Roger Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 If Leeds are one of the better teams then the championship is going to be a lot easier than I expected ...I saw league one sides play better football than that last season. No was obvious that there was a gap in class from last season. They were a good team we played v well today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintBobby Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 Connolly 7?The guy was awesome. Im rickies biggest fan but connolly was better today. repeat to fade... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint_clark Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 I think you could look at every player in the starting 11 and say they had a good game. What a fantastic start to the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitey Grandad Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 Will the TV coverage be repeated? I'd like to see if that really was a penalty although the linesman seemed in no doubt. From Kingsland/Northam corner, it looked like a straight chest down. Can someone who had it recorded pleae give an honest opinion? On BBC1 very late tonight. I would expect extended highlights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doddisalegend Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 (edited) Got chatting to some leeds fans on the train home, they were a bit beered up, but they were all really impressed with how saints played said the way we passed it around was really good. Couldn't disagree with them we looked class. Only area I thought we looked shaky was the defence passing it around in front of the goal which almost cost us when Martin get caught in possession. I think Martin looked good at times but you can tell he is still young and needs more match experince - maybe a short loan might be in order. Deffo one for the future. Everyone else looked good. oh and F uck me De ridder is fast. Great start to the season SMS is becoming a real fortress now. Edited 6 August, 2011 by doddisalegend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doddisalegend Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 No was obvious that there was a gap in class from last season. They were a good team we played v well today. Not according to the Leeds fans I spoke to on the train home ........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint_clark Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 They were far better than the majority of what we played last season - but they were still sh*t compared to us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 Not according to the Leeds fans I spoke to on the train home ........... They will look at it from their point of view but they were much better than any team from last season. The standard of football was good I thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shurlock Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 Deano and Cork were excellent today as was AL. A bit more pace at the back and up front would be nice (we had some great opportunities to break first half but didn't exploit them). Contrary to some of the posts here, thought the Leeds defenders dealt with Rickie more than comfortably. Disagree that he won many headers though he wasn't given much protection from the ref. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadaSaint Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 I think Martin looked good at times but you can tell his is still young and needs more match experince - maybe a short loan might be in order. Deffo one for the future. My only frustration in a great day, apart from the weak penalty call at the end, was the feeling that last year, not this year, was the time to give Martin some experience. The fact that NA opted to start him today was IMO clear evidence that he was fully expecting to sign either Jemal or Gorkss before today's game. I still think Martin will come good but this is not a league where we can afford to play him for experience. Perhaps you're right that a loan period would be best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 Deano and Cork were excellent today as was AL. A bit more pace at the back and up front would be nice (we had some great opportunities to break first half but didn't exploit them). Contrary to some of the posts here, thought the Leeds defenders dealt with Rickie more than comfortably. Disagree that he won many headers though he wasn't given much protection from the ref. He won lots of headers especially 2nd half. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doddisalegend Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 They will look at it from their point of view but they were much better than any team from last season. The standard of football was good I thought. Fair enough it's all opinions. From were I was sitting Leeds looked more interested in kicking lumps out of us than playing football. Gradel was the only player who looked a threat and he seemed more interested in diving than scoring. I remember watching Rochdale ripping us apart at SMS last season and playing far better than leeds did today. Maybe leeds just couldn't cope with us (and we were great) but I expected far more from a team that are supposed to be one of the stronger teams in the championship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintmatt Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLrXZ2224Dw - lallana's goal http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwwU2FZF1cU - deano's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doddisalegend Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 Deano and