mrfahaji

I just don't understand it. Fine as an initial plan, plenty of teams do it with players effectively. But Redmond & Tadic invariably BOTH play sh1t on the opposite flank, and on the rare occasion they swap they BOTH look better. And yet every manager continues with the same old system. I am genuinely flabbergasted at how it happens regardless of who is charge and how many times we see the same pattern. It wasn't a huge surprise that Redmond just had the opportunity to scamper into space - the full back was even encouraging him to get round the back - but instead stopped and desperately tried to come back onto his right.

Redmond on left and Tadic on right. My head is going to explode. Why is this happening?!

Not sure if that's a genuine comment or a sarky reference to my post...

If we beat Bournemouth then suddenly things will feel different. As well as a win putting us closer, it also gives us some momentum and belief ahead of Swansea. But we said that before Newcastle, and before West Ham, when we were leading Chelsea 2-0 and to a lesser extent before Leicester. Whenever there has been an opportunity to claw ourselves towards safety, we have been found wanting. So I can't even think about "what we need in our last four games", I just have to hope we beat Bournemouth at the weekend, because if we don't the rest is irrelevant anyway.

I'm not sure why I've wasted a chunk of my day doing it, but I had a look at our Premier League matches - most people would accept we were excellent in the League Cup, the FA Cup was a write off and the Europa League was poor save for a few bright moments - for the 16/17 season. Of course this is subjective, but my rough assessment is that we had 8 games with a good result & performance, 6 with a good result and ok performance, 4 with an ok result/performance, 8 where we didn't get a get result but the performance perhaps merited more, and 12 matches where we were poor and also had a bad result. The naysayers will look at 20 poor results and only 8 'good' games (esp as they were usually against teams out of sorts) as evidence of a poor season, while fans of Puel will say that 8 good matches is approximately 7 more than this season, also factoring in the extra games we had to play with Europe. So perhaps we can just accept that Puel did ok with what he had to work with, is not a bad manager, but in terms of his man management and philosophy probably took us a step backwards, or at least halted our progression.

I've just finished reading (well, listening to) Neil Warnock's autobiography. The lengths he had to go to to try and keep Taraabt happy is quite unbelievable, and it still wasn't enough. To say "a few good games" is unfair, he won Championship player of the year and was largely responsible for QPR winning the league. But managed to p1ss off his fellow players, staff and manager in the process with his antics. Everyone has an idea that footballers can be difficult at times, but the sort of things Adel Taraabt did beggar belief. Warnock still maintained he was a "lovely lad", but such irresponsibility and ill discipline while picking up god knows how much money makes you a massive pr1ck in my book.

One of the most bizarre decisions of the lot. Even if in hindsight some things haven't worked out, you can often see the thinking behind it. The announcement of Forster's new contract was a jaw dropping moment. I can only think that the club were, once again, trying to be smart, and that somehow a new contract would make all the potential buyers think "well he must be doing well" and convince them to come in with an offer. And also the reason why Forster stayed in the team for so long. It's the only possible explanation I can think of, but still an utterly ridiculous approach.

Always enjoy reading but thought your analysis of the match and our player performances was particularly spot on this time!

don't forget the manbun and the shoes without socks.

I'm not saying it's a great return, but the post I replied to was including him (also, I thought it was £4m) alongside Juanmi, Gardos, Forren & Mayuka. For £4m, I'm not sure 14 goals (however long the period) is an obvious 'waste' of money when you look at some of the others. Hence why I also mentioned Martina.

Given Bertrand will leave in the summer, and that we will probably be playing Championship football next year, you'd think we'd want keep Targett onside. I've heard that the club haven't even been in touch with him since he joined Fulham. Once again, good standards from the best run club in the world with the best youth programme in the galaxy.

I agree that we were slow to get it out to the flanks. It often took three passes to move the ball across instead of one, by which point Chelsea were back in position. But there were still plenty of opportunities for Cedric (and Bertrand, but I didn't notice it as much on that side) to show a bit more forward impetus, whether it was making a run off the ball or with the ball. Cedric is blessed with pace too, so it is feasible he could get round the back, that's what makes it all the more frustrating.

