SAINTS 3 City 1 Reactions & MOTM

On a serious (ish) points, I'm amazed that Cork is running away with MotM on the poll.

 

Everyone was 8/10 or more. But I thought Lambert was easily the best player on the park.

 

Not even sure Jack would be in my top 5 (even though he was very good)

Who was your top 5?

Who was your top 5?

1. Lambert

2. Yoshida

3. Morgan

4. Rodriguez

5. Davis (or maybe Cork or Boruc)

1. Lambert

2. Yoshida

3. Morgan

4. Rodriguez

5. Davis (or maybe Cork or Boruc)

Same for me buddy

Same for me buddy

Should I be proud or terrified that we're on the same wavelength?

Or both? :-)

City were terror.

We were bloody amazing.

SO SO Proud of the lads, got a bit emotional at the final whistle. HUGE win, hopefully Villa lose tomorrow and we can beat Newcastle and QPR in a few weeks time, COYR!

A thought for Nigel, he deserved a night like this. Being the bloke he is he is probably pleased for MP and the lads.

Great post - I couldn't agree more. Nigel will always be special to me and I wish him well wherever he goes. He built much of the basis of this team and - lest it be forgotten - we were playing some tremendous football for the first three months of last season. Damn right I'm thinking of him as well tonight.

Having said that, Pocchetino has taken the same players to an entirely new level - and very, very quickly. Based on how we've played, he could actually be sitting on four wins in four games, and three of them were against top 6 sides. It's a hell of a good sign that in each of those games there have been 4-6 (or even more) candidates for Man of the Match. They have embraced his methods wholeheartedly, and the biggest beneficiaries have been Cork and Schneiderlin - and, to a lesser extent, Davis. At times, Lambert looks like he's playing a different game to everyone else - so much time, such great awareness and an unbelievably deft touch (control or pass).

God only knows that this team will look like when A) Pocchetino gets them as fit as he will get them, and B) he can communicate more confidently.

I'm actually still a little numb. Damn Bacardi.

Southampton play good football. They have in every game I've seen them play this season. Results were always going to come for them eventually. Compared to them our team are a bunch of cloggers.

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?43210-SAINTS-3-City-1-Reactions-amp-MOTM/page6

The morning after.....Saints didn't let City settle at all and that was the key. We also got the breaks for once with the two very comical goals. Mind you, we gave them a comical goal in return. I thought the Boruc save was brilliant, and had that gone in then it might have been a bit more nervy. Everyone played really well, except I still think Fox has all the positional sense of a hedgehog on the fast lane of the M1. I know that we are still a work in progress, but is it too much to ask that professional footballers can actually shoot from distance? There is still a long way to go and we shouldn't get too carried away. However, I don't think I've ever seen Saints dominate top sides like that since the days of LM. In truth, Saints were playing very well under NA, but we have stepped up another tread over the past 4 games. Let's hope Shaw is back for the next game, though, because there was a definite weakness down that flank last night. MOM was MS for me.

Ouch. Ugh oh krap late for work.

Just want to mention one point. The International TV feed is carried by PL TV.

Last night, both the match taters continually used words such as sublime, outstanding and superb. They were full of praise for the way we were playing all through the game. Their comments about Citeh were how can they drag themselves back into this, they are being totally outplayed.

In (blurred) hindsight this morning, it occurred to me that in actual fact the taters AND the Studio pundits (inc Andy Townsend) sounded as if they were Saints fans discussing how brilliant we were, not Independents.

Unlike a lot of the press today they were adamant that Saints MADE Citeh look bad by their pressing tactics and all round performances. Again, many comments in the press of late have been how Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd Everton and Citeh had an off day, or had not taken us seriously.

The TV taters saw it very differently. We never gave them a chance to play football.

Oh and their comment on the penalty?

If it had been Dzeko at the other end, the ref would have given it without hesitation.....

To be fair, swings and roundabouts and all that, Jay shouldn't have had a penalty against Villa.

I was really coming from the incompetency of the ref perspective as whilst I agree that mistakes probably even themselves up, I though this was a bottle job not a mistake.

The ref at Villa got conned in the heat of the moment by JRod and I can accept that mistake, whereas yesterday's simply bottled it. There was no gamesmanship to try and fool him, there was simply a very clumsy barge that had to picked up, but he wimped out.

great result best performance i have seen at st marys all season, a few times we made over 10 passes in there half without city touching the ball

For all you that want to have fun in front of your computer tonight....

