| Entertaining 21:34 - Apr 19 with 916 views | grumpy |
I've read that some thought yesterdays game was entertaining.
What was entertaining about it? |  | | |  |
| Entertaining on 21:44 - Apr 19 with 882 views | DorsetIan |
Maybe for some of the 4000 attendees, it was their first time out in a while. I guess they would be easily pleased.
That's the most charitable explanation I can think off. Otherwise, it ticked no boxes:
End to end football - No
Goalmouth action - No
Silky skills on display - No
Two technical managers locking horns tactically - No |  |
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| Entertaining on 21:46 - Apr 19 with 881 views | grumpy |
| Entertaining on 21:44 - Apr 19 by DorsetIan |
Maybe for some of the 4000 attendees, it was their first time out in a while. I guess they would be easily pleased.
That's the most charitable explanation I can think off. Otherwise, it ticked no boxes:
End to end football - No
Goalmouth action - No
Silky skills on display - No
Two technical managers locking horns tactically - No |
I assume those 4000 attendees paid how much to watch that? [Post edited 19 Apr 2021 21:48]
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| Entertaining on 21:52 - Apr 19 with 875 views | SaintNick |
I didnt think it was entertaining, thought is was a typical FA Cup semi final, two cagey teams not committing themselves and making sure they didn't concede.
The only difference between the sides was 30 seconds when Leicester got in two shots, one which was going 6 yards wide and hit our player and falling to their man to score an easy goal
It takes two teams to make a game and Leicester a top three side were no better or worse than us |  |
| Satisfying The Bloodlust Of The Masses In Peacetime |
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| Entertaining on 21:56 - Apr 19 with 865 views | kernow |
| Entertaining on 21:52 - Apr 19 by SaintNick |
I didnt think it was entertaining, thought is was a typical FA Cup semi final, two cagey teams not committing themselves and making sure they didn't concede.
The only difference between the sides was 30 seconds when Leicester got in two shots, one which was going 6 yards wide and hit our player and falling to their man to score an easy goal
It takes two teams to make a game and Leicester a top three side were no better or worse than us |
Leicester could have played that match without a goal keeper. The only thing he had to do was slap away a corner kick. | | | |
| Entertaining on 22:04 - Apr 19 with 848 views | Berber |
| Entertaining on 21:52 - Apr 19 by SaintNick |
I didnt think it was entertaining, thought is was a typical FA Cup semi final, two cagey teams not committing themselves and making sure they didn't concede.
The only difference between the sides was 30 seconds when Leicester got in two shots, one which was going 6 yards wide and hit our player and falling to their man to score an easy goal
It takes two teams to make a game and Leicester a top three side were no better or worse than us |
Wow, I thought Leicester looked more classy, more positive, more likely throughout the match. Sadly for us, the best team won and it was no surprise the route their goal came from. We've seen it at St Mary's against this team, and against other teams on various occasions. I know it goes with the turf, but galling none the less. I was as bored as most of the spectators in the ground appeared to be. |  | | |
| Entertaining on 22:44 - Apr 19 with 814 views | DorsetIan |
| Entertaining on 21:52 - Apr 19 by SaintNick |
I didnt think it was entertaining, thought is was a typical FA Cup semi final, two cagey teams not committing themselves and making sure they didn't concede.
The only difference between the sides was 30 seconds when Leicester got in two shots, one which was going 6 yards wide and hit our player and falling to their man to score an easy goal
It takes two teams to make a game and Leicester a top three side were no better or worse than us |
I think that we were completely out thought.
They knew that they had the players to get a goal on the break and they just contained us and waited for their opportunity.
And once they'd got the goal, they just shut up shop completely.
It's not only that we didn't have any shots on goal, we barely got into their half after the goal was scored and they didn't let us put them under any pressure at all.
The difference between the sides is not 30 seconds it's 20 points and yesterday showed exactly why. | |
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| Entertaining on 08:17 - Apr 20 with 726 views | dirk_doone |
| Entertaining on 22:04 - Apr 19 by Berber |
Wow, I thought Leicester looked more classy, more positive, more likely throughout the match. Sadly for us, the best team won and it was no surprise the route their goal came from. We've seen it at St Mary's against this team, and against other teams on various occasions. I know it goes with the turf, but galling none the less. I was as bored as most of the spectators in the ground appeared to be. |
"it was no surprise the route their goal came from."
