The Kraken

Yes, commentary said they did a VAR check on it while play continued. Listening to Peter Walton continue to waffle on about why it wasn’t a penalty just makes me have no faith whatsoever in referees. No wonder zero English refs were selected for the VAR team at the World Cup, the euros showed us that our lot are completely useless compared to their European peers.

I did have that video! I couldn’t remember who got that one but it’s on YouTube, it was Tony Currie.

Yeah, I’d have gone Lavia second no doubt. Just such a cool head in tight positions. There was a bit towards the end where United looked like they might break away down our left, Lavia was over so quickly to get in front of the defender and cut the threat out to get us attacking again. Quality player.

I’d disagree with that, I think. I get what you’re saying, but I felt comfortable when Aribo got the ball up front. He’s strong so can keep hold of it up there, he more than often doesn’t give it away, and he also had the header today which was one of our best chances. I think I read that when he was at Rangers he was a bit hit and miss but I like the look of him.

This was the point that was made, the mods aren’t likely to be around during match day to close down threads and start new ones, so multiple threads are always going to end up as a mess.

Let’s kick this off again then.

Exactly. United were poor today, they lacked most of the intensity they showed against Liverpool last week. Saints did very well to nullify them, but United were there for the taking. They look vulnerable at the back, their midfield got bossed, and Rashford should have been made to pay for a ticket, he was a viewer all day.

Agree with that. But I wouldn’t say that Lavia puts JWP in the shade, I’d say Lavia is much more naturally the defensive midfielder which gives JWP to get around the pitch a bit more, particularly in wide areas to ping crosses in. Lavia is definitely quality though. Im hoping our formation against sides around us stays at the 4-2-3-1, but with Mara instead of Elmo. Against the better sides we may go for Romeu and Lavia with JWP slightly forward of them, though I get the feeling Romeu is totally out of favour, I just hope we don’t accept any of the supposed offer(s) for him. ABK is a beast. He didn’t look all that on the right of a 3, he’s definitely at home in a two, felt very comfortable with him back there.

The Martinez tackle? Certainly would have liked to see that one again, defender definitely played the ball but also took out Adams with it.

It’s incredible the lengths he’ll go to, just to back up the ref’s decision. He’s there to provide an independent referee’s decision, but he can’t bear the idea of critiquing his old mates so makes some utterly absurd arguments to back them up. Today, he said a pen wasn’t given because of the proximity of the ball from the arm. I think that’s the point, Pete.

No surprise that Peter Walton agrees with the VAR decision. Such an utterly pointless man.

Yeah, all Saints players (apart from Moi) did well but Armstrong stood out, looked very busy and set up Aribo’s header. Mara seems like a class act, hopefully he’s up to speed and able to start soon. McTominay is really not that good and got exposed for what he is today. To be fair, Lavia was excellent, such a cool head and so often in the right place. We are definitely missing a clinical striker. Adams does a job but today showed what he about, gets in good positions but not able to finish. I get the feeling our transfer business is done and we will end up being overly reliant on players like Aribo, Mara, and the Armstrongs for goals from behind a lone striker.

A game when we’ve looked really good defensively, really good going forward, but just not clinical enough to even get the ball on target. De Gea really hasn’t been made to work, despite us dominating large parts of the game.

Definitely one of those that if the ref had given the pen, VAR wouldn’t have overturned it.

Che Adams has got himself into some really good positions but made a Horlicks of it every time.

Hasn’t been a good second half at all, that goal,was coming. Need to freshen things up a bit, but not too many options on the bench.

Saints have done well but I feel like Man United haven’t yet got themselves out of first gear. Expecting a sterner test of it second half, hopefully our lads can pinch a goal and hold strong at the back.

To be fair to Djenepo, he’s so far had an excellent game. He’s defended well but has obviously been given instruction to not bomb forward too much. Armstrong has also looked quite lively. Moi has been anonymous again.

Wtf just happened?!?!

Concerned that we often look outnumbered when United are on the break. I do like the look of ABK though.

The pitch is an absolute shocker. Looks worse than it was for the Leeds game, and it was bad then. Looks a bit hard and bobbly as well. Very rare for a Southampton pitch to look so bad, the Dell and St Mary’s have had excellent surfaces for many years now.

There’s a decent series going at the moment about Palace, it only focuses on their academy system and each series follows the fortunes of a few kids. It’s quite interesting and a decent watch.

Not sure if that’s indicative of good in game decision making, or that he picks the wrong side in the first place.

No it isn’t.

Personally, I think it’s best all kept in one thread. That said, I think a separate MOTM vote poll should be done for each match, and there shouldn’t be any need for mod involvement in that one, it just needs any random user to start the poll up properly after the game. I’ll even say that I’ll incentivise it by keeping a running total of the winner(s) each week so that, by season’s end, we can have an alternative player of the season award. And, as long as I’m around at watching the game, I’m happy to set up the MOTM poll (if I’m not around I’m sure someone else can do it).