Saints v Mk Dons,post match dissection...

[ericofarabia]

My eyes welled up too after the third and my palms were killing me after clapping furiously. Sounds like you would have been a mess if you were there lol

 

Is this a euphemism for bashing the bishop?

 

Hope you had plenty of tissues ready for the tears and the loving spoonful as well.

[Liquidshokk]

Is this a euphemism for bashing the bishop?

 

Hope you had plenty of tissues ready for the tears and the loving spoonful as well.

 

I thought that as I typed it it was worthy of cracking one off when the third went in!

[Liquidshokk]

I deliberately found something else to do this afternoon (I did the winter tyre exchange on my cars) because I woke up today with a deep sense of foreboding about this one.

 

Thank f**k we had the strength and luck to dig ourselves out the mess we go into.

 

Why cant we start games from the first whistle, FFS ?

 

We did. We were all over them from the off but couldn't put it away

[NickG]

Enjoyed that

[ericofarabia]

I deliberately found something else to do this afternoon (I did the winter tyre exchange on my cars) because I woke up today with a deep sense of foreboding about this one.

 

Thank f**k we had the strength and luck to dig ourselves out the mess we go into.

 

Why cant we start games from the first whistle, FFS ?

 

Thanks for staying away - they managed to win without having one of your posts to spur them on - hoodoo shot down - you can come back and play again now and suffer like the rest of us

[Cascadia Saint]

I deliberately found something else to do this afternoon (I did the winter tyre exchange on my cars) because I woke up today with a deep sense of foreboding about this one.

 

Thank f**k we had the strength and luck to dig ourselves out the mess we go into.

 

Why cant we start games from the first whistle, FFS ?

 

We're in league one. This is football. Why must we be this absolutely perfect team you keep fantasising over?

 

Why not subscribe to saintsplayer and actually listen to the match? You come across as some sad old hermit who only has the slightest link to what is actually going on.

[hypochondriac]

We're in league one. This is football. Why must we be this absolutely perfect team you keep fantasising over?

 

Why not subscribe to saintsplayer and actually listen to the match? You come across as some sad old hermit who only has the slightest link to what is actually going on.

 

TBF it would be nice to have a confortable victory AND a cracking performance just once in a while. Games like today will do for now though

[SNSUN]

Smashing result. I will henceforth be doing all my ironing during Saints games as I started it after the second Dons goal. Had 4-2 on the prediction league too, not ten points but still...

 

 

Comebacks are always sweet but I'm wearing out the edge of my seats. More leads please Saints!

 

Huddersfield must be worried... surely?

[NickG]

We're in league one. This is football. Why must we be this absolutely perfect team you keep fantasising over?

 

Why not subscribe to saintsplayer and actually listen to the match? You come across as some sad old hermit who only has the slightest link to what is actually going on.

 

Lol

[Cascadia Saint]

TBF it would be nice to have a confortable victory AND a cracking performance just once in a while. Games like today will do for now though

 

 

I know, same here but that's life.

 

You play your to your gameplan and the other team sneaks a goal. You carry on and it happens again. 2 shots, 2 goals. Annoying but... You keep calm, stick to the gameplan and the class shows. We score 3, and could have had another 1 or 2.

 

It sounded like a professional performance full of character and patience to me.

Edited 2 April, 2011 by Cascadia Saint
quote

[ericofarabia]

Smashing result. I will henceforth be doing all my ironing during Saints games as I started it after the second Dons goal. Had 4-2 on the prediction league too, not ten points but still...

 

 

QUOTE]

 

Cripes feel sorry for anybody sat near you at SMS !!

[Ohio Saint]

As much as it was a fantastic ending, it sounds to me like MK handed it to us with their substitutions. We lose against attacking teams, not a bunch of defenders. I'll still take the win though!

 

By the way, I scratched my arse just before our third goal, so I'm claiming responsibility for it as a lucky butt scratch.

[Saint Charlie]

Lallana - pure class with the desire to match.

 

Barnard - Great run into the corner at the end, he puts a top shift in.

 

Stephens looked a class player, got on the ball and passes it on. Simple but exactly what we needed - a calm head in amongst the emotion.

