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

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Southampton will choke in the 2nd half of the season.

 

[HoveSaint]

Southampton will choke in the 2nd half of the season.

Ok sweet heart!

But do you swallow?

 

[ferring seagull]

To be fair fella, I don't think they did overrun us at the Withdean. We deserved our 1-0 lead at half time and they only came into it, and eventually won it after Murray went off injured and Gus made some disastrous tactical subs.


Sent by Derek Achora via the spirit world.

I remember that game just a little differently.

Murray had to go off after being assaulted by saints keeper and this somewhat hampered our defensive capabilities given that GG was serving a suspension.

When we were still 1 up or even, Ankergren was similarly clouted and should have gone off but stayed on and conceded soon after because he had been similarly dealt with. He was then forced to go off.

So we virtually gave away the first goal and or defense by that time was severely depleted.

Thought Saints were OK first and not unattractive to watch.

By the way, I thought today that the Southampton fans were very good, friendly and no trouble unlike some others.

 

[RowleyBirkinQ.C(deceased)]

I remember that game just a little differently.

Murray had to go off after being assaulted by saints keeper and this somewhat hampered our defensive capabilities given that GG was serving a suspension.

When we were still 1 up or even, Ankergren was similarly clouted and should have gone off but stayed on and conceded soon after because he had been similarly dealt with. He was then forced to go off.

So we virtually gave away the first goal and or defense by that time was severely depleted.

Thought Saints were OK first and not unattractive to watch.

By the way, I thought today that the Southampton fans were very good, friendly and no trouble unlike some others.

You've got some fair points there and reminded me of some I'd forgotten. They pushed us high up the pitch and didn't let us play out from the back. They were big and strong and knew how to play us but I didn't think they were that special


Sent by Derek Achora via the spirit world.

 

[trueblue]

Makes me laugh that people are discussing the game at Withdean. The decisive factor in that one wasn't their 'great' football - it was the fact we'd just won the title. How do you feel when you've been working your nuts off all year and it's holiday time? Not surprising we ran out of steam towards the end of the game - Saints had the extra edge because they were bricking it about blowing promotion.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Makes me laugh that people are discussing the game at Withdean. The decisive factor in that one wasn't their 'great' football - it was the fact we'd just won the title. How do you feel when you've been working your nuts off all year and it's holiday time? Not surprising we ran out of steam towards the end of the game - Saints had the extra edge because they were bricking it about blowing promotion.

Exactly

 

[LamieRobertson]

I cannot see how anyone with any degree of insight into football could describe the way they played in the first half and the start of the second half in that way. Virtually zero hoofing in my view. However, it did turn to serious rat sh!t when Lambert was dismissed. That happens - Brighton went to rat sh!t at St Mary's after being reduced to 10 men also.

Zzzzzzz

 

[LamieRobertson]

To be fair we were lucky to go in 0-0 at half time. The sending off changed the game, our passing game came into it's own and we played football, passed the ball and found the extra space really well. Great second half.

Despite there neat football thy didn't create tht much...apart from the obvious 'goal' tht wasn't and a couple of other half chances....so I don't agree tht we were lucky to go in level....I thought we the depleted mid table team contained them well

 

[klaaturberada]

Zzzzzzz

Fantastic - well thought out.

 

[perseus]

Coventry did not look a bad team to me.

 

[llugaes]

Indeed. That's why they had no clue what to do once Lambert went off.

i don't know their fixtures, but i think they'll struggle hugely with him banned for three games. i think part of the reason we did so well against their ten men is we knew there was almost no danger.

boy wonder lallana has now been marked into anonymity by a 20 year old making his first start at this level and a 38 year old player-coach.

 

[looney]

It is called "a slump". All teams have them in the course of a season - as your own four defeats in a row so amply demonstrates.

Or your start to the season was just a purple patch, I remember Chelsea being 3rd then slumped out the top division years ago.

 

[Pevenseagull]

West Ham didn't exactly play like the Dutch circa 1974

 

[JetsetJimbo]

i don't know their fixtures, but i think they'll struggle hugely with him banned for three games. i think part of the reason we did so well against their ten men is we knew there was almost no danger.

boy wonder lallana has now been marked into anonymity by a 20 year old making his first start at this level and a 38 year old player-coach.

I suppose it depends on whether they appeal, and how long that takes. Their next four fixtures are Coventry(A) (FA Cup), Forest (A), Leicester (H) and Cardiff (H). I'd say the sensible thing for them to do would be to accept the ban so that one of the games he misses is in the cup, rather than the league. If they appeal and lose they'll be missing him for three league games which of course could cost them 9 points (I'm not calling them a one-man team, but of course they'll miss him and their opposition would rather he wasn't playing). Depending on how long things take, they've got Birmingham (A) after that, but I'd expect the ban to have been served by then.

 

[Captain Sensible]

Southampton were basic but good at the basics with a very strong physical team. I think we started better, then after 10mins they started to take control. The clearance off the line looked like it had gone over but how far over? I was level in block WI of WSL and it was hard to see if it was totally over, I understand that the Lino can't give it if he's not sure.
I think there were 2 turning points. Firstly when Harding went off, because the Albion players saw Saints were rattled after LuaLua and Buckley were skinning their fullbacks. Also the Amex crowd affected Harding and some of the saints players. Secondly, 2nd half started evenly but then when Lambert got sent off ( he elbowed El Abd in the first half too), Southampton fell apart. No plan B at all. Lua Lua and Buckley skinned them even more, CMS pulled their defenders all over the place with his movement and made space for JFC and Sparrow. We were too good for them.