Saints 0 Arsenal 5 Post match hilarity

[redder freak]

I think Puel expects the whole squad to perform when they get the chance. He can't afford to rely on a few key players, with the physical and mental fitness demands of the modern game and the frequency of games to be played. This interesting match cruelly exposed the lack of depth in the squad on some areas of the pitch and where it needs improving. Personally, I would say particularly at right back (Martina) and attacking midfield (Isgrove). Although I'm strictly an armchair grandad plastic pundit with little chance of getting a Wembley ticket.

[Nordic Saint]

As good as he was on Wednesday, Stephens played with Caulker levels of ineptness tonight. I think the club should refund everyone who went.

 

That is not at all fair on Stephens. He was playing virtually alone in the centre of defence as Gardos moved about as much as a training dummy.

 

Nearly every Arsenal goal came about through outpacing the centre of our defence and exploiting the space where Gardos should have been. Poor Stephens was run ragged like Fonte used to be when he had to play alongside Hooiveld. But even Hooiveld was more use than Gardos, whose movement off the ball and covering play were non-existent. I wouldn't call Gardos the Ali Dia of defenders. He can head the ball and on the rare occasions a forward runs into him, he can tackle, but like most Romanian league players he is about League Two level. He's certainly nowhere near good enough to play against Premier League strikers. Stephens, however, shows he has the potential to be a useful squad member at least.

 

If Gardos had played instead of Stephens at Liverpool, we probably would have lost 3 or 4-1.

[mrfahaji]

Unprofessional.....disgusting.

Puel should be ashamed.

All the the last 10 days work undone.

Completely dampened the feel good factor.

 

God knows what it's done for the nippers' confidence.

Channon ,Boyer....Hayes...etc must think it a joke that you can't play a few games in a row.

Especially with what is available now.

We won't win the league or get top six....we aren't going down....so play the best squad available.

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Newsflash! Due to their poor performance against Arsenal in the FA Cup, Southampton have been stripped of their place in the League Cup Final.

[doddisalegend]

That is not at all fair on Stephens. He was playing virtually alone in the centre of defence as Gardos moved about as much as a training dummy.

 

 

 

Nearly every Arsenal goal came about through outpacing the centre of our defence and exploiting the space where Gardos should have been. Poor Stephens was run ragged like Fonte used to be when he had to play alongside Hooiveld. But even Hooiveld was more use than Gardos, whose movement off the ball and covering play were non-existent. I wouldn't call Gardos the Ali Dia of defenders. He can head the ball and on the rare occasions a forward runs into him, he can tackle, but like most Romanian league players he is about League Two level. He's certainly nowhere near good enough to play against Premier League strikers. Stephens, however, shows he has the potential to be a useful squad member at least.

 

 

 

If Gardos had played instead of Stephens at Liverpool, we probably would have lost 3 or 4-1.

 

 

You do realise that was Gardos's first proper game in two years of course he was going to be a bit ****. It was just as unfair on him to be chucked into a game surrounded by kids with virtually zero DM cover as is was on the rest of them.

[macca155]

"That is not at all fair on Stephens. He was playing virtually alone in the centre of defence as Gardos moved about as much as a training dummy."

 

Completely agree, Stephen's didn't have his best game but was exposed more than any other defender has in recent times. Gardos just isn't a Premier League defender, probably not even League 2 standard. However both were on to a hiding to nothing with zero defensive midfield in front of them. Stephens looks to have that touch of class and potential that we all want to see.

 

However desperate day at the office and nobody comes out of this with any dignity left.

[Whitey Grandad]

You do realise that was Gardos's first proper game in two years of course he was going to be a bit ****. It was just as unfair on him to be chucked into a game surrounded by kids with virtually zero DM cover as is was on the rest of them.

 

Yes, that's why I cut him some slack. He wasn't just off the pace, the game just seemed to go on all around him and he undershot some headers quite comically. Has he ever played under these awful led floodlights? He's a much better player than he showed last night but it's going to take a lot of games to get him back to his best and can we afford that?

[sandwichsaint]

Seems mad to me how there are 10 Premier League matches just in December and January when there is also more chance for Premier League clubs still being in cup competitions (Saints played 16 matches just in Dec/Jan!). I'm not in favour of a Winter break but the 'authorities' seem to do the opposite and cram in even more at that time of year. No wonder the FA cup gets lost in it all and clubs have to make choices where their prioritise lie and how best to manage their squads. Then from next Saturday onwards mostly only 1 match a week until the end of the season of 15 League matches in 3.5 months. Why not have more mid-week matches spaced out between now and mid-May?