Cork were excellent today as was AL. A bit more pace at the back and up front would be nice (we had some great opportunities to break first half but didn't exploit them). Contrary to some of the posts here, thought the Leeds defenders dealt with Rickie more than comfortably. Disagree that he won many headers though he wasn't given much protection from the ref. Deno Looked like a different player his goal was brillant....... he looked much fitter seemed to have gained a yard of pace too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadaSaint Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 For now, at least, I'm sticking to the view that a number of us held last year - that many of our players are better suited to the Championship (and possibly even higher) than to Division 1. We were the better side in most departments - ideas, ingenuity, running off the ball, triangles, overlaps, purposeful passing, maintaining shape, transitional play and so on. Hell, we even defended set pieces pretty well and we very seldom resorted to a hoof. Those, for me, are signs that we'll do well in this division rather than signs that Leeds are bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypochondriac Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 Fantastic result. Also pleasing to see that no one is going overboard as Leeds were pretty poor too. There will be greater tests to come and I still think we needed some more pace and a CB partner. A pacy striker and a CB would give us so much more and we can start thinking of the playoffs. Very positive well done SFC! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 Fantastic result. Also pleasing to see that no one is going overboard as Leeds were pretty poor too. There will be greater tests to come and I still think we needed some more pace and a CB partner. A pacy striker and a CB would give us so much more and we can start thinking of the playoffs. Very positive well done SFC! BRILLIANT post agree completely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ_TOAST Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 my head hurts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedArmy Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 If Connolly can stay fit, we are going to right up there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lighthouse Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 Well just back from the game. Awesome. Fimally people can STFU about our "first game of the season" jynx. Not the "Sky jynx" though, we could win our next 10 games on Sky and people would still pop up with that one when we lose at Old Trafford. Anyway, I'm being negative on a VERY possitive day. We made Leeds look very ordinary today through hard work and quality. Starting from the back, Kelvin made a quality save second half and was obviously very p*ssed off at that penalty. The defence all looked very good. Richardson gets a lot of flak but put in a decent shift and kept their left side very quiet, despite not having the best cover from Guly. Fonte and Harding were their usual top notch, reliable selves and I was quite happy by Martin's performance. Yes he made a couple of mistakes, but they will get ironed out with experience. There's no lack of quality, but I do think we could do with some more cover at CB. Midfield was generally excellent. Only thing I'd say is that Guly doesn't really work on the wing for me. De Ridder came on and despite some poor touches to start, looked pretty dangerous. Cork was everywhere, Hammonds goal was excellent and Lallana is on a different planet. Such a shame Lallana's second didn't go in right after his first. I'd have gone mental. Up front I don't think we quite clicked, but Lambert's set up play for Lallana's goal was fantastic. Decent finish from Connolly too, but he didn't really interact with Lambert fantastically. Thought Leeds were very poor, particularly going forward. Snodgrass was quiet and deserved to be dragged off. Gradel was probably their best threat, but was getting pretty frustrated and his attempt to win a penalty didn't go down well. Bit of a face palm when a Leeds sub (number 20) went to take a corner and some Saints fans started booing 'the wrong little black fellar'. On a final note. It was a penalty. Thought we'd got away with it for a second, but that lino was on the ball. Unlucky, sh*t happens, but this is Saints we only do 3-1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 It was a terrific start. It shows what momentum can do to a club, and we just have to make sure we keep this momentum going as long as we can. I didn't think there was a stand out player (although lallana was class) - it was more of a team effort. Everyone working their socks off for each other, closing down, not letting the likes of Gradel and Snodgrass have any time on the ball - and without those two, Leeds were truly toothless. We had a really good game plan today, were solid defensively but did overplay it at times in and around the back - a couple of moments for Martin in particular. But I don't really have many complaints at him, he's a great talent. In the air he was dominant and he reads the game very well. Gets caught out at times by pace and nimble strikers....but I think he's a terrific talent and will be a real asset in the future for sure. Lambo was also good today, he didn't grab the headlines with the goals...but his hold up play, positioning off Connolly was terrific at times - that little ball for Lallana's goal was perfect, and it shows what you can achieve when players have that understanding after having played with each other for years. Still - it's only 1 game, only the start. We