So, MOTD say we played well and the fans say we were ****e...

Which is it?

We lost. That is all.

True, i remember we used to lose and were ****e though, so a step in the right direction.

Football people, hah. What do they know?

I think we played quite well, but Everton did a better job of defending than we did attacking. Gave us no room to attempt anything on goal, bodies behind the ball and frustrated us.

In isolation, we played pretty well. We absolutely bossed midfield. But that's all the rent-a-quote coasters on MOTD look at. To do anything else is too much hard work. The problem is that the game was a carbon copy of so many other games this season. Yet we don't seem to have made much progress in learning from or responding to such shortcomings.

We did pretty well first half and were more than a little un lucky to be behind at half time. After that we just got worse as it went on and, this is where the moaners are right, the substitutions (particularly the last one) really didn't help. Everton's defence played well but if we have any pretentions to being a really top team we can't let Howard get away without making a save in the second half

We played well, been surprised with the amount of abuse handed out on here...!

yeah we are fans, but some people here seem to believe they should management! get behing your team! we are a long way of the big teams, but we are getting there at ridiculous pace! COYS

four years ago we were inleague one, for most of this season we were seriouslt eyeing the champions league!! chill out FFS! lol

People in differing opinions shocker.

The reality is we have not been out of the top ten all season so what's the gripe?

The reality is we have not been out of the top ten all season so what's the gripe?

This - chill out and enjoy the rest of the season, we are staying up!!!

I thought we played well however losing 1-0 with only two shots on target all game says it all.

We're back to the 'just f**king shoot!' Issue of a couple of seasons ago.

Pelle is a good player but he seems to be missing the confidence he showed at the start of the season and he needs to get it back.

There's too much negativity in the world to come to this forum after we've lost a game. We all know we're a clinical striker short of mounting a serious challenge for a top four position but others like to invent new problems at every downturn.

We were awful in the second half.

I've seen dozens of much worse performances than Saturdays v Everton by Saints.

We were awful in the second half.

Disagree, Everton shut the game down.. And we have no divine right to beat them. Their first eleven is as good if not better than ours, in a totally false position.

We were awful in the second half.

We weren't anything near awful. Have some perspective and try to enjoy watching a great Saints side.

Disagree, Everton shut the game down.. And we have no divine right to beat them. Their first eleven is as good if not better than ours, in a totally false position.

Not sure their full starting 11 is better than ours I'd probably only take Howard (wouldn't take him if forster was fit) and Lukaku

Disagree, Everton shut the game down.. And we have no divine right to beat them. Their first eleven is as good if not better than ours, in a totally false position.

Everton were able to shut the game down with ease due to our slow attacks.

Up until their goal it was a good performance but afterwards we didn't look like scoring.

I remember a non playing football presenter recently saying how much he learned by listening to ex pros talking about the game and about how they saw things that he didn't. If they say we played well, we played well. The doomsayers on here always come on and b*tch when we lose. There is a find line between success and failure, a few inches here and there. Teams like Chelsea have that bit extra to make that difference. We have done brilliantly this season and have only really looked very poor against City and Sheffield United. I have been very proud of the club this season.

I remember a non playing football presenter recently saying how much he learned by listening to ex pros talking about the game and about how they saw things that he didn't. If they say we played well, we played well. The doomsayers on here always come on and b*tch when we lose. There is a find line between success and failure, a few inches here and there. Teams like Chelsea have that bit extra to make that difference. We have done brilliantly this season and have only really looked very poor against City and Sheffield United. I have been very proud of the club this season.

I totally agree with your post. [emoji106]

I remember a non playing football presenter recently saying how much he learned by listening to ex pros talking about the game and about how they saw things that he didn't. If they say we played well, we played well. The doomsayers on here always come on and b*tch when we lose. There is a find line between success and failure, a few inches here and there. Teams like Chelsea have that bit extra to make that difference. We have done brilliantly this season and have only really looked very poor against City and Sheffield United. I have been very proud of the club this season.

