Match Day Thread Norwich V Saints 2/1/2016 KO 15:00

Likewise, I never felt in danger until Vic's moment of madness.

 

No never in danger but did anyone really think we looked like scoring?

 

It was like a lot of games this season (and last to be fair). We were possibly/probably the better team without ever battering them or missing a host of clear cut chances and there was always the possibility we'd do something silly or concede a sloppy goal. Last year we didn't make too many silly mistakes, this year we're making more of them.

 

*hand up*

Yes, I did. Long headed over when he had done the hard work. He also missed an absolute sitter when one v one. At least twice, VVD was there to head home rom close range and somehow didn't get the touch. Tadic cut in and passed when he should have shot and didn't take another chance early enough.

The chances were there. Once again we didn't take them.

I am as disappointed as everyone else, but it seems we are letting the result cloud what happened. For the umpteenth game, we should have been out of sight.

 

We're back to my recent post about poor decision making by the players.
As others have said, we never looked like losing this, until Vic made that stupid decision to dive in for a challenge he had no need to make.
I'm not generally superstitious, but have they broken a shed load of mirrors at SMS or Staplewood? I can't believe how often our bad decisions/errors are leading directly to goals being conceded. And I am including the sending off in this, as we were a man light on the edge of the box to block the goal today.
I will try and find the time to go through the goal highlights, and see what the total number of avoidable goals is now at, but am thinking it has to be double figures.

 

It is getting tiresome, but it is the same old story again: we are controlling a game, getting into the final third, but cannot take our chances. When you don't do that you are always likely to make a mistake.

Wanyama was being stupid - very stupid. Those two tackles were idiotic. In all honesty, as a fan who travelled to Carrow Road today I can't say at the time I was very impressed with Ronald dropping Mane, and then refusing to put him on for ages - but having listened to Ronald post match, I back him 100%. You can't have players with that attitude starting the game - even if he is our 'best' attacking player.

We need fresh energy in the team though - and support for Shane up the front. The lad is just so isolated at times.

 

Vic made another stupid tackle a few minutes before his red card, and I thought Clattenburg was going for his pocket then, but it was only to reach for the foam spray. My point is that Victor often seems to have no idea what he is doing when he goes in for tackles, even when he has already been shown a yellow. He did the same against Bournemouth, for which I defended him after the game, because it was a dangerous position. Today's wasn't in a position where a last-ditch sliding tackle was in any way called for.

 

Just going to add this.
There is no leadership in the team.
Fonte leads the team out, but he isn't a captain, in the sense that he gets at his team mates when they mess up. No backside kicking, no screaming and shouting at players to buck their ideas up.
The Mane situation and the Wanyama sending off. In the "old days", one of their teammates would have had them up against the dressing room wall, for letting the team down, in the way they both have today.
Someone like Alan Ball, would have been in Victor's ear before he had walked off the pitch, telling him in no uncertain terms that he had let everyone down.
I know we tend to only buy young players, with a sell on value, but by doing this we are now totally bereft of real characters, on the pitch.
If we do, by any chance bring in a player or two, in January, I would prefer them to be established Premier League players, that may just have slipped out of favour with their current manager, and players that will bring more fight to the side and tell their teammates how it is.
Lawrie McMenemy knew the importance of having some elder statesman in the team, for their experience and for sorting out problems on the pitch.

 

This is a good post. I note that Osvalderamo "liked it" which I don't quite get.

Osvalederamo - I may be wrong, but this post seems to imply the Board need to up their game and you liked it. All I've read so far from you on this thread is that it's all Koeman's fault - genuinely asking if I have missed something here? That's a couple of posts that you've liked that hint at blaming the board/club but you're saying its Koeman.

Just interested to understand how that works, as it seems odd to me. I may just have misunderstood though.

 

What a difference a week makes. After demolishing the potential league champions we thought that could 're-ignite our season.

3 poor halves of football later hopes of another year of improvement are vanishing.
We are at a bit of a crossroads, and January 2016 is turning into a major month on an off the pitch that could shape the road saints will take over the next season or so.
Questions on who should be bought, should players be allowed to leave, are academy players ready to play, discipline issues to resolve, manager to be backed and how to transform possession into chances into goals into wins on the pitch.

Everyone at the club from Kat, les, Ron and the players have important parts to play. Christmas is over, panto season is over, dreams of top 4 are over but the football season is only half way through.

We might not agree with all the decisions made and it will take time to know if they were the right decisions.
There are plenty of games left to get mad, get angry, be disappointed but it's worth it for all those 'arsenal' moments.

COYR

 

Good post RAWMOK. I'm just not sure Panto season is over yet though

 

Oh yes it is

 

We could see Vic Whittington searching for gold in London....

 

It's always panto season when your team has lost and you want someone to blame. It's only natural to find fault and easy to single out a villain, be it vic, mane, Caulker or pelle but there are many factors during a game and the TEAM need to take joint responsibility.

Anyway back to bed, it's late. Had my neighbour banging on my door at 1 am this morning, can you believe it, 1 am!!!!!!

Luckily he didn't wake me up as I was still drilling at the time.

 

Clearly you were not at CR yesterday? We had THREE clear cut chances in the first half carved out of flowing football, you had one when Long got on the end of a hopefull punt from the channel brilliantly saved by Rudd.
I suggest you remove your rose tinted glasses and watch the game !
Southampton huffed and puffed but never did I feel you had enough to break us down, it would have taken a mistake or one of clattenburgs usual **** ups to gift you something.
Your way to good to go down so why so many are pushing the panic button I'm not sure? But also your no where near as good as so many on here think they are ! Just except it your a mid table side, enjoy it.

 

You had one shot on target in the 75th minute when we reduced to 10 men..........so your clear cut chances came to what? Not even on being on target?
And you conveniently missed Steve Davis effort that needed saving by your goalie in the first half.
Hhhhhmmmmmnnnn you must have rose tinted glasses on yesterday.

 

Oh dear. A punt? Watch that ball through to Long again.

Maybe, you had yellow tinted glasses?

Was one of your beautifully crafted chances the cock up by Fonte and another a stray pass from Van Dijk?? Mmm

You sure you were there? I was.

 

I think he only saw what he wanted to see whilst watching the 30 seconds on MOTD last night

 

We are now forced to rest Vic, this may be a good thing. Freshen up the midfield and maybe try a slightly different approach?

I'm just as annoyed as everyone else. We just have to wait and see what happens this window. If we don't get any firepower in then I will have real concerns and might start using the word 'ambition'.

 

Your post just confirms the case that we all see a game from a different perspective, and I think both you and FLT are correct, Saints might be good at passing the ball around but at result s this season have shown lack a serious cutting edge to threaten. By the way, midtable means a team is not too good to go down. Newcastle last season were midtable or just above at the halfway stage then bombed. Saints were halfway a few weeks ago, but are now slipping. Whether it can be reversed soon we shall have to wait and find out. From my own perspective, I feel a relegation battle coming on and am 60/40 inclined to think Saints will fall through the trapdoor.