Saints 4 Norwich 2 Match Reaction

[Sour Mash]

How bad were Norwich? Got to be one of the worst Premier League sides I've seen for a long time.

 

Thought Schneiderlin and Clyne were excellent for us.

 

Don't know if anyone noticed how good Lambert was for us in the last 5 mins defensively when Norwich were piling on pressure and pumping balls into the box, he won/cleared a massive amount for us.

[positivepete]

How bad were Norwich? Got to be one of the worst Premier League sides I've seen for a long time.

 

Thought Schneiderlin and Clyne were excellent for us.

 

Don't know if anyone noticed how good Lambert was for us in the last 5 mins defensively when Norwich were piling on pressure and pumping balls into the box, he won/cleared a massive amount for us.

 

And Guly, two towering clearing headers at the death including the one that led to the fourth goal.

[Sour Mash]

And Guly, two towering clearing headers at the death including the one that led to the fourth goal.

Yes, to be fair he did well in that regard as well. I don't mind Guly as much as many do, but it doesn't do himself any favours at times like yesterday. In theory Guly should be off-loaded this summer, but I've got a feeling P likes having him as a versatile squad player.

[Graffito]

Main talking points from the game covered already. Two observations.

 

The move finished by Schneiderlin's goal was a beauty. How often does one of Saints midfielders run beyond the forwards? And how effective it is.

 

All game Rodriques was on the shoulder of the last defender and looking for the ball through or over the top. I think there was one occasion when Ramirez played him in. Otherwise, Saints either didn't see it or decided to play sideways or backwards.

[CeeBee]

One thing I have noticed from todays game (watching on Sky) is the intensity of our pressing in groups has dramatically reduced along with the engaging of the opposition ball carrier in their defensive

Anybody else notice this? Was today a one off?

 

Agree. Been noticeable for quite a while now.

[Saint Fan CaM]

Horrendous errors by Fonte and Guly almost gifted them a way back. Otherwise a great performance and result. Should add that Mopo got the tactics spot on.

[Andy Durman]

I think its a MoPo tactic for the Keeper to kick the ball to the flanks. I think its like playing a golf shot with an out of bounds to one side and the fairway being only 5 metres wide.

[Raging Bull]

Or because when it was happening Rickie wasn't on the pitch to win it if it went straight down the middle.

[Window Cleaner]

See a lot of our lads had new boots again yesterday, Nike do seem to change the colourways a lot this season. Think that the 4th colour system that some of them have had in 7 months.

[Goatboy]

See a lot of our lads had new boots again yesterday, Nike do seem to change the colourways a lot this season. Think that the 4th colour system that some of them have had in 7 months.

 

If we score 4 every time they change them then crack on Nike!

[ALWAYS_SFC]

An deserved win in the end after a 10 min spell on a scary roller-coaster..

 

Did anyone see MP throwing a bottle to the floor in rage after the first sloppy goal

went in...i was to shocked to see what he did after the second..

 

But well done to Sam for sealing it...

 

MOM Jay Rod...

 

Special mention to Dejans nuts:eek:

[irene]

I'm not excusing it but shows how back up keepers are rated when he clearly is not fit and is being sent out heavily strapped to play

[DuncanRG]

Don't know if anyone noticed how good Lambert was for us in the last 5 mins defensively when Norwich were piling on pressure and pumping balls into the box, he won/cleared a massive amount for us.

 

Agreed - everybody stood strong and put their heads in, particularly Lambert and Fonte. Guly made a strong clearance as well. We could easily have conceded a third without that bit of concentration, because Norwich were really fired up all of a sudden.

[BILLY]

Guly made a strong clearance as well. We could easily have conceded a third without that bit of concentration, because Norwich were really fired up all of a sudden.

 

Yeah thanks Guly you did cause the second goal after all!

[DuncanRG]

To be clear I meant the team effort after the goal rather than Guly's header specifically!

[DG]

Don't get to many games these days and I've not seen us win since the return to the Prem, I thought I'd cursed us again.

 

For a while now we've failed to get the second goal in games but 3-0 up and 5 minutes to go what could possibly go wrong?

 

We really need to stop ****ing around at the back, did it all game long and almost cost us 3 points v one of the worst teams in the league.

 

On a more positive note, I though Rodriguez and Clyne had excellent games, and well done to Gallagher for his first goal, what a relief when that went in.

[SuperMikey]

I'm not excusing it but shows how back up keepers are rated when he clearly is not fit and is being sent out heavily strapped to play

 

At least we know we'll definitely be going in for a keeper in the summer though..

 

First half apart from the goal (which was a lovely move) was utterly boring, Norwich were absolutely dire too. Second half was good to watch and the atmosphere picked up a bit too which always helps. Thought the game was done and dusted when we went 3-0 up, but our complacency caught up with us and we were lucky to get away with 3pts after conceding those 2 goals I think, and then for Sam to grab that counter-attacking goal at the end too was more than a bit fortuitous given the pressure Norwich were putting us under.

 

Norwich were pretty crap though, never seen a team come to SMS with a 5 man midfield and offer less resistance to us keeping the ball in our midfield for 90 minutes! Feel a bit sorry for Norwich too, who seemed to have done something to annoy the ref as he barely gave them anything all game. That's the kind of thing that isn't going to help you in a relegation scrap...would rather them stay up than most of the teams in that part of the table though.

