Swans 2-1 Saints - Reaction

I remember the season we went down from the Championship. Just about every single game I saw away from home had us beaten in the first half (usually by a couple of goals, sometimes three) and then Dodd and Gorman would lay into them at HT and they got a reaction and you'd go away thinking there was hope. Then the next game it was the same old rubbish. Then you realised that the team only playing one half a game was not good at all and they weren't good enough.

 

I don't think its quite that bad of course but it's not a good sign.

I know what you're saying and I agree... but there's some people actually buying it. And, saying we were great in the 2nd half... have they ever watched football before? Played it? Coached it?

Anyway, I await keenly the Gabbiadini w4nk-fest from the official club Twitter and OS to paper over the glaringly obvious cracks for another couple of weeks.

I don't understand why people think relegation isn't a possibility, look at our results since Christmas and we are now weaker in central defence - it's not being negative, but based on recent results it worries me.

I know what you're saying and I agree... but there's some people actually buying it. And, saying we were great in the 2nd half... have they ever watched football before? Played it? Coached it?

 

Anyway, I await keenly the Gabbiadini w4nk-fest from the official club Twitter and OS to paper over the glaringly obvious cracks for another couple of weeks.

Mush - you are a t**t of the highest order. Full of s**t and full of non-ITK angles. IF you truly believe this result was all on Puel you are more stupid than you come across.

This is on Les Reed and co - naively thinking we had enough strength in depth before the season. We are woefully short of attacking options in Center Mid - we badly missed JWP there tonight.

We do need to play through the middle more but Davis and Clasie were absolutely terrible tonight and offered nothing in the center - hence the big gaps in the middle when we broke forward.

I think that if Puel can bring in some of his players in the summer and have a full pre-season we might see some good stuff next season. Boufal should be a star.

For all the wailing and knee jerk on here we still have a Cup Final to look forward to - and about 90 other clubs would love to have that.

Still, I'm sure even winning that wouldn't be enough for some the self-entitled p***ks on here.

I don't understand why people think relegation isn't a possibility, look at our results since Christmas and we are now weaker in central defence - it's not being negative, but based on recent results it worries me.

It's going to be pretty close, looking at our results since about 7.30pm this evening. Looking like we will have a relegation play off with Arsenal.

Congrats to Palace on securing the title though.

I'm not usually one to give up on players but I wouldn't be at all bothered to see Clasie go. He's not the player I thought he was going to be.

Jesus wept

He does though not on a match by match basis but he continues rotating the same players in and out of the same positions continually hammering square pegs into round holes in the vain hope that one day they will fit and being puzzled when they don't work right. Note I said line upS not line up the man wouldn't know a settled team if it bit him on the arse.

The way Puel sets us up to play defensively and not get support forward is because he is absolutely terrified of the counter attack. The fact we were undone by a counter attack today ANYWAY tells us everything you need to know. His whole footballing philosophy is terminally flawed. It's also very very boring and he deserves all the flak he gets. Wish he would depart.

I don't understand why people think relegation isn't a possibility, look at our results since Christmas and we are now weaker in central defence - it's not being negative, but based on recent results it worries me.

In the last 10 games we have lost as many games as anyone in the league over that period. Last 6 games we are probably the worst form side? Swansea winning the last two doesn't help but Leicester are in freefall.

Humiliated in the cup to rest our players to play like that against a cr*p Swansea. Masterclass from Puel. This rotation b*llocks is doing us no favours at all.

not only are we unwilling to play the killer ball, we appear unwilling to pass the ball to anybody in the final third who is a) under any kind of pressure and b) facing away from goal. We would create so many more chances if we just tried a bit more and worked a bit harder tracking back when it doesn't come off. currently it's like there's a magic wall built on the edge of the opposition box - neither players nor the ball can seem to pass it without exactly the right set of clues & instructions.

Mush - you are a t**t of the highest order. Full of s**t and full of non-ITK angles. IF you truly believe this result was all on Puel you are more stupid than you come across.

 

This is on Les Reed and co - naively thinking we had enough strength in depth before the season. We are woefully short of attacking options in Center Mid - we badly missed JWP there tonight.

 

We do need to play through the middle more but Davis and Clasie were absolutely terrible tonight and offered nothing in the center - hence the big gaps in the middle when we broke forward.

 

I think that if Puel can bring in some of his players in the summer and have a full pre-season we might see some good stuff next season. Boufal should be a star.

