Post Match Reaction: SAINTS 1-1 Manchester City

[Saint-Armstrong]

Hotch-potch Saints claim a valuable home point against Pellegrini's Manchester City.

 

 

Sergio Aguero scored in the 9th minute for City, before Dani Osvaldo equalised with a stunner for Saints.

 

Osvaldo came off to a standing ovation and the fans chanting his name, he applauded the fans as Lambert came on for the last fifteen.

 

Gaston also made an appearance, whilst Pochettino brought on Harrison Reed with five minutes left for a Premier League debut.

 

 

Southampton remain 8th in the Premier League table.

 

 

 

Dani's goal...

 

 

[Glasgow_Saint]

Great team performance. M.o.t.m is Cork imho

 

Lallana, chambers, shaw, lovren superb

[Batman]

what a performance with so many injuries

 

we are not crap

we are not tired

ossie is good when he finally gets a run of games

we have not been found out

we have a good squad

[studentsaint]

Our best result of the season, considering the changes we were forced to make. Proud performance and deserved a win.

[Mr Saints]

Good point. We're not going down then?

[Mr X]

would have bit your arm off for a point at the start, great performance with a weakened squad, lallana my man of the match!

!

[trousers]

Great performance. Happy with a point but slightly disappointed as we could have easily nicked a victory there. That said, being slightly disappointed not to get a victory vs Man City with the number of injuries we've got says volumes about where we are right now.

 

Happy days

[Solid Saint]

Incredible result especially when you consider that we were the better team and looked the most likely to win. The whole club should be very proud of themselves.

[Suhari]

Excellent performance.

 

Big lessons learn this week......playing one up + moving the ball quickly gives us the edge we need.

 

Doubt we'll see Ossie & SRL playing together again.

[richard]

Given the injury crisis, that is a damn good point. Loved Dani's goal!

[trousers]

[badgerx16]

Excellent point - 15 games in and above Man Utd.

[Legod Third Coming]

Apart from the first fifteen minutes, totally outplayed a team worth a hundred times ours.

Brilliant performance from the young lads again. Top top class.

We really do play great football. And after three defeats could easily have knocked our confidence.

Not a bit of it.

[Olallana]

We´re ok.

[dan abnormal]

Outstanding performance. MP made some mistakes vs Villa but got it spot on today. I thought Davis and Cork were superb. Perhaps the squad isn't as weak as we thought.

[redkeith]

MoM would have been Chambers for me, if he had buried that header.

 

Good shaoe to the team, and the replacements all played well. Poor ref again, missing obvious handballs, Zaballetta's body check on Jay Rod, Nasri's 2nd booking etc.

 

Magnificent goal from Ossie. Maybe the trolls will find somebody else to attack ?

[stknowle]

Couldn't watch it after my laptop finally threw the towel in but sounded like we battled away and ultimately matched a title favourite with our injury ravaged side and got a deserved point. I said after the Man U game I'd like to see Osvaldo start showing he's worth 15mil, it's taken a while but today he has. C'MON!!!I love my team!!!!!!

[Saint86]

Good result, shame we couldn't get the three points but with our injuries beggars can't be choosers. Would have stomached a defeat if it allows blooding the kiddies... But to get a draw and get them some more experience is good. Great future! Osvaldo bashing to take a back seat for a bit?

[Tomobz]

Cracking point and a great goal from Osvaldo which could become very important. I hope he proves us Pro Osvaldo posters right! Huge player, huge potential. Up the saints!

[dan abnormal]

I actually think the best part was having 5 academy products on the pitch today and none of them looked out of their depth. Chambers and Shaw were both very good imo

[Legod Third Coming]

Outstanding performance. MP made some mistakes vs Villa but got it spot on today. I thought Davis and Cork were superb. Perhaps the squad isn't as weak as we thought.

 

Not sure what he got wrong against Villa? Cork being dispossessed for the second (which Yoshida and Gazza should have done better with between them) and beaten by a world class goal.

78% possession, 21 shots on goal v 4. You just have to accept Villa as one of those games, unless you think he should have played Lovren against Villa and Yoshida today?!!

