Post Brighton 0-0 Reaction

[Noodles34]

You couldn't be more wrong and I would go as far as to say that we were better today than last Saturday.

I'm temtpted to say especially first half, but we were just as good until the final 10 minutes, when the legs went.

We pressed and hounded them out of sight, we played some lovely football and some excellent pieces of individual skill. We played as a unit, with shape and a togetherness that I havent seen for a ling time. We will be just fine playing like that and go up with an automatic place.

Yes, we do need to brush up on our finishing, but please do not underestimate tonights performance, we made top of the league look like school kids. We didnt get the rub of the green, but that's football.

 

Your post, supports the theory that there should be a separate thread for those that went to the match and those that didn't.

I'm sure those that went will be as equally as gutted as i am we dont have all three points, but don't let that detract from an execellent performance.

The team is as one and has a purpose - Fair play NA

 

have to agree with all of that, especially not letting the likes of people who dont even go comment on stuff that they didnt even see.

[Crab Lungs]

LOL at Adkins' reaction on Solent :-o

 

No more Mr Nice Guy, it's as simple as that :-o

[Jimmy_D]

Never seen a team so highly rated play for the draw right from kick off before... We were all over them and should have won, even if they had have scored that penalty. Still not a disaster, and we have a few winnable fixtures now that should see us break into the top two if we can play well through December and then strengthen up front in January.

 

Not sure what's wrong with Lambert this season, but to me it's gone on too long now to just be a simple dip in form. He was better tonight, but still below where he was most games last season.

 

Best thing about tonight is that save by Kelvin, Brighton are on a run of three games without a win now... and us having kept that run going will see them fall back towards us, especially if they get one more bad result and it turns into a run of four, then it'll start affecting their confidence, seeing that teams are actually in striking distance.

[saint_stevo]

First half we gave em a lesson, second half a bit more even. Ankegren in there goal was time wasting from the first whistle to the last. Overplayed it at times and lacked a bit of guile around the Brighton box. Chamberlain marked out the game.

 

Lack of strength in squad having to bring on Butterfield RM.

 

Lambert poor, why Barnard came off instead of him i have no idea.....

[rallyboy]

Markus wanted us to win but to play the game with style - he would have been horrified at the state of Brighton.

 

Time wasting from the kick off, surrounding the ref over little decisions - they epitomised everything from the dark side of the South American/Italian game from the last thirty years.

A nasty side who came for a point.

Nice new ground, pity about their tactics - I thought Poyet had done a good job until I witnessed how he's done it.

How often do you see a player warned about time wasting as he is subbed yet he continues until he gets booked?

And as for the story of two penalties, the linesman gives one and ignores the other.

 

Thankfully like Bournemouth they aren't our local rivals, Bognor must despise them with a vengeance.

[mitch01]

Brighton must have watched the video of us at home to Oldham last season based on their ridiculous timewasting. They came for a draw plain and simple. Put men behind the ball and defended well and clear-cut chances were few and far between for us.

 

First half we completely dominated but again they defended well.

 

Second half Brighton looked a bit stronger and it was our turn to defend well. The ref gave them the penalty he denied us and Kelv made a great save.

 

At the end of the day if they're top we should comfortably be able to break into the top two in the next 28 games, especially when spending money in January (which Adkins again hinted at in his post-match interview)

 

Thought Lallana had a fairly poor game (I guess he was due), he showed he usual spark with a few runs and pieces of skill but his passing, decision making and crossing let him down. Hammond was well up for it but wasteful with shots.

 

Onwards and upwards

 

This.

[doddisalegend]

Interesting that Adkins took Oxo off to bring on Butterfield towards the end. Was that a recognition that he had made a tactical mistake with earlier subs or was it that we needed beefing up at the back to withstand a Brighton onslaught? Could he have brought on Gobern or Doble instead in the hope that one of them could have nicked a goal or were we under siege or something?

 

I think oxo had cramp HTBH he looked like he was struggling in the last 10 we don't really have a like for like replacement for oxo.

[dronskisaint]

Just back. One of the best 0-0 draws you will ever see. Saints by far the better side first half but couldn't score (good defending by B&HA).

Second half they came at us and at times we were rocking a bit.

To those not there 0-0 will sound disappointing but just like Saturday when 4-1 sounded great to those not there then this result is better than it looks.

Brighton are no mugs.

 

Good atmosphere tonight, an old fashioned match with the crowd really up for it.