 

For all the wailing and knee jerk on here we still have a Cup Final to look forward to - and about 90 other clubs would love to have that.

 

Still, I'm sure even winning that wouldn't be enough for some the self-entitled p***ks on here.

Wow, you sound like a nice chap.

If you read back on my posts, I'm pretty conclusive on what I think of Les Reed and I actually agree with some of your points.

However, tactically, those performances are on Puel. I have said we're imbalanced and lacking in a solid midfielder at the very start of the season (see my posts).

As for being full of sh1t and non-ITK... Hahaha, ok.

I don't understand why people think relegation isn't a possibility, look at our results since Christmas and we are now weaker in central defence - it's not being negative, but based on recent results it worries me.

Agreed. I think it's unlikely but it's not out of the question.

Mush - you are a t**t of the highest order. Full of s**t and full of non-ITK angles. IF you truly believe this result was all on Puel you are more stupid than you come across.

 

This is on Les Reed and co - naively thinking we had enough strength in depth before the season. We are woefully short of attacking options in Center Mid - we badly missed JWP there tonight.

 

We do need to play through the middle more but Davis and Clasie were absolutely terrible tonight and offered nothing in the center - hence the big gaps in the middle when we broke forward.

 

I think that if Puel can bring in some of his players in the summer and have a full pre-season we might see some good stuff next season. Boufal should be a star.

 

For all the wailing and knee jerk on here we still have a Cup Final to look forward to - and about 90 other clubs would love to have that.

 

Still, I'm sure even winning that wouldn't be enough for some the self-entitled p***ks on here.

Wise words all the way from Virginia

How Davis managed to stay on in that game is beyond me. Would have been far better of switching him for Boufal and keeping Tadic on, who even when he's having a rubbish game is still actually capable of beating a man and creating space where there was none. Still, no doubt 'Davo' will earn plaudits for managing to play a straight ball to Bertrand in acres of space, rendering him immune to any criticism for our absolute lack of creativity and penetration.

God knows what was wrong with just using the match thread? Said it all there would love to see Puel sacked easily the worst managerial appointment since portaloo but we are stuck with him for the season so I don't expect any up turn in form anytime soon!

How Davis managed to stay on in that game is beyond me. Would have been far better of switching him for Boufal and keeping Tadic on, who even when he's having a rubbish game is still actually capable of beating a man and creating space where there was none. Still, no doubt 'Davo' will earn plaudits for managing to play a straight ball to Bertrand in acres of space, rendering him immune to any criticism for our absolute lack of creativity and penetration.

It was a quiet night for Davis; but he was not alone and did provide some creative spark in the second half. Tadic on the other hand gave nothing at all and it's been like that for 6 weeks or so; Boufal's impact was tremendous and he is surely the main creative player into the future; I think Tadic's time is nearly up.

Humiliated in the cup to rest our players to play like that against a cr*p Swansea. Masterclass from Puel. This rotation b*llocks is doing us no favours at all.

Absolutely. Losing becomes a habit.

Wise words all the way from Virginia

Not really. A lot of people struggle to see the concept behind football and how to coach to pattern play and how that effects a team you send out to play. It's like having an argument with a dart board.

Mush - you are a t**t of the highest order. Full of s**t and full of non-ITK angles. IF you truly believe this result was all on Puel you are more stupid than you come across.

 

This is on Les Reed and co - naively thinking we had enough strength in depth before the season. We are woefully short of attacking options in Center Mid - we badly missed JWP there tonight.

 

We do need to play through the middle more but Davis and Clasie were absolutely terrible tonight and offered nothing in the center - hence the big gaps in the middle when we broke forward.

 

I think that if Puel can bring in some of his players in the summer and have a full pre-season we might see some good stuff next season. Boufal should be a star.

 

For all the wailing and knee jerk on here we still have a Cup Final to look forward to - and about 90 other clubs would love to have that.

 

Still, I'm sure even winning that wouldn't be enough for some the self-entitled p***ks on here.

Lol first time I have ever seen someone say we badly missed JWP...if he is what we pin our hopes on as our saviour now we are well and truly ****ed.

How we laughed six day's ago at the reaction on RAWK, hmmmm!

How Davis managed to stay on in that game is beyond me. Would have been far better of switching him for Boufal and keeping Tadic on, who even when he's having a rubbish game is still actually capable of beating a man and creating space where there was none. Still, no doubt 'Davo' will earn plaudits for managing to play a straight ball to Bertrand in acres of space, rendering him immune to any criticism for our absolute lack of creativity and penetration.

