Southampton post match thread

[ChicagoBlue]

Game turned on one moment for me....Sterling chipping ball to keeper from six yards out! Unfathomable finishing from a £50M international footballer. This was perhaps even worse than the header away at Villa.

That goal goes in, City play different game and not playing catch up all game.

As early poster said, that will be the last time most of those players sniff the first team, except on the end of season tour. From front to back, 3/4 are done. Some, like Delph, might be kept on for the squad depth and quota, and at this point I think Sterling has to be thanking his lucky stars he was born English!

That could be the worst game I have ever seen Kolarov play. Zaba is industriousness personified and I love him to death for it, but he can't keep up with ANY winger with pace and that ball in behind him is a killer. Dimechelis is just counting the days and the paychecks, and good luck to him. Bony? Not sure what to say anymore. Swansea Hero to City Zero in 18 months. Never even looks like scoring, even when he does!

We need to vastly improve our size and strength on the park. The big strong lad (Mangala) looks like a man amongst boys...until you put the ball at his feet, then it reverses in a hurry. And, how a fella that size isn't the new Dave Watson is beyond me. Half the headers he has go somewhere other than where he intended it, and I think he is doomed to be another Richard Dunne...clumsy enough around the box to give away a couple of pens and a few own goals every year. I hope like hell Pep can make something of the lad, because he has got all the attributes of being a monster CH for the next 6-8 years. Big, strong, fast...just clumsy with no nous.

Hate to see people slagging off Joe Hart for smiling. One of those smiles had a "fuck" in them. Goalies are just different people. Hart likes the one-one-one aspect of his job and appreciates the competition. But, to suggest he somehow laughs off a pasting? You're having a wobble! Those four goals hurt him more than anyone else...yet he STILL might be Golden Gloves AGAIN this year!

We ended the game with a back four that, with sole exception of Mangala, couldn't beat me in a foot race, and I'm 52, and a midfield of (right to left) a hobbling Navas, a knackered and pissed off Nasri, an out of place (and time) Dimechelis and a lost boy called Sterling. Meanwhile, upfront Bony was AWOL and Itchy was still sniffing for a hat trick...if we could just get the ball to him in or around the box!

All that said, Pelle is absolutely right...beat Arsenal, go third, and it is ALL still in our hands and this result didn't change that. If we can't beat Arsenal at home and Swansea away on last game of season to be in CL, then do the players even deserve to be there? The fans have made it pretty clear that tens of thousands of them don't give a toss either way until we get through the group stages, so what's it going to be? Distraught at not being in CL or showing up to support the lads if they do get there?

Tbh, if we are not 3rd or 4th, I'd prefer NO Europe, so we can concentrate on the league and domestic trophies. Europa League and Sunday matches? Who needs it?! Money is bobbins and you have to win it for it to mean a damned thing! I'd prefer to give Pep a straight run at theLeague, rather than fuck about with the second tier European distraction on a Thursday night.

Now, come on West Ham and do us a favor on Tuesday night, so I can enjoy Wednesday night even more!

 

[Bluekiwi]

When I saw that the rags had drawn with Leicester I was thinking the team would give it a real go to widen the points gap between them and us. Boy was I wrong.
There was absolutely no communication between the players. Nobody tearing strips off teammates.
They couldn't find a blue shirt even when there was one standing next to the one with the ball.
Only Nacho seemed to care and try to create some energy, but he couldn't do it on his own as most of the others were quite happy to jog around the pitch. I bet most of them didn't even need a shower at the end of the game.
Totally pissed off and getting really cranky at the loss of sleep from the 3:30am kick-off. Unfortunately I may have a couple of repeats in the next two weeks.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

When I saw that the rags had drawn with Leicester I was thinking the team would give it a real go to widen the points gap between them and us. Boy was I wrong.
There was absolutely no communication between the players. Nobody tearing strips off teammates.
They couldn't find a blue shirt even when there was one standing next to the one with the ball.
Only Nacho seemed to care and try to create some energy, but he couldn't do it on his own as most of the others were quite happy to jog around the pitch. I bet most of them didn't even need a shower at the end of the game.
Totally pissed off and getting really cranky at the loss of sleep from the 3:30am kick-off. Unfortunately I may have a couple of repeats in the next two weeks.

Feel your pain, mate! Wasnt 0330 am, but then I didn't get to hotel until after midnight! Still had to peel myself out of a San Diego hotel bed and hike half way across the city to watch the game, while scoffing down a full Irish breakfast and two pots of tea in a pub showing the game. I really enjoyed the breakfast, at least!!

 

[mancity1]

I'm sure I saw a swam of bees round his arse.

I think he will be at Brentford next season as well so good on you for a prediction that might come to the fore.

Even they literally couldn't get him moving forward (LOL).