 

Downers? Chamberlain was shackled, Lambert again not quite there.

Positives? Lallana at times looked awesome.

 

Just back - this was the match I saw.

 

Brighton are not top by accident & they played us really well with some real commitment shown by their defenders throwing themselves in the way of shots that came at the end of some beautiful play from mostly Lallana tonight.

 

It was also one of those nights when we didn't get the drop of the ball...when it broke from tackles or rebounds it more often ended kindly for them...you get nights like that.

 

We played committed & skillful stuff,against a well-disciplined & committed team who had the luck fall their way on the night....there is no need for moans or requests for changes...yes we missed Chaplow perhaps but we played well...simple as that Nigel!

[Gemmel]

why Barnard came off instead of him i have no idea.....

 

If you saw how much work he got through there was no other choice, he was outstanding and didnt stop running from the first whistle to when he went off.

[Smirking_Saint]

First half we gave em a lesson, second half a bit more even. Ankegren in there goal was time wasting from the first whistle to the last. Overplayed it at times and lacked a bit of guile around the Brighton box. Chamberlain marked out the game.

 

Lack of strength in squad having to bring on Butterfield RM.

 

Lambert poor, why Barnard came off instead of him i have no idea.....

 

I have heard he is nursing a groin injury, which is why he keeps coming off early.

[Marino]

Come back Punch.

[corsacar saint]

Brighton were there for the taking,they were very well organised at the back,but very ordinary. We have to get a decent goalscorer in for january. I am afraid for whatever reason,Rickie does not look like scoring,and how he missed the header at the start of the second half,only he knows. As for the referee,how the foul on Lallana was not a penalty,and the inoccuos touch on Murray was,he is the only person who can answer that. Finally how did Ankergren stayed on the pitch for time wasting the entire game?

[doggface]

It's all about opinions people, it's not me vs Duncan! - everyones entitled to their view, no need to get puffed up.

 

Brighton were not a bad side so not a terrible point, but still think we were a bit below par. If we were on song we would have smashed those joeys.

[doddisalegend]

First half we gave em a lesson, second half a bit more even. Ankegren in there goal was time wasting from the first whistle to the last. Overplayed it at times and lacked a bit of guile around the Brighton box. Chamberlain marked out the game.

 

Lack of strength in squad having to bring on Butterfield RM.

 

Lambert poor, why Barnard came off instead of him i have no idea.....

 

he's carrying an injury that needs an op Adkins is trying to manage it by not over playing Barney it would seem.

[scotty]

I have heard he is nursing a groin injury, which is why he keeps coming off early.

 

thank you finbarr

[Saint137]

Best 0-0 draw I've seen for ages. Both sides and sets of fans well up for, cracking atmosphere. Two brilliant saves from Kelvin and I loved the tempo we played at. Would think we'll rest a few on Saturday, they ran themselves into the ground considering the team was mostly unchanged from Saturday. Fitness levels now very good, particularly Barnard who ran himself into the ground.

Only downer for me were the few idiots at the back of the Northam singing **** about their injured player (I assume a broken leg?) but was pleased to see most of the human beings around me applaud him off.

[saint_stevo]

If you saw how much work he got through there was no other choice, he was outstanding and didnt stop running from the first whistle to when he went off.

 

I was there, i saw. He didn't exactly look knackered tho, and Lambo was doing f*ck all......

[.comsaint]

I have heard he is nursing a groin injury, which is why he keeps coming off early.

 

Barnard sounds like he's gonna need an op at the end of the season on that troublesome groin.

[saint_stevo]

Ok Barny carrying a knock......furry muff

[dronskisaint]

You can say "christ sake" as much as you want, and accuse me of negativity, but to borrow a phrase of your own from the play-off season, we havent been in the top two all season and dont look like breaking into it.

 

I suspect the frustration is borne out out the fact that if you had seen the match you would not have made your statement...that is the difference.

[doddisalegend]

I was there, i saw. He didn't exactly look knackered tho, and Lambo was doing f*ck all......

 

Barneys shoulders noticably dropped when he saw his number on the board he looked really dissapointed at least he jogged off the pitch unlike that Brighton monkey who didn't speed up even after getting the yellow card.

[Saints foreva]

Referee was a ****.

[Huffton]

Adkins post match interview says it all:

 

'Do you think it will be us and Brighton fighting it out for top spot at the end Nigel?'

 

NA 'If they can stay with us...'

