Holmes_and_Watson

'tator: "Only once in the PL have Saints opened a season with 3 defeats and without scoiring, back in 2001, when St Mary's opened."

Oh. Our passing out utterly failed there.

Well, we do still ahve some of the players considered surplus to requirements in his system. We might not in a few weeks.

Lallana on! That will rattle them.

Cleverly not putting a date on that.

That's what stands out. And it has often stood out with our set up. Our individuals get us results. Not because the system allows them to be in a position to do so, but because they go against the instuctions.

Better practice or seethes. He moved things around, after we'd already lost this one. But he will set up up well within his football philosophy. In his head, that Barcelona job awaits him if he just stays consistent. Even if we finish bottom wioth 0 points. 🙂

Oh, I thought you said "Unleash the llamas." Still, hopefully we'll do better in the replay.

Just think how much more complacent they'll be after their next couple of goals. 🙂

Well worked from Brentford. But a really simple one to be conceding from. Done by a long throw. >sigh<

And the third.

Tator: "Another calamity at the back from Southampton. Will they ever learn." co-tator: "This has relegation all over it. You can tell me a million times that this is how we play. Well, if that's the way you play, you'll get relegated."

I saw him for Rangers in that right side of midfield. He was happy to cut in. Could also support behind a front 2 or finsiher. Also got put up front on his own, and did okay, when there was an emergency.

It looks as though we're on the front foot. But this is also Brentford protecting a lead, and dropping back, waiting for that counter.

"Martin and Gill hopign they can engineer an equlaiser." as they look at the pad of paper, and realise every option is riddled with errors.

THB on a yellow off. Stephens will naturally stay on, able to use his versatility to support everyone else. As I type, Ramsdale out sharpish.

Dibling on the way...

Ah, we've changed it around. A couple of nearly, form decent through passes. A bit much to expect Archer to beat 4 players and score though. Zero support for him.

Lots of space for their header there. All from us losing possession cheaply.

Caught again playing it out. Stephens is in midfield. I do get the logic, but we now have players in to do that role. So, he's there for "leadership" qualities. Archer for AA is like-for-like . SO, basically just hoping that he doesn;t mis hit whatever we stumble into providing.

Nice ball across from Berentford. Damsgaard is someone I'd have loved for us to have.

HT: Martin will look at our high possession. We've had just fewer shots, the same on target, and we have missed a couple of very good chances. We were already under pressure as our temp and transation were not up to PL standard. Shooting ourselves in the foot on multiple occassions cost us. Ramsdale's long kicks give away control. KWP is still better on the right. Both fullbacks give us some moments of happiness, as it looks as though we'll get an attack. Howver, neither was great at adding to our controlled passing through the midfield, in the way we used inverted fullbacks last season. Suga's cross to AA was our best chance though. THB is a better player than this. A couple of odd wobbles of late. Bedders and Ramsdale lpaired up well. Our midfield offered very little in terms of transition. Aribo a bit more physically, and Downes doing a lot of lifting for all three, and also ran through. Smallbone is having one of those games where he's not able to add anything. He's not linking up with anyone, not being pushed forwards either. Stephens in the side often means he gets bypassed too. His bodyshape makes him look a bit slower than he actually is. But has been caught out more than once. AA has had chances. He suffered when not scorign early on in his last PL season. Clearly feels some pressure on him. BBD hasn't done much yet. Wayward shooting.

Oh will, finally space to move into and a pretty poor sideways pass. Overshadowed by BBD's hoof well wide. Not long after AA's miskick.

Aribo got past someone a while back in a one on one. Had he lost it, we would have been in trouble. There is was our player against 2. I'ts a throwback to Holgate. The players are instructed to play a certain way. It's drummed into them, and over common sense. With 3 at the back, we should always have passing options to get the ball out, and into midfield. There, we were static, took a daft risk and got punished. Martin will say individual error. But it's more than that. We've been here before. Managers who set us up to play a rigid style, should basically be asking how we can score two, because we will concede at this level.

Sod. We just gave them a goal. 2 dreadful defensive errors.