Saints vs Reading -- Post Match Reactions

[sammysaint]

My mate whos a reading fan even said we deserved all 3 and out played them, said Shaw was class and was shocked Guly made there back four look **** as last season he thought he was one of our worse players.

 

Great result, sunderland have plenty of pace and we will struggle vs them, they wont go down it will be between us Villa and Wigan for 3rd bottom.

[70's Mike]

My mate whos a reading fan even said we deserved all 3 and out played them, said Shaw was class and was shocked Guly made there back four look **** as last season he thought he was one of our worse players.

 

Great result, sunderland have plenty of pace and we will struggle vs them, they wont go down it will be between us Villa and Wigan for 3rd bottom.

 

don't matter how much pace they have if they do not have ball

[Professor]

Very poor performance by the Ref. With a good ref we would have won 3-0. Very good to see Kelvin back in goal. True he had little to do First Half but when he did a little more Second Half he exuded confidence. Back Four looking far more solid with the two CMFs to protect them and the possessionb/passing game went very well. Need to make more chances, which will be harder against better teams than Reading. Guly did well when he came on, especially given his lack of Prem experience but I did think it would have been nice to have Billy Sharp on the bench.

[Pugwash]

Agree the ref was shocking, he gave Reading every chance to equalize but they just weren't good enough. Their players were holding, pushing and pulling the whole game without being punished and Roberts should be doing three months' for ABH for some of his work.

 

Shaw was outstanding as was Puncheon. Rodriguez looked really sharp and Cork once again ran the midfield.

[OldNick]

Who was todays ref?

[dubai_phil]

Enjoyed that game in the pub.

 

If we had been anyone other than Saints we'd have sat back and enjoyed the way we controlled the game. But of course we were paranoid.

 

Rickie looked so composed playing in the hole, did what he had to so well. JRod looked much better up front and his moves and jinks show he will become a very good PL player.

 

Kelvin - Looked (a bit Like Jose has of late) as if he finally realised he CAN play in the PL, seemed much more confident and exuded that.

Shaw - What a talent, such good decision making in one so young. Perhapsit was him coming in to the team NOT Cork that has made the difference?

Clyne - Link up play with Puncheon now so much better still a wobble loosing his man for a header towards the end

Fonte - I honestly thought he would be our weak link this season, he is starting to look like a real PL defender

Yoshida - Growing into the role, still got brushed aside a couple of times but looking better

Lallana- FINALLY he is now hitting the ball/passing first time, not taking a second touch - so much more effective. But STILL needs to improve his shooting

Cork - For a DM popped up around their box a great deal

Morgan - He just goes about his job, you don't really notice what he does but he does a hell of a lot of "popping up in space" and "breaking up play"

Ramirez - Wasted out wide in reality but some of the moments - second half he just took the pace off the ball, settled things down and off we went again

 

And then there was Puncheon. Look I have been a huge critic of his this and other seasons. For me earlier this year his speed of thought and decision making in the oppo half had been slow and woeful.

 

Today he was insanely good.

 

IF he keeps improving he could go a long way.

 

Guly - MORONS - you want to boo your own player well f\/ck offdown to nottarf krap. Rickie was never going to be moved up front to chase and harry defenders, he was knackered. Guly did everything asked of him, held the ball up, passed accurately and made a cracking opportunity that he should have buried. He also gave us height to defend set pieces in the last 10 minutes or so which Mayuka could never have given us.

 

All in all really enjoyed the game. Damascus Refugee Saint joined us along with two newbies - the Dubai Massive grows faster than my beer gut.

[sidthesquid]

Thoughts on today -

Rickie was immense again. In the second half they had two defenders on him and still he was winning the ball.

JRod ran his socks off. Still looks a little raw, but has pace and he'll come good.

Punch is such a confidence player, but when it is going well he is unplayable.

We were looking at two future England fullbacks today.

Only negative was Adam's injury, and our inability to convert enough attacks into goals.

As for Reading, they looked a Championship team, full of hard work and physicality, but way below Prem standard technically.

All round, a good day at the office from everyone.

