Saints 1 West Ham 3 - Post Match

[shurlock]

 

Were you "watching" it on a web commentary page...

 

Were you #bigtits in Itchen North pal?

[AK]

Unfortunately this just sums up how ludicrous some opinions can be. "Only the score at the end of the game counts" - maybe in terms of points and league position, but not in terms of analysing what went wrong. People see we lost and seem to work backwards to find a story that fits. If you think the entire game was played in our half then you must not have watched the game. If anything the opposite is true, West Ham were happy to sit back and let us have the ball rather than 'pinning' us back. West Ham barely had any attacks all game and I felt we still had a way back into the game until about 70/75 minutes when we were starting to tire and looked like we were running out of ideas. A friend of mine (non-Saints fan) said to me yesterday after seeing MOTD, "their first goal... seemed... pretty easy?" and that's just it. West Ham didn't have many chances, but equally they didn't NEED many chances, we gifted them goals and a two goal lead which most Premier League teams are capable of defending.

 

And in terms of Randolph not making a decent save, I'll grant you that he didn't do anything breathtaking, but Ward-Prowse had a shot from a similar position to Obiang and Randolph tipped it round the post, Ward-Prowse also hit a free kick that he did well to get over and save - funnily enough when it happened we said that had Forster been in goal it would have gone in and then West Ham scored their free kick from a similar position a few minutes later - and he also tipped over a JWP header. Add to that Gabbiadini hit a snapshot over which he should have scored from and suddenly your argument falls a little flat. But I know, I know, we lost so everything from the first minute to the last must necessarily have been awful.

 

I think that's all very reasonable, but no matter what you put our predicament down to the facts of the league table and form don't make good reading. We've lost 6 out of the last 7 in the league .We have 14 games left, arguably far harder than the last 7.If we continue with the same level of points per match as the last 7 we will gain 6 more points this season. That will leave us relegated in my opinion. I don't think that will happen but its a concern and a possibility.

 

Now whilst I agree that many of the comments on here are well over the top there is also a good deal to feel nervous about.

 

In addition I don't think it helps that we have only won 5 out 12 at home this season.

 

I'm not sure what I'd do if I was in charge but if we lose the next two matches, CP will be under huge pressure.

[Saint_Ash]

Were you #bigtits in Itchen North pal?

That matey was embarrassing!

[mrfahaji]

I think that's all very reasonable, but no matter what you put our predicament down to the facts of the league table and form don't make good reading. We've lost 6 out of the last 7 in the league .We have 14 games left, arguably far harder than the last 7.If we continue with the same level of points per match as the last 7 we will gain 6 more points this season. That will leave us relegated in my opinion. I don't think that will happen but its a concern and a possibility.

 

Now whilst I agree that many of the comments on here are well over the top there is also a good deal to feel nervous about.

 

In addition I don't think it helps that we have only won 5 out 12 at home this season.

 

I'm not sure what I'd do if I was in charge but if we lose the next two matches, CP will be under huge pressure.

 

I'm not disputing any of what you say, I am unhappy with our results and indeed many of our performances this season and am certainly a little concerned about our position in the table. There have unquestionably been games this season where I have been frustrated with Puel's tactics, although I feel he has been let down tremendously by the board and doesn't have a great deal to work with.

 

However, this thread is for reaction to the West Ham game, not the season in general (I accept that some of that will creep in), and I feel strongly about what I saw from the stands on Saturday (perhaps I am more vehement than usual because I was there rather than watching on a stream) and it doesn't fit with what a lot are saying on here, there's far too much 'outcome bias'.

[AK]

.

 

However, this thread is for reaction to the West Ham game, not the season in general .

 

Fair point. I thought we were not much better than ok, created openings but as is often the case the final attempt was never really threatening apart from the goal. Defensively we continued to concede goals in far too high a ratio from chances created by the opposition. Team looked shot of confidence and ideas by about 70 minutes.

 

I was very relieved when Carroll went off thought Bilic might have made a mistake by taking him off too early, but we never really managed to build up a head of steam for an onslaught on their goal in the closing stages.

