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Comment | Southampton V Millwall The Preview
at 14:07:57
Have just seen the line-up.
Looks like TE is starting with the " subs." and leaving other first teamers to come on after HT.
At least we'll how capable they are of starting and not just getting mins late on in the game.
sounds a bit of a strange tactic ..but it might just work.
After the recent defeats we need to get a result as Millwall is one of the sides who might end up in the play-offs. |
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Comment | Southampton Set to Take Keeper On Loan
at 10:07:47
yeh , yeh, yeh.. Who knows what any new player will be like. He doesn't have much in the way of appearances, but being one of half-a-dozen keepers on Bayern's books, few of them have had much game time considering their first choice keeper is almost irreplaceable.
This is one of those areas where Johannes Spors should have better knowledge than many of the UK clubs. A loan until the summer does no harm, as we will need to see over the whole squad, regardless of where we finish in the league.
As for Saints, clearly Bazunu hasn't nailed down the no.1 spot despite some improvement
in recent games. McCarthy had a year's extension, but at 36 will surely go in the summer.
George Long may never get a place on the bench before his loan expires, and Ramsdale may impress Bond enough to sign him permanently, unless we do get promotion, in which case he may have a choice to stay with Newcastle, or return to Saints.
What to do with this guy - if he signs?. Maybe a brave choice might be to play him in the Doncaster FA Cup match and see how he manages. After all what's the point of signing him if his biggest challenge is to vie with McCarthy for a place on the bench every week.
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Comment | Two Key Areas That Southampton Need To Sort Out In The Transfer Window
at 13:56:43
For the last decades, I find I am still repeating myself ..A goalie is only as good as the defence in front of him. If we are talking about getting to a play-off spot, our present back line isn't good enough at this level, so goodness knows what it might be like if we do get promotion (and remembering last season) it's a early sign of impending disaste. We need a good clearout by the end of the season, and a more secure unit...regardless of where we finish up in this League. |
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Comment | Southampton At Birmingham City The Verdict
at 13:49:31
Itchen North cited the problem in one sentence. In the last 4 games we've had 60% plus possession (71% at Oxford) yet earned only 2 points of a possible 12. The theory being it tires the opposition (!)..but in those games we've failed to capitalise on the advantage. Even when we had more shots (Coventry and Oxford) our conversion rate was pitiful in comparison. We've gone from averaging 3 goals a game down to just 1.
It easy to blame the defence (not without cause) but at the risk of repeating myself/ ourselves yet again; we don't have an viable alternative goalie (although Bazunu has improved somewhat) and for the 3rd season running we don't have a "big striker". It didn't work with Onuachu, but now that we have signed two good wingers, we have no height in the box to take advantage of it. Downs may improve with time, but not this season.
The games are still coming thick and fast, but the transfer window may (hopefully) end up being more exciting than some of the anticipated results.
As for the Brum game, once again their keeper (Beadle )was their best player and (like the game at SMS,) did well to save many of our best efforts and keep the score down.
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Comment | Southampton At Birmingham City The Preview
at 11:54:49
Difficult to say / guess/ what side Tonda will start with tonight. IF he starts with the same 11 as on Friday, I don't know what difference he expects. Many of the contributors to "the Oxford Verdict" sounded the same warning, so perhaps he will dig deeper and use some of the "bench reserves " from the start. Looking at Brum's injury/ absentee list they will have to use a lot of second-choice players..if we still can't beat them ?..I'll return with comments. |
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Comment | Southampton V Oxford The Verdict
at 10:39:54
what more is there to say? Either Tonda got it wrong, or the players just didn't respond.
From a team that averaged 3 goals a game, now we're suddenly struggling to score once.
Scienza and Fellows are two of the best wingers in the league, but for all the passing and centering they do, there is seldom anyone in the box to finish the job and score. We still need a big striker to create havoc in the box (typ Beattie, Lambert, Pelle ). With the possible exception of Armstrong we haven't had " a real goalscorer" since Danny Ings left.
Noted a quote from Paul Onuachu ( 11 goals since his move back to Turkey) who said that his team played to another formation that suited him. Surely that's not rocket science?
The current back 3, may put on a show individually, they don't click together as a unit.
Sorry but Flynn Downes is very in-and-out and already got 2 more yellows since coming back from suspension, and Armstrong and THB are already on 4 yellows (!)
I think TE is doing the best he can ... but the squad is still lacking as they've now been "sussed" by opposition sides and we need a new approach, but few obvious alternatives.
Let's see what the transfer window can bring...
