Spot on. We won, got the points but weren't as convincing as I would have liked. We would like to be destroying these teams (hull, palace et al) but I don't think it will happen this season.
Credit to Puel for making positive alterations at half time that were rewarded. Not many sides have been able to break down Middlesbrough away. We are just a cutting edge away from being a good side & we cannot blame Puel for this as he can only manage what we have! I just hope we find a finisher in January, even if it is a loan. Nothing wrong with a 1-0, we did this for much of last season under Koeman, as we were hardly full of goals last year!
As you know, I never suffer your anxieties [think you're making the right move for your health by keeping away from news sources], but I'll admit, due to Saints not having the clear striking options of last season [a point I and others have made several times since the transfer window closed], I also have not 'expected' wins at home or away as I did last season. Which is a shame because, on the whole, this squad is slightly stronger than last season's. On the point of the lack of striking options, I would like to know whether Saints attempted to get a proven striker in during the close season or not. Only it seems to me that having only one proven striker, who isn't the most mobile, would have rung alarm bells slightly at St Mary's. I didn't think Saints took gambles.! For all of Shane Long's industry [and I've always admired it], he isn't a finisher of the highest quality. Last season he was at his best for years, but that was atypical, so I was never part of the Shane Long super appreciation bandwagon. I take Long for what he is - a very good option. JayRod, I really don't know about. They say Falcao, at Monaco, is scoring freely and finally over his problems with his knee injury, after several seasons of misfiring. Is it going to be that long before Jay ever recovers properly.? Redmond is a very good player, there's no doubt. Technically, he's extremely good, but he occasionally takes the wrong option; he's often not where a striker should be; occasionally he takes on too much, and finally, his form has stuttered a bit, after looking fantastic earlier on. I want to see him play and improve, because he's already come on very well since joining Saints. Thankfully, Boufal is getting his act together. A midfielder who can score. But we need a proven reliable striker. Someone to take the load off Charlie, who I realise is now out for 3-4 months.
Just been watching highlights here: http://www.fullmatchesandshows.com/2016/12/11/southampton-vs-middlesbrough-highlights-full-match/ Might watch the whole of the 2nd half later. Must say that Boufal's goal is superb. The ball rockets into the net, and the movement on it is something like 4-5 metres from where it started. Keeper absolutely rooted because of the swing. Fabulous goal.
I loved the taunts before half time, taking the mick because their lot kept shouting "handball", so the Northam chanted it everytime the ball went towards a Boro player!
Thought there was a Dusan documentary on ITV 2 , turned out it was a Jim Carey film, love the dog Milo in it, very much like my own mutt!.
In many ways today was much better than Thursday as a fan.... I didn't once get hit in the head by a paper aeroplane
Whilst I agree with not booing, I can understand why others did at half time today. If you've given up a lot of time and money to make the trip twice in a few days only to be rewarded with a fairly substandard performance then you're entitled to be disgruntled about it. I wouldn't mind if you knew the players weren't that good (e.g. in the 2007-2009 period, I made the weekly train journeys fully knowing I might see a load of rubbish!) - but it's when you know the players could produce so much better. Not defending the boos, but acknowleding why they happen
One team has scored less goals than us in the premier league this season.... Middlesboro.. Good result today.
