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Match Day Thread Southampton v Manchester United, Sunday 29th November 2pm Sky Sports Main Event

Discussion in 'Southampton' started by Onionman, Nov 24, 2020.

  1. San Tejón

    San Tejón Well-Known Member

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    My take on today’s game is this.

    I think that Ralph is a little concerned about being turned over, like we were against Spurs, when we are up against high quality, very quick players that can hit us on the break, and as a result I think we have played a softer version of our pressing game, against Wolves and Utd.
    I will be interested to see if we are more aggressive, with the press, against Brighton.
    A lot of the time, when we press hard, we have so many players around the ball that when we turn possession over, there is always a passing opportunity.
    When we don’t press so high, and hard, our opponents pass through us and drag us out of shape, plus when we do turn over possession the man on the ball can be isolated.
    I think Utd did a good job on keeping our full backs from overlapping and there were times when they high pressed them against the touch line, winning the ball back, including the build up to their first goal when Bertrand was blocked by 3, iirc.
    Too many of our players were playing at levels 5/6 today and we didn’t deserve to win, although I wouldn’t have said no to 3 points.
    Onwards and upwards.
     
    #581
  2. One of yer Norvern Saints

    One of yer Norvern Saints Well-Known Member

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    I've been quiet thus far. I watched it with a group of mates on Zoom. All are fanatical STH Liverpool fans. They desperately wanted Saints to win but ...

    Those who say we were 'poor' can sod off. We were as good as we were allowed to be. How many times, after an excellent Saints performance.. have we moaned that we were given no credit; that's all down to the paucity of the performance. Well today we met an opponent who outplayed us for great swathes of the game. But we'll play worse and win this season. United in the second half were excellent and out pressed us. Better team over 90 minutes won, and there is nothing in our performance which was shameful. Saints ended up looking knackered and well beaten. Well, it happens, people. United can bring on a clever Italian who turns the game. We bring on Shane, bless him.

    We are Southampton, and my pride is undented.
     
    #582
  3. fatletiss

    fatletiss Well-Known Member

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    Yep, as I said earlier. Ole is finding something there. 8 away games on the trot and they were better than us today for the majority of the game. Hats off to them rather than dissing us.

    I agree with all of what you say here, apart from the clever Italian; clever Uruguayan :emoticon-0105-wink:
     
    #583
  4. The Ides of March

    The Ides of March Well-Known Member

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    Taking off my anti Manchester United hat, and reading between the lines, is this the best team SFC have played this season? I know that Thomas likes a little flutter. and I wonder if he put money on MU to win the title after the freak loss to Spurs? Looking at what people here have written, MU sound like a good team. and with Liverppol, stuttering away from home, United;s good record against them, and all round general improvement in recent weeks, I am beginning to wonder!!
     
    #584
  5. Archers Road

    Archers Road Urban Spaceman

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    Yeah, none of that helps at all mate. But thanks for trying.
     
    #585
  6. The Ides of March

    The Ides of March Well-Known Member

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    No problem!!! Recover soon!!
     
    #586
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  7. Saintmagic

    Saintmagic Well-Known Member

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    At least we managed to kick them off the park for a fair amount of the game

    4D6F2E3E-0FF6-49E8-A745-63017ECC955C.jpeg
     
    #587
  8. One of yer Norvern Saints

    One of yer Norvern Saints Well-Known Member

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    Pedant. Looked and played Italian!
     
    #588
  9. OddRiverOakWizards

    OddRiverOakWizards Well-Known Member

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    I really thought we would win. Man U played better than expected and in Cavani a game changer. Not a disaster but looked a little light on our bench when changes were required.
     
    #589
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  10. tomw24

    tomw24 Well-Known Member
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    With Ings and Redmond coming back that will certainly give us more options.
     
    #590
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  11. Dark Lord SFC

    Dark Lord SFC Well-Known Member

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    Ings is an improvement but not sure about this seasons Redders who hasn’t got going yet
     
    #591
  12. Le Tissier's Laces

    Le Tissier's Laces Well-Known Member

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    He’s better defensively than Moussa though, and Bertie prefers playing on that line with him. There was quite a telling moment yesterday where Bertie made a run and Moussa passed to him, but it was a bit of a poor pass (despite being easy) and Bertie had to check his run. You could see in his face a very “FFS” type response.
     
