Southampton (A) Post-Match Thread

[Gremlin]

Everyone is going on about Zinchenko's mistake but even if didn't happen then we still only draw 0-0. For me, the problem is at the other end but I'm still not sure we were just unlucky, not sharp enough, not clinical enough or what. I watched so many attacks last night where I was convinced the ball was going to end up in the back of the net but it just wouldn't happen.

One thing I do know is that I'm becoming increasingly frustrated by opposition teams (particularly goalkeepers) having the games of their lives against us then meekly giving up next game.

 

[Scaring Europe to Death]

I'm pretty sure that our worst PL performances under Mancini and Pellegrini were both at Southampton, and whilst we weren't terrible last night, I sensed a defeat, as soon as I saw the line-up.
It wasn’t that different to many other games this season, the main difference being that Southampton (and many others) benefited from the obligatory mistake, whereas Liverpool (and many others) hit the post.


We seem obsessed with resting players for the FA Cup rather than focusing on the current performance, but whereas in 2017-18, we could rotate 6 or 7, and still produce a seamless performance, we now seem to have a few players, who for all sorts of reasons, have gone backwards.

It suits us to blame the media for Bernardo’s ban, but in truth, he’s looked knackered all season.

I thought Cancelo was one of our better players last night, but will he be here next season, especially as he rarely starts?

Similarly, Zinchenko has been a defensive liability this season

David Silva will be remembered as one of our greatest players, but this season has simply been one too many.

 

[theres only one carlito]

Clinical striker and we win that game last night.
Trying too walk it in at times.
We weren’t ruthless enough.

 

[shevtheblue]

If you listen to Pep of late, he gives hints that the PL isn't important at the moment and they are *mostly* using it for rhythm, allow players to get some game time and trying out some things. You could see a lot of that last night, but you'd like to think when the Arsenal game comes around they won't be fucking around. Even moreso when it comes to the mini-tournament for the champs league. I think he'll treat all those games as finals and this is a mini preseason. The Liverpool game was a dress rehearsal for what's coming and what Pep said about the game afterwards hints towards that.

 

[mancity1]

Rotations play a big part in outcomes , match day is not the same as training drills etc and these days most teams if they have the personnel will change from game to game especially if they come every 3-4 days.

i don't think the points differential is as much as the gap suggests from last season to this season albeit if win the last 5 games we will 17 short of last seasons tally which still likely to be surpassed by Liverpool this season.

Silva is older and in his last season , Kun has been stop start most of the season , Bernardo has dropped his flair and skill level and Ferny is on i last legs.

Specifically we just were not sharp enough in the box hanging on to the ball for too long and prepared to shoot from distance which you have to do in games when 10 are behind the ball until Laporte let fly.

One or two moments of luck and rub of the green as they say and the result is a win albeit it was not a convincing effort but clearly with this lineup we are still ahead of the chasing pack and things can change quickly from season to season.

We need 4 maybe 5 quality players to come in during the summer and we should be fine.

 

[Roachy]

Everyone is going on about Zinchenko's mistake but even if didn't happen then we still only draw 0-0. For me, the problem is at the other end but I'm still not sure we were just unlucky, not sharp enough, not clinical enough or what. I watched so many attacks last night where I was convinced the ball was going to end up in the back of the net but it just wouldn't happen.

One thing I do know is that I'm becoming increasingly frustrated by opposition teams (particularly goalkeepers) having the games of their lives against us then meekly giving up next game.

Which is exactly what the Saints goalkeeper didn't have last night, despite what the juvenile BBC commentary would like us to believe. A couple of blocks and saves were about it. Our attackers select a different option or are more clinical, and it's a totally different outcome.

 

[Bluesince1979]

It was hit into his wrong foot at pace. If he'd tried a first time pass it could have gone anywhere
Why didn't Laporte thump it down the line for Sterling to chase?
After the Liverpool game pep said we play high risk high reward, but that generally is on the edge of our own penalty area
David Silva, with incredible skill turned on the edge of their penalty area and left himself with only the keeper to beat and hit a terrible effort at the keepers legs
I haven't read a single criticism of that powder puff effort

Our finishing IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH and if it was Zinchenkos dropped bollock wouldnt be talked about either

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

Watching that back, two or three things strike me.

The Che Adams goal isn't a worldie at all. It's a well taken goal, and it was the glaringly obvious thing to do. He's got a lot of space to aim at. Ed is at fault there, being that far off his line when there's Southampton strikers lurking. But his mistake merely compounds Zin's. What was Zin thinking, trying to dribble across his man, when there's nothing behind him except a huge gap to his keeper?
The Southampton defence and keeper don't play a worldie either. They get across and block well, which is after all their job when there's that many of them in the box for most of the game. Stephens played well. McCarthy played well, but he didn't frankly have to pull off any world class saves à la Joe Hart against Dortmund and Barcelona.
We've now lost two league games out of the last three partly due to a truly horrible mistake by our left back. It makes it worse that it was two different players. Both of them are pretty useful going forward, in my opinion. But that's not enough. Anyone playing in the back four has got to be savvy in defence. Neither of them are. Angeliño is apparently not the solution. Ban or no ban, this problem has got to be addressed, along with the third reliable centre half one, in very short order. I think we can survive and even do well for one more season without dealing with the Kun problem, and even the Fern problem. But those two positions must be addressed.

Oh, one other thing. Gaby has got to do better on that initial chance from the Rodri cross. To not even get it on target is poor, and he'll know it. I believe that if he puts that in, it's a different game entirely. The team relaxes, starts playing its natural game, and tucks chances away rather than snatching at them.

 

[BlueRain]

I think a big part of the problem last night (and other times) is our lack of height... How many times did we pump the ball into a very crowded box only for the defenders to head it away? Southampton could have done that all night (and did) - there is no way we should be attempting to fire crosses into a crowded box with D.Silva, B.Silva, Mahrez and Jesus in there... just won't work.

 

[Platt Lane 59]

I think a big part of the problem last night (and other times) is our lack of height... How many times did we pump the ball into a very crowded box only for the defenders to head it away? Southampton could have done that all night (and did) - there is no way we should be attempting to fire crosses into a crowded box with D.Silva, B.Silva, Mahrez and Jesus in there... just won't work.