Post Match Reaction: SAINTS 1-0 West Brom

[miserableoldgit]

It looked a straightforward challenge to me. I had a good view of it down to my right and Lovren blocked the ball which ricocheted between them and his follow-through caught Long. The assistant flagged for the foul and Webb thought it worth a yellow somehow.

 

I sit in the Kingsland and I genuinely didn't think that it was a foul, let alone worth a yellow, especially as he let a bad tackle from behind a few minutes later go unpunished.

 

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[derry]

Lambert I thought was good today. His legs have gone a bit but is so much a team player.

 

The difference is that with Lambert when the ball goes up to him it sticks and others can get up in support. Neither Rodriguez or Osvaldo can play that way. We would be mad to let him go. He is vital to us and links it all together.

[The Kraken]

I don't think he came in for a lot of criticism but it was maybe the missing component to being a more complete player. Always been a huge fan of his and as you say back in the groove with respect to goals and continually proving himself in the top league.

He did come in for criticism last season; he did ok, but this season he's simply been superb. Last season I'd have never said he was an England player; this season I'd say it would be an utter travesty if he doesn't go to Brazil. the change in him has been amazing. As if the switch from League 1 to the Premier league wasn't enough, he's proven himself to be one of the best players in the whole division. A class act.

[Greenridge]

He did come in for criticism last season; he did ok, but this season he's simply been superb. Last season I'd have never said he was an England player; this season I'd say it would be an utter travesty if he doesn't go to Brazil. the change in him has been amazing. As if the switch from League 1 to the Premier league wasn't enough, he's proven himself to be one of the best players in the whole division. A class act.

 

Agreed.

[derry]

Because WBA were hitting the ball into the wide open space in the corners exposing the centre backs.

[The Kraken]

Lambert could definitely play the forward sweeper role. I'd go so far as to say that he'd be better than Dan Seaborne at it. It's a bold shout, but I stick with it.

[Smirking_Saint]

I'm sorry art but Clyne is better than chambers at mo and hardly anything came down his wing. Most stupid post ever from you art pathetic.

 

Clynesa very good player and defended incredibly well but I did say towards the last 20 mins to sub him for Chambers as today he was poor going forward. Usually Id agree and yes his name is on the plane for me to Brazil but today wasnt his finest.

[Roger]

Clynesa very good player and defended incredibly well but I did say towards the last 20 mins to sub him for Chambers as today he was poor going forward. Usually Id agree and yes his name is on the plane for me to Brazil but today wasnt his finest.

 

Agree but he got tackled badly and noticed his movement wasn't same after that tbf.

[ottery st mary]

Chambers was ill and not on the subs bench today.

[Smirking_Saint]

There were only two players on the pitch today that could have made that pass. Gaston Ramirez and Adam Lallana. The difference between them and the others is that they both try to attack and we are better with them doing that. I still haven't worked out why Cork is taken out of midfield, whatever his deficiencies he wins more tackles and along with Schneiderlin and in the absence of Wanyama gives us a solid midfield. I don't think playing Davis, Lallana and Ramirez and just having Schneiderlin is solid enough, it was no coincidence that as WBA pressed for an equaliser we weren't strong enough in front of the back four, who had to defend deep. I think it was Davis that should have been replaced by Ramirez keeping the solid midfield.

 

Completely the way I saw it. Ive also seen Guly replace Lambert late on aswell instead of J Rod as I think J Rod adds more due to his athleticism

[Smirking_Saint]

Chambers was ill and not on the subs bench today.

 

My bad lol

 

Still, I think Clyne is quality and defended exceptionally today but wasnt his usual attacking self.

 

Very excited about our right flank though as honestly dont think Chambers is far at all from Clynes ability and is only 18.

[Smirking_Saint]

Had a chat with Wanyama. He thinks he will be back next week.

 

Ramirez meant that pass utter class. However I think it was a dangerous substitution. It worked this time although it was squeaky bum time at the end. I think Cork should always stay on unless Wanyama is fit. Steve Davis cannot play the holding role and Ramirez cannot track back and defend.

