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

Not when they play so deep, JWP always sits deep when playing centrally, and Hojbjerg is a more Xabi Alonso role from what I have seen of him at Schalke. Again you could argue that it is the tactics, but I think you could equally make the point we don't have the players in the middle to have that attacking threat from midfield

 

Was at football training last night and we have a new coach for a few weeks giving us tips. Played a match where there were zones that certain positions had to stay in. Talked about how the midfielders work best when you attack that one goes forward with the ball whilst the other stays back and covers. Right now I'm feeling that Romeu is trying so hard to do both whilst the others are simply jogging backwards and forwards and sideways offering little.

 

JWP was good when he came on. Hjobjerg is just so slow to react to stuff and slows everything down. Too lightweight and often misplaces passes. One for the future maybe but he isn't as good as JWP or Davis and that tells you all you need to know when you are trying to improve.

If we are going to have a single game plan of pass to midfield pass wide, "winger" and full back interplay and then cross or com in from the edge of the box then we telegraph it. Thats all we do. Opposition teams can leave 3 out of the box and stand their waiting for what they know we are going to do.

 

Yep, we have too many of the same type of cms. People have been saying that for ages. Combine that with only one forward that can score, it doesn't look good.

 

****ing shambles

 

Hjojberg's first season. He was class in Germany give him a break.

 

Another game to add to the 'bad' list

What Redmond actually brings I'll never know. Him not squaring the ball or attempting to Romeu in the first half is unforgivable in my opinion. If our starting 11 winger cannot see the pass what hope do we have? He has a real attitude problem and seems to have a go at everyone else when he own games needs a lot of attention and development. Whats the obsession with starting him all the time!

Tonight's performance again just sums up us this season. We've have no urgency going forwards, are incredible slow and predictable and now appear to have forgotten how to defend, one thing we was relatively good at!

One last point, I like hojbjerg and think he is a good player however he is not suited to play on the left or right of the 3 in midfield. For me he is another Romeu, he first thought and touch always seems to be back towards goal to get himself out of trouble and recycle the ball. I don't think he's the right person to create chances and cut defences open.

Overall, what a poor performance, again. Tactics for me completely wrong but the worse thing of all is I'm not surprised. All day I felt we had to score 2 and the way we are playing at the minute it seems impossible to get 1. In the past I would have been confident in our defence being able to see it out had we not been able to find the goals we needed.

 

Claude Puel played for a 0-0 draw and cost us qualification with his negative tactics and his quite frankly absurd obsession with Redmond. How he played 90 minutes I don't know. He played like a sack of ****. Awful decision to leave him on and take Sims off. And the board have left us in the **** as well for not signing another striker. If you're not committed to the club Kat, sell up, and soon. ****ing livid with the lot of them tonight. A huge game and they all conspired to **** it up. Well congratulations you morons.

 

Beefy, if we created loads I would agree, but TONIGHT how many clear chances did we create, I know we created bucket loafs in the other gamex

 

No problem with Romeu he was one of our best players

 

Well, well, well. Some twazzock was spouting off on the way up the ramp that the board wanted Mané to stay as did Mane himself and Les Reed forced him out. That's why we were knocked out. We had a discussion and agreed to disagree. Then two blokes were spouting about how Cortese wouldn't have let us get knocked out. They got two barrels as well.

Those two incidents combined with all the people behind me who could all manage Saints better than Puel reminded me with a thud just how much I hate the average football fan.

Vin

 

At least 2 of the crosses went right through their penalty area as no one was in there. If we had a out and out striker that would have been in the back of the net. I am not saying we always create loads of chances, I am saying when we do create chances we hardly score them. I am sure that is backed up with stats as well, I am sure we have one of the worst conversion rates in the Prem.

Puel, players and the board all have to share the blame.

 

I'm pretty ashamed with the way we played but no one can take the fact I saw Saints play a competitive game at the San Siro. The reason I'm most disappointed is because that was one of the best experiences I've had, and I desperately wanted that again.

There's almost no chance we beat Liverpool over two legs so our season is as good as over. Very disappointing, but still had some positive memories of this competition and really hope it's not another 20 years before we're back in it.

 

If Redmond plays on Sunday than Puel has lost it. He was abysmal from start to finish*. Drop him from the 18.

* Actually make that from start to 85 minutes when I left in disgust. Not even sorry I missed Van Dijk's goal.

 

My point entirely. And he was having a storming game. Every time he gets the ball he looks forward.

 

Disagree he is supposed to be our playaker, he needs to be pushed where he van hurt the opposition

 

To be honest it is just like Old Saints just with higher expectations. Higher hopes that leave us disappointed. We could never do a Leicester because we would have lost the last 5 games in that position.

 

I'm not Redmonds biggest fan and I agree he needs to be dropped, but dropping him to the youth is a bit far.

 

I didn't say drop him to the youth. Drop him from the matchday squad on Sunday to give him a kick up the backside.

 

Fair enough, I thought that's what you were implying my bad.

 

There's going to be a lot of built up tension about to boil over I feel. The fans are disappointed, there's the issues with Fonte (especially now we've been knocked out..) and we've dedicated too many first team players to the Micky Mouse cups while leaving them out of Europe. Sims is class, don't get wrong.. But his inexperience Showed; It was a nervy match and he's still young. Getting thrown into a deciding Europe match with the likes of Boufal being left out was going to have a massive amount of risk and pressure of the young gun which didn't pay off and was, in my. opinion, unfair on Sims . The striker issue continues to be enemy number one. Puel recognised the issue from the start and kept Rod from going out on loan to counter this.But now he's wasting away on the bench or in the reserves while we go game after game of poor form infront of goal.