The only decent post on here is from Godders. I just got home. I'm not happy as this was the worst performance I've seen this season, but talk about over reaction. The crowd at the game were as bad and gave up on the team far too early. Get some perspective. We had a team missing 5 who would be considered first choice and those that played mostly were below par. Leicester worked hard and despite the abuse he took, Nugent showed what good player he is with his goal. I hope that Fonte, Lambert, Chaplow and Lallana are back very soon. Then we'll be ok. Cardiff will be tough, but this might be the kick up the backside we need. Our target was top 10 in Jan. We'll have bettered that and still be in a position to move forward. This is still a better season than I was expecting, so don't go shooting them all down flippantly. **** happens.
First post I have seen of yours my friend but am in complete agreement! Too old, too slow, weak and generally poor!
You cannot buy enthusiasm and support, it has to be earned, tonight nobody earned anything, but the crowds response didn't deserve anything either, like a lot of posters on here, behaving like a bunch of spoilt brats that throw their toys out of the pram when they don't get what they want, thats not a Premier class audience, we clearly have a lot to learn.
Harding was woeful, even worse on the right than he usually is on the left. Think it's unfair to criticise Connolly as he clearly is a good player though his attempt on goal early on after Mills made an error was embarrassing and set the tone for the night. Didn't really notice Hammond, which I suppose isn't a good thing. Martin was pretty bad tonight, but he has had quite a few good games recently and he is relatively young. Beckford, Nugent and Danns have been about and Martin was up against it really. I agree he should have played better, but the worst CB Saints have ever had? Come on. Guly was useless once again, I don't know how anyone can justify his selection. I've said it once and I'll say it again; worst touch I've ever seen on a Brazilian, and the lad is just a walking disaster. His 'good games' consist of him playing ****e for 85 minutes and then scoring a rebound due to just about being at the right place at the right time. I can honestly say I wouldn't be sorry to see him go, he is infuriatingly bad. I've never seen him play a good game when I go to St. Mary's (the away games it's pretty much a given that he's going to have a shocker), maybe I have some sort of hoodoo on the guy but I am just sick of his terrible performances.
Bit harsh from post 1 TBH. Complaining about Harding is a bit off. He is following orders from the bpss just as the others. It isn't helped by the fact that for some reason over the last month or 2 Adkins has phased in the 'hoof' more and more. which is why Lambert is now such a loss to us. Fox is the worst offender. I can't see the point in Davis passing it square to Fox to hoof it. May as well hoof it himself and wave Fox forward.............to whom? Connoly? Guly? As for Martin and Hooiveld they were both shocking. Hooiveld was bad against Forest too however he made some blocks which is maybe why some people said he did well. Bothe games he made some good tackles and blocks.......after his own mistake had given him need to make said tackle or block. As for Martin and Hooiveld's positioning. I noticed that at times it looked as if we were playing with a back 3 tonight. The whole of the first half in particular. Didn't help to see Adkins shouting at the defence to push up though. He was urging them to move up, Harding and Marting followed orders, Hooiveld and Fox ignored them and that caused us problems. For me Nigel needs to step back and look at videos of all the matches since December. Needs to see that we have become over that period precisely what Poyet described us as last season (when we weren't a hoof ball, one man show) and do something about it before it is too late. I trust him though so I am sure he will see. Ohh and I was incredibly embarrassed to hear fans of the team that have led the division for 4 months and still sit second booing their team off at half time. VERY EMBARRASSED!!!
Don't agree with this. Harding was not following orders unless Adkins gave him the order of "Give Dyer and Nugent, two speed threats, as much time as they want, let them cut inside, and don't forget to keep drifting out of position". Fox is also far from a look and hoof player - he likes playing the long ball but certainly doesn't blindly whack it forward like you suggest - and even if he does, that is FAR more acting on orders than Harding's ineptitude tonight. You're very harsh on Hooiveld as well - if you watched closely (I did, to evaluate Martin) he had little choice but to abandon traditional positioning to cover for Martin being out of position (where he is all too often...). He saved us a few good chances with fantastic blocks tonight and covered very well for gaps being left by Martin. Made a few mistakes by not clearing the ball properly, granted, but I can't fault his performance at all.