As for yesterday in general I was up till 1.30am so again I sympathise with you having to endure the dross we dished out Nacho aside at 3.30am your time so I had it a bit easier than you.

I would like to think that under a decent manager we won't be shipping in the goals at four a game like we have so often under a manager who has no idea how to manage a side in the premiership in terms of getting more out of each individual and the team that he needs to for the resources we have.

His only excuse if I could call it that is that a number of the players are past it and have been for sometime , some of them should never have been bought into the club in the first place and some of them don't care but irrespective of that his job is to motivate.

The fact that his three subs bought in again after half time again after the game was gone for pure damage limitation says it all.

One win against a top 8 side and a record of 1-3-9 with another embarrassment against Arsenal looming says it all in one sentence why we should have got rid of MP a long time ago promoted youth like Nacho and overhauled an aging squad that lacks speed and strength in spades a long time ago.

I don't want to start with our recruitment and medical staff because we all know how deficient we are in those two key areas.

Better scouts , better decision making at the DOF level is what we need.

At least we have a good manager now even though he might be starting with a side in Europa League next season.

 

[Sunny Coast Blue]

Performance indicative of a side whose players almost on mass who took to the field knew it was their last game in a City shirt.

You would think they would be playing with some pride but alas they showed there true colours to everybody who witnessed it.

Zaba , Kolorov, MDM , Delph , Navas to name but 5 injury aside played their last game for City so its not a great send off especially for Zaba because he perhaps deserved a bit better but there is no room for sentiment in football anymore.

Sterling would be shifted on as well but only has youth and a big price tag to keep him at the club however Pep will not give him much time to prove himself as he has been a huge disappointment so far.

Mangala and Oti as a pair clearly are not up to what is expected of a side that needs to compete for the premiership.

You would rather Huth and Morgan and that says it all although perhaps in their defence a weak midfield with no idea how to protect and a manager who has no clue how to set up a side and ensure they are protected better which only leads to a side quick on the break and with a modicum of skill in moving the ball to leave Hart exposed as often as Southampton were able to with no defensive line or pressure at all to cope with.


Another shambles of a performance with many in the side as mentioned too old and too slow that should have replaced by faster , more physical players than what we have led by a manager if I could even call him that who should have been replaced at least one full season ago.

Whether we fall over the line and hang on to fourth remains to be seen but missing out should be the final wake up call to the owners that all of those in charge of recruitment along with those responsible for the fitness and conditioning of the squad have not been nearly good enough to justify their jobs in a side with our resources and standing for far too long now.

We all know who they are and the should have to look at themselves long and hard and ask themselves why they shouldn't be replaced in the summer as well.

Our DOF has one last summer to make the owners aware that he isn't here for a holiday and a free ride on the back of their generosity to him.

None of those twats that hid should be on the bench on Weds. Put the kids there for two lessons in one. Cnuts.

 

[rnblade]

Words fail me of how awful we were today.
I have just been watching back the highlights( to piss me off even more). Kolarov should NEVER be allowed to pull on a city shirt again, that was an absolute disgraceful performance. Make him train all day, every day & play in the reserves for the remainder of his hopefully very short time left here.
As for Sterling, well, how can he always look like he's about to shit himself when he gets the ball? He looks like a rabbit in headlights, no vision or creativity. That miss from less than 8 yards is inexcusable for a £50M player.
Bony... Lazy, disinterested, lethargic, I've seen milk turn quicker, as for his commitment and desire,blatantly stealing a wage til he gets the boot when Pep arrives.
I really hope there's a 'Shape up & prove you're worth your place or you're out' mentality as soon as he arrives.
I still think we have a real battle to hold on to 4th. If we don't get out shit together, I can see us in 5th and playing Europa League, what a slap in the face.
Hurry up and close this season out.
MP has made some really really shocking decisions, I don't think he gives a shit, after all, he's out of here shortly. For me, he should go as soon as the final whistle blows in Madrid. Let BK have it for remainder. He couldn't do any more damage.

 

[cibaman]

The most disappointing thing for me was the lack of urgency after we scored our 2nd. Players just walking around as if we were two up.

 

[1961_vintage]

We're indifferent. For you.

 

[hilts]

...and we have never got past this stage (or even to it), so your argument falls on its arse, with your own words.

Its not our biggest game ever, as pretty much nothing will define us as much as that game against Gillingham, without that, we would likely be nowhere, it is however a big game in the present history of the club, and if we win it, then we are in the final of the European Cup, something none of us have ever really dared dream of, so its absolutely right that it took priority over today's fixture.

I'm afraid you missed the point dear boy I would read the post again

 

[doctor whites]

I'm always a glass half full man but after that I'm speechless proved that we we have a very good team but a woeful squad.