[Nexstar]

Come back Punch.

 

Really, really don't.

[Liquidshokk]

Referee was a ****.

 

What the hell has gone on with refereeing lately?!?! Seriously shocking. I know the SPL refs are striking cos of grief they get but they deserve every bit of it... The mistakes these "professionals" make really are quite unbelievable...

 

He was a **** indeed...

[Goalie66]

I was at the game and FF was spot on

[Marino]

No, you are right - stay scoring goals for a team in the league above us.

[liebherr driver]

This is to the w@nkers sat at the back of block 36 who thought they were double hard, by intimidating and threatening my son after the game. You have been noted and will be drawn to account next time. Cheers

[latter day saint]

awful referee tonight.how he didn't give us a penalty i will never know.

i thought we out-played them for most of the match but were just without a killer instinct in the final 3rd.

think the roof would have come of if Jaidi had scored after his magnificent run !

[once_bitterne]

Was similar game to the 0-0 draw we had with Reading in our first year in the CCC when they got over 100 points.

[Dark Munster]

0 - 0 ?

 

Who in their right mind would have predicted that?

 

No-one in their right mind predicted it.

[S-Clarke]

Was similar game to the 0-0 draw we had with Reading in our first year in the CCC when they got over 100 points.

 

didn't we lose that one? or it may have been the Sheff. U one i was thinking of.

 

i remember is quashie bursting forward and missing a sitter inside the first few mins.

[PokingFun]

All the platitudes in the world expressed on post-match reaction threads cannot hide the fact that we are wholy incapable of beating the teams around us. We've only beaten Oldham and Bmth of the top 9 or so.

 

Brighton, draw after dominating and unfortunate not to win, Bournemouth won at home, Sheff Wed won away, Huddersfield lost away, Colchester draw at home, Oldham won at home, Carlisle lost away, P'boro won at home convincingly, so top ten we have achieved 4 wins, 2 losses, 2 draws, 14 points from 8 games is a decent return against those around us in my opinion. Tonight we threw a lot at them and they defended very well indeed with numerous last ditch blocks. We will make automatic promotion places before January in my opinion.

[PokingFun]

Well spotted. OK, 3 of 9, with Charlton still to play.

 

3 of 8 as we cannot play ourselves .....

[SuperMikey]

You could tell when Brighton started time-wasting in the first 5 minutes that it was going to be a bit of a long game. They set out for the draw, and that's what they got. Didn't look like they had the quality in their side to launch any kind of meaningful attack though, we had them in our pocket defensively. The penalty wasn't a penalty imo, very soft indeed, and the referee got a lot of decisions wrong, but missed a lot of offences by both teams as well. Hope that's looked into. Not sure whether to be happy we got the point considering they had a penalty saved or whether I should be bemoaning the fact that we didn't put away one of our multitude of chances, but either way a point is a point and that's what we've got.

 

Also, anyone know how Adam El-Abd is? He got stretchered off for Brighton and he didn't look too happy.

[Tractor_Saint]

We were unlucky not to come away with three points even in spite of the ref. We made Brighton look second best for the majority of the match and proved we can easily hold our own against them. Again some shockers from Jaidi but overall a good performance from the lads today - just missing that goal!

 

Can't believe I didn't bother taking a sneaky video of the penalty, looking back I was too gobsmacked to think about that! Did manage to get a video of the Lallana incident but not a great one, still think it was a penalty though.

 

Crowd was great and good banter. Sorry to anyone around me though tonight

[saintscottofthenortham]

You couldn't be more wrong and I would go as far as to say that we were better today than last Saturday.

I'm temtpted to say especially first half, but we were just as good until the final 10 minutes, when the legs went.

We pressed and hounded them out of sight, we played some lovely football and some excellent pieces of individual skill. We played as a unit, with shape and a togetherness that I havent seen for a ling time. We will be just fine playing like that and go up with an automatic place.

Yes, we do need to brush up on our finishing, but please do not underestimate tonights performance, we made top of the league look like school kids. We didnt get the rub of the green, but that's football.

 

Your post, supports the theory that there should be a separate thread for those that went to the match and those that didn't.

I'm sure those that went will be as equally as gutted as i am we dont have all three points, but don't let that detract from an execellent performance.

The team is as one and has a purpose - Fair play NA

 

This. 100%.