will lose games this season, and concede goals. We'll be up...and down, but I'm confident that we'll be in and around where we want to be come the end of the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint-Reece Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 Gets caught out at times by pace and nimble strikers Tbf, there was a point where I thought one of the Leeds forwards got the better of him for pace, but he managed to keep up and cut his options, I was impressed with him.. Because if that were Jaidi, I would have had my heart in my mouth at that point but I refused to panic as I feel Martin is very promising and has a lot of potential, more game time for him please Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doddisalegend Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 Well just back from the game. Awesome. Fimally people can STFU about our "first game of the season" jynx. Not the "Sky jynx" though, we could win our next 10 games on Sky and people would still pop up with that one when we lose at Old Trafford. Anyway, I'm being negative on a VERY possitive day. We made Leeds look very ordinary today through hard work and quality. Starting from the back, Kelvin made a quality save second half and was obviously very p*ssed off at that penalty. The defence all looked very good. Richardson gets a lot of flak but put in a decent shift and kept their left side very quiet, despite not having the best cover from Guly. Fonte and Harding were their usual top notch, reliable selves and I was quite happy by Martin's performance. Yes he made a couple of mistakes, but they will get ironed out with experience. There's no lack of quality, but I do think we could do with some more cover at CB. Midfield was generally excellent. Only thing I'd say is that Guly doesn't really work on the wing for me. De Ridder came on and despite some poor touches to start, looked pretty dangerous. Cork was everywhere, Hammonds goal was excellent and Lallana is on a different planet. Such a shame Lallana's second didn't go in right after his first. I'd have gone mental. Up front I don't think we quite clicked, but Lambert's set up play for Lallana's goal was fantastic. Decent finish from Connolly too, but he didn't really interact with Lambert fantastically. Thought Leeds were very poor, particularly going forward. Snodgrass was quiet and deserved to be dragged off. Gradel was probably their best threat, but was getting pretty frustrated and his attempt to win a penalty didn't go down well. Bit of a face palm when a Leeds sub (number 20) went to take a corner and some Saints fans started booing 'the wrong little black fellar'. On a final note. It was a penalty. Thought we'd got away with it for a second, but that lino was on the ball. Unlucky, sh*t happens, but this is Saints we only do 3-1. I agree Guly is better in the middle. Barnard and Lambert seem to have a better understanding than Connolly and Lambert. There was a moment today whem Lambert cut in front of Connolly and flicked a ball on which Connolly couldn't pick up becuase he was stood right behind Lambert. I imagine the more they play together the better they'll get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wessex saint Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 Great start but it is just ONE game!!!! Leeds conceded shed loads last yr but also had 2 class strikers who banged plenty... 2 strikers now gone meaning toothless up front! Think we will have many sterner tests than that this season. Having said that.. bloody great day!! Not sure what made me laugh more - Gradel's tantrum or the leeds fan who caught the ball and then ran to the front of the stand and also have a tantrum before chucking the ball at Davis Aaron Martin - he would be called 50p head if he played in my Sunday side cos he can't head it straight... he did improve as the game went on but it was essentially Leeds reserve strike force from last yr... he will face much tougher tests. Jack Cork and Lallana awesome.... Guly not quite involved enough for me .... Connolly looks like the Premiership clss striker he is when we give him the ball to feet... Richardson did ok against a tricky Gradel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 Tbf, there was a point where I thought one of the Leeds forwards got the better of him for pace, but he managed to keep up and cut his options, I was impressed with him.. Because if that were Jaidi, I would have had my heart in my mouth at that point but I refused to panic as I feel Martin is very promising and has a lot of potential, more game time for him please You make a good point, agree with that. He was fine today and he's a terrific prospect, excited about what he can achieve if he keeps working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedAndWhite91 Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 Delighted. Great atmosphere. Solid performance. If Leeds are supposed to be one of the strongest teams in this division then we'll have no problems... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St_Tel49 Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 Fantastic result. Also pleasing to see that no one is going overboard as Leeds were pretty poor too. There will be greater tests to come and I still think we needed some more pace and a CB partner. A pacy striker and a CB would give us so much more and we can start thinking of the playoffs. Very positive well done SFC! Were they poor? - or did we make them look poor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNSUN Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 Great win, all 3 goals were fantastic. I'd love to stay up for the FL show but I'm dead on my feet. I'll iPlayer it in the am as I'm pretty sure it WASN'T a handball. We shall see. Night all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 Were they poor? - or did we make them look poor? Bit of both. They were lacking a real attacking outlet without Bechio and Somma....but we did a great job on both Gradel and Snodgrass to really limit their effect on the game, and it worked. They only ever looked dangerous once those 2 got on the ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St_Tel49 Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 Bit of both. They were lacking a real attacking outlet without Bechio and Somma....but we did a great job on both Gradel and Snodgrass to really limit their effect on the game, and it worked. They only ever looked dangerous once those 2 got on the ball. I think that I would agree with this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 Some of the Leeds players displayed a level of nastyness and intention to cheat that looked as if it was planned. The yellow cards came late in the game, whereas at least two cautions could have been given for serious fouls in the first 5 minutes and later for diving and persistent dissent. Ironically, Leeds might have played better if yellow cards had been shown earlier but it couldn't have changed one obvious fact, that Saints were by far a better team. The penalty? My impression at the time was that it was deliberate handball because Martin had his arm up and seemed to control the ball between chest and arm but we should know soon if the BBC show it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
positivepete Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 The improvement under Adkins that started last season has continued through pre-season. We are far better organised now, with much better shape, and have really improved when we do not have the ball. This foundation clearly allows our creative players to shine. The team spirit is also clearly there, so I will be happy if the only the players who fit into this team ethic are the ones we sign. Well chuffed with the match today, but I will wait for 10 games when the table settles down to see who are the weak and the strong teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Who? Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 Just back and it was bloody brilliant, never seem anything like it, and the standard of football. Long may it last!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bug187 Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 How the hell was that given as a handball... shocking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick1976.4.38 Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 not a penalty now its been shown on the football league show Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Thomas Posted 6 August, 2011 Share Posted 6 August, 2011 Just saw the FLS, never a penalty, didn't get within half a foot of his hand from their camera angle. Still, pretty academic to all but those betting on a clean sheet, and Davis. Great performance though! Lallana and Connolly really are a class act, would like to see them link up all season long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suewhistle Posted 7 August, 2011 Share Posted 7 August, 2011 Well, it's 1am and just back from the match after a couple of pubs and rather too many pints. Great team perfomance and I'd add that there was no one who was an obvious substitution today, but what great 3 subs to bring on! I know Martin is inexperienced but he never really worried me, even though he was occasionally basic in clearing his lines (under orders I thought) and he has some useful pace. A good day.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eelpie Posted 7 August, 2011 Share Posted 7 August, 2011 Tremendous match! But Fonte deserved more votes I reckon. He stopped everything Leeds threw at him, almost killing him at one point. Fonte is Portuguese for Iron! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint J 77 Posted 7 August, 2011 Share Posted 7 August, 2011 Tremendous match! But Fonte deserved more votes I reckon. He stopped everything Leeds threw at him, almost killing him at one point. Fonte is Portuguese for Iron! I thought the same. I voted for him too. It was a great all around team performance, but I still feel there is a lot more to come from this team. Nigel said so himself it wasn't a perfect team performace, so he knows there is more to come from this team. It was never a penatly for Leeds though, It was almost pointless to give it given it was virtually the last kick of the match. I felt like the linesman may have given it out of sympathy maybe thinking he should have given the earlier penalty appeal (which also wasnt a pen). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hutch Posted 7 August, 2011 Share Posted 7 August, 2011 Going forward on this performance we will score plenty,we might need too,as defensively we can at times look shaky. 3 superb goals and desperately unlucky when Chaplow smashed a shot against the post late on with Lonergan well beaten. I thought the new leaner Rickie,was superb,and what does the guy have to do to win a free kick.