[verlaine1979]

Despite the fact that our goal game from a pass through the middle, with a similar chance being called back for offside in the first half, it was particularly dispiriting that almost every spell of possession in the second half wound up with a pass looking for our fullbacks. The most aggravating aspect of Puel's tactical inflexibility isn't that he wont move from 4-3-3 to a formation more suited to our players, but that he apparently hasn't even noticed what a poor return we've had this season from crosses, and looked elsewhere for an attacking strategy.

[mrfahaji]

Despite the fact that our goal game from a pass through the middle, with a similar chance being called back for offside in the first half, it was particularly dispiriting that almost every spell of possession in the second half wound up with a pass looking for our fullbacks. The most aggravating aspect of Puel's tactical inflexibility isn't that he wont move from 4-3-3 to a formation more suited to our players, but that he apparently hasn't even noticed what a poor return we've had this season from crosses, and looked elsewhere for an attacking strategy.

 

I'd agree that our reliance on full backs to provide width is a bit alarming, although both Cedric and Bertrand put over some decent crosses. Felt we were also dinking too many balls into the box when we could have drilled some across the six yard box? Felt like we were missing a trick against a West Ham defence containing Fonte, Reid and Collins by playing it in the air all the time.

[mrfahaji]

Fair point. I thought we were not much better than ok, created openings but as is often the case the final attempt was never really threatening apart from the goal. Defensively we continued to concede goals in far too high a ratio from chances created by the opposition. Team looked shot of confidence and ideas by about 70 minutes.

 

I was very relieved when Carroll went off thought Bilic might have made a mistake by taking him off too early, but we never really managed to build up a head of steam for an onslaught on their goal in the closing stages.

 

Agreed. In fact after the Swansea game there were people saying the second half was a 'great performance' when it wasn't really anything better than 'decent'. I felt the West Ham game had a very similar feel. We were far from excellent, but also not awful.

 

It's not the first time we've conceded straight after scoring recently. Matt Phillips' goal for West Brom was painfully similar, and even Sigurdsson's winner came soon after we equalised. As soon as we start getting a bit of momentum and a chance to build, we give away what seems like the easiest goal in the world and go back to square one! Is it purely a mental/concentration thing, or do we fail to adjust to the change in circumstances properly?

 

Btw, I remembered a game which had me spitting feathers at our style of play, just to show I'm not defending the indefensible - Middlesbrough springs to mind! We won but it was bl00dy awful!

Edited 6 February, 2017 by mrfahaji

[saint1977]

One observation from me - did anyone see how composed Stephens was on the ball? I'm wondering once Caceres is fit whether a midfield of Romeu, Stephens and PEH might work better? Give us the height and strength we clearly lacked on Sat with Davis as the potential advanced variation and Clasie as back up DMC if we don't sign another experienced winner such as Essien.

[AK]

One observation from me - did anyone see how composed Stephens was on the ball? I'm wondering once Caceres is fit whether a midfield of Romeu, Stephens and PEH might work better? Give us the height and strength we clearly lacked on Sat with Davis as the potential advanced variation and Clasie as back up DMC if we don't sign another experienced winner such as Essien.

 

I thought the same- I would like to see two defensive midfielders employed to protect the back four,Romeo and Jack.

[Forester]

I thought the same- I would like to see two defensive midfielders employed to protect the back four,Romeo and Jack.

 

Yes agree with this, or 3-5-2 as an alternative. I fear that without changing from essentially 4-3-3 we will continue to leak goals with our current centre backs

[eelpie]

Despite the fact that our goal game from a pass through the middle, with a similar chance being called back for offside in the first half, it was particularly dispiriting that almost every spell of possession in the second half wound up with a pass looking for our fullbacks. The most aggravating aspect of Puel's tactical inflexibility isn't that he wont move from 4-3-3 to a formation more suited to our players, but that he apparently hasn't even noticed what a poor return we've had this season from crosses, and looked elsewhere for an attacking strategy.

 

Well said