Having been at the game my ratings are: Boruc 5 - Solid handling of the ball but awful kicking - nearly handed Villa a goal on a plate. Clyne 5 - Ok at the back but no attacking threat until near the end. Did not take on the fullback once until about 80 minutes in. Kept checking back and passing backwards. Not good enough. Lovren 7 - Very solid today. Fonte 7 - Same as Lovren really. Shaw 8 - Very good performance, was a threat down the left hand side and defended well. Morgan - 7 Very neat and tidy from Morgan today. Wanyama 8 MOTM - Very impressed with Vic today. Was very strong in midfield and didn't give the ball away very much at all. One of his best games in a Saints shirt. JWP - 6 An ok performance Davis - 7 Thought he played well today. Linked up well with Lallana. Lallana - 6 Not one of his better days. Missed a sitter and wasn't as effective as usual. Lambert - 6 Again not great from Rickie. But without Rodriguez Lambert is sometimes lacking in support. Subs Gallagher 5 - Didn't make an impact in the 25 minutes he had Cork N/A Reed N/A
Boruc - 6 Clyne - 5 Fonte - 7 Lovren - 7 Shaw - 7/8 Wanyama - 8 Schneiderlin - 6/7 S. Davis - 5/6 Lallana - 5/6 JWP - 5/6 Lambert - 5/6 Gallagher - 5
Tom, as someone at the game, can you run by me the Shaw/Albrighton thing. I didn't see the game, but Shaw sounded good attacking, but Albrightin caused us lots of problems. You worded Shaw as having "defended well" Did Albrighton switch sides? I'm not digging, genuinely trying to understand how that worked out, not having seen the game.
Well Albrighton did get past Luke a few times (Luke got booked for hauling him down on one of those occasions). But from what I saw Luke did a good job pressing him and I don't think Albrighton caused us all sorts of problems. Sure there was a 10 minute spell in the second half where he looked very threatening but I thought Luke handled him well overall.
They highlighted Luke's display on MOTD, saying that he was the best performing player on the pitch. Also, when they reviewed his touches map, they added that he didn't have much defending to do, but what he did, he did well. Glossing over slightly, would you say..? I notice pundits tend to gloss over the details occasionally, once they've decided a player is good enough. Having seen only the MOTD highlights he did look good, but I'll see if I can find 90+ minutes from somewhere.
I've noticed this too, after ages where it seemed like our players were under-appreciated now it seems some of our players can do no wrong and there's been a few times where I've heard pundits waxing lyrical about one of our players and listing off strengths that they just don't have.
Watching the Football League show at present, and if I could single out a pundit who doesn't fall into that category, in my opinion, I would say it was Steve Claridge. He's a good, honest pundit, who seeks to explain his view completely. I wish the Beeb would allow him to ply his trade on MOTD on more than the isolated occasion. Whether he's right or wrong, he's actually worth listening to.
They switched sides in a way, but not the way you're thinking of. A couple of times Shaw got the ball and blew by Albrighton on the break. However, the break then got snuffed out so that left Albrighton all alone on the counter which gave him an opportunity. I'll also give Albrighton some credit for a few nice moves and putting in a couple good crosses. He was at some points of the game Villa's most threatening player but I wouldn't say he was running rampant or anything.
Boruc 6 - He misplayed a few kicks and that giveaway was bad. But while he didn't have to make any tough saves the game was at some point a bit open and I think Boruc's positioning and command of the area helped us. Clyne 6 - I thought he played well defensively. I also thought he made himself available as a target and helped keep the ball moving. It's true he didn't make any incisive bombing runs but I felt that was in part because he was waiting for help. He should have been more aggressive but overall he wasn't too bad. Lovren 7 - Usual good game. Fonte 7 - Not much to say here. I noticed Lovren a bit more, but between him and Fonte they got the job done well enough so I assume it was just random chance that a few more balls fell Lovren's way or maybe even that I just happened to notice it more. Shaw 7 - He got beaten a bit too easily by Albrighton a couple times. A couple of his passes/crosses lacked a bit of accuracy but it's hard to do when you're going full steam ahead and have to pass behind you or wait at the last minute because you don't have Rodriguez keeping pace with you. I have no complaints really, he played a good game. Just didn't quite feel like an "8" to me. Morgan - 7 Seemed a little lost at times, probably due to switch in midfield partner. Made a couple of decent runs and passes but in the end... well we didn't score. Wanyama 7 - I thought he had a good, solid game. It's weird. I generally feel like Cork plays well when he plays. And that Wanyama plays well when he plays. But I never feel like Cork is MOTM though he always gets votes. Similarly I didn't feel like Wanyama was MOTM today. Probably no one was MOTM worthy. JWP - 6 Why do we take short corners when JWP's so good at them? He was alright. Didn't get involved in the game enough but when he did have the ball he did little wrong. Davis - 6.5 Usual good but somewhat anonymous game from Davis. I suppose he's really a 6, but I'm giving him a .5 bonus for being the best out of the attacker-y midfield today, and the one I felt could have done more (and gotten a better score) but didn't get enough support from JWP and Lallana. Lallana - 6 Didn't hold possession as well as usual. Lambert - 6 Couldn't get upfield fast enough on some of those Shaw runs. Really should have done better with the early chances. But he did those Lambert-y subtle things like drop back and help run the offense instead of just looking to score.
The one occasion when Clyne did break down the right flank he won a penalty which for some reason wasn't given, the potential is there but not used enough. As far as Artur was concerned his poor clearances were mostly down to not having an outlet so it was hit and hope which went badly wrong.
Yeah I've noticed this myself. Now that we're the hip team to like, the world and its dog seems to be overrating everything about us. The majority of our fans have been doing that for years anyway, but at least it's acceptable to be biased towards your own team.
Based on Motd highlights - shaw 9, wanyama 8, Lambert 2, everyone else 6. Ive got a ticket for the man u game so I'll review that one, but i apologise for not being able to bring you my usual insight and post match ratings until next season.
I sometimes confuse Lovren and Fonte because they are both dark, but I think it is also because Fonte has changed his style as he does that fast run and beautifully timed tackle associated with Lovren. Whether he has become more courageous with Lovren as a partner or Mauricio has had an affect on him, I'm not sure. Fonte was always good for us in the lower leagues, but he has now found something extra.
I don't confuse them, because they move differently, but I know what you mean. At one point, Jose ran across Agbonlahor and excellently slid the ball away from him, within the penalty area. Dejan could have done no better.
playing 4 midfielders really isolates Lallana and Rickie. Alot of times Lallana was level with Vic as he was searching for the ball and if Rickie did get the ball the nearest saints player was 20m awayand he had both centre backs to deal with. Shaw was often faced with 2 players, yet he showed what pure speed can achieve. For a while all our best work came down the right with Clynne and Punch, but its clearly Shaw and JRod on the left that pose all our threats now. I hope for the next game we lose 1 midfielder and play a young wideplayer as Everton play with alot of width and Shaw will just have to concentrate on defence
There's been a fair few occasions this season when I've applauded Lovren for a well timed sliding tackle of what my dad would call the "****-or-bust" variety, only to see Fonte stand up and walk away. I think he's added that to his game this season.
Yes, I've thought this for a while and yesterday confirmed it. He was our best attacking player yesterday, not bad for a left back!