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Comment | Southampton At Oxford United The Preview
at 10:25:03
Tonda has clearly made a good start to his managership role, and even the disappointing results at Millwall and Norwich don't cloud the fact he has developed a winning formula.
However, coming up against a managerless Oxford outfit, sitting in the drop zone really demands a decisive result, if we are serious about being a candidate for promotion.
Any talk about a struggling side, (already boxing above their weight), and trying to stave off relegation should be no arguement for anything other than a really good win. COYR. |
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Comment | Southampton Striker Attracting Interest From Germany
at 15:23:51
both Nick and Block 8 (above) have made good points. I always think that the bottom 6 of the Prem. and the top half of the Championship are on a similar level and Downs is still a long way off at the moment. He's no small investment at £7 million, and a 4 year contract but he needs game time with a club willing to give him regular outings, whereas we are looking at possible promotion to a level that is still a bit high, even for some of the existing playing staff we have as as starters.
Making a break thorough in a new country is about more than language and food menus. The interesting winter insert (on the Saints homepage) showed Casper Jander seemingly coming to terms with the English Christmas, but life maybe a harder ask for Damion when he's not even making the bench, let alone making a meaningful contribution (last outing 15 min. sub-in v. Leicester (25 Nov.) when he hardly got a kick, let alone a shot on goal.
A return to Germany, a familiar social scene and a chance to score goals will be a good chance for him to come back next season and make a valuable contribution to our team.
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Comment | What Was Frank Lampard's Problem After Southampton Game
at 14:12:26
Clearly everyone has "a breaking point" and seemingly when things get too hot Frank has a tendency to blow his top. A one-off reaction may be natural, but a concentrated display of anger that causes others to react negatively has no place in a pub brawl, let alone a stadium full of fans (including families with young children) is really... a bit too much.
Fan reaction goes along with the very fabric of the game, and many decades as a fan has shown me that the questioning of a referee's parentage is still high on the list, but a manager is the unique representation of his club, on the touchline at a game, or in public.
Sorry Frank I think you got this one wrong. Maybe you should learn to use one of the 100 or so you won for England, and put a cap on it. I'm not going to denigrate FL's long career, but those fans who compared him to Gerrard maybe had a point. In my book, there was one one Stevie G. and few ever came upto his standard. Punishment ?.. is down to the FA.
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Comment | Southampton V Coventry City The Verdict
at 11:16:10
On the first half showing you can see why Coventry are top. Their teamwork and link-ups were good (typical Lampard style as a player) but whilst they have several good individuals I don't see much Prem. quality in their ranks. IF they get promoted, it may be a short stay.
As for the match. The statistical advantage of playing against 10 men is often grossly over-rated and Coventry were content to park the bus, even for 100 minutes. I agree with SaintseSimon (above) it was interesting to see THB playing as an attacking wingback, but he really could have been played up front where we lacked height in attack. He does possess some "aggression" and can put himself about in the box where it matters.
For all their talent, Armstrong and Scienza are too lightweight against tough defenders.
Coventry had few meaningful attacks after HT, and Quarshie looked better and Wood even had time to get up and score. Both keepers did well when it was needed, but I'd have to admit that their keeper (Rushworth) earned the point for them with several good saves.
After the Norwich " blip" and then one pojnt (albeit against the leaders) we really need to prepare ourselves to D.A.J . v. Oxford who are already in deep trouble. Anything less than a convincing win will surely give Tonda a lot to think about going into the New Year / and the transfer window. Half of the bench may look convincing, but even using all 5 subs. every game hasn't improved any of the final results.
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Comment | Southampton V Coventry City The Preview
at 08:05:43
Note to bowler cow (above). I watched the Stoke game which started well, but we lost Welington to injury in the first half hour. We were best for much of the time, and had more possession and 18 shots to 12. It was poor defending late on that gifted them the win.
But to COVENTRY. Have been very good so far, but with a few hiccups of late. If we tell ourselves that the Norwich game was just "a blip" then we may still show up strongly. This game should be a real test of TE's methodology and even if we fail to win, a good showing may auger well for the rest of the season once we get back to big winning ways.
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Comment | Tonda Eckert Reveals Good News On The Injury Front
at 11:06:24
For the duration of his time with Saints, many of us simply forget he is even on the staff.
His injury record is one of the worst of any Saints player in living memory, and perhaps not his fault, because just when he got fit, something else happened. In a few games we saw what "might have been" but the reality is you'll never know how long he will remain fit.
Alan Shearer once quoted.."there is a lot of difference between being match-fit, and being fit enough to play". I'd like to think that RS will be fit again soon, because he actually looks like a CF ought to, but realistically he is unlikely to depose anyone in the present squad,and may only end up get minutes at the tail-end of games.