Those two are a bit harsh... £5m for 14 goals isn't too bad! £2m for a player who played a fair bit certainly isn't a waste either.

Isn't the issue that Caballero tried to clutch it to his chest and then spilled it? I haven't seen the replays yet so only going by what I remember on the day, but I recall wondering why the keeper didn't reach up for the ball, but instead waiting to catch the ball lower down.

Hmmmm. While I do agree that Tadic is our most creative player, and also that the full backs seem more inclined to get forward when he is on the ball, I disagree that they couldn't get forward on Sunday. There were plenty of times Cedric had the opportunity to take the ball forward himself, or play a one or two and run into space, but instead turned back and played a 10 yard pass to Bednarek. The other problem is that Tadic is best as a left winger. I want him to be great in a 'number 10' role but he has had plenty of opportunities there and only occasionally will he play more than a 6/10. Redmond actually looked a lot better in there. So, if you want to play Tadic, you have to play him wide (on the left!) If he replaces a striker, you now have 3 CMs and a winger. Maybe you can play that formation, but if the side is unbalanced you then need to move one of the CMs out to the right (JWP?) and that leaves you with 2 CMs. Understandable that we wanted to keep 3 players centrally against the Kante twins & Fabregas. I agree with Wes Tender that our biggest problems were mainly the full backs (reminded me of Palace away in Dec 2015 when Koeman went 3 at the back, but it failed because we played more of a back 5 than back 3 with WBs), but also not helped by Lemina either not being given a bit more attacking freedom, or simply Lemina going through the motions.

At least it only cost the fan £19 not £19m.

Not so much about our own fans, but god I can't stand the social media addition to football programmes and events. I know it doesn't do any harm, but showing photos of members of the crowd who have tweeted the FA/Wembley account... what is the point? When watching MOTD, do I really need to know what a player, or worse, a fan, has tweeted about the game? I'm not against social media, it has a good use. But mainly for people who want to use it for their own needs and interests. Not for every possible outlet to shove it in your face at every opportunity they get. The atmosphere yesterday was flat. But it got a bit better at times where we attacked. Supporters should be better at giving their backing when a team is struggling, but it is difficult to cheer when there is next to nothing happening on the pitch to get you excited. I do find it odd when people decide to get up and amble past everyone in the row at the point when something good is happening though. Wait for an injury, or at the very least wait for a goal kick or throw in! At one point yesterday a family decided the best point to leave their seats was when we were about to take a corner! Towards the end of the game, the family in front of us decided to leave. Not really a problem, but rather than leaving their seats, they decided to stand up and have a chat amongst themselves so that we couldn't see what was going on. That probably reflected the whole apathy of the team/fans/club on the day. It's also amazing how keen people are to wave their flags about but when it comes to joining in with the singing they are deathly silent. In fact, I even got a few looks from people as if to say "why are you singing so loudly?" Rant over. Feels nice to get that off my chest.

