Saints 2 - 3 Millwall - Post Match Reaction

[Roger]

oh dear what a dissappointment. The attendance, the atmosphere, the first 30 minutes, the defending, the crossing, barts kicking, the finishing, the two linos, the West Ham song, the missed opportunity...oh well maybe I need to look at the positives (seeing as for once Adkins spared us his false positivity and told us how he rally felt) and that was certainly seeing Chaplow back (although miles from his best), Reeves ability and, er, **** I'm all out.

 

Bart 4 two decent saves, both I expected him to make, but still good, handling OK, but his kicking was absolutely woeful. He sliced nearly all, failed to get height or distance and put us in trouble several times. He actually got away with it on several other occasions. I thought the Northam were very patient with him. I struggled to not moan at him. I've never been impressed and don't want to see him as our second choice keeper next season unless he learns how to kick again,

Richardson 6 ball watched a couple of times and nearly exposed, but to be fair he had little cover in front of him. He improved but yet again his crosses we poor. Too long of too short. Crap really. Compare that with Millwall who had two of three chances and every cross was dangerous.

Fonte 7 decent display for me

Martin 5 got done a couples of times badly by their striker

Harding 6 got beaten badly for their second. Crossing poor.

Hammond 9 thought he had a very good game. Worked tremendously hard and kept the ball well. Looked up for it.

Chaplow 5 miles off the pace. Left us massively exposed in the middle leading to the first goal. Improved, but work rate was not high enough. Yes he's just coming back, and its great, but the mark is for how he played not how he did play before injury

de Ridder 7 not bad at all, busy, lots of effort and movement, good control etc. but where is that end product we need? Seriously need him to be scoring the odd goal like Feeney's third - coming inside and curling one into the top corner. Never even tries it. The one shot he had was horrible.

Lallana 8 ran the game especially in the second half

Chung 6 lots of runs, sadly him and de Ridder seemed to make the same ones, but until Reeves came on none were really found. Poor effort in the second half when dribbling through, and a very poor miss when it looked easier to score. I'm not all that impressed. He should have taken one of those chances

Guly 6 not as bad a some fans will make out. Better in midfield than up front, but we improved with Lambert

 

Reeves 8 Looked extremely good, one under hit pass, but some sublime through balls too. Impressive.

Lambert 7 very deep, took his goal well

Barnard not on long enough to get a mark

 

Hammond 9 behave! Lambert was class and our best player.

[Roger]

Depends if Jos is fit....prob 50/50

 

He said he was nearly 100% match fit on friday, if hes not I fear for us.

[corsacar saint]

We may have started with half our starting eleven,but so did Millwall.When we were winning all our home games,we were straight at it from the word go,now we are tentative and take 20 minutes or more to get into our stride.The main strenghth we have is our attack,so lets play to it,and keep the door shut at the back,some thing we are finding extremely difficult.We may have a reasonable squad,but we still have no real cover at left back,goalkeeper and centre half.

Aaron Martin blows hot and cold and Harding is simply not good enough.

[Sour Mash]

Hammond 9 behave! Lambert was class and our best player.

Agreed. No-way Hammond can get a "9", what did he do deserve that? Put himself about a bit, but not much more. Poor night. Poor crowd. Utterly s**t songs from the Northam. Yes we had a couple of decent spells and sounds like the reeves goal should have been allowed (couldn't tell from where I was sitting), but something still isn't quite right. That was a strong Saints side out there against a hard working, but pretty unexceptional Wall side. Losing like that to them was not good. We REALLY need a win Saturday now, our season seriously needs another kick start.

[kpturner]

He said he was nearly 100% match fit on friday, if hes not I fear for us.

Rather simplistic to place our chances of success or failure on whether or not Jos is fit. Martin is hardly a huge liability even he was not at his best tonight.

[Roger]

Rather simplistic to place our chances of success or failure on whether or not Jos is fit. Martin is hardly a huge liability even he was not at his best tonight.

 

Jay-rod and charlie austin upfront for them.

[Bailey]

Not too disappointed to be out the cup, but our current form is starting to concern me.

 

As for tonight, I thought Martin was poor. Watch the 'highlights', he allowed Trotter too much room for their first goal and sold himself for their second. Not a lot could be done about their third, hats off for that strike.