[LostBoys]

Very good performance and a thoroughly deserved win. Reading had injuries but looked very poor. Le Fondre was dreadful and Roberts is a joke and just fouls persistently. I am not a referee baiter having done a bit of it at Soton Tyro and Hampshire Youth level - you are not going to get it all right and no-one is going to agree with you anyway but you have to try and get the obvious decisions right. The referee today was just appalling. Roberts just persistently fouled Yoshida all game backing into him all the time. He shoved Yoshida over while he was in mid air did not jump and then collapsed on the floor and the ref gave Roberts a free kick. Where was the foul on Federici - Federici he fouled Yoshida. An absolute joke. Hey ho I am a happy bunny tonight

[SuperMikey]

Reading were awful, thought we were a bit average. First half was terrible, no urgency or communication. Stepped it up in the 2nd though and glad for the 3pts!

 

Ref was shît as well, some abysmal decisions. Complete clown!

[tttdcs]

Perhaps all these crap refs have been trained by ex ref Rob Styles ?

[up and away]

As much as I thought we were bad throughout against Liverpool, team and management, we were absolutely spot on with the resources we had against Reading. Because of the way we set up we never had total control of the midfield early on but we kept them contained such their threat was minimal. This was the type of game I felt we had to plug away with what we had on the field and nick a goal and hold it for the 3 points. I thought we did that when Puncheon scored only for the ref to disallow it. Did Federici not just push Yoshida into the back of his defender causing the foul? looks very much so from the clip I have just seen?

 

Looking back on our last game at St Mary's against Reading showed how much we have improved and mainly down to the full backs, exceptional. Roberts tried to bully Shaw but he was having none of it, too much football for the thug. He really is the real deal but Clyne is such a good player as well that we are now so lucky to have this dual threats at full back.

 

Sad to see Lallana go off in the manner he did but the performance continued seamlessly. Guly looked exactly the answer to what we had been looking for and would like to see more of that form. Kelvin did nothing wrong but if Boruc is going, I'd like to see Freidel in goal. This was a vital game which leads us directly onto our next important game, Sunderland. Such that the Liverpool result may even be looked upon as acceptable with the right outcome.

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

Not at our very best today perhaps, but all-in-all the best side won I thought. Out of the relegation zone tonight, the 3 points are most welcome against the type of opposition we really needed to beat if we want to stay in this division. So onwards and ever upwards I hope!

 

Three good:

Luke Shaw

A 17 year old who already performs like a (very good) player in his mid twenties. On the rare occasions he does gets beat he has the pace, skill, and determination to get back into position and recover the situation. Early days I suppose, but as long as we can keep him it may well be a decade or more before we have a vacancy at Left Back ... oh and Clyne on the right is not too shabby either!

Cork & Schneiderlin

Always a central midfield pairing of some potential, these two are starting to look at home now at this level. Schneiderlin is a good player in my book, but Jack Cork may perhaps be the better of them. Had Corky been fit all season I dare say we might now be comfortably midtable.

JROD

It's taken him a while to find his feet in the PL but today we saw a glimpse of just why we spent all that money on him. Younger, quicker, and much more energetic than Sir Ricky, as long as the goals follow it can only be a matter of time before he does supersede the great man.

 

Three not so good:

Lallana

Such a important player for this team any injury to Adam must be a matter of some concern for us all. For those not there today I can only add - for what it's worth - that he did appear to walk off the pitch without too much difficulty. Fingers crossed ....

Lambert

Not at the races today I thought, indeed he hardly won a header all match, which is most 'unlambertlike'.

Substitutions

Ramirez for Lallana was utterly correct and uncontroversial, but Guly for the rather impressive Rodriguez left this fan somewhat bemused and befuddled. I need hardly say that it's so very important we get these decisions right.

[S-Clarke]

Lambert

Not at the races today I thought, indeed he hardly won a header all match, which is most 'unlambertlike'.

Substitutions

Ramirez for Lallana was utterly correct and uncontroversial, but Guly for the rather impressive Rodriguez left this fan somewhat bemused and befuddled. I need hardly say that it's so very important we get these decisions right.

 

Very odd last 2 points, if I'm honest.

 

From where I was sat, Lambert won most in the air. Pulled their CB's all over the shop, and was pivotal in the buildup to our goal. It was a trademark Lambert performance today, lead the line like a true centre forward.

