Just got home, not the best first game of the season to go to but I suppose there haven't been too many good ones this season regardless. First half was abysmal, we didn't look like we belonged on a football pitch, didn't look comfortable on or off the ball, I'm not a boo-boy but that's the closest I've ever come to doing so. Second half was much better and we could have gotten something from the game, but another Jekyll & Hyde performance is poor. Thought we should have played with 5 in the midfield from the off, JWP starting rather than JRod who had no impact first half and just found himself on the wing, from which he has offered nothing all season. Puncheon was poor and had one of those games where he looked like he had no ideas on the ball. Thought Schneiderlin and Davis were both disappointing and far below their usual standard, gave the ball away much more than usual. Fox had one of his bad games, and I really dislike the amount of our play is ended with him hoofing diagonals, particularly in a game where their LB was Vertonghen who was always going to be up to the challenge of Rickie much more than the average LB. Clyne was good going forward, lost Bale a couple of times, and didn't effect Bale enough for his goal, just needed to put him off enough to not let him get the power on the header he did, but overall not bad. Fonte was unlucky to not clear their second and overall wasn't bad I felt. Yoshida had a performance which summed up Saints, first half was poor, can be blamed for both of their goals to a degree, but in the second half he was fantastic. Lallana was mixed, he worked hard getting back but Walker did get away from him a couple of times, but trying to keep up with Walker is a fool's errand, and he was decent going forward, grew into the game more as he came more centrally. Lambert put a good effort in but just found himself out wide too much for me, I know he can contribute from out there, but I just feel especially when we're hunting a goal that we need him in the box spearheading things, which he wasn't enough. Rodriguez looked much better when he came inside and was playing more like a striker. Mayuka was fantastic when he came on and I really really want him on the pitch more, he also showed desire defensively which impressed me and makes me believe that he might be able to play deeper wide roles. Overall another game with a mix of optimism and pessimism. Our next 5 games are very big for us, if we can get positive results from 3 or 4 of them and get some confidence then I'll be very happy, if we take another 3 or 4 losses then that's when I'd start worrying.
I said earlier how much Claridge was backing us on FiveLive, he seems very confident in Saints abilities Good to hear from someone that played for the blue half of Hampshire
Ref was ****ing terrible. He wasted more time than Spurs did. Taking forever over every freekick, mincing around like he was the star attraction. What a **** and so typical of the pious ****ers that officiate in the Prem. I'm more angry about saints slowing the game down after we equalised, than our defending and crap first half. Spurs were starting to get stretched and rock a bit at the back and then our midfield went back to passing it amongst them instead of getting it wide to Mayuka who was an instant threat. That ****ing annoyed me. Was Saints fault the game fizzled out.
He slaughtered us in the first half but yes I think it would be very easy to write us off but he can see that we have some good performances inside us.
Just back from match. If we had kept it to one goal down at half time, we might have got something from this game. Looked very poor and lost in first half, though second half was much better. I notice that Adkins sent the team out a minute before the opposition...bit of a flea in the ear I would guess. As they've just said on BBC we were unlucky not to get a draw. The crowd were good in second half. because the team gave them something to cheer. It meant they were applauded off...no one could criticise their 2nd half effort. I know Nigel will put out a weakened side against Leeds, but I think we need a victory to raise spirits.
As much as I'm disappointed we lost, I'm not having a it or losing sleep over it. I only managed to catch the second half and from what a heard we played some excellent football
Right about the Referee, did you see that duff free kick he gaves Spurs late in the 2nd half, even the Spurs did the honourable thing by just kicking the ball back to us, when it was in a very dangerous position from which they could have had a chance to bury the match, can't remember that happening before! Decent lino on the Kingsland side, can't recall a single incorrect decision from him.
Lalas goalbound thunderbolt hit JRod and Spiders thunderbolt was goal bound when it hit Sandro in the face, it just wasn't our day.
Another positve I can think of today is Ben Reeves came on at LB and looked good, so that gives us another option there!
Not really disappointed, but I guess that's only because of the second half. Salvaged respect from a truly awful first 45 minutes. Pretty much every game this season we have turned up for 45 minutes, but not at all for the other 45. Man Utd (good) and Arsenal (bad) being rare exceptions. If we play like we did for the second 45 minutes today - or the second 45 vs Villa, or the first 45 mins vs Fulham etc - then we should be fine. But play like we did for the first 45 minutes on a regular basis, and we could be down with games to spare. But hey, overall, I'm content. We're still only 2 - 3 points worse than I expected. Hardly cause for panic. And I expected to lose today.
we need a left fullback who can read the game and defend and if Boruc is the best we have then we are doomed!! What has happened to Gazzaniga?
Nigel Adkins confident he will be given the time to turn Saints around: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20118380?utm_source=BBC&utm_medium=twitter
Defoe joined an exclusive club of big screen hitters, can anyone name any others. I can remember it happening once or twice before but none of the perpetrators coming to my mind at the moment.