 

Rickie was class today if you know anything about football, although he should have scored.

 

Boruc was great, but his kicking is sometimes a bit wayward.

 

Not a great game for Jay-rod.

 

How dangerous could we be if we could cross a ball. Shame only Rickie knows how to do that.

 

Great 3 points. Not a great performance.

 

WBA are very poor, but they are tough to break down and pressed well. Embarrassing to think they were playing for time from the start.

 

Agreed except for the bit about Rickie, he was terrible.

[ottery st mary]

My bad lol

 

Still, I think Clyne is quality and defended exceptionally today but wasnt his usual attacking self.

 

Very excited about our right flank though as honestly dont think Chambers is far at all from Clynes ability and is only 18.

 

All the time we have Clyne...top class..

 

Chambers is not far from that sort of class already.....also adds the height..where WBA started pinging the ball over to Anelka who beat Clyne in the air most of the time..

 

I still see Chambers in midfield and cover for Clyne......most peeps do not like that idea.....but there you go...

 

We all know in this league you virtually need 2 players for each position......Clyne and Chambers...top notch.

[Sour Mash]

Think Chambers has a better cross on him than Clyne. Neither Clyne nor Shaw made the most of some good opportunities today.

[shurlock]

Think Chambers has a better cross on him than Clyne. Neither Clyne nor Shaw made the most of some good opportunities today.

 

Agree- thought Clyne's delivery was especially poor today.

[SaintSteve]

Whilst it was a good save, lets not go crazy, it was an awful shot weakly aimed at the centre of the goal as well. I wouldn't say that makes up for the Arsenal game as I'd expect most capable Prem keepers to have kept it out.

You really are boring...Boruc is a world class goalkeeper and the sooner you realise it the better.

Having said that, not sure why he gets MOM vote as he only had one save to make... Shaw was different class today

[OttawaSaint]

Had to catch the last 10 mins while the kids had their swimming lesson. Managed to show very quick reflexes with the "nipple slip" nun in the dying seconds, I don't think any of the other parents saw me with that image on my tablet for a couple of seconds...LOL

[alpine_saint]

Great win. Comes at the right time, and well fought for. Hopefully season goes back on track.

 

Hopefully our productivity up front will improve, but at least the defence is beginning to look like its old self again.

[SaintSteve]

Agreed except for the bit about Rickie, he was terrible.

 

You obviously weren't at the game.. Lambert made one or two slack passes, otherwise he was class... won numerous balls in the air which our offensive players just do not read.. and his ball control (which gives him the extra time) is superb.

[Andy Durman]

Can someone explain why late in the 2nd half, the wing backs were pulled back to play along side the full backs? It seemed to invite WBA on to us far too much.

 

No substituting Cork made us defensively weaker. It's difficult to explain in words. See if you can watch the highlights.

 

Note the change in our positional play when Cork goes off. Note that Schneiderlin now is more defensive and how that leaves WBA more space in the middle.

[Lazlo78]

Full circle for Adam:

 

[video=youtube;7tEbyJ8-RPw]

[Andy Durman]

Something else to note is how many bad passes we made in the last 15 mins. To me it shows that the legs are tired.

 

You just cannot sustain the MP way through the entire season with a small squad. Schneiderlin is knackered and needs a holiday.

 

Steve Davis seems to have an engine like no other. Fantastic.

 

Wanyama we need you next week!

[Andy Durman]

Just seen Boruc's save. Thought it was offside, but have just seen the replay and it wasn't. Fantastic!!!!

 

Boruc has earn thus 2 points today!

[channonball]

Just seen Boruc's save. Thought it was offside, but have just seen the replay and it wasn't. Fantastic!!!!

 

Boruc has earn thus 2 points today!

 

Agreed, he said after the stoke goal, he'd save us more than he costs. IMO the sign of a quality keeper unlike the others we have.

 

Would have been livid if we lost that, particularly when Davis played that shocking ball to Guly instead of going for the corner in the 90th min.