 

Guly did well, best I've seen him in the premier league. Touch was great, whereas Rodriguez's wasn't, movement was very good, and he could and should have scored. There wasn't a wrong decision made there.

[St Chalet]

Thought Lambert was immense playing the role he did. Dropping deep during a build up and acting as the focal point for the longer punts.

 

His nutmeg to play in Clyne who went on to feed Puncheon for the goal was sublime, watch it back.

[St Chalet]

Also JRod had done a huge shift, good management I thought.

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

Very odd last 2 points, if I'm honest.

 

From where I was sat, Lambert won most in the air. Pulled their CB's all over the shop, and was pivotal in the buildup to our goal. It was a trademark Lambert performance today, lead the line like a true centre forward.

 

Guly did well, best I've seen him in the premier league. Touch was great, whereas Rodriguez's wasn't, movement was very good, and he could and should have scored. There wasn't a wrong decision made there.

 

We all love SRL, but the truth is he wasn't even jumping against their cb's by the end of todays match. I can't reconcile your view with the game I was watching.

[corky morris]

Important win. Reading are a horrible team. Hoooooff!!! Ref rubbish as most have been this season. Clyne, Cork, Yoshi & most of all Shaw all very very good today. Thought the booing of Guly was wrong even if the substitution was a little bit dodgy. As it happened Guly played well when he came on. What has Mayuka got to do to get a game??

Jason Roberts is a complete tool!!!

[Jonnyboy]

Apart from a double miss-placed pass thought Lambert was great. So rarely wastes possession when ball is at his feet, dominates centre backs in the air.

[ottery st mary]

I watched the game today and Lambert was brilliant....Tremendous game...Suggest some watch more closely what he brought to a lot of the link play, hold up play and his touch for a large chap..

 

Clyne and Shaw Excellent.

 

JRod is going to be a major asset to this team.

 

Cork and Morgan ..marvellous.

 

Fonte and Yoshida outstanding.

 

Ramirez is class and when with a few more games under his belt...unstoppable.

 

 

tHANK YOU kELVEN FOR A SOLID DISPLAY..

 

 

BUT ..Puncheon.......magical at times with the ball..a real handful..such good link up play with Clyne , Lambert and Cork..

 

Puncheon you boooooty. well done lad AND Well done Uncle Nigel....

 

Just in case anyone does not understand........Rikkeeee Lambert ..TOP CLASS TODAY.

 

 

lAMBERT HAD MORE THAN A DOZEN FLICK ONS OR LAY OFFS WITH HIS HEAD..lET ALONE WITH HIS TWINKLE FEET.

Edited 8 December, 2012 by ottery st mary

[los_saint]

 

Guly - MORONS - you want to boo your own player well f\/ck offdown to nottarf krap. .

 

 

Well said Phil.

[BARCELONASAINT]

We all love SRL, but the truth is he wasn't even jumping against their cb's by the end of todays match. I can't reconcile your view with the game I was watching.

 

WOW, it really does go to show that 2 people can watch the same thing but read it so completely different......for my sixpence worth i thought RL was immense today, very unselfish, great holding up, great battling and his layoffs were perfectly weighted.

 

Guly did everything right when he came on for a very tired JROD.

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

Apart from a double miss-placed pass thought Lambert was great. So rarely wastes possession when ball is at his feet, dominates centre backs in the air.

 

Not today shipmate.

[Roger]

Not today shipmate.

 

I watched it online and he won nearly everything and defended amazing from set pieces. Even Dave mezza said he was amazing.

[S-Clarke]

I watched it online and he won nearly everything and defended amazing from set pieces. Even Dave mezza said he was amazing.

 

Glad a fair few watched the same game as me then!

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

WOW, it really does go to show that 2 people can watch the same thing but read it so completely different......for my sixpence worth i thought RL was immense today, very unselfish, great holding up, great battling and his layoffs were perfectly weighted.

 

Guly did everything right when he came on for a very tired JROD.

 

If you really thought that was one of Lambert's better games then good for you. In my opinion he's played much more effectively than that on numerous occasions.

 

JROD was still going strong when he came off I thought, and I have no idea how Guly could have possibly done "everything right" when he missed a sitter from 5 yards!

[VectisSaint]

We all love SRL, but the truth is he wasn't even jumping against their cb's by the end of todays match. I can't reconcile your view with the game I was watching.