 

And I disagree with those that said Bart had a good game. Granted, he made some decent saves, but these saves were often brought on through poor distribution on his part. Numerous times he rolled the ball out to Fonte/Martin and Harding when they weren't really in a position to receive the ball (oppo was too near them, got closed down and effectively played ourselves into trouble etc). This is something that Kelvin is a lot better than Bart at.

 

Chaplow was rusty but to be expected after so long out. De Ridder was lively and caused some problems. Guly terrible, he needs to up his game if he wants a place in the starting XI. Harding disappointed me too. All in all, a bad performance but I'm confident that with players returning from injury and with our sole focus on the league, we can improve on recent results.

 

Ps. We will win on Saturday.

[kpturner]

Jay-rod and charlie austin upfront for them.

....and? We are not playing man utd. We are playing burnley - and I expect fonte and martin to cope if required.

[Rasiak-9-]

I am not too despondent as I always felt we would slide down the league after a surprisingly good start and I am genuine and have always been in my prediction of 17th.

 

Having said that, I am as puzzled as others as to why such a good team on paper is struggling.

 

Is NA out of his depth ?

 

Don't you realise that a point per game would see us on to 69 points? Literally two extra wins on that would see us onto 75 points and the playoffs.

 

For us to finish as low as 17th we would literally have to collect no more than about 5 or 6 more points before the end of the season. Shut up with the whole 17th BS. You're a huge attention seeker pure and simple with no actual interest in the success of the team you're supposed to support.

 

Its clear to everyone that there is nothing you want more than for Saints to fail, slide down the table and for you to pop up boasting about how right you were with your negative prediction. You suck at predictions, knowledge of football and above all, at life. The fact that you have such a huge vested interest in Saints failing just give yourself some kind of dubious attention is genuinely tragic.

 

Support the Saints or do one.

[John B]

Another disappointing result I do not feel confident about automatic promotion now but think there will be little problem reaching the playoffs which the bookies agree with

 

http://bettingzone.oddschecker.com/football/english/championship/top-6-finish

 

Really good effort from the club after getting promoted from League 1 last season

[Whitey Grandad]

Bugger. I shall miss the Derby game. I'd rather have missed Bolton.

[Dimond Geezer]

I don't the players confidence will be affected at all, the result could easily been different, what cost us was two bad refereeing decisions. We had one perfectly good goal disallowed, I was bang inline & no-one was offside for the Reeves goal and their goal was never a free kick in the first place, and should have been retaken anyway, as the ball was rolling when he took the kick that lead to the goal. Of course we can argue that Saints should have wrapped it up by then, but you can't legislate for other people not doing their job correctly.

[Chez]

So you seriously do not thing that Fox and Richardson can deliver a decent cross - despite us having scored plenty of goals from Fox and Richardson crosses?

not nearly enough decent crosses considering the number of opportunities and time they both have. Fox's set pieces are terrible.

[Chez]

Hammond 9 behave! Lambert was class and our best player.

Yes I thought Hammond was worth a 9. He had a great game. He was everywhere and if fit partner we wouldn't have struggled so much ion the first 30 minutes. Lambert? Blimey, the games about opinions I know, but he wasn't on long enough to justify a MOTM tag.

[Chez]

I forgot to mention that in the build up to their second goal the ball went miles out and should have been a throw to us. How the lino missed it I will never know. The third goal looked miles offside and several people in the Itchen had some very choice words for the lino who quite simply was miles behind play and missed it.

[badgerx16]

We were not going to win the FA Cup, and we are still second in the Championship. There are no more distractions, just the league to concentrate on. The team showed in the first three months of the season they are good enough, NA has now to prove that he has the motivational ability to get them back in the right frame of mind. If we beat Burnley and draw at Wet Sham, which we are quite capable of doing, things will look a lot brighter. All that matters is that at the final whistle on the last day of the season, we are +1 on goal difference ahead of the team in 3rd place.