[NewYorkSaint]

Such a great game. The Osvaldo haters put away for a while. There will be more where that came from. Whole team just awesome today. We absolutely deserved to win. Lallana incredible today. Cork fantastic. He was my personal MoM for coming back after a season on the bench and a mistake on Weds. But Luke, Davis, JRod, Lovren... all wonderful. And Chambers is exciting to watch. What a team! We'll be top 8 come end of season. And maybe top 6 or better.

[LaptopSaint]

That was ****ing superb in the cicumstances! 1 point out of 12 doesn't look pretty, but a team ending up with four academy product English teenagers on the pitch just got a draw with the best squad in the country, and probably should have won. COYR

[Dr. Kucho]

If Chambers continues playing like he did today Clyne is going to have a tough time getting back in. Lallana, Cork and Lovren were amazing and special mention to Osvaldo, Shaw and Davis.

Gazza not convincing today. Hope he picks up soon and starts commanding his box and coming in for crosses. Also good to see Ramirez, who did well when he come on.

[TheCholulaKid]

Struggling to choose a MOTM. Anyone from Lovren, Chambers, Shaw, Cork or Lallana really. Davis had another tidy game - properly underrated that player.

[Ohio Saint]

Saints played way beyond my expectations given our injuries. All I wanted at the start was a good effort from them. The point was a bonus, and could so easily have been three!

 

The pundits on whatever stream I was watching were creaming their jeans about us, and I can see why. I was so proud of the Saints!

[TheCholulaKid]

If we can keep this team together the next 5+ years will be ****ing awesome. Attractive attacking football with homegrown talent - it's pretty much the dream.

[Glasgow_Saint]

Ramirez needs a hair cut

[Mr X]

Cant remember lambert doing much today? did city actually have a brit on the pitch?

[Under Weststand]

Fabulous performance, the team can all be proud of themselves today. Considering all the changes we have had forced on us, that was far more than I expected today. I thought we were a little unlucky not to snatch all 3, but I'm more than happy with a point today.

[Lighthouse]

Today 5 academy Saints were better than 1 billion Arabian Dirhams of talent.

 

We outplayed them the whole game, I can't even remember a 10 minute spell of consistent City pressure.

 

What a goal from Ossie too. Tikkabooson!!

[Lallana's Left Peg]

Immense effort from the players, I have questioned over the last few weeks whether the belief and the system is sufficient enough to cover for the loss of big players. Today it certainly was and against a top class team as well.

 

Also we finished the game with three 18 year olds and one 19 year old on the pitch - all Academy products as well. Never lose sight of the bigger picture that is going on as well. Very proud and excited of that.

[badgerx16]

... did city actually have a brit on the pitch?

Until Milner went off.

[Tommy Mulgrew]

Excellent performance and great result after falling behind so early on. All starters played very well; if anything the best were in no special order Lovren, Cork and Lallana. Osvaldo scored an amazing goal. Such a shame we could not bet anohter goal. Positive and confident display by our young players against the best team in the EPL; we battered them for long periods. More kudos for our academy. Keep at it, Saints.

[Window Cleaner]

Excellent game, thought we might have won.

[studentsaint]

Not sure what he got wrong against Villa? Cork being dispossessed for the second (which Yoshida and Gazza should have done better with between them) and beaten by a world class goal.

78% possession, 21 shots on goal v 4. You just have to accept Villa as one of those games, unless you think he should have played Lovren against Villa and Yoshida today?!!

 

Lovten did play against villa. He got it wrong by making more changes than he needed to and should have only replaced injured players. Yoshida cost us the game and with gazza playing we should have had our strongest back 4.

 

Today our midfield 4 were excellent but Lallana mom for me. Still frustrated with gazza never comig off his line and kicking the ball out of play every time he is at the left side of his box but he saved well from aguero. Clyne would have stopped Kolarov for the goal chambers just lacking pace.

 

How do we stop Newcastle now?

[SuperSAINT]

Great point for us today - I thought they'd over-run us without Morgan & Big Vic.

 

Well done lads.

[Ohio Saint]

I wonder now if MP will have seen some options regarding a little more player rotation when the team has more fit first team players.

[Baird of the land]

If you'd offered me a point beforehand i would have bit your hand off. Says a lot about how well our patched up team played that i'm slightly disappointed not to get all 3 points. Important that we keep Lovren/Fonte partnership together imo.

[Bewildered]

Good performance, we created the better chances and on another day could have won.

