Saints 1-2 Burnley - Reaction

[davefoggy]

A disgusting performance from Saints. Only Ings gave anywhere near 100%, the rest might as well have stayed at home. I wouldn't pay them, furthermore, I would fine them a weeks wages for not turning up. Burnley are awful, and yet we never looked like beating them. And the manager must take some blame for his selection of defenders

[ericofarabia]

We were very poor 2nd half. Also none of our substitutions recently have done anything to improve the team on the pitch, in fact just the opposite.

 

WFT was the opening goal all about? Nobody on the near post, one minute Macca is 3 feet off the goal line with 2 attackers nearer the goal than him,

next moment he's 2 feet behind the line. If he's going to go on walkabout he has to get his defence right first. Complete and utter brainphart by Danny as well.

 

The ref was utter dogturd as well. So many fouls unpunished and how Cork got away without a booking is shocking.

Getting worried by Ralphs substitutions, none recently have enhanced the team ... if anything the reverse.

 

But my main gripe is the Handball/Var/Refs not making decisions and hoping VAR will cover. Why oh why do the powers that be think it is ok to review and cancel perfectly good goals for the slightest of accidental touches of the ball against an attacking forward's arm or hand, that nobody has even appealed for, and only spotted after 3 minutes of VAR reviewing, yet when a defenders arm is involved and spectators on the phucking moon are screaming handball, is it not deemed worthy of a penalty?????

 

I've said it a million times over the last few years .... most tackles that are awarded penalties aren't actually INTENTIONAL fouls, just as today's and others aginst us this season, may not have been INTENTIONAL, but an UNFAIR ADVANTAGE was gained. That should be the crux of the matter, none of this was his hand/arm in anatural positon etc.

 

Feeling really gutted, but not surprised. Just the same as opening day, the worst possible weather coditions to play against Burnley, but hats off to them they know how to defend, I guess they have plenty of practice!!

Barely any of our crosses beat the first line of defenders. Disappointed with Moussa today, after Boufal showed how to scare them.

[ericofarabia]

We were very poor 2nd half. Also none of our substitutions recently have done anything to improve the team on the pitch, in fact just the opposite.

 

WFT was the opening goal all about? Nobody on the near post, one minute Macca is 3 feet off the goal line with 2 attackers nearer the goal than him,

next moment he's 2 feet behind the line. If he's going to go on walkabout he has to get his defence right first. Complete and utter brainphart by Danny as well.

 

The ref was utter dogturd as well. So many fouls unpunished and how Cork got away without a booking is shocking.

Getting worried by Ralphs substitutions, none recently have enhanced the team ... if anything the reverse.

 

But my main gripe is the Handball/Var/Refs not making decisions and hoping VAR will cover. Why oh why do the powers that be think it is ok to review and cancel perfectly good goals for the slightest of accidental touches of the ball against an attacking forward's arm or hand, that nobody has even appealed for, and only spotted after 3 minutes of VAR reviewing, yet when a defenders arm is involved and spectators on the phucking moon are screaming handball, is it not deemed worthy of a penalty?????

 

I've said it a million times over the last few years .... most tackles that are awarded penalties aren't actually INTENTIONAL fouls, just as today's and others aginst us this season, may not have been INTENTIONAL, but an UNFAIR ADVANTAGE was gained. That should be the crux of the matter, none of this was his hand/arm in anatural positon etc.

 

Feeling really gutted, but not surprised. Just the same as opening day, the worst possible weather coditions to play against Burnley, but hats off to them they know how to defend, I guess they have plenty of practice!!

Barely any of our crosses beat the first line of defenders. Disappointed with Moussa today, after Boufal showed how to scare them.

 

Oh and how did we manage to find a FB even shorter than Cedric? He looked okay on the ball, but easily brushed aside in challenges and probably near post from a corner should have been his position?

