Southampton Banter Archive August 20 2015

20 Aug 2015 21:59:06
1-1 f/t. Much better at the start of the second half when they suddenly started playing with intensity, pace and purpose.

Sadly, it all petered out after about 15 minutes and they reverted to nothing more than hopeful long balls up to Pelle.

A shadow of last season's side.

I thought Targett bounced back well after his dodgy start to the PL season. Ward-Prowse was more in the game after the break too. And Romeu managed to get away without a second yellow card in spite of a couple more questionable challenges. Small crumbs of comfort after another disappointing performance.

20 Aug 2015 23:19:13
Can hardly blame the team for it petering out given one of FC Midtjylland players time-wasted every couple of minutes after we equalised. It's an expected tactic but they milked it tonight and it reflected in how many of their players got booked. How are you supposed to keep a cohesive attacking display when you're being forced to give up control over the game every time.

Does anyone understand why the Caulker header was disallowed? Couldn't see anything wrong with it from where I was sitting.

I think we gave them to much respect early on, Fonte and Caulker sat back too much and Yoshida and Targett weren't moving down the wings, as soon as that changed we had control of the game. Their goal should have been better defended, the cross shouldn't have been let in the box and there should of been someone on the edge of the box to clear Fonte's header in any case.

In some ways I think it's a good thing that we've drawn as we have everything to play for next week so we should expect the performance to reflect that too.

20 Aug 2015 20:58:30
0-1 h/t. Ex-Saint Tim Sparv scoring with the last kick of the half after a weak headed clearance from Fonte.

Ironically, after looking nervous and second best for the first 30 minutes, Saints were just starting to take charge of the game.

Passing is pretty sub-par again.

Little in the way of creative play, forwards feeding on scraps. Midtjylland look like scoring from every throw in and corner. Defensively it hasn't been convincing.

Romeu's been promising, albeit on a booking after another rash lunge early in the game. And he (and Wanyama) were nowhere to be seen on the edge of the box when the goal came.

I don't know why Ward-Prowse is playing on the left wing anymore than he does.

Much to ponder for the manager to turn this one around. The opposition are well organised and disciplined. Saints aren't.

20 Aug 2015 17:41:45
Let's be honest we all have grand visions of how we think the club should be run, how we should handle the transfer window, who we should sign, who we shouldn't sell, how much we should spend, etc.

But at the end of the day we have been given no reason to believe that the people who are running the club aren't seeing to its best interests. We can all have opinions and concerns about certain things we hear through the media, but ultimately we cannot change what happens.

Support for the club comes before the players.

20 Aug 2015 18:48:23
Started writing something to a same tune earlier but then got caught up in other things. Well said. We are in far better hands, condition and position than I have witnessed in my life time. I believe in this board intentions and I find it baffling that I have seen "asset stripping" being thrown around again, purely because united enquired about mane. Its ridiculous. WeMarchOn.

20 Aug 2015 14:26:04
Im getting abit fed up with this tight strings thing going on god knows we have the money why are we not chasing Charlie austin and paying up for vvd i'm sure if we offer the right amount say 12 mill then we would get him before its too late

20 Aug 2015 15:07:39
I'm sure the scouting team are covering every blade of grass
on potential new signings that's why unlike you they don't jump the gun and throw big money around on players like VVD who last night (And many matches before OUTSIDE OF SCOTLAND) proved he's not what people make him out to be.
If you want the club to throw the buck and go sign another Osvaldo and Ramirez then be my guest.

21 Aug 2015 08:08:59
Totally agree with Vick , many of you on here keep on about getting VVD and Charlie Austin and everything is sorted . VVD is not the player you think he is , he is a shadow of the class of Toby and a bit of a liability with his Roy of the Rovers style of play . Austin is not coming here of that there is no doubt , it is in defensive midfield and the defence in general we have the problem . I think it rams home that by losing Clyne , Ryan ( for now ) , Toby , Fraser and Morgan it more or less shows the main reason we succeeded last season as we did was because of them . You can't rip your heart out and expect to continue just the same . By far and away the greatest loss to us was Morgan and I think it shows with Jose beginning to look his age with the extra defensive pressure being put on him . We will survive this season but it ain't going to be pretty and it may take until next season for the gradual improvement to show . It is not time to panic just don't expect too much this season , it will get better . I would just ask all the doubting fans to not become part time supporters as this would just put the plans of SFC on the back burner to future development and by doing so you would all be shooting yourselves in the foot.

20 Aug 2015 09:18:42
Is anyone else fed up with us being a feeder club for seemingly every other PL club? Hate to say it but if this continues can't see us finishing higher than bottom half because we can't keep a stable squad. Ron will be tempted to leave due to poor boardroom decisions.

