Saints 3 Leicester 0 match reaction

Found out why Prowsey had such a good game when I bumped into his old boss and prospective future boss outside the ground.

 

Much better all over the pitch, anyone would think we were playing with Romeu's ball in the first few minutes as he snuffed out everything, Norwich aside we seem to have reverted back to our old style at the beginning of games where we let the oppos have a run around for 20 minutes, then we turn up and start playing more. JWP has shown flashes of today's game from him this season where he has been getting stuck in more, think he has benefitted from playing more often. Just like Maya who once more had a great game, seemed to relish having the armband and having to keep eye on young Jack who, I also thought did well when he came on: but then he shouldn't have felt too much heat seeing as he has been playing well out on loan for the last few seasons, in a league where the strikers are monsters.

 

More of the same please

Do you mean Koeman wants to buy him?

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Beats me how W-P gets MotM when he didn't win a tackle or a header dual all day. Amazing how a goal changes nearly everyone's perception of a player. It was pretty obvious in the first half that his own players were ignoring him when looking for options for a pass. Agreed he improved in the second half.

It's not "nearly everyone". Those of us who rate JWP, and always have done, had given up saying so on here because we just get shouted down.

He's a good young player who successive managers have rated highly, as have England managers. He's not an absolutely top class PL player, but he may yet become one.

We are home and dry. We weren't going down before today anyway, but now we've got half a season to get maybe seven/eight points.

Any team can go down until they can't go down. Simples.

It's not "nearly everyone". Those of us who rate JWP, and always have done, had given up saying so on here because we just get shouted down.

 

He's a good young player who successive managers have rated highly, as have England managers. He's not an absolutely top class PL player, but he may yet become one.

Well said

Do you mean Koeman wants to buy him?

 

 

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I assume he means Southgate...

Beats me how W-P gets MotM when he didn't win a tackle or a header dual all day. Amazing how a goal changes nearly everyone's perception of a player. It was pretty obvious in the first half that his own players were ignoring him when looking for options for a pass. Agreed he improved in the second half.

See the Gunners just about beat Burnley today.

I think we're playing as well as we can with our squad, which is a testament to Puel.

 

Would like to see Tadic taking on defenders rather than crossing, I think he should be driving into the box more and scoring more.

Been saying this for years. Still our best player by a mile though. If he scored more, probably wouldn't be playing for us. He's so much better on the left its untrue. Its actually Redmond that frustrates me more. Has the ability to drive at the defender with sheer pace like Mane did but for some reason, doesn't. Tadic, more often than not, has an end product. Redmond could be some player if he just had a bit more confidence.

Any team can go down until they can't go down. Simples.

We weren't going down, we're not going down.

We weren't going down, we're not going down.

Not sure about that, need to check with Dalek first

Absolutely chuffed for JWP. He gets stick on here, but puts incredible effort into improving his game, is always a high energy determined player, and has world-class dead-ball skill... The delivery for the second goal was incredible. That first goal half-volley will do wonders for his confidence. Have hopes he will go on to greater things over the next year.

 

On Solent, and on NBC commentary, there was a lot of comment about our greater energy compared to Leicester (despite our cup came mid-week). This is not an accident. It's a a direct consequence of Puel's rotation policy. I truly think he deserves great credit for his energy management.

 

Cedric and Maya superb today.......

 

With Austin, Davis and Boufal coming back, and provided VVD not out for long, I can truly see us a shot at finishing 7th still. Meanwhile Wednesday will be huge. We have to go out and attack. We need a goal more than we need to avoid conceding. 1-2 loss will do just perfectly. After today we'll have belief the goals are there. Pumped!

This

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We are home and dry. We weren't going down before today anyway, but now we've got half a season to get maybe seven/eight points.

Yes, which means we should go hell for leather for both cups. Play the strongest team for cup games, and bring in a goal scorer. Who isn't cup tied.

Much more positive today, got more players forward and more energy. Still a bit loose in possession at 2-0 but overall positive. The VVD scare should have stopped any complacency at not replacing Fonte, even if it's an interim on loan.

