Match Day Thread Saints v Watford (FA CUP) Sat 27/1/2018 3pm

Nice to win hopefully get a bit of momentum going into Wednesday.

 

Wouldnt say he is that bad!

 

I was at the game and we had control of the game. After he made that sub we sat back and invited pressure. Yet again. He just doesn't learn.

 

Mine too...

 

Well, mostly I am okay with it because it was an FA Cup match. The result had very little direct significance but was hugely important as a building block.

The most important thing by far out of that match was to get 3 points. Which we got, so everything else is a bit secondary. How bad would it have been to throw away a win in the second half yet again? So I can understand why he did it.

The other thing is, we are going to have to learn to park the bus to survive. We do not have a “we’ll score one more” team. Nor are we dominant to the extent where we can just totally control the game for 90+ minutes.

If we cannot hold a 1-0 lead at home against Watford in a semi-defensive posture, we are going down. We will have to learn how to hold a slim lead or maintain a draw sooner or later. Or really just sooner, tbh.

I have faith in our defense and feel like this could be a learning experience and confidence booster for them.

Like most though, I disagreed with the moves as a matter of pure tactics. I understand what you guys are saying. In a normal match, I would be more critical, I think.

But we just are not that good. Every point is probably going to come ugly and by the skin of our teeth. So I am trying not to pick apart the decisions as long as we get the points.

 

Momentum is key right now, and then just take each game as it comes.

 

If you want a striker that adds no goal threat and waste's your best chances then he is ideal!

Cant finish, cant cross, cant hold it up, not a threat from set pieces, wasteful...

I quite like him but just dont rate him.

 

Momentum is key. And we lost all of it after that sub.

 

Apart from putting us into the last 16 of the worlds oldest knockout competition you mean

 

Well we are on our hottest win streak of the season I believe so can go into the game full of confidence.

I won't though and fully expect us to lose, but hey that's just the way I am

 

I wonder how people would have reacted if we had kept the same, pushed forwards and got done on the break.

 

But maintained it after the win.


Just remembered why you're so upset, you wanted us out of this competition right?

 

Er, can I just point something out which may have escaped your attention...

 

What, one?

 

I was so annoyed with the bit I bolded I stopped reading and didn’t get that far

 

Really not that bad - ridiculous to call that pathetic.

He made a defensive substitution to keep a clean sheet and we did just that. What would you be saying if he left it as is and they scored on the counter?

He has made plenty of mistakes but did well today, got an early goal and then saw the game out. I think many fans, like yourself, have got it in their head that he isnt good enough and now criticise every single thing he does.

My view is that it looks like we are sticking with him so get behind him and try and offer encouragement!!! We dominated and got a win - that's something to build on ahead of wednesday.

 

Not sure that is the case.

We have conceded too many late goals and generally played poorly in the second half. But I do not think it is a result of going into a defensive posture.

It’s mostly just sucking. Bad marking, bad mistakes, and sure— maybe a failure to respond to other teams growing into the game or making subs.

I’m not going to argue we haven’t consistently done the wrong thing. But that wrong thing is not parking the bus every game. We’ve managed to throw away points in a variety of ways!

 

That’s ok as long as the ref only plays 95 minutes, we’ll get a draw and stuff them in a replay

 

You know, Pellegrino is also in charge for the 80 minutes where we are playing well and cruising. He doesn't just take charge for the final 10 minutes of the game.

 

I might make it this time too!