[Window Cleaner]

At least we know we'll definitely be going in for a keeper in the summer though..

 

First half apart from the goal (which was a lovely move) was utterly boring, Norwich were absolutely dire too. Second half was good to watch and the atmosphere picked up a bit too which always helps. Thought the game was done and dusted when we went 3-0 up, but our complacency caught up with us and we were lucky to get away with 3pts after conceding those 2 goals I think, and then for Sam to grab that counter-attacking goal at the end too was more than a bit fortuitous given the pressure Norwich were putting us under.

 

Norwich were pretty crap though, never seen a team come to SMS with a 5 man midfield and offer less resistance to us keeping the ball in our midfield for 90 minutes! Feel a bit sorry for Norwich too, who seemed to have done something to annoy the ref as he barely gave them anything all game. That's the kind of thing that isn't going to help you in a relegation scrap...would rather them stay up than most of the teams in that part of the table though.

 

 

Norwich probably came for the draw, their original line-up suggested that anyway. As we've found it hard to score at home of late they may well have been perfectly right in their assumption that with a midfield 5 they might shut us out. But Gaston dazzled them early on and we hit them early on with an unexpected move, after that they were just rank until they finally brought on their better players for a last gasp effort. Very poor management from Hughton, should be long gone by now but Delia obviously has faith in tea-boy managers.

[melmacian_saint]

Fonte should not have passed it but I still think JWP could have been more on the ball (literally) when that happened.

 

Until then it was the easiest game and win we've had since being promoted again and yet we almost managed to blow it. Norwich did not string 3 passes together all afternoon (they never do without Leroy Fer) and apart from our gifts had a dreadful shot wide.

 

I've said that Chris Hughton is a terrible manager but falls in that "likeable trap" that seems to fool both directors and fans alike. Norwich are not great but have a better squad that can play much better football than what he manages to get them to play and everything about him transmits negativity. They suffer for goals because that's how he makes them play, Wolfswinkel and Hooper would be setting the table alight with another man on the bench. Paul Lambert would have had this same Norwich team fighting it out with us for a top 10 place.

 

Norwich however have a tradition of being soft and paying the price for it, like being relegated from the PL to L1 just like us without even going through real financial trouble. Any other club would have rightly got rid of Hughton at the end of last season after what was nothing short of a horrible 2nd half of the season. They will go down if they don't. He really is clueless.

[Ziggy]

Another good win. We were all over them for 85 minutes and then decided to go for the comic ending. As mentioned previously all I could think of was the Leeds game when we were three up and lost. And to think I texted my youngest at half time to tell him it was a dull game!!

[Charlie Wayman]

Yes, to be fair he did well in that regard as well. I don't mind Guly as much as many do, but it doesn't do himself any favours at times like yesterday. In theory Guly should be off-loaded this summer, but I've got a feeling P likes having him as a versatile squad player.

 

He has always come across as a nice intelligent fun loving lad, like Jos in fact and having two guys like this in the dressing room and training must be fun for everyone. That's why we won't let them go. Real nice characters. Imagine having somebody like Carroll on board, like putting a fox in a hen coop.

[Charlie Wayman]

Re boruc it seems that him playing with a heavily strapped leg and living on treatment table is preferred to resting him and playing gazza or Davis. His kicking is due to his leg and it isn't good when his legs are fine. Thus today's dodgy kicking

 

OK but not fair on Davis who seems to have a back injury that he can't shake off and maybe will end his career as a player.

[Griffo]

Favorite chant of the day - "Its off to Brazil Its off to Brazil Sainsburys bag Its off to Brazil"

 

A close runner up being:

 

"He scores on his arse, he scores on his arse, Jay Rodriguez, he scores on his arse"

 

Both are really really funny. I'm glad we can always come up with new songs to sing to different tunes.

 

Sick to death of hearing that f*cking Sloop John B tune for 1000 different songs we have.

[krissyboy31]

Sick to death of hearing that f*cking Sloop John B tune for 1000 different songs we have.

I've a feeling you are going to be pretty disappointed for a fair few years to come.

[GarrettIvo]

Yeah thanks Guly you did cause the second goal after all!

 

 

Well yes he did give the ball away cheaply, but beyond that no one did their job very well to keep them out. Lovren and Fonte both get drawn to Elmander. No one closes the other bloke who puts the shot in. Boruc makes a decent save but pushes the ball back out to Snodgrass, who no one has bothered to track. Ball goes in net.

 

Fonte is 100% at fault for their first. Under no pressure and has lots of space to move up, but turns and passes blind instead. Leaves JWP with a choice of getting a red card or leaving it up to the keeper. Can't fault his decision either way in my opinion.

[SaintAndyB]

Great game, especially good to see them fight back after conceeding twice. Great goal from Lambert.

[danielpearce56]

Great game, especially good to see them fight back after conceeding twice. Great goal from Lambert.

 

Andy B your a legend, I'm sat by you right now

[danielpearce56]

Luke shaw had a great game! :mcinnes: