Southampton(1) 1-2 (3)Newcastle - League Cup Semi Final - Second Leg

[kenneth_kenobi]

12 hours ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Afraid not. He misses the next three first team fixtures which are home to West Ham, away to Bournemouth and then home to Liverpool.

Let's hope one of those gets postponed 😉

[Chez]

1 hour ago, kitch said:

I actually came on to give Diallo a shout out as for me was our best player overall. First half he was the only one who seemed to know what he was doing (other than Che's wonder-goal), and basically suffered through being massively outnumbered trying to protect a 5-man defence. He think he did well. You wouldn't use him to get an attacking move going, but he breaks up play well and working alongside a Lavia (or similar) he's a useful asset IMO. Steady player; great at some things, poor at others.

Lavia changed things when he came on, partly because it meant Diallo had help, but also because he's just a different level. Going to be some player, him. Enjoy him while he's here.

yeah, I agree with this. Diallo scared the life out of me several times, taking that extra touch, but he was brave on the ball (the old Strachan thing) taking it in tight areas and willing to back his talent. Risky, but it just about worked. Without that extra few touches, the ball becomes a hot potatoe and the opponents are always on top of you and in the end it goes long. He wasn't perfect, but he's been better in the cup games than perhaps all the other games he's played for us. You are absolutely right that he was swamped. No one else did nearly enough in the first half. Lavia did the same, but just with that little extra bit of quality, taking the ball in THE tightest of areas, and backing his own talent. It was easier for him though, as Newcastle sat back. 

We've maybe got the basis there, with Lavia/Diallo, Carlos and JWP, maybe even bringing Aribo off the bench in that attacking midfielder role as happened last night if teams are sitting back. Jones needs to get that midfield three working well for us to have a chance of survival 

[coalman]

8 minutes ago, Chez said:

yeah, I agree with this. Diallo scared the life out of me several times, taking that extra touch, but he was brave on the ball (the old Strachan thing) taking it in tight areas and willing to back his talent. Risky, but it just about worked. Without that extra few touches, the ball becomes a hot potatoe and the opponents are always on top of you and in the end it goes long. He wasn't perfect, but he's been better in the cup games than perhaps all the other games he's played for us. You are absolutely right that he was swamped. No one else did nearly enough in the first half. Lavia did the same, but just with that little extra bit of quality, taking the ball in THE tightest of areas, and backing his own talent. It was easier for him though, as Newcastle sat back. 

We've maybe got the basis there, with Lavia/Diallo, Carlos and JWP, maybe even bringing Aribo off the bench in that attacking midfielder role as happened last night if teams are sitting back. Jones needs to get that midfield three working well for us to have a chance of survival 

I agree. In the first 20 minutes there was no passing option available to any of our players once the ball left the keeper and CB. So players either ran into trouble and lost it or we hoofed it. Either way it just invited pressure to come back at us. Until we can hold the ball and progress through midfield we're always going to invite an attack vs defence game against our defence. If we were lucky we'd get to close the centre circle then stop and come back. If our midfielders can't turn into space and break the lines then defending against Saints is easy mode for any team in the premiership. Every so often a long ball may come off or we'll catch the other side in possession but that's not enough to make a team out of.

[LaptopSaint]

14 hours ago, kevdoh said:

Fuck this, fuck the bias commentary, fuck the Newcastle wank fest and the Newcastle fan wank fest. Their fans are the same as any other. They're loud when on top and shit when team shit. They don't love football as a city more than any other town or city and the "they love a number 9" shite is cringy. They don't spend their last pennies on watching their beloved team more than any other fucking teams fans. They've spent a fuck load of Arabian blood money that if Sunderland had done it they'd be pulling them apart saying they're an oil run club. And the 30 stone fucks with their shirts off in winter that the cameras always have to show because they're 'mad and great fans '. Fuck off they've got 5 inches thick of gristle of course they don't need a fucking coat. Why are these messes celebrated. I bet they sit on their fat arses all week buying tickets handouts. Fuck the prem, fuck sky, I'd rather get relegated so I don't have to listen to as much of this shite all the time

January's over and it's time for our "Post of the Month" competition 👏👏👏

 

Oh, and if Lavia doesn't start every game I don't know what else to say. 

