Match Day Thread Middlesbrough v Saints 13/05/17 3 pm

[- Doing The Lambert Walk]

Flying visit so a quick one from me... how did Jeremy Pied look today?

 

[ImpSaint]

Oriol lost the ball under no pressure a couple of times leading to very dangerous attacks. If Maya had done the same there's have been howls of anguish all round. Just saying...

Vin

Caceres did too yet people say he had a great game!! Is that all down to the great tackle he made after a mistake he himself made? Early on he passed it direct to their player and they got a chance from it. Then another he turned slowly and miscontrolled losing the ball. I must watch different games to others.

Although I do agree Pied. Looked great today. A right back that has more to his game than just bye-line or pass to Davis. He looks a prospect to me.


Agree on Jay (unfortunately) and Long. They are done. Clasie had a decent showing but he is no more than backup. Romeu will lose the ball when everything goes through him and the others rely on him so much in there. He is so often having to receive the ball under pressure and play it while under pressure that he will lose it occassionally. Need better midfielders around him than Clasie and Hjobjerg.

Not even going to get into Boufal. First season, new country, needs time to settle. Heard it before and we'll hear it again.

 

[Saints_Alive]

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.

I'm so happy that I don't have to listen to the away games on Solent anymore since we got promoted (you DO know that you can stream games live online don't you Ian?). To put not too fine a point on it Whispering Dave is a dinosaur, out of touch with the modern game and his catchphrase of "what they don't want to do now..." reminded me of the Harry Enfield character. I also found Blackmore very irritating and not very knowledgeable about of the tactics of football management.

 

[SAINTDON13]

Referee watch, Mr Taylor did his best to keep the game flowing, but missed some obvious yellow card offences, Friend was guilty of giving Long and JRod some physical abuse. Should Guzan have had a yellow or is the Penalty deemed enough punishment? Otherwise an OK game for the Officials.

 

[The Ides of March]

It's a personal thing, Puel can't express himself very well post match therefore he must be a **** coach is basically at the core of the discontent.

How many here understood the mutterings of Daglish or Ferguson when they gave their post match interviews, and English is their first language? Time to give Puel some leeway.

 

[Saints_Alive]

How many here understood the mutterings of Daglish or Ferguson when they gave their post match interviews, and English is their first language? Time to give Puel some leeway.

Totally agree Ides, just giving reasons for a lot of other fans perceptions of Puel.

 

[The Ides of March]

Just got in from a strange match. We should have been 3-0 up but were suddenly 2-1 and desperately trying to avoid 2-2. Was surprised to see the changes. Thought Pied was better than I expected and so was Caserces? after a coupon of dodgy moments. Pierre and Soufian were well off the pace. Pierre was better in the second half but either if them could have gone at half time. Now have to hope that Hull stay up.Can we please find a penalty taker

Will Huddersfield or Sheffield Wednesday be OK as a replacement?

 

[SAINTDON13]

I'm so happy that I don't have to listen to the away games on Solent anymore since we got promoted (you DO know that you can stream games live online don't you Ian?). To put not too fine a point on it Whispering Dave is a dinosaur, out of touch with the modern game and his catchphrase of "what they don't want to do now..." reminded me of the Harry Enfield character. I also found Blackmore very irritating and not very knowledgeable about of the tactics of football management.

To be honest when we have a live game I watch the TV with the Radio Solent Commentary, which tends to be slighty ahead of the action on the live coverage. The TV anti-Saints bias makes me very irritable and the Solent commentary is the lesser of two evils.

 

[St. Luigi Scrosoppi]

Well, I'm being me, me, me wanting Swansea to stay up, so there

As indeed does the lady I care about.

 

[VocalMinority]

Flying visit so a quick one from me... how did Jeremy Pied look today?

Solid, didn't put a foot wrong and can't think of anyone better to be MotM

 

[The Ides of March]

Difficult place to go, even though "Boro have been relegated so well done on the win Saints. Let's try and get 8th and maybe a place in the EL if United finish 5th or 6th and win the EL. If it happens I feel the club is better equipped to go further than previously and will be able to cope with the demands of both PL and EL. What "bugg*** things up are the International breaks and the League Cup, which other leagues don't have. Did it really do Manchester United any favours winning the competition? I don't think so and may well have cost them a place in the top 4 by pursuing such a dubious piece of silverware (a club of that stature should be aiming for the main dishes not the side plates)

 

[saintlyhero]

Difficult place to go, even though "Boro have been relegated so well done on the win Saints. Let's try and get 8th and maybe a place in the EL if United finish 5th or 6th and win the EL. If it happens I feel the club is better equipped to go further than previously and will be able to cope with the demands of both PL and EL. What "bugg*** things up are the International breaks and the League Cup, which other leagues don't have. Did it really do Manchester United any favours winning the competition? I don't think so and may well have cost them a place in the top 4 by pursuing such a dubious piece of silverware (a club of that stature should be aiming for the main dishes not the side plates)

Sorry Ides, but if United win the Europa and finish 5th then only two teams will go into next seasons Europa.

