Southampton - most basic team to ever be leading the second tier of English football?

[fire&skill]

Southampton did not hoof the ball today. They're passing game was great at times, really fast with good movement off the ball - that's why they're in the position they're in - fully deserved

However, it must stick in your craw to miss two open goals and see one not given when it was across the line [phnarr phnarr]

 

[HoveSaint]

That has to be one of the most laughable comments I've ever seen. I've seen approximately 18/19 of the 24 teams in this division this season, and even if I was a flid I could count on one hand the number who played worse football than Southampton.

...please...

and yet we are top of the league?

 

[Seasider78]

...please...

and yet we are top of the league?

The form table for the last 8 games suggests you will not be up there much longer

Team Pld W D L F A GD GFA GAA PpG Pts Form
1 Burnley (10) 8 6 0 2 15 6 9 1.87 0.75 2.25 18 lWWwLwWw
2 Reading (5) 8 6 0 2 15 8 7 1.87 1.00 2.25 18 lWWwWlWw
3 Cardiff City (3) 8 4 3 1 10 6 4 1.25 0.75 1.87 15 WwdLdWWd
4 Middlesbrough (4) 8 4 2 2 8 9 -1 1.00 1.12 1.75 14 lDWwWwLd
5 West Ham United (2) 8 4 1 3 10 9 1 1.25 1.12 1.62 13 WldWlLwW
6 Derby County (9) 8 4 1 3 8 8 0 1.00 1.00 1.62 13 wWWlWdLl
7 Blackpool (7) 8 3 3 2 11 10 1 1.37 1.25 1.50 12 WlwDdWlD
8 Hull City (6) 8 4 0 4 8 7 1 1.00 0.87 1.50 12 LllWwWWl
9 Portsmouth (17) 8 3 3 2 8 7 1 1.00 0.87 1.50 12 WdlDwWDl
10 Barnsley (16) 8 4 0 4 16 17 -1 2.00 2.12 1.50 12 lWLlLWww
11 Brighton & Hove Albion (13) 8 4 0 4 7 8 -1 0.87 1.00 1.50 12 WllLlWwW
12 Watford (18) 8 2 5 1 10 8 2 1.25 1.00 1.37 11 lWDdDwDd
13 Bristol City (21) 8 3 2 3 8 7 1 1.00 0.87 1.37 11 wlDlLdWw
14 Crystal Palace (11) 8 3 2 3 6 7 -1 0.75 0.87 1.37 11 LwlWwlDD
15 Leeds United (8) 8 3 1 4 11 10 1 1.37 1.25 1.25 10 WllLdWwL
16 Leicester City (12) 8 2 4 2 10 9 1 1.25 1.12 1.25 10 wDDlDlWd
17 Peterborough United (15) 8 2 4 2 11 11 0 1.37 1.37 1.25 10 DdwWdLlD
18 Doncaster Rovers (23) 8 3 1 4 9 13 -4 1.12 1.62 1.25 10 WllWlWlD
19 Birmingham City (14) 8 2 3 3 10 9 1 1.25 1.12 1.12 9 dWDlWlld
20 Southampton (1) 8 2 2 4 7 11 -4 0.87 1.37 1.00 8 lLWdDlWl
21 Millwall (20) 8 2 2 4 5 9 -4 0.62 1.12 1.00 8 LWlDlWdL
22 Coventry City (24) 8 2 1 5 6 8 -2 0.75 1.00 0.87 7 lWWlLllD
23 Ipswich Town (19) 8 2 1 5 11 17 -6 1.37 2.12 0.87 7 LldWwLlL
24 Nottingham Forest (22) 8 1 1 6 3 10 -7 0.37 1.25 0.50 4 wLLdLlLl

 

[HoveSaint]

Southampton did not hoof the ball today. They're passing game was great at times, really fast with good movement off the ball - that's why they're in the position they're in - fully deserved

However, it must stick in your craw to miss two open goals and see one not given when it was across the line [phnarr phnarr]

Yes indeed. We are lacking artillery in front of goal. None of us can remember the last time we scored from a strike outside the box. Which is why it is so amazing that we are in the position we are in. Honestly, we have been scoring but nothing memorable. And not recently. Lambo is still top scorer in the league, Guly is on double what Mackail Smith is on and when we do score, the goals come from all of them, Lambo, Guly, Lalana, de Ridder, Jos, Fonte, ....

We do score goals. Yet we can't remember what they look like!