They were both dearly missed through out the game apart from the goal. It shows how much they contribute when in form.

6 points away from The relegation fight.

Great.

So what is the difference between a happy clapper and a bed wetter and at what point do you slide between one and the other?

2nd half looked much better than it sounded in the first half Subs actually put a bit of lead in our pencil.

Boufal replacing Tadic was the first injection, sorry to all those who sing his name to get a wave off him, but in all honesty he really does flatter to deceive, plays more touches than he needs does better crop circles than Fabrice Fernandes, against Liverpool last week he was as annonmous as admittedly Henderson was for them, Saturday came on ran about and waved his hands at team mates who weren't where he wanted them, on one occasion mid rant the ball was passed within an outstretched leg of him. But because he was having a winge and not paying attention he missed the chance to cut the pass out. He needs a bit of time on the bench to hopefully buck his ideas up......... Now Boufal is back maybe that will happen as he is like a box of fancy fireworks by comparison.

Clasie is powder puff, the Premier league more often than not just passes him by - On Saturday aside from Long playing with himself alone up front, he was the senior player, and an International too, out on the pitch yet did chuff all until the last 5-8 minutes of the first half, with his experience he should have had more influence on the game and the nippers. Being replaced by McQueen tonight put a far better engine on the pitch tonight as you had a big lad who is no slouch and knows his way forwards and with the pace of Bertie behind him makes us far more potent down the left

Sims replacing Redmond was spot on too, Redmond is a great runner but you can almost put your house on him getting to the edge of the box confronted by 2 defenders and just stop! At least Sims just keeps going and makes defenders work more under pressure as he is often on his way past them. Fair play to Redmond though he is a mere nipper in footballing terms compared to Tadic and Clasie and puts in more of a shift.

Bit of a kick in the guts their winner tonight, (well taken though) as we were without doubt banging on the door repeatedly, it's just like we have all known all season we just don't have a prolific finisher in the box. Hopefully this new Johnny will be the missing link.

It was a quiet night for Davis; but he was not alone and did provide some creative spark in the second half. Tadic on the other hand gave nothing at all and it's been like that for 6 weeks or so; Boufal's impact was tremendous and he is surely the main creative player into the future; I think Tadic's time is nearly up.

He's having a(nother) quiet season. Doesn't contribute anything like enough. Cue someone coming on and talking about his lung-busting runs into the opponent's half though. Saw him in possession several times tonight with open space, but lacks the pace and bravery to move more than about five yards before laying off to someone else (unless the passing lane is so broad you could drive a tank through it, as was the case tonight with the ball out to Bertrand).

Additionally, can someone explain exactly what he's attempting when he tries those wild scooped shots from the edge of the box? It's the same every single time - somehow he manages to simultaneously get no pace on the shot while placing it miles over.

What a load of s hit for 70 mins. The subs looked like they wanted to be involved more than Tadic and that made it more enjoyable to watch. Too little to late tho

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm not usually one to give up on players but I wouldn't be at all bothered to see Clasie go. He's not the player I thought he was going to be.

I was unimpressed when he first got in the side, but have tried to be patient with him. 18 months down the line I still see a player that is carried rather than one that dictates play. Too slow, too small and too weak. Despite what people say he doesn't put in a real shift for me. He jogs about, but doesnt really work hard enough or run fast enough to get close enough to opponents to force errors and he is often found caught the wrong side of play and is unable to get goal side. On the ball his touch is good enough for this level and he can play square passes all day, but ask him to play the ball forward and he turns over possession almost as much as Hojbjerg. Romeu does so much in games that Classie get away with it.

This has been such a fortnight of mixed emotions. Thrilled by the results against Liverpool (both) and Leicester, gutted by the surrenders against Swansea and Arsenal. Happy to have a striker come in, confused by having a goalie come in (especially on loan?), flabbergasted to not have a centre back come in.

The home game against West Ham on Saturday now feels quite crucial to our league season in terms of pushing for upper mid-table or sinking into lower-mid table. I still don't feel as if we are playing badly enough to get sucked into the relegation mix.

The main positive now looking ahead is the cup final, which will be an amazing occasion. Also, hopefully now the mid week games are slowing down and as our players return from injury and to full fitness we can begin to claw back some of the points we've lost and finish in a respectable top 10 place.