Regarding todays match it was overall such a weakened side I wouldn't want to judge each player too much, if just one or 2 of them had been otherwise in a starting 11 I'm sure that each would have done better.

 

cant happen - lots of weeks are 'reserved' for UEFA football.

[eelpie]

Ending up today having to send out such a selection proved Claude Puel and Les Reed have well and truly been caught with their pants down. Liverpool are there for the taking by just about any team at the moment.

It is a crying shame shame that Reed and Puel have been farting about since the window and failed to bring in anyone.

Today saw the rose colored spectacles well and truly removed and stark reality facing us.

Sad, very sad indeed.

 

This

[Whitey Grandad]

Just wait until Qatar 2022 when we have a four week break mid-season.

[eelpie]

Is anyone really bothered about last night ?

 

Last night is history and over. But I no longer have belief that Puel will select the best team available any more. So I'm now glad I couldn't get a ticket for the West Ham match.

[The Cat]

Last night is history and over. But I no longer have belief that Puel will select the best team available any more. So I'm now glad I couldn't get a ticket for the West Ham match.

 

You won't be missed.

[derry]

Spot on. I'm amazed that he's got us to Wembley given the football we've played this season. In fact, getting us to the final has probably just bought him time in the job. Whatever happens in the final, I'd still like him gone. He does nothing to inspire any confidence at all. Today's team selection being a case in point. The fans were on a high after Wednesday and then he goes and ****es us all off with this nonsense.

 

FFS we got a free pass to the semi finals, two weakened crap teams, A weak Arsenal team then two stubborn displays against Liverpool. Utd played about seven regular first teamers tonight, only one youngster, have played as many matches as us and will now have a lot more to play and got the result to give them even more matches. I know they have a big squad but they kept their core and it showed. It was with disbelief that I heard Isgrove announced, he was out of his depth against an abysmal Sunderland, was anonymous the other night against Arsenal U23s as was Gardos and should be packing a suitcase not playing in the Cup.

[benjii]

That is not at all fair on Stephens. He was playing virtually alone in the centre of defence as Gardos moved about as much as a training dummy.

 

Nearly every Arsenal goal came about through outpacing the centre of our defence and exploiting the space where Gardos should have been. Poor Stephens was run ragged like Fonte used to be when he had to play alongside Hooiveld. But even Hooiveld was more use than Gardos, whose movement off the ball and covering play were non-existent. I wouldn't call Gardos the Ali Dia of defenders. He can head the ball and on the rare occasions a forward runs into him, he can tackle, but like most Romanian league players he is about League Two level. He's certainly nowhere near good enough to play against Premier League strikers. Stephens, however, shows he has the potential to be a useful squad member at least.

 

If Gardos had played instead of Stephens at Liverpool, we probably would have lost 3 or 4-1.

 

That's bull****.

 

First goal Stephens suddenly stepped up strangely, allowing the pass to go where he had just stood.

 

Second goal, he let Welbeck go.

 

Third goal he gave the ball away.

[derry]

The team didn't give it a go, they should have got stuck in. pressed hard and made it difficult and try and rattle Arsenal. What really ****ed me off was the fact whatever the team selection the team played the slow backwards and sideways passing, backed off, no pressing and were pulled apart.

[Dark Munster]

Why? We are comfortably going to finish mid table the Swansea game will have little impact one way or the other. One cup final is fantastic no getting away from that but I don't see why getting to one should mean we just blow the other cup off just to prioritise one league game that will have make very little difference at the end of the season.

If Austin, Boufal, Rodriguez, Ward-prowse, Van Dijk, Targett, McCarthy and Fonte had been available (Yoshida had a knock too), and we hadn't played an exhausting midweek semi-final, and hadn't had games every 3/4 days since Christmas, I'm sure we would've seen a much, much stronger line up. All of that was out of Puel's hands. BTW Arsenal only had one player on their injury list compared to our nine.

[Dark Munster]

Seems mad to me how there are 10 Premier League matches just in December and January when there is also more chance for Premier League clubs still being in cup competitions (Saints played 16 matches just in Dec/Jan!). I'm not in favour of a Winter break but the 'authorities' seem to do the opposite and cram in even more at that time of year. No wonder the FA cup gets lost in it all and clubs have to make choices where their prioritise lie and how best to manage their squads. Then from next Saturday onwards mostly only 1 match a week until the end of the season of 15 League matches in 3.5 months. Why not have more mid-week matches spaced out between now and mid-May?