    #592
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  13. Che’s Godlike Thighs

    Che’s Godlike Thighs Well-Known Member

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    Mmm, I'm looking to get my dishwasher emptied early next week. Does anyone know of anybody who claims to be skilled in this most mundane and moronic of household chores?

    I need someone who is able to tell the difference between an empty space, and an almost-empty space with a spoon in it.
     
    #593
  14. Saints_Alive

    Saints_Alive Well-Known Member

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    Who would drop out for Redders anyway? Can't see any of the front four being dropped just now but it is nice to have better options which I think was Tom's point
     
    #594
  15. Archers Road

    Archers Road Urban Spaceman

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    It’s funny. Ask any non Saints fan about Redmond, and they will consistently say how much of a threat he gives to the team; ask any Saints fan, and there’s a fair chance they’ll say how frustrating he is.

    It’s like, if a player has skills and is capable of the occasional bit of magic, his own supporters will never forgive him for not actually being Maradona.
     
    #595
  16. st_brendy

    st_brendy Well-Known Member
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    I'm finding it difficult to pin-point one reason for yesterday's turnaround. Because there are a number.

    1. Vestergaard returning to his pre-2020/21 form. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's a one-off - anyone can have a bad game - and I'm certainly not going to turn on him yet after his brilliant season so far. But as Stephens has already shown twice (under Puel and Ralph), it is possible for a poor CB to have a run of solid performances before regressing back to the norm.

    The first goal yesterday, Vesty was caught so far up field, that he was barely even back in the frame when the ball went over the line. The third goal yesterday, he gave away the stupid free-kick and then lost Cavani in the box. In the first half, he and McCarthy between them allowed Greenwood to have sight of an empty goal. And even the second goal, it was he who kept Cavani onside (not that I am blaming him for that - McCarthy coming out and making a limp punch meant that he had to drop back onto the line to cover - but it just summed up his day, that it was him.)

    2. Utd finally putting away their chances. They shouldn't have been at nil at HT.

    3. Ole being bold enough to stick with Fred and Matic. The very easy HT change would have to be take one of them off. 2-0 down against Saints? Who needs two DCMs then? But Ole new that if he left the back door open and we scored a third, that was the match. Moreover, he new that they were creating chances - just not scoring them. So keep the back door shut, and just introduce a better guy to finish.

    4. Our lack of squad depth. 10 goals we've conceded in three second halves this season. As per MOTD2, we're the second worst second half defensive team in the division. We're only missing three players, and yet that is sufficient to leave is with a bench that is nothing short of embarrassing. It's only natural that Ralph's style of play will see us tire in the second half - but unfortunately, we just don't have the options to freshen things up. (Amazing that some people weren't sure on Theo at first - just an extra body, he has been invaluable.)

    5. I took a liberty, and decided to wear a Saints shirt for the first team since I was actually at the ground (ie vs Newcastle). I wrongly presumed that our run of form meant it was now safe to do so.
     
    #596
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  17. shoot_spiderman

    shoot_spiderman Power to the People

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    “Cavani deserved every tribute that came his way after the sort of impact world-class players make when it is required, breaking Southampton's hearts and delivering what he threatened to do from the moment he walked on at misty St Mary's”

    I think we’ve tired more 2nd half last 2 games because playing the way we do vs very good teams is bloody hard work and ideally we need a better bench. I think our bench looks reasonable when Danny and Redders are back and we’re playing the likes of Brighton, but not so much vs ManU
     
    #597
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  18. San Tejón

    San Tejón Well-Known Member

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    I think this goes back to my point about, IMO, that we aren’t pressing as hard against dangerous, hit on the break at speed, teams.
    When we press high and hard, we are setting the pace, but when we go softer, we are playing at the pace set by the opposition, and when they have good passing quality we get moved around, chasing the ball over larger areas which I think saps energy.
     
    #598
  19. Le Tissier's Laces

    Le Tissier's Laces Well-Known Member

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    Number 5.
     
    #599
  20. StJabbo1

    StJabbo1 Well-Known Member

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    I've worked with Americans, some necks were red and fond of "banter" it took them a while to realise why I called them septics.
     
    #600
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