Saints 3-1 West Ham - Match Thread

[le_tiss]

6 hours ago, skintsaint said:

Both mum and boy well. Absolute mental day. Saints future no7 in the bag . 😇😇🥳🥳 no surprise to see the top sides draw each other next round.

Congrats dude

[SNSUN]

What a win. Yes I was one of those that was sure Ralph had cocked up with the starting line up (especially after scraping through the Swansea and Coventry games), but nobody is perfect! We started poorly and West Ham were dominant but the more chances they seemed to spurn, the more it looked like our back up team started to grow in confidence. Somewhere in the first half I had a look at both of our benches - ours strong and full of experience, theirs was poor and full of youth. That is what won us the game - our squad. West Ham started with their strongest team and couldn't bring on game changers. We brought on 5 of our first XI. I'm also pleased for Valery - often knocked as a bit of a dodgy right back, but he's now had to play centre back 3 or 4 times and has not disgraced himself at all. Maybe a career shift! That said I wouldn't particularly trust him to play there again against City, more because they'll dominate our defence so much more. Still without Lyanco, in the league he does provide a CB option that we otherwise wouldn't have had.

 

Overall I thought we played well but we definitely got stronger the more first choice players came on the pitch. Perraud's goal was a great hit and something he's been threatening to do of late, the penalty decision was IMO a bit iffy but Broja played it smart and it's about time some luck went our way. JWP mixing up his penalty positioning bodes well for him too as keepers will be in second thoughts about where he's going to place it (usually to their right). Then there's Broja's goal which pure... Broja. A great finish. West Ham were poor - they looked shattered. I said in January not signing another striker would be their downfall and so it looks.

 

My ratings (bearing in mind I was watching it on a crappy iPad mini at work...) - 

 

Willy - 6 - Flapped for their goal but otherwise looks OK and made a great instinctive save at the end which may have changed the course of the game. I'm 41 and creak A LOT so kudos to him for keeping fit.

KWP - 6 - Not his best game of late, almost as if he was more reluctant to bomb forwards knowing Valery was at the back.

Perraud - 9 - a player that seems to get better every time he plays. Definitely adapting to the Premier League and capped with a nice goal. My MOTM. 

Valery - 8 - Did everything that was required of him in a position he's basically learning on the job. Was pleasantly surprised even though he's shown he can play there already this season. He was the one I thought may cost us the cup run so he gets a bonus point in my ratings for being solid.

Stephens - 8 - Organised the team well from the back and passing was decent too.

JWP - 7 - Solid as ever if not as dominant as he has been of late.

Diallo - 6 - I didn't think he had his best game. Some games he looks good and sometimes he looks a bit lost and this was one of the latter.

Djenepo - 5 - He seemed to play better in a more central role when he was drifting in to the 10 position, I don't think he's any kind of wide player and he wasn't good here. Does he have a future? Unlike Moi who has improved since his signing, Djenepo has shown signs of regression.

Smallbone - 7 - Another player I thought had a good game - decent passing, positioning was good, but as the second half moved on he seemed to lose some influence.

AArmstrong - 6 - Worked hard all night with little reward. Seems quick but his confidence has definitely taken a knock. I personally think there's a player in there and if we go into next season with him as 3rd choice, I will be OK with that. 

Longy - 5 - I didn't really notice him much bar his little injury and then he was subbed off at half time.

 

Subs: Livramento - 6, Romeu - 6, Armstrong - 7, Broja - 8, Redmond - 7.

 

Ralph - 10 for having bollocks as big as basketballs. The two half time subs were spot on and every sub just made us stronger.

 

EDIT: Oh and congrats @skintsaint - I've never achieved much in life but my daughter is definitely one of my successes.

Edited 4 March, 2022 by SNSUN
Skintsaint gets to change stinky nappies.