JWP's best of the season, we've seen some improvements this season but today he brought them all together with Southgate in attendance. Full backs and Yoshida also excellent, OR superb. PEH great energy but needs time with MLT on the training ground to improve the offensive aspects of his play. J Rod definitely reviving his career and helped him having midfielders actually making the effort to link up.

Excellent performance, JWP was superb. More confident for Wednesday now - just hope Vergil is fit.

Just realised my username may indicate I'm on the rose-tinted, happy clapping side. I used to like the Killers.

To be fair, I get the irrational supporting. I'm firmly in the happy-clapper society (and by that I mean i don't feel Puel is fully to blame for our most obvious woe this season, which is goal scoring) and can see (and understand) the frustration that Redmond gets. I don't condone the booing at all. In fact, some of his abuse is downright absurd. To me, its because some of our supporters seem to think he is the direct replacement for Mane (which he never was, that's Boufal), but he's actually got the potential to be a damn site better than he is. To be that player, he needs confidence, not booing every single time. Just takes a few minutes to search past posts on what people thought of Mane when he first joined to see how fickle supporters are.

I don't bother posting after we lose anymore. Most of the time we are the worst team in the world or should be challenging teams with £100s of millions more budget than us.

To me, there wasn't a lot of difference between this performance and others apart from the fact we actually took some of the chances that came our way. That's been our biggest problem this year. People will blame that on the departures of Pelle and Mane but the truth of the situation is that Austin was outscoring Pelle before he got injured and Mane took a season to get to that level. Its quite absurd that Long hasn't scored more than he has to chip in and the rotation hasn't helped him or Jay Rod in Austin's absence. Redmond's not a striker, despite was Puel thought, but he seems to have realised that and moved him back out wide. He's still a threat though.

Have the makings of a pretty decent squad at the moment. Missing a few key players, but we always will. On to Wednesday which is massive, and doable.

Lino did not raise his flag at all at any stage so I presume saw nothing wrong. Quite bizarre

Having only seen it once live.

Ref is standing facing goal 25 yds out

Ball is struck into goal (via defender)

Lino doesn't flag (correct decision)

Ref thinks fds are in, or close to,GK's sight lines .....

Ref asks lino if (fd*s) were offside when shot was struck,

Lino says 'yes' so ref disallows goal.... correct if that was it.

but apparently no fds were offside.

Having seen it once, live, i call 'goal# and ref c'''up, MOTD2 will show us.

Yes, which means we should go hell for leather for both cups. Play the strongest team for cup games, and bring in a goal scorer. Who isn't cup tied.

Totally off-topic, has anybody ever done an FA Cup and Lge cup double? Can't think they have, that would be one in the eye for the knockers who said we were finshed.

I assume he means Southgate...

You assume correctly.

Totally off-topic, has anybody ever done an FA Cup and Lge cup double? Can't think they have, that would be one in the eye for the knockers who said we were finshed.

Arsenal in 1993, beat Sheffield Wednesday in both finals.

Boring fact: the League Cup final that season was the first domestic game in this country where squad numbers were used.

Ranieri has lost the dressing room. Sounds familiar.

 

Also interesting that one of the theories behind their dreadful season on there is the apparent mistake of paying their biggest players huge wages not to leave, therefore their desire drops and they stop trying but still hoovering up the coin.

 

Slightly at odds with the received wisdom on here that that particular

course of action is the magic formula for guaranteed on-pitch success forever.

 

Them dopey Leicester fans, eh?

I thought this post on the Leiceter Forum was particularly interesting.

"Mahrez, Vardy, Schmeichel and Drinkwater are all on 4/5 year £100,000 contracts. That's roughly £100,000,000 promised to players and two of them (Vardy and Drinkwater) will stick around to claim every penny. This might sound hyperbolic but relegation could ruin us worse than Leeds or Portsmouth."

When people are concerned about how Les Reed is running our affairs on behalf of the owner we perhaps need to bear in mind that achieving success is great, but should not jeopardise the long term future of any club.

When people

Totally off-topic, has anybody ever done an FA Cup and Lge cup double? Can't think they have, that would be one in the eye for the knockers who said we were finshed.

