Saints 1 Sunderland 1 Match Reaction

[Papa Shango]

Jose was ****, nothing wrong with the formation at all, we created chances and were let down by offside calls and poor finishing.

You're all making ridiculous claims and I don't know how some of you function when you're in such a state of permanent distress over our football club.

 

Agree with this. Nowhere near as bad as people are making out. We played a lot worse than that on many occasions last season. Obviously there's still a lot of work to do, but there were plenty of positive signs. In the spells we looked good, we looked really good. People making too much of this new formation too. It's not THAT different to what we've used before. We are worse this season primarily because we've lost Mane, Pelle and Wanyama and haven't properly replaced them yet, not because of the system we're playing .

[simo]

Can't remember a more abject performance , the diamond needs to go and Jrod needs to stay ! Not worth anymore effort typing !

[dronskisaint]

Just back from watching a different match to those who are posting on here...did they even see the match or had they made their minds up what the verdict on our play was last night?

 

Sure we are still adapting but we were way better than Sunderland...we had a magical first ten minutes of how it can work, played well. I haven't looked at statistics but we had far more and better shots, spent most of the game probing in their half...Fraser barely had a save to make and, though I don't think our captain had an inspiring game, we coped with their attempts. Fonte will play better, Bertrand will add stability and Tadic will have a more consistent passing record on future games. We are not the finished article but we are a million miles from the bedsheet laundering fraternity would have us believe.

 

One other thing - am I the only one who thinks Lee Mason should go back to ref school? I thought he was dire!

[yellow&blue]

Trying to thread the ball through too many times, leaving Austin caught offside again and again.

 

When we have possession of the ball in midfield, we appear to just stand still and it looks like the players then try to remember what part of the pitch they need to be in where this formation has been setup. We then end up moving the ball back or sideways.

 

Goal kicks are pointless now as we have zero height in the midfield and win no headers whatsoever, leaving the opposition to put muscle is for the second ball.

 

I was annoyed when Tadic was subbed off, the boos in my section of the ground said it all for me.

 

On a positive note, we were bright and lively for the first 10 and the last 10 minutes, but sadly not good enough. This is now two disappointing draws at home against Watford and Sunderland, better teams are going to hammer us if we continue like this.

[Saint_Ash]

Chant of the day in the Itchen North... One Ronald Koeman.

 

I didn't join in, but understood the sentiment.

 

 

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Yeah completely embarrassing by a number of Dinlo's. That well helped.

[ART]

Arsenal are going to slaughter us. Going to take a lot to get us playing with confidence and efficiency in front of goal.

No way should Rodriguez go out on loan. I only hope the club have one or two aces up their sleeve before Wednesday.

Fonte was awful and what a waste if he's staying. Bertrand will improves things but is he going to remain injury free. No all has been revealed where his injury is concerned.

Going to be a long haul and my initial confidence in Puel is fading. At times today I felt the players were deliberately out to show they aren't impressed with having to play how Puel instructs them.

It's one thing the fans not being on board, but when the players seem to be likewise, it's pretty serious.

[doddisalegend]

Yeah completely embarrassing by a number of Dinlo's. That well helped.

 

It can't have been much of a chant cause I'm in the itchen north and never heard it so probably less a chant and more 5 ****ed guys thinking they were funny.

Edited 27 August, 2016 by doddisalegend

[Greenridge]

Three options;

- find a way to play the formation Puel wants

- bring in a player(s) who will fit the system

- abandon the system

 

Whatever option they go for, and they are all possible, do it sooner rather than later.

[derry]

There are some huge overreactions in here - even from people who aren't serial over-reactors.

 

Yes, we should be looking to beat Sunderland and disappointed if we don't, but what we're seeing IMO is role unfamiliarity, not lack of quality. We have very good players all over the pitch but we're missing Pelle's pressing up-front (all the more so if Long doesn't start) - it was much too easy for Sunderland to get out of their own end. And I would MUCH rather see Tadic playing wide. When (if) Boufal arrives we may well see that change, and start to see much more from Hojberg, who went missing when Sunderland reversed our early dominance - he didn't seem to know what part he was supposed to play. I DON'T think we're missing Wanyama that much because Romeu is defending quite well and doing something with the ball when he has it.

