Not before the season started, but after a few games we've showed that it isn't beyond the realms of possibility so therefore expectations start to increase. I still think we have it in us, but we have to learn the discipline of finishing games off.
It is only one match and one rare setback. We are still on for the title. What's 4 points, when there are more half of the matches to play ?
It all depends on our reaction to this. The bounce back from the Burnley defeat was good, we have to do that again.
We still get to play Chelsea so it's one point but effectively two since teams like Everton and Man Utd ship goals to them for fun
Anyway, my ratings: Karry-on 3: Looked good in the first half when Bournemouth never crossed the halfway line. Okay, made a good save at 3-3, but does the basic things crapply - end of. Clyne: 5 Okay first half, but as shambolic as the rest in the last 15 minutes. Milner: 5 Great first half in all respects - ****e in the second. As with all the defence and goalies, looks better going forward than having to defend. Lucas: 4 Why did we buy Klavan? A repeat of Soton last season in that collapse. Lovren: 5 Just not a full shilling when your back's to the wall and Matip's not there. Can: 5 Even without the goal, his best performance for months - till that last 20 minutes. Hendo: 5 Pass of the game - in the first half. See Can for last 20 minutes. Windy: 6 Tremendous for an hour - disappeared like the others for the last 20. (Do you see what it is yet, kids? (And I don't mean my pervy, Aussie cock). Mane; 4 Sorry, but a good goal then **** all else doesn't cut it for me. really ordinary after the first half hour, and he has been for weeks. Shame. Oriigi: 5 A giant in the first half and nearly got the winner (boo hoo), but when we up against it he unforgivably just didn't challenge in the run-up for the third. Firmino: 4 The definition of ordinary all the way through, even in the first half. Subs: Lala 4 Did nothing bar one run when he shot instead of passing. Jurgen: 4 Why didn't he bring Klavan on and put Lucas DM? Hindsight? 3-1 up and we should have closed shop - but can we? team: 4.5 Are we Newcastle @ 1996 in disguise? I personally never thought we'd win the league and have always said so (though Christ knows there's nothing special in a league that even Leicester can win), but even top four won't happen with that/those goalies and an inability to close games out. And think of Swansea and particulary west Brom at home. we were hanging on like God knows against The baggies in a game we should have got 5. we can't go through the season having to take a three goal lead to be secure. And well done Bournemouth - every bit as good for you as Dortmund was for us. I salute you.
As a Southampton fan, it is difficult not to muse upon the fact that you are where you are in the league largely through players you have bought from us. this season is, perhaps, the one where I think the constant selling of players will catch up on us but it is interesting to see Liverpool faltering. Losing to Bournemouth is no disgrace as I think they are a much better team than most imagine. It is the fashion in which Liverpool lose that will concern fans and, in the main, convince supporters of other teams that you will have a lot to do if you are to beat Chelsea to the title. Having seen both teams at St. Mary's this season, it is clear why you are being considered for the title yet I felt that Chelsea looked more dominant and balanced. I am not sure what Van Dijk would achieve by leaving for Liverpool. I don't think there is a better central defender in the EPL at the moment but , conversely, it is a team game and I just think that although he would be a formidable addition, you will still remain second string to Chelsea. If you sign him, most Saints fans want you to pay over the odds for him but, in the player's situation, he is destined for great things and surely he would be better off waiting for a team like Real Madrid or Barcelona to come in for him as opposed Liverpool. I would also have to add that when I started following football, Liverpool seemed to produce their own talent yet this doesn't seem to be happening anymore. Small wonder that Gerard is so revered but when you think of how good the Liverpool team was in the 1970s, would he really have got a sniff. I appreciate football has changed a great deal in the intervening 40 years but, for me, the issue seems to be that you have lost your identity. At least your scouts know good players when they see one - Lallana was a terrific acquisition for Liverpool.
No disrespect but I don't think clubs like Barca or Real will go in for VDV until he moves to a bigger club (like Liverpool) which gives him a better platform to showcase his talents. But I agree that he is destined to play at the highest level, beyond Liverpool. Clyne and Mane are very good buys. Lallana was average until he moved to CM and has played well. Lovren is dog ****. Take him back.
We're going to have CL football which no one will ever get at Southampton You don't go from Southampton to Barcelona, you have to prove you can do it at a top club first
I salute your stoic optimism! Do you really think that defence will go unbeaten till the end of the year, never mind the rest of the season? Don't get me wrong. we'll still snot many a team 3, 4, 5 nil, but we'll also don another Burnley and another Bournemouth. It's in our DNA!
Karius quite rightly deserves stick for his performance but I can't believe the focus on him. There were a couple of clowns in front of him which started the collapse.
Lads, I'm not even disappointed that we lost. We was gonna take another L again this season What is very disappointing and very pathetic is the manner of the loss and that we allowed them to do what they did from the comfortable lead we had. Those players should be ****ing ashamed of themselves and totally embarrassed and I hope the manager has laid into them good and proper to tell them just what is expected of them now But he's not immune from blame. At 3-1 we should have looked to fully shut the game down and we didn't No shade on Bournemouth here though they had to work hard and play well and show desire to get the result so fair play but we ****ing made the proverbial mountain out of the proverbial molehill and then trashed both so there's that What this does show all too clearly though is that when we have every body fit we are a force this season and can dominate as long as they players display the right attitude and application. When a couple or a few of those men go down and aren't available our weakness is painfully exposed and that's a simple lack of strength in depth. Also you question week in week out if everybody wants to or is capable of applying themselves in the correct way. The weak links need to be weeded out and moved on ... quickly We also had two players playing out of natural position today Milner, who for all his good work there, is still a makeshift full back, and Lucas who is so far from being a central defender that you wonder if Klopp doesn't actually have a screw lose playing him there again, he's not even 6 foot and has zero physical presence apart from when he can be bothered and be strong in the tackle, but let's face it that's more of a midfielders job than a CB ... it's a ridiculous proposition to even think about playing the guy in the back line. Where's Klavan, where's Sakho even ?? Perhaps Klopp has dropped a bollock alienating him like that and keeping him away from the first team because I sure as hell would've liked to see him at the back over Lucas
Absolutely ridiculous 14 minutes. A team like LFC should not in a million years concede 3 goals in those minutes when we are competing for precious points. Reminds me of the Crystal Palace match 2 seasons ago, when we were 3-0 ahead. We went on to concede 3 when we should have shut up shop. Yes the players take responsibility for the errors but surely Klopp must also take some blame for not respecting Bournemouth. Would we have conceded 3 goals in 14 minutes against Arsenal or Chelsea? No, because the manager would have ordered a more defensive play instead of trying to score more goals.
Some of the DNA of the team that used to (now still does) do that is obviously still present in the side. You can say it's scapegoating but I'm convinced Lucas brings bad vibes to this side, he should be sold asap