 

Forte - right place at the right time

 

Adkins - right subs at the right time

 

Crowd - superb in 2nd half

[Ohio Saint]

Lallana - pure class with the desire to match.

 

Barnard - Great run into the corner at the end, he puts a top shift in.

 

Stephens looked a class player, got on the ball and passes it on. Simple but exactly what we needed - a calm head in amongst the emotion.

 

Forte - right place at the right time

 

Adkins - right subs at the right time

 

Crowd - superb in 2nd half

 

I give it to the crowd, personally. They were fantastic.

[St Marco]

Well just back and delighted with the win!

However i think we can count ourselves very very lucky.

The first half was up there with the worst i have seen us play. We hit way too many long balls and crosses that were aimed at nobody. Sloppy passing and mistakes.

Second half i don't think we started any different to how we were playing in the first half. The difference was when we made the subs. Forte was in the right place at the right times and credit to him. But he had a lot of luck with how the balls came to him. They were not passed to him or he did not take anybody on. They were deflected or scrambled out into his path. The second one was just a tap in from a deflection. But he took them and that is what matters so fair play to him. Barnards goal was a really good shot and i can't wait to see a replay of that. But up until that point i think Barnard did very little. Same could be said for Lambert.

 

My man of the match was by far Lallana. He tried so hard to make something happen and was the inspiration for the come back. He did some great runs with the ball and some nice twists and turns. Didn't stop running until the final whistle! Other notible performance in my opinion was Jaidi. He was a rock at the back and won most things that went his way.

 

Overall i think we were better then them and deserved to win. But most games if you play like that and go 0-2 down you won't come back from it. We are not playing as'well as we have been but we are grinding out results and getting some luck. Hopefully we can learn from this result and realise punting the ball upfield is not the way to play football. We are better when we are passing, moving and running at defenders.

 

Another mention has to go to young Dale who i thought did very well in the time he was on.

[saints-cris]

Wow. Just wow. So, so happy.

 

What great character to turn that around, partly helped by some pretty inept managing by Robinson.. clearly went too defensive too early but boy did we make them pay for that. Adkins subs were spot on, well done.

 

Crowd sounded great and were behind us even when we went 0-2 down.

 

We probably just ****ed off all the sides around us and i love that. Wins like these can have such a huge impact on our confidence and so on.

 

Ahh, i love you southampton, but maybe lets make it easy for ourselves once in a while!

[PhilippineSaint]

I'm off to A & E

 

Dubai Phil and EoA have probably beaten you too it and are now drinking themselves into a stupor after our comeback

[SNSUN]

Smashing result. I will henceforth be doing all my ironing during Saints games as I started it after the second Dons goal. Had 4-2 on the prediction league too, not ten points but still...

 

 

QUOTE]

 

Cripes feel sorry for anybody sat near you at SMS !!

 

Oops, during Saints games I can't make of course!

[Weston Saint]

We started brightly but no end product. Then after about 10 minutes MK Dons came back into the game but were not a threat. We made too may poor passes. Chaplow and Lallana were the worse culprits. We did not move about enough up front and lacked pace. Hardings final ball into the box was very very poor. Then they scored from a corner, their first one and their first real attack. Clearly we were unable to play the diamond formation the side was set up for.

 

Second half, more of the same. Then MK Dons broke with pace. Davis beaten on his right hand near post yet again. Does he not know where it is!! Changes then made by both sides, a bit late in our case I thought at the time. On comes Forte and bang bang we are level. Barnard, who I thought was not having the best of games, controlled a wonderful pass from Lallana and finished with a very good strike.

 

Although it was always edge of the seat from then on we really never looked like letting the lead go.

 

Great win, keeps up the momentum and the pressure on other sides about us.

 

Men of the match for me was Fonte and Butterfield. Both looked assured and cool in defence. Jiadi his usual air dominance. Lallana had a quiet first half but a very influential second. Well done Forte. Changed the game with two goals close in. Shows what we can do if we get players in the box and deliver the ball.

 

MK Dons looked tidy and worked hard. Can see why they are in with a chance of the playoffs.