You are so right, there. Every team utilizes the same tactic against us now. When Walker-Peters goes forward and we lose possession, they attack down our right flank, where the right side of our half is completely empty because our central defenders never move across to cover it and Diallo doesn't run back.
In our last 3 games, opposition goals have resulted from it. Some teams concentrate virtually all of their attacks against us down their left wing, often putting 2 men out there because they know that it will result in goals eventually. Sam Allardyce knew that was just about all he had to do to beat us. We can expect more of the same. I guess that is entertaining for the opposition fans. [Post edited 20 Apr 2021 8:40]
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| Entertaining on 09:13 - Apr 20 with 661 views | grumpy |
We have two wingbacks when we really need two full backs.
What's happened to wingers in the game?
Remember Terry Paine, how many goals did he make for Ron Davies etc?
I know people will say 'oh but the game has changed since then' the game is the same, get the ball into the oppositions net.
Remember when we did that. | | | |
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| Entertaining on 09:15 - Apr 20 with 660 views | Number_58 |
The baffling question is how did we go so quickly from being an entertaining team who could rip teams apart to being a team who frankly look scared to cross the halfway line? I know we suffered from injuries and some dodgy VAR decisions, but the teams we put out against WBA and Leicester were essentially the same as when we were flying before Christmas. It's almost like the Billy the Fish episode where the sneaky opposition manager put lead weights in the Fulchester player's boots when no-one was looking. |  | | |
| Entertaining on 09:19 - Apr 20 with 653 views | Sadoldgit |
JB was there to cover on that occasion but, not surprisingly, was done for pace by Vardy. You are right about the right side being targeted. Bertrand doesn’t play so high up the pitch so we don’t get “done” as much down his flank. KWP does offer options going forward but, being old school, to me a full back is there to defend first. If he is going to push forward he needs someone to fill in behind, not preferably a CB who is there to to give cover to the FB or the player covering. Neither JB or JV have the pace to cover more ground. Ralph is not averse to taking risk but as said, it does leave us vulnerable on the counter so often because we do lose the ball frequently. Not so much of a risk with better players. Last year it worked better but there was better cover from several players. Perhaps they are just knackered now and don’t cover so much ground? I’d be interested to see the stats but do seem to remember us have players all over the place in the better days of the high press whereas now there are gaps. Even Ings and Adams would show up in our penalty area getting tackles in. |  | | |
| Entertaining on 09:23 - Apr 20 with 652 views | pjt50 |
| Entertaining on 09:13 - Apr 20 by grumpy |
We have two wingbacks when we really need two full backs.
What's happened to wingers in the game?
Remember Terry Paine, how many goals did he make for Ron Davies etc?
I know people will say 'oh but the game has changed since then' the game is the same, get the ball into the oppositions net.
Remember when we did that. |
The problem on Sunday was that KWP & Bertrand reverted to being traditional full-backs up until the goal. That totally handed the initiative to Leicester.
Our poor start was more down to tactics than nerves. | |
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| Entertaining on 09:33 - Apr 20 with 645 views | dirk_doone |
| Entertaining on 09:13 - Apr 20 by grumpy |
We have two wingbacks when we really need two full backs.
What's happened to wingers in the game?
Remember Terry Paine, how many goals did he make for Ron Davies etc?
I know people will say 'oh but the game has changed since then' the game is the same, get the ball into the oppositions net.
Remember when we did that. |
Wing-back is the most demanding position on the pitch because they have to do a job that used to be done by 2 players: a full-back and a winger. It requires tremendous pace and stamina as well as both attacking and defensive skills. Some, like Bertrand, are better at the defensive part of the job and others like Walker-Peters and Alexander-Arnold are better at the attacking part. To get the perfect balance is extremely difficult.
If you have fast mobile central defenders and defensive midfielders, they can cover for the wing-backs when they venture forward. Fonte and van Dijk were absolutely brilliant at covering their wing-backs but our central defenders are too static and Diallo isn't as defensively aware as Romeu. Liverpool face a similar problem this season without van Dijk to cover for Alexander-Arnold when he attacks.