Most pros and expros talk absolute s**t about the game. The few that don't are on a completely different level and are brilliantly insightful. Btw do you actually think the pundits in question watched the entire 90mins of the Everton game

I remember a non playing football presenter recently saying how much he learned by listening to ex pros talking about the game and about how they saw things that he didn't. If they say we played well, we played well. The doomsayers on here always come on and b*tch when we lose. There is a find line between success and failure, a few inches here and there. Teams like Chelsea have that bit extra to make that difference. We have done brilliantly this season and have only really looked very poor against City and Sheffield United. I have been very proud of the club this season.

We all have an emotional investment in the Saints so we all, as much as some would like to deny it, wish really hard that we were as successful as Barcelona, Real, or Bayern, when we come up against a soft side like Everton on Saturday and fail to succeed the outcome is compounded to be worse than it is.

Back 2/3 just fine, front 1/3 limp and lacking firepower.

In isolation, we played pretty well. We absolutely bossed midfield. But that's all the rent-a-quote coasters on MOTD look at. To do anything else is too much hard work. The problem is that the game was a carbon copy of so many other games this season. Yet we don't seem to have made much progress in learning from or responding to such shortcomings.

This really.

We dominated possession, defended pretty well in reality (apart from the corner) and had enough chances. Howard had a good game and like you point out we just arent ruthless enough in fromt of goal, but then we cant habe everything really.

I personally think we are a top striker away from being a very solid team. And considering the mess we were in pre-season thats pretty good going

Not sure their full starting 11 is better than ours I'd probably only take Howard (wouldn't take him if forster was fit) and Lukaku

Id also take barkley and possibly coleman.

We weren't anything near awful. Have some perspective and try to enjoy watching a great Saints side.

This is the thing for me - this is one of the best saints sides in a generation. We're competing with the big boys and hoping that they slip up. I can honestly never remember feeling like that as a Saints fan, I always remember rooting on the big clubs to beat the bottom teams so we'd be safe. It's incredible how far we've come, and you're right - major perspective needed in the grand scheme of things, but as we know with football fans...they snapshot. One game, or a group of games, and the opinion is formed on that - either positive or negative.

Nice football, no cutting edge.

Exactly.

Possession, flair, solid defence - but at the moment, little cutting edge or goal threat.

We have come a long way in a short time, it's been an incredible journey and some more striking options could lift us to the next level.

But did anyone believe that we can realistically compete with the squad depth of the top four over 38 games?

In isolation, we played pretty well. We absolutely bossed midfield. But that's all the rent-a-quote coasters on MOTD look at. To do anything else is too much hard work. The problem is that the game was a carbon copy of so many other games this season. Yet we don't seem to have made much progress in learning from or responding to such shortcomings.

Yup, beat me to it.

In a vacuum you'd see an away team that went to a very tough, well-established, Premiership club, played them off the park but just couldn't score. If that was all you saw, you'd be full of praise and encouragement for them and expect their fans to go home disappointed with the result but not with the performance or method behind it.

The problem is that we've seen precisely that same result happen repeatedly this season.

The fact that we're repeatedly getting what many would consider 'less than we deserve' from matches is the problem, just as pundits and fans often say its the mark of a great team to win despite playing poorly.

(...and of course, its really very obvious where to attribute the blame for all of this - we have the best defence in the league but we just can't score. Simples).

Long did okay, Pelle had some good touches early on but poor finishes (once again) and Ellia...well, awfull. Just a waste of space. I wonder if there is some dutch bias there.

Koeman coaches like we had tremendous squad depth we DON'T have.We are not Chelsea. You can't have both Tadic and Mane in the bench at the same time. Those are your difference makers, the players that can produce the key dribble or the key pass we lacked in the final third.

Strange to see so many having a pop at the wide players when its the lack of shots that's the main problem. And don't get me started on Pelle's insistence on making runs short of the near post where he has practically zero chance of scoring anyway.

I remember a non playing football presenter recently saying how much he learned by listening to ex pros talking about the game and about how they saw things that he didn't. If they say we played well, we played well. The doomsayers on here always come on and b*tch when we lose. There is a find line between success and failure, a few inches here and there. Teams like Chelsea have that bit extra to make that difference. We have done brilliantly this season and have only really looked very poor against City and Sheffield United. I have been very proud of the club this season.

This^^^ :thumbsup:

Who on MOTD said we played well? I thought the only analysis was on Barkley by Gullit.