Edited 1 February, 2023 by LaptopSaint

[Midfield_General]

2 hours ago, Dan Milton said:

How many posts does he need to make before his opinion is valid?

Enough to suggest that he isn’t a plant who has obviously only signed up to post pro-Jones bullshit?

Nice first post for you too, btw 👍

[OldNick]

11 hours ago, LoyalSaintSO50 said:

Give it a rest ffs. Thought over two legs against a far superior squad we didn’t give a bad account of ourselves. Positivity from here on in is required, give your weird obsession with Jones a rest for a bit while the rest of us focus on full support for the rest of the season 

Dont take any notice of the snipes. The midfield general is a good poster and bleeds Saints like the rest of us. Just keep posting

[saintscottofthenortham]

Just landed back at Heathrow, had a bit of time to reflect.

NJ made some bold calls with that starting XI, and unfortunately got it fairly wrong. The shape will get the brunt of it, but it was the way it was played out that cost us. NJ emphasised on Friday's pre-match Press Conferance how, due to how they managed the squad, only Lyanco had to play two lots of 90 in the week.

Alcaraz was at sea for the entire first 45. He started the farce of the opening goal with a dreadful pass (Lyanco instantly done the same when we won it back mind), and has to take the lions share of the blame for the second goal, where he literally watched Longstaff waltz into the box with not a man near him. He had to track him, no excuse. I don't recall him doing anything remotely positive and rightly hooked at HT.

Bree's first 45... Deary me. Rabbit in the headlights I've seen mentioned a few times, but that doesn't do it justice. I didn't expect much from him, but my god it was bad. He looked to settle down in the second half, but it wasn't going to be hard on his first half display. He needs to improve greatly on anything he done last night. NJ should face stiff questions over why he chucked him here for his debut, though. Mental decision in my eyes, especially with Perraud coming off of the weekend like he did, it was crying out for Perraud left and KWP right.

Diallo done well defensively, but his head is a bag of mushy peas as soon as the ball is at his feet. Looked far better when Lavia settled the midfield down, but very much a weak link in our XI.

Bednarek chucked back in, quite literally... But alongside Lyanco he looked like Maldini. He doesn't do anything with grace, but from a defensive point of view he was probably our most stable companion.

Over two legs though, we've effectively gifted them three identical goals, albeit from varying distances, and it should've been four as we done exactly the same in first leg for the glaring miss. We are seemingly unable to track runners from midfield, and we've now advertised it to the world. Howe had obviously spotted it and they targeted it, to great success.

Shame, as the moment we moved this rancid hybrid into a four, we look so much more composed and effective. Che even strongly alluded to it, three times, in his post-match interviews. No coincidence he has managed to get that in at every opportunity.

Talking of Che, the lads at work had a family member of Che's in last night. Interesting comments he's had to say regarding issues the squad had with Ralph. I'm hearing it second hand, obviously, but it was a far from happy camp.

Edited 1 February, 2023 by saintscottofthenortham

[Saint Matty 76]

Lavia second half compilation going round on Twitter today.

Diallo deemed to be a better choice than this guy, my word.

[trousers]

52 minutes ago, saintscottofthenortham said:

Talking of Che, the lads at work had a family member of Che's in last night. Interesting comments he's had to say regarding issues the squad had with Ralph. I'm hearing it second hand, obviously, but it was a far from happy camp.

Any details @saintscottofthenortham ? Cheers 👍

[saintscottofthenortham]

33 minutes ago, trousers said:

Any details @saintscottofthenortham ? Cheers 👍

Problems with Ralph were widespread. No details specifically, but things went bad and were getting worse. Talk of lads going to board level weren't unfounded.

Newcastle were in for Che last January before signing Wood. Would've doubled Che's wage, but club held firm and Che didn't kick up fuss.

Leeds came in for him this January. Would've nearly doubled his wage. Club held firm and Che didn't kick up fuss.

No mention of Everton, despite links in press.

Lads really like NJ and enjoying working under him.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Thanks for that saintscottofthenortham. Good to hear the players are enjoying working with the new boss. When we have won, there have been  some genuine looking smiles between players and NJ.

I had thought Che was for a move last summer, when we were bringing in new strikers that never arrived. Interesting that it was the other windows, although someone did mention it again this window.

Hopefully the new signings will give him more chances, rather than have to put away the few, if good chances, he gets. I have always liked that he just gets on with it.

