Sadly in the first half against Oldham Saints did the same things and were getting the same results, until a stroke of luck on the stroke of half time.
Worryingly Nigel Adkins stuck to the same side that performed so woefully at Huddersfield to face Oldham on Saturday, the only change being an enforced one with Hammond being suspended and as predicted in the preview on this site, we got pretty much the same as the previous week, with a lack of concentration letting Oldham take the lead, in truth Saints didnt look much like getting one back in the remainder of the half, although the play was a lot better, it still lacked a real cutting edge and I began to fear that my predictions were coming true.
As the game moved into injury time in the first half it looked like the break would see some steam in the dressing room, but then inexplicable Lallana was fouled when he was going nowhere near the corner flag and the resulting free kick founrd Fonte unmarked to send us in level at the break.
But if Saints supporters thought that would open the floodgates they were wrong, it merely masked the fact that the same old players who have been underperforming week in week out are still doing so and couldnt dominate an Oldham side who with due respect dont have the so called quality running through them that we have although Guly should really have scored when he found himself through on goal, even if he was hauled back he should have put the ball in the net then worried about penalties etc.
We were still dodgy at the back and could have gifted the visitors a goal when a poor goal kick by Davis, clearly struggling to adapt to the new way of playing from the back instead of kicking it upfield, put Fonte under pressure, the central defender tried to play clever instead of just whacking it clear and we could have been caught napping
On 65 minutes Adkins made his changes and bluntly this was a big decision to make on who he would take off and who would come on, Chamberlain for Puncheon was one that 100% of the crowd would have opted for and again bringing Barnard on was a no brainer, but who would make way ? decisions like this make or break a manager, should he go for Guly or the star striker out of form, Adkins made the brave call and frankly it was the right one, we cant spend games hoping we get free kicks and penalties.
Chamberlain looked like he wanted to play for the team as did Barnard and having too forwards who were willing to work for the team clearly offered options for our midfield and put pressure on the Oldham back four and Chamberlain scored a richly deserved goal with 15 minutes left to justify the managers decision.
Things were still a long way off being perfect, but these two changes did swing the balance and having players who were not afraid to play was a big plus, Chamberlain did more in 25 minutes that Puncheon has done in five games.
Another good move was bringing on Wooton, many of the crowd would not have agreed, but Wooton did what he does best and thats sit deep and spoil, not being afraid to give it wellie when it needs to be done.
But there was a couple of twists left yet as the referee somehow found five minutes injury time, first Chamberlain had another great run and crashed a shot off the post and then in the final minute of injury time the visitors almost ruined the party.
It was typical of Saints this season, yes it was a fine save from Davis, but it really did not need to happen, Oldham did what most teams do in their situation they hit a hopeful ball in the box, it caught our defence napping, but being a floated ball into the box it really should have been dealt with by the keeper, who stayed on his line and thus the Oldham man met it with a great header that was matched by a great save, this is typical Saints at the moment it really did not need to happen, Adkins made a couple of hard substitute decisions on Saturday, but he had to make them because he had shirked the problems in his initial starting line up, he now has to make a couple of just as hard ones at Notts County, things are a long way from being right, but Saturday in the last 25 minutes they started in the right direction.