 

Regarding todays match it was overall such a weakened side I wouldn't want to judge each player too much, if just one or 2 of them had been otherwise in a starting 11 I'm sure that each would have done better.

This.

[Dark Munster]

Not only that he the manager said we can not play every three days with same team, sorry we played Leicester and three days latter played Liverpool with the same team.

He presumably meant over the long term. Same team twice over three days is possible, but doing it for the third time another three days later is a bridge too far.

[Whitey Grandad]

That's bull****.

 

First goal Stephens suddenly stepped up strangely, allowing the pass to go where he had just stood.

 

Second goal, he let Welbeck go.

 

Third goal he gave the ball away.

 

Yes, what was that stepping up business? Was he hoping to play them offside?

[Dark Munster]

FFS we got a free pass to the semi finals, two weakened crap teams, A weak Arsenal team then two stubborn displays against Liverpool. Utd played about seven regular first teamers tonight, only one youngster, have played as many matches as us and will now have a lot more to play and got the result to give them even more matches. I know they have a big squad but they kept their core and it showed. It was with disbelief that I heard Isgrove announced, he was out of his depth against an abysmal Sunderland, was anonymous the other night against Arsenal U23s as was Gardos and should be packing a suitcase not playing in the Cup.

http://www.physioroom.com/news/english_premier_league/epl_injury_table.php

 

Southampton injuries: 9

Man Utd injuries: 1

 

HTH

[Whitey Grandad]

http://www.physioroom.com/news/english_premier_league/epl_injury_table.php

 

Southampton injuries: 9

Man Utd injuries: 1

 

HTH

 

Any ideas why that should be the situation? Number of games must be similar.

[Charlie Wayman]

Grand Larceny, no less, somebody should swing for this! Have we no pride?

[Whitey Grandad]

Grand Larceny, no less, somebody should swing for this! Have we no pride?

From the FA Cup regulations:

15. PROVISIONS CONCERNING PLAYERS

 

(a) Each team participating in a match shall represent the full available strength of each competing Club.

 

 

 

There was a time when teams got fined for what we did yesterday.

[Whitey Grandad]

The club sent me a pre-match email on Friday. Out of interest did anybody correctly predict the score and the first scorer and thereby win a signed shirt?

[sammysaint]

Puel needs a result at Swansea now to justify that team selection, Personally I would've prefered a 1st team being played today and a more development/u23 team vs Swansea.

 

Isgrove really is not good enough, Stephens looked solid next to Yoshi but looked awful with that ball over the top, Gardos made some good tackles but his positioning was awful and expected for his 1st real game back, McQueen got caught a few times and really doesn't look like he can handle semi good prem players with pace, let alone top class ones.

 

I think the same 11 vs Swansea would be capable of getting a draw especially if you could bring on 2-3 of the senior lads for Isgrove Reed and say McQueen.

 

I think we need to sign a Veteran LB and a top CB and then loan out McQueen and Reed, them two would benefit massively from playing 12-15 games on loan in the championship.

 

We do not need another striker if we get in a decent backup for Bertrand and a starting CB to partner VVD or at least Yoshi until he is back, unless we are looking to sell Long, Jay Rod and Austin are good enough and Austin especially will bang in goals to help us finish 8th/9th and hopefully be fit for Sunderland and be able to get some playing time before the final and lead the line vs Man U.

[AllSorts]

Puel needs a result at Swansea now to justify that team selection, Personally I would've prefered a 1st team being played today and a more development/u23 team vs Swansea.

 

Isgrove really is not good enough, Stephens looked solid next to Yoshi but looked awful with that ball over the top, Gardos made some good tackles but his positioning was awful and expected for his 1st real game back, McQueen got caught a few times and really doesn't look like he can handle semi good prem players with pace, let alone top class ones.

 

I think the same 11 vs Swansea would be capable of getting a draw especially if you could bring on 2-3 of the senior lads for Isgrove Reed and say McQueen.

 

I think we need to sign a Veteran LB and a top CB and then loan out McQueen and Reed, them two would benefit massively from playing 12-15 games on loan in the championship.