 

Austin needs an early ball but he won't get it as long as the midfield is looking for a square pass rather than a penetrating one, or if Tadic wants to put his foot on the ball and look around while Austin runs offside.

 

It's ridiculous to turn on Puel when we won't see what he brings until the players settle into their roles. Start judging after ten games, not three FFS.

 

Bill, I don't know about shape because it was a shapeless shambles. I think this diamond rubbish is a nonsense. the players are trying but the bloody manager isn't even picking players that complement each other. Redmond is absolutely clueless up front, Thierry Henry I think not, he just doesn't know where to make runs and is just standing waiting for somebody to pass to him. Tadic isn't a ten which along with Redmond gives us no cutting edge. Using third rate full backs as wide men is a nonsense because firstly their attacking quality is poor and the space they leave behind them will be seized on by the better sides as MU did.

 

We would have been far better off playing 4-4-2 with Redmond Hojbjerg Romeu and Tadic, with Long and Austin. Round pegs in round holes. Or 4-3-3 with Hojbjerg Romeu and Tadic with Redmond Austin and Long with Rodriguez as an alternative to Redmond. I think this manager has underestimated the difficulty and physicality of the Premier after the one team mediocre French League. He comes over as stubborn and arrogant. I don't buy this two games a week crap so we have to play a diamond that doesn't work and keep the ball. Except we didn't. Strange nobody else plays a diamond because they are in Europe. What sort of manager coming into a strange league with strange players who finished well makes a fundamental radical change without first finding out whether their basic system works well for them.

[Nolan]

How do you have 0.7 or 0.3 of a shot? Just asking.

 

its averaged to get to a per game number. so total shots over three games added up. Divided by 3.

 

 

99% of all statistics only tell 49 percent of the story.

 

Stats are facts and cant be contested. Everything after the stats is opinion.

[BILLY]

What a pile of ****e. Get rid of Puel now! He is ******* useless. Get a new manager in now.

 

Austin was crap, at least JRod scored. He needs to stay.

 

 

We need to buy another striker, another midfielder & another CB too.

 

So ****ed off right now

[Saint Billy]

youll be the only one at the emirates then,coz the rest of us will be there on sept 10,hth

 

Correction! next game

[Saint_Ash]

Seems like the first people posting on here weren't at the game. We were much the better side in the first 20 minutes but for some reason decided to sit in our half and let them play with the ball with no pressure, I didn't like that, looked like the away team at times. We do need a spark though. We're trying to play possession football and we need that spark up front like mane, hopefully boufal will provide it. Still early days but I'm not too to hit the panic button too soon. Especially after 3 games, ridiculousl knee jerking of some on here.

[Saint_Ash]

It cant of been much of a chant cause I'm in the itchen north and never heard it so probably les a chant and more 5 ****ed guys thinking they were funny.

 

I sit in Kingsland central and I heard it, twice it was sung in the first half. Most comical bit was some matey near me sayng it was cause koeman has gone to Newcastle.

[Webby]

I agree with some comments I've seen that say we are not playing instinctively because I've also noticed that we've had good spells at the end of games, when we've been behind and the game has become a bit ragged and we've lost our shape a bit. Basically, we've played with instinct in those periods.

Edited 27 August, 2016 by Webby

[Toon Saint]

Anyone think the players looked lethargic after 20 mins? Kind of worrying this early in the season. Austin especially looked like he was carrying some extra timbre. Waddled around like he needed a sh!t.

 

 

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[Professor]

A good example that in football just one or two individual incidents often determine the result. On another day, we could have been 2 goals up by half time and on yet another day, Jose wouldn't have given away the penalty.

The game did show that we have a great choice of attacking formations with four very good front players backed up by Tadic and Davis. Even with Boufal to come, it would be madness to send JRod out on loan with all the fixtures the squad has to cover over the next few months.

Just one wish or hope - that Claude is, or will, take more English lessons. At the moment he is taking so long just to say 'Yes' or 'No' that I lose the will to live before he's finished answering a question. There may be a genuine issue about this, that the players need to listen to him and I wonder if his delivery puts them off as well.

