Saints 1 Reading 3 - The Wake

[suewhistle]

Plus, hate to say this, and happy to be corrected if the tv did not reflect it correctly, but thought the crowd were poor when the team really needed them. Cameras kept cutting to the crowd sat there quietly contemplating defeat. Where was the passion to lift the team?

 

I agree with the other stuff you mentioned, but the bit I quoted echoes my thoughts entirely, and there was I, sat in front of the laptop shouting my head off...

[Dr Who?]

OK, now I am getting perspective. We can only do our best. If we are not good enough for promotion this year, then maybe it will give us another year to build. In the meantime we can only give it our best shot. Posh and Cov are winnable games. Tuesday is massive ! As I said before, I think Wham will take 12 points from the next four.

 

If West Ham win all 4 I will give you £20, just not going to happen!

[Saint Without a Halo]

Thought both payed well when they came on, but the team didn't do enough to win.

 

De Ridder especially played very well when he came on. Beat Harte constantly, crossed well. He also got into some great positions, then we refused to play him in.

 

 

When was the last time we brought on a sub who scored 2 in 25 mins

[tedmaul]

Sometimes you have to give the opposition some credit. I thought we played well tonight but Reading were just more clinical. The right side of midfield is a problem though.

[niceandfriendly]

Shouldnt feel too bad they are a good side, especially with mullins in the middle. Jason Roberts was also excellent, but you're right probably not man of match, that should of gone to Fonte for his premier league defending.

 

Son, enjoy League 1. Actually, enjoy liquidation.

 

Sha la la la la la la, who the f*ck is laughing now?

[Dr Who?]

Shouldnt feel too bad they are a good side, especially with mullins in the middle. Jason Roberts was also excellent, but you're right probably not man of match, that should of gone to Fonte for his premier league defending.

 

Ha ha brilliant. I know you are joking by the way, but he did get found out tonight.

[Sheaf Saint]

Annoyed. we had them on the rack for large periods but just couldn't find that bit of quality needed to open them up - good defending from Reading you have to say, and we didn't harry them enough to pressure them into a mistake, which is exactly how they scored their second and third.

 

Sharp was ineffective. I know he was invloved in our goal but aside from that he offered no threat at all which was disappointing. I thought Chappers was having a good game before he was subbed and SDR did show some enterprise when he came on but still couldn't supply enough quality from the wing.

 

When we really needed to up our game to get a goal back after they went 2-1 up, Guly comes on and slows the game down completely. Totally one-dimensional in midfield and offered nothing going forward - at fault for their third goal. I really don't care if I get slammed by his supporters on here because I have not seen a single damn thing from him all season that shows he is a positive force in the team.

 

Oh well. Reading probably deserve the title now, but I'm still confident that we will take second spot. As long as we play with the same confidence and patience as we did during our periods of dominance tonight in our last 3 games then I can't see WHU overtaking us.

 

Blue line.

 

Onwards and upwards.

[Dalek2003]

If West Ham win all 4 I will give you £20, just not going to happen!

 

I am sure they will but hope we beat Posh and Cov with a few goals to spare because of Goal Difference

[Winnersaint]

If I were a Reading fan, I would be quite offended at the "mugging" comments.

 

The defended superbly, harried us for posession, and broke quickly and intelligence.

 

FFS, get over it. The better team won.

 

I know a lot of Reading fans, most are under sixteen ( work in a school) all are bunch of unknowledgeable tvvats. **** em!

[alpine_saint]

am over it alpine......just watching you go into meltdown

 

Then you are dellusional, I'm afraid. I am far from meltdown. This defeat is, along with Blackpool, one of the easier to take, because we were beaten by a team that was hungry, energetic, well organised, and I know that we werent up to their standard on the day.

 

I go into meltdown after losing to crap like Bristol City.

[niceandfriendly]

Son, enjoy League 1. Actually, enjoy liquidation.

 

Sha la la la la la la, who the f*ck is laughing now?

 

And Skate, let's just take a quick peek at the League table. It might interest you.

(sorry about the no movement nonsense, but it's still good viewing, eh?)

