Chez

Yep. JW, Romeu, Redmond, Djenepo, Walcott, Ely, Diallo and to a lessor extent Tella and Armstrong due to not playing, simply don't offer enough of a goal threat. There's no goals there at all really. I think Tella adds some pace and he trys things, which may help us from this point. Redmond's deft header helped set up the goal and when on song he is our best option in the creativity department (I'm discounting Armstrong due to his injuries), but when is the last time a wide player cut inside an curled one into the top corner? Got to say that the Djenepo signing has been one of the biggest disappointments. He just has not done it for us. Does anyone think he will come good? He's still young, but we need to see improvement from him.

A few thoughts. Broja is the real deal. He offers us so much more than Che and Amstrong. Pace and power. Holds the ball up well, good feet, decent in the air and that little bit of composure and skill. Perhaps should have buried the first chance in the first half, and the one in the second was harder than it looked when watching live. I thought for once, we didn't come out second half and allow the opponents to dictate. Obviously we didn't retain the lead, but our intensity after the break was good. The much talked about `what does Ralph say at half time' was not a factor here. McCarthy's injury was a result of saving Maupay's chance. It was obvious he was struggling. He didn't take a goal kick and took a risk with a short pass rather than a long clearance. Player and management (including physio) should be seeing that/communicating. I saw it. JWP and Romeu need to be subbed more often towards the end of games. Tiredness caused that pass/decision/foul. They work so hard, they can't possibly be as sharp at 80 minutes as they were at minute 1. Diallo needs to be trusted more. Lyanco got beaten in the air by Maupay. That (and his diving in) worries me. I thought we played well overall. We were very sharp, especially in the first half. Brighton were bad, giving the ball away a lot (we forced a lot of their errors mind you) but they still created chances, Maupay's in the second should have been buried. I thought we created more opportunities though and were the better side.

what counts as a duel? Was his headed goal one of those five duals won, because if it was, then the stat is a bit misleading, as it was an uncontested header due to a compete balls up by their centre backs.

Is he any better than McCarthy?

WBA are in the mix for promotion. Keeping him (and gaining from his talent) and allowing his contract to wind down might be more beneficial to them than the few million they will get from selling in January. Can't see it myself unless they have a very good alternative lined up.

we run ourselves into the ground recovering our errors and pressing teams to try to regain possession, and also covering back in numbers to prevent one on ones. In the second half, players are more tired, so you don't see our RM and CM all helping and covering our right back. Instead its down to the right back to handle the opponent on his own, and that ain't always possible, as we saw with Livramento last night. Our individual frailties/limitations are basically hidden in the first half but exposed in the second.

There was a run by JWP in the first half that fizzled out, another burst from Romeu, who hardly ever gives it away, but when he got into the congested third, the important through ball/pass was easily intercepted and the chance was gone. Both players are great at keeping the game moving, but we do lack that little extra guile. Sight;y unfair to compare them to Maddison, as they play in different roles, we actually need Armstrong, Redmond and Ely to do what Maddison did last night, beat men and smash it in. I think there were other occasions too when a break was on, but the pass was fractionally behind, or the touch wasn't spot on and momentum and opportunity was lost. I think that is another area where we are weak: the quick break. In those circumstances the pass needs to be weighted perfectly, the first touches brilliant and the players need to be on top of their game and brimming with confidence to just do things instinctively. That ain't there right now.

To be fair, the shot was from well inside the box and there are two Saints defenders in front of him, so may not have had a clear view. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0uiLKvRNEY I agree it was not a very powerful shot, but it didn't dribble to him either. He parried it. I thought he may have been able to grab it. It ain't great, but I doubt players were pointing fingers either. It's not as though they don't make mistakes themselves. They all do and sometimes they lead to goals being conceded, sometimes they don't. As for moral, I should imagine when he makes a save like he did versus Barnes, they are very grateful that he has helped earn the side a point.

enjoyed your post (a little island of positivity in a swamp of negativity on here). Great that there were `new' supporters at the match. the football business needs new blood. There was a good student offer for last nights' game, so maybe that attracted them.

Yep. I'd be inclined to drop Tino, but does Perraud warrant a place in the side? I get the impression Ralph hasn't been all that impressed so far.

Could not agree more. Annoys me when people slate keepers for being beaten at the near post. It's like, allowing a goal in that side is 100 times worse than letting it in the other or something. Yes you need to get you angles right, but the goal is fucking massive when they are shooting at it from 6 yards out. He wasn't to blame at all for the second IMO. Livramento on the other hand. Jesus. The lad has a lot to learn about defending and positional play

Don't think the first was `excellent'. He should save it, but having parried, you need a bit of luck and he didn't get it. Nor did Schmichel at the other end in much the same situation. You don't think there was time to try and catch it rather than parry? It really was a world class save. It's exactly the kind of save I have been trying to describe on here for a while. One that is out of the blue and you don't expect the keeper to make at all. It's basically in, and then its not. Some keepers never make these. Forster is one.

Tella seemed to fade in the second half. Not sure he achieved all that much in the first, to be honest. Looked a little rusty. Moving mini-Amstrong out there isn't the answer though.

what was the award for? Giving us two of the best footballing seasons of our lives?

it wasn't a Salisu error. It was 100% down to KWP. It was a back pass to McCarthy but he hit it straight at Salisu. Bad error. Not sure it had anything to do with playing on the wrong side, but the time has come to drop Livramento and get KW back at right back, assuming Perraud can step up. Can he though? Looked very average so far.

we did. We were in trouble for a long period, when gaps opened up, but we turned it around with Broja and Ely giving us some fresh legs. They missed Tielmans. I guess we miss S Armstrong. Happy with a point. Leicester are not world beaters this year though, so not getting carried away.

The first goal was straight at him. He should smother it. Forster would have done much better. He is great at saving stuff straight at him. I don't believe McCarthy should take any blame for the second. I'm sure most will disagree, but that's my opinion. Macca's save earned us a point. It was absolutely outstanding.

thought he has looked quite bright though.

I've underplayed it, it's an absolute worldie. Forster doesn't save that ...ever.

what a save.

as usual we looked ragged and as players get tired and cant cover/track back the gaps open and we look at risk of conceding from every break. Need Broja to come up with another break away goal.

Three strikers or Armstrong dropping in to the left like he did at Norwich?

amen. Livramento had an absolute mare positionally, but the first thought for most on here is to slate McCarthy.

have to say it probably one that Forster does better. He's probably the best in the business at saving things that are straight at him.

You make it sound like it barely got there. i've eyes.