[doddisalegend]

I can't comment on man u because I didn't see that game but both home games we have been the better team. In both home games we've been poor first half and much better second half. The last 20=25 minutes of todays game (after Tadic went off) we played some really nice football (quick passing, 1-2s direct running into the box) if we can play like that for 70 minutes a game instead of 20 minutes we will be fine and shows what we can do in the diamond formation when the players get it right. People banging on about how poor we look have short memories IMO we played just as badly, if not worse, and blew hot and cold just as much in games under Koeman for large parts of last season People only seem to remember that last 6 or so games of last season.

 

After Tadic went off and Redmond went in to the middle he looked far more dangerous taking players on and running at pace before that he was wasted with his back to goal trying to win headers against big CBs. To be honest it feels like the players are still trying to adjust from Koeman's long punting to Pele and lumping crosses in to the box which they need to cut out if the new system is going to work.

 

Targett was the biggest weak link today sadly. You really want to like lads from the academy but Targett and JWP just don't cut it unfortunately. he was done so many times it wasn't funny

 

Steven Davis was awful first half but brilliant second half and a big pay raise seems to have made Fonte a worse player..

 

As an aside according to stats I've seen we have 58 attempts on goal in three matches and scored two. It's the same old story of the last few seasons create lots score **** all the last time we had a really prolific striker was Lambert in the championship.

 

Personally I think there are reasons to be optimistic if we can start playing like the second half of today's and the Watford game for whole games rather than just the at the end of games and some one can find some form in front of goal. If the first half of those two games becomes the regular norm we are in deep ****....

[teamsaint]

J Rod playing well and scoring a really deserved goal made the day for me. He really can't be allowed to go on loan , surely?

 

Got to credit the manager for the substitutions, I though taking Tadic off was daft, but Redmond did very well when he dropped back, and we were much the better team in the last 25 minutes, despite their goal.

Can't say I like the diamond though.

[doddisalegend]

I sit in Kingsland central and I heard it, twice it was sung in the first half. Most comical bit was some matey near me sayng it was cause koeman has gone to Newcastle.

 

Must be acoustics Then. The Northam sounds silent at most games were I sit yet when I sat in the Chapel I could hear them every game.

[Suhari]

Can't remember a more abject performance , the diamond needs to go and Jrod needs to stay ! Not worth anymore effort typing !

 

You see the Midgetland game last season?

[scotty]

What has money got to do with it? Should Ibrahimovic be a cracking left wing back then because he's rich?

 

You clearly don't understand the game. Any player can improve his performance if you pay him more money. The more cash they get the harder they try and the better they become. It's simple logic, if we double their wages they'll try twice as hard and perform twice as well.

[Saint-Fred]

A good example that in football just one or two individual incidents often determine the result. On another day, we could have been 2 goals up by half time and on yet another day, Jose wouldn't have given away the penalty.

The game did show that we have a great choice of attacking formations with four very good front players backed up by Tadic and Davis. Even with Boufal to come, it would be madness to send JRod out on loan with all the fixtures the squad has to cover over the next few months.

Just one wish or hope - that Claude is, or will, take more English lessons. At the moment he is taking so long just to say 'Yes' or 'No' that I lose the will to live before he's finished answering a question. There may be a genuine issue about this, that the players need to listen to him and I wonder if his delivery puts them off as well.

 

Not sure we could have been two up? I personally don't think we look like scoring and the goal we scored should have really been a straight forward save!

It's early days but IMO the players don't look like they believe and there was a part of the game where we made Sunderland look good and they dominated. (Again without looking like scoring though).

 

A couple of examples that said it all to me was when the ball dropped to Fonte who just hit a driven ball aimlessly into the centre circle. It went to one of our players but just not something you'd normally see. There was a point when Forster had the ball and just looked like what do I do with it? No one was in space or seemingly wanted the ball?

Things aren't right and Puel needs to sort it ASAP. Perhaps a win will sort it..however today will have been the easiest opportunities to get that win...on to arsenal..

