SAINTS 1-1 Stoke City // Post-Match Reaction

[dubai_phil]

I can't believe we were watching the same game. Lallana was excellent, although on a couple of occasions he slipped once he had beaten a man. Begovic only made one more save once he came off, although Puncheon wasn't bad at all.

 

Lallana ran around a lot. But always in the wrong areas.

His choice of final ball in the final third was OVERALL very poor, a number of times he could not make up his mind whether to cross or shoot and ended up doing neither, especially in the 1st half.

Basically it seems there is too much on his mind and it is clouding his decision making on the ball cross or shoot or Captain. Mentally he is not up to the job of being a creative player AND Captain.

Armband needs to go to someone else and let Adam focus on scoring & creating goals.

Yes it was his est game for ages but that is coming from a VERY low standard of late.

 

It was an OK end to the season. Babewatch level in the pub was MUCH higher than usual (or was that because the ball spent more time in the air & we had more time to look around?)

 

Oh & Eric went all the way to SMS & missed the Stoke goal

[St Mikie]

Lallana ran around a lot. But always in the wrong areas.

His choice of final ball in the final third was OVERALL very poor, a number of times he could not make up his mind whether to cross or shoot and ended up doing neither, especially in the 1st half.

Basically it seems there is too much on his mind and it is clouding his decision making on the ball cross or shoot or Captain. Mentally he is not up to the job of being a creative player AND Captain.

Armband needs to go to someone else and let Adam focus on scoring & creating goals.

Yes it was his est game for ages but that is coming from a VERY low standard of late.

 

It was an OK end to the season. Babewatch level in the pub was MUCH higher than usual (or was that because the ball spent more time in the air & we had more time to look around?)

 

Oh & Eric went all the way to SMS & missed the Stoke goal

 

Not in the loo again?

[dubai_phil]

Not in the loo again?

 

Yeah he was blaming ESB. Not saying he'd had many but he was convinced we'd won 1-0.....

 

He needs to learn it's called Old Age. We'll have a whip round & get him a Colostomy Bag for the next game he gets back for.

[Roger]

I can't believe we were watching the same game. Lallana was excellent, although on a couple of occasions he slipped once he had beaten a man. Begovic only made one more save once he came off, although Puncheon wasn't bad at all.

 

Lallana was awful. Just because you run around a lot doesn't mean you are having a good game.

[Saint Fan CaM]

Jos and Kelvin conspired to give them the game - stupid pass out from the back was the start of pressure and then their goal. Lallana is increasingly looking out of his depth now, but a good pre-season rest may help him (although from what I've heard the players will not be rested that much). Davis is a great midfielder, but he cannot shoot for toffee and must be replaced. Goodness knows what will happen to Ramirez - £12m to recoup? We need a top CB and an AM and a good pacey striker - a Michu.

[Lallana's Left Peg]

Thought we did well in all parts of the pitch but lacked the cutting edge / decisiveness in the final third to take advantage of patient build up play. The players look a little anxious at times when being a little more direct and purposeful when running at players may have been better. But overall I was encouraged by the performance.

 

Thought we defended well too, but the distribution from Fonte and Hooiveld is absolutely terrible. I won't moan too much though - I think they did well considering the start to the season and the step up they had to make. They'll likely be replaced in the summer though.

 

Lallana was decent too - showed for the ball well, kept it and moved it around nicely, but no real end product (he wasn't the only one).

[Charlie Wayman]

What can you say? We stay up but not convincingly, another mediocre performance and yet another boring draw. Is this how it will be in the PL from now on? Only Steve Davies & Jack Cork really wanted it the others mostly coasting to their summer hold. I hope Pochettino has more about him than this but it's becoming a depressingly familiar for our team to toil and huff and puff without getting anywhere in particular. ...and we always go a goal down before we concentrate our minds. Too much of this and one can see Mr Cortese becoming quite impatient. Christmas will be the test if new players and a full pre-season doesn't bring about a step change in our fortunes.

