The Verdict from a Variety of Southampton Fans

[Thunder Bolt]

Great performance in the second half. It seemed to me that Southampton tried to hit us with all their biggest shots in the first 35 minutes, but we managed to soak them up then came on strong after the break and showed why we're top as Saints ran out of steam.

For me, without their expensive attackers, Southampton look nothing special at all. Considering Albion are missing two very influential midfielders, one extremely good young one, an excellent winger and lost our most committed defender before half-time, I'd chalk that up as a point that shows we're the real deal.

100% agree.

 

[Bozza]

Saints battered us in the first half and but for some outstandingly hard work at the back and not a little luck we kept it all square.

The second half was different, especially once Smith and then Murray were introduced and we started to move the ball with real intent.

In the end I think Southampton looked pretty weary whereas we were still full of energy - something that was also the case at Plymouth and Charlton - and they were happy to get out of that with a point themselves. Are we fitter than most/all other teams?

What's the deal with Murray on the bench - is he our 'impact man' now Lua Lua is crocked?

 

[Spider]

Lua Lua? f*** that, Glenn Murray is our best player. We're a different team with Lua Lua, but we're a different CLUB with Murray. He just rapes defenders, in the air he is fantastic. I want his babies he's so damn good.

Getting you pregnant may prove pretty difficult for one in ten Glenn.

He's not our best player though. Best on form, but lack of consistency (in both overall performance and goalscoring oppurtunities) is the reason he has never really played at a higher level than he is at now. Still, we MUST get him to sign a new contract.

 

[KneeOn]

Getting you pregnant may prove pretty difficult for one in ten Glenn.

He's not our best player though. Best on form, but lack of consistency (in both overall performance and goalscoring oppurtunities) is the reason he has never really played at a higher level than he is at now. Still, we MUST get him to sign a new contract.

You might have a point but he is definately leveling off. I used to think he was an alright player on his day but every time i've seen him this season he's showing consistantly that his awareness and arial ability have been refined, and he acts as a very classy and with finesse but strenth kind of target man. He's definately getting more consistant and today was one of the days where it showed. He's less AWOL during games like this.

 

[1066familyman]

You owned us first half,second half i would say we edged it.I thought it was a penalty for you but i also thought ours was a penalty.

Exactly this.

 

[Silent Bob]

"I think they've had mostly home games so far and not played anyone decent yet. When they come up against the likes of Charlton, Peterborough or Sheffield Weds, they'll struggle."

Comment heard at Winchester station this evening....

That's classic.
Mostly home games... it's late November!

 

[Spearritt of the Albion]

If Southampton can get 10 points from their games at Brighton, Charlton, Peterborough, Plymouth and Sheffield Wednesday, score 9 goals and concede just one then they will be able to consider themselves as title hopefuls. Until then they will just have to look up at us and hope that we slip up. Although they have been, very slowly, catching us look at their last 10 league games. They have only played 4 of them away, winning just one of those four. It is our away form that has helped us to go top (backed up by being unbeaten at home). If I were a Saints fan I would be looking at Wednesday and Charlton first before worrying about us.

Ok they dominated the first half tonight but I thought they were just huffing and puffing. They had better chances to score in the second half when we were on top and attacking more but they couldn't get past us. They must be worried after that performance

 

[Barnham Seagull]

If Southampton can get 10 points from their games at Brighton, Charlton, Peterborough, Plymouth and Sheffield Wednesday, score 9 goals and concede just one then they will be able to consider themselves as title hopefuls. Until then they will just have to look up at us and hope that we slip up. Although they have been, very slowly, catching us look at their last 10 league games. They have only played 4 of them away, winning just one of those four. It is our away form that has helped us to go top (backed up by being unbeaten at home). If I were a Saints fan I would be looking at Wednesday and Charlton first before worrying about us.

Ok they dominated the first half tonight but I thought they were just huffing and puffing. They had better chances to score in the second half when we were on top and attacking more but they couldn't get past us. They must be worried after that performance

This

 

[Hove&Albion F.C]

What's Southampton's main message board??

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

I don't really understand NSC's obsession with Southampton and this belief they're some sort of wonder team that will walk the league, as most predicted before the season. We saw them last year and they were hoofball merchants. Nothing has changed. Ok, we were poor in the first half tonight and their tactic of putting us under pressure and stopping us having any time on the ball worked. But they still showed they can't actually play football. It's all long balls into Lambert and reliant on midfielders surging forward. There is no build up or passing ability. They were also extremely unfit, and Jaidi at the back is presumably some sort of sick joke, because he's more out of shape than me. We were poor, but I got the feeling they were pretty much at their best, and it was still a draw. We've got nothing to worry about, we're going up.

