Unrelated but may be of interest. Sales for Leicester over 30K mark, so Saints have opened another block for sale.
If the front three continue this form for some time to come, then we can absolutely match last season. History to date shows that they wont, but then that it just one season. Maybe Pelle and Tadic wont fade this season like they did last season. Pelle in particular has been superb for three league games in a row now. Although whereas Pelle pipped Mane to my MOTM against Utd, I think this time it's Mane who pips Pelle for me. (Fonte, Davis and Pelle. All were very good, and I could not fault any of them. More of the same please, from all three of you)
Still buzzing from a great result and more importantly performance. Yes it was nice to win at old Trafford last season, but there is nothing like a convincing performance. We talk about Pelle a lot on here, but we have the opportunity to emphasise the positives. So what do people think has made the difference in the last few matches? Is it his individual level or are the team giving him better service?
Personally, I think Ron had a word after the West Brom game. He was excellent in the first half against Utd, excellent for the whole game against Swansea and simply superb against Chelsea. More and more his link up play has been simpler, yet looking better. Awesome stuff. I also think that it is no coincidence that it has happened as VvD has arrived. He gives us a calmness at the back which allows for measured balls out from the back.
Neil Warnock (on Goals on Sunday) said that Pelle, Mane and Tadic are up there with the best in the EPL....said Chelsea had no idea what we were going to do. Especially praised Mane...labelling him a handful.
José is just doing what he always does. Making those obviously risible comments about the penalty shout has ensured that he continues to pressurise refs to give him decisions and also means that the headlines will be about him, rather than his players errors, or Saints fantastic performance, sadly. Even if this is only 5% effective, it's an edge. Haven't we spent as much time talking about him as Saints? Got a really good feeling about this season now. COYR!
Of course, even when I was caught up in the action there was always the reassuring 3-1 scoreline in the back of my mind. The first half hour had me wondering how we'd managed to do it though, despite the Lads finding their way back into the match with Steve's equaliser later. In the second half it was clear that Koeman had had a game plan which could be implemented providing Saints were at least level pegging, and that was to get Sadio forward and centre. Even Pelle moved across to allow him space while Tadic predominantly patrolled the left side. In that central position Chelsea gave Mane so much room because they were utterly terrified [there's no other word for it] of his pace and at times he humiliated Cahill, Terry and Ivanovic. There's nothing especially poor about those 3, we know Sadio could do it to most of the CBs in the PL, but defenders with no confidence were ripe for a hiding if they could be got at. All Koeman had to do was get him into those situations and the tactical switch achieved that brilliantly. The rest of the team played very well indeed and they are finding ways to get closer to that form from last season. Slowly but surely we are missing Schneiderlin less and less and the new players like Soares, van Dijk and Romeu are really making an impression. I am so glad Alderweireld decided to go to Spurs because we may not have kept up our pursuit of VvD had he stayed. Virgil has been quite simply terrific. Need one say anymore.? Soares was almost untroubled by the occasional threats of Hazard, Willian or whoever decided to get near him. When he was beaten Jose would mop up as Jose always does. Romeu was totally committed to the cause and 95% of his tackling was hard but fair. Unfortunately he tripped Hazard when a professional foul wasn't required and then suddenly became a potential weakness with that yellow card. But even that seemed to play into Koeman's game plan because it meant that JWP appeared and Mane took up his central role. All of this would not have been possible had not Pelle been bossing Cahill and Terry all match, leading to the great equaliser. In the first half he was slightly isolated, as he tends to be in away matches, but that got better as Saints clawed their way into the game by getting bodies forward. The second half switch meant that he had his team-mates around him in space as a frightened Chelsea defence back peddled. Saints exposed Chelsea's weaknesses cruelly yesterday. And Chelsea will get far easier games because there are few attacks in the PL with as much craft, power and pace as Saints. Koeman learned an awful lot about the Lads yesterday, and I see quite a few away defences getting the same treatment this season.
I remember when Sadio signed reading thatsomeone said he had the potential to become one of the best players in the world. Thought that was way over hype at the time but he's getting better every game.
I used to find Mourinho quite entertaining - now he`s just boring, bitter and ungracious. If, as it seems, he`s lost the dressing room, then there is no way back for him.
Really Lamb.? There are few players who can be considered but every video I saw of Mane playing for Red Bull Salzburg or Senegal made me feel that his various coaches who went on record to say that his potential could be world besting weren't over-hyping him. He's taken a while to adjust to the PL and he's getting better, as you say. Even the acknowledged best players in the world don't automatically make it here. Bale and Christiano Ronaldo most definitely yes. But there have been many failures too. Sadio is coming along very nicely indeed. Already, he is one of the outstanding players in the PL. Here's a bad example. Who would you rather have, Rooney or Mane.?
A few fans on a Chelsea forum were suggesting that the loss of their team doctor had an effect....I dismissed that, but it was mentioned on Sunday Supplement that players have a very close relationship with medical staff, so perhaps it has lowered Jose in their eyes.
Like others I have looked for clues for Chelsea's poor results. Only last night did I hear that during pre-season the Chelsea squad only had 16 training sessions prior to their opening match of the season. That's just over a week's worth of double sessions, so I'm beginning to think they haven't been match fit. But then how do you account for their Arsenal result.? They were very much up for it then, but that was an isolated match and adrenalin and the occasion can bring out performances. Personally, I think they lack fitness, motivation [ie, they are not hungry enough, which was Man City's problem only recently], and that has led to a lack of confidence through relatively poor performances and results. Once that sets in it can take forever to turn around. But it can can be turned around quickly too. However, if they are truly not fit enough then it could be a juggernaut.
Very true about VVD and I think tactically with Pelle we have got him into favourable one on ones. It's no coincidence that he has attached himself to Blind/Fernandez/Cahill as opposed to Smalling/Williams/Terry. Of course he still has to win those duels and use the ball effectively.
After several of us had a rant on here the other day about our lack of being mentioned in matches, Matty gives his verdict on the shocking coverage afforded to Saints: http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2015/10/0...ts-on-twitter-to-shocking-tv-analysis-of-sou/
