The Kraken

I look forward to them sorting out his crisp packet wrists.

Shea Charles didn’t take Holgate’s position though, he played on the right side of defence, right-back/wing-back. Manning came more central and played a sort of hybrid centre-back/left-back position. Holgate coming off changed the shape of the team (not that it did any good), bringing on THB as a centre-back replacement simply wouldn’t have done that. THB may have been pissed off that he didn’t get on the pitch, but suggesting Shea Charles was chosen in THB’s position instead of him is just fundamentally incorrect.

I’ve noticed this too, it drives me mad when I see us in possession, lose the ball and then we’re massively vulnerable to a very simple long ball over the top. Yet in reverse we offer zero threat from this type of play as we have 11 players back in the box defending. It was a Ralphism that just seems to be adopted by every manager since (apart from those we play against).

Yep. Criticising possession-based football becomes irrelevant if, when out of possession, the team just shit themselves and make terrible decisions. Have a look at the image below, it’s from the first goal and we’re attacking with a corner. One desperate punt out from the back from them and their attacker is goal side of our last defender. How on earth is that allowed to happen? And it was far from the only time our whole shape left us exposed and vulnerable when we lost the ball. We can point out individual errors from the defenders and the keepers, but this comes down to shocking organisation in the first place. Russell Martin was a defender Ffs, so I’m a bit worried that he allows his teams to set up like this.

Bazunu seems very good at getting his hands to shots and not keeping them out of the goal.

A save!!

At half time I watched the replay for their first goal, at the point of the ball being thumped up the pitch following our corner, their attacker was level with our last defender, and anyone else was around 10-20 years upfield. Just hideously naive defending. We press high but once we turn it over just retreat back to our box and it’s so easy for them to cut through us. No defensive solidity in midfield, full backs trapped up the outch, everyone else panicking to try and get back.

So Holgate has got a 50p head too. Great signing.

They owe us one.

Holgate should never have played. Hopelessly rusty and no idea what he’s doing.

I’d take Peter Schmeichel right now tbf.

T’was only a gag 😆

Fuck off with that half Saints. Just make 5 subs and be done with it. McCarthy for Bazunu. THB for Holgate. Charles for Smallbone. Adams for Mara. Fraser for Edozie.

Shocking defending, crisp packet wrists goalkeeping yet again. Pathetic pathetic pathetic.

Usually to be found legging it back towards our own goal after the ball has yet again gone past them.

We simply have no defensive midfield, Sunderland just went straight through the middle of us after our high press resulting I. Another shot on goal. Can’t have this little shape about us, Charles is surely a long term fit in there at least for away games where we at least need a semblance of shape. God awful start to a game this.

Edozie is no fart and no shit today

Utter shambles of an opening this.

This is a pathetic start, Sunderland look like they’ll fashion a chance every time they drive forward, cutting straight through us every time.

Fuck off with this. 2/10 window…..

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Was thinking the same myself. Definitely Mara I reckon, KWP never got reported but could’ve happened easily I suppose. Think Smallbone got offers from Stoke?

Rob Earnshaw is pundit on the Sunderland game today and just described it as “Southampton’s best transfer window ever”. Not sure I’d go that far but it’s been a very solid window.

Apart from the fact that Everton leaked that they’d made a £12m bid for him and a SFC confirmed they’d rejected it.