[TABLE=class: table-stats]

[TR=class: team first]

[/TR]

[TR=class: team first]

[TD=class: position]No Movement 1[/TD]

[TD=class: team-name] Reading [/TD]

[TD=class: played]43[/TD]

[TD=class: goal-difference]29[/TD]

[TD=class: points]85[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: team]

[TD=class: position]No Movement 2[/TD]

[TD=class: team-name] Southampton [/TD]

[TD=class: played]43[/TD]

[TD=class: goal-difference]34[/TD]

[TD=class: points]82[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: team divider]

[TD=class: position]No Movement 3[/TD]

[TD=class: team-name] West Ham [/TD]

[TD=class: played]42[/TD]

[TD=class: goal-difference]25[/TD]

[TD=class: points]76[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: team]

[TD=class: position]No Movement 4[/TD]

[TD=class: team-name] Birmingham [/TD]

[TD=class: played]42[/TD]

[TD=class: goal-difference]25[/TD]

[TD=class: points]70[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: team]

[TD=class: position]No Movement 5[/TD]

[TD=class: team-name] Blackpool [/TD]

[TD=class: played]42[/TD]

[TD=class: goal-difference]15[/TD]

[TD=class: points]67[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: team]

[TD=class: position]No Movement 6[/TD]

[TD=class: team-name] Cardiff [/TD]

[TD=class: played]42[/TD]

[TD=class: goal-difference]9[/TD]

[TD=class: points]65[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: team divider]

[TD=class: position]No Movement 7[/TD]

[TD=class: team-name] Brighton [/TD]

[TD=class: played]42[/TD]

[TD=class: goal-difference]6[/TD]

[TD=class: points]63[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: team]

[TD=class: position]No Movement 8[/TD]

[TD=class: team-name] Middlesbrough [/TD]

[TD=class: played]42[/TD]

[TD=class: goal-difference]0[/TD]

[TD=class: points]63[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: team]

[TD=class: position]No Movement 9[/TD]

[TD=class: team-name] Leicester [/TD]

[TD=class: played]42[/TD]

[TD=class: goal-difference]12[/TD]

[TD=class: points]62[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: team]

[TD=class: position]No Movement 10[/TD]

[TD=class: team-name] Hull [/TD]

[TD=class: played]42[/TD]

[TD=class: goal-difference]1[/TD]

[TD=class: points]61[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: team]

[TD=class: position]No Movement 11[/TD]

[TD=class: team-name] Derby [/TD]

[TD=class: played]42[/TD]

[TD=class: goal-difference]-6[/TD]

[TD=class: points]60[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: team]

[TD=class: position]No Movement 12[/TD]

[TD=class: team-name] Burnley [/TD]

[TD=class: played]42[/TD]

[TD=class: goal-difference]7[/TD]

[TD=class: points]59[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: team]

[TD=class: position]No Movement 13[/TD]

[TD=class: team-name] Watford [/TD]

[TD=class: played]42[/TD]

[TD=class: goal-difference]-9[/TD]

[TD=class: points]58[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: team]

[TD=class: position]No Movement 14[/TD]

[TD=class: team-name] Leeds United [/TD]

[TD=class: played]42[/TD]

[TD=class: goal-difference]-4[/TD]

[TD=class: points]57[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: team]

[TD=class: position]No Movement 15[/TD]

[TD=class: team-name] Ipswich [/TD]

[TD=class: played]42[/TD]

[TD=class: goal-difference]-6[/TD]

[TD=class: points]56[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: team]

[TD=class: position]No Movement 16[/TD]

[TD=class: team-name] Crystal Palace [/TD]

[TD=class: played]42[/TD]

[TD=class: goal-difference]-3[/TD]

[TD=class: points]54[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: team]

[TD=class: position]No Movement 17[/TD]

[TD=class: team-name] Peterborough [/TD]

[TD=class: played]42[/TD]

[TD=class: goal-difference]-5[/TD]

[TD=class: points]48[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: team]

[TD=class: position]No Movement 18[/TD]

[TD=class: team-name] Millwall [/TD]

[TD=class: played]42[/TD]

[TD=class: goal-difference]-7[/TD]

[TD=class: points]47[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: team]

[TD=class: position]No Movement 19[/TD]

[TD=class: team-name] Barnsley [/TD]

[TD=class: played]42[/TD]

[TD=class: goal-difference]-20[/TD]

[TD=class: points]47[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: team]

[TD=class: position]No Movement 20[/TD]

[TD=class: team-name] Nottm Forest [/TD]

[TD=class: played]42[/TD]

[TD=class: goal-difference]-15[/TD]

[TD=class: points]46[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: team]

[TD=class: position]No Movement 21[/TD]

[TD=class: team-name] Bristol City [/TD]

[TD=class: played]42[/TD]