I think it was largely down to the fact that whenever he did try to jump the Reading "defender" was holding him down or pushing him in the back. One day a Ref will give a few of these fouls, but most are too afraid/incompetent to do so.

[Saint Garrett]

If you really thought that was one of Lambert's better games then good for you. In my opinion he's played much more effectively than that on numerous occasions.

 

JROD was still going strong when he came off I thought, and I have no idea how Guly could have possibly done "everything right" when he missed a sitter from 5 yards!

 

If it had been Lallana it would have been a 'great save'. Because it's Guly, he's useless and **** and it was 'missed'. Bull****, It was a decent effort - yes ok probably should have scored, but he didn't the keeper made a decent save. Get over it.

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

I watched it online and he won nearly everything and defended amazing from set pieces. Even Dave mezza said he was amazing.

 

I was there and he most certainly did not win 'nearly everything'.

 

Still one of my favorite players, but I can only call it as I see it.

[Roger]

If you really thought that was one of Lambert's better games then good for you. In my opinion he's played much more effectively than that on numerous occasions.

 

JROD was still going strong when he came off I thought, and I have no idea how Guly could have possibly done "everything right" when he missed a sitter from 5 yards!

If you thought j rod was better than lambert today I suggest u watch game again. Lambert gave a really good performance.

[S-Clarke]

If you really thought that was one of Lambert's better games then good for you. In my opinion he's played much more effectively than that on numerous occasions.

 

JROD was still going strong when he came off I thought, and I have no idea how Guly could have possibly done "everything right" when he missed a sitter from 5 yards!

 

That was a stunning reaction save for what it's worth, watch it back again.

 

Obviously you're not going to waiver your opinion, but you're clearly out on your own here.

[Roger]

I was there and he most certainly did not win 'nearly everything'.

 

Still one of my favorite players, but I can only call it as I see it.

 

I missed my first game for 4 years through illness. I'd argue with replays etc u see more online. I thought lambert was immense today.

[Shroppie]

Those saying RL was immense today: Exactly right. That was the game I was watching too.

Edited 8 December, 2012 by Shroppie

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

If it had been Lallana it would have been a 'great save'. Because it's Guly, he's useless and **** and it was 'missed'. Bull****, It was a decent effort - yes ok probably should have scored, but he didn't the keeper made a decent save. Get over it.

 

Oh I have gotten over it, but only because it didn't matter all that much. You on the other hand appear to be both agreeing and disagreeing with me. Go away up come up with a cogent view.

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

That was a stunning reaction save for what it's worth, watch it back again.

 

Obviously you're not going to waiver your opinion, but you're clearly out on your own here.

 

It was a good save, but a better shot would not have been presented the GK with the chance to stop it in my view.

[Saint Charlie]

Lambert was everything Roberts tried to be and wasn't, he had a very good game and created the goal with a superb pass to Clyne.

[Berkshire Saint]

Managed to miss the first half as my brother threw up all over my car in Basingstoke and had to turn back to take him home! Had a row with a steward about getting into the ground but got to see the second half. Thought we were decent, particularly after the goal as the game seemed a bit scruffy immediately after half time but once we scored seemed to settle down nicely. Need to have that extra bit of cutting edge in the final third though as we won't play sides as toothless as Reading too often.

[Lambert1979]

If it had been Lallana it would have been a 'great save'. Because it's Guly, he's useless and **** and it was 'missed'. Bull****, It was a decent effort - yes ok probably should have scored, but he didn't the keeper made a decent save. Get over it.

 

Ha ha I often think this...

[S-Clarke]

Reading some of the Tinpot fans comments, it makes me laugh. We're ''rubbish'' on that performance we're ''going down'' we're a ''poor side''

 

So on that basis, seeing as we won, and are 6 points above you, what the hell does that make you? Jeez.

[Pedro]

SRL was immense today, all ove r the park, defended, created and caused havoc, me and the guy sat next to me were watching him closely and his involvelment was top class. Punch was MOM and I don't think anyone had a bad game. Booing the Guly sub was disgraceful.

[merrimd]

We all love SRL, but the truth is he wasn't even jumping against their cb's by the end of todays match. I can't reconcile your view with the game I was watching.

