Match Day Thread Southampton FC v Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Europa League, Thursday 8th December, KO 8.05pm

No that was TinTin.

 

Not true, I didn't give a toss when we lost to Palace at the weekend. As England smashed the aussies in the rugby. It's a forum, people like to vent, embrace that matter and forums have always been like this. Long before social media. I blame the internet.

 

It's very hard to accept so many terrible performances. We went through a horrendous lean spell under Koeman, but so far Puel's reign feels like one long lean spell interspersed with a few good results.

The thing is, I do think he is improving the players individually. I have seen a lot of players improve so far this season, but collectively as a team we have gotten worse.

It's really tough to take seeing the team go down with a whimper in such a big game. But hey; we did it against midgetland as well so it's not just a Puel thing.

 

I just thought that we'd have to find a new thread maker, and I was going to nominate myself, but then realised that we actually hadn't lost so the thread duties are still FLT!

 

It was odd, we didn't lose, but we lost, Israel are not in Europe, but are still in Europe, funny old game.

 

Can we move on to Boro match, please? Need to shuffle on!

 

I had to record the game last night and watch it when I got back from band practice, so I've only just caught up with this thread. I have to say, the worst thing for me last night wasn't the poor excuse for a football match, or Redmond failing to get through a well-drilled defence, or the look on Charllie's face when the physio was checking his shoulder, or the play-acting by the bearded Bitton, or us conceding yet another soft goal from a defensive error, or being knocked out of Europe in yet another transitional season. The worst thing for me was watching thousands of my fellow Saints fans give up and head for the exits. Sorry guys, I don't care if you've been to every game since the club was founded, that isn't supporting your team.

 

It's December. We're rubbish in December. That's my whole analysis

 

Wow Ian. I normally disagree with most of your posts but this one is on the money entirely for me.

 

Play Maya and Jose as centre backs and put VVD as Centre Forward?

 

He needs to be in midfield too, so he'll have to be a false 8,9,10.

 

I said to my Son before the game we'll be 0-0 with a few minutes left and then lose it in the last few minutes or we'll be 1-0 up and lose it in the last few minutes as they equalise.

He asked me why I thought that.

I told him I have been supporting Saints for a long time and just when your hopes get up they get knocked back down very quickly.

We are doing better than we used to do in the nineties so we should be less annoyed or disappointed but the expectations have been raised and the constant talk from the club and board means we are in a much higher place for our hopes to be dashed than the days when we were hoping to have a decent season maybe top half finish and maybe get to a cup without ever even thinking about Europe.

That expectation is going to take a long time to reduce for us to be happy with "what we used to expect." This season is going to hurt a lot of people.

 

I will be honest, the Palace result upset me more than the Hapoel game, Europa was an interesting adventure, but the bread and butter games are in the Premier, it is essential that we reach safety asap. We can go on from there, too many distractions when you are struggling to cope could be costly. Still want the EPL games to go well though.

 

I was holding back on saying what you have said. Some people on this forum describing that as an excellent performance when my eyes (which obviously see different things) saw that match as us getting an early goal and then doing exactly the same as we did yesterday, against Palace and against Hull. That being hot potato round the edge of the box.

I am assuming the 'tore' Everton apart comment was tongue in cheek.

And beating an Arsenal side in a competition they don't care about doesn't cover the cracks either. We actually played better in the league game there when we were robbed.

I think most on here wear their red and white glasses when they watch the games where I must be wearing white and red ones instead.

 

No it is because of happy clapping. When we get a good result then people gloss over the poor performance and from experience those who are unhappy bite their lips (not all.)

Koeman played crap football but the results kept the clappers on message so we bit our lip. I was glad to see the back of him.

Even last season. Mane providing the spark to win games does not make the performances better. It just means we had a great forward that was making up for our otherwise poor performances.

Now we don;t even seem to have a decent protection for a defence like we used to have which is strange because someone (rightly...was it Beefy) stated that all of our CMs are too defensive.

So we have had 2 seasons prior of sporadic good performances with the results and flashes of brilliance from 1 or 2 players glossing over the fact that we have been playing this hot potato slow build up throughout that period and now this season we are seeing the result of that.

Koeman was good for results but bar a few games very hard to watch (IMO) Puel is the same with fewer good results to gloss over the crap football.

Doesn't bode well for the future IMO, unless Puel can bring through more youth. We look like we could be about to drop to "our level" which with the players we currently have would be top of the bottom half, real midtable. With the tactics though it will be somewhere around the 14th to 15th area.

I think Puel should be here for the season. We need to stop being scared of dropping down the league resorting to crap football to get results and get a manager in that has fresh ideas, that is a thoroughly modern manager and someone who will try and play good football.

This time we should stop this "not ready for this level" crap. What level? The over achieving level our results have taken us to?

We have improved in the league table but declined in terms of the on field performance since Koeman took over.

This time we should just go for Eddie Howe and not worry about being nice to others. Give him a budget, give him the academy, full control. Take the chance like we did with Poch and no more yesteryear managers.

 

Come on Imps,some sensible posting,probably an age thing.
Not sure I can cope with that.

 

Yes it is. They were there for most of the match, supported the team and the team did nothing. Many were probably fans who have spent a LOT of money following the team around Europe and being let down by the team.

That performance didn't deserve support. It was soporific.

Fans can do what they want. They don't have to adhere to a complete false set of imposed "supporting dos and don'ts" laid down by you or anyone else.

 

I'd forgotten we scored so early as well. Somebody in this thread did mention our team "tearing Everton apart".

 

Oh, I thought we played some decent football under Koeman. Turns out, he was Big Sam in disguise! Right! Those sandals are one the fire as soon as I get home!