So why have any post match analysis? I was "buzzing" all the way home after the game and I'm still chuffed to little mint balls this morning. And I was the same coming out of Huddersfield and Bournemouth when we got late winners, but that doesn't mean we can't analyse the performance.Results like tonight are what football is all about. You might as well pack it in and follow a different sport if you’re not absolutely buzzing right now.
The performance means diddly squat.
So why have any post match analysis? I was "buzzing" all the way home after the game and I'm still chuffed to little mint balls this morning. And I was the same coming out of Huddersfield and Bournemouth when we got late winners, but that doesn't mean we can't analyse the performance.
The psychological importance of winning the last two games cannot be overstated. On paper they were two fairly comfortable games. In the end they turned out anything but. If we had drawn them the rags would be four points behind us going into a derby with Spurs to follow, on the basis we both won our next games. Even worse on the back of that scenario would be we drew with West Ham and they pulled off a moral boosting victory at Arsenal. The gap would be three points with the chasing pack making up ground too. It doesn't bear thinking about. As it is if they lose on Saturday and we win on Sunday we could go into a derby a massive ELEVEN points clear of them which would be incredible. It would be a game they had to win just to hang onto our coat tails, even then they would be eight points behind still.
Last nights game was so frustrating. That c**** of a ref didn't help! If he would have booked a couple of their players for timewasting early on, yes they were that bad, it would have helped. I am not having any of Southampton played well I thought they were a disgrace. Dirty, cynical, they used tactics I would have expected from a non league side playing us, not a decent premier league club with some top players. The fact they were undone with the last kick of the game was fucking poetic justice, they got what they deserved, nothing!
Some of our players were just not really at it last night. Walker was in his own world from the first few minutes when under no pressure he passed straight to one of their players and almost put him clean through. Lots of misplaced passes from everyone, giving away too many cheap free kicks and corners and defending them horribly, we rode our luck a little. Gundogan looks a shadow of the player he was and Vinny looked vulnerable, after his yellow I was certain he would get caught and be walking. Negatives aside Forster had the game of his life and for 10-15 minutes in the second half we looked like early season as we moved the ball quickly and pulverised them. B. Silva looked dangerous when he came on and our team spirit is incredible. We have so many quality players capable of producing something special that teams can spoil as much as they like but they know we have that in our locker and just like the rags at the swamp in their heyday you can feel teams fear as the clock ticks down.
Does anyone know what has happened to Sane? He was a big miss last night.
One of my biggest gripes about early leavers is that the players leave the pitch to so many empty seats. Not as many empties as the media suggest, but far too many when you consider the quality we are producing.True Ged, for example, Pep clearly spotted a weaknesses down Southampton’s flanks by pushing Sterling to the left and KDB out right for much of the second half.
I thought in the second half we we are also more content to pass back to the Blue who who had just given the pass if there weee no better options on. In the first half we seemed to be obsessed to passing to a different player either resulting in sloppy back passes or attempts at Hollywood through balls.
The two up front didn’t work so well but we created our share of chances. I think it will be Jesus to start against the Hammers with Kun on the bench.
I had a brilliant time last night and I hope more Blues will stay to applaud the team off the pitch in future.
One of my biggest gripes about early leavers is that the players leave the pitch to so many empty seats. Not as many empties as the media suggest, but far too many when you consider the quality we are producing.
Southampton got what their play deserved. I'm not arsed about their tactics, because as highlighted with City against Udders, they used what they had, as effectively as they could, but on a freezing cold Wednesday night in November, our stars bossed the game in every way & got the result.... Eventually!Well said, it wasn't anywhere near a horrible performance, it just didn't reach the heights of the rest of the season.
I thought Southapton were excellent and I won't complain about their style or tactics. They deserved a point but thankfully we were able to find a way yet again. And not to state the obvious but we really missed the three S's last night but they can't all play every game.
Virus I think. I agree with your post but not the Forster bit. Some good saves but a lot of "TV" saves. He was their best player though.
With the vulnerability we showed at the back last night, particularly from corners, I thought they may have more of a go 2nd half as we were very poor at defending set pieces.
Yes I know what you mean about tv saves. He annoyed me last night as I have seen him concede a few shockers lately.
The set pieces are a worry and especially against the rags, we are a small team in general that is the problem.