Southampton (H) Post Match Thread

[Exeter Blue I am here]

I can't agree that Mendy had a stinker. He is a work in progress and he had a few poor moments but he did far more good work than bad.

Yeh, stinker’s excessive on my part, but swinging at the ball and missing it, shanking it, and having the opposition work the ball (and run) in behind him several times, whilst he trod water, wasn’t good. That’s two games in a row he’s not only been our worst player, but crucially one who hasn’t looked like a Pep player either. Maybe we all had unrealistic expectations after the way he blew us away playing for Monaco, but he looks a fish out of water at the moment compared to his team mates

 

[AliBobbyJ]

I think with Mendy, we have to remember that he has only played for a Pep team for 5 months, it takes longer than that to get it in a Pep team, especially in his position.

Just looked on the Southampton fans forum, fair-minded posts acknowledging the margin of defeat & the gulf in class, including one saying "and in Benjamin Mendy they had comfortably the worst player on the pitch." If they can see it I'm sure Pep can too.

 

[HarrytheBlue]

Our greatest ever? I would say so.

By a distance.

 

[Withnail]

I agree, offensively very good (when we could be bothered as we had a few quiet periods in the game - 15 of the last 25 minutes of the first half, and about 15 in the second half), but we were a bit sloppy at the back for me, complacent at times, I think that's our worst shots on goal, shots on target game of the season, so not the perfection some are claiming.

The first 20 minutes, just wow, and without Ederson's aberration giving them a bit of hope, who knows where that first half might have ended up (and 4-1 is pretty good anyway).

I think we've played better this season, as a team, and I thought Mendy had some poor/clumsy play in particular, not for the first time recently.

Agreed the offensive side of our game was excellent and we were very clinical. However, defensively (especially in the second half) City were sloppy, allowed them too much space and a better team would have punished.

 

[cleavers]

Just looked on the Southampton fans forum, fair-minded posts acknowledging the margin of defeat & the gulf in class, including one saying "and in Benjamin Mendy they had comfortably the worst player on the pitch." If they can see it I'm sure Pep can too.

I think that's a bit rich from them to be honest, their defending in that first 20 minutes was a disgrace, and Mendy was not worse than any of them. He was certainly our worst player, but my point still stands, he might not be new at City, but he's new to Pep's system, and still learning.

 

[HarrytheBlue]

I can't agree that Mendy had a stinker. He is a work in progress and he had a few poor moments but he did far more good work than bad.

Ok, not his best game defensively, but quite a few on here are taking his range of passing and crosses for granted - on the ground cut backs, waist high whipped in crosses and far post crosses - all causing uncertainty and mayhem in the opposing defence.

 

[Blue Elvis]

Agreed the offensive side of our game was excellent and we were very clinical. However, defensively (especially in the second half) City were sloppy, allowed them too much space and a better team would have punished.

Just seen Pep’s post match interviews and I agreed with him that Southampton were still in the game at 3-1. Can’t remember the last time an away side has had so many crosses, corners and shots!

I felt Mendy was the weak link and Saints exploited that. Laporte seemed to be caught out of position covering Mendy and Sean Long won most of the aerial duels.

First 20 minutes we were awesome in attack and the link up play between Bernardo & Sterling looks really promising ( almost on a par with Silva and Sane).

Pep knows what needs to be fixed and will make sure we improve on today’s defensive shortcomings.This could be an even better season than last year!

CTID

 

[lastmanback]

If we are striving for perfection we must point out our weaknesses even in a great display like today. Mendy for example is a weaknesses and better teams will use it against us. In games where we don't take our chances his mistakes could cost us, not picking on him exclusively walker is another prone to "lack of concentration". If we are to reach the heights of really great teams these players need to get up to same standards or be replaced. Imo...

 

[OntarioBlue]

We eased off conserving energy for the two impending games. However, when we do that we lose our normal rhythm. But hey - 6 - 1 !! We'll have 90 minutes of intensity when Manure turn up. Can Manure beat us ? Any Prem team can win an odd game against superior opposition. Can Manure outplay us if both teams bring their A games ? No chance. No bad thing conceding before Manure - motivation to improve defensively. And despite scoring 6, we haven't peaked - we need to do that next Sunday. Manure will park the bus - we just need to take the inevitable chances. In the unlikely event that Manure have a go, we'll destroy 'em in the space.

I think the conserving energy point is very well made. I noticed that after about 80 minutes the Southampton players looked shagged out and a few of them were cramping up. Our lads were still full of piss and vinegar and looked like scoring right up the final whistle. I get as frustrated as the next guy when we take our foot off their throats but I have to say we do manage the game really well.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Spent a while thinking about today's performance. As I was leaving, my thoughts were that it was likely that it would my only game ever that I leave the ground frustrated to some degree having won 6-1. That in itself is bonkers.

However, having thought further and watched the highlights, I still feel frustrated. We were awesome in periods, overwhelming a poor Southampton.

We were also more vulnerable to conceding than at any other time this season. In the second half of the first half, our attacking players decided to play where they wanted. Sané was sometimes on the right wing, Bernardo also and Sterling moved further inside.

That in itself wasn't problem attacking wise as we were creating at will.

What it caused was instability defensively and whenever Southampton strung a few passes together, we were pretty open to their attacks and a combination of last ditch defending and Ederson saves kept them out.

I know I'm nit picking as we won 6-1, but against a clinical side, we could have lost that game, as crazy as it sounds, and I'm not surprised Pep said what he said.

Awesome win and we match on, but I hope we are more balanced next weekend.