Was nice being at Wembley, but it does feel odd as a semi final. Think that may have contributed to the flat atmosphere, although our current form and several thousand empty seats didn't help either. Thoughts of the game: - We might have lost by 3 or 4 in the end, but criminal that our 'goal' was disallowed and not reviewed. My biggest doubt with VAR is that the decision to review remains subjective, and therefore it was only a matter of time before we found it being used to review a decision FOR a big club, but not one against them. - People are complaining about the formation and tactics first half. I felt we were too slow in possession, choosing to play it back/inside in true Pellegrino style when there was a chance to go forward, but ultimately we went in 0-0 at Half Time, and I don't think the formation per se can be blamed - we did have two up front after all! Second half, particularly after the subs, we looked a lot better. It also gave the fans something to get excited about. We might have been losing but mounting an attack now and again gives the supporters some belief which then (hopefully) feeds the players. This was something Pellegrino never grasped. - Cedric is our worst player. A shame as I thought he had potential when he first joined, but the hesitancy of our full backs is really costing us, especially with 3 at the back. Bertrand wasn't great either, but Cedric's reluctance to run or dribble forward is infuriating. Never crosses first time, never makes a run behind the opposing full back. He is blessed with a bit of pace too, so he could do it, making it all the more annoying. - I groaned when Redmond was announced as coming on but I thought he did really well. Made such a difference for him playing centrally and occasionally on the right. - The most disappointing thing about the game yesterday, and the reason I didn't wait around to applaud the players for their 'efforts' was how obviously they gave up in the last 10 minutes. Chelsea took their foot off the pedal and we had a few moments of hope, but it just looked like the players never believed they could get one, never mind two goals back. Absolutely appalling from Lemina when he couldn't even be bothered to rejoin play during our attack, and then stayed stood on the half way line while Chelsea broke forward. Yoshida probably MoM. Always has trouble with Giroud but stuck with him pretty well and made some heroic challenges. Romeu also had a decent game. - Lack of effort/spirit is one reason we're going down, as well as the low confidence meaning that we just aren't very good. Every attack breaks down somewhere in the chain, whether it's defenders passing sideways and backwards until someone has to boot it, midfield players taking slightly too long to pick that forward pass, or simply Shane Long having to control a football. Walking back to the station felt very different to last year. Last year I was proud of our performance, almost on a high from the atmosphere of the day, yet incredibly bitter that we had been denied a win by a combination of Ibrahimovic and the officials. This year there were no complaints about the scoreline, but also depressed about the whimpering nature of our defeat, what it means for this season - and our superb kit! - and beyond. Still should have been 1-1 though...

I didn’t have much in the way of optimism last season vs United. I was going to enjoy the occasion, and just hoped we didn’t get a thrashing. What followed, apart from the galling referee decision, was one of the greatest days, if ultimately heartbreaking, as a Saints fan. I will approach today the same way. If Chelsea are on their game, we will lose. If we are also our usual selves, we are in for a tonking. BUT we are still at Wembley, still playing an FA Cup semi final for only the second time in my lifetime, two wins from writing a new line into the Southampton history books. Stranger things have happened, let’s have a repeat of Villa Park 2003! Leaving at 1ish, probably heading over with a train/tube load of Chelsea fans...

Especially since they needed 2 matches to get past both Newport and Rochdale.

Dreadful defending by United. If we miraculously get past Chelsea I wouldn’t fancy getting whipped by Spurs in the final. I hate them at the best of times but it might just tip me over the edge. I could enjoy the experience of a cup final v United, but not v Spurs.

Is it not how we set up vs Arsenal and Chelsea though? Where we scored 4 goals? It might have been an inept performance, but it’s very easy to draw conclusions from the result alone. Perhaps the naivety was thinking that a formation which at least partly worked against top sides who have a lot of the ball would also work against a team that like to counter attack. Or maybe the mistake was thinking if our players showed the same application as they did vs Arsenal & Chelsea, we’d do ok against an “on the beach” Leicester. Yet we should all know by now that our players don’t maintain such a level in all matches.

Especially sad as Redmond doesn’t even have pace.

A point not enough really, but also felt like playing two up top when we were already losing the battle in midfield, and pretty much everywhere, would have handed even more control to Leicester. Earlier in the season I felt like we had a good team, but when I look through the team today I’m less sure, especially when you factor in lack of spirit and fight. McCarthy, Cedric, Yoshida, Hoedt, Bednarek, Hojbjerg, Redmond, JWP, Davis, Tadic, Long. Would any of them look out of place in fellow relegation sides? Would we be clamouring to get them if they were about to be relegated with another side? Then you have players like Romeu, Lemina, Boufal, Gabbiadini & Bertrand, who have demonstrated obvious quality but are either too inconsistent or have been ruined by the manager. I still firmly believe that a better manager than Pellegrino (I.e. any other human being) would never have had this group in a scrap, but I no longer look through the team on the pitch and wonder how these players aren’t doing better.

I wonder if that's the thinking, either from a set piece, or the occasional attack, maybe the ball might break and if it does Austin has the best chance of sticking it away. Wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry when the commentators said "last roll of the dice now for Southampton with their final substitution..." before panning to Redmond on the sideline.