Basically only a maximum of seven English clubs can qualify for European football.
Usually 4 champions league, 3 Europa, but if United make 5 champions league teams for England, then we lose a Europa spot

 

[ChilcoSaint]

Difficult place to go, even though "Boro have been relegated so well done on the win Saints. Let's try and get 8th and maybe a place in the EL if United finish 5th or 6th and win the EL. If it happens I feel the club is better equipped to go further than previously and will be able to cope with the demands of both PL and EL. What "bugg*** things up are the International breaks and the League Cup, which other leagues don't have. Did it really do Manchester United any favours winning the competition? I don't think so and may well have cost them a place in the top 4 by pursuing such a dubious piece of silverware (a club of that stature should be aiming for the main dishes not the side plates)

We won't get a Europa place for 8th whatever United do.

 

[saintlyhero]

Another good performance from Clasie. Really feel he has been unfortunate not to feature more. Was having one of his best games against Liverpool in the semi before going off injured and then hardly featured until WBA with Romeu suspended. Scored the winner in another good display and then doesn't make the bench in some matches since.
Started the move for the opening goal today and always brings a good tempo to the passing. Not a player that holds on to the ball for too long

 

[Ronnie Hotdog (MLsfc)]

Caceres did too yet people say he had a great game!! Is that all down to the great tackle he made after a mistake he himself made? Early on he passed it direct to their player and they got a chance from it. Then another he turned slowly and miscontrolled losing the ball. I must watch different games to others.

Although I do agree Pied. Looked great today. A right back that has more to his game than just bye-line or pass to Davis. He looks a prospect to me.


Agree on Jay (unfortunately) and Long. They are done. Clasie had a decent showing but he is no more than backup. Romeu will lose the ball when everything goes through him and the others rely on him so much in there. He is so often having to receive the ball under pressure and play it while under pressure that he will lose it occassionally. Need better midfielders around him than Clasie and Hjobjerg.

Not even going to get into Boufal. First season, new country, needs time to settle. Heard it before and we'll hear it again.

Don't forget Höjbjerg is new to this league too and is only 21 years old. If we had produced him through our academy people would rave about him! He needs time, both to settle in and also grow as a footballer.

Despite my love for JWP as an academy player I'd say Höjbjerg has proven to be a similar level to him at 21 (last season). Give him time and I think he will be and very good player.

 

[The Ides of March]

Thank you for clearing up my misunderstanding. Oh, well lets try and get to 51 points and be nearer Everton than the team in 17th place!!

 

[fran-MLs little camera]

Not denying that I would have liked to be in Europe, but not sure it would have done us any good to be playing in the Europa qualifiers. Next season (without interruption from a WC or EC) gives Puel and the team a chance to have a good preseason with everyone back at the same time.

 

[Le Saint]

Another good performance from Clasie. Really feel he has been unfortunate not to feature more. Was having one of his best games against Liverpool in the semi before going off injured and then hardly featured until WBA with Romeu suspended. Scored the winner in another good display and then doesn't make the bench in some matches since.
Started the move for the opening goal today and always brings a good tempo to the passing. Not a player that holds on to the ball for too long

Agree with this. I've seen a lot of Clasie bashing in recent posts but I was pleased to see him in there to provide some real bite to back up Oriel yesterday. I think Clasie had been a slow burner but I'm getting increasingly disappointed when I see that he's not in the line up. Fair enough if we are really able to upgrade but no way should he be written off as no good.

 

[Ian Thumwood]

Having seen the two goals on MotD, the first effort was absolute quality. I wish we could produce these swift, incisive attacks more often but everything about that goal was perfection and the pass to Long and his subsequent cross were lessons in the fact that getting a ball in to the box quickly is likely to do more damage. Remond's effort was almost as good although ' Boro's defence went missing.

 

[OddRiverOakWizards]

Whilst there is a chance he could get in the team ahead of Cedric or Bertrand - I really can't see him being better than those two. Been two of our best performers this season. Bertrand we know is quality but Cedric has improved immensely.

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.

It would appear his finishing is back to what it was, unfortunately he is not as mobile as he once was which is why he doesn't fit our 4-2-3-1 formation. He has scored some good goals but we need someone with pace alongside him.