[Shroppie]

A disgusting performance from Saints. Only Ings gave anywhere near 100%, the rest might as well have stayed at home. I wouldn't pay them, furthermore, I would fine them a weeks wages for not turning up. Burnley are awful, and yet we never looked like beating them. And the manager must take some blame for his selection of defenders

Give it a rest. There was no lack of effort. Just very hard to play controlled football in those conditions. Was always going to come down to a couple of moments. Both teams scored a great goal.

 

They got a freak goal, albeit though a lapse in defending. We hit the bar and other chances didn't fall for us. The ref was awful. We're not a bad team. Move on.

 

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[Batman]

They got a freak goal, albeit though a lapse in defending. We hit the bar and other chances didn't fall for us. The ref was awful. We're not a bad team. Move on.

 

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We are at home (comparatively)

[whelk]

Who was that fat bald fcker of a ref?

[St Marco]

Vester isnt good on the ball so if Ralph made the change because he thought that then it's a strange decision.

The amount of times he gives the ball away with stupid passes Ralph should have known better.

Our tactics of launch it and hope for the best played into their hands.

[Maggie May]

Sean Dyche’s record against us is seriously impressive. He simply has us sussed.

[davefoggy]

Give it a rest. There was no lack of effort. Just very hard to play controlled football in those conditions. Was always going to come down to a couple of moments. Both teams scored a great goal.

 

They got a freak goal, albeit though a lapse in defending. We hit the bar and other chances didn't fall for us. The ref was awful. We're not a bad team. Move on.

 

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Sorry, I disagree. We were poor

[Micky]

Who was that fat bald fcker of a ref?

Don't know his name but he was a fat bald ****er who gave us nothing.

[bpsaint]

All in all a **** day out. We never looked like winning today, after the winter break and the talk of making our home form more formidable I don’t understand just why we were so poor today - so poor we made Burnley look good tbh.

 

Can only assume with their first that Ings forgot his positioning and thought the harsh bend on the ball was taking it into the side netting - why is it always us that embarrasses themselves like that.

 

Just like the Leicester game it put the myth of shooting towards the Northam second half being good for us.

 

Roll on next week when a resurgent Villa come and do us over too I bet...

[wadesmith]

That felt like a defeat.

[ericofarabia]

That felt like a defeat.

 

Am I missing something here?

[CanadaSaint]

Ralph looks like he’s heading back to un-forced dicking around. The Vestergaard inclusion was ridiculously stupid. Most of our progress came from two CDs dovetailing well, and ditching the “me to you, you to me, me back to you” crap.

 

And I am struggling to remember one Obafemi moment since he broke into the team when he’s looked remotely close to having what it takes at this level.

[DT]

Never want to See Vestergard in a Saints shirt again. Ehatbwas Ralph thinking? That he's big? What a bloody Einstein. Cost us the game, tinkering again. Stephens the only player who had a good game. Tactically out thought. And boy can they waste time well.

 

 

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[ally_uk]

Thoughts:

 

Tough Conditions Burnley are a very physical dirty side well drilled plenty of big units / lumps in that team who do not mess about..

 

Kyle Walker Peters didn't really see alot but he looks very light weight got bullied off the ball a bit. Needs to hit the juice and weights!

Vestergaard Slow, Full of mistakes could of easily of costed us 2-3 goals today is terrible sell in the summer and upgrade!

I think we had a clear penalty shout!

 

The ref was a joke completely biased towards Burnley.

[Sidney Fudpucker the 3rd]

Woke up with a bad feeling about today's game, then I saw the team and knew we were getting nothing. Our home form is shocking. Give it 3 weeks and we'll be right back in the ****.

[DT]

Ralph looks like he’s heading back to un-forced dicking around. The Vestergaard inclusion was ridiculously stupid. Most of our progress came from two CDs dovetailing well, and ditching the “me to you, you to me, me back to you” crap.

 

And I am struggling to remember one Obafemi moment since he broke into the team when he’s looked remotely close to having what it takes at this level.

