We had 17 shots and 67% possession. The finishing was terrible -- we had chance after chance off crosses, but no one (Lambert in particular) seemed capable of getting an uncontested header on target -- but there's really no arguing that Sunderland was decidedly second best in that match.
We didn't turn up until after the hour mark yesterday, hence why should have won. Mind, towards the end of the game if you had to say who was most likely to win, it wasn't Southampton. The game should have been over by them though.
If Boruc wasn't the most ridiculous keeper in the league, then maybe you'd win some more Is Kelvin your actual main keeper? Anyway, I was comparing our team with those around us, and when it came to Southampton, had to say the line up would be something like; Krul Debuchy Lovren Colo Shaw Ward-Prowse Cabaye Tiote Llalana Remy Lambert Subs: Davis (gk) Haidara Fonte Davis Cork Ben Arfa Rodriguez What do you think? Looks like a decent side to me
Yeah and Swansea often dominate possession but they don't do much with it. You didn't create enough to deserve the win. We didn't defend badly enough to lose that game.
We've stepped up a level. Next up is learning to deal with scrappy, physical teams and upping quality of our squad players. Clubs above us are all better/have better than us at those parts.
You're not far off being a quality side. You have certailnyl been very classy this season. You have paid a fair bit for it mind.
You did defend badly enough to lose it; with ten men behind the ball, we still managed to get far too many opportunities in the box, which were spurned. At the time, quite a few here compared it to a rather infamous game against Leeds in our Championship season. Ran out 1-0 winners at Elland Road because Kelvin Davis stood on his head, but Leeds also managed to miss an almost unthinkable tally of good chances. You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who ascribed that clean sheet to stout defending, and it strains credulity to think that driving open headers into the turf or the stands from ten yards was the product of good defensive work. Even your own fans classed it as exceedingly lucky that you came away with a point.
Kelvin Davis is a decent, experienced backup keeper. Boruc is generally top class and that's not just fan bias - David James and McManaman on BT yesterday had him down as in the top 3 keepers in the Premier League. As a fan of another club you won't see a lot of the good stuff he does - making saves that Davis couldn't, claiming crosses and generally dominating his penalty area. You will of course see the occasional ridiculous howler that he's prone to.
As much as we love Ward-Prowse on here, and as quality as he is, I doubt a single one of us would pick him over Schneiderlin. And even more so, picking Davis and Cork over Schneiderlin on the bench. In my opinion, he's the second best CM that the two of us possess, after Cabaye. Also, on current form, Rodriguez starts over Lambert every time. And on any form, Boruc is light years ahead of Davis (Kelvin is most certainly not our 'actual' keeper!).
Davis' kicking is 10 times better than Boruc's though. Boruc is a typical Saints style keeper I think, in the style of Beasent or Grobbular (ie slightly dodgy). He also looked a little slow and fat yesterday. It's annoying when you think a side like Stoke have three good keepers, we barely have one. Let's sign a world class keeper before next season please, whoever is in charge.
The reason I picked Ward-Prowse is because I think he's a better option out wide right in my 4-5-1, and the reason I picked Davis and Cork over Schneiderlin is because I thought they were key to your game yesterday, neat and tidy players linking the play magnificently, but I bow your superior judgement. I'm sorry, not one of you will ever convince me Boruc is a decent keeper, so he's not getting anywhere near the team. K Davis or Elliot, pick your poison I do like Wanyama, a lot actually. I thought he was a great buy, but he's not as good as Tiote as a DM. Tiote regularly covers the most distance of all players on the pitch every game, wins the most challenges, and commits the most professional fouls to halt the opposition. When Wanyama has played as well, for as long as Tiote has, then he might make the team.
Think we deserved to lose to Norwich because our attack was shocking. Deserved a point against Spurs as we were really good in the first 30 minutes and let in soft goals.