 

http://forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=11&sid=780b5d83fb8594d86aed0069d1c9ad65

Thanks, not many posts per page - very annoying. Sort it out City FFS

Pochettino maybe manager but they were called "Adkins players " ....in the beginning, so what has changed?

It almost seems that one or two of them LOOK like new players, unrecognisable from those early season "nerves".

Isn't there a lot more aggression now ? ..and we're playing even further up the pitch and never giving the opposition a chance to settle on the ball.

The media will say how poorly Man.City played, but I say we didn't give then a chance to play....and their poor defensive display...with the England goalie ..and that midfield giant Gareth Barry .

no sorry ..they made mistakes and were made to pay for them ....just as we were at the start of the season.

One of, if not the best performance by a Saints side since we moved to SMS - I am genuinely struggling to think of one better and in the context of top flight aginst the current Champions. Bloody brilliant.

Last time we beat City 2-0 springs to mind - was like watching Brazil that day - Ormerod from memory got 1. This result is better though.

All the pundits on ESPN were convinced it was a penalty

It was a pen and credit to Jrod for trying to stay on his feet.

I can't stop looking at the league table!!

Great post - I couldn't agree more. Nigel will always be special to me and I wish him well wherever he goes. He built much of the basis of this team and - lest it be forgotten - we were playing some tremendous football for the first three months of last season. Damn right I'm thinking of him as well tonight.

 

Having said that, Pocchetino has taken the same players to an entirely new level - and very, very quickly. Based on how we've played, he could actually be sitting on four wins in four games, and three of them were against top 6 sides. It's a hell of a good sign that in each of those games there have been 4-6 (or even more) candidates for Man of the Match. They have embraced his methods wholeheartedly, and the biggest beneficiaries have been Cork and Schneiderlin - and, to a lesser extent, Davis. At times, Lambert looks like he's playing a different game to everyone else - so much time, such great awareness and an unbelievably deft touch (control or pass).

 

God only knows that this team will look like when A) Pocchetino gets them as fit as he will get them, and B) he can communicate more confidently.

 

I'm actually still a little numb. Damn Bacardi.

Agreed. Well said. NA will get a huge standing ovation whenever he returns.

We have,or should I say Cortese,have unearthed a possible star in Pochettino.

we look fantastic,everything that was missing under Adkins seems to have been addressed.

the last couple of games,Everton,Wigan,United,and today,we have made the opposition look very ordinary.

we could be on the verge of something very special under the new regime.

you have to admire what Cortese has done,from the moment he entered the building as a club we are on a sound footing and in more than capable hands.

the players appear to have a new lease of life under Pochettino,a new desire and work ethic it seems.a timely boost for the run in.

we have some very talented individuals at the club,they seem to be playing more as a team under Mauricio.

Pochettino maybe manager but they were called "Adkins players " ....in the beginning, so what has changed?

 

It almost seems that one or two of them LOOK like new players, unrecognisable from those early season "nerves".

 

Isn't there a lot more aggression now ? ..and we're playing even further up the pitch and never giving the opposition a chance to settle on the ball.

 

The media will say how poorly Man.City played, but I say we didn't give then a chance to play....and their poor defensive display...with the England goalie ..and that midfield giant Gareth Barry .

 

no sorry ..they made mistakes and were made to pay for them ....just as we were at the start of the season.

Precisely the point that the PL TV taters kept making which was words to the effect:

Citeh like to play the ball out from the back (bit like we did at the start of the season) We pressured them from the start forcing them to play the ball long.

As such we had Jos vs Aguero in the air - game over

The TV guys saw it, but the paper boys were too busy sipping their Bovrils no doubt

We have,or should I say Cortese,have unearthed a possible star in Pochettino.

 

we look fantastic,everything that was missing under Adkins seems to have been addressed.

 

the last couple of games,Everton,Wigan,United,and today,we have made the opposition look very ordinary.

we could be on the verge of something very special under the new regime.

you have to admire what Cortese has done,from the moment he entered the building as a club we are on a sound footing and in more than capable hands.