Sure arsenal did in the early 90s

I'm sure it was Sheffield Wednesday in both finals with them?

Not 100%

Beats me how W-P gets MotM when he didn't win a tackle or a header dual all day. Amazing how a goal changes nearly everyone's perception of a player. It was pretty obvious in the first half that his own players were ignoring him when looking for options for a pass. Agreed he improved in the second half.

You obviously missed his succession of superb corners, free kicks and crosses.

Totally off-topic, has anybody ever done an FA Cup and Lge cup double? Can't think they have, that would be one in the eye for the knockers who said we were finshed.

1993-94: Manchester United

1995-96: Manchester United

1997-98: Arsenal

1998-99: Manchester United (as part of a treble, including the European Cup)

2001-02: Arsenal

That's only in the PL era as well. It's been achieved the same number of times in the 94 season prior as well.

Not sure about that, need to check with Dalek first

I will rest easy when we cross the 40 point mark. I don't like tempting fate.

Really enjoyed the performance and result today, albeit against probably the worst team we have seen at St Marys this season.

Now onto Wednesday night, is there any reason to make any changes to the starting 11 ?? (injuries aside)

Puel has never named the same side in successive games but surely now is the time to. All the pressure must be on Liverpool so lets get up there and get the draw that we need!! COYS!!!

Arsenal in 1993, beat Sheffield Wednesday in both finals.

 

Boring fact: the League Cup final that season was the first domestic game in this country where squad numbers were used.

Everton fans would probably use that to prove the League Cup to be the most prestigious competition in the world, were they to win it.

I thought this post on the Leiceter Forum was particularly interesting.

 

"Mahrez, Vardy, Schmeichel and Drinkwater are all on 4/5 year £100,000 contracts. That's roughly £100,000,000 promised to players and two of them (Vardy and Drinkwater) will stick around to claim every penny. This might sound hyperbolic but relegation could ruin us worse than Leeds or Portsmouth."

 

When people are concerned about how Les Reed is running our affairs on behalf of the owner we perhaps need to bear in mind that achieving success is great, but should not jeopardise the long term future of any club.

When people

I thought it was interesting that some Leicester fans think that by giving those players big contracts to stop them leaving (something saints fans have suggested) those same players have now lost the motivation they had to succeed before. Can't say if its true or not but thought it was interesting anyway.

1993-94: Manchester United

1995-96: Manchester United

1997-98: Arsenal

1998-99: Manchester United (as part of a treble, including the European Cup)

2001-02: Arsenal

 

That's only in the PL era as well. It's been achieved the same number of times in the 94 season prior as well.

I am sure that's the league title and FA cup.."the double"

I thought Liverpool and Chelsea did in in the 2000's.

1993-94: Manchester United

1995-96: Manchester United

1997-98: Arsenal

1998-99: Manchester United (as part of a treble, including the European Cup)

2001-02: Arsenal

 

That's only in the PL era as well. It's been achieved the same number of times in the 94 season prior as well.

League cup and FA cup double, not cup and league double. It seems Arsenal are the only ones.

I'd be very happy with just one cup this season. I'm not greedy.

Reduce sideways passing - TICK

Tadic wide left - TICK

Redmond wide right - TICK

Attacking football - TICK

Get numbers into the box when we attack - TICK

Reduce rotation league game to league game -TICK

Quicker Tempo - TICK

Funnily enough I thought we played the exact same way as in numerous games we've lost this season, except that we took our chances. The success or otherwise of the rotation this week will be seen if we look knackered on Wednesday, not today after most people got a midweek break... thanks to squad rotation.

Oh, and "reduce sideways passing" and "attack more" is a bloody terrible idea when two goals up and trying to prevent an inexperienced centre back pairing having to do much defending, because it leaves them potentially exposed to the counter without a shield in front of them. Like that time we were 3 defenders against 5 attackers. Fortunately Leicester were utterly woeful at pretty much everything today, and most of the team managed to get a rest whilst still out there.

Thought we were significantly weakened after losing Fonte???

 

More like we've got rid of a troublemaker and got a rock solid CB who's an honest pro instead. Straight away we win 3-0.