[ART]

Several repeats, starting at 9.30am tomorrow , of today's game and during the week @ http://www.livesoccertv.com/channels/astro/

[Glasgow_Saint]

Several repeats, starting at 9.30am tomorrow , of today's game and during the week @ http://www.livesoccertv.com/channels/astro/

 

Watched the full 90 again earlier and we were quite lucky. 1st half when WBA broke away 2 v 1 and Borucs super save late on.

 

WBA should have been given a freekick (foul) just before our goal too!

 

With the penalty at there place plus today, WBA perhaps deserved more over the 2 games?

[DatSaint]

Is it possible to see Boruc's save somewhere?

[syd_barrett_saint]

Watched the full 90 again earlier and we were quite lucky. 1st half when WBA broke away 2 v 1 and Borucs super save late on.

 

WBA should have been given a freekick (foul) just before our goal too!

 

With the penalty at there place plus today, WBA perhaps deserved more over the 2 games?

 

We controlled the game and should have won by more, and yet we were lucky?

[Glasgow_Saint]

We controlled the game and should have won by more, and yet we were lucky?

 

We had the majority share of possesion, as you'd expect as the home side. But WBA allowed us possesion in non threatening areas and actually defended very well. So well that we actually only managed a few shots on target all game and our goal aside the WBA keeper didnt have a save to make.

[Dark Munster]

Heard Solksjaer interviewed on 5live on the way home. He said there's 2 leagues - 9th up and everyone else which means we're bottom of our league.

Actually there are 3 leagues: 10th and below, 8th and above, and us in the bubble in the middle.

 

In other words, we're in a league of our own!

[skintsaint]

Wasn't a great performance, but didnt seem in too much danger till the end. Good to not play well and win though

[MAY-Z]

We had the majority share of possesion, as you'd expect as the home side. But WBA allowed us possesion in non threatening areas and actually defended very well. So well that we actually only managed a few shots on target all game and our goal aside the WBA keeper didnt have a save to make.

 

Of our 18 shots only 3 came from inside the box - indicating that WBA were more than happy for us to have the ball and in the end the fact that they stayed in the game was because we lack an attacking instinct - especially before Ramirez came on

[dubai_phil]

Just a FWIW, the NBC stream I was watching replayed the Lovren foul a number of times. It WAS a Yellow card he WAS late.

 

In pub football it would have been a brilliantly timed tackle, in the EPL he was a millisecond late and caught Long after the ball had gone.

 

Having said that, Anelka should have been booked as well and the TV guys also were convinced that IF Webb had seen the slo-mo or the foul from a different angle then Olsson would have got a straight Red for taking AL out waist high.

[Olallana]

We had the majority share of possesion, as you'd expect as the home side. But WBA allowed us possesion in non threatening areas and actually defended very well. So well that we actually only managed a few shots on target all game and our goal aside the WBA keeper didnt have a save to make.

 

So their 2 v 1 when they dont even get a shot away is a "should be goal" but our breakthrough when JRod shot wide instead of playing Lambert through is a "nothing" in your book...

Very surprising....very....

[dubai_phil]

An interesting point...

 

In most PL games this season we have "tended" to try and walk the ball into the net.

 

Against Burnley in the Cup we scored from outside the box.

 

Yesterday we seemed to take far more shots from outside the box than usual.

 

A deliberate change in tactics or a result of massed defence by WBA? (Especially the attempt to set up Cork (of all people) from 30 yards out from a corner). Most unlike us.

 

Will be interesting to see if we do the same against Sunderland

[skintsaint]

Of our 18 shots only 3 came from inside the box - indicating that WBA were more than happy for us to have the ball and in the end the fact that they stayed in the game was because we lack an attacking instinct - especially before Ramirez came on

 

WBA had a good game plan, they hadnt lost in the last 5 games so not a bad side either but obviously they were here for a draw, a win if they could catch us on the break. They let us play in front of us, and were even happy for us to whang crosses in, as their backline consisted of Reid, Olsson, McAuley and Ridgewell, all 6'1 +.