 

We do not need another striker if we get in a decent backup for Bertrand and a starting CB to partner VVD or at least Yoshi until he is back, unless we are looking to sell Long, Jay Rod and Austin are good enough and Austin especially will bang in goals to help us finish 8th/9th and hopefully be fit for Sunderland and be able to get some playing time before the final and lead the line vs Man U.

 

Just out of interest how many times was McQueen beaten for pace and how many tackles did he win? And what were his stats for the same v Man City or Everton?

 

Do you think having to face Walcott, Bellerin and Sanchez sometimes all 3 surrounding him with Gardos as backup was maybe a little bit over the top? If he could have kept them out 100% of the time that would make him capable of being a top class international and maybe attractive to better teams than Southampton in the premier league or elsewhere would it not? Championship loans are the last thing he needs and the last thing Saints needs right now. I also know how Bertrand rates McQueen and why Bertie upped his game recently. Do you? I think you're wrong. Then again I am biased.

Edited 29 January, 2017 by AllSorts

[Whitey Grandad]

Just out of interest how many times was McQueen beaten for pace and how many tackles did he win? And what were his stats for the same v Man City or Everton?

 

Do you think having to face Walcott, Bellerin and Sanchez sometimes all 3 surrounding him with Gardos as backup was maybe a little bit over the top? If he could have kept them out 100% of the time that would make him capable of being a top class international and maybe attractive to better teams than Southampton in the premier league or elsewhere. Championship loans are the last thing he needs and the last thing Daints needs right now. I think you're wrong. Then again I am biased.

 

Got beaten by Walcott for their third. He should have cleared the ball but Walcott just hooked his right foot around him and flicked the ball into the net. He was clearly annoyed with himself and will have learned from it.

[eelpie]

You won't be missed.

 

lol

[eelpie]

Puel needs a result at Swansea now to justify that team selection, Personally I would've prefered a 1st team being played today and a more development/u23 team vs Swansea.

 

Isgrove really is not good enough, Stephens looked solid next to Yoshi but looked awful with that ball over the top, Gardos made some good tackles but his positioning was awful and expected for his 1st real game back, McQueen got caught a few times and really doesn't look like he can handle semi good prem players with pace, let alone top class ones.

 

I think the same 11 vs Swansea would be capable of getting a draw especially if you could bring on 2-3 of the senior lads for Isgrove Reed and say McQueen.

 

I think we need to sign a Veteran LB and a top CB and then loan out McQueen and Reed, them two would benefit massively from playing 12-15 games on loan in the championship.

 

We do not need another striker if we get in a decent backup for Bertrand and a starting CB to partner VVD or at least Yoshi until he is back, unless we are looking to sell Long, Jay Rod and Austin are good enough and Austin especially will bang in goals to help us finish 8th/9th and hopefully be fit for Sunderland and be able to get some playing time before the final and lead the line vs Man U.

 

Won't Austin be out for the rest of the season?

[Katalinic]

Won't Austin be out for the rest of the season?

 

Until at least April.

[Nordic Saint]

That's bull****.

 

First goal Stephens suddenly stepped up strangely, allowing the pass to go where he had just stood.

 

Second goal, he let Welbeck go.

 

Third goal he gave the ball away.

 

You prove my point. Where was Gardos? He covered about as much ground as a training dummy and he's been like that his whole career so no excuses about him only playing for our U23s since October.

 

Watch no. 15. That's him:

 

[warsash saint]

This thread perfectly shows we have some real budgies posting on this board!!

 

We have just reached a major cup final & now have a crippling injury list. Do they really expect us to risk key players when we have yet another important game Tuesday.

 

Yes I would have liked an FA cup run, yes I payed good money last night BUT do the bedwetters expect us to reach 2 cup finals in 1 season when it has taken us 14 years to reach one? It's all about priorities.

 

Puel made the correct decision IMO.

[Dark Munster]

Puel needs a result at Swansea now to justify that team selection, Personally I would've prefered a 1st team being played today and a more development/u23 team vs Swansea.

 

Isgrove really is not good enough, Stephens looked solid next to Yoshi but looked awful with that ball over the top, Gardos made some good tackles but his positioning was awful and expected for his 1st real game back, McQueen got caught a few times and really doesn't look like he can handle semi good prem players with pace, let alone top class ones.

 

I think the same 11 vs Swansea would be capable of getting a draw especially if you could bring on 2-3 of the senior lads for Isgrove Reed and say McQueen.