We should try playing against more crappy teams.

Wow how quickly fans turn. If SFC had won the Premier League last season I would have meekly accepted relegation this year. Pathetic maybe but to win the Prem???

If I were a Foxes fan I'd want Ranieri knighted, given the keys to the city, and a huge statue of him built at the entrance of the stadium. Even if they get relegated. Greatest sporting achievement in history in my opinion.

League cup and FA cup double, not cup and league double. It seems Arsenal are the only ones.

 

I'd be very happy with just one cup this season. I'm not greedy.

Liverpool did it in 2001 and Chelsea in 2007 as well as arsenal in the nineties.

Not sure what game you watching I've not been a fan of JWP recently but even without the goal he had a good game today tackling, passing and looking to get forward in support of the attack were all much better than he has produced most of this season.

Agree with this - I'm not his biggest fan either,but JWP had a superb first half, getting involved, passing quickly, pressing and delivering that sumptuous goal to kick things off. Other than he, Romeu, Cedric, Maya, Tadic and PEH all had their moments.

I am sure that's the league title and FA cup.."the double"

 

I thought Liverpool and Chelsea did in in the 2000's.

Yeah it is actually. My bad, read the article wrong. haha

League cup and FA cup double, not cup and league double. It seems Arsenal are the only ones.

 

I'd be very happy with just one cup this season. I'm not greedy.

Yeah it's only Arsenal.

You assume correctly.

Oh, JWP for England. Wow.

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Yeah it's only Arsenal.

You're not very good at this quiz lark, are you?

As has previously been stated, Liverpool in 2001 and Chelsea in 2007 have also done it.

Thought Hojbjerg was outstanding today. Looks so much better when given the freedom to push forward.

If he can find his shooting boots and continue to have performances like that, we're gonna have some player.

Match of the day didn't even show the incident with Vardy on VVD.

Match of the day didn't even show the incident with Vardy on VVD.

Good to see them waxing lyrical about JWP's performance though

That's more like it. Very good performance - even if against the weakest performance I can remember seeing from defending champions.

Can I just give a possible defence of the officials for the Morgan own goal?

The lino believes Yoshida is in an offside position, but doesn't flag as he doesn't believe he is interfering with play.

Oliver believes Yoshida was "active" but is unsure whether he was in an offside position, so rightly consults the lino and then disallows the goal.

To my mind, the replays show Maya was level - with only his arm in an "offside position", so the goal should have counted.

But I have no problem with how Oliver tried to resolve the issue or why the linesman didn't raise his flag.

Thought Hojbjerg was outstanding today. Looks so much better when given the freedom to push forward.

 

If he can find his shooting boots and continue to have performances like that, we're gonna have some player.

Yes, the whole midfield were outstanding, particularly in the first half. Not so effective in the second half when Leicester dropped the diamond formation.

Funnily enough I thought we played the exact same way as in numerous games we've lost this season, except that we took our chances. The success or otherwise of the rotation this week will be seen if we look knackered on Wednesday, not today after most people got a midweek break... thanks to squad rotation.

 

Oh, and "reduce sideways passing" and "attack more" is a bloody terrible idea when two goals up and trying to prevent an inexperienced centre back pairing having to do much defending, because it leaves them potentially exposed to the counter without a shield in front of them. Like that time we were 3 defenders against 5 attackers. Fortunately Leicester were utterly woeful at pretty much everything today, and most of the team managed to get a rest whilst still out there.

To the untrained eye it probably looks the same - you're probably confused why our form end of last season is so different now when "we are playing the same way"

I would like to say it's suitleties and give you a few clues, but the aporoach, the setup, the tempo was sooo very different today that if you genuinely didnt see it you never will.

Below is a couple of pics - will initially look like two identical pics..... Look a tiny bit closer and you will spot a few differences mate.

Todays performance is a bit like the below, lots of changes and hopefully the way forward for us.

I will rest easy when we cross the 40 point mark. I don't like tempting fate.

42 for me.

To the untrained eye it probably looks the same - you're probably confused why our form end of last season is so different now when "we are playing the same way"

 

I would like to say it's suitleties and give you a few clues, but the aporoach, the setup, the tempo was sooo very different today that if you genuinely didnt see it you never will.