 

Their was no space behind for J-Rod so his game suffered, Lambert won feck all in the air most of the game so dropped deep to pick it up and Davis had another consistent game of keeping ball without being too adventurous so he wasn't going to do defence splitting balls.

 

Gaston, for his faults tries balls which most of the time don't come off, whether he meant it to AL or not doesn't matter, he played a quick one touch ball into the danger zone without letting their defence get into position and it worked and won us the game.

 

Its a worry how we didn't create enough, but at the end of the day we got the win and WBA didn't look like scoring until playing 4 up front for the last 10mins, in fact Gaston could of sealed it on the counter but his lob was too low.

[SaintRobbie]

Good result. (Eventually - I know sometimes we have to be patient but I had the same fear as everyone that despite dominating we would suffer from a moment of quality and receive another sucker punch. But we didn't - our defence is back!)

 

Boruc - Fonte and Lovren are outstanding. Nice to see us confident and organised enough to push the line up again - we caught WBA out so much on off sides as a result. Great stop from Boruc when called upon. I wish he'd practice his kicking some more though - he does have a tendency to kick straight out of play at time which just hands back possession.

 

Now that the central defence is back I would like to see the wing backs running forward more - this is Shaw's game - and over Christmas I thought he was being forced to hold back too much. He didn't really start to use his pace until the second half - I guess once there was confidence again in the defence. Clyne's delivery was not as good as it can be, he failed to beat the first man a lot, but at least he was getting forward.

 

We seemed to play down to weaker opposition again. First half lacked the killer final piece of quality and control, which was more down to desire than quality of individuals. I sense that they are being told to hold back in the first half - we saw quite a lot of that before Christmas. Then put on the pressure 5 mins before the end of the half and in the second. I guess its one of our game plans.

 

Rickie was off the pace. some deft touches but he faded again. Shame Osvaldo wasn't available to replace him after 70 minutes.

 

My only criticism was the final set of subs and change of tactics by MP that almost threw the game away. It allowed WBA space and to keep coming on to us. I think he'll want to review that. We have the ability to be really strong compared to most at the end of games. We looked the weaker side in the last 5 minutes and it was worrying.

 

Still overall a dominant Saints side outplayed a pretty poor WBA side who'd come for a draw (although I thought their defence and closing down in midfield deserved praise).

 

Nice to have our 1st team almost all back. Would love to see Wanyama return and Osvaldo ready to replace Rickie on a regular basis as well as Shaw being given some freedom to show us what he can do with his pace down the wing. But happy happy happy! 3 points and a solid - if not as inspiring a performance as we're used to.

 

Well done the lasts!!!

 

Lallana MOTM for me - he's an inspirational captain that lad. He leads by example. And I loved his celebration!!

[beatlesaint]

I have to say taking Cork off as MP seems to regularly do at present does leave us more open.

Not sure its the wisest tactic. Obviously it worked yesterday cos Gaston made the goal but it does worry me.

[Appy]

Thought West Brom's support was very poor, sat down the whole game and made very little noise.

[LGTL]

...and considering it's about 2 hours away, on a Saturday, and they brang about 1200 was pretty pathetic.

 

That first half was the worst I can remember for some time, literally nothing happened. Good win in the end though.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

As the commentator said - not sure Gaston meant the pass to AL for the goal and aside from that he was again a passenger and the midfield was surrendered inviting pressure onto us once he came on...

 

Utter, utter garbage...driven by a "i said he is crap so wont change my mind whatever happens because i cannot bear to be wrong" agenda/view.

 

But in fairness you are not on your own just following your ring leader the incredible bull s hitter glasgow...

[ALWAYS_SFC]

You obviously weren't at the game.. Lambert made one or two slack passes, otherwise he was class... won numerous balls in the air which our offensive players just do not read.. and his ball control (which gives him the extra time) is superb.

 

Correct pal, it is amazing what people see and more so how odd some of the views are..

[ALWAYS_SFC]

The pass for Lallana was brilliant any other view is just agenda driven or daft..

 

So you "experts", who was the pass for then...???