 

Ref was poor. When he was pushed by one of the MK Dons players late on he bottled it and only gave a yellow. Surely it was a red. It was a two handed lunge and push in the chest.

[Ohio Saint]

I'm sleeping with Forte tonight. Anyone have any messages they want me to pass on?

[Fan The Flames]

Well done Forte, it's so much better going out after a good win.

[ribbo]

im buzzin, what a game!!

[ericofarabia]

I'm sleeping with Forte tonight. Anyone have any messages they want me to pass on?

 

Ask him to ask you if you've washed you fingers since the lucky bum scratch!

[johnnyboy]

RadhijaidiOff Radhi Jaidi

Outstanding reaction after 2 null down... Really proud to be part of this team. Thanks for the fans , from the mans' twitter account

[iansums]

Just back, great game, great atmosphere. I thought we played excellent for the first 20 minutes without creating too many chances. For much of the game MKD never threatened us but for the two goals. Last 30 minutes we were excellent.

 

Noticed a few arguments between Lambert and Guly in the first half, you sensed that after this they were deliberately not passing to each other. Guly went straight down the tunnel after being substituted.

[Toadhall Saint]

Feck me i'm without a word!

[Give it to Ron]

Any idea how Stephens played?

 

Looks a good player - I dont think he gave the ball away once. He passed it nice and simple and we kept posession.

What I liked was he was in there organising things as well.

Good player based on the little we saw of him today.

[saintscottofthenortham]

for those wrist slitters... we didn't at all deserve to be 0-2 down! We were doing very well but got undone by typical MK Franchise play. They knew our weakness and exploited it twice. We on the other hand were too much for them and once we had the first goal there was only going to be one winner.

 

Fantastic show of character and I firmly believe we will be looking back on this result in the months ahead. Delighted. Absolutely f*****g Delighted.

[ericofarabia]

As much as it was a fantastic ending, it sounds to me like MK handed it to us with their substitutions. We lose against attacking teams, not a bunch of defenders. I'll still take the win though!

 

By the way, I scratched my arse just before our third goal, so I'm claiming responsibility for it as a lucky butt scratch.

 

Lucky dumps, lucky fags, lucky bum hole scratching - BUTT OUT with trying to take credit - it was a goal for each of my beer / tea plans / weather report items in my match winning post

[saintscottofthenortham]

Just back, great game, great atmosphere. I thought we played excellent for the first 20 minutes without creating too many chances. For much of the game MKD never threatened us but for the two goals. Last 30 minutes we were excellent.

 

Noticed a few arguments between Lambert and Guly in the first half, you sensed that after this they were deliberately not passing to each other. Guly went straight down the tunnel after being substituted.

 

Lambert lost his cool because Guly is sh*t and selfish.

[simo]

****ing hell! When I checked to score in the shop we were 2 nil down got back to the car and it was 2-2 and just switched the radio on to catch our third and must I'd frightened half of castle point to death screaming lol ! Anyone else feeling sick for the last 5 mins ? It felt like 20 !

[ericofarabia]

RadhijaidiOff Radhi Jaidi

Outstanding reaction after 2 null down... Really proud to be part of this team. Thanks for the fans , from the mans' twitter account

 

He must be devasted at the dirty sh!t though !!

[Thedelldays]

Lambert lost his cool because Guly is sh*t and selfish.

 

I dont rate guly much from what I have seen of him...again, sounded on the radio that he was wasteful more than most...would be interesting to see what those at the game say..

[um pahars]

Fantastic comeback, anyone know when we last came back from 2-0 down to win???? A number of players should be really proud fo the way they never gave up with Lallana in particularly refusing to give in.

 

As for the match itself and our performance, well once again it was a mixed bag for me.

 

We started well and were in control of possession but the line-up never really looked balanced. Centre of the park looked over crowded with Guly getting in the way. Lallana was busy as usual and Harding was trying valiantly to give us some width on the left. Seemed to be a little bit over complicated at times with Guly in particular being guilty of overplaying. Hammond and Chaplow struggled a bit, but MK Dons never really looked too threatening.

