Jay Rod offers something to the team, shame he doesn't get in the team more often. Don't want him to leave, always been my fav player since we signed him.
He produces more than Boufal at the moment. Like someone else said, in a five aside game Boufal is better, but in a proper match he looks lost.
Was impressed with pied and Cáceres today considering the lenght of time they have been out.good games for both. As an aside,i have noticed that virgil and bertrand seldom post anything saints related on social media anymore.even after a win
I haven't seen that. I could probably make a 15 minute video of his misplaced passes in the last couple of matches, but i really couldn't be that bothered. He was ok defensively, but his passing was nowhere near the level it was earlier in the season.
He has put a few passes astray in the last couple of games.to be fair to him a large chunk of those misplaced passes have come when he has very little space and has to turn and pass the ball almost at the same time.but yeah,there has been a couple that he has misplaced under little or no pressure.great player tho.just a slight dip
Hmm, Sweden entry was a bit cool. A wee bit like the much missed Robert Palmer but without the class.
Of the four remaining league games this season, I think this was the one that we would have been crucified had we not won even though Middlesbrough had nothing to lay for. Flicking through the posts there doesn't seem to have been enough made regarding the second half substitutions . In recent matches, Claude Puel's changes have appeared to have the opposite effect of their intention and have made Southampton less effective. Today's changes deserve credit as really good decisions as they changed the direction of the match. They proved to be exactly what was required. It was quite interesting to see the line up. Good to see that Pied has had a good game and that Classie has had an opportunity to shine too. I was a bit surprised that Boufal did not get a full game. Whenever I have seen him at St Mary's he clearly has an abundance of skill yet most of the games seem to pass him by. For a record signing, you would gave expected him to have been able to adapt quickly to the English game. A lot has been made of him being one for next season on this board but for the money expended I think the fans cannot be criticised for expecting an immediate impact. I find Merrington's commentaries to be tinged with a large dollop of bitterness and find Blackmore is far more balanced in his judgements. By all accounts both teams were woeful in the first half but the second period was more illustrative of Puel's ability to cut it at this level. Had the penalty been converted, I think a 3-1 win would have taken a massive amount of pressure away from the Frenchman. Merrington's comment that the performance was the worst since Hull seemed excessive. Shed of the players not receptive to Puel's coaching, I wonder if this performance was more indicative of what his philosophy was about. (i.e. Grinding out an away win as opposed to playing for a draw as was the case at Liverpool.) Players like Pied have obviously responded this afternoon and I wonder how much today's selection reflected the players who were "on board" with Puel and the overdue dropping of Tadic any indication as to who might be out of the door in the summer. I am resigned to VVD and Bertrand going but I think that if he is retained, Puel will off load a good few other names who have not been receptive to his coaching. Today's result today again illustrate that we play better away from home as a rule. Whilst the performances this season have not be entertaining, I think Puel called it spot on against Middlesbrough. I don't think that anything can be read in to this performance other than three well-deserved points.
Just watched the highlights, two very good goals indeed. I am convinced that the corner they scored from, should have been a goal kick, they said the ball hit Pied, not much evidence of that on the bit of a blurred replay on screen. It looked as if Bamford scored despite being fouled by Bertie? Not that Friend who won the corner should have been on the pitch after a couple of nasty challenges in my biased opinion
Just watched highlights on Sky match choice....said Redmond was one on the move. He's been here 5 mins....of course he's not leaving.
Fair post Ian. I can't agree with the Boufal remark though. "Record signing" should have no bearing on whether fans are criticised for expecting him to settle quickly or not. Sorry but anyone not allowing for the fact he arrived and was injured for 6 months prior to being available, truly has no understanding of fitness requirements.
Yep agreed and the Arsenal win tonight should assist us marginally by MU being a bit more on back foot, assuming they don't win at Spuds?
My judgement of Boufal will come no sooner than the end of next season. Give him time. If, at the end of next season, he is useless then complain and moan etc and we will sell him or loan him out. Until then give the lad a chance!
From the highlights Sophie barely got a mention, he may have been working hard off the ball, I guess this was not the sort of game he would shine in, he took a free kick which hit the wall, my view is that as he ran up to take it, three Boro players broke forward and were well within ten yards when he struck it.
