Southampton VERY impressive

[clarkey]

As soon as it happened I said the keeper got the ball, no-one anywhere agreed with me, we shall see.

First half all they had was hoofball - I got bored of shouting it after a while. They were the better team but never looked like scoring because they were aimless hoofs, with no angle on them or anything. Second half, we started dropping a lot deeper and Lambert went up against Painter, Calde and smaller players rather than Elphick and was winning knockdowns in the 6 yard box rather than 20 yards out. They also used the width, especially the left a lot more and to good effect. Lallana and Dickson were all over us down there.

Dont know what happened to us today, whether our key players had off days or were shut out of the game by Saints, but we were poor. Luckily it doesnt matter. Good luck to them, nice to see a packed away end for once.

 

[Deleted member 18477]

Ive been reading to many articles, threads & interviews about todays game, so i want to share my opnion. I more than anyone wanted to shove Adkins words right down his throat today, however even though we have already done that by winning the league, i believe we got it totally wrong tactically today. Southampton deserved the win, they quite simply wanted and needed it more. What i can understand is why we played so deep today, i cant remember us playing with such a negative attitude. Poyet commented they are bigger and physically stronger, so WHY let them constantly put balls in our penalty area, which basically there two goals came from. I remember Greers sending off and automatically thinking straight to the southampton game. But after reading many gloats of the saints fans saying enjoy it while it lasts, just rememeber we have clearly won this division with a squad put together with about the same amount of money that Lambert cost alone. Next year we will be like a boxer who has been fighting with one hand tied behind his back, finally being allowed to use both. Financially we will be able to compete with teams like southampton. Just remember southampton were 5/2 favourites to win this league, if they go up or not, they have already under achieved what many experts thought they would do. GUS POYET I LOVE YOU

agreed with all that! They beat us today but we are CHAMPIONS... i know which one i'd prefer... It will be palace next season for us and pompey next season for them, lets now move on and enjoy the last few games and the TROPHY LIFT , and then Next year we'll be back to do it all again at the AMEX and it will be blaaaaady incredible!

 

[Hunting 784561]

Our most persistent problem recently has been defending too deep, and trying to protect a narrow lead.

We paid the price today.

 

[Mr Burns]

NA has a better track recored then gus my friend

Well has he's been a manager since 2006 and Poyet still hasn't completed a full season yet, I would hope he would have!!

But I will bet everything I own, that Adkins is sacked before Poyet is!!! Poyet took over a club that survived the previous season on the final day, who were in another relagation battle, and with a few additions has turned them into champions with four games spare. Adkins has taken over a club with arguabilly player for player, a far better group of players, and is struggling to get you up.

They are chalk and cheese mate. If you had Poyet as manager, you'd have probably of set a record as the quickest ever promoted team.

Southamptons current squad is probably mid table in the championship. I dont see Adkins getting you there. He'll be one of the first manager to get fired next season if you go up.

Poyet is managing at the lowest level he probably ever will.

Adkins is already out of his depth and will never be anything more than a lower league manager. You'll have been fortune to get promoted under him this season (if you do and I still wouldn't bet against you blowing it), but you'll never get close to another promotion with him in charge

 

[Turkey]

You could say the same of stoke though? I was very impressed with their play at St Marys, they absolutely demolished us whilst also playing some really attractive football, but today I lost count of the number of aimless hoofs up the pitch I saw, maybe it was the half fit lallana but there was a distinct route one taint to everything.

Perhaps at times, I thought they mixed it up though and it wasn't all long ball. Credit where credit is due, they were the best side we've played in the league this season by a country mile.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Davis got the ball first from where I was Just like our defenders did when Lambert went down.

I'm not sure this pic shows that he got the ball

 

[Husty]

I'm not sure this pic shows that he got the ball

That is because it is a still picture the ball travelled off in the direction it should have if davis punched it, why would it have done that unless he made contact with it?

 

[Skaville]

I was right in line. He got the ball first.

 

[trueblue]

I love the idea that Adkins is a better manager than Gus long term. Tell me, which one of those could you imagine leading a team in Europe one day? I don't think it will be Adkins somehow.

 

[clapham_gull]

I love the idea that Adkins is a better manager than Gus long term. Tell me, which one of those could you imagine leading a team in Europe one day? I don't think it will be Adkins somehow.

I'm not sure Poyet goes to bed at night thinking about other managers (or teams) either.

 

[melias shoes]

Got a feeling the celebrations of the last week took its toll today. Southampton just needed it more than us.If we weren't already up it would have been different. Pissed off they beat us though.

 

[Sam Ovett]

I was right in line. He got the ball first.

I concur

 

[Sam Ovett]

Also I think I was hasty in my previous comment, as they mixed it about with some good passing, like when they played through Guly right at the start and he had a shot blocked on the line. They did what they had to and played to their strengths (and weaknesses) very well.