 

Then their Malcom Waldron look alike scored a bullet header from a corner (couldn't see who should have been marking him). Seemed to knock the stuffing out of us and we needed to regroup at half time. MK Dons didn't look a bad side and we needed something different if we were to get back in to the game.

 

Second half started similar to the first in that we seemed to control the game without creating much, but then a number of errors gifted them a second. Harding seemed to nod the ball down too easy to their player who passed it on to Baldock. Butterfield didn't close Baldock down and let him get in a decent shot, but Davis was again beaten at the near post. Beingt honest I would have settled for a point at this point!!!!

 

Then we managed to pull a goal back and all of a sudden the belief was there and more importantly MK Dons seemed to panic. Saints sensed they had a chance and before you knew it we were level. Now we were going to get all three points!!!!!!!!!

 

Not really sure what changed the game and being honest I'm not sure it was the introduction of either Stephens or Forte (if anything it was the negative tactics by MK Dons which invited us on to them). Of course Forte got the two goals, but he didn't do much else (in fact I don't think he did anything - not complaining mind, those two shots were enough for me) and the Stephens seemed to be off the pace at times and the game was passing him by. I certainly think Lallana and Barnard never gave up and a couple of times lallana was running his legs off. The crowd got behind the players and as a unit they seemed to respond. Even if we're not playing well we definitely seem to have a good spirit in the team which bodes well for the run in.

 

When they hit the bar from the free kick in the last few minutes, I thought that this might be a defining match!!!!!

[Toadhall Saint]

We started brightly but no end product. Then after about 10 minutes MK Dons came back into the game but were not a threat. We made too may poor passes. Chaplow and Lallana were the worse culprits. We did not move about enough up front and lacked pace. Hardings final ball into the box was very very poor. Then they scored from a corner, their first one and their first real attack. Clearly we were unable to play the diamond formation the side was set up for.

 

Second half, more of the same. Then MK Dons broke with pace. Davis beaten on his right hand near post yet again. Does he not know where it is!! Changes then made by both sides, a bit late in our case I thought at the time. On comes Forte and bang bang we are level. Barnard, who I thought was not having the best of games, controlled a wonderful pass from Lallana and finished with a very good strike.

 

Although it was always edge of the seat from then on we really never looked like letting the lead go.

 

Great win, keeps up the momentum and the pressure on other sides about us.

 

Men of the match for me was Fonte and Butterfield. Both looked assured and cool in defence. Jiadi his usual air dominance. Lallana had a quiet first half but a very influential second. Well done Forte. Changed the game with two goals close in. Shows what we can do if we get players in the box and deliver the ball.

 

MK Dons looked tidy and worked hard. Can see why they are in with a chance of the playoffs.

 

Ref was poor. When he was pushed by one of the MK Dons players late on he bottled it and only gave a yellow. Surely it was a red. It was a two handed lunge and push in the chest.

 

So **** first half (but shouldn't have been) followed by an inspirational Adkins change and three points. Thanks NA.

[ericofarabia]

****ing hell! When I checked to score in the shop we were 2 nil down got back to the car and it was 2-2 and just switched the radio on to catch our third and must I'd frightened half of castle point to death screaming lol ! Anyone else feeling sick for the last 5 mins ? It felt like 20 !

 

When the free kick at the start of 5 mins FFS injury time hit the crossbar my ballbag retreated so far I was wearing them as ear rings!!

[saints-cris]

http://twitter.com/Ryandickson5

love it

[saintscottofthenortham]

I dont rate guly much from what I have seen of him...again, sounded on the radio that he was wasteful more than most...would be interesting to see what those at the game say..

 

I was there and he was actually not as sh*t as he usually is, but was still sh*t none the less. HTH.

[S-Clarke]

Epic result.

 

For the first 10 minutes we were ok – but for some reason we then decided to become sloppy for the rest of the 45 and it was awful to watch. Franchise weren't much better but they got their break from a poorly defended corner and went in 1-0, but we could have no complaints because we offered very little.

 

2nd half started off as bad to be honest, little zip, sloppy passing and not enough penetration in the final third. The 2nd goal came from a sloppy bit of play in midfield and Baldock just ran into the box and hit it - It took a deflection but Davis will be disappointed from being beaten at his near post.