The crude reality is that, with time fast running out on his contract (where he has been well-paid), the likelihood of extending his time at SMS is neither desireable in squad terms, or financially viable in the long run. He will doubtless move on for a small fee, before his contract finally runs out, and then resume a successful goal-scoring career.. elsewhere.
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Comment | Another Ex Southampton Hero Linked For Return To St Mary's
at 17:08:34
So... it looks like I am the first / only fan to look at this idea in a positive light.
Of course no-one on the present staff knew /understood Prowsey's history with the club.
Unlike many of the signings we had made historically, JWP was always injury-free, covered more ground than most and played every minute in two full seasons in the Prem. and of course those 17 free-kick goals can all be put down to good luck, or poor goal-keeping and can be conveniently forgotten (Oh yes and a list of successful penalty kicks, too).
I do feel sorry for Prowsey. As G. Southgate's captain he played 30 + games at the U23 level
only to be abandoned when Sir G. took over the senior squad and felt the media pressure to choose a "London glamour boy" instead. JWP's departure was his last attempt to get into the prev. World Cup squad when he moved to WHam, whose "then" manager (David Moyes) used his talents well, but successive management changes in a struggling Hammers outfit, saw him caste aside by Moyes' successors...and so it is today. If he returned - where would he play? ..I always felt he was best as an attacking MF, but sad to say Downes has never reached the consistent level we knew of Prowsey, not to mention fluctuations in his health, and a consistent record of yellow cards. Just back from suspension, he picked up another v. Norwich. Too hot headed and likes to argue with refs.
Along with those of us who saw an intelligent, talented footballer(in JWP), over 15 years he had his detractors who vociferously bleated about him, both on here and other sights.
I may end up being his only supporter on this thread, but for the fee mentioned, and his known record of excellence; I do feel we need his experience, if continuing to talk about an "immediate return" to the Prem. We may be scoring goals again (under TE) but there are embarrassing gaps in the squad which clearly won't be good enough at the higher level, IF we get back up.
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Comment | Southampton Linked With Another Goalkeeper
at 14:32:43
You have mentioned several key points here (Nick) but there are larger issues here also.
Firstly calling Patterson Sunderland's second choice keeper begs the question, who do they have for cover in case of injury to the incumbent .. .their third choice? Patterson may have been good enough last season, but clearly he hasn't proven himself at Prem. level so would he be better if he came to us - and we got promotion? We don't want an emergency keeper, but someone dependable for the next 4-5 years. The Israeli lad seems to be an occasional back-up for their regular, and had barely a handful of games - at what level?.
Experience shows Prem. clubs need (at least) one international keeper - if not two.
Home-grown keepers are rare (ex. Flowers) took time to develop and many do not mature their late 20's / early 30's. and IMHO Bazunu fits into that category. A bit too young.
Looking back 10 years - various managers couldn't decide between Forster and McCarthy and both had their chances, but for all his service Alex has had his day - at the highest level and we need someone new and be prepared to plan for the long-term future.
My main point has always been - ANY keeper - is only as good as the defence in front of him, and clearly not all conceded can be laid at Bazunu's door, and I have two examples.
Lawrie Mac. signed Peter Shilton in summer 1982. The (the) England keeper with 50-plus caps to his name - and in our first 9 games Saints conceded 19 goals (NINETEEN), no-one tell me PS suddenly became a bad keeper. Few of those goals conceded were (his) fault.
The last time Sunderland were relegated from the Prem. their goals against tally was enormous, but few people blamed their young keeper - one Jordan Pickford. He later moved onto Everton, and is still England's no.1 choice.
Goalkeepers are often blamed for losing games, but I maintain that games are won - by scoring goals and not lost because of a keeper's mistake(s). We need a solid back line, who know how to defend and a reliable striker capable of scoring regularly at the highest level. Just now - we are lacking BOTH.
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Comment | Southampton At Norwich City The Verdict
at 14:46:16
You weren't alone (Nick) with your comment about the danger of becoming complacent over a game against a side in the drop zone. Predictable ?..or inevitable?. not the first time we've come to grief against an East Anglian side and going into a game as the in-form side.
One penalty (missed) and another shout that was ignored by the officials. The absence of VAR at this level does no service to the reality of events when the referee decides to ignore obvious errors when in favour of the home side. Adam Armstrong's goal splurge doesn't include his penalty-kicks, and his fairly-predictable run-up to the ball is a hint for keepers.
(oh for another MLT who put them away 98% of the time).
