Southampton v Brighton & Hove Albion **** Official Match Thread ****

[Triggaaar]

Bad, bad week for Gus Poyet though, he needs to go away and have a little dispassionate think about things, on and off the pitch, as his own brand value must have plummeted recently.

At leat Spurs won't want him

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

The only good thing to look forward to is Leicester giving Palace a thrashing tomorrow

 

[liamsfc]

Couldn't go to the game fine... But on our board gloating? Pathetic really.

No one is doubting you deserved the win etc, and we are not expecting a title challenge, people are just aggrieved at some piss poor decisions by the ref.

We were the better team last year and you are the better team this year, congrats on the win... Now let's not be a complete dcik about it and just accept it for what it is instead of acting like a 10 yr old?

Not really gloating, just setting a few things straight

 

[Triggaaar]

I have more respect for the Brighton fans who lose with grace. Fair play to you.

And likewise, Brighton fans have more respect for SFC fans that win with grace. There have been a couple of SFC fans here trying to wind up the Brighton fans, so it's no surprise a few are then less graceful

 

[perseus]

Southampton 3 Brighton & Hove Albion 0

Southampton were better than I expected and the Albion played very average. And Paynter and Harley were below average. I think the tactics were OK. I missed the first goal which was always going to be important. Then the diabolical penalty decision and Calderon being caught out for the third goal and referee spotted the foul. I lost the stream for the first penalty as well. Lost two goals and one player because of the referee.

We could not raise our game in the second half like we have before. But that has more to do with Southampton. They fouled a lot and their diving and play acting was annoying.

Despite the lots of yellow cards, out foul count is lower than the opposition for almost every match. Again today.

 

[SULLY COULDNT SHOOT]

Nobody cheated... this is football... ıf we had got those penaltıes wed be laughıng on hereç the ref was inconsisitent but seems it balanced out in the end. We were always unlıkely to wın today and it took two pens and a red card to do it so ı really dont understand all the negativity. Nothing has changed.

 

[ArcticBlue]

Stonewall my arse, they love to dive...

Practicing for the prem no doubt

 

[Acker79]

Nobody cheated... this is football... ıf we had got those penaltıes wed be laughıng on hereç the ref was inconsisitent but seems it balanced out in the end. We were always unlıkely to wın today and it took two pens and a red card to do it so ı really dont understand all the negativity. Nothing has changed.

For me this is key. I think a clean loss today would have completely erased the win v Barnsley and destroyed confidence. Now we can look at the game an argue we were in it until the questionable pen and red card. That sense of injustice can be used to spur the team on in the upcoming games. It stops it being a regular "back to losing* ways..." result and becomes a special case.


*I know there were draws in that winless run. It's just to keep the sentence short.

btw, what are you using for an 'i'?

 

[Guy Fawkes]

Love how everyone's blaming the loss on the ref. We had numerous stonewall penalties turned down and many of your cynical fouls were ignored. Even the (unbiased) commentator said the ref was "very lenient" towards you in the first half. Like I said, there's a reason you have the worst disciplinary record in the league. We're the better team, we dominated the game and we deserved to win. Accept it.

Couldn't go to the game because I live oop north, before anyone has a go.

lol - well if it was the same commentator on the stream i watched he was very biased towards soton, he was obviously a fan as he came up with quite a few obscure facts about them, and thats without commentating on his views on the game which were so one sided it was a joke.

Stonewall pens? when? i didn't see one. Theere was a bit of holding onto each other by both players (never given in any game as 50-50) a blatent dive for the 2nd pen, one that was a foot outside the box, a dive by soton players because they knew they couldnt get to the ball who rightly got booked - but then i guess your view isn't biased. Or i'm guessing that with that ref you'd have expected a foul on the half way line to be given as a pen (as he was that bad)

Funny the commentator didn't mention Nav having his shirt pulled by a soton player in the box as a "definite penalty' to us eh? (which would have been harsh as would those so called pens he was on about for Soton) - just showed how he was only interested in Soton. He never made much of the fact the 2nd pen never was and how it cost us a player too and that the score line flattered Soton and another goal would have been very harsh (especially as the 2nd pen was a dive - no contact was his words) but he was keen for Soton to get a 4th.

