[Albion] Southampton vs Brighton & Hove Albion *** Official Match Thread ***

[Guinness Boy]

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

Just back from the game. Over three hours drive to get there, managed to sneak in to the stand at 19.44. Freezing cold, no time for food or beer and after 15 minutes we don't care a bit about any of that because we've carved them open after two minutes and netted a dubious penalty and the Staines fans next to us are going ballistic.

And then what happens? We retreat in to our shells and the midfield draw a no man's land beyond which neither they nor the ball must advance. Murray meanwhile deploys a tent and camps in an offside position.

Fortunately they were so shit it didn't matter that we gave them 80% territory and god knows how much possession. Until, of course, March got done AGAIN (tonight he was sold more dummies than a Debenhams floor manager), giving away a free kick we defended absolutely shambolically.

I have to be careful here because I'm on record as a massive Hughton fan but these negative tactics will take us down.




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[B-right-on]

Back from the game now so will expand.

I would suggest that Soton looked fitter than our players, stronger (in that we are easily muscled off the ball) and that once we went ahead, we sat back and invited them to attack.

When we lost the ball it seemed the first thought was to get back into shape whereas Soton players immediately pressed the man in possession. That probably explained more than anything why our players gave the ball away so easily. Our crossing was very poor.

So, in my view our performance was dire but we managed to scrape a point. Against Chelsea, we lost 4-0 but our performance was much better! That is of course my opinion. You can of course agree or disagree.

Agreed. I thought we needlesly gave away the ball acroos the team, Dunky wins the ball and then passes i straight to a Stain player right in the middle of 2 of ours, groan..... And why weren't we closing them down to stop those crosses coming in?

Ulloa looks class when he came on though, got stuck in and put himself about. He was muich stronger than what I remembered him being.

 

[Billy the Fish]

The frustrating thing is that we looked quite good until we scored, then we sat back for 70 minutes and invited pressure.

Because there was no intent to get forward there was no outlet. Because there was no outlet our players kept making unforced errors and giving the ball straight back to them. I think playing like that knocks the rhythm out of the team which doesn't help either. There's no sustained pressure so our only hope of a goal is a rabbit out the hat worldly or a break away.

I know the result was ok, and I don't think it was as bad as people are making out because they've obviously stuck to a game plan.......

....but it's just so horrible to watch. The 2nd half was like watching a small child about to fall over and hurt themselves and you're too far away to catch them.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

We are officially last season's Middlesbrough

We really aren't. They only had 19 points after 25 games.

 

[OzMike]

Going to read this thread at lunchtime, I really hope that we didn't try to defend a 1 goal lead for 76 mins.

 

[GT49er]

Going to read this thread at lunchtime......................................................................

Probably more entertaining than watching the match, by all accounts.............................

 

[Wardy's twin]

Going to read this thread at lunchtime, I really hope that we didn't try to defend a 1 goal lead for 76 mins.

no only about 70 mins

 

[OzMike]

no only about 70 mins

 

[perseus]

Down to the Wire

A vital point and a horrid sounding performance. A win against West Ham puts us back on track for 38 pts and possible safety.

Southampton are in the mire.

A bit close at the bottom. If it is this close before the final day we might just escape on goal difference or one unexpected result might send us down.

Defending at set pieces is what is worrying me. Is that 17 goals conceded now?

Stats show the Bertrand had a lot of possession on the right side of our defence. Bruno might have done better? Rarely is there a problem when he is in the team.

 

[OzMike]

I thought you all thought a drawer would be a reasonable result tonight.......but I guess we went ahead so now we really should have smashed them. 1 point away in the Prem for christ sake what will ever please you.

If we were winning at home yes, but we aren't winning at all.

 

[OzMike]

Well done chaps for getting an away point. Please don't read this thread tomorrow. You wont like what your supporters think of you.

Or maybe they would understand as I can't believe that they would be playing like this given a choice.
Even when we get the new strikers up to speed, what would be the point if we keep adopting these tactics.

 

[OzMike]

Not sure whether to watch the replay tonight or not, won't look much different from all the rest of the games.

 

[London Irish]

Do you really think so. I have done a little more digging, and on current form (last 6 games) we currently lay 15th, the same as our league position, so I am guessing those teams below us may be thinking their team is shite too.

Respectfully I doubt it - Swansea probably think they’ve turned a corner. WBA beat us, are looking better and have pulled off the coup of the window. Saints fans very depressed. My feeling is Terriers fans more behind Wagner than we are behind Hughton right now but close judgement call. Newcastle fans have other problems and many of them may feel to be above us having spent little money ain’t terrible.

 

[London Irish]

These three are so poor at the moment it’s embarrassing


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Are Saints so brilliant in midfield that it’s OK these 3 barely touched the ball all night. The lack of confidence in our play is shocking. I don’t think the players have any confidence in their play right now - we need a rethink beginning Saturday otherwise this lack of momentum will take us down with a whimper

 

[bhawoddy]

Going to read this thread at lunchtime, I really hope that we didn't try to defend a 1 goal lead for 76 mins.

We certainly did

 

[Is it PotG?]

 

[Originunknown]

No two ways about it we were very lucky to come away with a point last night.

Between Matt Ryan's failed clearance and giving the ball back to them on the half way to come at us again constantly throughout the second half, we were lucky not to concede again.

We eventually managed a corner in the 2nd half which Solly promptly wasted.

We did nowhere near enough to win this game despite a promising start.

 

[drew]

No two ways about it we were very lucky to come away with a point last night.

Between Matt Ryan's failed clearance and giving the ball back to them on the half way to come at us again constantly throughout the second half, we were lucky not to concede again.

We eventually managed a corner in the 2nd half which Solly promptly wasted.

We did nowhere near enough to win this game despite a promising start.

Agree.

Seems there are a lot of people posting with the traditional 'an away point is good' type attitude but completely failing to appreciate that is only relevant if you are regularly winning at home, which we patently aren't!!!!

 

[Weststander]

Shock, horror. PL newcomers fail to win away at established PL club, who have a squad with some excellent players.

I take the point as a bonus.

The current pressure on the club/fans has come from failings in your last summer's transfer window, with the resulting struggles in winnable games.

With that unexpected point last night, plus the signings of Locadia and Ulloa, the club still have a possibility of turning their form around and staying up.

 

[nicko31]

No two ways about it we were very lucky to come away with a point last night.

Between Matt Ryan's failed clearance and giving the ball back to them on the half way to come at us again constantly throughout the second half, we were lucky not to concede again.

We eventually managed a corner in the 2nd half which Solly promptly wasted.

We did nowhere near enough to win this game despite a promising start.

First half was great listening to the groaning from Saints fans and boo'ing even during play. Second half, wow we defended well and held out. A point won, albeit a little fortunate