[70's Mike]

Agree with this. Nowhere near as bad as people are making out. We played a lot worse than that on many occasions last season. Obviously there's still a lot of work to do, but there were plenty of positive signs. In the spells we looked good, we looked really good. People making too much of this new formation too. It's not THAT different to what we've used before. We are worse this season primarily because we've lost Mane, Pelle and Wanyama and haven't properly replaced them yet, not because of the system we're playing .

 

Really we were playing Watford and Sunderland, lost 4 points, .

you are right we have lost Mane, Pelle and Wanyama and haven't properly replaced them yet, the transfer window has 4 days left and i will be amazed if we replace them now

[Wiggles31]

Crap result and should have won. Austin was all out of sorts. Looked better when Redmond wasn't playing as a striker.

 

My worry with this diamond is the danger it causes when we give the ball away. We look vulnerable. Not a fan of this diamond.

 

Biggest positive was how good Rodriguez looked when he came on. Would be a joke if he is loaned.

[kelkel31]

There is a reason why i have so few posts in so long as a member on this site, far too many idiots that either like to comment on things they dont see or quite simply dont understand.

 

I provide this simple link as proof that far too many of the comments on this thread are idiotic

 

[Heisenberg]

Puel praising our performance.....

[BILLY]

Seems like the first people posting on here weren't at the game. We were much the better side in the first 20 minutes but for some reason decided to sit in our half and let them play with the ball with no pressure, I didn't like that, looked like the away team at times. We do need a spark though. We're trying to play possession football and we need that spark up front like mane, hopefully boufal will provide it. Still early days but I'm not too to hit the panic button too soon. Especially after 3 games, ridiculousl knee jerking of some on here.

 

Was at the game and it was still pile of ****e

[doddisalegend]

Can't remember a more abject performance , the diamond needs to go and Jrod needs to stay ! Not worth anymore effort typing !

 

LOL hyperbole of the worse sort I can remember plenty of games last season alone when we were worse than today....

[Saint-Fred]

Will Boufal be back for the Arsenal game?

 

If he was watching he might be on the way up the motorway to Leicester! :-)

[Charlie Wayman]

Make sure Les you don't leave the sacking too late. Keep Rodrigues and send Austin out on loan. What tactical genius thinks it a great idea when we are 1-0 down to take off or two best and most creative players and leave our worst player out there?

 

Big shout out for Jay, the one bright spot of a very disappointing and dispiriting day. Not that way, Jose!

[Saint-Fred]

Crap result and should have won. Austin was all out of sorts. Looked better when Redmond wasn't playing as a striker.

 

My worry with this diamond is the danger it causes when we give the ball away. We look vulnerable. Not a fan of this diamond.

 

Biggest positive was how good Rodriguez looked when he came on. Would be a joke if he is loaned.

 

TBF on Austin the formation means he has to pull out wide and he looks awkward there.

The diamond might look better against a side which presses high up the pitch?

[S-Clarke]

First 20 mins, great - after that, trash. No penetration in the final third and a really really poor effort in midfield as the game went on, we never had control over it. Sunderland didn't threaten a great deal, but there was always a risk that just one moment could go their way if we kept playing as casual and slow as we were - and it did. Jose was way too tight to someone like Defoe, that's exactly how he plays CB's and I'd have hoped Jose would have known all about that.

 

It was all too little too late after that, a late rally - but you have to wonder why we couldn't pepper them like that over the course of the match. It was way too much side ways and backwards for the majority of that game, almost trying to create the perfect goal as opposed to playing the situation or conditions (very arsenal esque). The players seemed somewhat confused at times.

 

Also a note on Davis....I don't like the role he has, I don't think he's suited as this sort of midfielder, he needs to be in the attacking third running at defenses - not the last line of midfield trying to stop attacks/break up play, he's too small and weak for that.

 

It's still way too early to jump to any sort of conclusions and it just feels a little bit of a slow start more than anything, I don't see any glaring catastrophic problems - lots of rustiness and lack of match sharpness though.

[aintforever]

Awful performance. Players didn't look happy. Weird substitutions.

