Southampton Post Match Thread

[The Year Of The Fox]

It's important to remember that whilst southampton have started well, and looked good when we let them play, they are a team only just coming up from league 1. They should not be the yardstick we measure ourselves with. If we regard 'dominating them for 45min's' as a sign of our improvement then have our expectations dropped?

[shen]

It's important to remember that whilst southampton have started well, and looked good when we let them play, they are a team only just coming up from league 1. They should not be the yardstick we measure ourselves with. If we regard 'dominating them for 45min's' as a sign of our improvement then have our expectations dropped?

So because they are newly promoted, we should disregard them as a yardstick? Do you not remember where Norwich ended up last season, or where we ended up the season before that?

[Babylon]

It's important to remember that whilst southampton have started well, and looked good when we let them play, they are a team only just coming up from league 1. They should not be the yardstick we measure ourselves with. If we regard 'dominating them for 45min's' as a sign of our improvement then have our expectations dropped?

Would you have said the same about Norwich, Leeds and Millwall at the end of last season?

[The Year Of The Fox]

They're just as likely to fade away as anything else. It's easy to use hindsight when referring to Norwich.

If our general ambition still remains the same as before the start of the season, then it should be us that are setting the pace. Not being satisfied with dominating one team for 45mins.

[The Year Of The Fox]

By the way, I'm not criticising city, I'm just asking whether some of our fans expectations have dropped already.

[suffolk fox]

It's important to remember that whilst southampton have started well, and looked good when we let them play, they are a team only just coming up from league 1. They should not be the yardstick we measure ourselves with. If we regard 'dominating them for 45min's' as a sign of our improvement then have our expectations dropped?

Tell that to Norwich then..... They came up from league 1 last season and they are now in the Premiership. Maybe you are

setting your standards too high. Southampton are a good team and they will be there or thereabouts this season. In fact Southampton are the best team we have played so far this season fact.

[Callabinho]

Its a whole case of if and buts again, If Mills & fernandes's headers went in then we could have been 4 up by half time.

The only issue I had was we dropped back way too deep once they scored, almost inviting pressure on! Adam Lallana gave our back four a nightmare but I don't think the weather conditions helped Paintsil for the first goal, from personal using F50's in the rain on a slick pitch isn't good! stick to metal blade's and preds in those conditions!

But at least we won!!!

[Babylon]

They're just as likely to fade away as anything else. It's easy to use hindsight when referring to Norwich.

Maybe they will and maybe they won't, but at the time of us playing them they were the form team in the league and actually looked good against us. So why should people not be happy that we played very well in the first half? I didn't see the Cov game, but I watched Bristol, Reading, Forest and Saints. I would say each game there has been an improvement on the last. So i'm happy how things are progressing.

Have expectations dropped? I wouldn't say so, I would say people are maybe a bit more realistic that it's not going to be a walk in the park they thought it would be! But then anyone thinking that was an idiot anyway.

[Thracian]

Sourthampton are a dangerous team who are committed to attack. They have an excellent manager who has gathered 100 points fster than any previous Southampton manager and they some money available to improve. Barring injuries to certain key players they are likely to improve rather than go backwards and will undoubtedly challenge for promotion.

That we outplayed them for 35 minutes was encouraging. It showed that we have something to offer. But whether Sven is tactically capable of getting as much from his team as the Southampton gaffer is another matter. I have serious concerns about that and believe we badly need an attacking coach and a master tactician to compliment Sven's strengths and that would take a lot of pride swalowing.

Success in football is not just about spending money it is about attending to detail and squeezing every last drop from what you have available. We don't do that and haven't done since MON's day. But that's what it will come down to just as it did last season when we threatened but finally faltered quite alarmingly.

And all the money we've spent hasn't changed our failings one bit. We're philosophically and tactically flawed and we don't attend to detail nearly enough as anyone giving five minutes honest thought to the matter would concede.

[Nick]

Sourthampton are a dangerous team who are committed to attack. They have an excellent manager who has gathered 100 points fster than any previous Southampton manager and they some money available to improve. Barring injuries to certain key players they are likely to improve rather than go backwards and will undoubtedly challenge for promotion.

That we outplayed them for 35 minutes was encouraging. It showed that we have something to offer. But whether Sven is tactically capable of getting as much from his team as the Southampton gaffer is another matter. I have serious concerns about that and believe we badly need an attacking coach and a master tactician to compliment Sven's strengths and that would take a lot of pride swalowing.

Success in football is not just about spending money it is about attending to detail and squeezing every last drop from what you have available. We don't do that and haven't done since MON's day. But that's what it will come down to just as it did last season when we threatened but finally faltered quite alarmingly.

And all the money we've spent hasn't changed our failings one bit. We're philosophically and tactically flawed and we don't attend to detail nearly enough as anyone giving five minutes honest thought to the matter would concede.

Agree with most of this, though with regard to being philosophically and tactically flawed I'll reserve judgement to see what we can do in the transfer/loan market and give the manager till Christmas before I make sweeping generalisations about a new side of players.

[sphericalfox]

Sourthampton are a dangerous team who are committed to attack. They have an excellent manager who has gathered 100 points fster than any previous Southampton manager and they some money available to improve. Barring injuries to certain key players they are likely to improve rather than go backwards and will undoubtedly challenge for promotion.

That we outplayed them for 35 minutes was encouraging. It showed that we have something to offer. But whether Sven is tactically capable of getting as much from his team as the Southampton gaffer is another matter. I have serious concerns about that and believe we badly need an attacking coach and a master tactician to compliment Sven's strengths and that would take a lot of pride swalowing.

Success in football is not just about spending money it is about attending to detail and squeezing every last drop from what you have available. We don't do that and haven't done since MON's day. But that's what it will come down to just as it did last season when we threatened but finally faltered quite alarmingly.

And all the money we've spent hasn't changed our failings one bit. We're philosophically and tactically flawed and we don't attend to detail nearly enough as anyone giving five minutes honest thought to the matter would concede.

The reason we an out of steam last season was the depth of quality in the squad, tired minds and tired legs after an exhausting campaign of 'catch-up'.

We now have what most teams do not have, even some of our competitors, the ability to take out of form or tired/injured players off the pitch and replace them with players that are not Moreno, Lamey etc. who add nothing and leave us weakened and likely to pish away well needed points at the business end of the season.

[marbelladave]

Hmm, can I get the same offer?

Challenge accepted!

You'll have to come to Linekers Bar to collect..... Between Christmas and New Year,'

http://www.linekersgroup.com/linekers-bar.php

[Guest Col city fan]

By the way, I'm not criticising city, I'm just asking whether some of our fans expectations have dropped already.

This won't wash anymore stu.. Just be honest and say that you ARE criticising city.. It's all you've been doing for ages to be fair.

You seem to do what I used to do... Attempt to gloss criticism up in some positive facade.

I've been open this season about how I think we will do well. Yes there are issues, but then again their are with any club and any manager. I said before the season began that west ham are the strongest side in the division. Nothing has happened to make me change my view. I also said that I thought we would finish top six.. Nothing has changed either to make me think otherwise.

Nail your colours to the mast and accept that you don't like Sven very much and how he is doing things, rather than this 'I'm not being critical but....' rubbish

[Thracian]

The reason we an out of steam last season was the depth of quality in the squad, tired minds and tired legs after an exhausting campaign of 'catch-up'.

We now have what most teams do not have, even some of our competitors, the ability to take out of form or tired/injured players off the pitch and replace them with players that are not Moreno, Lamey etc. who add nothing and leave us weakened and likely to pish away well needed points at the business end of the season.

I wish that were true.

Unfortunately we have no-one to replace Nugent for the three weeks it will likely take his hamstring to mend. I've a lot of faith in Schlupp but as a strike partner alongside someone more experienced rather than as our main target.

Yes, Vassell could link with him well enough but he's not a specialist striker and that would make us short of a potentially penetrative wide man.

Vassell's supension itself showed we were short of wing options, with only the strangely unfavoured Dyer as an alternative.

So, at this time I'd say we were short of cover in two important areas - striker and winger (and the more so if we don't get Maynard or he's injured).

And in other places where we do have notional cover, I'm not sure that we're strong enough anyway.

At centre-back, for instance, I shall be much happier when Tunchev is back in contention - if he ever comes back - and I don't see any of our full-backs as being dangerously attacking, nor particularly reliable as defenders.

Much of the above was emphasised by our fading so dramatically against Forest and Southampton and the negativity of Sven's tactical changes on those occasions.

It was also emphasised by our failure to get behind the Bristol City and Reading defences and by our total lack of attacking ambition once we'd taken the lead at Coventry, all things which showed how limited our options were for a club that has had so much time and money to build for the new season.

[sphericalfox]

I wish that were true.

Unfortunately we have no-one to replace Nugent for the three weeks it will likely take his hamstring to mend. I've a lot of faith in Schlupp but as a strike partner alongside someone more experienced rather than as our main target.

Yes, Vassell could link with him well enough but he's not a specialist striker and that would make us short of a potentially penetrative wide man.

Vassell's supension itself showed we were short of wing options, with only the strangely unfavoured Dyer as an alternative.

So, at this time I'd say we were short of cover in two important areas - striker and winger (and the more so if we don't get Maynard or he's injured).

And in other places where we do have notional cover, I'm not sure that we're strong enough anyway.

At centre-back, for instance, I shall be much happier when Tunchev is back in contention - if he ever comes back - and I don't see any of our full-backs as being dangerously attacking, nor particularly reliable as defenders.

Much of the above was emphasised by our fading so dramatically against Forest and Southampton and the negativity of Sven's tactical changes on those occasions.

It was also emphasised by our failure to get behind the Bristol City and Reading defences and by our total lack of attacking ambition once we'd taken the lead at Coventry, all things which showed how limited our options were for a club that has had so much time and money to build for the new season.

There'll be movement in the transfer window whether it's permanent or not for a forward. That is for sure. I was referring to the long term aspect of the season, and if we need to utilise the loan window come January we can to further strengthen (for serious injuries) but for the best part, the team has more decent coverage than any other team in the league.

Attack, attack, attack. Like a broken record. Nugent and Vassell have shown they can score, and we others in the team capable of scoring from midfield, though you and many others doubted this.

Take the needle off the vinyl and put on another tune fella.

[Thracian]

There'll be movement in the transfer window whether it's permanent or not for a forward. That is for sure. I was referring to the long term aspect of the season, and if we need to utilise the loan window come January we can to further strengthen (for serious injuries) but for the best part, the team has more decent coverage than any other team in the league.

Attack, attack, attack. Like a broken record. Nugent and Vassell have shown they can score, and we others in the team capable of scoring from midfield, though you and many others doubted this.

Take the needle off the vinyl and put on another tune fella.

Tell me about this "decent" cover. And how you can justify us changing a winning format for one which so risks losing a two goal advantage twice?

I believe in attack because that is what wins things, pal!. And the more so since winning earned three points per game. But if we can't maintain attacking impetus for 90 minutes we need substitutes who can. Tactical retreat is a recipe for failure in the end.

[cc_star]

Is Nuge out for a while?

[MC Prussian]

Is Nuge out for a while?

Could be back for the Barnsley away game next week.

With the emphasis on "could".

For once, you've got to be glad there's an international break.