 

After that we needed to change it as it was only going one way - and to credit Adkins he did. We've had managers in the past who are scared to make changes but he made the right changes at the right times. Forte came on and pushed their backline up straight away, it gave them something else to worry about and all of a sudden we had a different outlet - we lacked pace all afternoon up until this point.

 

His goals were simple - right place, right time, but he finished them and brought us back into a game that we had all but lost. For the next 20 minutes there was only one team in it, we battered them, kept the ball better, used Lambert better and got it wide - Forte in particular was pulling out to the right and giving them real problems. It was only a matter of time before we got the third and Barnard made no mistake - a fantastic hit and the atmosphere was electric, not many people could believe that we'd come back to be leading after being so sloppy for 55mins!

 

The final 15mins were a bit shaky but it's times like that when you just need to dig in, get a bit of luck and shut up shop. We got that luck because they could have easily got it back to 3-3, they had a snap shot that went an inch past the post and a fantastic free kick which rattled the cross bar. I think everyone was on the edge of their seats until Barnard got hold of the ball and ran, and ran…and ran …and won us a free kick that pretty much killed the game off.

 

These sorts of results define a season and define a team. We've got bottle, believe and a drive to win promotion - that was evident in the final 30mins and if we continue with that attitude we will be 2nd comfortably.

 

Ratings....

 

Davis - 6 - Probably should have done better with their 2nd, but it did take a deflection

 

Butters - 8 – Excellent - was always there to mop up at the back.

 

Fonte - 8 - The final 15mins were immense from him and he's just too good for this level.

 

Jaidi - 7 - Didn't do too much wrong, got caught once or twice but recovered well. Won some fantastic headers at crucial times

 

Harding 7 - Bit sloppy in defence, got forward well but poor delivery at times.

 

Gully 6 - Thought he was poor to be honest. Poor decision making, poor touch and generally not very good for the time he was on. We improved after he went off.

 

Chaplow 6 - Again, poor. Getting a bit fed up with his showings recently, I’m a fan of his but I reckon he's lost his place now.

 

Hammond 7 - Poor first half but came to the fore in the 2nd half, he got stuck in and drove us forward.

 

Lallana – 9 MOTM – Immense in the 2nd half. This guy makes us tick. There is no one better in this division, it's not just his undoubted quality but it's his energy and his passion to do well and win the game. He drove us forward in those final 15mins.

 

Barnard 8 - Great goal. Holds the ball up so well and brings others into play. The run at the end of the game took the pressure off us and summed him up as a player, a little workhorse.

 

Lambert - 7 - Not one of his better afternoons, but he did get more of the game in the 2nd half and started to get a bit more luck in the air.

 

Subs -

 

Stephens - 7 - Looked very assured to me, tidy in possession and a good positional sense. Looks like he has the energy to get box to box and he has to replace Chaplow for the next game.

 

Richardson 7 - Steady. Came on and did a job at the end, nothing spectacular but that's not what we needed.

 

Forte - 8 - Changed the game. Gave Franchise something else to think about and turned the game on its' head. Great impact.

Edited 2 April, 2011 by S-Clarke

[Nexstar]

The Good:

 

We started brightly

The subs (well done again Nigel)

Stephens and Forte

Going mental when we scored

The crowd second half

3 beautiful points

We ARE going up

 

 

The bad:

 

Not capitalising on our bright start

Kelvin conceding at his near post, again

Chaplow - Poor passes and touch

Hammond - Looked lazy as hell for some reason

Guly - Terrible decision making

Betting on 3-1

[derry]

Lambert was awful for most of the game, no movement, never got above a trot, He is part of the problem why we were so poor after the first fifteen minutes, Harding's passing and crossing was poor. Fonte, Jaidi and Butterfield defended well. We had no right side for the first hour. Stephens came on but was pretty anonymous with just a few little triangle passes, Hammond gave his all and had one of his better games.Chaplow was again a disappointment. Lallana was a livewire. Guly was trying to get things moving but with Lambert static and Barnard ploughing a lone furrow it was difficult.