Those with the anti Gaston agendas can be excused from answering as your view is worthless

[Smirking_Saint]

You obviously weren't at the game.. Lambert made one or two slack passes, otherwise he was class... won numerous balls in the air which our offensive players just do not read.. and his ball control (which gives him the extra time) is superb.

 

Well I was, I could question whether you were unless its just blind loyalty ? He won some good headers but in the main didnt direct them anywhere, too many slack passes. Was very slow getting back into an attacking position after coming deep. Was not available as an out ball towards he end of the game when we were under pressure. His shooting was off.

 

Yes he controls a ball very well but too often yesterday he controled well, found space but then wasted possession. So no I dont rate it as one of his better games.

[suewhistle]

Its a worry how we didn't create enough, but at the end of the day we got the win and WBA didn't look like scoring until playing 4 up front for the last 10mins, in fact Gaston could of sealed it on the counter but his lob was too low.

 

Yes, that was a shame, and I was impressed how Davis had made up ground to support him. Gaston also drew a couple of fouls in dangerous positions with his touch and acceleration and is definitely playing better.

 

Although Lambert and Rodrigues didn't sparkle Lambert still kept the ball well as usual and Rodriguez - in front of me in the second half I noticed made a number of runs into space on the left without getting the pass.

 

Ultimately I'm just happy with the 3 points; they'll be other games to sparkle in where the opposition don't waste time from - as the kid sat behing me observed in surprise - "right from the start!".

[Appy]

Well I was, I could question whether you were unless its just blind loyalty ? He won some good headers but in the main didnt direct them anywhere, too many slack passes. Was very slow getting back into an attacking position after coming deep. Was not available as an out ball towards he end of the game when we were under pressure. His shooting was off.

 

Yes he controls a ball very well but too often yesterday he controled well, found space but then wasted possession. So no I dont rate it as one of his better games.

 

I love Lambert, but he was crap yesterday.

[The Kraken]

Well I was, I could question whether you were unless its just blind loyalty ? He won some good headers but in the main didnt direct them anywhere, too many slack passes. Was very slow getting back into an attacking position after coming deep. Was not available as an out ball towards he end of the game when we were under pressure. His shooting was off.

 

Yes he controls a ball very well but too often yesterday he controled well, found space but then wasted possession. So no I dont rate it as one of his better games.

Spot on, for me. Normally Lambert is excellent with his range of passing, and crossing too. Yesterday he was off all round. His shooting from distance was pretty poor too, the squandered free kick (straight into the wall) and a couple of shots that just went straight at the keeper. Not that we really had any other options, but in front of goal RL was pretty toothless yesterday.

[Professor]

M-o-t-M is difficult. The 3 points would not have been won except for Gaston's pass, Lallana's strike and Boruk's save but neither would the game have been won if we hadn't had most of the possession with the game mostly well up the field while we also defended well. There were the 3 champagne moments but MoM for me was Shaw because he played so strongly throughout.

How much more pleasure there is in driving home across the Itchen Bridge and coping with traffic out to the M27 when you have the warm glow of a home win to help you along.

[Jack]

- Cork my MOTM, can't understand why he's always the first to get hooked.

 

- Rodriguez poor. Bad first touches, should've played Lambert in.

 

- Lallana excellent

 

- Boruc back gives while back 4 confidence

 

- we were too slow today. MP said patient but far too often we knocked it about at the back, were static in midfield and got closed down and forced into hoofing it long.

 

- at 1-0 we looked nervous and reluctant to get forward with any force. There were plenty of gaps appearing as WBA had to come out

 

- WBA awful. Time wasting from the start. Foster should've been booked in the first half, and Olsson's booking should've been his 2nd

 

- Webb inconsistent. Booked Lovren (rightly IMO) then let similar offences go unpunished.

 

 

Poor performance, well needed 3 points. Need a better performance at Sunderland

[Alain Perrin]

Aside from Gaston's pass, moment of the match was a cross field pass to Shaw which he took on the volley, controlled and ran onto. Happened in front of the Kingsland.

 

Classy player.

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