Very poor team performance although I will give credit to wolves defence who were on it today. With less misplaced passes we should have tested them further. Today we didn't click, very disappointing
Sadly I think today demonstrated why Che will never be a top flight striker? Just after the Wolves goal the ball was played over their defence to Che who was then on for a one to one with their keeper, he was so desperate to get the ball on to his much favoured right foot that the chance was lost. Not wishing to single Che out for special attention but as has been said before I'd be surprised if he ever get's near 10 goals a season.
Wolves were really poor. Properly there for the taking. Unfortunately we were even worse. Absolutely awful. Romeu was my worst player. KWP, I felt for him, he looked so uncomfortable playing on the wrong side. JWP wasn't even contributing decent set pieces. Asking Armstrong to settle into his first PL season with Che alongside is almost laughable, and again I feel for him (he should be coming in as our second striker, not being asked to replace Ings). And Redmond, well, I just give up. But, seemingly unlike some, I did think that Ely had a good game. I thought he tried to create, he tried to bring the ball forward, and looked something of a threat. It was by no means a top dollar performance, but in comparison to his teammates it was notable.
Agree with a lot of this, Romeu was poor today but no manager would leave him out after his performance against City....but I'm more disappointed with JWP, I know it won't be a popular view on here but I think he is overrated and not a big enough leader on the pitch to be captain, he clearly demonstrates that he can strike a ball but not in the run of play. We miss a strong bustling forward thinking midfielder, unfortunately S Armstrong is our only player who fits that bill.
I am not saying this season will be easy but to talk relegation despite no wins in 6 is very negative, especially when there have been good performances. On another note if Brighton beat Palace Monday night they go top. Whilst I have slight envy, good luck to them, I hope they go above the scoucers, City, Chelsea and Ronaldo Utd. Will they win the premier league. No we are only 6 games in Will we get relegated, I hope not, we are only 6 games in.
Well that was a complete shambles, we didn't seem to have any Idea what to do when approaching the goal, there was just no movement. Whilst I always enjoy a day out at our stadium today really tested my resolve. Is this really the same side (bar one) that went to man city and got a point?? Only highlight was Tino. Redmond was Redmond.
The thing that concerns me is that we have looked good in games we aren’t really expected to win/be that competitive (City, Man United). The games where we are supposed to be favourites on a par (today, Newcastle) we have struggled to create due to the ****ness of our attacking players. we will play well against the big teams and lose games. If we continue to struggle against the teams around us then we will be in real trouble. Still it’s only 6 games in so plenty of time for it to change
A bit ****, but only one game. One swallow doesn't make or break a summer. Lacked something, but it is what it is. That's football. That's Saints. Don't think we're screwed, don't think we will win the league, don't think we're safe. Early days, and my mood pendulum for football doesn't swing so violently as some on here.
I can't speak for anyone else, but in my opinion it's not just these 6 games is it? We've been bloody awful since Jan. A point against city is indeed great but to follow it up with a performance like this just shows we're as poor as we were before.
But that is just it isn't it. A point away at City, a point at home to Utd and coming from behind away to Newcastle twice, proved we aren't as poor as before...or am I missing something?
Why are we still going back to last season? Completely irrelevant. Today was our first really poor game of the season. They happen to all teams.
Firstly, for different reasons we're without our two most influential attacking players from last season. Thankfully, we'll have one back soon. Secondly, we look much more solid at the back. And thirdly, this was the only game this season where I was unhappy with what I saw throughout the game. I'd say things look better than last season.
Unbeaten in 4 games out of six this year is the way I see it. Including away to the runaway Champions of last year (if we keep harping back to last year it cuts both ways) and at home to a team with more talent in their first 11 than we have in our entire squad. Oh and stopped free scoring West Ham from scoring and came back from behind twice away to Newcastle. Suppose just a different perspective. And that is what it is perspective, no knee jerk reaction. Life isn't all 100% bad or 100% good. There is an in-between.
To be fair, the two matches present two completely challenges and require two completely different skill sets. At home to Wolves, set up with three CBs (and two CMs who barely ventured out of their own half), we were asked to find a way to break them down. And we failed miserably. Very little creativity in the side, no main man who can score from nothing, and a failure to take advantage where Wolves were weakest - ie out wide. My view is that we should have been looking to stay wide and double up on their wing-backs - take advantage of the space. But of our four "wide" men, two of them were playing on their least favoured foot (so preferred to come inside) and another one was Redmond... It's a shame that no-one has previously suggested trying Tino and KWP together on the right side...
And this is my concern, if we continue to struggle to break down teams like we did with Newcastle and Wolves then we could be in real trouble. Souness said at half time that Ings single handedly kept us up the last couple of seasons and without a goal scorer we were basically ****ed, I’m not sure whether it’s the scorer or the creator that is the issue but the outcome might be the same
In other news (and sorry @AberdeenSaint ) has anyone noticed that since Adams has played for Scotland, he has started playing like, er, a Scottish forward?
We didn't struggle to break down Newcastle though. We had ample chances in that game. Should have been out of sight at HT.