[dellgirl]

After 100 miles round trip and coldest I have been at a match since the Dell days, the first 20 minutes was so unbalanced that we couldn't link up, the better players were frustrated as they had nobody to pass to when they were in possession, Chaplow is not the second coming as some have suggested,of course he was rusty but that was poor even for someone coming back from injury. Glad Adam scored but by being flash nearly cost us a goal,Hammond did manage two passes that reached one of our players but was again ineffectuel and far too slow on the ball. NA said he had Josh Wright at S****horpe ,why didn't he bring him to Saints,he was the liveliest on the pitch and would have been a welcome addition unlike some signings. Lee showed promise again and think he will be o.k.Reeves looked class, I feel that if you have a big squad you have a natural No 1 and 2 for each position and the also rans and youngster to fill in but since our early success when "the team" were playing we have not managed to cover key positions. We have been slow in the transfer window for whatever reason and have passengers in our squad. Get our best 11 on the pitch for Saturday and we should be able to raise spirits again, keep behind the boys our lives would be the poorer without our great Club and we have a dream for the first time in many seasons,

[LostBoys]

Poor performance as the squad players are just not up to it - embarassing finishing Lallana and Lambert excepted - Harding and Martin truly dreadful thank goodness it was the Cup and not three points thrown away. Feeny was offside by a good 2 or 3 metres but the lino was behind play - right in front of me but the way he got round Richardson was just too easy.

[Boris Karloff]

Can someone please explain why Barnard came on when we were 2-1 up? I just can't understand that decision. He obviously had it lined up, but could easily have changed his mind. He could have taken Lee or SDR off and put JWP on just to shore things up. Just doesn't make any sense at all to me.

[Window Cleaner]

We're running out of excuses for the results.

 

 

Nope not yet, would it be true to say that Jos and Jose haven't played together since Pompey away??

 

Still think that's the real reason for our poorer results,discounting Bristol away that is.

 

Jos and Jose form a solid platform at the back,with the current pairing one of the CMs has to be far more attentive to what's happening behind him and we don't play the ball out in the same way.

[hutch]

+ve #1 We're still second in the league

+ve #2 Lallana scored

+ve #3 Lambert scored

+ve #4 We're still second in the league

+ve #5 We're still second in the league

 

-ve #1 We lost (again)

_________________________________

[del boy]

+ve #1 We're still second in the league

+ve #2 Lallana scored

+ve #3 Lambert scored

+ve #4 We're still second in the league

+ve #5 We're still second in the league

 

-ve #1 We lost (again)

_________________________________

 

Good point(s) and blue line

 

I would substitute "Impressive performance from Reeves" for one of those "Were still second in the league" points, otherwise spot on

 

...big game on Saturday

[alpine_saint]

+ve #1 We're still second in the league

+ve #2 Lallana scored

+ve #3 Lambert scored

+ve #4 We're still second in the league

+ve #5 We're still second in the league

 

-ve #1 We lost (again)

_________________________________

 

apart from the fact that until 2 weeks ago it was "We're still top of the league"

[corky morris]

Poor result, poor first half, conceding too many goals.

More bad offside decisions. I am starting to think the gods are against us.

We need to win on Saturday............MUST win for confidence.

[Window Cleaner]

Poor result, poor first half, conceding too many goals.

More bad offside decisions. I am starting to think the gods are against us.

We need to win on Saturday............MUST win for confidence.

 

But I could have told you we would be poor in the first half. NA wanted to start Chaplow at all costs so what can you expect. Chaplow is not a central midfield player and should not be used in that role when we're on a flat 4-4-2.You need 2 CMs like Cork and Morgan and the 2 advanced MFs have to do the forward work.Morgan and Cork are much decried but in a normal 442 system getting into the opponents box is not their role,that's for Lallana and Puncheon or De Ridder or what have you.

DM are there to watch and recover the ball and move it around until they spot a pass going the right way.

 

Anyway we'd be better playing 4-3-3, if you want Barcelona results you have to have a Barcelona approach.

[Frank's cousin]

Result = dissapointing

Negative emotive reaction from some fans = expected

 

Its pretty ironic when so many have mentioned confidence as an issue, when those very fans are lacking it right now. It should have been obvious to all and sundry that in this league we were going to be up against it - we have only just been promoted from L1 - and there are teams with bigger budgets and experience of the 'miserable winter', and the BIg Sam hood and 1-0 approach, that our desire to pass teh ball was always going to struggle against if our creative midfield was disrupted or off form. Add to that injuries and suspensions and some of you seem to be bottling it. We started way beyond expectations and lets be honest that was in part because so amny around us started poorly - they have now caught up and the best sides are playing to tehir potential, whilst we have hit a sticky patch (in part through injuries to KEY players) but also because it was never going to be as easy as teh early results suggested.