[TD=class: goal-difference]-26[/TD]

[TD=class: points]43[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: team divider]

[TD=class: position]No Movement 22[/TD]

[TD=class: team-name] Coventry [/TD]

[TD=class: played]42[/TD]

[TD=class: goal-difference]-17[/TD]

[TD=class: points]39[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: team]

[TD=class: position]No Movement 23[/TD]

[TD=class: team-name] Portsmouth [/TD]

[TD=class: played]42[/TD]

[TD=class: goal-difference]-8[/TD]

[TD=class: points]34[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: team]

[TD=class: position]No Movement 24[/TD]

[TD=class: team-name] Doncaster [/TD]

[TD=class: played]42[/TD]

[TD=class: goal-difference]-37[/TD]

[TD=class: points]32[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

[CWD]

I'm ****ed off to say the least, in 40 years of supporting Saints I'd hoped that at least once in my lifetime I'd see us win a title. From the position we were in before tonight I thought it was a possibility, can't see it now. Wanted to see us bury Reading and get one step further to it, can't see it happening now, and ****ed off about tonight's result is an understatement. Better ****ing win next week at Peterborough.

 

Have to agree, I'm desperate to see us win a league. Still, it's not over yet, and it was a decent performance tonight. Just look at some of the comments on BBC and you'll see that most people are complimenting the lads. We need to move on and destroy Peterborough on Tuesday. A birthday present for me please Saints!

[Minty]

I agree with the other stuff you mentioned, but the bit I quoted echoes my thoughts entirely, and there was I, sat in front of the laptop shouting my head off...

Glad someone does, beginning to think it was only me.

 

This isn't a 'blame the fans' post before someone jumps on me, but we know we can make a difference and it just seemed we barely tried tonight.

[Thedelldays]

so, let me get this straight

 

west ham lose tomorrow, we could be promoted at London Rd..? (pretty much)

[Ohio Saint]

I accept the defeat gracefully, and I understand the differences that caused us to lose. However, to say that the better team won is bullcrap, and relies purely on the scoreline rather than the anatomy of the game. Saints bossed the game, but lacked up front. Reading were on the back foot, but were clinical with their rare chances......There was also some luck involved.

 

No big deal, but to say Reading played better simply because of the scoreline is an idiot. They deserved the win because they took their chances, not because they played better footy throughout.

[Saint Without a Halo]

Nigel needs to do a great job lifting us if we are to avoid choking! Last 4 have not been great

Win1 Draw 1 Lose 2 not really promotion form! 4 points in 4 games

[SNSUN]

Great performance from Saints, and to that end, we were robbed. We needed to take our chances better, Reading gave us a masterclass of how to finish. I'm not fully disheartened, granted the title looks beyond us now, but I still think we have what it takes to win promotion. Control the controllables - 3 wins from our last 3 games should be doable, and it may be that even 5 points from 9 would see us up.

 

This season just got real.

 

De Ridder was brilliant when he came on. I know he has his doubters but I've always been impressed when I've seen him play - and his tracking back tonight was exemplary.

 

Onwards and upwards. Firstly, let's hope Brighton can help us out tomorrow, but failing that let's pray we turn out performances like tonight over the last 3 games of the season.

[alpine_saint]

I see Sharp has joined Guly in the ranks of "convenient scapegoats"

 

Oh well, at least we can exclude racism as a motivation, I suppose.

[Minty]

so, let me get this straight

 

west ham lose tomorrow, we could be promoted at London Rd..? (pretty much)

Yep. 2-1 to Brighton is my prediction, and 4 red cards...

[Thedelldays]

Yep. 2-1 to Brighton is my prediction, and 4 red cards...

then why are some literally throwing in the towel..

ok, so west ham win tomorrow...they have 2 tricky away games...leicester especially

[SuperSAINT]

I knew it would happen.

 

1) It's Friday the 13th.

2) It was on SKY.

3) It's my birthday.

 

Fair play to Reading who deserve to win the league with the form they've been in, but damn 3 attempts and 3 goals was really tough to take.

[The Kraken]

Good performance from Saints. Undone by a team in form, high on confidence, and who know how to take their chances. Fonte had a mare, and we had one of those days in front of goal where we could have scored 5 but weren't nearly clinical enough.

 

Gets a little tasty from here on in, but still got to believe, and would still prefer to be in our position than West Ham's.

[dubai_phil]

Kourva. That's Polish for sh1t

 

2 really bad errors each from Jose & Fox led to their goals.

