Good game and very promising performance by Saints. Played some nice possession football in the first half and when we didn't have the ball, closed WBA down quickly. Didn't create that much in the first half, one cleared off the line and a half chance, but we certainly out played the Prem team quite easily. Second half was more open and WBA upped the tempo and looked more dangerous, but it took a howler from Bart to let them score the opener. Davis was just about to come on as it happened, but Adkins was clever to let Bart have a few more minutes on the pitch to hope he shook off the error and not make it look like he was subbing him because of the error. I'm sure there will be plenty of talk about De Ridder. He looked bloody good. Great tricks and close control and a wonderful whip on his crosses. He could be a massive find for us. I thought Seabourne played well both at centre back and left back later on. Played some really nice balls forward and timed his challenges well. Harding had a good first half, as did Chamberlain. Chaplow worked hard, Lallana didn't get into the game enough and Connolly dropped a bit too deep for my liking. Guly was Guly, skillful one minute, not concentrating the next. Cork will be class for us, a real box to box player and took his goal very well. Really tough for Adkins as to who he pairs him with. Good to see Rickie get off the mark. He muffed a good chance, but rose very well to head his goal. Lovely cross by Butterfield too. All in all, you could not tell who was the Prem team out there and Saints deserved to win. Team looks fit and sharp.
Nice post mate. Glad we put a good performance in and De Ridder showed what he can do. Onwards and upwards
Agree that everyone looked fit and sharp. I was especially impressed with Hammond 1st half and think it will be him and Cork as 1st choice in the centre of midfield. Connolly continued with another busy performance, but without Lambert as a target for crosses we lacked an end product 1st half. Sat in Kingsland and got a great view of De Ridder. 1st touch of the ball and skinned two of their plays and pulled the ball back beautifully for Guly. Very rarely gave the ball away too. You could tell he had only had a couple of training sessions with the team as off the ball he looked a little disjointed, but that will come. Certainly is a step up from Puncheon.
I was very impressed with the fitness levels not seen it like this in a long long time closing down the ball making a prem team play it back was very promising. As for the new boy well everything i seen on you tube seems to be real. he could be a certain bargain for us and maybe too quick for our own players constantly moving. Just hope the injury isn't to bad to alex he really seemed enjoying it till he got hurt. All in all very promising.
I wonder how much Seaborne will play this season. He seems to be a lot more versatile than some of our other defenders and with his ability to fill in at full back or centre mid and now that there are only 5 subs I think that might be much more important. Guly is, as you correctly say, Guly. He could be one of our best players, but can also make you cry. Chambo v Lallana v De Ridder is an interesting one, and I think Chamberlain might be relegated to impact sub numero uno.
Agree with all you have written CBK. Cork looked real class in centre midfield and took his chance very well. De Ridder; if you have watched him on Youtube - thats pretty much how he was - awesome! Spiderman had a solid outing too - that central pairing of Cork and him looked very balanced. Guly and Connelly up front did not work too well and, as CBK, Lallana had a quiet game, but spent too much time hugging the line. In the last 10 minutes he started to come inside and looked more dangerous. As for WBA - I thought they were a little cynical at times and I did not like the tackle that finished Oxo's night - the player won the ball, but he followed through when he could have pulled out; Oxo looked a threat down the right until then.
A good precis of the match, it was a pity that WBA resorted to a bit of rough housing on Oxo, and Connolly in the first half, no need for that, but I guess that's the professional way to stop them and no doubt we will see a lot of that this season, for some reason WBA didn't commit to that against Steve De Ridder and he certainly looks a class above. We will have to work harder at not getting caught on the break, but you cannot allow for Barts howler to happen! I thought it was a tad offside before the cross/shot came in but not given. Was on the wrong side to see how the second transpired. The chant in the first half "Premier Premier you are having a laugh" said it all. WBA upped the pace 2nd half and were extremely dangerous on the break, the first half tactics of denying them the ball worked quite well, but didn't have us creating many chances. Lambo produced a different dimension, if he is out, we will need a back up centre forward with a bit of height and muscle, we have the providers in depth. That's how I see it.
I was really impressed with Seaborne tonight. His distribution might not be quite as good as Fonte's but he won everything in the air - against Ishmael Miller too which is no mean feat. Still fell we need to sign one more CB though That first half challenge on Connolly was horrendous...
Seaborne has been a massive plus this whole pre-season, which can only be a good thing. I was wondering if he'd be in the first team plans at all, but looks like he's staking a claim.
I think Seaborne is a good player and suits Adkins style if play, he just seems to be a confidence player. However he seems to be improving that with the more games he plays.
It is interesting, after reading the articles before tonight on here people wanted Adkins to choose Bialkowski over Davis and Martin over Seabourne so it just shows how quickly things can change and how we do not see what Adkins observes during training.
Good summary of the match, from what you guys are saying de Ridder is looking good. Who would you guys start with against Leeds? Chambo or de Ridder? Also I wonder if we could make a 4-3-3 work with Spiderman - Cork - Hammond/Chaplow/Stephens with two wingers and Lambert up front. Has Adkins tried that in any friendlies? As I haven't been able to get to any preseason stuff this year due to holidays.
stephens????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
According to the Sky Sports Score Center we were playing their reserves. Were we, in fact, pitted against their strongest punch?
1 BOAZ MYHILL - second choice 2 BILLY JONES - new signing so who knows, probably won't be first choice 3 JOE MATTOCK - loaned out, probably not first choice 4 GEORGE THORNE - never heard of him so I'll assume he's not first choice 5 CRAIG DAWSON - very good at Rochdale last season but surely won't be first choice 6 PABLO IBANEZ - hardly ever plays, not first choice 7 MARC-ANTOINE FORTUNE - normally on the bench so not really first choice, rotation option 8 GRAHAM DORRANS - class player, first choice 9 SIMON COX - rarely plays, rotation option 10 ISHMAEL MILLER - got loaned out last season, rotation option otherwise 11 MAREK CECH - semi-regular, rotation option Far from a full punch.
Last night Seaborne upped his game, he needs to do that consistently, would be a good player to have on the bench. Martin however, was way out of his depth when he came on, got dragged all over the place and left a gaping hole for Thorne (who will be an England regular) to play the ball through for their second. I hope he gets shipped out as he is no where near good enough for the championship.