I don't know what was worse, the poor decisions by the officials which cost us any chance of getting something from the game or that crap commentator.

 

[liamsfc]

lol - well if it was the same commentator on the stream i watched he was very biased towards soton, he was obviously a fan as he came up with quite a few obscure facts about them, and thats without commentating on his views on the game which were so one sided it was a joke.

Stonewall pens? when? i didn't see one. Theere was a bit of holding onto each other by both players (never given in any game as 50-50) a blatent dive for the 2nd pen, one that was a foot outside the box, a dive by soton players because they knew they couldnt get to the ball who rightly got booked - but then i guess your view isn't biased. Or i'm guessing that with that ref you'd have expected a foul on the half way line to be given as a pen (as he was that bad)

Funny the commentator didn't mention Nav having his shirt pulled by a soton player in the box as a "definite penalty' to us eh? (which would have been harsh as would those so called pens he was on about for Soton) - just showed how he was only interested in Soton. He never made much of the fact the 2nd pen never was and how it cost us a player too and that the score line flattered Soton and another goal would have been very harsh (especially as the 2nd pen was a dive - no contact was his words) but he was keen for Soton to get a 4th.

I don't know what was worse, the poor decisions by the officials which cost us any chance of getting something from the game or that crap commentator.

Did you see Lambert get assaulted in the box? Guly getting pulled back? Your players were at it the whole game, that's why you have the most yellow cards in the league. You're a team of cheats, always diving, rolling around on the floor, waving imaginary cards at the referee, trying to steal 10 yards on every throw in, pulling players back etc etc. It's the South American influence. How you can lecture anyone else about it is beyond me.

And it's a commentator's job to fill time with obscure facts you dinlo. It doesn't mean he's a fan. And just because he was complimentary towards Southampton doesn't mean he was biased. He simply recognised who the better team was.

The poor decisions cost you the game? Have you seen the match stats? BBC Sport - Southampton v Brighton With 0 shots on target and 42% possession, I'd say it was your terrible performance and our good play which cost you victory.

 

[trueblue]

I can only go by the 5live Xtra commentary as I was working outside of Sussex. However, that gave a pretty different view to a lot of the reports here.

Sounded very even to the point where, although Saints had to be firm favourites after taking their lead, I thought we had every chance of maybe getting a draw. But the commentator seemed astonished by the penalty decision - outside the box.

So, on balance, I'm not that disheartened. If we were going to get anything at St Mary's, it wasn't going to be with only 10 men... And it sounds like we had a raw deal on the reffing front.

Likelihood is Southampton would have won anyway but shame we didn't get to find out.

 

[Albion Rob]

Did you see Lambert get assaulted in the box? Guly getting pulled back? Your players were at it the whole game, that's why you have the most yellow cards in the league. You're a team of cheats, always diving, rolling around on the floor, waving imaginary cards at the referee, trying to steal 10 yards on every throw in, pulling players back etc etc. It's the South American influence. How you can lecture anyone else about it is beyond me.

And it's a commentator's job to fill time with obscure facts you dinlo. It doesn't mean he's a fan. And just because he was complimentary towards Southampton doesn't mean he was biased. He simply recognised who the better team was.

The poor decisions cost you the game? Have you seen the match stats? BBC Sport - Southampton v Brighton With 0 shots on target and 42% possession, I'd say it was your terrible performance and our good play which cost you victory.

Did we really have 42% posession today? Not too shabby really when you consider it was 12 v 10 in terms of players for over half an hour and we were 2-0 down with a potential tanning in sight. you need to push on a really hammer teams in that scenario if you're going for promotion, sonny, and it doesn't sound like your boys had it in them - even the third was a dubious pen.