 

Twice Fox did not get tight enough and allowed the cross to come in, and. let's face it one mistimed leap and one howler from Jose cost us the game.

 

We had 2 cracking chances - they went & scored

 

We had one nailed on penalty for the foul on Sharp - They scored.

 

That's life. Sh1t happens, Blue Line

 

But I think Jose & Fox may need a rest

[Micky]

so, let me get this straight

 

west ham lose tomorrow, we could be promoted at London Rd..? (pretty much)

 

Yep, that could happen, but so could.....

[alpine_saint]

I accept the defeat gracefully, and I understand the differences that caused us to lose. However, to say that the better team won is bullcrap, and relies purely on the scoreline rather than the anatomy of the game. Saints bossed the game, but lacked up front. Reading were on the back foot, but were clinical with their rare chances......There was also some luck involved.

 

No big deal, but to say Reading played better simply because of the scoreline is an idiot. They deserved the win because they took their chances, not because they played better footy throughout.

 

What a truly stupid post.

 

Reading played better than us. They might have had less presence in the final third, but they defended and covered superbly, and snuffed out our thread.

 

"Better team" isnt just determined by time spent on attack, FFS.

[stug76]

Unlucky tonight, on another day it could have been a happier result. I suspect that the stats will say that saints were the better team and I would agree with that.

 

I have no doubts that Saints will go up, just looks like it might be as runners up which is a shame considering we've been in the top 2 all year.

 

(Alpine - I just don't get what you enjoy about football, or why you follow it. If Saints do well you disappear, when they lose, we are the worst team in history. You have no balance to your comments and you make this forum a worse place for all you sniping.) Do us all a favour and go and do something else that makes you happy.

[Lazlo78]

Stats from BBC:

Possession

Southampton 59%, Reading 41%

 

Shots (On target)

Southampton 19 (12), Reading 6 (4)

 

Corners

Southampton 7, Reading 2

[obelisk]

After getting that equaliser I assumed Saints would go for it and for a few minutes they did. Reading looked worried they might get overrun and with some calmer finishing things might have gone Saints way. But Saints returned to the laboured slow build up, never really got behind them and took to lumping it into the box. Thinking about it, I can't really remember too much that Federici had to worry about from then on. Even at 1-2 with 15 minutes left there didn't seem to be anything in the way of urgency.

 

It feels like a mugging but is it really? Reading were quick on the break and absolutely clinical in punishing individual mistakes. Perhaps Saints will do the business in the next 2 away matches but recent omens make me slightly perturbed. Let's see what happens at Upton Park tomorrow.

[thorpie the sinner]

Good performance from Saints. Undone by a team in form, high on confidence, and who know how to take their chances. Fonte had a mare, and we had one of those days in front of goal where we could have scored 5 but weren't nearly clinical enough.

 

Gets a little tasty from here on in, but still got to believe, and would still prefer to be in our position than West Ham's.

 

Pretty much agree, another night we would have scored 4!! Bad mistakes our end, but they were clinical!

[dune]

FFS, get over it.

 

The irony.

[Minty]

then why are some literally throwing in the towel.

How long have you been on here?

 

We've literally just lost the game. Emotions run high. That's football. One thing I've learnt is that while emotions run there's little point challenging the initial reactions that people make because nothing constructive comes of it.

[badgerx16]

We could have had 3 before they got their first gift, and forget the third, conceding in added time when chasing an equaliser is just rubbing salt in the wounds. For most of the match we dominated and they defended in depth, we managed plenty of clear chances on goal but didn't quite have the sights set correctly; the early deflection off Gorkss could have crept in by the post, Jos had 2 or 3 clear unmarked headers, as did Adam, plus his cross/chip which just got tippped over.

I do think we became a bit predictable late on, how many deep crosses to the far post came in from the right hand side whilst they had everybody behind the ball ?

 

Overall, if we can put in this level of performance in the last 3 games I can't see a problem with acheiving automatic promotion, and we could even get 3 wins, and remember, after Brighton, Wet Sham still have to go away to Brizzle and Leicester.

[Thedelldays]

crazy..in their last two games, reading have had 39 shots against them and let in 1 goal

[alpine_saint]

Unlucky tonight, on another day it could have been a happier result. I suspect that the stats will say that saints were the better team and I would agree with that.

 

I have no doubts that Saints will go up, just looks like it might be as runners up which is a shame considering we've been in the top 2 all year.