The negatives are of course our away form and our form in front of goal (although the goal tonight was a decent one). An extra striker is a welcome tonic for this. The lack of a central defensive signing does, however, set alarm bells ringing; even for an optimistic fan such as myself.

This has been such a fortnight of mixed emotions. Thrilled by the results against Liverpool (both) and Leicester, gutted by the surrenders against Swansea and Arsenal. Happy to have a striker come in, confused by having a goalie come in (especially on loan?), flabbergasted to not have a centre back come in.

 

The home game against West Ham on Saturday now feels quite crucial to our league season in terms of pushing for upper mid-table or sinking into lower-mid table. I still don't feel as if we are playing badly enough to get sucked into the relegation mix.

 

The main positive now looking ahead is the cup final, which will be an amazing occasion. Also, hopefully now the mid week games are slowing down and as our players return from injury and to full fitness we can begin to claw back some of the points we've lost and finish in a respectable top 10 place.

 

The negatives are of course our away form and our form in front of goal (although the goal tonight was a decent one). An extra striker is a welcome tonic for this. The lack of a central defensive signing does, however, set alarm bells ringing; even for an optimistic fan such as myself.

Good post. A sensible perspective.

Lost 5 of our last 6 pl games.... ah well at least Always thinks it's not because of the manager. It's the fault of the players who got us top 6 last year. And if you disagree you are not a proper fan!

I was unimpressed when he first got in the side, but have tried to be patient with him. 18 months down the line I still see a player that is carried rather than one that dictates play. Too slow, too small and too weak. Despite what people say he doesn't put in a real shift for me. He jogs about, but doesnt really work hard enough or run fast enough to get close enough to opponents to force errors and he is often found caught the wrong side of play and is unable to get goal side. On the ball his touch is good enough for this level and he can play square passes all day, but ask him to play the ball forward and he turns over possession almost as much as Hojbjerg. Romeu does so much in games that Classie get away with it.

Unfortunately, I have to agree. He's too lightweight for this league and not the player we all hoped he'd be, certainly not a first team choice, just a 'nice' backup to have.

Still, Les will say "we have the best midfield options in the league", idiot.

Lost 5 of our last 6 pl games.... ah well at least Always thinks it's not because of the manager. It's the fault of the players who got us top 6 last year. And if you disagree you are not a proper fan!

Mane got us top 6 last year, let's be honest. We were in a very similar position to this last season (cup final aside), and then he went on a brilliant run and hauled us to 6th almost single handily.

Mane got us top 6 last year, let's be honest. We were in a very similar position to this last season (cup final aside), and then he went on a brilliant run and hauled us to 6th almost single handily.

No he didn't. Between the end of October and mid April, he only scored in one game.

We do miss him but there is much more to it than this. Long and Tadic were both playing a lot better, plus we had Pelle and better tactics.

Just got back after 3 different road closures! What a nightmare.

Onto the game.. we were absolute garbage in the first half - moved the ball far too slowly and looked vulnerable at the back. We looked a lot better in the 2nd half when Boufal came on and we actually played a 4-2-3-1 for the last 15 minutes which made us look more threatening than we have all season. Player wise most of them were average. Forster and Romeu were better than most. Tadic and Clasie were woeful and would probably sell both in the summer. Boufal was man of the match for that second half performance - some of the touches he showed were world class and always looked like making something happen. Massive massive game on Saturday now.

Hopefully being level on points with Watford, below Burnley, Stoke, WBA, West Ham, Everton (who we were well ahead of, right?), just 1 point ahead of Bournemouth in February (it's not December when we are always rubbish apparently anymore) will be a little reminder to the first team squad and coaching staff that they to keep up this #wemarchon thing. We may be taking one step back to take two steps forward next season and a cup win would certainly be very welcome but league position is where you measure a team's progress. That was always going to be hard after last year's good fortune in finishing sixth but surely 8th place was a minimum required for this season?

Never known a season where we have been beaten by such poor sides. Hull, Palace, Burnley and now last night.

Hope is that Boufal feeding Gab is going to transform us up front as we are clearly have so much potential to beat teams. And he better not rest Boufal again this season. Showed last night what incredible talent he has who will get better and better with games.

Never known a season where we have been beaten by such poor sides. Hull, Palace, Burnley and now last night.