Most definitely this!

Yes, they were the better team in the first half, but they are by no means the unbeatable side some of you are making them out to be. Unfortunately for Batti he is not quite up to it, and without wishing to place too much blame on him, he was a big problem for us in the first half. Not just on the ball, but off the ball he doesn't have anywhere near the same level of awareness as Kish/Dicker/Sparrow/Bridcutt, and I think that's why Gus has tried to play him a bit higher up up the pitch lately so that he doesn't have to defend positionally as much. Smith is the better option, as was proved when he came on along with Glenn - who simply has to start.

One thing is still for sure. We're still top of the league, and we're still the best team in division.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

In the end I think Southampton looked pretty weary whereas we were still full of energy - something that was also the case at Plymouth and Charlton - and they were happy to get out of that with a point themselves. Are we fitter than most/all other teams?

Is this not down to our style of play? Most teams seem to accept that the best way of stopping us is by pressuring us as much as possible and not giving us any time on the ball. I didn't see the match but it appears from Adkins' post match comments that that was (at least part of) his game plan. Poyet, however, has said on numerous occasions that no team can maintain the level of pressure on us that is needed to stop us from playing for the whole 90 minutes.

Adkins(pre-match) I'm not afraid to change a team or a formation to win a game of football because that is what it is all about.

"Brighton will present a different game plan - they are very patient in the build up of the ball. You might find that the goalkeeper might stand on the ball for two minutes, with the two centre halves on the corner flags trying to suck you in. They are quite happy if they have the ball in our half to kick it all the way back to the goalkeeper and start again.

(Post match) Great credit to us because we made them play the game on our terms and that's what it's about. They've come to St Mary's and had to kick the ball the whole game, and they don't want to do that.

Poyet(post match) They tried to push us hard for the first 30 minutes, but there is not a team in this division, or perhaps even in England who can press us like that for 90 minutes.

I reckon it's something we're going to have to face more and more as the season goes on.

 

[SULLY COULDNT SHOOT]

No Plan B?

Weşll that's interesting. Now of course I was listening last night but my feeling from watching the Aints on TV is their problem is exactly the same ... no Plan B. They try and smash teams off the park and then hang in there later on. This is what they tried to do to us and when it didn't work they started to (inevitably) tire and we came back into it.

We had a Plan B last night. In fact we have had Plan Bs, Cs and D,s... unfortunately with Lua Lua gone we now need a Plan E as he was central to many of them and I don't think Bati is part of it.... yet.

Of course I was only listening so what do I know?

 

[Mo Gosfield]

What is it with not starting Glenn....watching Barnes and Wood struggle is painful....and why isn't he taking pens?

 

[BLOCK F]

What is it with not starting Glenn....watching Barnes and Wood struggle is painful....and why isn't he taking pens?

Can't understand not starting with Glenn.....could have cost us the match.
We must also sort out our penalty taking/penalty takers.....little bit like a toss up, who is the taker this time!

 

[bhaexpress]

Job well done as far as I'm concerned, still four points clear with a better goal difference, I think we're clicking again. Maybe the possible arrival of this 'special player' will add that killer dimension we could all use.

 

[The Merry Prankster]

Carlisle came close.

I don't think I can remember a first half where a team has dominated us more than that. How we came in level was a miracle.

 

[Icy Gull]

In their disappointment in us not just rolling over and letting them win, the Stains fans have conveniently forgotten that we came into this match some key players short and on the back of a blip in form. It would have been a mini crisis if we'd lost so the fact that our 1st aim was not to concede would seem fairly obvious. The fact that we should have beaten them should give them more cause for concern. Weren't they on some sort of record run going back 30 odd years? They are not the team that is gonna walk the league which most of them and a few us us throught pre-season.

EIGHT points behind and you've played your home game against us whilst we were at our poorest this season. Read that, stop moaning, and weep you scummers. WE are only gonna get better, not sure that you can

 

[The Large One]

The more Southampton fans grizzle, the funnier I find them.

 

[daveinprague]

Who really cares what Saints supporters think about the match, or the Albion. It was 0-0 at their place... they couldnt beat us...its something for them to deal with. Whinging wont help, but like previous poster says..the more they whinge..the funnier it is.