 

the players appear to have a new lease of life under Pochettino,a new desire and work ethic it seems.a timely boost for the run in.

we have some very talented individuals at the club,they seem to be playing more as a team under Mauricio.

Spot on imo.

What a Fookin day

Coybr

Watching the match again on Sky+, lol at Craig Burley call Rodriguez Gaston Ramirez!!

I was really coming from the incompetency of the ref perspective as whilst I agree that mistakes probably even themselves up, I though this was a bottle job not a mistake.

 

The ref at Villa got conned in the heat of the moment by JRod and I can accept that mistake, whereas yesterday's simply bottled it. There was no gamesmanship to try and fool him, there was simply a very clumsy barge that had to picked up, but he wimped out.

Yep, three of us said exactly that at the time.

I know fans of teams like us say this, but it is FACT, lesser teams do not get decisions against the big boys. (Just look at some of the shockers we got in our favour in League One when we were a 'big club'!!)

Now, either this is deliberate on the part of the FA or it is subconscious on the part of referees who make known or unknown judgements about respective quality and allow this to influence their decisions.

Ouch. Ugh oh krap late for work.

 

Just want to mention one point. The International TV feed is carried by PL TV.

 

Last night, both the match taters continually used words such as sublime, outstanding and superb. They were full of praise for the way we were playing all through the game. Their comments about Citeh were how can they drag themselves back into this, they are being totally outplayed.

 

In (blurred) hindsight this morning, it occurred to me that in actual fact the taters AND the Studio pundits (inc Andy Townsend) sounded as if they were Saints fans discussing how brilliant we were, not Independents.

 

Unlike a lot of the press today they were adamant that Saints MADE Citeh look bad by their pressing tactics and all round performances. Again, many comments in the press of late have been how Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd Everton and Citeh had an off day, or had not taken us seriously.

 

The TV taters saw it very differently. We never gave them a chance to play football.

 

Oh and their comment on the penalty?

 

If it had been Dzeko at the other end, the ref would have given it without hesitation.....

Had exactly the same feed and 100% agree, Andy Townsend emphasised the point about us not letting them play about 10 times and called the pen appeal 100% if it was a big 4 player going down.

Not sure what Don Hutchinson added in value though.

Morgans performance was outstanding,has to be player of the season so far.

A few uncomplimentary newspaper reports out there, but this one from the Mirror says it as I saw it....

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/match-reports/southampton-v-manchester-city-match-1300621

Love this quote:-

Although Aguero tested Boruc with a cross shot, there was no denying Saints’ supremacy, and Mancini and his assistant David Platt stood on the touchline, with note paper in hand, looking like a couple of bemused schoolboys waiting for someone to do their homework.

It must be the best team performance I can remember at SMS since we beat Tottenham in the League and the Cup two Saturday's running. Everybody played superbly but I thought that Jack Cork was absolutely outstanding, One of the best performances from a Central Midfielder that I can recall.

http://www.redcafe.net/showthread.php?t=366043

Premier League Fixtures 9-11 Feb

Now that is a brilliant read!

A few uncomplimentary newspaper reports out there, but this one from the Mirror says it as I saw it....

 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/match-reports/southampton-v-manchester-city-match-1300621

 

Love this quote:-

 

Although Aguero tested Boruc with a cross shot, there was no denying Saints’ supremacy, and Mancini and his assistant David Platt stood on the touchline, with note paper in hand, looking like a couple of bemused schoolboys waiting for someone to do their homework.

Excellent! I noticed that too one time that the cameras were on them. The look of sheer perplexion on their faces was a joy to behold

It would seem according to report Man U are taking on Everton at St Marys!!

It must be the best team performance I can remember at SMS since we beat Tottenham in the League and the Cup two Saturday's running. Everybody played superbly but I thought that Jack Cork was absolutely outstanding, One of the best performances from a Central Midfielder that I can recall.

Cork?

I would give him about a 2,5 out of 5.....

http://www.goal.com/en/match/81094/southampton-vs-manchester-city-fc/player-ratings

Still buzzing and that result was coming.

City couldn't handle us and when you pay mercenaries, you get mercenaries - Nasri being the biggest ***** of all (still remember him blanking Morgan in the tunnel at the City after Morgan, all excited to be back in the Prem, had tried to initiate a few friendly words - also read Domenech's bio).