20 Aug 2015 11:44:24
Nothing has happened yet! Keep your hair on!

20 Aug 2015 11:57:56
Long time reader first time poster as they. I have read this site for about a year and have seen some just crazy things go on this site. Last year it was the treatment of one of the eds when actually everything he said was true. And this year it is the constant questioning of the board, in the last year I am not sure I see a bad decision.

Every time we have sold a player we have gotten top dollar no one can say Adam/Luke/Dejan/Rickie are worth the price tags we sold them for. This year with Clyne it was difficult because of contract situation but again another player who didn't want to stay. While I don't like it, if a player makes it clear he wants to leave what do you do make him stay there and rot when you can bring in a player who wants to be here.

We cannot stop other clubs taking an interest in our players it always going to happen, we are not as big a club yet as we like to think I am afraid. And we need to accept that players are going to jump ship if they get the opportunity can you blame them? As for Koeman leaving what a load of rubbish he knew what he was getting himself in for and as far as I can see has been backed by the board all the way when either recruiting as we have done more of this year or replacing like last year.

I don't like it as much as the next saints fan but the reality is the board have to do what is right for the club and what makes sense. As I said earlier why keep a player here when he doesn't want to be and you can find someone that does. I like our signings this year I really cannot fault the board they are young and hungry and will come good. Especially Steven Caulker he needs to be given a chance, I will admit he has not been great the last two seasons and made some poor choices about where to play football. But all you need to do is go back watch video of him at Yeovil at 17 he was the best player on the park you don't lose natural talent like that and Koeman is the man to bring the best out of him!

None of us should be worried about our start to the season, we are missing Clasie and when he comes back our midfield will look very strong with Romeu and Wanyama breaking up the play and Clasie linking what is a very strong forward line to the rest of them team. Another huge loss to this team is Bertrand that will help massively when he comes back really solidify our back 5. We need to show patience and not come out with stupid comments on message boards.

We are southampton we march on!

20 Aug 2015 12:55:20
Hope u are still as confident at christmas JC and I hope I am proved wrong but we must replace anyone who leaves as squad will be found short esp if we do well in Europe. Not a doom monger but we must be realistic.

Promise I will apologise for gloomy outlook if found out!

20 Aug 2015 17:23:30
Are these texts just last years re-worked??

"We are doomed and will be lucky to escape a relegation fight." Didn't last summer prove we replaced players with a better squad? What is different this season?

We had exactly the same sort of comments last summer (some from the same people.) What happened? Best season yet in the Premiership and entry into Europe.

20 Aug 2015 18:21:55
My point Saint is that we WEREN'T in Europe last season. A brilliant achievement and I feel we should take it seriously (as Ron seens to be) and will be cheering all the way.
All I'm pointing out is we have replaced those lost, albeit with quality, without adding extras to cope with stretch on fixtures.

20 Aug 2015 19:12:32
Maths is not your strong point! How many have we signed this summer, how many have gone plus Jay Rod is back? Suspect the ratio is about 2:1 ins versus outs and another CB to come, plus possibility of another if the opportunity presents itself.
Seems to me that is about the ideal balance, still allowing the youngsters an opportunity to push their way forward.
Not sure Chelsea played a large squad last season. Too many players never getting a game can be very disruptive.

20 Aug 2015 20:50:47
Away goal conceded 45 sec before half time. No real threat upfront. Just thought I'd mention it Saint.

21 Aug 2015 14:46:57
You can mention as many ratios as you like but facts are facts . Two possibly three of our best players have gone and been replaced by new guys but at this stage I would strongly suspect none will come even close to the quality of Morgan and Toby . Morgan to me was the heart of the side and quite simply irreplaceable for the money we were prepared to spend . As I said before Saint Martin we will compare notes at the beginning of November . I hope you're right and I'm wrong , I truly do .

21 Aug 2015 14:51:54
No threat up front because we had a midfield with no cutting edge , just sideways and backwards passing . The odd aimless lump up field for Pelle to hold ( which he did well ) but after holding the ball up not one of our players were within 15 yards . We are certainly looking very disjointed and definitely not anywhere near gelling at the moment .

22 Aug 2015 11:44:54
I can see us always being a 'feeder' as you say to the so-called top 6. But then I think we are firmly in the next group of clubs that can cherry pick other clubs players - clubs like us in and around the top 6 where we can offer game time and lower clubs where players would see joining us as a step up. I'm not happy about it but Clyne is a classic example of where we are as a club. Got him from Palace, it was a step up for him, he didn't renew and has gone top 6 with Liverhampton. Where we are on afraid.