 

We have been pretty poor but just doing enough to snatch a result for quite a time now. Most of this team are just not good enough to step up and be a top side in the championship. The results are in the main better than the performances. We don't seem to blend as a team and lack thrust and pace up front.

Edited 2 April, 2011 by derry

[St Marco]

I sat in a different place today (swap with mates now and then) so thought i'd record what the atmosphere was like. This was just after our 3rd goal. Thought the crowd was pretty good

[lethallee]

Firstly great win and great atomsphere. In regards to the game itself we were pretty poor until Forte came on. First half was similar to sheff wed game with everything too central and over complicating passes. Relied on Harding to give us width but his crosses were not great. Once we got first goal back we were a different team with Lallana much more effective. Hammond had another good game and made up for another poor Chaplow performance. Hammond Lallana and Barnard worked so hard today you can see how much it meant to them.

 

A few notes for NA:

 

We have a good team with some exceptional players so no need to over complicate tactics especially in this league.

Guly and Chaplow should not be in starting 11 based on current performances.

[Bailey]

Opening 20 minutes, we passed the ball about very well, looked lively, yet didn't really test their keeper.

 

Hit with a sucker punch from a corner, Dons' first attempt on goal too.

 

Started the second half very poorly also, with Baldock capitalising on a wayward pass from Harding and some inept keeping from Davis.

 

But my god, from then on we showed we've got the fight and the character about us to win promotion.

 

Forte came on, fantastic 'impact player', great sub from Adkins.

 

Barnard took his goal very well, and what a shift this lad puts in. Top, top marks.

 

Likewise Lallana, an absolute gem of a talent, so fortunate to have him in our team.

 

All in all, an entertaining game of football, full of incident, drama and goals.

 

Nice to be on the right end of a comeback for once.

 

Together as one, we move on to Charlton on Tuesday!

[ericofarabia]

Oh and by the way Karl Robinson - stick that where the sun don't shine you prat!!

 

600 away fans - please don't let Franchise get to the final of the play offs - christ can you imagine Bomo V MKD at OT - crowd 25000.!!!

[LeBenali]

Told my dad at half time that the two things we needed to do second half were bring on Forte, and to get Harding to start drilling his crosses instead of floating them in. And how did we score the 2nd goal? I'm waiting for Nigels call to come and sit with him in the dugout for Tuesdays game

[lethallee]

The Good:

 

We started brightly

The subs (well done again Nigel)

Stephens and Forte

Going mental when we scored

The crowd second half

3 beautiful points

We ARE going up

 

 

The bad:

 

Not capitalising on our bright start

Kelvin conceding at his near post, again

Chaplow - Poor passes and touch

Hammond - Looked lazy as hell for some reasonGuly - Terrible decision making

Betting on 3-1

 

To be fair to Hammond he was having to hold the midfield together whilst Guly and Chaplow were on pitch. He looked knackered at the end !

[LGTL]

What an afternoon that was! Incredible. We started very brightly, went behind to pretty much their only attack of the 1st half. Everybody going mental at Guly but I actually thought he was half decent 1st half. The 2nd half from 60 onwards was too good for words. Roll on Tuesday.

[S-Clarke]

Lambert was awful for most of the game, no movement, never got above a trot, He is part of the problem why we were so poor after the first fifteen minutes, Harding's passing and crossing was poor. Fonte, Jaidi and Butterfield defended well. We had no right side for the first hour. Stephens came on but was pretty anonymous with just a few little triangle passes, Hammond gave his all and had one of his better games.Chaplow was again a disappointment. Lallana was a livewire. Guly was trying to get things moving but with Lambert static and Barnard ploughing a lone furrow it was difficult.

 

We have been pretty poor but just doing enough to snatch a result for quite a time now. Most of this team are just not good enough to step up and be a top side in the championship. The results are in the main better than the performances. We don't seem to blend as a team and lack thrust and pace up front.

 

At this stage of the season it's pointless reading into performances. It's all about results, winning however you play is the way at this stage of the season.

[LGTL]

I also had MK 1st half Saints 2nd half, very nice..