 

We can analyse, criticise and be generally all doom and gloom and lose our bottle - which is an option some seem to want to take (for whatever reason) or we can look at the table, look at the squad and come to a more pragmatic (and realistic) conclusion, namely we have a GOOD squad - OK not all are the same standard, but for the Cahmpionship they have proven they CAN live with teh best...when on form and with the best 11.

 

Now is not teh time for being pussies, but a time for the support to ENCOURAGE, BELIEVE and make our contribution to the CONFIDENCE - as much as defeat hurts, as much as defeats may cause worry, choice is simple, give up now as some seem happy to do (as it will validate their pre-season doom and gloom predictions) or show some balls, recognise that our great start has mmeant that despite the recent slump we are still top 2, have added Sharp and AL seems to finding his form, Chappers back, Ricky still firing and CAN do it.

 

Sure we need to get cracking and yes we need some luck, but we also need support that is positive, behind the team, no matter what twists and turns there are still to come.

 

BELIEVE.

[alpine_saint]

Now is not teh time for being pussies

 

Try telling the team that.

[James]

We are not playing badly, and Brum failed to beat us at home. Get a grip fer chrissakes...

 

Last time I checked conceeding 3 goals at home to a Millwall reserve team with almost your first choice back four counted as a bad night. We ARE playing badly for a team with serious promotion ambitions, sorry for not conforming to the happy clappy - we'll be ok after ANOTHER home game we've failed to win.

[The Kraken]

Last time I checked conceeding 3 goals at home to a Millwall reserve team with almost your first choice back four counted as a bad night. We ARE playing badly for a team with serious promotion ambitions, sorry for not conforming to the happy clappy - we'll be ok after ANOTHER home game we've failed to win.

 

It's often best if you don't embellish facts up to suit your argument. Our first choice back four is Richardson, Fonte, Hooiveld, Fox. We had 2 of those players unavailable, so played Martin and Harding instead. Half of our back 4 was not first choice.

 

That's not to get away from the fact that I still think those players should be good enough and do a better job than concede 3 goals at home.

[derry]

How important was that match to the club and the fans. The stadium just a quarter filled, six unenforced changes to the team. The first half hour set the pace. It looked like a team forced to play a friendly against opposition that were giving it a go.

 

Bialkowski despite some brilliant reaction shotstopping looks like he has major confidence issues and is absolutely petrified of making errors when he has time to spare. Both full backs were poor, Richardson's overhit crossing gave us nothing and both were positionally poor. Harding's ball watching is a problem and he made one thirty yard run with the ball and never looked up once, needless to say he was caught with his head down in the corner and he didn't even get a cross in. Fonte had a poorish game putting unnecessary pressure on Martin whose lack of left foot was exposed especially when trying to close down the cross for the equaliser. In Fonte's case he has just come back from injury and two games in four days may be a little too soon.

 

The lack of a cohesive central midfield was a major problem. Chaplow is a long way from being ready to play at the level he was at before injury, he needs at least two or three weeks at least. Hammond was poor in that he had to take up some of the slack but was very static and negative with his passing. We seemed to play so many passes across the back four and from the midfield to the back four. Possession in the back four is nonsense if it just allows the opponents to consolidate and form up in front of the ball. Inevitably it ends up with a lump forward from the goalkeeper or a defender closed down.

 

DeRidder broke through with his pace and directness several times. unfortunately two good crosses weren't converted and a pass instead of a shot was perfect except it was just behind the two forwards who both went for the goal line rather than the cut back. Lallana looked bright but his goal was hit going away from the goal and went in, there looked to be a bit of good fortune and the keeper got it wrong.

 

I would take issue with him though, on at least three occasions Lee made terrific runs in behind the defenders and needed the ball in early before offside loomed but Lallana took three or four more touches instead of putting him in and the run was wasted. He needs to work out when to pass quickly and when to run with the ball not just running every time. Also his crass flick in the second half that gave the ball away on the edge of our area was just stupid.