Hope is that Boufal feeding Gab is going to transform us up front as we are clearly have so much potential to beat teams. And he better not rest Boufal again this season. Showed last night what incredible talent he has who will get better and better with games.

Agree Boufal is a real talent. Such quick feet and seems to have benefited from the gym as he looks stronger on the ball.

Good boozing in the pub. Landlord ordered us a taxi but it didn't show, so he gave us a lift himself. Fair play. Excellent boozing.

Game: m3h. Saints fans in attendance: embarrassment. Think most thought they were at the rugby and needed to be quiet for the kicker. Everyone who went last night should be embarrassed to have been part of the worst Saints crowd for some years.

Just seen goal again (their second). Bertrand should have got closer, Cedric should have got closer, Forster took about a week to get down. Trio of crud

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well that was worth throwing the cup game for.

We should be competing for everything, the defeatist mindset is not doing us any favours.

Such a weird season. Playing at the San Siro and Wembley in one season is the stuff of dreams, but a large chunk of our football has been dull/s**t.

Such a weird season. Playing at the San Siro and Wembley in one season is the stuff of dreams, but a large chunk of our football has been dull/s**t.

Nailed it, I've loved the two Milan games and the two Liverpool games and a Wembley final too but beyond that, in a what-have-the-Romans-ever-done-for-us sort of a way it's been pretty grim.

Just wish Claude would take the handbrake off a bit, we were excellent at home to Liverpool, really good for 20 mins against Spurs, good last night for a spell; we have just been massively inconsistent and over-cautious. I don't have a problem with the rotation per-se, I've far more of an issue with the negative, grab a goal / not-get-beat tactics.

Really need to be winning our home games now cos we are getting very little away, bizarre to think we are one decent performance (and we've always got one decent performance in us) away from qualifying for Europa again.

Following Saints, never easy, never dull.

Nailed it, I've loved the two Milan games and the two Liverpool games and a Wembley final too but beyond that, in a what-have-the-Romans-ever-done-for-us sort of a way it's been pretty grim.

Just wish Claude would take the handbrake off a bit, we were excellent at home to Liverpool, really good for 20 mins against Spurs, good last night for a spell; we have just been massively inconsistent and over-cautious. I don't have a problem with the rotation per-se, I've far more of an issue with the negative, grab a goal / not-get-beat tactics.

 

Really need to be winning our home games now cos we are getting very little away, bizarre to think we are one decent performance (and we've always got one decent performance in us) away from qualifying for Europa again.

 

Following Saints, never easy, never dull.

You loved Milan away? The actual game I mean? Must be a glutton for punishment.

You loved Milan away? The actual game I mean? Must be a glutton for punishment.

Painful, but still exhilarating.

Nailed it, I've loved the two Milan games and the two Liverpool games and a Wembley final too but beyond that, in a what-have-the-Romans-ever-done-for-us sort of a way it's been pretty grim.

Just wish Claude would take the handbrake off a bit, we were excellent at home to Liverpool, really good for 20 mins against Spurs, good last night for a spell; we have just been massively inconsistent and over-cautious. I don't have a problem with the rotation per-se, I've far more of an issue with the negative, grab a goal / not-get-beat tactics.

 

Really need to be winning our home games now cos we are getting very little away, bizarre to think we are one decent performance (and we've always got one decent performance in us) away from qualifying for Europa again.

 

Following Saints, never easy, never dull.

Everyone keeps pointing to Puels negative tactics (personally I think we play in exactly the same way as we did under RK only now we don't have a big man up front that we can go long to and we have lessor players) and I am not saying that they are not important, but ever thought that some of our failings are down to the lack of player quality and performance?

We have strikers that have been ineffective, wide men that haven't done nearly enough, a relatively lightweight centre midfield, a back four that has constant injuries and an underperforming keeper. Not everything is down to Puel.

A change of tactic won't make Forster come off his line. It won't stop Bertrand getting niggle injuries, it won't turn Classie into Wanyama or Redmond into Mane.

I am totally undecided on Puel, but I am convinced that some of the players at his disposal are simply not good enough.

Everyone keeps pointing to Puels negative tactics (personally I think we play in exactly the same way as we did under RK only now we don't have a big man up front that we can go long to and we have lessor players) and I am not saying that they are not important, but ever thought that some of our failings are down to the lack of player quality and performance?

 

We have strikers that have been ineffective, wide men that haven't done nearly enough, a relatively lightweight centre midfield, a back four that has constant injuries and an underperforming keeper. Not everything is down to Puel.