As for shots on goal - what about the one that would have levelled it when Davis spilled the ball? defender cleared the shot in six yard box that was going in. 1-1 at that stage would have made thing very interesting. Would Soton have choked? Alas, we'll never know.

 

[GT49er]

The commentator reminds me of Steve Claridge when talking about Palace. He seems to have a major problem giving us praise even when we're winning games.

To hell with Claridge giving us praise! Ever since he said on the Championship, "Brighton have an aura about them. They just keep on playing their way, and just won't be beat" we've hardly ever won!

Oh well, today's over. Southampton away was never going to be a nailed on three points...we lost, now let's go on to the next game.

 

[liamsfc]

Did we really have 42% posession today? Not too shabby really when you consider it was 12 v 10 in terms of players for over half an hour and we were 2-0 down with a potential tanning in sight. you need to push on a really hammer teams in that scenario if you're going for promotion, sonny, and it doesn't sound like your boys had it in them - even the third was a dubious pen.

You're right. I am starting to worry. I mean, it's all well and good winning games, scoring by far the most goals in the league, having the best goal difference, winning 9/9 home games and being five points clear at the top, but can we do it when it really matters: when we're three goals up against a crap team? That's when it's really important to get a goal, and we didn't. That gives me the feeling that this whole top of the league thing is one big fluke.

 

[trueblue]

You're right. I am starting to worry. I mean, it's all well and good winning games, scoring by far the most goals in the league, having the best goal difference, winning 9/9 home games and being five points clear at the top, but can we do it when it really matters: when we're three goals up against a crap team? That's when it's really important to get a goal, and we didn't. That gives me the feeling that this whole top of the league thing is one big fluke.

Sounds like Saints were worthy winners today but you're getting a bit too cocky for your own good. I very much doubt this season Brighton will catch you but there's a long, long way to go. Anyone in the Championship who thinks they're nailed on for promotion pre-Xmas could have a big surprise coming. Personally, I'd be surprised if Saints finish in the top 2.. If you're still leaders around the start of March, then it might be time to get excited.

 

[pauli cee]

Chant at the next game , "Going down with the Palace" ?

no..

 

[Albion Rob]

You're right. I am starting to worry. I mean, it's all well and good winning games, scoring by far the most goals in the league, having the best goal difference, winning 9/9 home games and being five points clear at the top, but can we do it when it really matters: when we're three goals up against a crap team? That's when it's really important to get a goal, and we didn't. That gives me the feeling that this whole top of the league thing is one big fluke.

*shrugs shoulders*

You said those last 17 words, not me. Let's all hope you don't dip out on promotion by two goals, eh, because there were at least three more on the cards for you lot today.

you're on a good run but you're five clear, not 15.

 

[liamsfc]

Sounds like Saints were worthy winners today but you're getting a bit too cocky for your own good. I very much doubt this season Brighton will catch you but there's a long, long way to go. Anyone in the Championship who thinks they're nailed on for promotion pre-Xmas could have a big surprise coming. Personally, I'd be surprised if Saints finish in the top 2.. If you're still leaders around the start of March, then it might be time to get excited.

Not getting cocky. I'd be surprised if we finish top as well tbh. Just highlighting the stupidity of his point that not thrashing you proves we're not promotion candidates.

 

[perseus]

It reminded of the FA Cup defeat away at Stoke.

Our team on that day fired blanks as well:

Brighton
01 Brezovan
03 Greer
04 Elphick
14 Calderon
22 Painter
05 Battipied (Caskey 60)
07 Bennett
18 Dicker
26 Bridcutt
09 Barnes (Baz 74)
17 Murray (Sandaza 61)
Substitutes
16 Ankergren, 27 Taricco, 37 Dunk, 11 Baz, 28 Caskey, 20 Holroyd, 21 Sandaza

Southampton pumping the ball into the channels did not trouble us like Stoke did.

 

[liamsfc]

You said those last 17 words, not me.

Are you seriously insinuating that us being top is indeed a fluke?