 

Guly tries hard, does the difficult things well but drops us in it with messing up the easy things like giving simple passes to the opposition. Good header from DeRidders cross but Forde made a blinding save. Lee is acclimatising. His off the ball runs were incisive, none were picked up until Reeves put him in wide late in the game. He had one good shot that just missed but he should have scored from close in late in the game but snatched at it and ballooned it over as Lallana did in the first half. We need to pass to his runs which are first class and get up quickly in support not just ignore them.

 

Reeves looked like the proper playmaker that we have lacked for years. We need to bring him on as quickly as possible. Early days but Barnard looks like he has a long way to go yet.

 

I'm glad we are out of the cup and can get on with trying to win promotion without re-arranging games. The Birmingham game was more of an indicator for me than last night. We need to get Hoiveldt back asap because Martin despite his defensive solidity just slows the play down too much in possession.

Edited 8 February, 2012 by derry

[badgerx16]

It's often best if you don't embellish facts up to suit your argument. Our first choice back four is Richardson, Fonte, Hooiveld, Fox. We had 2 of those players unavailable, so played Martin and Harding instead. Half of our back 4 was not first choice.

And behind them we didn't play our first choice keeper, either.

[Teddy Nutkins]

How important was that match to the club and the fans. The stadium just a quarter filled, six unenforced changes to the team. The first half hour set the pace. It looked like a team forced to play a friendly against opposition that were giving it a go.

 

Bialkowski despite some brilliant reaction shotstopping looks like he has major confidence issues and is absolutely petrified of making errors when he has time to spare. Both full backs were poor, Richardson's overhit crossing gave us nothing and both were positionally poor. Harding's ball watching is a problem and he made one thirty yard run with the ball and never looked up once, needless to say he was caught with his head down in the corner and he didn't even get a cross in. Fonte had a poorish game putting unnecessary pressure on Martin whose lack of left foot was exposed especially when trying to close down the cross for the equaliser. In Fonte's case he has just come back from injury and two games in four days may be a little too soon.

 

The lack of a cohesive central midfield was a major problem. Chaplow is a long way from being ready to play at the level he was at before injury, he needs at least two or three weeks at least. Hammond was poor in that he had to take up some of the slack but was very static and negative with his passing. We seemed to play so many passes across the back four and from the midfield to the back four. Possession in the back four is nonsense if it just allows the opponents to consolidate and form up in front of the ball. Inevitably it ends up with a lump forward from the goalkeeper or a defender closed down.

 

DeRidder broke through with his pace and directness several times. unfortunately two good crosses weren't converted and a pass instead of a shot was perfect except it was just behind the two forwards who both went for the goal line rather than the cut back. Lallana looked bright but his goal was hit going away from the goal and went in, there looked to be a bit of good fortune and the keeper got it wrong.

 

I would take issue with him though, on at least three occasions Lee made terrific runs in behind the defenders and needed the ball in early before offside loomed but Lallana took three or four more touches instead of putting him in and the run was wasted. He needs to work out when to pass quickly and when to run with the ball not just running every time. Also his crass flick in the second half that gave the ball away on the edge of our area was just stupid.

 

Guly tries hard, does the difficult things well but drops us in it with messing up the easy things like giving simple passes to the opposition. Good header from DeRidders cross but Forde made a blinding save. Lee is acclimatising. His off the ball runs were incisive, none were picked up until Reeves put him in wide late in the game. He had one good shot that just missed but he should have scored from close in late in the game but snatched at it and ballooned it over as Lallana did in the first half. We need to pass to his runs which are first class and get up quickly in support not just ignore them.

 

Reeves looked like the proper playmaker that we have lacked for years. We need to bring him on as quickly as possible. Early days but Barnard looks like he has a long way to go yet.

 

I'm glad we are out of the cup and can get on with trying to win promotion without re-arranging games. The Birmingham game was more of an indicator for me than last night. We need to get Hoiveldt back asap because Martin despite his defensive solidity just slows the play down too much in possession.

 

 

 

Good account of the game Dave.Somehow at half-time they managed to get Lee to understand that he had to start his runs in behind the defence from a slightly wider position coming in.First half he made a lot of runs toward the corner flags chasing hopeful balls.It is so important to play the ball early from the midfield to take advantage of his quick movement, and when Ben Reeves came on he played with his head up.He looks a very good classy player, who spotted the early movement.