Still interested to know in what concrete ways this high pressing system differs from NA. It clearly does and the difference is significant (so far). But it's not as if we didn't press under NA -the whole Southampton fit thing and a major reason for our promotion to the Prem, though we seemed to tire much more quickly under NA.

And how are we not vulnerable to the counterattack or the ball behind when pressing so high up the pitch. We've played some of the paciest, counter attacking teams yet have looked pretty solid. Always thought that was one cake you couldn't have and eat.

It would seem according to report Man U are taking on Everton at St Marys!!

what a shocker! Classic typo

Still buzzing and that result was coming.

City couldn't handle us and when you pay mercenaries, you get mercenaries - Nasri being the biggest ***** of all (still remember him blanking Morgan in the tunnel at the City after Morgan, all excited to be back in the Prem, initiated a few friendly words).

Still interested to know in what concrete ways this high pressing system differs from NA. It clearly does and the difference is significant (so far). But it's not as if we didn't press under NA -the whole Southampton fit thing, though we seemed to tire much more quickly under NA. And how are we not vulnerable to the counterattack or the ball behind when pressing so high up the pitch -we've played some of the paciest, counter attacking teams yet have looked pretty solid. Always thought that was one cake you couldn't have and eat.

My view would be that under NA we pressed but about 20 yards lower on the pitch and when we won the ball we more took it back and started play from the back four. Now when we win the ball we are higher up on the pitch and turns it forward much quicker.

The thing with the pressure now is that I think the instructions is to keep a bit calm when the oppositions defenders have the ball but when they play the first pass up to their midfield, and their midfielder has his back against us we instantly put the pressure on which cause a pass back to the defender and then we are aggressive and keep pressuring so the defender cant control the ball with ease....

Like the observer page

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/feb/09/southampton-manchester-city-premier-league

The saints fan 'consortium 11' make some good posts/comments further down...

http://www.redcafe.net/showthread.php?t=366043

Premier League Fixtures 9-11 Feb

Too many glowing comments on there to quote them all but liked this one in particular...

"Madness. Are we watching Southampton or Real Madrid?"

My view would be that under NA we pressed but about 20 yards lower on the pitch and when we won the ball we more took it back and started play from the back four. Now when we win the ball we are higher up on the pitch and turns it forward much quicker.

 

The thing with the pressure now is that I think the instructions is to keep a bit calm when the oppositions defenders have the ball but when they play the first pass up to their midfield, and their midfielder has his back against us we instantly put the pressure on which cause a pass back to the defender and then we are aggressive and keep pressuring so the defender cant control the ball with ease....

Yep I can see some of this -we're certainly more direct when we win back the ball and do tend to single out the midfielder -whether Carrick or someone else- through which play runs.

The likes of Morgan and Davis are also playing like attacking defenders (pass rushers to use a US football analogy), with Cork dropping back to provide insurance against being picked off.

Not sure if the back four -or specifically the CBs- are any further forward than before -or indeed need to be (another reason why we are reasonably resilient against the counter).

Either way, it seems to be a system that is pretty reliant on CMs - can see them being a priority if we stay up.

Like the observer page

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/feb/09/southampton-manchester-city-premier-league

 

The saints fan 'consortium 11' make some good posts/comments further down...

Lazy headline though...

"Manchester City falter as Southampton accept Gareth Barry's gift"

Great post - I couldn't agree more. Nigel will always be special to me and I wish him well wherever he goes. He built much of the basis of this team and - lest it be forgotten - we were playing some tremendous football for the first three months of last season. Damn right I'm thinking of him as well tonight.

 

Having said that, Pocchetino has taken the same players to an entirely new level - and very, very quickly. Based on how we've played, he could actually be sitting on four wins in four games, and three of them were against top 6 sides. It's a hell of a good sign that in each of those games there have been 4-6 (or even more) candidates for Man of the Match. They have embraced his methods wholeheartedly, and the biggest beneficiaries have been Cork and Schneiderlin - and, to a lesser extent, Davis. At times, Lambert looks like he's playing a different game to everyone else - so much time, such great awareness and an unbelievably deft touch (control or pass).

 

God only knows that this team will look like when A) Pocchetino gets them as fit as he will get them, and B) he can communicate more confidently.

 

I'm actually still a little numb. Damn Bacardi.