 

I think we need to sign a Veteran LB and a top CB and then loan out McQueen and Reed, them two would benefit massively from playing 12-15 games on loan in the championship.

 

We do not need another striker if we get in a decent backup for Bertrand and a starting CB to partner VVD or at least Yoshi until he is back, unless we are looking to sell Long, Jay Rod and Austin are good enough and Austin especially will bang in goals to help us finish 8th/9th and hopefully be fit for Sunderland and be able to get some playing time before the final and lead the line vs Man U.

Me too, but after 2 games in 3 days (one a gruelling semi final) it was too much to ask to field a strong team three times in 6 days (not to mention having 9 injured and Fonte gone). If we hadn't lost 4 on the trot in the league (say instead W 2 and L 2) then I would have liked a weak team against Leicester and Swansea, and strongest for both cup games. But we needed to stop the rot in the league against Leicester (which obviously worked) and of course it was always going to be a strong team against Liverpool. That meant yesterday's game had to be throwing the kids to the wolves. C'est la vie.

 

I don't blame Puel at all, and that's from someone who wanted us to go full out for the cups. One out of 3 is a fantastic success, if we can beat Utd of course.

[FriendlySaint]

FFS we got a free pass to the semi finals, two weakened crap teams, A weak Arsenal team then two stubborn displays against Liverpool. Utd played about seven regular first teamers tonight, only one youngster, have played as many matches as us and will now have a lot more to play and got the result to give them even more matches. I know they have a big squad but they kept their core and it showed. It was with disbelief that I heard Isgrove announced, he was out of his depth against an abysmal Sunderland, was anonymous the other night against Arsenal U23s as was Gardos and should be packing a suitcase not playing in the Cup.

 

We played four premier league teams. That's getting there the hard way. We are the first team in history to get to the final without conceding. In essence you are a cry baby and think you are entitled to have your team win every single game.

[Whitey Grandad]

We played four premier league teams. That's getting there the hard way. We are the first team in history to get to the final without conceding. In essence you are a cry baby and think you are entitled to have your team win every single game.

 

We're entitled to have our team try to win every game.

[tajjuk]

Don't understand the fuss people are making. We had 9 players out with injuries most of them first teamers, 9 and we are playing Wednesday, Saturday, Tuesday. We are in the league cup final and clearly Puel wants to do better in the league and felt those games coming up are more winnable.

 

If anyone here honestly thinks had they been in charge and would have done something different they are clueless IMO. Had we not had 9 injuries then I'm sure a stronger team would have been put out, but you are essentially moaning that we don't have a 3rd eleven good enough to take on Arsenal.

 

We are in the final of the league cup, we have already played A LOT of games, we need to improve our league position (and have good opportunities to do that), we had 3 games to play in 6 games and we were playing an Arsenal team that was more than capable of beating the best side we could put out. That situation simply meant that the the FA Cup had to drop down the priority list.

 

The correct decision was made.

 

Oh and those dissing our performances in getting to the league cup need to seriously evaluate yourselves as fans, we played 4 premier league teams, including beating Arsenal and Liverpool away, all of whom wanted to progress and we didn't concede a single goal en route. There is probably no harder route to a domestic cup final so people saying otherwise are idiots basically.

[Whitey Grandad]

Don't understand the fuss people are making. We had 9 players out with injuries most of them first teamers, 9 and we are playing Wednesday, Saturday, Tuesday. We are in the league cup final and clearly Puel wants to do better in the league and felt those games coming up are more winnable.

 

If anyone here honestly thinks had they been in charge and would have done something different they are clueless IMO. Had we not had 9 injuries then I'm sure a stronger team would have been put out, but you are essentially moaning that we don't have a 3rd eleven good enough to take on Arsenal.

 

We are in the final of the league cup, we have already played A LOT of games, we need to improve our league position (and have good opportunities to do that), we had 3 games to play in 6 games and we were playing an Arsenal team that was more than capable of beating the best side we could put out. That situation simply meant that the the FA Cup had to drop down the priority list.

 

The correct decision was made.

 

Oh and those dissing our performances in getting to the league cup need to seriously evaluate yourselves as fans, we played 4 premier league teams, including beating Arsenal and Liverpool away, all of whom wanted to progress and we didn't concede a single goal en route. There is probably no harder route to a domestic cup final so people saying otherwise are idiots basically.

 

Just one question... did you go to the game?