 

[ArcticBlue]

Very organised in attack, seemed mostly to go forward down the wings with long and short balls. They got accurate and at times dangerous crosses into the box. Without RL they were toothless in attack and this seemed to be a consequence of their tactics. Look at us with 9 against Burnley and compare that with Southampton's effort with 10.

 

[HoveSaint]

The form table for the last 8 games suggests you will not be up there much longer

Give up.

Based on your logic Blackburn should be top of the Prem.

Last 8 games.... Please. 46 games in the season.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Southampton did not hoof the ball today. They're passing game was great at times, really fast with good movement off the ball - that's why they're in the position they're in - fully deserved

However, it must stick in your craw to miss two open goals and see one not given when it was across the line [phnarr phnarr]

A fair summary.

 

[HoveSaint]

Effective football, not good football.

I'm so sorry?

Are you someone who says 'we were the better team' when you lose 2-0? If a team loses 2-0 then they are not the better team. They are the losing team, the worst team on the park. This is not a talent show, this game of ours. There are no judges giving points for style etc. Goals, goals, goals.

Goals are what count. How you get them is irrelevant.

Scoring more goals than the other team is the name of the game. It is effective - and good - football. End of.

 

[southstandandy]

To be fair they are very one dimensional but you play to your strengths and over the season so far it's worked for them. Like Stoke in the Prem, I wouldn't want to watch that every week but they too get their share of results by playing a lot of route one football as well.

 

[Seasider78]

Give up.

Based on your logic Blackburn should be top of the Prem.

Last 8 games.... Please. 46 games in the season.

Based on my logic in another 8 games you will not be in the auto spots but stay in denial if you wish.

 

[HoveSaint]

Based on my logic in another 8 games you will not be in the auto spots but stay in denial if you wish.

Well shall we see how Albion are placed on your 'logic' of the last 8 games?

No. Let's not. because, like I say it is a season of 46 games.

 

[Horses Arse]

With some respect: this is tosh. Yeah losing Lambert knocked them bandy, and they became somewhat clueless with 10 men (we are used to it!) but prior to that they looked quite the unit. They might not go up automatically but they are far from awful. We played VERY well in that second half.

totally agree with this - I thought they were well in control and I was convinced that the ball crossed the line with our goal line clearance. We didn't look great and were under par again in the first half. I thought the second started in much the same way but totally changed after the sending off. Saints then seemed to want to sit back for the draw and looked totally cluesless thereafter.

I didn't see it as hoofball, thought they knocked it about pretty well. Just seemed to be lacking a bit of self belief for some very strange reason.

 

[LamieRobertson]

I'm so sorry?

Are you someone who says 'we were the better team' when you lose 2-0? If a team loses 2-0 then they are not the better team. They are the losing team, the worst team on the park. This is not a talent show, this game of ours. There are no judges giving points for style etc. Goals, goals, goals.

Goals are what count. How you get them is irrelevant.

Scoring more goals than the other team is the name of the game. It is effective - and good - football. End of.

hav to say i was quite disappointed with yur team today..passed the ball around nicely ..but lacked any real cutting edge..couple of chances first half to our one...all looked nice but yur team didn't look as though thy war going anywhere..bit surprised seeing as yur top....still given recent form..maybe lacking in confidence?

 

[Stumpy Tim]

There are some real spastics on this board. In the first half Saints played some lovely football, including some much better one-touch stuff in midfield than us. They really should have been two up at half-time. They could well have had a goal early in the second half, but really fell apart once Lambert got himself sent off.

Anyone who says they were shite clearly knows nothing about football

 

[Gangsta]

They were f***ing gash, especially those two passengers - the left back and that useless twat in the middle who thinks he's playing rugby ( i.e. not allowed to pass the ball forward ). f***ing rubbish. They were lucky to get nil.

 

[xenophon]

There are some real spastics on this board. In the first half Saints played some lovely football, including some much better one-touch stuff in midfield than us. They really should have been two up at half-time. They could well have had a goal early in the second half, but really fell apart once Lambert got himself sent off.

Anyone who says they were shite clearly knows nothing about football

Dan Harding was superb right enough

 

[piersa]

So you are blind, and/or were not at the game?

Please. Saints play the passing game better then any in this league.

Thank fook someone saw what i did. They play the ball around like a prem team. Get a grip you partisan fools.

 

[sir albion]

Until the sending off they looked pretty solid and could,ve been 2-0 up at half time,im not surprised they are top as they look a solid outfit.

Today was our day for once

 

[u'vebeenamexed]

Very surprised that Saints are topping the table - they really rely on Lambert and just gave up when he was sent off.

Correct me if I am wrong but have they added to their squad that finished runners up to us last season ? If not they won't go up this year.