[derry]

Good account of the game Dave.Somehow at half-time they managed to get Lee to understand that he had to start his runs in behind the defence from a slightly wider position coming in.First half he made a lot of runs toward the corner flags chasing hopeful balls.It is so important to play the ball early from the midfield to take advantage of his quick movement, and when Ben Reeves came on he played with his head up.He looks a very good classy player, who spotted the early movement.

 

Thanks Colin, I'm wondering now whether they have to consider putting Reeves in more often to bring him on. Lee is obviously trying to impress and doesn't know yet that he isn't going to get the ball, if we are to get the best out of him and get back on track we have to pass forward quicker and move better. Playing 150 sideways and backward passes just doesn't do it. The teamwork and confidence is not better than the sum of the parts at the moment. While the ball is being played sideways and backwards nobody in front is moving around because they know they are going to get a bomb from our keeper sometime soon. They have to stop trying to just pass the ball around and nobody moving and get on with pass and move otherwise it isn't going to happen.

 

Is that an old schoolboys shirt or a team shirt you nicked, on your avatar:lol:

Edited 8 February, 2012 by derry

[oldsarum]

I don't the players confidence will be affected at all, the result could easily been different, what cost us was two bad refereeing decisions. We had one perfectly good goal disallowed, I was bang inline & no-one was offside for the Reeves goal and their goal was never a free kick in the first place, and should have been retaken anyway, as the ball was rolling when he took the kick that lead to the goal. Of course we can argue that Saints should have wrapped it up by then, but you can't legislate for other people not doing their job correctly.

 

spot on Lino got it completely wrong on Reeves goal I to was in line and he ahad a defender about a yard behind him when ball was played to him

 

As for there last goal ball was moving yet ref let it go, when momnets earlier the ref had made bart retake goal kick because the ball was moving !

[Teddy Nutkins]

Thanks Colin, I'm wondering now whether they have to consider putting Reeves in more often to bring him on. Lee is obviously trying to impress and doesn't know yet that he isn't going to get the ball, if we are to get the best out of him and get back on track we have to pass forward quicker and move better. Playing 150 sideways and backward passes just doesn't do it. The teamwork and confidence is not better than the sum of the parts at the moment. While the ball is being played sideways and backwards nobody in front is moving around because they know they are going to get a bomb from our keeper sometime soon. They have to stop trying to just pass the ball around and nobody moving and get on with pass and move otherwise it isn't going to happen.

 

Is that an old schoolboys shirt or a team shirt you nicked, on your avatar:lol:

 

 

I'm old but not quite that old. LOL.

[ladysaint]

I am not happy that we are out of the Cup thought we had a great chance to get to at least the quarter finals. I would love to win the cup again remember 76 with a passion and thought this season we could have got there but it seems NA didnt feel the same way and didnt play the strongest team he could of, now feel cheated out of another £18. Millwall were definitely wanting it more than us and that showed good luck to them in the next round but it so should of been us.

[derry]

I'm old but not quite that old. LOL.

 

It was the collar and the badge especially I noticed. I don't remember that badge.

[Charlie Wayman]

Well, at least I was one of the miserable few who turned out and got frozen to the effing marrow watching this load of aimless crap so have more than a right to come on here today to complain.

 

We were effing clueless; they gave us the run-around for the whole of the first half and when we dominated later we still couldn't hit the effing target enough to win and our defence as always was AWOL when it mattered.

 

Fonte, Guly were crap, Martin was only slightly better than crap, Richardson was all at sea, Harding was embarrassing, Hammond was only half fit and clueless on the ball, Chaplow is miles away from fitness.

 

Only Lallana distinguished himself, the rest you can parcel up and sell to the highest bidder if we get any.

 

Of the subs, Lambo was as always Lambo what would we do without him and Reeves was immense, what a prospect - hope he stays loyal. Barnard, headless chicken - seems to go together.

 

Overall Adkins sounded down and so he effing should be! Now he's blaming players which he's never done before. Has he lost the dressing room?

 

Is it time for a new defensive coach, a new attacking coach and come to think of it a new effing manager? Getting perilously close one would imagine judging by his after match defensiveness.

 

Big question now is "Where is the recovery going to come from?" Lallana cannot do it all on his own ad OK Morgan and Corkie are probably good enough along with Lambo but what of the rest.