[derry]

We played four premier league teams. That's getting there the hard way. We are the first team in history to get to the final without conceding. In essence you are a cry baby and think you are entitled to have your team win every single game.

 

No we didn't, we played three weakened teams with Premier team names. Sunderland and CP already poor teams rotated in reserves and were even worse, Arsenal were the weakest team they have fielded for a long time, on a par with the team we fielded on Saturday. What was unforgiveable was the abject surrender any self respecting lower league team would have been ashamed of. We could have given it a better go than we did the other night. I can forgive the players selected not being good enough but not the lack of fight. They were beaten before they went out. I paid good money to go and I didn't like what I saw.

 

I have been watching Saints for over 60 years and I know crap selection when I see it. The team lacked shape and fight. I have seen plenty of disappointments in those years and have no great expectations except to do as well as we can. In 1960 Saints won promotion played over 50 games, quite a few on crap heavy mud heap pitches not beautifully manicured lawns and used 16 players.

 

We have been rotating since the start of the season and the players with few exceptions haven't each played anything like the number of games we have played. We have made over 200 changes in 36 games, only Forster 31, VVD 30, Romeu 28, and Redmond 26 have started in over half. All the other players have started in about half or less of those games. That is in over five months hardly a recipe for fatigue.

[benjii]

You prove my point. Where was Gardos? He covered about as much ground as a training dummy and he's been like that his whole career so no excuses about him only playing for our U23s since October.

 

Watch no. 15. That's him:

 

 

Sorry: me highlighting Stephens' errors proves your point that it was all Gardos' fault?

 

Interesting.

[saint-crinny]

Stephens was responsible for some of the goals but that doesn't make him a terrible player. Nor does his display against Liverpool make him a great one. Against Liverpool he was surrounded by good players, helped through by an outstanding performance from Yoshida and the protection from Romeu, two things sorely missed against Arsenal.

 

Now the dust has settled, I feel much more relaxed about this, galling as it was to watch at the time. it was a pragmatic call from Puel which he no doubt factored in the number of games we've had and the lengthy injury list, and ended up prioritizing. It was a shame we ended up getting smashed, but I guess everyone knew there was a chance of that.

 

Seem some suggestion that Puel was pointed out to Reed the need for reinforcements, but I don't really see that as his style.

[benjii]

Stephens was responsible for some of the goals but that doesn't make him a terrible player. Nor does his display against Liverpool make him a great one. Against Liverpool he was surrounded by good players, helped through by an outstanding performance from Yoshida and the protection from Romeu, two things sorely missed against Arsenal.

 

Now the dust has settled, I feel much more relaxed about this, galling as it was to watch at the time. it was a pragmatic call from Puel which he no doubt factored in the number of games we've had and the lengthy injury list, and ended up prioritizing. It was a shame we ended up getting smashed, but I guess everyone knew there was a chance of that.

 

Seem some suggestion that Puel was pointed out to Reed the need for reinforcements, but I don't really see that as his style.

 

I agree completely. But some people's wrong apportionment of criticism to Gardos needs correcting!

[Dangermouth]

I like Gardos. I think he can be a very good player. Saturday was the day he looked like he tried on his ice skates for the first time, however. Mind you, everyone was crap so it just made it harder for anyone to do anything else other than be crap. Let's see how we get on tomorrow and what the reinforcements look like. Personally I'd rather not have MG than have him because I think he's vastly over-priced for what he is.

[tajjuk]

Just one question... did you go to the game?

 

No I had far more important things to do, but my opinion would be the same if I had.

 

You lot make out like those guys who went out there tried to lose, they got beat by a better team far more costly assembled than ours and we rested some people because we had lots of injuries and lots of games , big deal get over yourself.

 

You make out like you've never watched them lose a game or never been to the cinema and watched a crap film.

 

You paid some money to watch some football, and that is what you got.

 

Like I said if anyone else thinks they wouldn't have done the same as Puel, in the same situation then they are pretty clueless.

 

And people talking about the 1960s

[Whitey Grandad]

No I had far more important things to do, but my opinion would be the same if I had.

 

You lot make out like those guys who went out there tried to lose, they got beat by a better team far more costly assembled than ours and we rested some people because we had lots of injuries and lots of games , big deal get over yourself.

 

You make out like you've never watched them lose a game or never been to the cinema and watched a crap film.

 

You paid some money to watch some football, and that is what you got.