 

Spot on. If I was Che I'd be pretty upset at Obafemi getting on ahead of me. Hope Ralph not believing his hype as the Vestergard error was awful, and worse not to rectify it when he was on a yellow. It's worrying how bad he is at changing things during games.

 

 

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[um pahars]

He explained pre match. In his opinion, Vest is better on the ball that Bednerak and he expected (correctly) that we’d have the lion share of the ball and his (supposed) ability on the ball would help us.

 

Who knows if he was right or wrong, none of our CB’s usually tend to cover themselves in glory defensively.

 

In which case, Ralph has to take a large chunk of the blame for today’s defeat, as that decision was woeful.

 

 

On the VAR issue, something has to be clarified regarding the linesman flagging and the referee noticing, but deciding not to blow if there’s a goal scoring opportunity, instead waiting to see how it pans out and I presume then going to VAR if a goal is scored.

 

Twice today we stopped after the linesman flagged and we didn’t bother defending (McCarthy nonchalantly stopped an effort with his foot as he thought it was offside). Mate mentioned Newcastle scored under similar circumstances, so we need clarity here.

[S-Clarke]

At the end of the day we're a side with a few decent players in it, not amazing players, just decent players. We still have huge gaps in quality throughout the side and it will keep getting exposed season upon season, unless we address it.

The club rested on their hands in January ‘’Oh a good run, it means we’re fine’’ – worryingly the professionals running our club didn’t have the foresight to see that this was just a run, we still had the same fundamental core issues!

 

I think this is Boufals last season here – another expensive flop. Not fit for this level I don’t think, flatters 90% of the time. Talented, yes, but not suited for us or this league. Reminds me of Adal Tarrabat

 

Our home form is utterly disgusting though, something needs to be done about that. And I don't think playing Vestagaard is a decent fix for that. Horrific football player.

[twopintsnilnil]

Unfortunately your simple fact is neither simple or a fact. Refs are told to treat hand balls differently depending on whether its attack or defence. If an attacker handles the ball either intentionally or not in the build up to a goal then it's an automatic free kick. If a defender handles then account is taken about the intention, just like it always has been, and as it should be. This stops strikers punting it at defenders arms from 2 yards, and defenders having to defend in the box with their arms behind their backs. I think they've got it about right.

[Vancouver Saint]

Lost this game before kick-off with Redmond out. He is a major loss. You beat Burnley by keeping the ball on the ground and running it past them to create openings. No Redmond then no Boufal - couldn't have been worse for us. Then we lost it for sure in the first minute with that ridiculous giveaway goal - why was Ings guarding the near post and not KWP? Vestergard before Bednarek? Can only think Bednarek wasn't fully fit. Adams should have been on before Obafemi - some muscle and hold-up skills with the ball on the ground. Every time we hoofed it up a Burnley head got to it first - that was very predictable Ralph.

 

Weather didn't help. Ref didn't help. And what is it with SMS? Need to lift the curse somehow.

 

Only positives from this...KWP was okay and showed some confident touches. Stephens was good. Great goal from Ings.

 

Let's just get the 9 points we need quickly. Please.

[Jonnyboy]

Cedric hasn't been missed then.

[LGTL]

Do we ever beat ****ing Burnley? Hate them with a passion.

[Edmonton Saint]

Just watched the game, as ****ed if I can be arsed to watch Saints at 5.30am local time . I was shocked when I saw Vestergaard starting and the performance that followed confirmed my fears. He is a liability. I’ve never seen someone so tall who is so abject in the air . His decision making is terrible and passing poor. I don’t see a premier league player there at all. If Leicester wanted him, we should have bitten their hands off.

[hypochondriac]

I haven't been to a live game for a while. I thought we were pretty poor, albeit in awful conditions. Second half we got a lot worse when I thought we would kick on. I thought djenepo was poor when he came on, seems he's a bit of a disappointing buy to be honest. Stephens looked good on the ball and ings took the goal well, otherwise not that many positives where we barely challenged the keeper. Still we should still have enough to stay up comfortably.