 

(Alpine - I just don't get what you enjoy about football, or why you follow it. If Saints do well you disappear, when they lose, we are the worst team in history. You have no balance to your comments and you make this forum a worse place for all you sniping.) Do us all a favour and go and do something else that makes you happy.

 

complete mythology

[lambertsrightleg]

they took their chances. we didn't. However, play like that for the next three games and we'll be fine. still super proud

[dune]

complete mythology

 

Complete mong.

[Saint in Paradise]

I'm starting to think that if we do go up, we will have to spend a lot of money to stay there. We have very few players who are anywhere near Prem quality.

1

 

That sir saves me typing it, agree totally.

[dubai_phil]

What a truly stupid post.

 

Reading played better than us. They might have had less presence in the final third, but they defended and covered superbly, and snuffed out our thread.

 

"Better team" isnt just determined by time spent on attack, FFS.

 

What a truly stupid post.

 

We played Reading off the park. They created nothing compared to us, but some defensive howlers by what looked like mental fatigue from players who have been on top form of late cost us the game

[LaptopSaint]

Fancy Forest to get something at the Majedski. Dexter Blackstock your country needs you. I'm probably totally delusional but there you go. Don't expect any favours from Poyet's mob at West Hoof so Peterborough is now officially even more massive than it was three hours ago. Control the controllables - (don't give the ball away when Jimmy Kebe is nearby would have been a good start). Blue line - one game at a time. COYR.

[MOSaint]

Arrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhh.........fuuuck off you ***t. We don't deserve to go up? What planet do live on. West ham don't deserve to go up. We have been in the top two ALL season.

 

So you genuinely think if we fail to beat two of the division's worst sides and West Ham sneak past us, we'd be hard done by? It'd be a total bottle job considering the gap between us and WHam plus our GD advantage at the moment.

 

I Think Saints will get the job done btw, would have picked that up if you could read.

[St Chalet]

Shouldnt feel too bad they are a good side, especially with mullins in the middle. Jason Roberts was also excellent, but you're right probably not man of match, that should of gone to Fonte for his premier league defending.

 

We generally tolerate Skates, but not on the Main Board, and especially not tonight. Take a day off.

[OttawaSaint]

Ack! was 1-1 when I went to pick up the kids, was hoping for a nice surprise when I got home. Oh well, Saints way is never easy, hope wham don't win on Sat and we can capitalise and beat P'boro.

[badgerx16]

What hurts for me is conceding 2 goals to somebody called ALF wearing PINK boots ( FFS ) !

[Minty]

Fancy Forest to get something at the Majedski.

I do believe Forest are now 2nd in the form table behind Reading after our defeat. They will be no pushover.

 

I draw the line, however, at giving their manager any credit for this.

[Cascadia Saint]

What a truly stupid post.

 

Reading played better than us. They might have had less presence in the final third, but they defended and covered superbly, and snuffed out our thread.

 

"Better team" isnt just determined by time spent on attack, FFS.

 

I completely agree with him. As do a few others I'm sure.

 

You lost the rights to the words 'truly stupid' when you wore them out by personifying them for eternity. Do one.

[Ohio Saint]

What a truly stupid post.

 

 

One of my posts being called stupid by Alps? I feel honoured!!

[Gigersaint]

Really hope that the frustration of not beating Reading tonight results in us slaughtering Peterborough to keep us on the heels of them.

If we can do that again at Middlesboro then the final game of the Season could be immense if Reading win their next two at home, but think its too much now for us to win the League, but as long as it's possible and we can now match Reading to the last game then I still have a hope we can win the title on GD!

[Lazlo78]

I see Sharp has joined Guly in the ranks of "convenient scapegoats"

 

Oh well, at least we can exclude racism as a motivation, I suppose.

 

The commentator on the stream said at one point that Saints had to stop Reading's white players - and that was just after a brilliant move by Jason Roberts...

[Thedelldays]

one thing I will say....very disappointed with lallana finishing for such a talented player

[Micky]

Stats from BBC:

Possession

Southampton 59%, Reading 41%

 

Shots (On target)

Southampton 19 (12), Reading 6 (4)

 

Corners

Southampton 7, Reading 2

 

All that shows is how ineffective we were unfortunately. Need a real big performance at Posh on Tuesday, win and we will be fine - anything other and we could be heading for trouble.

 

Shame about tonight - lots of pretty stuff, but no real killer punch.