[Having said that I thought the referee had an excellent game overall]. Great we have finally won a game at home,at the first time of asking. Well pleased well done Saints. If our shaky defence only concedes a dodgy penalty in the 95th minute every game, I'll be happy. And Chaplow didn't hit the post. That was a superb save by Lonergan. Overall a superb performance. We outclassed Leeds. A huge confidence boost for a team already brimming anyway. This season is going to be as much fun as last Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Diamond Posted 7 August, 2011 Share Posted 7 August, 2011 Very, very pleased. I don't know what else to say. Was it a 'complete' performance? Perhaps if we had the clean sheet it would have been, but you can't really complain about a 3 - 1 win over a potential rival for the play-offs - which is exactly where we will be heading if we repeat performances and results like that. Not going to get ahead of myself though, it's a long old season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theyin Posted 7 August, 2011 Share Posted 7 August, 2011 Going forward on this performance we will score plenty,we might need too,as defensively we can at times look shaky. 3 superb goals and desperately unlucky when Chaplow smashed a shot against the post late on with Lonergan well beaten. I thought the new leaner Rickie,was superb,and what does the guy have to do to win a free kick.[Having said that I thought the referee had an excellent game overall]. Great we have finally won a game at home,at the first time of asking. Well pleased well done Saints. saved me typing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pingwing Posted 7 August, 2011 Share Posted 7 August, 2011 Amazing opener to the season! The pen was never one, from my seat it looked like a Leeds player handled it... Martin was really really good, felt a lot better with him next to Fonte than Seaborn. The goals were class and I can't wait for the rest of the season now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RinNY Posted 7 August, 2011 Share Posted 7 August, 2011 Only saw it on the web, but: great game by Saints. We restricted a pretty good Leeds side to a very few half-chances, scored three excellent goals, and could have had more. From replays, after Chaplow hit the post he was scythed down from two directions by two Leeds defenders when going for the rebound, in what should have been a clear-cut penalty. And the penalty given Leeds was very, very soft: the ball hit Martin's chest & rolled away across his upper arm. Nothing he could do about it, no intent, and it didn't prevent any goal-scoring chance for Leeds, so while technically the ball did touch his arm in the penalty box, 9 times out of 10 that would not be judged a penalty. So it could easily have been 4-0 to us! So a great start to the season. More of the same, please! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutwood2 Posted 7 August, 2011 Share Posted 7 August, 2011 For those of us who can remember the sixties and seventies, this was a great, great win. I can still remember the misery constantly inflicted on us by the likes of Bremner, Giles and Clarke. How I hated that team. Absolutely superb, well-drilled footballers who, as Cloughy said, cheated at every oppthortunity. Well done Saints. A win against Leeds is worth double a win against anyone other than the Skates. Today you were superb! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammysaint Posted 7 August, 2011 Share Posted 7 August, 2011 great game everyone bar guly in 1st half were awesome davis only had one maybe 2 decent save/s to make all leeds tryed to do was hack us down like they did in the 60s/70s scare teams with there aggression. MOM could be anyone we done well attacking and in defence richardson done well to keep gradel out the game fonte and martin were quality at the back lallana was class as was DC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windmill Arm 2 Posted 7 August, 2011 Share Posted 7 August, 2011 It feels a world different to starting near the bottom as we usually do. It's good to win, but to win against one of the better teams on the first day feels just great!!!Not taking anything away from our performance, we were excellent, but Leeds did not look like one of the best teams in the league, and if they are then we will walk this division. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eurosaint Posted 7 August, 2011 Share Posted 7 August, 2011 Going forward on this performance we will score plenty,we might need too,as defensively we can at times look shaky. 3 superb goals and desperately unlucky when Chaplow smashed a shot against the post late on with Lonergan well beaten. I thought the new leaner Rickie,was superb,and what does the guy have to do to win a free kick.[Having said that I thought the referee had an excellent game overall]. Great we have finally won a game at home,at the first time of asking. Well pleased well done Saints. That was my first thought as well but (if you get a chance!) watch a replay, it was a brilliant fingertip save which pushed the ball on to the post, the shot was actually spot on target ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painswick Saint Posted 7 August, 2011 Share Posted 7 August, 2011 Not taking anything away from our performance, we were excellent, but Leeds did not look like one of the best teams in the league, and if they are then we will walk this division. I agree. At times Leeds defence really looked all over the place and, other than Gradel, they did not look very threatening going forward. That aside, I thought we played some excellent football, and if they are one of the better teams in the league, we have an exciting season in front of us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toomer Posted 7 August, 2011 Share Posted 7 August, 2011 At times I thought I was watching a Leeds team managed by Revie nasty and dirty, apart from that we were a solid unit, never a pen, great result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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