 

Connolly 5 - Didn't do enough for me, couldn't find the space a player with his experience should be finding.

 

Barnard 5 - Worked hard but had the same problem as Connelly, they got in each others way aswell which figures as they are the same type of player.

[Wade Garrett]

Rubbish. For the goal he was running towards the ball, and could not turn as quickly as the Argyle player who was facing the other way. Clearly you do not appreciate that the goal was the result of bad defending by I think Fonte and Butters (could have been Jaidi). Did nothing else wrong and was very effective first half with Dickson, I think I tend to agree with the Sky pundits who were saying similar. Pardew took him off to make space for Lallana knowing Dickson could drop back. Pity Pardew did not replace Punch with Chamberlain at the same time.

 

I couldn't care less what Sky pundits say. He was crap, and looked lost between the goal going in and getting subbed. The winger got in behind him a little too often, and easily for my liking.

 

I appreciate the goal wasn't just down to Harding, I never said it was.

[hypochondriac]

Didn't rate Puncheon last season and I still don't.

[doddisalegend]

It was six

 

We counted

 

TBH his kicking generally is not good ...only about 1 in 3 gets to one of our players ...but today's kicks into touch were unacceptably poor

 

Surely he had been told to kick to the wide players as RL (his normal target) wasn't in the centre of the pitch .KD rarely kicks out wide to day he did almost every kick. If your kicking to your wide players some are going to go out of touch.

[shurlock]

Davis - 5 Nothing to do but think he was a bit at fault for the goal, he could have looked big and didn't. Kicking was terrible.

 

Buterfield - 7 Thought he looked very good and very solid, won headers, plays the ball well, i would even sit him alongside Fonte when Richardson is fit.

 

Harding - 6 Game of 2 halves, crossing is good and defending was good in first half, worked well with Dickson, then his mind wandered and he didn't get over that mistake.

 

Jaidi 6 - Solid at winning headers but i worry now when the ball goes near him, plus he is just so slow. His mind went walkabouts.

 

Fonte 7 - Class act as always, looks good on the wing 2 !!

 

Puncheon 7 - Don't understand why everyone thought he was bad today ? Worked hard, crossed well, decent shots and passing but with Connelly and Barnard not finding any space he just had no where to pass the ball.

 

Schneiderlin 6 - Started well but faded like everyone else, nice to see him having a go aswell, would rather see him getting involved up the pitch more often.

 

Hammond 6 - Runs around a lot................thats about it, he pops up in the right places but just can't convert chances, if we could get better i would have him on the bench.

 

Dickson 7 - Fantastic game today, constant thorn in the big RB's side, his crossing was fantastic and worked hard, didn't look as good at LB as he did LM.

 

Connolly 5 - Didn't do enough for me, couldn't find the space a player with his experience should be finding.

 

Barnard 5 - Worked hard but had the same problem as Connelly, they got in each others way aswell which figures as they are the same type of player.

 

How I largely saw the game as well.

[doddisalegend]

Dickson was average as wide MF but to be fair its not his position. When Lallana came on and Dickson replaced Harding at FB, he was definitely an improvement on Harding and his attacking FB play was far better than his MF role. Disapointed that the MF didn't play more on the ground, and that the defence gifted so many high balls to the Plymouth defence, that just sent them back.

 

Funny I thougt we looked worse in defence with Dickson at left back. The left was more solid in the first half with Harding at LB, Dickson was excellent at LW if we had had a big man upfront instead of to short arses I think Dickson would have had more impact with his crosses. However I noticed that Harding and Dickson didn't really seem to be working as a unit, Harding made the overlapping run several times in the first half only for Dickson to cut inside and pass across field leaving Harding out of postion.

[hackedoff]

Here we go again. The pre season was a collection of low key mixed up teams with meaningless results that are supposedly designed to have us flying out of the blocks in the first league game. Wrong, the best teams who stay the best teams, initially play a few easy fixtures then play a series of difficult competitive games to get ready. Not us, every year it is the same and surprise surprise here we are again scratching our heads, how did this happen again to the best team in the league.

