I went to palace and it was touch and go between hammond and chappers for my MOM have to say prob just Hammond! Tonight he wasbt bad. 2 reasons we didn't win! #1 - didn't take our chances, not clinical enough! #2 - bad individual defensive/midfield errors! End of, everyone get back on it and get ya tickets for Peterborough and support the lads!
Davis - 6 Did all he could behind a poor defence Butterfield - 6 Dangerous balls into the box, coped reasonably well at the back Fonte - 4 Been on the slippery slope for a while now (most of this season?) Think his days are getting towards their end Hooiveld - 7 Cleared up well for others and did what he could. Fox - 4 Bad mistake with a pointless pass. Un-noticeable for much of the game. Chaplow - 3 Ran around a lot, got into good positions, wasted every single one until the shot just before he was subbed. Hammond - 7 (MOTM) Played well, calm head, did a good job distributing the ball from defence to midfield/wings Cork - 6 Quiet but did what he had to. Lallana - 6 Tried to get the team going but far too often had to do too much because the rest just aren't at his speed at the moment. Sharp - 5. Should have had a penalty (the shirt pulling one) even so, throws himself to the floor and is not on the same wavelength as the rest of the team Lambert - 7 Not his best game but service wasn't the best and when the chance came he took it. Subs: Guly - 6 Seemed confused as to what role he was supposed to be playing. Not his fault. Should have been on instead of De Ridder on the right. De Ridder - 4 Apart from a couple of half breakaways seems to stand behind the nearest defender then complain that no one is passing to him. Only my opinion guys
People saying we played them off the park. Yes we dominated possession 72.5-27.5 (Sky) or 59-41 (BBC) and with shots on (12-4) and off target (7-2). Oh and corners 7-2. But these stats don't matter. What matters at the end of the day is the 1-3 scoreline. I would have preferred it if we hadn't played them off the park and have won.
He is still a fan, he still has the right to his opinion. Just because he doesn't go to games does not make him any less of a fan.
Was pointing out that by all accounts Hammond played well against Palace - a game that neither of us were at.
What difference does it make if someone watches on TV, or stream or goes to the match? If anything the person watching on TV or stream may be able to give a more realistic opinion because if they are anything like me then things look mighty different when you get caught up in the moment (at the game) whether it be a rose tinted version or slit the wrist version!!! note : For those who think you can only have an opinion if you are at the game then you can ignore mine I was in much a similar position to my avatar in that I was standing in the centre of my living room holding my 9 month old daughter the whole way through the match. I refuse to sit at football matches. lol
I agree with all these ratings and the comments except for De Ridder - I thought when he came on he looked really dangerous, he lacks quality but he gave them loads of problems and Chaplow was having such a nightmare I'd have bought him on at half time. Couldn't have done any harm.
Davis 5 Butterfield 4 Hoovield 5 Fonte 4 Fox 4 Chaplow 4 Lallana 6 Hammond 7 Cork 7 Sharp 7 Lambert 8 De Ridder 5 Guly N/A - Should have been played upfront. Tactics- poor at 2-1. Build up too slow, short passes were getting us no where.As many long balls or crosses as possible was our best bet. I thought Cork and Hammond controlled the game very well in the first half. Fox made 2 errors for the first goal and after that we were chasing the game. At 1-1 I thought De Ridder was the wrong move, we were on top through out and I thought Do Prado should have come on to tighten us up defensively and help us keep the ball even more to tire Reading. The deep lying playmaker role he played would have been great at 1-1 but pointless at 2-1..no idea what Nigel was thinking. Lambert and Sharp linked up well, good hold up play from them both all game. Lallana looks like he's lost all confidence in front of goal and so many of our chances/openings seem to be falling to him and he's wasting them, at least he's getting into good positions and creating openings though. Defensively we were very poor, particularly the full backs who were positionally off the mark much of the game.
Was there tonight! We played really well in the first half but fell for a swift counter attack. Despite some stray passes we had a good shape until Chaplow was subbed. After our equaliser I thought we played well but gradually Reading managed to see off our attacks and from just before their second goal they dominated the rest of the game. Plusses - our attacking play. Negatives - our slow defence. When Guly came on I tried to get people around me to cheer for him. All I got were some dodgy looks. I would love that guy to come on a score the goal that gets us promoted. Oh well! Lets get behind them at Peterborough and Middlesboro. We've got the class.
I've always been slated for saying Fox does the "Hollywood Ball" too much whenever I have previously bought it up Anyway, onto my ratings: Kelvin Davis - 6, Didn't have anything to do except take the ball out the back of the net Danny Butterfield - 7, Looked a danger and crosses were a threat but very well defended by Reading Jose Fonte - 5, Poor today, Looked a shadow of his former self Jos Hooiveld - 6, Not his greatest hour Danny Fox - 5, Poor, his passing was abysmal but a few good crosses Richard Chaplow - 4, Why are we playing him out of position ffs? Dean Hammond - 6, Wasn't too effective in Midfield tonight Jack Cork - 7, A good all round display Adam Lallana - 6, Lacking confidence to shoot right now and it's showing Rickie Lambert - 8, A good goal and a good all round display Billy Sharp -6, Plenty of energy but nothing of note Steve De Ridder - 7, Looked lively and put some decent balls in Guly - 6, Where was he playing? Referee - 1
Guly was brought on to play as a deep play maker and switch the ball which he did ok, but you are right I really wanted him to score. All our side played quite well and if we had won they would have all received higher marks. I thought our strikers linked really well tonight.
Saintsfan4 life,these look the most accurate ratings i have seen on here. Butterfield done well again,as he did at Palace,thought Chaplow wasnt as bad a most are saying,and deserves at least a 5,Hammond was worth a 7,and De Ridder looked the most likely to unlock their defence in the latter stages of the game,so deserves a 7 at least.
This is a ridiculous thread so far. If you watch the game back tomorrow or Sunday when you've all taken a chill pill and looked at it in the cold light of day, no one was really playing 3's or 4's. We were undone on the counter because we lack pace, the players can't suddenly become pacey. We lost, build yourself a nice little bridge, and get over it. The guys need us for 3 more big games. COYR!
I wouldnt rate any saints player's performance as more than a 4. Lots of running around with sweet f.a to show for it. Chaplow was rubbish, fonte poor and i still fail to see why Cork is anywhere near a team sheet
All these marks look harsh...result didn't reflect game, but that happens and well done to Reading. We were lively and created chances and on another day would have put them away and everyone would be drooling. Fonte hasn't looked as classy this season as he did last season and we are worse defensively than we are offensively. If we get to PL that will have to be dealt with.