 

I'll be here next season hopefully, provided that The Family are not too greedy with their demands on our pockets. A 20% hike without a 20% improvement in performance will not seem like good value. If Luke Shaw leaves that will also affect my decision. What will be the point if we intend only ever to be a feeder club.

[shurlock]

Didn't think Lallana had a very good game - punch looked more dangerous when he came on. Unlike AL doesn't feel the need to check back -and slow things down when he receives the ball. Only our fullbacks seem happy to attack the space in front of them.

 

Davis has been excellent since MP arrived but wonder whether we've got the balance right at home. Surely we can throw a bit more caution to the wind -and accommodate another AM instead of the more steady-eddy Davis? Away it's a different matter.

[Charlie Wayman]

Lallana is increasingly looking out of his depth now, but a good pre-season rest may help him

 

I hope so, it has been quite sad to watch Adam this season performances spiralling downwards becoming more and more frustrated with himself as his dancing tricks always seem to end up in comedy moments with him on the floor and the ball safely with the opposition. We know he can be a match winner when it all comes together but at this level he may be a luxury that we cannot afford except perhaps as an impact player for 20 mins.

 

The great weight of expectation has been on his shoulders for years whilst he has not had the best of luck with injury and fitness, so all this may have taken its toll mentally. Still, he's been a great servant of the club so they need to pull out all the stops to get his undoubted talent working properly again.

[Window Cleaner]

Lallana ran around a lot. But always in the wrong areas.

His choice of final ball in the final third was OVERALL very poor, a number of times he could not make up his mind whether to cross or shoot and ended up doing neither, especially in the 1st half.

Basically it seems there is too much on his mind and it is clouding his decision making on the ball cross or shoot or Captain. Mentally he is not up to the job of being a creative player AND Captain.

Armband needs to go to someone else and let Adam focus on scoring & creating goals.

Yes it was his est game for ages but that is coming from a VERY low standard of late.

 

It was an OK end to the season. Babewatch level in the pub was MUCH higher than usual (or was that because the ball spent more time in the air & we had more time to look around?)

 

Oh & Eric went all the way to SMS & missed the Stoke goal

 

 

Lallana has always needed too much time, in the lower echelons he had just that but now,well he'll never get the time he needs.

We'd probably be better of looking at making him and out and out wide man with someone else, like Gaston, running down the channels.

[The9]

Didn't think Lallana had a very good game - punch looked more dangerous when he came on. Unlike AL doesn't feel the need to check back -and slow things down when he receives the ball. Only our fullbacks seem happy to attack the space in front of them.

 

Davis has been excellent since MP arrived but wonder whether we've got the balance right at home. Surely we can throw a bit more caution to the wind -and accommodate another AM instead of the more steady-eddy Davis? Away it's a different matter.

 

The "slow-down" is the biggest problem we have, it's difficult for the players to switch between a possession mindset to a direct threat mindset, especially when we have most of the ball and we're not winning it in transitions and catching defences out of position. When we don't have a sharp runner (no pun intended) able to spring the defensive line and get on the end of a through ball with the opposition defence established in positions, we just keep moving it back and forth in front of the defence with no penetration. Puncheon and Lallana are as guilty as anyone else, the only players happy to swing a cross in or run beyond the back line seem to be our full backs, and even they hold off pushing forward fully when the defence is already there, because our attackers usually are as well.

 

Basically we really struggle to penetrate defences if we don't win the ball high up the pitch and only Rodriguez seems to be able to create openings for himself.

[dannysfc]

Firstly I am gutted that the season has finished now as I find that it can get quite boring

depending on what goes on but then again the rumours start up again, the new ST info

comes out along with the new fixtures being released in June and that I guess will be followed

by hopefully some signings and the pre-season football and the new season!!!

Game wise I thought it was an OK game as both teams had chances as either team could have

won it come full time but we are safe for another season and am looking forward to be having

another go at the premier league too!!!

I also thought the atmosphere was great along with the lap of honours by the players/staff at the

end as well and I for one have Enjoyed watching Saints play home & away and am Proud to be a

Saint too!!!

COYR & Saints Till I Die!!!