 

Lambert hardly ever jumps for balls with his baclk to goal. Its always a little nudge then a flick on or bring it down.

[ottery st mary]

Rikeeee had two on him on every challenge...both pushing and shoving and not apparently challenging to head the ball. The ref was caught out by the glaring sunshine everytime.

 

He was very good today..... NO NOT THE REF...

 

Because he stays upright/solid in his upward flight he does not get the numerous free kicks he should be given.

 

...unlike Roberts who crumpled after barging back into our defenders and miraclously even won some free kicks after clearly dishing out at least three infringements before leaving the ground.

 

A member of Reading coaching staff was heard to say Lambert was a handful and a far better player than given credit for his play...

 

The Centre backs were heard to say Lambert was too good for us today....

 

A scout was heard to say...A yard faster and he would be dead cert for England........ 3rd Itchen Scout trooop:D

[St Chalet]

We all love SRL, but the truth is he wasn't even jumping against their cb's by the end of todays match. I can't reconcile your view with the game I was watching.

 

I will agree with you here, last 15 he didn't on a few occasions.

[Saint Garrett]

Just watching Football First, I can concurr that SRL was quality.

[krissyboy31]

Just watching Football First, I can concurr that SRL was quality.

 

Having seen it back yet but Lambert was indeed quality today.

[Bad Wolf]

What has Mayuka got to do to get a game??

 

Not play crap in youth games and cup games, maybe?

[sandwichsaint]

Seems to be a few that are damning Saints with faint praise today? I thought we were excellent, not withstanding the cr8p officials and the cr8p opposition we won with room to spare ... I bet on 3-0 and I feel cheated!

 

Excellent performances all around the pitch, Clyne and Shaw really are a perfect pair and Fonte and Yos are starting to get it together, from the shambles of the early season we are now starting to build a decent back 4 - the real test(s) are yet to come but in a high-scoring season conceding 4 goals in our last 6 games is excellent going. That'll be the last 6 games where we have won 3, drawn 2 and lost 1, 11 points from 6 games, solid mid-table form.

 

Cork excellent again, Punch now really looking like he belongs, he's clearly worked hard on his fitness and offers much more to the team than he used to. Good to see KD back and taking time out to help Yoshi.

 

JRod's best performance in a Saints shirt, did the squad-job to perfection today - came in when he was needed, looked fit and alert, DAJFU and he will know he goes back to the bench when everybody is fit.

 

MOM for me was RL, awesome today in the link roll, worked the whole width of the pitch and constantly provided the outlet while defending from the front. I'm surprised more people don't comment on RL's defensive qualities, today (and Norwich and Newcastle) absolutely excellent in our own box both in the air and on the ground.

 

Terrific team performance, you get the same number of points for beating Reading as you do anybody else, job done, in entertaining style, same again v Sunderland please!

[Professor]

Just watched the 'highlights' on MoTD an something I hadn't appreciated at the game was how much confidence it gave the defence to have Kelvin back in goal. Our goal looked a lot smaller with Davis between the posts. Please Nigel, lets end the Gazzaniga experiment.

[SuperMikey]

I like Kelvin, but tbh he had sweet fûck all to do today. Mostly he just had to concentrate on keeping his head in the game and getting his distribution right.

 

Would still much much prefer to see Boruc in goal of our 3 keepers.

[sandwichsaint]

I like Kelvin, but tbh he had sweet fûck all to do today. Mostly he just had to concentrate on keeping his head in the game and getting his distribution right.

 

Would still much much prefer to see Boruc in goal of our 3 keepers.

 

Forget it, if Boruc was going to play, he would have played today.

[Kingsbridge Saint]

Good 2-0 win. Unfortunately will only go down as 1-0 due to the **** ref. They must have replayed Puncheons first goal 6 times over here and couldn't find anything at all wrong with it. Still unexplained. The ref was so bad I was worried when he was in our box as i thought if a chance broke to him he'd put it away. 3 games in a row at home, 3 **** refs. Great that we can rise above it and put in a performance like that. Kelvin has to keep his place on the back of a clean sheet and no comedy errors. Are there really that many booing Guly or is it just some booing and some chanting 'Guly' which makes the 'boo' noise louder?