 

Hopefully if we bring in a few quality players we can turn it around but with the extra Europa games we needed a stronger squad than last year yet here we are, a few games in, with a worse squad and a manager who appears to be still learning what the Premier is all about.

[jamesfp1]

Surely Jay Rod was a good substitution?

[SaintRobbie]

Saints have taken good players and made them very good over the last 3 years.

 

This time feels different. We've taken good players and are making them poor.

 

Puel needs to start accepting responsibility for the on pitch fiasco. Les Reed for the off pitch fiasco.

 

I want to hear some honesty from Puel and our Boardroom.

 

We won't.

 

 

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[S-Clarke]

I didn't get the grief over the Tadic sub, any of the attacking players could have come off to be honest - at least he put two centre forwards on and changed it up, I felt we got more into the game in the final third on the back of the subs if I'm honest.

[Saint_Ash]

First 20 mins, great - after that, trash. No penetration in the final third and a really really poor effort in midfield as the game went on, we never had control over it. Sunderland didn't threaten a great deal, but there was always a risk that just one moment could go their way if we kept playing as casual and slow as we were - and it did. Jose was way too tight to someone like Defoe, that's exactly how he plays CB's and I'd have hoped Jose would have known all about that.

 

It was all too little too late after that, a late rally - but you have to wonder why we couldn't pepper them like that over the course of the match. It was way too much side ways and backwards for the majority of that game, almost trying to create the perfect goal as opposed to playing the situation or conditions (very arsenal esque). The players seemed somewhat confused at times.

 

Also a note on Davis....I don't like the role he has, I don't think he's suited as this sort of midfielder, he needs to be in the attacking third running at defenses - not the last line of midfield trying to stop attacks/break up play, he's too small and weak for that.

 

It's still way too early to jump to any sort of conclusions and it just feels a little bit of a slow start more than anything, I don't see any glaring catastrophic problems - lots of rustiness and lack of match sharpness though.

 

Sensible post. How I saw it. No need for headless knee-jerk reactions just yet.

[saintant]

Some people keep banging on about how many shots we've had as though this is some indication of how well we must be playing. A better indication is to look at how many of those shots were genuine chances and did not result in goals due to bad misses - it will be very few.

[doddisalegend]

I didn't get the grief over the Tadic sub, any of the attacking players could have come off to be honest - at least he put two centre forwards on and changed it up, I felt we got more into the game in the final third on the back of the subs if I'm honest.

 

The subs were fine if anything our best period of the game came when Tadic went off and Redmond dropped in behind the strikers. Swapping Davis and Højbjerg at half time also made us beter in the second half.

[doddisalegend]

Some people keep banging on about how many shots we've had as though this is some indication of how well we must be playing. A better indication is to look at how many of those shots were genuine chances and did not result in goals due to bad misses - it will be very few.

 

We had seven shots on target to Sunderland's two. Their keeper made 6 saves to our keepers 1 seems like a good indication we were the better side to me.

Edited 27 August, 2016 by doddisalegend

[Dalek2003]

I think Puel is a bit of 'one trick pony'. Diamond formation my arse !

[IOWSaintDaz]

Van Dijk's reaction says all you need to know

 

Seem's players are struggling to adapt to Puel's style of play

 

Must be as frustrating for them trying to play it as it is for us watching it, when I was watching the game today i noticed Van Dijk looked a bit out of sorts even with Jose Fonte his CB partner at the back he was constantly covering for Fonte's and others mistakes as slow tempo possession football replaced the more direct fast and pressing football of the 3 previous seasons, the most frustrating thing is Claude Puel and Eric Black seem totally oblivious to the fact we can only play one formation (His) without any plan B, this might of worked in the French league but the Premier League is a different kettle of fish as i'm sure is is discovering, hope he and the players can turn it round and discover a winning formula but in this league time is not a manager's friend if you don't get results

[Fabrice29]

Nothing wrong with the formation, manager or board. Simple lack of intelligence, invention and movement upfront is all that cost us. Started well, Austin on his toes but by the time he was rightly dragged off he was just static. Things were a lot better when Jay Rod came on and Redmond dropped into the whole. Those two and Long playing quick passes with movement trying to break lines sparked us again. Tadic quiet but Austin and Fonte especially were really really poor. The rest of the team is more than OK. Dominated the game. The formation is more than fine. A decent right back wouldn't go a miss and Bertrand back will help but the formation relies on fluid movement upfront with clever play. Austin and Tadic didn't provide that today. Jay Rod and Redmond did.