 

A change of tactic won't make Forster come off his line. It won't stop Bertrand getting niggle injuries, it won't turn Classie into Wanyama or Redmond into Mane.

 

I am totally undecided on Puel, but I am convinced that some of the players at his disposal are simply not good enough.

100% agree with that.

Everyone keeps pointing to Puels negative tactics (personally I think we play in exactly the same way as we did under RK only now we don't have a big man up front that we can go long to and we have lessor players) and I am not saying that they are not important, but ever thought that some of our failings are down to the lack of player quality and performance?

 

We have strikers that have been ineffective, wide men that haven't done nearly enough, a relatively lightweight centre midfield, a back four that has constant injuries and an underperforming keeper. Not everything is down to Puel.

 

A change of tactic won't make Forster come off his line. It won't stop Bertrand getting niggle injuries, it won't turn Classie into Wanyama or Redmond into Mane.

 

I am totally undecided on Puel, but I am convinced that some of the players at his disposal are simply not good enough.

Totally agree about individual players, our better players have been inconsistent and we are overall at a lower standard of player than Poch/Koeman had. When Puel gets it right (L'pool home and away, Leics away/West Ham away) it looks and feels great and we look poised to move forward, then we go back two steps with yet another under-whelming performance. I'm not totally Puel out, I can see what he's trying to do, and with better players/more players of the required standard I'm sure we' d be a bit further on than we are at the moment.

Europe overall was a disappointment, we 'should' have qualified from that group, and playing for a 0-0 at home (Puel's call) was a predictable disaster.

League Cup final is a huge bonus, fans have been calling for cup runs/cup finals for years and he has delivered our first in 13 seasons, bravo!

League is a bit meh, most people expected 8th to 12th, looks like we might end up with 13/14/15, quite a come down from the last three seasons.

FA Cup, we'll never know, we could have played last night's team against Arsenal but on that showing no guarantee we would have won.

Bloody football eh? Players, managers, boards come and go, but the fans will always be there.

Everyone keeps pointing to Puels negative tactics (personally I think we play in exactly the same way as we did under RK only now we don't have a big man up front that we can go long to and we have lessor players) and I am not saying that they are not important, but ever thought that some of our failings are down to the lack of player quality and performance?

 

We have strikers that have been ineffective, wide men that haven't done nearly enough, a relatively lightweight centre midfield, a back four that has constant injuries and an underperforming keeper. Not everything is down to Puel.

 

A change of tactic won't make Forster come off his line. It won't stop Bertrand getting niggle injuries, it won't turn Classie into Wanyama or Redmond into Mane.

 

I am totally undecided on Puel, but I am convinced that some of the players at his disposal are simply not good enough.

100% this.

We are a shower of shït, the form doesn't lie, 5 losses in 6 is dross. We play like this in the final and we will be embarrassed.

Looking at the posts on here, looks like most of us fans are also a shower of ****. We get what we deserve.

Another high possession defeat. The possession in the first half was slow and negative and struggled to get out of our half. Playing seven players in a backwards and sideways comfort zone doesn't cut it because the three forwards play without support from behind and end up either losing the ball in the face of a massed defence or pass it back again.

Our best results have come when we have the least possession. the obsession with no object keep ball is a nonsense. We need Romeu in front of the back four but with at the most one of the negative pass it around midfielders but add Boufale plus Redmond or Sims on the right and Gabbiadini on the left with Long or Rodriguez up front. Rodriguez can score and given the right service so can Long, 3 in the last 5. I'd like to see McQueen tried beside Romeu now we no longer need to rotate and leave out the lightweight midfielders. If Tadic is going to play it needs to be on the left.

Discipline lost us the match last night, It looked like Bertrand was on his own to cope with the break whilst Soares made a big effort to get back off the right as did Yoshida but nobody else was in sight. If the centre backs are up then we need at least two to hold the half way line. As long as they aren't square one can attack the breaker whilst the other gets goal side. The goal side position is important as it stops the man taking the breaker being the last man as Bertrand was last night. It allows the defender to take out the attacker and only give a foul away as early as possible maybe with a yellow at the worst. Bertrand had plenty of time to take out the attacker last night but I guess the fact he was the last man even though the player probably early on wasn't a goal scoring chance. I personally think he might have stopped the player, given away a free kick but ended up with a yellow if he had done it early enough.