 

I will conceded that southern continentals will have found last night absolutely excruciatingly miserable at -3C and falling so I do feel for Guly, Lee & Fonte in particular but this is England, this is February and **** why are they here at all if they can't cope with our miserable effing weather?

[Saint Garrett]

Well, at least I was one of the miserable few who turned out and got frozen to the effing marrow watching this load of aimless crap so have more than a right to come on here today to complain.

 

We were effing clueless; they gave us the run-around for the whole of the first half and when we dominated later we still couldn't hit the effing target enough to win and our defence as always was AWOL when it mattered.

 

Fonte, Guly were crap, Martin was only slightly better than crap, Richardson was all at sea, Harding was embarrassing, Hammond was only half fit and clueless on the ball, Chaplow is miles away from fitness.

 

Only Lallana distinguished himself, the rest you can parcel up and sell to the highest bidder if we get any.

 

Of the subs, Lambo was as always Lambo what would we do without him and Reeves was immense, what a prospect - hope he stays loyal. Barnard, headless chicken - seems to go together.

 

Overall Adkins sounded down and so he effing should be! Now he's blaming players which he's never done before. Has he lost the dressing room?

 

Is it time for a new defensive coach, a new attacking coach and come to think of it a new effing manager? Getting perilously close one would imagine judging by his after match defensiveness.

 

Big question now is "Where is the recovery going to come from?" Lallana cannot do it all on his own ad OK Morgan and Corkie are probably good enough along with Lambo but what of the rest.

 

I will conceded that southern continentals will have found last night absolutely excruciatingly miserable at -3C and falling so I do feel for Guly, Lee & Fonte in particular but this is England, this is February and **** why are they here at all if they can't cope with our miserable effing weather?

[S-Clarke]

 

Is it time for a new defensive coach, a new attacking coach and come to think of it a new effing manager? Getting perilously close one would imagine judging by his after match defensiveness.

 

This is where English fans mentality is wrong. After any slump, it needs to be all change.

 

Whether that's all new players, all new coaches, a new manager. Sod giving them time to turn around, we need change and we need it now.

 

....and when the new guys don't work, go around in that circle again.

 

You'd have thought of all fans we'd be the ones that crave the stability of a stable team and coaching setup. They've all done enough over the last 2 years to earn trust and respect from everyone and if I trust anyone to get us out of this slump then it's these guys.

[Chez]

They've all done enough over the last 2 years to earn trust and respect from everyone and if I trust anyone to get us out of this slump then it's these guys.

hope you are right. We desperately need a win on Saturday. I worry about Charlie Austin. I just get the feeling he's one of those striker that hasthe knack of scoring against us.

[Papa Shango]

Worst thing about last night was Saints fans singing I'm forever blowing bubbles. Embarrassing at any time, but we've got them next week in a big promotion battle? Presumably those idiots all want us to lose next Tuesday? Add to that all the hysterical tarts who are complaining like we are a club in crisis. We have some right idiots in our support at the moment. If only we were like Leeds fans and got behind the team even when things weren't going right. People need to get some perspective. This time last year we were in League 1, not guaranteed of promotion. We're now 2nd in the Championship, but rather than being overjoyed at how well we are doing, all I here is moaning/people shouting abuse at our own players. Sometimes I think some fans don't deserve promotion.

 

My player ratings/report on the game http://www.thesaintshub.com/saints2-3millwall.html

[bender]

http://www.thesaintshub.com/saints2-3millwall.html

 

 

Christ the attendance was low. Hopefully we'll play better with a proper crowd.

[Dimond Geezer]

 

Is it time for a new defensive coach, a new attacking coach and come to think of it a new effing manager? Getting perilously close one would imagine judging by his after match defensiveness.

 

 

Yeah good plan! A newly promoted team, currently 2nd in the league, hitting a bit of a slump, we obviously neede a new man in, who would you suggest, Warnock, Coppell, Curbishley all currently available I believe.

[The Cat]

I wonder if the Millwall fans are moaning on their messageboards about the fact they were singing "Play Up Pompey" at us?? Doubt it very much. Don't get me wrong it's pretty lame to be singing for rivals of the other team but at least it's singing.

[david in sweden]

summing up some of the statements from different people (players /managers)..it's fairly obvious that a lot of teams haven't been ignoring our earlier success and have analysed our game plan(s)--Richardson said he and Harding were marked out by their wide men and had no room to create space and make centres.