 

Think this formation really suits Rodriguez so I'm hoping we keep him. Playing wide, cutting inside looking for one two's and having a strike from range is exactly what this formation needs and it's exactly what Rodriguez brings. Austin can do one though. I sit next to a guy who seems to love him but I have yet to see him offer anything to us. Obviously he has his talents and he showcased them for QPR of course but he's been here since January and I dont know what he's done to deserve to be starting games.

[NewYorkSaint]

I really don't buy blaming everything on Puel and the diamond. For one thing you could just as easily call our system 4-1-3-2 - as we've played many times before. Romeo playing ahead of the back four... We were by far the better side, and on another day win by a couple goals. It's completely self-destructive to start turning on Puel. Any individual match can go wrong. He's trying to create a strategic advantage for Saints. Give him a break. I predict that over the next four matches it'll start to come good big time.

 

Thought Davis had a terrific game, and completely thrilled for J-Rod. That could prove a huge boost to his self-confidence and recovery. If he comes back to his best, the season suddenly looks a whole lot better. JWP had an impressive cameo too, I thought. A yard different on his free-kick, and we're all celebrating Puel's genius substitution.

[Dalek2003]

Nothing wrong with the formation, manager or board. Simple lack of intelligence, invention and movement upfront is all that cost us. Started well, Austin on his toes but by the time he was rightly dragged off he was just static. Things were a lot better when Jay Rod came on and Redmond dropped into the whole. Those two and Long playing quick passes with movement trying to break lines sparked us again. Tadic quiet but Austin and Fonte especially were really really poor. The rest of the team is more than OK. Dominated the game. The formation is more than fine. A decent right back wouldn't go a miss and Bertrand back will help but the formation relies on fluid movement upfront with clever play. Austin and Tadic didn't provide that today. Jay Rod and Redmond did.

 

Think this formation really suits Rodriguez so I'm hoping we keep him. Playing wide, cutting inside looking for one two's and having a strike from range is exactly what this formation needs and it's exactly what Rodriguez brings. Austin can do one though. I sit next to a guy who seems to love him but I have yet to see him offer anything to us. Obviously he has his talents and he showcased them for QPR of course but he's been here since January and I dont know what he's done to deserve to be starting games.

 

Ok Claude. Let's see where we are by the end of October.

[Whitey Grandad]

First time I've seen us live. It's supposed to be 'the beautiful game' but today was an awful confused mess. Apart from a few early slick moves we settled into a shapeless mess with no cohesion or unified plan of action. I lost count of the number of times the ball was nicked off our feet and only a last-ditch stretch saved the situation but these can lead to injuries and dangerous fouls, even penalties. Not impressed and I can only hope that more playing time and a change of system will rescue our season.

[doddisalegend]

Nothing wrong with the formation, manager or board. Simple lack of intelligence, invention and movement upfront is all that cost us. Started well, Austin on his toes but by the time he was rightly dragged off he was just static. Things were a lot better when Jay Rod came on and Redmond dropped into the whole. Those two and Long playing quick passes with movement trying to break lines sparked us again. Tadic quiet but Austin and Fonte especially were really really poor. The rest of the team is more than OK. Dominated the game. The formation is more than fine. A decent right back wouldn't go a miss and Bertrand back will help but the formation relies on fluid movement upfront with clever play. Austin and Tadic didn't provide that today. Jay Rod and Redmond did.

 

Think this formation really suits Rodriguez so I'm hoping we keep him. Playing wide, cutting inside looking for one two's and having a strike from range is exactly what this formation needs and it's exactly what Rodriguez brings. Austin can do one though. I sit next to a guy who seems to love him but I have yet to see him offer anything to us. Obviously he has his talents and he showcased them for QPR of course but he's been here since January and I dont know what he's done to deserve to be starting games.