 

Like I said if anyone else thinks they wouldn't have done the same as Puel, in the same situation then they are pretty clueless.

 

And people talking about the 1960s

 

Then I would suggest that you are in no position to comment on the team selection.

 

It wasn't that they tried to lose, they just didn't try to win. Make no mistake, this was a total capitulation before the ball was even kicked. I have seen us lose more games than I care to remember but if I'm paying to watch a professional footballer then I expect them to earn their money. 'Paid some money to watch some football? I could have gone to my local park and see players try harder and it would have cost me nothing.

 

Not every team in country did the same as Puel. When I saw the joy and excitement on the non-league teams over the weekend I was jealous.

 

And don't give me this inhjury nonsense. We had better players who could have turned out on Saturday and would have been better prepared for tomorrow night too.

 

This was a total rip-off.

[OldNick]

Then I would suggest that you are in no position to comment on the team selection.

 

It wasn't that they tried to lose, they just didn't try to win. Make no mistake, this was a total capitulation before the ball was even kicked. I have seen us lose more games than I care to remember but if I'm paying to watch a professional footballer then I expect them to earn their money. 'Paid some money to watch some football? I could have gone to my local park and see players try harder and it would have cost me nothing.

 

Not every team in country did the same as Puel. When I saw the joy and excitement on the non-league teams over the weekend I was jealous.

 

And don't give me this inhjury nonsense. We had better players who could have turned out on Saturday and would have been better prepared for tomorrow night too.

 

This was a total rip-off.

I cant believe you would be naïve enough not to realise that at £15 a ticket that were likely to field a weakened side. Normally Arsenal would be a Gold priced game, but they drop the price as they as are likely to play a weakened team. Yes it was a severely weakened team but it was not a surprise to me

[derry]

I paid good money to watch a badly set up, unbalanced team, masquerading as a Saints team. I don't expect to win all the time but I don't expect the team to just go through the motions. People paid up to £500k total on Saturday to watch that tripe. They at least deserve better. Still by going to all the home matches I am at least guaranteed first choice for a cup final ticket.

[Greenridge]

I cant believe you would be naïve enough not to realise that at £15 a ticket that were likely to field a weakened side.

 

The Club is now setting match day prices based on the team they plan to put out? :lol:

[OldNick]

The Club is now setting match day prices based on the team they plan to put out? :lol:

basically yes. Please let me know when the club are reducing their prices dramatically for the top clubs visiting in the PL

[Whitey Grandad]

I cant believe you would be naïve enough not to realise that at £15 a ticket that were likely to field a weakened side. Normally Arsenal would be a Gold priced game, but they drop the price as they as are likely to play a weakened team. Yes it was a severely weakened team but it was not a surprise to me

 

Don't be so petty. At the time I bought my ticket there was no indication of what sort of a side we would put out and even then the one that we picked should have at least tried a little.

 

Perhaps in future the club could let us know whether they were actually going to bother to try and win the match. Then we can decide if we can be bothered to attend.

 

There is also the matter of integrity. I cannot believe how many of you think that it is acceptable for the club to be involved in this form of blatant cheating. It demeans the sport and everybody associated with the club. What other games should we throw because we don't thin we'll win or can't be arsed to even try?

[OldNick]

Don't be so petty. At the time I bought my ticket there was no indication of what sort of a side we would put out and even then the one that we picked should have at least tried a little.

 

Perhaps in future the club could let us know whether they were actually going to bother to try and win the match. Then we can decide if we can be bothered to attend.

 

There is also the matter of integrity. I cannot believe how many of you think that it is acceptable for the club to be involved in this form of blatant cheating. It demeans the sport and everybody associated with the club. What other games should we throw because we don't thin we'll win or can't be arsed to even try?

but surely we had played weakened sides earlier in the competition, the club reduced the price to a low price, it was obvious to me that our powder was going to be kept dry for more important games. Had we lost to Liverpool I'm sure the team would have looked different. Surely you can see the managers priority especially with the amount of injuries at present

[simo]

I paid good money to watch a badly set up, unbalanced team, masquerading as a Saints team. I don't expect to win all the time but I don't expect the team to just go through the motions. People paid up to £500k total on Saturday to watch that tripe. They at least deserve better. Still by going to all the home matches I am at least guaranteed first choice for a cup final ticket.

 

God I love Saints an all but I wouldn't pay half a million to watch a game !