don't get me wrong I like Hooiveld and do rate him however have read people saying he was great against forest and tonight when both matches he was rectifying his own mistakes. Wihat I was trying to say was that Adkins kept telling (waving) the defense to move forward. Only Harding and Martin did while Fox and Hooiveld didn't. That meant we had no back 4 line. It was a massive gap through the centre. We should be blaming Adkins and not Martin/Harding for that. Both goals came from this!!! although the second inadvertantly. With the hoof. I admit Fox doesn't just look up and hoof. He doesn't look up. He just hoofs it. As do many at the moment. Where's the passing midfield gone? where was HAMmond? Mostly watching the ball fly over their heads to.............Guly that renouned target man? Come, the guy is not a striker. I am a big Guly fan but he is a stand in CF and not a target man. My main statement..........Stop hoofing the damn ball. Get back to playing football and Adkins..Choose between Schneiderlin and Hammon. Not both in the same 11. If necessary should've used De Ridder in there (although I'd rather sell him off to these 'big' clubs who were supposedly after him. Always the same with him. Good goal against Reading however every game. Beats one, beats 2, should pass......no lets try 3..........1 too many. Woudl much rather put Guly back on the right, Try out a youngster up front with Connoly until Lee is ready???? and if fit enough Richardson should've started instead of having a left back playing on the right.
I can't help but feel the moment st brendy gets here, he'll be giving one big (deserved) "Told you so" on Harding!
i want to apologise for my way over the top reactions last night - emotions were running high but there is no excuse for my behaviour last night and hope that my opinion is still valued on this forum (i know it wasnt anyway but yeah) so again apologies to anyone i offended with how i behaved last night - although i am not apologising to one certain poster, i am apologising in how i spoke and acted and am apologising to the wider forum
We have not become a bad side just like that but defeats have obviously affected confidence and we are into a slump some players who were v good now look unsure and we are wobbling. Thought Hoiveld and Fox did okay but all others were average to poor.We are missing some top players at present none more so than the combative and enthusiastic C haplow who was outstanding before his injury we just have to stay in the race now and work at regaining confidence and some consistency when some of those players return.
Guly is not great! It took him 75 minutes to control a pass and I'm not sure if he managed to complete a pass! Looked better at the end when he started playing on the shoulder of the last man though. The only thing I enjoyed about last nights game was Fox's set pieces and Schneiderlin's diagonal passing.
The game was crying out for Lambert. Leicester pressed us very high and forced is into longer balls that Guly and Connolly were never going to win. No one had a good game, but Martin and Harding were particularly bad. Fox's strategy of launching the ball into Leicester's half proved preferable to trying to play out and giving the ball away. Falque had some good touches, but never really asserted himself on the game in the place of Lallana. Still think we can get back to the top when key players return, but performances need to be a lot better than that.
Never thought I would say this.... I agree with Joey B on his original post, I thought he came on here to get a reaction from all of his previous comments however he pinpointed the 4 most guilty culprits for a poor performance! It was hard to pick a man of the match last night, jos did ok and I also thought Morgan tried to play football! I think Adkins has to take a massive share of the blame for last night, it wasn't losing 2-0 but we lost 2-0 and were absolutely owned by leicester last night and thought maybe 2-0 flattered us! he played Harding right back with Richardson fit? De ridder should have started and introduced falque if required, I actually thought de ridder did ok when he came on! We have seen a bad patch the last 8-9 games, however last night highlighted a few problems and not only I think a few are now questioning a few of Adkins tactics but also it was obvious that with the 4 injuries - 5 if you now include Jos, we have a serious lack of quality and depth in our squad! I don't want panic buys, but we should have money there and I would really like the club to show the ambition to match the achievement we have made so far this season and make a committed push for the premier league! I think it needs 3 or 4 quality signings! I feel we shouldn't take this 2nd spot for granted as it's extremely difficult to get there! What does everyone else think?
I thought Deano was one of our best players last night and couldn't understand why Adkins took him off. Thought Cork had a shocker and should have been taken off. I knowHarding had a good game at Notts but why play him at rightback instead of Richardson I will never know.