 

Gazzaniga - 6 - Was OK, one weird decision second half but wqas generally ok

 

Chambers - 8 - Excellent. Man City got very little down his side and had a good chance to score in the first half that he was unlucky with, best he's played in an attacking sense, seemed more confident in his ability to attack.

Lovren - 8 - Very good game, helped keep City at arms length for most of the match. The cheer when he came back on to the pitch after that knock he took shows how important he is to the team.

Fonte - 8.5 - Was as good as Lovren, and his tackle and pass started off the play for our goal.

Shaw - 7 - Excellent going forwards, caught a few times at the back in the first half though

 

Cork - 8 - Bounced back after a poor Villa performance and showed that he will be an important player for us in the coming weeks

JWP - 8.5 - Looked much better in his preferred position, not afraid to get stuck in and showed signs that he could be that player with the killer pass that we sometimes lack. Set pieces were good as usual.

Davis - 9 - Was my MotM, classic box to box midfield performance, absolutely everywhere.

 

Lallana - 7 - Some good runs and created a few dangerous situations, but I felt he was one player who perhaps did tire second half.

Rodriguez - 7 - Numerous dangerous runs and had a couple of chances he may be disappointed he did not do better with.

 

Osvaldo - 8 - World class goal aside, looks to be coming to terms with the PL. Led from the front and his constant attempts to run behind encouraged the midfield to play it forward quicker.

 

Subs: Lambert - 7 - Held the ball up, played a part in creating a chance for J-Rod.

Ramirez - 6 - some decent touches, but not really on long enough to effect the game

Reed - Not enough time to judge either way.

[toofarnorth]

Was great to see Cork play superbly after the criticism he received on Wednesday. He looked to have so much time on the ball in the centre and seemed to have a great range of passes.

 

People seemed to be a but quick to forget his performances of last season, but that was class.

 

An all round great performance given our injuries and if only one of the four players that cross evaded could have got a foot on it we would have had a deserved three points.

 

Still above Man United, so lots to be happy about.

[redder freak]

I didn't expect that performance or result. I thought we'd get hammered. What do I know? Nothing.

 

And an absolutely fantastic goal. Feels like we won, even though we only drew!

[Turkish]

After 15 minutes I feared the worst, 1-0 down and city looking very good and thought we might lose it 4 or 5. But after that we really got hold of the game, an excellent performance especially under the circumstances. Thought the full backs were outstanding, cork very good in midfield and Lallana stood out and what a goal from Osvaldo, simply class and he is starting to come good, 2 goals in 2 games now and improving every week.

 

Being critical I thought Gazzaniga could have done better with the goal, stuck a leg out rather than diving, it was within saving distance and thought he could have got something on it and the cross got through 4 players so that was a little disappointing, but overall we defended very well. An excellent point against a very good side and in truth we were the better side by a distance from 30 mins in. Very good and unexpected point and a great performance

[warsash saint]

what a performance with so many injuries

 

we are not crap

we are not tired

ossie is good when he finally gets a run of games

we have not been found out

we have a good squad

 

Try telling that to the loon from the Tirol!

[Shanghai Saint]

Great effort, spectacular result but not buying all the Chambers love. Granted a great prospect and lots of effort going forwards but City looked most effective attacking down their left and Chambers' pace, or lack of, was exposed for the goal. Great to see him coming through but lots of improvement still required before he challenges Clyne.

[Ohio Saint]

.

 

Lallana - 7 - Some good runs and created a few dangerous situations, but I felt he was one player who perhaps did tire second half.

 

Only 7 for AL? I thought he was the driving force for Saints after we went behind. He led by example and IMO was the main reason we kept our heads above water for that difficult period.

[Glasgow_Saint]

Puncheon looking good.........

 

[david in sweden]

Cant remember lambert doing much today? did city actually have a brit on the pitch?

 

Milner was on ....for about an hour......

[Turkish]

Only 7 for AL? I thought he was the driving force for Saints after we went behind. He led by example and IMO was the main reason we kept our heads above water for that difficult period.

 

Yep, I agree, his work rate was excellent and some of his footwork superb. First time I've thought he has given a captains performance.

[Dangermouth]

From the city thread:

 

"How the **** do Southampton seem to have more players attacking than we do defending and they have more players defending than we have attackers when going forward.

 

The mind boggles.."