 

[Seagull on the wing]

This is the back four with a £1million goalkeeper and a £1million centre back? They have a very good defence, but they've paid well to assemble it. I'm not being bitter or sour, congratulations to them on the day and defensively they are very good in general. But it's not a suprise considering their outlay to get it.

Yes but according to one of their post they lost £7.2 million on their 2010 accounts.

 

[mona]

Southampton are a strong and solid team and play like a championship side. However, I was less impressed than Richie and thought there was something plodding and predictable about them. They were not as good as Norwich were last season.

I thought we were poor in the second half and defended far too deeply which is suicidal against a big team. Greer was missed because he would never allow the line to be so deep. ElAbd is very ordinary without him. Our substitutions were a bit bizarre particularly Sandaza.

I accept that Saints were without Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lallana was half-fit but I think they aren't as good a side as a lot seem to think. Brighton gifted it to them.

 

[mona]

Our most persistent problem recently has been defending too deep, and trying to protect a narrow lead.

We paid the price today.

100% agreement.
ElAbd and Elphick sit too deep particularly. Greer organises the defence. Look what has happened to Swindon without him.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

Despite missing some key players today I have to say I thought Southampton were EASILY the best team we have played this season and have a team I think could compete in the Championship with less tinkering than ours.

Once Murray went off I thought they were completely dominant.

You mean when they were still losing and tried throwing everything forward in an attempt to get goals and to seek the win they needed for their bid for 2nd place against a team that the result didnt really matter and were playing for pride?

However, if the result actually mattered, do you think we would have brought on Noone, Sandaza and Wood and not defensive players like Kish and Dunk in a bid to keep it tight at the back and hold onto the win?

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

the team that is second in the league=the best team that we've seen against us this season

MASSIVE shock there

let's face it, a well managed southampton team would've walked this league.......infact an averagely managed team would've walked it

we were tipped to be play-offs at best this season, and yet we have dominated from fairly early on......imagine if gus was managing southampton

 

[stss30]

Come on guys, have a bit of grace!

You can't possibly deny Saints are a good side at this level, time has proved us to be better but if they finish second, they will have achieved what they wanted. Adkins, while displaying twattish tendencies, is also clearly a decent manager, as he's got a team of expensive individuals playing together and in a great position to go up. Personally I found Poyet's post match comments today a little disappointing, would have liked him to rise above it- after all nothing changes for us, our season is over, our work done.

Thought Fonte was excellent and Lallana made a huge difference when he came on. He looks a top player. Can't really think of any others who stood out massively, but as a team they played pretty well. Davis should have done better with the goal and did nothing to dispel my belief that the L1 players were nuts to vote him the best keeper. Jaidi is little more than a big clogger who screwed up royally today, and who I suspect would be found out in the Championship. And Lambert had a bit of a mare, how he contrived to hit the post with that header I will never know

Anyway, I thought SCC deserved to win today, once they'd got one back, our players honestly looked like they'd got nothing left in the tank. No shame, they've been brilliant all season, and they get another party next week, but I bet they really can't wait for summer now though.

I agree with all of this. One thing I am unsure about is whether I should be dissapointed in Gus's comments. Yes he seemed a bit pissed off, but that kind of pleases me in a way i.e lessons will be learnt (although I think he better get used to losing as I think we'll have more than 6 losses this time next season!)

I think Gus possibly got the subs wrong today, Wood for Murray aside. Going down to one up front was never going to work. I don't know why he took Barnes off; despite what others might say, sides are not comfortable against him, and he and Murray have worked the best together of any pair. Was he worried Barnes was going to get in trouble? I don't know. One thing is for sure - Sandaza could not hold up a ball smothered in superglue and he it was who gave the ball away for SCC's second goal. Kish or Navarro should have come on for Sparrow, as SCC were walking through our midfield. Much as I can't stand the man, I have to admit Hammond bossed the midfield today. Having said that, if the officials had done their job properly, and awarded a penalty and sent off Davies (that was an assault, not a foul), the result could have been very different.

I agree with this also, I think Noone and Wood were the wrong subs to make at the time- Wood is poor at holding the ball up and winning flick ons, and Noone, although a good attaking player wasn't what we needed at the time... We needed Kish on to sure things up at the back with his experience. Oh well, as I say it's good to learn lessons in a game which meant nothing to us ahead of next season

 

[stss30]

100% agreement.
ElAbd and Elphick sit too deep particularly. Greer organises the defence. Look what has happened to Swindon without him.

Same here- It seems we need Greer and El-Abd on the pitch or we leak goals.. Thats why I don't think Elphick is good enough for the Championship and we need someone more experienced as back up