[whelk]

Do we ever beat ****ing Burnley? Hate them with a passion.

 

Yep just replaced Stoke as the sh1thouse team no one will miss when thy go down in next few years.

[Convict Colony]

At the end of the day we're a side with a few decent players in it, not amazing players, just decent players. We still have huge gaps in quality throughout the side and it will keep getting exposed season upon season, unless we address it.

The club rested on their hands in January ‘’Oh a good run, it means we’re fine’’ – worryingly the professionals running our club didn’t have the foresight to see that this was just a run, we still had the same fundamental core issues!

 

I think this is Boufals last season here – another expensive flop. Not fit for this level I don’t think, flatters 90% of the time. Talented, yes, but not suited for us or this league. Reminds me of Adal Tarrabat

 

Our home form is utterly disgusting though, something needs to be done about that. And I don't think playing Vestagaard is a decent fix for that. Horrific football player.

Taarabt has just been playing champions League football with Benfica so Boufal probably hopes that happens

[Micky]

Yep just replaced Stoke as the sh1thouse team no one will miss when thy go down in next few years.

Thing is, who will go down first. us or them. It's not luck that they keep beating us.

[verlaine1979]

When he tries to win the ball in the air, instead of jumping, Vest sort of tries to lean over his opponent. If they're shorter than him, he sometimes wins, but if they jump he almost always loses out or only manages to scoop the ball up rather than out. That we paid the best part of £20m for him is nothing short of astounding.

[DT]

When he tries to win the ball in the air, instead of jumping, Vest sort of tries to lean over his opponent. If they're shorter than him, he sometimes wins, but if they jump he almost always loses out or only manages to scoop the ball up rather than out. That we paid the best part of £20m for him is nothing short of astounding.

 

I was watching him warm up. He was hitting lofted passes to two guys in a triangle, about 40 yards apart. He skanked it straight out of play two or three times. It's amazing he is actually a footballer.

 

 

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[davefoggy]

Just watched the game, as ****ed if I can be arsed to watch Saints at 5.30am local time . I was shocked when I saw Vestergaard starting and the performance that followed confirmed my fears. He is a liability. I’ve never seen someone so tall who is so abject in the air . His decision making is terrible and passing poor. I don’t see a premier league player there at all. If Leicester wanted him, we should have bitten their hands off.

 

Really need to question the manager, shocking decision to start him

[Nordic Saint]

When he tries to win the ball in the air, instead of jumping, Vest sort of tries to lean over his opponent. If they're shorter than him, he sometimes wins, but if they jump he almost always loses out or only manages to scoop the ball up rather than out. That we paid the best part of £20m for him is nothing short of astounding.

 

I think he have a mild case of the condition that Richard Kiel had: acromegaly. This would help explain some of the problems he has when trying to play football.

[Nordic Saint]

I think he may have a mild case of the condition that Richard Kiel had: acromegaly. This would help explain some of the problems he has when trying to play football.

 

That should have read "he may have"

[Mr Brightside]

Horrible performance in horrible weather against a horrible team. That's twice I've got soaked this season watching us play like complete amateurs against those donkeys.

I think like most on here we all knew it was trouble when Ralph decided to drop Bednarak, crazy to break up a CB pairing that's looked decent for change. Can't believe Ralph thinks he's good on the ball either, odd. Thought KWP did well, after getting over the initial shock of how tiny he is (how did we find someone smaller than Cedric?) thought he grew into the game after a nervy start, positional play looked good which is a step up on Valery. Stephens passed the ball well and made a couple of great runs. Assuming it wasn't his fault for the 2nd (couldn't really see but thought it was Vest that messed up) thought he did well. Boufal also having a great game until his injury, seemed a turning point, as after he went off we didn't seem to have any creativity.

Why is it that just when I start to look upwards rather than downwards at the league table, we play like utter clowns?