 

I really don't buy blaming everything on Puel and the diamond. For one thing you could just as easily call our system 4-1-3-2 - as we've played many times before. Romeo playing ahead of the back four... We were by far the better side, and on another day win by a couple goals. It's completely self-destructive to start turning on Puel. Any individual match can go wrong. He's trying to create a strategic advantage for Saints. Give him a break. I predict that over the next four matches it'll start to come good big time.

 

Thought Davis had a terrific game, and completely thrilled for J-Rod. That could prove a huge boost to his self-confidence and recovery. If he comes back to his best, the season suddenly looks a whole lot better. JWP had an impressive cameo too, I thought. A yard different on his free-kick, and we're all celebrating Puel's genius substitution.

 

I'm with you two. Certainly not perfect (first half in particular was **** poor) but not nearly as bad as people are trying to make out.

[Fitzhugh Fella]

A lot of negatives today – obviously 2 points dropped is the biggest setback in another ineffectual display where we spluttered at times, shone occasionally and finished strongly with a late point-saving goal….. a la Watford. The game had little to be enthusiastic about.

 

It was worrying to hear loud boos when Tadic was substituted, it was obvious the crowd were venting their frustration towards Puel. I can understand why, this disliked diamond formation is universally unpopular, but for the manager to get booed that audibly in only his third game, is not conducive to a smooth managerial transition. Actually I thought Puel got the decision right, we looked a better side after Long replaced Tadic. The Serbian had had a poor game with everything he tried not coming off. I am not his greatest fan but I do recognise on form he is very influential for us, but today he didn’t click and when your most creative player is not on song it is likely the team will struggle.

 

I didn’t hear it myself, but I gather in a post-match interview on Solent, van Dijk gave a negative interview which basically translated as the players do not like this diamond formation. In the old days what players thought counted for bugger all, but these days things are different and reading between the lines I am sensing there is a Paul Sturrock situation developing, which is a cause for concern. Many at the game today have commented on poor body language from the players and I feel we are entering dangerous territory already in the field of player/manager relations. How long will it be before there is a deputation to Ralph/Les I wonder? Player power rules these days.

 

For me today there were too many square pegs for round holes, especially upfront where Redmond and Austin, despite their hard work, were simply ineffectual. Austin made umpteen runs which no one in midfield spotted until it was too late and he was consequently offside. Very frustrating for him and the fans. I am not sure about Redmond, I would prefer Long or JayRod to be honest at the moment. Long must be mightily peeved that Redmond has been given the nod ahead of him.

 

But it is early days and if we appointed Puel knowing he favours the diamond system we have to grin and bear it and give him time – a precious commodity in the Premier League. When it comes to Saints I am a glass half empty fan, but I honestly think we have too many good players to go down - or even be threatened by relegation, and by all accounts, there is/are players coming in (albeit injured and off to Africa in January). But even if we bought the best forward in Europe tomorrow, I don’t think our problems would be solved overnight. This system is going to take a while to bed in, the trouble is time waits for no team in this league and the Europa Cup is not going to wait for us to find our feet either.

 

To end on some positives.

 

Although he is the whipping boy for many, I am a fan of Targett, I thought he had an excellent game today, making crucial tackles early on and in the second half getting forward with menace while still managing to fulfil his full-back duties. Bertand will replace him but it is important to recognise he has never let us down. It was also wonderful to see JayRod back on the scoresheet. Are we really going to let him out on loan? Surely he has got to be worth hanging onto, I would certainly rather see him in the line-up than some Italian prima donna like Zaza.

 

So all in all not a great day, especially with the Skates nicking a win at Exeter. Claude Puel will have a lot to ponder on over the break and Les will have to keep his nerve. Arsenal away is not a happy hunting ground and things may get significantly worse before they get better. We are gonna have to man up I think.

 

Finally what a poor ref Mason is – didn’t look a pen to me and his yellow cards were inconsistent. But he was not the reason we failed to get our first win.

 

Just my musings, sorry if it has been too long.

[whelk]

Chant of the day in the Itchen North... One Ronald Koeman.

 

I didn't join in, but understood the sentiment.

 

 

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Don't pretend you went to the game