Ratings.

Forster - 6 - As much as I love to bash him the goal wasn't his fault (took a deflection). Made some decent stops but I felt he could have held on to more.

Clyne - 5 - Did nothing today. Couldn't get forward enough and wasn't brilliant in defence.
Alderweireld - 6 - Did ok. Missed a couple of headers (although hopefully that was down to Forster's shouts).
Fonte - 6 - Did alright as well, didn't pass out enough.
Betrand - 6 - Got forward slightly more than Clyne but failed to close down Trippier quickly enough (but I'm mainly blaming Mane for that).

Wanyama - 4 - His worst game of the season so far. Sloppy in possession and didn't break up play well enough.
Davis - 6 - Did what he could but wasn't brilliant.
Ward-Prowse - 7 - Probably the best of a bad bunch. Played some decent stuff.

Tadic - 5 - He's much worse on the right, he loses a yard from having to cut in every time. Not a dreadful penalty but he didn't score.
Mane - 4 - Poor again today. Made decent runs but was **** with the ball and offered nothing to stop Trippier's runs forward.
Pelle - 6 - Won a lot in the air today but that's about it. Stupid yellow at the end.

 

Bertrand was our best player, and Davis was bright second half, other than that, very poor. Wanyama faded as the game went on, and Mane was really dreadful all game.

 

I think/hope you mean 'right'.

 

**** yeah sorry. Had his left foot in my brain as I typed. I'll edit it.

 

Forster - 7

Clyne - 6
Fonte - 6
Alderweireld - 6
Bertrand - 7

Wanyama - 5
Davis - 6
Hesketh - 7

Tadić - 6
Pellè - 6
Mané - 4


Ward-Prowse - 6
Long - 6

 

Tadic looks like a different player on the left compared to the right. He's more comfortable crossing and passing from the left side. He's more comfortable defending on the left too. We need to go with Tadic on the left and Long on the right from the start in the next league game. Bertrand is most effective with Tadic infront of him. Clyne seems most effective with Long infront of him. Seems a no brainer to me.

I thought Bertrand was our best player. The key moment was the missed penalty, which he won with a good bit of skill. Wanyama and Fonte missed big chances. As did Tadic, of course. Definitely a game to forget.

Forster 6
Clyne 6
Fonte 6
Alderweireld 6
Bertrand 7
Wanyama 5
Davis 6
Ward-Prowse 6
Mane 5
Tadic 5
Pelle 6

 

Pretty much agree with your ratings and assessment.

 

Forster - 6 Didn't have a lot to do. Kicking wasn't great
Clyne - 6 Didn't get forward
Toby - 5 Gave the ball away in a dangerous position
Fonte - 4 Gave Ings bags of room all game
Bertrand - 5 Didn't get forward. Let Trippier have as much time to cross as he fancied. Would be a 4 but won a pen
Wanyama - 5 Missed great chance at the death
Davis - 6 Not bad, didn't do enough to create chances
Mane - 6.5 Really our best attacking outlet. Has real pace and makes a nuisance of himself. If it wasn't for his penchant for getting booked every single game, I'm sure he wouldn't have been taken off.
Tadic - 3 Awful. Not an inside out winger at all. Missed pen
JWP - 6.5 So glad he's fit again
Pelle - 5 Loads of flicks and knock downs... No one on the end of them though. Should have squared to JWP when put through by Tadic

Kind of game Long would gave done well in, disappointed he wasn't brought on earlier.

 

I suppose if there is a positive to come out todays game it was the 20 or so, minutes of Jake Hesketh? Thought he looked comfortable on the ball and put himself about a bit, liked the passion when he came off as well. He's maybe a bit lightweight, but I remember thinking the same about JWP?

 

Good to see him start to break into the squad. Now I just want Sims and McCarthy to get a chance.

 

Anyone else glad pelle got the yellow means he misses Sheffield game and doesn't have to tread on egg shells for upcoming prem games

 

Pelle isn't scoring too freely at the moment, so it may not make too much difference to the Sheffield United game. Hopefully, a small rest may prepare him for the next PL game.

 

Yep! If we can't beat Sheffield United without Pelle, we don't deserve to go through.

 

I think we will need some people...perhaps eleven.

 

Autocorrect!

 

Love autocorrect...has a wicked sense of humour

 

The naivity of the "If we can't beat Sheffield United....." is something I hope is left in the stands with the fans and not with the management/players. I am concerned we will be playing our first game of the season without Pelle in such an important game. This doesn't not mean I think he is invincible/brilliant or all or nothing for us, just that we have not had to play one game without him or a big striker. This means that the whole team will have to adjust our style or at least have one option taken out. We won't get a few minutes at the start of the game to "feel or way" into a different style as Sheff Utd will be bursting to chase everything.

This game is and always had been, our biggest game in December. Anyone taking Sheff Utd lightly could be in for a rude awakening.

League One Saints 2 Premier League Blackpool 0

 

Stop making mistakes and take our chances.

 

Ah, we do have a rocket scientist in our midst

 

Yea Mane is really poor. So eccentric, I don't think he knows what he's gonna do, let alone his teammates. Look, Long was very poor against MU, but he works hard and will do better than Mane. Defenders hate him. Stick him in and drop Mane. Give him last 15 mins and see if he comes on and does something. That's my advice.