Brum vs Saints Match Reaction

[captainchris]

Fox has been automatically suspended for a period of one first team match, ie Millwall - FA Cup so would be available for Saturday. We played at a much higher tempo yesterday in atrocious conditions.

 

Really it's a shame it's only one game. Would like to see Harding given a run - we are better balanced with him it LB and he gives us more options going forward....

Distinctly underwhelmed by Fox particularly for 1.8m......!

[Dr Who?]

Good point

 

Fox was mouthing off not booked for the challenge

 

Need to win against Burnley and the keep winning at home, picking up points away.

 

2 months time lads we could be a premier league club!!

[trousers]

2 months time lads we could be a premier league club!!

 

Sounds quite scary when put like that!

[Lazlo78]

Overall: Any clean sheet away from home to a promotion contender is a good start. Had we tested their keeper more, who knows if we might've snatched all three. To have no real attempts (openings, yes, but not real attempts on goal) is always disappointing and it is right to highlight that, but in the context of the overall game, I don't think we should be too harsh.

 

I concur with your version of the events - corresponds well with how I saw the game. Something has definitely happened over the last few games - we have started to look more calm and in control of the games, which was how we started the season. The Leicester game was a low, but it's been a steady rise ever since. We're on the mend and the players know it!

 

Three things I'd like to comment:

 

Firstly, Fox's first yellow card. Looking at the highlights, he gets the ball and then takes out the man at full speed. I am under the impression that this is a yellow because the tackle is rather reckless:

 

http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/lawsofthegame/law/newsid=1290868.html

Direct free kick

 

A direct free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following seven offences in a manner considered by the referee to be careless, reckless or using excessive force:

 

kicks or attempts to kick an opponent

trips or attempts to trip an opponent

jumps at an opponent

charges an opponent

strikes or attempts to strike an opponent

pushes an opponent

tackles an opponent

 

So a tackle can be penalised if it is done in a careless, reckless manner or with excessive force. I know you never implied as much, but others seem to believe that you can bust the opponents knee caps and use them as maracas as soon as you just fractionally touch the ball. That's just not how it works. I may be wrong about the tackle, but I suggest that people take a second (third or tenth) view of the tackle and disregard the fact the Fox touches the ball first. And I'd like to underline that this is not a racial issue I have with Fox, as I really do like people from the tattooed race.

 

Secondly, the Guly/Caldwell incident seemed to me to be similar to the Hooiveld/Tudgay episode against Forest (right?). Clearly a "professional foul", but he had at least two players covering. Would have been p*ssed if Hooiveld had been sent off.

 

Thirdly, only when seeing the highlights did I realise what a great save it was that KD pulled off - WOW!

[david in sweden]

Some players, the likes of Guly, Schneiderlin and Connolly possess the sort of skill that shines on a dry, sunny day, but (sorry) not in these conditions.

Of course the game never should have been played in terms of football, and as Adkins noted ...If it had been snowing before kick-off as it was at 65 mins, they wouldn't have started. The players could have sat in a warm dressing room and the ref. could have given them one point each before it started. Tough on all those brave travelling fans.

 

What there was of (football) goes to prove that trying to play a passing game in winter conditions -'aint on ! The big boot upfield, and a run at the keeperr is still the best tactic.

 

Neither keeper had that much to do, but our clean sheet was totally thanks to two excellent saves from Kelvin Davis, though I thought Aaron Martin wasn't afraid to get stuck in at the back. If Fox was booked for any real football reasons, then Brum's big African CB can count himself lucky he didn't pick up a booking or two.

 

One player stood out in the midfield - Jason Puncheon. Good common sense decisions allround to get him back in a Saints shirt again. He seemed to thrive in the conditions and was (as creative as was possible ) given the b'''' awful weather.

 

I wonder if NA will be courageous enough to play Puncheon AND Chaplow (when fit)..later in the season.

I still can't make up my mind about Cork, Schneiderlin, Hammond and Lallana -there doesn't seem to be the attacking prowess there - even though their passing game is nice to watch..it doesn't seem to produce goals. Fox and Richardson seem to create more goal chances.

Edited 6 February, 2012 by david in sweden

[norwaysaint]

Having to rely on televised matches to actually see a game, that was actually the best I've seen us for a while, but then we're comparing to games like Leicester and Reading. I'd put Davies as MoM if I were to vote, because he was the only one who did anything exceptional that affected the score directly.

 

I never understand people who vote in MoM polls who weren't at the game though, you should know that being there gives you an entirely different overview of how much everyone does. If you watch on telly certain players can be almost invisible all game, if you're there you see what they do contribute.

[david in sweden]

Having to rely on televised matches to actually see a game, that was actually the best I've seen us for a while, but then we're comparing to games like Leicester and Reading. I'd put Davies as MoM if I were to vote, because he was the only one who did anything exceptional that affected the score directly.

 

I never understand people who vote in MoM polls who weren't at the game though, you should know that being there gives you an entirely different overview of how much everyone does. If you watch on telly certain players can be almost invisible all game, if you're there you see what they do contribute.

 

 

 

I watch a lot of games on cable / or streamed to PC. Whilst you have a point, I do think that it depends a great deal on the commentator / camera crew.

Often a good commentator will talk about other happenings on the pitch, potential off-sides, overlapping full backs etc, and good camera angle + replays do give a much better review of a game than if one might be sat behind one goal, or in a corner of the ground, where you can't see the other side of the ground.

A good cameraman can show you the players expression as he takes a corner on the far side of the ground..and you can see if it was a penalty, or offside straight away.

 

Of course it lacks crowd atmosphere, but it can be a big plus NOT to have to listen to some drunken idiots singing at the top of their voices three rows away drowning out everything /one else ...and you don't freeze to death in the winter, or sweat your socks off in warmer weather.

 

I do think that on occasions, I've had a better view of the game than some fans who were at the match and then return to write ridiculous comments about players totally contradicting each other ! I've done my share of home and away games in the last 50 years, but still wonder which game some of these people went to, because it wasn't the one I watched !

 

I agree that Kelvin Davis was probably MOM on this occasion, if only because of the two great saves he made...and kept a clean sheet. (and I didn't vote this time BTW).