 

It was a funny game, and can't for the life of me work out wether I am happy with the point or dissapointed. But the disappointment would purely be down to just how poor Brighton were and that the game I have been looking forward to for weeks, was ruined by blatant time wasting (from the 3rd minute), persistent nighly fouls every time we got momentum and yet another horrific referee.

 

A blatant penalty for us, an obvious penalty for them. It would however have been one of the biggest acts of injustice if they ha won that game. Saddened by the performance of the league leaders and a bad advert for football. Could not believe how all the Brighton players came over to the rapturous fans to celebrate and emphatic 0-0 battering.

 

Continue playing like that? We will be in auto's come May.

 

Also... Glad that Ryan Dickson is finally getting his chance to show everyone how distinctly average Dan Harding is.

[Wes Tender]

Brighton are the division's pretenders to the throne. They can't be the real thing, the team with the right to be there because they are the best, or else they would have come here to beat us, instead of playing for the draw. If they were a really good team, one would have respect for them instead of contempt. How can one respect a team which cynically wastes time to run the clock down, a team of divers and foulers instead of one of skillful players? We were the team with bragging rights from the game, the more skillful and cultured footballers. We will beat them at Brighton, because they will have to play to win, as we will and when the game opens up, we will show them that we are better than them.

 

The referee did everything in his power to try and give them the game, including awarding a penalty that wasn't, ignoring blatant fouls and dives and handballs by their players and allowing their goallie to take ages to take the kicks.

 

But the important thing was that if we didn't win, we also didn't lose either. I believe that because of the negative way that Brighton set about the game, we will be the team with the psychological advantage.

 

Things that stood out for me? Of course the incredible penalty save by Davis that kept us a clean sheet, also anotherr game unbeaten at St Mary's even against the supposed best team in the division. The amazing run by Jaidi, who would have scored one of the goals of the season had his finishing been as good as everything he did beforehand. Fonte and Jaidi solid again. The midfield combative, fighting for everything, although I would still have had Chaplow in there if not injured. I suspect that his direct running into the box would have produced something. A very good free-kick by Lambert that hit the foot of the post.

 

We had the upper hand most of the game but couldn't find the goal scoring touch or the killer ball in the final third. Towards the end, we were weak down our left flank and they exploited it. Harding would have done a better job in protecting that flank IMO.

[PokingFun]

I thought we were poor tonight & if anyone deserved the win it was Brighton IMO.

Jaidi was a liability 2nd half and I struggle to think of another saints player who performed at their best tonight other than kelv who did well.

 

Capable of much better, chaplow a big miss tonight.

 

Point not a disaster but definately an anti climax - disappointing.

 

Sorry but were you asleep when we battered them in the first half? Second half other than the very debateable penalty was fairly even. Not a scintillating performance but decent against a very well drilled side.

[St Chalet]

The first game I have managed to make this year. Have to say I concur with a lot of posters, a cracking 0-0 that we fully deserved to win. Having not seen us this year a few of my observations may be how the team have moved on.

 

Davis seems to come for corners, an claim more than previous - his distribution is now quicker and ever no slightly better psoitioning. He made a great save for the penalty.

 

Richardson, solid with good delivery

 

Dickson looks a fair attacking threat, if not as solid as Harding.

 

Fonte is superb, clever player who just seems to have that extra yard. Lots of little niggly fouls to wind up his opponent I noticed

 

Jaidi, one amazing run, solid in the centre although has urning circle and speed of an oil tanker

 

Chambo, marked out of the game. Comparisons to Walcott are unfair, he can cross.

 

Hammond, thought he had a good game - wish he could shoot, would get a hatful

 

Spiderman, a few amazing passes, a lot of sideways passes and petulant. Jury out

 

Lallana, Class class act. Sold a dummy tonight that was bought by 25k people, on another day would hae had 4. Stonewall pen.

 

Lambert, Classic target man play, lacking confidence, will come good.

 

Barnard, Bright lively and was our main threat first half, faded second.

 

We are passing more this year, pressing teams high and holding our own line when defending much better.

 

Overall an electric atmosphere, abysmal ref and now tucked up warm in the knowledge that we should go up this year based on that performance.

[doddisalegend]

This. 100%.

 

It was a funny game, and can't for the life of me work out wether I am happy with the point or dissapointed. But the disappointment would purely be down to just how poor Brighton were and that the game I have been looking forward to for weeks, was ruined by blatant time wasting (from the 3rd minute), persistent nighly fouls every time we got momentum and yet another horrific referee.