One solution worth trying until Romeu comes back would be to swap Ward-Prowse and Walker-Peters round, which I suggested before the Leicester game. I think this might give us a better balance on our right flank. Either that or Vestergaard and Bednarek need to be taught to run across the pitch to cover a wider area, instead of sticking to narrow channels in the middle. Or, as Ralph has tried before, we can field 3 central defenders and hope that Salisu covers better than Vestergaard and Bednarek do. [Post edited 20 Apr 2021 9:50]
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| Entertaining on 09:47 - Apr 20 with 624 views | Sadoldgit |
| Entertaining on 09:23 - Apr 20 by pjt50 |
The problem on Sunday was that KWP & Bertrand reverted to being traditional full-backs up until the goal. That totally handed the initiative to Leicester.
Our poor start was more down to tactics than nerves. |
But the goal involved KWP being caught out higher up the pitch which left Vardy against Bednarek. I agree that tactically we were trying to keep it tight first half (as were Leicester) but that doesn’t mean that we also weren’t nervy. Our passing wasn’t great was it? Given the goals we have been conceding early I am not surprised that we were more intent on shutting them out first half. Let’s face it, there was one shot on goal the whole game ( and that came from a lucky rebound) so neither team were peppered the goals were they? | | | |
| Entertaining on 09:57 - Apr 20 with 608 views | dirk_doone |
| Entertaining on 09:47 - Apr 20 by Sadoldgit |
But the goal involved KWP being caught out higher up the pitch which left Vardy against Bednarek. I agree that tactically we were trying to keep it tight first half (as were Leicester) but that doesn’t mean that we also weren’t nervy. Our passing wasn’t great was it? Given the goals we have been conceding early I am not surprised that we were more intent on shutting them out first half. Let’s face it, there was one shot on goal the whole game ( and that came from a lucky rebound) so neither team were peppered the goals were they? |
Yes, as pjt50 has pointed out, until Walker-Peters ventured forward more, Leicester never had a single chance. They didn't have a clue how to break us down then. Like all managers who face us nowadays, Rodgers had told his players to focus on that weakness and it simply wasn't there in that first half because Walker-Peters stayed right back. Allardyce forced it by playing 2 men out on the left wing, knowing that our central defenders wouldn't help Walker-Peters. But, eventually, like all the teams who've faced us recently, Leicester got their reward down our undefended right flank. [Post edited 20 Apr 2021 10:02]
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| Entertaining on 10:04 - Apr 20 with 591 views | Sadoldgit |
Well, it was defended, but by a cart horse against a whippet! In fact Bednarek found himself in a similar position against Vardy but on that occasion took him out. | | | |
| Entertaining on 10:07 - Apr 20 with 588 views | pjt50 |
| Entertaining on 09:47 - Apr 20 by Sadoldgit |
But the goal involved KWP being caught out higher up the pitch which left Vardy against Bednarek. I agree that tactically we were trying to keep it tight first half (as were Leicester) but that doesn’t mean that we also weren’t nervy. Our passing wasn’t great was it? Given the goals we have been conceding early I am not surprised that we were more intent on shutting them out first half. Let’s face it, there was one shot on goal the whole game ( and that came from a lucky rebound) so neither team were peppered the goals were they? |
It all comes under the category of “we'll never know now”. In our normal style players know instinctively where people will be — almost without looking. KWP in particular is a regular outlet. That was missing in the first half.
We were playing Leicester not Man City - and a Leicester not in good form at that. OK, Vardy might still have picked us off at some point in the game but at least I wouldn't have felt so empty afterwards. | |
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| Entertaining on 10:13 - Apr 20 with 583 views | dirk_doone |
| Entertaining on 10:07 - Apr 20 by pjt50 |
It all comes under the category of “we'll never know now”. In our normal style players know instinctively where people will be — almost without looking. KWP in particular is a regular outlet. That was missing in the first half.
We were playing Leicester not Man City - and a Leicester not in good form at that. OK, Vardy might still have picked us off at some point in the game but at least I wouldn't have felt so empty afterwards. |
It wasn't pretty but at the end of that first half, nearly all Saints fans were pleasantly surprised at how evenly matched the game was. Most knew our best hope was a scoreless draw and penalties or, better still, to sneak a 1-0 win with a Ward-Prowse free-kick. If the game opened up, we were probably going to lose. I know what you mean though: as we lost anyway, the fact we never really threatened the Leicester goal makes it seem even more disappointing. [Post edited 20 Apr 2021 10:20]
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