Steven Davis would never have been that far up the pitch to nick the second goal under Nigel, a huge change!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.redcafe.net/showthread.php?t=366043

Premier League Fixtures 9-11 Feb

Madness. Are we watching Southampton or Real Madrid?

Bit late posting - only just got up after tooooo many Stellas last night. Great performance from everyone in the team. Man City were not crap we just would not let them play. I am not over keen on MOM but I have to say Lambert Schneiderlin and Davis were outstanding. Did have a laugh watching the rerun of the Toure ambush on Rodriguez the referee really bottled it big time and in front of the whole world on TV .

Steven Davis would never have been that far up the pitch to nick the second goal under Nigel, a huge change!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Think you'll find he was - in the first game of the season at City, albeit his only other goal before yesterday

QUOTE OF THE DAY

stood on the sidelines with their notepads ......." Mancini and Platt looked like bemused schoolboys waiting for someone to do their homework..." Daily Mirror.

One of those days when you don't mind reading every match report you could find. Whilst The Star and the Mirror chorused their appreciation of Schneiderlin and Cork, the enthusiastic BBC interviewer added the name of Steven Davis to the list of heroes. Certainly he looks a different proposition since being used as a " change player " under MP's new attacking regime.

It wasn't only people on the Man. Utd fansite who applauded the efforts of Jos and Yoshida at the back. and stats. like Lambert's input and Puncheon's winning interceptions looked nice too.

The media circus joined hands in sorrow to comfort Mancini on City's " worst performance since....we don't know when." ..but the truth of the matter is that the Prem.'s biggest spenders have a squad whose - second choice players - ought to have been able to take care of a side that was down at 16th place in the table, especially when one considers that we really only had Lallana on the bench ....plus a couple of " bit part " subs.... and two others who have yet to start a Prem. game......

OK Citeh.. a bad day at the office?..or the start of something worse?....Mancini might do well to update his CV, before the Man. City Board start to think about looking for his longer term replacement.

Certainly, a game that ranks very high in recent times, a sigh of relief from Pochettino...and credit to his " new look " side....and more positive comments that have been seen on this board for very long time.

Outstanding performances all over the pitch, epitomised by Ward-Prowse's crunching tackle near the end.

Well I thought we were great until I read a broadsheet this morning...

Our centre backs were awarded 6/10 - the same as Lescott.

He looked like a man who had never seen a football before, let alone been allowed to have a go with one.

Naughty media bias.

As for the penalty claim, I was 40 metres away and I saw it clearly as a penalty, so what is the ref's excuse?

Maybe he was just crap like many of them, god bless Howard Webb - the only proper ref I can recall at SMS this season.

A great night, and a great day of results, but one swallow doesn't make a summer.

Let's see what we do at Newcastle where the stage is now set for Rickie to secore his 100th, against the man who signed him.

Get a result there and you have to say we have turned a corner.

As for QPR, bring them on.

Twitchy in the technical area, Cotterill muttering in his ear - we MUST despatch their side to the Championship and administration - it would be rude not to.

In the Sunday Sun, Cork got 6 and JayRod needs to learn the offside rule.

Atkinson got a 7 BTW.

In the Sunday Sun, Cork got 6 and JayRod needs to learn the offside rule.

Atkinson got a 7 BTW.

I'm pretty sure it's more a case of the linesman needing to learn the offside rule.

http://www.redcafe.net/showthread.php?t=366043

Premier League Fixtures 9-11 Feb

a few

Made an already excellent day that much better. Cracking play from the Saints. I hope they stay up because they are an excellent team to watch

Southampton are now playing the beautiful game. Fully deserving WINNERS! today.

 

I'm glad we already played them home and away and got all 6 points. Many teams will struggle against them from here till end of season.

Very impressed with Pochettino so far. They were fantastic 40 odd minutes at Old Trafford.

Typical Pochettino football tonight

Cork?

I would give him about a 2,5 out of 5.....

http://www.goal.com/en/match/81094/southampton-vs-manchester-city-fc/player-ratings

Who votes for these things?

Nasri gets three stars but Cork only gets two and a half!?!?!?!

The complete all round performance. Very impressive.

Fan blood y tastic

Can`t stop grinning

Want to vote for about 5 for MOM...

Cork,Morgan,Yosh,Jos,SRL,Jay rod...oops that`s 6