Match Day Thread Hapoel Be'er Sheeva vs Southampton 29/09/2016 Kick-off 6pm

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Hmmm... is it worth watching the highlights?

 

Probably not! Not unless you want to see Eric Black one last time in Saints kit.

 

I probably will anyway but doesn't seem worth it yet.

 

Mmm! Wrong badge.

 

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The highlights made us look reasonably good I thought?

 

Recorded it gonna watch some Narcos in bed instead.

 

We did a professional job. But so did the guy who fitted my new bathroom suite, and I wouldn't want to watch highlights of that.

 

It's quite funny because if Hesketh plays the final half an hour then no one batters an eyelid. Take him off after 30 then you look like a demonic old **** that has no clue. Damned if you do scenario

 

i did, all 1minute 54 seconds

 

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Puel appears to be checking his pulse in that photo to ensure that the excitement on the field hasn't caused his heart rate to get out of control.

 

When Targett started playing he looked very sheepish, but now he has blossomed into a very confident player. I noticed it in particular last night as he was 'giving as good as he got', so to speak. Just a few minutes after Hesketh was shoulder barged almost into the stratosphere by one of their players, Targett did the same to one of theirs as the ball was going out for a throw (although not quite as meaty). Hopefully it was the same player who had embarrassed Hesky, and Targett was doing the 'older brother' thing.

Thought Romeu and JWP were our best players, Clasie another 'meh' performance. And VVD looked a bit shaken after that miss, but he was back to his usual self soon enough. Martina was crap first half but then very good second. Long was pretty poor throughout the entire game, but then his service was non-existent. Redmond at least will run all over the pitch looking to harrass and win the ball himself. Tadic changed the game, I think without him we would have lost, as he was a huge step up from Hesketh, and his being on the pitch gave the team much more direction and confidence to go forward.

 

Just thinking a bit further on Puel's decision to substitute Hesketh after 33 minutes. It was good that he realised he had to protect the youngster, but was it an error to play him in the first place? After all, Saints changed like a switch being pressed after Tadic came on. Should he have played from the start.?

All what ifs, I suppose. The main thing is that Hesketh got huge experience in that half hour, and I'm sure he grew from it. Plus Tadic only played for 60 mins and so he should be absolutely fine for Sunday.

I'm reasonably happy that Puel felt he could hand an opportunity to a youngster in a hostile stadium atmosphere and still have tactics in reserve.

 

Was thinking this too. I guess you can never know whether a youngster will be up to the task until you throw them in at the deep end. So fair play to Puel for picking him, in a way. But yeah, with all of his (Puel) experience in Europe, you would have thought he'd have known how intimidating the atmosphere would have been. Anyway, ultimately well done to him for realising he had made a mistake and making the change. A lot of managers would have waited til half-time to save face. We might have conceded in that 12 minutes given the pressure that Be'er Sheva were putting us under.

 

Playing Hesketh was always going to carry an element of risk, but he shouldn't let it get to him.
Every player was guilty of wasting the ball, which didn't help him get any early touches and settle. His last involvement in the game, was a sweet pass down the line, for someone to get on to.
Shame it didn't come off as Long would benefit from his slide rule passing through the channels.

 

I don't think Claude realised just how big and ugly some of those Hapoel boys were when he decided to start Hesketh. The poor lad was getting shoved around a lot, but as said above by Black, both Targett and JWP suffered in the same way in their early days with the first team. JWP was certainly one of our best last night and stepped easily into the Davis role which is surely his long-term future position?

 

James was lightweight at the start of his career too (as said)...but has matured as no doubt Hesketh will. It was brave to start the lad in this game and I was surprised, but Puel had the courage to hook him off in a timely fashion. Not every decision that a manager makes will be proved right, but he saw what was happening and acted. Puel is trying to get results but at the same time have half an eye on all the other matches coming up...a draw in Israel was a decent result as it keeps us on track.