Scienza hit the woodwork (AGAIN) ...Is this some sort of club record for the season, and Downes' shot from close in was surely easier to score instead of sky-ing it, (as did Manning in a previous game) but good to see that he can take chances when they come.
3 valuable points lost, when we should have been closer to a top spot. A lesson to learn.
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Comment | Southampton Confirm Injury Issue Ahead of Trip To Norwich
at 09:10:35
Sad news if Fellows is unavailable, but it's a criticism of the situation if we cannot find a
suitable alternative to fill his spot for a short while. Fraser was a real threat in previous seasons with his pace down the left side, and Archer raised a few eyebrows with his lightening runs after coming on as a sub on Tuesday. He also has the pace for the task.
Tonda is the sort of manager who has the formula for a Plan B and hopefully he can remedy the situation for the duration of Tom's absence. |
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Comment | Southampton At Norwich City The Preview
at 15:48:11
(reading above) ..I think we are all of the same mind. On paper this is the easiest game this month, but those teams in the drop zone fight like h*ll to survive and despite our recent whirlwind starts, we still have to hold onto a result for 90+ minutes. The sort of fixture that (historically) has become a banana skin for Saints when we should bring home a win.
If Tonda has a Plan B for the second half of games, it doesn't seem to be a foolproof one, or maybe their is another plan ...and the players forget about it after the break?.
No surprise if we are without Fellows or Scienza, (they take a lot of punishment from defenders - which is not reflected in the yellow card count but even so we recall that Fraser has a good turn of pace, and can also score goals, and it was a pleasant surprise to see that Archer had some fast feet when playing wide, as he beat defenders a couple of times on Tuesday. If the midfield clicks then we can hope for some early goals and a better effort at game managements after the break. With Azaz and Armstrong in form we must hope they continue their goalscoring efforts. A good win could put us in the Top Six.
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Comment | Southampton V West Bromwich Albion The Verdict
at 14:09:19
Further to my post - those of you who don't like stats. should avert you eyes, BUT whilst
bathing in the glory of an attacking side which is scoring loads of goals the outcome has become very predictable, but is also a warning for the future.
21 goals scored in TE's 7 games, yet fully 15 scored before HT. Opponents have scored 2.
Opposition sides have scored just 9 goals, but 7 of these have in second half of matches.
Is it a untold strategy that after scoring 3, we expect to hold off opponents for 2nd half ? because - if so - it nearly went wildly awry last night. If we expect to defend for the second half of games, my guess is. .it 'ain't gonna work for the whole season.
Either TE is happy for us to see out games by defending for the last 45 mins (or in last night's ex. 51.. or...Are these players incapable of continuing the goal-scoring strategy for entire duration of games? This is a danger signal.
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Comment | Southampton V West Bromwich Albion The Verdict
at 08:53:04
The first time that I've ever felt depressed at Saints - despite getting all 3 points.
This first half became the "standard Tonda start". 2 or 3 goals up before going in at HT in a celebratory mood, but then West Brom. woke up after the "standard first goal " (precisely as Millwall and Brum. did).. they came alive, and we looked all at sea throughout the remainder of the game..
Not sure about TE's HT instructions?..To sit back and soak up their inevitable revival ?, or should we have continued attacking in the same vein ? (that didn't happen) and as the game went on the Baggies looked stronger and we suffered. Fans who criticise Bazunu should bite their tongue, as he kept us in the game after a series of dangerous corners.
Based on West Brom.'s second half ..I might almost say that they deserved the win, and we got lucky after 96 mins. Clearly we need to learn about game management PDQ, because we were shocking as the game went on and weren't a patch on our excellent first 45 mins.
This was an example of where "we played badly", but still managed to win, but there won't be too many of those games this season. We need to sharpen up and plan for 90+ mins. in every game. The only saving grace being that we are closer to the Top 6 group and hopefully continue to learn how to control a winning position when we are leading.
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Comment | Southampton V West Bromwich Albion The Preview
at 11:16:46
Highlighting opponents "poor form" may seem like an encouragement, but everyone's luck changes sometime. West Brom.'s form has dropped off badly of late but it doesn't mean they will be a walkover. However, it's games like this that MUST be won if we are to make a serious attempt at promotion. We can recall previous season's when we did well against top teams, but lapsed badly against lower teams and even lost to those in the drop zone, which means we shouldn't look at the upcoming Norwich game as a foregone conclusion.
Tonda has taken the squad by the scruff of the neck and they have produced some good displays, but 3 points from games like this are vital with the likes of home games like v. Coventry, Millwall and then away at Middles'boro coming up in the next month.
On current form we ought to chalk up another win but can't take anything for granted. |
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