 

We are short of another good centre back, a box to box leader, pace on the flanks and a big striker to challenge Lambert. After leaving Lambert out last season Pardew stated catagorically that we needed a target man up front to cover Lambert, four months ago FFS, what happened today was incompetence, no Lambert and two little forwards and no pace.

 

This team is the basis and needs strengthening. I bet Cortese and Leibherr are going home impressed by today's result. It won't take many more results like today for the changes to be rung. So if Pardew wants to see Christmas in Southampton, he'd better get on his bike and sort out the weaknesses. It's all very well talking about missing excellent players unless we wait, if he waits too long and the results fail to improve he won't get to wait.

 

Spot on post

[LostBoys]

Some quite good football but no cutting edge and poor finishing. Their goal was a joke

 

We need to play a lot better than this as Plymouth were poor - a lot of effort and organised but that is all

Edited 7 August, 2010 by LostBoys
left comment out

[Thedelldays]

plymouth are not a good team...this is how many teams will play against us

 

72 mins before the first shot from open play was on target

 

pish poor

[LostBoys]

This is all Cortese's fault for not allowing photographers in/charging £3 booking fee/dropping the payment scheme/making staff pay for parking/rescinding Nick Illingsworth's season ticket. We'd have won 4-0 if it wasn't for all of that.

 

Mr Illingsworth seemed to be sat in his normal seat some rows behind me this afternoon

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

Funny I thougt we looked worse in defence with Dickson at left back. The left was more solid in the first half with Harding at LB, Dickson was excellent at LW if we had had a big man upfront instead of to short arses I think Dickson would have had more impact with his crosses. However I noticed that Harding and Dickson didn't really seem to be working as a unit, Harding made the overlapping run several times in the first half only for Dickson to cut inside and pass across field leaving Harding out of postion.

 

It seems to me that Dickson is at a similar level (in terms of ability) to Lee Holmes - but rather more mobile of course . The more senior left sided players we sign the harder it becomes to give Joseph Mills the proper run of games this youngster will need to in order to progress . We are in danger of losing this promising young player simply because we've no room left for him - and that I feel would be a great shame .

[doddisalegend]

Why do I get the feeling that some posters were hovering over their keyboards this afternoon just so they could type "told you so"? Losing to day must have been like mana for heaven for some on here.

Edited 7 August, 2010 by doddisalegend

[radio slave]

from what i saw, it looked like on the knock down for the plymouth goal both butterfield and fonte shoving each other out the way. i think fonte thought it was the plymouth player he was handling which let the plymouth player get the basically free header.

 

we were just unlucky today. the goal just seemed to take the wind out of us for 10 minutes and we couldn't find the rhythm we had in the first half.

[Deppo]

I reckon we would have won had we been wearing Red & White stripes.

 

You are right. I think I'm right in saying that we've never lost in red and white stripes. Can somebody just check the stats, but I'm pretty sure I'm correct?

[corky morris]

I have just seen the goal on the news. Fallon rose above both Jaidhi & Butterfield, Fonte was flat footed for the touch & Harding was simply day dreaming. I also wonder if Davis could have done better. None of this knocking of the side on my behalf is at all pleasurable. We were poor 2nd half - end of! Pardew's interview blames 15 minutes of them improving & us getting worse. We improved when Lallana came on. And the reason I think Puncheon was poo today was because he did not have a clue how to go past Molyneux & his passing was not up to much either. There were a couple of crosses which were good & he should have crossed to the unmarked Barnard when he shot over. I would have taken him off after 60 minutes & let Chamberlain loose.

[Redbul]

I didn't personally boo at the end but plenty around me did. Tbh I didn't have any great expectation of getting a positive result out of this game so wasn't too disappointed. That's not to say I wasn't....however, I still think we'll do this league this season so I am not overly worried about this result from what was always going to be a very tough opener.