SFC Ref gives his opinion on Sunday's defeat to Newcastle United as well as running his eye over the officials and their decisions on the day, not a good day at the office for Saints though as we all know.
The Saints Side
Well that horrific display against Bournemouth on Thursday did well and truly end any of the slightest hopes that any fans had of us staying up! As we were just the same side that we’ve seen for a majority of the season, with us being poor on the ball, having a lack of creativity and just no identity around us.
All that whilst playing a squad with a few Prem quality players here and there, but a majority of them are simply championship ones in which are one of the major reasons we’re in this mess. But still I personally would be very interested to see how we’d of faired if Ralph had stayed in charge…
Anyway, Sundays game brought us away to not only a stadium that we’d already lost at earlier in the season in the EFL Cup, but also one in which we very rarely get anything at, and are even less likely to get anything when Newcastle are on fire, 3rd in the league, looking certain to make champions league now! In which the result was the exact sort we all expected.
As I myself wasn’t present at this game, and didn’t even bother watching it live as I was officiating whilst it was on, but still have seen the highlights to the game.
Still when the team sheet came out I had mixed opinions towards it, as McCarthy was starting yet again over Bazunu, which I’m personally not too fussed either way about.
He also started Lyanco as a fullback, which seeing how Parraud wasn’t on the bench (which makes me presume he’s now injured) I had mixed opinions) over, as I’ve not seen how he did perform for the whole game, but for what I’ve previously seen can be a bit inconsistent there. But still would certainly prefer him over Maitland-Niles, so it’s only Bree left for how I might say could start.
Midfield wise, I was fairly happy with, as Walcott may have been great against Arsenal and spurs, but certainly wasn’t against Bournemouth or Palace, whilst Djenepo has shown some sparks when coming off from the bench recently. And Stu starting over Elynousie is something basically all fans have been calling for recently with there being no real reasons for why it’s not been like that more (and Elynousie isn’t that good at pressing, and even if he is, there’s no point as being good at it if all you do is give away the ball all the time anyway).
But why we didn’t play Tall Paul or Che I really don’t get, as yeah Alcaraz has been great recently, but I think he’s be even better if he had one of those two up front with him, yet for some reason we played 3 wingers to this game with no recognised striker playing, with tall Paul not even being in the bench anyway! So overall mixed feelings for the starting 11.
For the start of the game, we looked fairly decent from what I saw and heard, and did create chances as well as defending well for most of the half, doing well to get the opener just before half-time, rather than conceding it like we usually do! As I was gobsmacked when I came in at half-time and heard that we were 1-0 up. But the second half just was us back to our usual selves once again! As once my game I was officiating had ended, heard someone say a result was 4-1, so straight away presumed that it was Saints’s game they were taking about, but was shocked to hear that it was the Bournemouth game they were discussing, but not shocked at all to hear that our one ended 3-1!
And from looking at the subs made, and the time difference between the likes of Elynousie, Walcott, Maitland Niles, A.Armstrong, all coming on and within 10 minutes or so, us having gone from drawing 1-1 to being 3-1 down.
As it’s most of those players, along with others, that have been the main reason we’ve been so poor and the difference in the way we performed in comparison to before and after they came on only just goes and highlights it even more. As why Ruben would even bring on most of them (as Walcott has got to be the only one I can slightly understand) on anyway just doesn’t make sense. As most are atrocious, but even ones that can be good like A.Armstrong, why play him, a small quick striker, for a crossing arial ball tactics, and not a slower but giant tall Paul for those tactics?
But still this game, like many others has just summed up and highlighted why we’re going down. And really the club should just get in whoever they want to be in charge for next season now, so that they can get to know the team and see who we do and don’t want over the last 4 games, as well as getting the whole of the summer to deal with them.
Although I don’t see it happening, I do think it would be a no brainier and easily the best decision to make. Although going down may help us to rebuild, will be a lot more entertaining and will be a good way to see how these new owners will be and whether they’ll still be interested in us or not in the summer or if they’ll just ditch us with a load of dept now we’re out to the prem. But either way, the next few months will certainly be an interesting few!
Referee watch (Anthony Taylor)
This game had Taylor in the middle, who in my books is one of the best refs around at the moment. But from what I’ve heard from many of the saints fans I’ve asked about how good he was for this game, many didn’t seem too impressed with him and didn’t think he’d had the best of games.
But from what I’ve seen on MOTD there wasn’t too much controversy in this game for any major decisions.
As Newcastle’s first 2 goals as well as our one were all perfectly fine with no real controversies, although their was still some interesting decisions. As VAR disallowed a Newcastle goal for offside, which was fair as he is offside and as the last touch was from a Newcastle lad this was the correct decision to award.
But there was then a little debate over Newcastle’s 3rd goal, which wasn’t too big of deal but still, it’s not the clearest of whether Bella-Kotcha slips or is pulled by Wilson.
As if he’s pulled then the goal should’ve been ruled out, but the replays aren’t the clearest for it, and seeing how Bella-Kotcha doesn’t appeal for anything it does make me think that it was more likely a slip.
But still a fairly straight forward game for Taylor, in which from what I’ve seen him and VAR got all the major decisions correct in.