 

Below is a couple of pics - will initially look like two identical pics..... Look a tiny bit closer and you will spot a few differences mate.

 

Todays performance is a bit like the below, lots of changes and hopefully the way forward for us.

 

How would you explain our ratio of forwards/backwards/sideways passes and ratio of touches being almost identical in this game to the Burnley game? We actually played more of this game in our third/middle of the pitch than the Burnley game. How does that work if the style of play has been revolutionised so much?

Pretty much the only difference (in our play) between that game and this was that we didn't convert chances. Don't score and the whinging points will be identical to any other game we haven't scored in. "Crab football", Boring, blah blah.

I think it's just exposed how little so many people actually notice about the finer details of football. On a determined quest to make sure they are the ones who are right, they're happy to believe anything that fits their agenda no matter the evidence and statistics.

It simply boils down to the realisation that most people only care about goals. Score goals? We're playing scintillating attacking football at a high tempo. Don't score goals? It's boring football at snail's pace. It's an unbelievably shallow argument and should be exposed as such.

How would you explain our ratio of forwards/backwards/sideways passes and ratio of touches being almost identical in this game to the Burnley game? We actually played more of this game in our third/middle of the pitch than the Burnley game. How does that work if the style of play has been revolutionised so much?

 

Pretty much the only difference (in our play) between that game and this was that we didn't convert chances. Don't score and the whinging points will be identical to any other game we haven't scored in. "Crab football", Boring, blah blah.

 

I think it's just exposed how little so many people actually notice about the finer details of football. On a determined quest to make sure they are the ones who are right, they're happy to believe anything that fits their agenda no matter the evidence and statistics.

 

It simply boils down to the realisation that most people only care about goals. Score goals? We're playing scintillating attacking football at a high tempo. Don't score goals? It's boring football at snail's pace. It's an unbelievably shallow argument and should be exposed as such.

The Burnley game isn't a good example as I also don't think we played that bad apart from scoring, but that performance today was a marked improvement on a lot of the football we've played this season.

I didn't think we were great to be honest, it was game of poor quality and Leicester were absolutely dreadful. Their diamond in the first half played into our hands as Redmond and Tadic particularly had so much time and space to pick out passes. We left ourselves open to a counter attack though through giving the ball away on a lot of occasions and better sides would have punished us. JWP was cowardly with the ball as usual up until he scored, but the goal gave him a massive lift and he was much better afterwards, he even took a player on and beat him at one point! And that all came from him getting into a decent position and having a shot first time. I thought it took a slight deflection off the defender but it doesn't matter if it did or not, when you shoot from distance you give yourself a chance to get lucky. If he can be braver on the ball in the final third he could develop into a good player, but we've been saying that for a long time now.

Hojbjerg had a good game but his finishing is as bad as the rest of the team as we really could and should have had more goals. Puel introduced Long at just the right time as he's such a great player to have when playing on the counter attack and that helped us kill the game. After the cup games are out of the way I really hope Jay is given a good run as I still think he could be a really good striker for us, but he needs regular games to get some rhythm.

Not a great performance but we did create chances and the win will help with confidence levels. Yoshida had a very solid game and I really hope we don't make a panic signing to replace Fonte. Let him, Gardos (he has had some good games for us before his injury where he showed promise) and Stephens show what they're capable of and reassess in the summer when first choice targets are more likely to be available and for the right price.

How poor were Leicester?

Braver performance today, hope the rotation reduces and we maintain the positive play. One small step on a long road to redemption for Puel. Wednesday night could be season defining. Huge game. NO ROTATION.

So the diamond didn't work for Leicester either ! They could have made a game of it if Grey had ever tried to pass to Vardy rather than shoot from distance.

What's baffling to me is that we didn't actually play that differently. We still kept possession when needed, made a few token mistakes on the ball but we actually scored our chances which hasn't happened for a while.

 

Seems there's a lot of unfounded "look I was right see" going on.

Spot on! We've played better than that this season and lost! Fickle bunch on here