Certainly looks that way; wish we had gone to Long earlier, for Pelle's good as well as ours. I don't wish him ill, but at this point, we neither have much incentive to play him, nor is it doing Pelle's chances of featuring in the Euros/having a career hereafter much good.
Yes I think that is fair. I don't think he is being lazy or given up. But I am not expecting to see much more of him now.
Just to be controversial. I think that we played very well for the first 30 minutes. It was after that, that we stopped the pressing which had kept us in control for the game. Their equaliser looked rather shambolic from the Chapel, but after that we seemed a bit dazzled in the headlights. Ref looked pretty inconsistent but I await the replays- Saints tinted lenses are notoriously unreliable.
I have just come in and seen the result! I just want to vomit that this loathsome club and its gloating fans are smiling tonight. The only way I can console myself is that the Chavs are a team that cost many more millions than my beloved Southampton and only narrowly lost.
There 1st goal went in because everyone switched off while shouting that the ball went out. Still, we played well enough for a point at least
I urge you to watch the game from about a minute (guess) before their equaliser, then come back and tell me how our attack and possession broke down so poorly and unnecessarily on the edge of their box.
BBC say that he made a mistake that led to the equaliser, when he over-ruled the linesman that was flagging for a foul on Cedric or had the ball actually gone out of play, whatever our players switched off.
Just got back. I thought we contained them very well. My biggest criticism was that we didn't retain the ball as well as we have been recently, but we still looked solid. I'm torn really as to whether Chelsea were very good or just OK in possession. Be interesting to see the equaliser because I felt that Fraser was unlucky because he seemed set to react to a touch from Fabregas' cross. Sadly no-one dos and then it was too late; it went in. I think the substitution for Long was odd. Despite the fact that I didn't think Charlie or Shane showed too much real quality today, they still didn't let their CBs have a moment of peace. Once Long went, we just seemed to make it easy for them at the back. I'm disappointed we lost but still think we looked fairly good and I'm not too despondent. We were good, not great. Classic and Romeu looked very good today. Excellent. I'd like to walk passed Costa in a supermarket one day. I'd take his knee cap out with my trolley in an instant. Prick.
Longs substitution was a precaution over worries that he had done a ham string, I wish in hindsight that Mane had replaced him, especially as Pelle was at fault for losing possession too often, and he and Austin were getting in each others space.
It's not the taking him off, but the selection of replacement. Immediately we all said Mane. We needed to keep working their defenders.
I agree, I thought about bringing Tadic on for Targett to change the midfield tactics to match theirs?
It shouldn't have needed hindsight though. There was no logical reason for Ron choosing Pelle over both Mane and Tadic. I can only put it down to favouritism. He got it badly, badly wrong, plain and simple. My fingers are just crossed now that Long's injury is nothing serious. Although even just a week out would be two games missed; two very winnable game if we turn up.
And I urge you to watch Forster fail to move as the ball lazily drifts across him and into netting and tell me that Pelle had anything to do with it. That is about as soft a goal as you will ever see. And when you are done with that, watch the entire second half where Mikel probably should have scored, and then Costa went close after a great run from Hazard. All of which happened before Pelle came on. The tide was already starting to turn. If Forster makes that save and we hold out another five minutes, maybe Costa loses it and Chelsea gets frustrated. But after that went in they had the bit between their teeth. Pelle didn't play very well. But bottom line-- Chelsea scored off a set piece and a mistake. And neither Pelle, Mane, Tadic, JWP or whoever else was going to stop Willian or Hazard the way they were playing at the end. We played a fairly good game. Unfortunately, Chelsea played just a little bit better. Between that and a couple defensive lapses on our end, they probably deserved to just edge that one. I don't see how any of this talk about horrible subs, etc. is any different from the stuff everyone piled on Tintin about. We let in two goals that we shouldn't have. We lost 2-1. It really is just that simple. But, we played a great stretch before this and we still played well enough to beat most teams today. Sometimes, you just lose.
There was an audible groan from the stands when it became clear Pelle was called from the touchline over Mane. I can't think of one reason to pick Pelle over Mane considering the opposition and match situation.
The ball shouldn't have been anywhere near our half let alone our goal. Those things make a difference. If you read through, you'll see my comments on Fraser with the first goal.... No need to urge me I already said I will Quick question though: could you see how easy life became for their defenders after the change or not? On your TinTin comment do you really think I am behaving like he did? Really? No debate? No discussion? Have I abused you or called you names? Have I slagged any of the players or called for the manager to be sacked? No. I didn't think so. Be real. It's fine to disagree that's what the forum is about, but no need to try cheap shots fella. Keep it clean.