[kwsaint]

RH trying to be too clever. New RB and he swaps out one of the CBs. Completely disrupted the defence. Think that he played Vestergard to counteract Burnley's threats in the air - which they didn't have. Bednarek is a much better defender. Problem is that we have a very thin squad. Having loaned out some of the dross/troublemakers we dont really have much cover. Not convinced by KWP either. There may well be a good player there, but he looked very rusty.

 

We really didnt play well second half. Burnley really only had one good chance. Their second goal was a good goal, although we did look a bit open on the RH side. And having seen the Sky highlights on YouTube, it wasnt a penalty. Just wish that they would show this on the big screen instead of all those wretched adverts.

[The Kraken]

Radio Solent after the game said Bednarek pulled something in training yesterday. No idea if true, but that’s what they said.

[Badger]

Radio Solent after the game said Bednarek pulled something in training yesterday. No idea if true, but that’s what they said.

 

Yet he was still on the bench.

[The Kraken]

Yet he was still on the bench.

Yes I thought that too. No idea if true, it was only the fella on the radio that said it. I just caught it straight after the game.

[Turkish]

Yet he was still on the bench.

 

Who else have we got?

[austsaint]

At the end of the day we're a side with a few decent players in it, not amazing players, just decent players. We still have huge gaps in quality throughout the side and it will keep getting exposed season upon season, unless we address it.

The club rested on their hands in January ‘’Oh a good run, it means we’re fine’’ – worryingly the professionals running our club didn’t have the foresight to see that this was just a run, we still had the same fundamental core issues!

 

I think this is Boufals last season here – another expensive flop. Not fit for this level I don’t think, flatters 90% of the time. Talented, yes, but not suited for us or this league. Reminds me of Adal Tarrabat

 

Our home form is utterly disgusting though, something needs to be done about that. And I don't think playing Vestagaard is a decent fix for that. Horrific football player.

 

Good summary apart from your comments about Boufal? How do you single him out? Played well against Spurs in the Cup before being subbed for Armstrong who didn't fire a shot - and played very well yesterday until being clattered by Hendrick - only to be replaced by Djenepo who seems to have lost his early season form; while Armstrong put in a full game shocker. I understand that Boufal can be frustrating, but on song (which is often enough) he looks the most likely to create chances in dangerous areas.

[John Boy Saint]

Bit of a strange game - there were moments when the game sort of stopped but carried on. The first goal viewed from the far end looked really weird as not only we searingly stopped but Burnley did likewise except one person.

We did look like a team that had set themselves in their heads for the break after Liverpool but then found themselves having to play at Spurs when they hoped to be on a beach. Burnley are just one of those teams that our game doesn’t suit playing against, that Vidra(?] who scored was probably their smallest player on the pitch.

Didn’t think KWP looked as bad as some made out, he was a bit rusty to start but soon got into the game, certainly didn’t look like a fish up a tree like Danso did the other week. Played himself out of trouble against “the bigger boys” with a neat bit of skill a couple of times.

 

Now I know I have different view from row EE to that of McCarthy the amount of times today he had players showing for the ball left and right with acres of Hampshire to run into but more often than not he just stood with the ball dithering about what to do.

[harvey]

I haven't been to a live game for a while. I thought we were pretty poor, albeit in awful conditions. Second half we got a lot worse when I thought we would kick on. I thought djenepo was poor when he came on, seems he's a bit of a disappointing buy to be honest. Stephens looked good on the ball and ings took the goal well, otherwise not that many positives where we barely challenged the keeper. Still we should still have enough to stay up comfortably.

 

I think when Djenepo first came here he looked raw but effective, but he's now been 'Saints' trained to be raw but ineffective.

[Badger]

Who else have we got?

 

Fair point, but if isn't considered fit enough to start, is going to be fit enough to come on if Stephens or Vetergaard pull up in the third minute with a hamstring injury ? If not, then pretty pointless having him there.

 

Perhaps the other option is Danso, but if he can't get a place on the bench ahead of a supposedly unfit Bednarek then not much future for him here.

[austsaint]

I don't normally post instant reactions, but here goes.

