yeah you're right, he did great, i failed to aknowledge exactly how good he reacted given the circumstances.
I'm feeling a little disappointed but really that's a decent point. I have to say I was surprised Ramirez came on. A cold, windy game in Stoke is exactly when I'd expect him to be least effective. Presumably a reward for hard work in training.
Very true. The co-commentator on my stream said several times "When you play a top 5 or 6 team like Southampton..."
It's astonishingly harsh to say Gaston was crap. MP obviously just wanted to try something different with somebody that has the ability to do precisely that, something a bit different. However that was done as an attempt rather than an expectation - it was an incredibly hard game to come in to and perform from the off. Not only are Stoke very physical, but those conditions were ridiculous. I'm not a Gaston apologist or anything like that (in fact I am not completely against the idea of moving him on in January) but to say he was crap is just plain unfair.
Yeah. A little disappointed, but in the end I wasn't too to upset about that draw. Conditions made it hard to score and favored Stoke's game. Freak goal given up. Didn't get that handball which should have been a pen (but was a bit cheap). Stoke did play their ugly style of game fairly well. I have no idea what everyone is complaining about with Ramirez. He didn't do that great, but I agree with Puck that was an odd sub as this wasn't his sort of game. He hardly made a case for being in the starting XI, but mostly he was kind of anonymous in the game at a point where no one else was doing that much either. Funny how he works with Lambert to set up that shot and no one says anything about it until he doesn't score. And it was already blown offside (though he wasn't), and it was actually a good save.
We can probably beat most teams on any occasion, but beating Mother Nature and a dodgy Referee makes it so much harder.
In his defence, I think Gaston has a very casual style that is probably better suited to the slow build up of an Italian or Spanish league side? Not at all sure we are on his wavelength?
Gaston was Gaston. A couple surging runs that could have created trouble, a couple nice one-twos that could have produced chances, a couple terrible decisions and a couple stretches of anonymity. Jay didn't deserve to come off, it's true, but I'm guessing that Poch wanted an extra presence in that attacking midfield role who could keep the ball on the ground, because the wind was carrying any vertical passes out of play.
Wasn't convinced this was the right type of game for Gaston to make an impact, and especially swapped with JRod, but he got better as his game went on. Got caught napping a few times as we know he's liable to do but looked good offensively in a very high pressure, competitive match. He needs to stay up the pitch and against less physical opponents still has a lot to offer. Alternatively, he just needs to get angry and play with more aggression. Huthe did try his best to aggravate him.
The fact that Gaston got fouled a few times and got Huth booked I think alone shows he did something. He wasn't amazing or awful but rodriguez wasted a few good balls and I don't think he was playing brilliantly when he came off. Gaston had a go, in what was a difficult match, and in my opinion he was our most dangerous player towards then end. I'd honestly given up on him a bit and expected him to leave in January, but now I'm not sure. Obviously I think we deserved to win and the penalty was stonewall, but now that I've calmed down a bit I'm not upset with the result. Hull next week which we can go and win. COYR
Nail on the head, with Rambo you had better control with the ball on the ground, with that wind, and their defensive height, high crosses were always going to be impossible to control, the pity of it is that Rambo is still rusty through a lack of action, you can't just switch him on and off.
Thought the referee favoured us more if anything. Can argue about the penalty shout but we'd have been lucky to get that.
Ahh, now I remember. Great performance from the 15th second onwards! I never felt that we wouldn't draw level. Once we'd done that and got the wind behind us, I never doubted our ability to score another. Onwards and upwards! Vin
Indeed, I thought he gave a few dodgy calls against us first half but then was pretty generous in general play in the second half. But regardless of the fact it would be a lucky penalty to get it was a blatant handball. I still haven't gotten over the Norwich one, and now this!
I was only going by the Radio Solent commentary and that is always biased anyway, can't make an issue about the Penalty shouts, there were more than one, until I see the replays.