[saintscottofthenortham]

15 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Thanks for that saintscottofthenortham. Good to hear the players are enjoying working with the new boss. When we have won, there have been  some genuine looking smiles between players and NJ.

I had thought Che was for a move last summer, when we were bringing in new strikers that never arrived. Interesting that it was the other windows, although someone did mention it again this window.

Hopefully the new signings will give him more chances, rather than have to put away the few, if good chances, he gets. I have always liked that he just gets on with it.

Che hasn't wanted a move, despite chance to earn far more, but he emphasised that Che hates leading a line on his own and knows he can't do it. Hopefully we see him with a man alongside him more often now. 

[Verbal Kint]

1 hour ago, saintscottofthenortham said:

Problems with Ralph were widespread. No details specifically, but things went bad and were getting worse. Talk of lads going to board level weren't unfounded.

Newcastle were in for Che last January before signing Wood. Would've doubled Che's wage, but club held firm and Che didn't kick up fuss.

Leeds came in for him this January. Would've nearly doubled his wage. Club held firm and Che didn't kick up fuss.

No mention of Everton, despite links in press.

Lads really like NJ and enjoying working under him.

This is why you shouldn't pay too much attention to players' opinions. You end up sacking a manager that took a team to an 11th place finish with Vestergaard, Bednarek and Stephens as his centre backs and you replace him with some silly, overly aggressive lower league manager with an inferiority complex who would be better suited to managing Portsmouth in the third division than managing Southampton in the PL. And paying over 10 million in order to do it

[suewhistle]

3 hours ago, saintscottofthenortham said:

Alcaraz was at sea for the entire first 45. He started the farce of the opening goal with a dreadful pass (Lyanco instantly done the same when we won it back mind), and has to take the lions share of the blame for the second goal, where he literally watched Longstaff waltz into the box with not a man near him. He had to track him, no excuse. I don't recall him doing anything remotely positive and rightly hooked at HT..

[SNIP]

We are seemingly unable to track runners from midfield, and we've now advertised it to the world. Howe had obviously spotted it and they targeted it, to great success.

Shame, as the moment we moved this rancid hybrid into a four, we look so much more composed and effective.

Interesting. I know not many of us are impressed with the formation or team selection, but to what degree do you think the lack of success is due to that or the players just not playing that formation very effectively at the moment, and perhaps not carrying out instructions? Let's face it, tracking back and marking are pretty basic things at any level.

I didn't see too much of the first half but Bree didn't look too out of place in the second considering he'd been thrown in to such a match so quickly after arriving. He seems to be able to do the basics and he didn't give me Lee Todd vibes (one for the older ones amongst you..).

As to Che, he finally puts his laces through the ball and finds the corner from distance: let's hope it gives him the confidence he needs.

[saintscottofthenortham]

1 hour ago, Verbal Kint said:

This is why you shouldn't pay too much attention to players' opinions. You end up sacking a manager that took a team to an 11th place finish with Vestergaard, Bednarek and Stephens as his centre backs and you replace him with some silly, overly aggressive lower league manager with an inferiority complex who would be better suited to managing Portsmouth in the third division than managing Southampton in the PL. And paying over 10 million in order to do it

You do have to pay attention when the players have stopped playing for a manager, though. It wasn’t going to work again for Ralph. His way had been found out and he didn’t have a plan b. 

[saintscottofthenortham]

Most notable thing I took from it was how Che has twice had interest from bigger teams willing to bear double his wage, yet he has stuck to his task. He does my head with his finishing (or lack thereof), but tip me hat to him for that. 

[OldNick]

14 hours ago, saintscottofthenortham said:

Problems with Ralph were widespread. No details specifically, but things went bad and were getting worse. Talk of lads going to board level weren't unfounded.

Newcastle were in for Che last January before signing Wood. Would've doubled Che's wage, but club held firm and Che didn't kick up fuss.

Leeds came in for him this January. Would've nearly doubled his wage. Club held firm and Che didn't kick up fuss.

No mention of Everton, despite links in press.

Lads really like NJ and enjoying working under him.

Interesting, thanks for that. Can you put that on the Jones out thread?

[saintscottofthenortham]

5 hours ago, OldNick said:

Interesting, thanks for that. Can you put that on the Jones out thread?

Done.