I do know where you're coming from with your reaction. There's a tiny part of me which is disappointed that Saints didn't win, simply because this team is so good, and presently ManU are vulnerable because they are in transition. However, I think the result will settle in our minds and we'll realise that this was a really good result. Picked up an Away point, could have been three. Got to be pleased with that.
I don't really know how anyone can feel disappointed after a late equaliser against the premier league champions! No, European citizens cannot be compelled to leave Britain, and are entitled to unemployment benefit. But that's a pretty unlikely scenario in his case!
Just made the point on Sky that the team have belief in the system, but there will be days when we struggle, such as at home against sides who don't want to play. Mauricio made the same point a few days ago: his system will not always work, but it is the way we play. Another good point was can we keep it up as fixtures pile up at Xmas. We need to get the points on the board as we are doing now...that will help us get through a difficult time. Top 6 is a possibility, definitely top 8.
9 points, that could well make us top after 11 games! I think we will drop points but certainly on paper those are all winable games considering we have taken 4 points from visits to Anfield and Old Trafford. just had to read that again.... 4 points from visits to Anfield and Old Trafford. WOW!!
Sorry I started the Spider link. Was only being light headed because of the late draw. Seem to have released the inner lawyer in some people.
I too was slightly surprised at Poch's selection, but I'm certainly not going to second guess him. All I can imagine Poch did was that he was able to work with Rodriguez for the entire fortnight, regarding his role against ManU. Poch did an Adkins and brought Rickie on as an impact sub. The result was an eventual goal. Can't argue with that.
We are a team that most teams won't want to play. They may feel they know how to disrupt us, but the point is that we are now a team that others have to work out how to beat.
Rodriguez wasn't great, but I don't think it ended up mattering that much. It was that Osvaldo played a stinker. We matched Man U on all areas of the pitch, but Osvaldo was poor. If he plays a better game, we might have won. But, it happens. I've been reserving judgment on Moyes, but I think you really have to question his substitutions today. It was an even game, and you expect Van Persie and Rooney to provide the cutting edge. If he'd not messed with the side I think Man U might well have gotten the second, or at least kept us on our heels enough to hold out. But by going what I think was intended to be defensive, but really just stupid he let us back in the game. And if you give a hard-working, attacking team enough possession and chances, you leave yourself vulnerable to a sloppy goal. If anything, he should have put Keigawa in to help the attack and create more chances for Van Persie to put the game away.
Lallana is now claiming the goal - as seen on BBC, he did get a deflection but Lovrens run in the box to lose his defender made the goal
24 points from our first 11 games. Sounds far too good to be true. And yet, as you say, each one of these next three fixtures is very winnable.
Not all though, Jay Rodriguez's father being one, Radhi Jaidi another (though he does have a British passport), and many other retired footballers still reside in the UK. But in his case I'm not aware of anything tying him down, though he is still young enough to start a family here or something, of course. Sheesh, you answer someone's question and this is the thanks you get!
That even 21 from 11 is very much within reach is surreal. Not that it'd be the target at that point, but you could then get a point a game for the remainder of the year and still likely finish in the top half.
Moyes claiming they were the better team and should have easily closed the game out. Delusion at it's very finest just there.....
4th vs mid table. Well worth 4th place too, not there by luck. We won at Anfield. Four clean sheets in a row. Three wins in a row and we were the better team at Old Trafford last season. I'd love to know how it was naive to expect a point. I was proved right. We were the better side and got a point despite, in my opinion, making a mistake by not starting with Lambert. You are plain wrong that it was naive. I'm bored of your negativity and defeatist attitude.
That's an interesting analysis. I'd be a little more lenient on Moyes personally, he has every right to think the players he has on the pitch can hold onto that lead, and he can feel aggrieved at the goal, coming from a set piece (great delivery by JWP though). The substitutions were probably necessary, Rooney's played a lot during the international break and will be needed as they have a lot of fixtures coming up with European commitments and so on, though as you say they were very defensive-minded and he will draw criticism for that considering they didn't manage to hold on. Kagawa seems to be their Ramirez! He's a brilliant player and should certainly be getting more game time. Well, he's right. On paper they should win that game, especially given a lead.