 

I understand why Vestergaard started, but it was wrong. I don't believe his height makes him a better counter to high balls than Bednarek, who is better in every aspect of defending. Hope the lesson has been learned. Would say Vestergaard was a major culprit for the second goal.

 

KWP had to be given a chance and was mainly decent. But shouldn't he have been covering the near post for the goal from the corner? Edit: now seen the replay and Ings certainly got it wrong. JWP is better, but we need him in midfield too. And, btw, thought he had an excellent game.

 

Losing first Redmond, then Boufal (who was having one of his best games) was critical.

 

Face it, playing creative football in those conditions is a nightmare, and defending balls pumped up into the wind a battle. Why the f*** do we always play Burnley in a rain-sodden gale? I'm convinced that on a dry, warm, calm day we would tear them apart.

 

We had good performances today. Armstrong was always looking for the killer pass and was so close several times. Ings was great. Not Long's best game and maybe Obafemi earlier would have been good. Djenepo didn't have Boufal's urgency or commitment. Stephens good on very difficult conditions. Hojbjerg and Bertrand ok.

 

Ref was poor. There were plenty of fouls that got nothing and cards weren't given. I thought the VAR pen was nailed-on.

 

But the real winner was the weather. For next week we need it dry and calm, Ralph to forget the Vestergaard experiment, Redmond and/or Boufal to recover and KWP to have learned from today

 

Bad day, but mainly the weather won. Conditions like today are a real leveller. We are way better than Burnley. If we get another day like today, we need to do a Man City and identify a crowd safety issue and get the game postponed to a decent day.

 

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There's a little bit of "Pollyanna" in your "instant reactions". Yes, the conditions were a leveller - yet intensity and commitment are possible and necessary in all conditions and SFC were short on both, particularly in the second half. Armstrong excellent? JWP excellent? I don't think so - I also don't think we would "tear them them apart on a dry day". It's been quite a while since the side tore any team apart.

[Saint Billy]

Vestergard really needs to consider going back to acting and giving up football. I thought he did a pretty good job playing Jaws in the James Bond movies.

[simo]

I think when Djenepo first came here he looked raw but effective, but he's now been 'Saints' trained to be raw but ineffective.

 

Didn't hardly take a player on that I can remember ,?

[warsash saint]

I could sort of see where Ralph was coming from starting Vest but as soon as Wood went off & witnessing the countless mistakes, Ralph should have reverted back to Bednerak at half time.

 

Cant see why Stephen's is getting a hard time on here...thought he was one of the better players today.

 

Djenpo was a disgrace. Played the easy ball at every opportunity.

 

What is wrong with Redmond?

[Shroppie]

There's a little bit of "Pollyanna" in your "instant reactions". Yes, the conditions were a leveller - yet intensity and commitment are possible and necessary in all conditions and SFC were short on both, particularly in the second half. Armstrong excellent? JWP excellent? I don't think so - I also don't think we would "tear them them apart on a dry day". It's been quite a while since the side tore any team apart.

 

We recently beat Leicester, Palace and Spurs playing good football.

 

I simply don't agree with your comments about intensity and commitment. Don't think there was anyone in the team who didn't give everything. And your assessment of Armstrong and JWP is simply bizarre.

 

And yes, I do always look for the positives. I can't see any point in constantly running down individual players and the team as a whole. But if you read my posts regularly, you'll see I don't avoid criticism if I think it's warranted - playing Vestergaard today being an example.

 

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Edited 15 February, 2020 by Shroppie

[Shroppie]

I could sort of see where Ralph was coming from starting Vest but as soon as Wood went off & witnessing the countless mistakes, Ralph should have reverted back to Bednerak at half time.

 

Cant see why Stephen's is getting a hard time on here...thought he was one of the better players today.

 

Djenpo was a disgrace. Played the easy ball at every opportunity.

 

What is wrong with Redmond?

Don't know what Redmond has done but someone posted that he'll be out a month or two, do nothing minor. Hope Boufal isn't bad.

 

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