 

A blatant penalty for us, an obvious penalty for them. It would however have been one of the biggest acts of injustice if they ha won that game. Saddened by the performance of the league leaders and a bad advert for football. Could not believe how all the Brighton players came over to the rapturous fans to celebrate and emphatic 0-0 battering.

 

Continue playing like that? We will be in auto's come May.

 

Also... Glad that Ryan Dickson is finally getting his chance to show everyone how distinctly average Dan Harding is.

 

oh you where doing so well agreed with everything you said until that apart from a couple of crosses Dickson looked decidely average. One bad game against Carlisle prehaps but Harding is still the best LB at the club by some distance.

[Gordon Mockles]

What is that Hammond obsession? He was awful bar one decent challenge. Static second half. Not even running for the ball. Morgan no better. Much rather Chaplow. Missed him a lot. Fonte saved us on multiple occasions. Shame the ref couldn't!

[Leicestersaint]

It's a shame we can't take more of our chances but at least we got a point.

[ericb]

that was one of the best 0-0 i've seen in years, i thought brighton were an incredibly well organised side with amazing grit and determination. Yes there was gamesmanship, but then us knocking seven shades of **** out of them first half probably encouraged that.

 

On the plus side that's the best TEAM performance i've seen from us this season and the players worked their arses off tonight and were unlucky not to score. To the person saying Lallana had a bad game, i'm amazed. I thought he was superb working tirelessly and pulling off some great runs (even with two or three around him at times).

 

Oh and just to swallow my pride Jaidi proved me totally wrong and put in a massively commanding performance and was close to my man of the match.

 

If we can perform like that against the better teams and still keep winning against the lower ones we'll be fine. Today we combined fight with football and just needed a bit of luck and the goals would've come too.

 

Quick note on the fans, i thought the Northam was close to it's best today. The noise was impressive from beginning to end and it clearly showed through the players performance too.

[PokingFun]

Yikes...! Which one was it fellas, or were you at different games....!

 

I'm with FF on this one, they are the best side I have seen at SMS this season and felt we defended well and created big problems for them. Very unlucky not to be ahead at half time. I'm sometimes not sure what our fans expect! Do we really believe an average of 2 points per game against the likes of P'boro and Brighton is poor? Yes, six would be lovely but lets get real. Brighton came to get a point and set up their stall as such which is a huge compliment to how good they think we are and how big a threat they think we are! They are correct to think that.

[south]

I wasn't at the game, but to fair to Brighton you don't sit on top of the league at this stage by being lucky. It would also be unwise to base their ability to stay there on one performance. Nasty game to come into after their few mediocre results, so I'd imagine they are thinking job done ?

[DS]

Listened on BBC Sussex, sounded like a good game, Brighton 'taters were very complimentary about atmosphere (which sounded great on the Radio) and reckoned we'll be right up there at the end of the season based on the performance. Brighton didn't sound ought special and their fans & 'taters seemed happy with a point. Sounded like we were unlucky not to win based on the performance.

Also sounded like we we should have had a pen in the first half. The Brighton commentators were surprised theirs got given while we had a shout turned down for a similar thing.

Overall, shame we didn't win cos I can't lord it over all the seagulls fans at work, but also glad we didn't lose so I don't have to get a load of stick.

[PokingFun]

Interesting that Adkins took Oxo off to bring on Butterfield towards the end. Was that a recognition that he had made a tactical mistake with earlier subs or was it that we needed beefing up at the back to withstand a Brighton onslaught? Could he have brought on Gobern or Doble instead in the hope that one of them could have nicked a goal or were we under siege or something?

 

No, I think Oxo was struggling with a bit of cramp or similar in his calf muscles as he was stretching them out at a corner not long before the change was made.

[saintscottofthenortham]

oh you where doing so well agreed with everything you said until that apart from a couple of crosses Dickson looked decidely average. One bad game against Carlisle prehaps but Harding is still the best LB at the club by some distance.

 

He defended brilliantly tonight. I am sick to my back teeth of watching Harding time and time again get turned inside out by attackers. Yes, going forward Harding developed a good working relationship with Lallana, which is why I think people cream themselves over him. But IMO, he is one totally average League One defender. Dickson is still very new to the first team, so we are far from seeing the best of him, but I firmly believe that Harding will be having to work extremely hard to get anywhere near the first team in the future.

[Saint Fan CaM]

have to agree with all of that, especially not letting the likes of people who dont even go comment on stuff that they didnt even see.

 

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