All Fonte seemed to be doing in the first 20 mins was covering Harding. Why on earth Derby then switched Tyson over to Fox and Hooiveld's side, I've no idea. That said, as poor as Harding was, he was never, ever a 2. Better than that.
Yeah,I've notice this before when I've had a chance to watch us play (on TV) and they always give Harding a good rating and Morgan a low one. I think they just watch where the ball goes and if we score or not.
I actually wrote 4 to start with to not be too harsh to him and then thought well how can I even justify a 4 when he needlessly put a ton of pressure on the centre backs all game who played out of their skin to make up for it. It actually amazed me how Fonte yet again bailed Harding out in the last 5 minutes, how he still had legs left to practically play 2 positions is beyond me ..lol
I can not believe you give harding a 2 and say this about him. He had a good solid game. We kept a clean sheet and you give one of our defenders a 2. Guly has had much worse games than this for example against west ham. I just find it unbelievable that you could consider giving anyone below a 7 for that game. the only one i can agree with being below 7 is Sharp. He wasn't at his best but deserved a 6.
this and the fact harding was out of position and on his weaker foot, so cut him a little slack (not you evolution!) the back 4 kept a clean sheet, they all did their job so stop moaning, it isn't needed
I thought giving him a 5 would be seen as harsh. Turns out I was wrong. (And in all seriousness, I don't actually think he was a 5.)
the argument of being out of his regular position and on his weaker foot is invalid. he was getting caught out of position which would of been the same issue if he was playing left back. nothing to due with weaker foot.
Some people are blinded by their favorites and hate certain players not matter what (Guly seems to be the main one. He can play bad and some score him high still. Others will score him low even when he plays great). They are all Southampton players and we should want them all to do well and rate them fairly. I wanted Harding to play well of course because I wanted the team to win and keep a clean sheet, but he had a horror show. The worrying part was even the basics like positioning and staying goal side of the player he was marking he didn't do. I'm not going to score him higher just because I feel sorry for him! I think central area of the pitch is one many don't understand and many never will concerning Morgan and Cork as well. Also I can't see how Harding is a better option than Martin and Fonte at RB and CB (They can decide between them who plays where, my guess is Fonte is probably the best bet for RB.. possibly faster and more comfortable in possession). That would look way more solid.
Right back or Left back makes no difference in this case. I think you need to realize Harding showed a complete lack of understanding of the basics of defensive positioning today. We'd have looked more solid with me playing there when I was literally 8 or 9, let alone at my current age. At least I'd have known to stay in position. At times it was like playing with 10, Harding was away with the fairies LOL. It took one diagonal 50 yard ball to create danger, this happened more than 2 or 3 times which would have been excusable... It happened tons of times all game! It's completely unnecessary to pressure the defence like this. And Fonte in particular covered extremely well. At times he couldn't get across in time to bail out Harding we can be thankful Derby's final ball was abysmal today
i agreed with everything you said until the last bit about playing fonte as right back. our full backs are integral to our attacking play as we rely on them for overlaps and putting crosses in the box. fonte at right back i imagine would be a more defensively sound option but then we would suffer on the attack as a result. when richardson is injured like today then we have to sacrifice our defensive abilities with harding but going forward hes pretty good.
The fact that you put "lol" at the end of your post totally discredits your view in my opinion. I thought Harding was fine. Yes he got caught out of position at times but that's because he was attacking. The same thing happens with Frazer at times too. It's the risk you take by having attacking fullbacks and that's where it's the CB's job to cover. I simply don't understand your opinion on Harding and to label anyone who disagrees as having no knowledge of the game is arrogance in the extreme.
And you clearly hate Harding. Harding did not have a horror show. Fonte. No thanks, not at RB. Harding wasn't that bad, Nigel did not comment saying he was bad, he has full confidence in harding at RB. I just don't understand how you can slate a RB when we score 4 goals and don't concede any. You might have a decent augment if he had mucked up and we had conceded a goal. But guess what.... we didn't.
I meant when Richardson was injured. Richardson of course is the best option 100% of the time if fit. I would rather be more defensively sound then wide open. I actually think Fonte at RB would offer more in attack. Harding struggles in attack at RB being practically a one footed left footer.
Hoovield/Martin and Fonte bailed him out all game long. It was clear to see. And I don't hate Harding or any Saints player. No thanks to Harding at RB 100% of the time. Just to run a list of names I'd rather Fonte, Martin, Cork, Hammond, Chaplow or Morgan there over Harding. Seeing as I don't want to sacrifice the Cork/Morgan partnership that leaves the rest as options (only if Richardson is injured)
Just got back from the game we were excellent - as close to a perfect day as you can get - Saints hammer Derby, Lee scored his first Saints goal with a thunderbolt into the top corner, Cardiff thrashed at Ipwich, Pompey drop into bottom 3 and Birmingham have an extra game to play. Davis 7 Harding 7 Fonte 7 Hooiveld 7 Fox 9 MOTM Brilliant today, 3 assists Chaplow 8 Put a very good shift in and good on the ball Cork 7 Schneiderlin 7 Lallana 8 Quality, quality player - took his goal very well and Derby couldn't handle him Lambert 7 Sharp 6 Subs Lee 8 What a strike! Some really nice link up play as well. Martin 7 Puncheon 6
One footed he put in a great cross with his right foot today. Anyway i am pleased Nigel Adkins is our manager and not you, cause we would be playing fonte at RB and that just would not complement our attacking way.