NA is good at changing the " diamond " formation but again it's clear most teams know how we are going to play and it's becoming predictable, and several sides have had more success... just taking long distance pot-shots (as last night's effort from Feeney).

 

We get a lot of this possession /close-passing system, but much of it leads nowhere - we seem to be creating less and less chances...

The first goal from Lallana in 3 months and Guly doesn't get picked every game now, and I fail to understand why we are using Barnard off the bench when we are struggling so much. We are still too dependent on Lambert who doesn't play as a conventional striker anyway..and we have failed to score in 4 of last 6 league games (!).

 

I'm not going to comment on Lee or Sharp who haven't come into the team proper yet..the next 4 games will see if they will establish themselves in the start line-up.

If we play both of them up front then we can " sacrifice " Rickie's " roving role" and play him more as a regular midfielder, I'm sure he'd get just as many chances.

Edited 8 February, 2012 by david in sweden

[Window Cleaner]

Right seen the 20 minutes + all angles...woeful defending, please please get a CB in before Saturday.

 

Camera angles may distort it but Reeves goal looks pretty offside to me, or at least Barnard does when the linesman flags him offside.Nothing to complain about...not a valid goal at all.

 

Last but not least same old same old, chances going begging all of the time.

[S-Clarke]

Right seen the 20 minutes + all angles...woeful defending, please please get a CB in before Saturday.

 

Camera angles may distort it but Reeves goal looks pretty offside to me, or at least Barnard does when the linesman flags him offside.Nothing to complain about...not a valid goal at all.

 

Last but not least same old same old, chances going begging all of the time.

 

Just looked myself and Martin had an absoloute mare for 2 of the goals if I'm honest. Beaten way too easy for both and needs to wake up a bit. He's come on leaps and bounds this year, but seems to be prone to lapses like that against trickier players.

 

Richardson and Harding didn't do themselves any favours defensivley either looking at that. Reeves and De Ridder looked very lively though which is a positive.

[LGTL]

Well, at least I was one of the miserable few who turned out and got frozen to the effing marrow watching this load of aimless crap so have more than a right to come on here today to complain.

 

We were effing clueless; they gave us the run-around for the whole of the first half and when we dominated later we still couldn't hit the effing target enough to win and our defence as always was AWOL when it mattered.

 

Fonte, Guly were crap, Martin was only slightly better than crap, Richardson was all at sea, Harding was embarrassing, Hammond was only half fit and clueless on the ball, Chaplow is miles away from fitness.

 

Only Lallana distinguished himself, the rest you can parcel up and sell to the highest bidder if we get any.

 

Of the subs, Lambo was as always Lambo what would we do without him and Reeves was immense, what a prospect - hope he stays loyal. Barnard, headless chicken - seems to go together.

 

Overall Adkins sounded down and so he effing should be! Now he's blaming players which he's never done before. Has he lost the dressing room?

 

Is it time for a new defensive coach, a new attacking coach and come to think of it a new effing manager? Getting perilously close one would imagine judging by his after match defensiveness.

 

Big question now is "Where is the recovery going to come from?" Lallana cannot do it all on his own ad OK Morgan and Corkie are probably good enough along with Lambo but what of the rest.

 

I will conceded that southern continentals will have found last night absolutely excruciatingly miserable at -3C and falling so I do feel for Guly, Lee & Fonte in particular but this is England, this is February and **** why are they here at all if they can't cope with our miserable effing weather?

 

I never realised Arsenal were playing last night.

[derry]

Just looked myself and Martin had an absoloute mare for 2 of the goals if I'm honest. Beaten way too easy for both and needs to wake up a bit. He's come on leaps and bounds this year, but seems to be prone to lapses like that against trickier players.

 

Richardson and Harding didn't do themselves any favours defensivley either looking at that. Reeves and De Ridder looked very lively though which is a positive.

 

Just freeze framed the third goal, Feeney was offside by half a mower cut about two and a half yds. The referee was about three yds away from the ball and looking directly at it when the free kick was taken with the ball still rolling. Having said all that Richardson allowed him to come inside by going too far and should have positioned himself better. He had to give him the outside option only, he allowed him to go either way. It was even worse than I thought with Martin selling himself to be beaten easily for the second goal.