Saints 0 Stoke 1

I liked the fact they played Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden at half time in tribute to Chris Cornell. Nice touch.

Yeah we thought that too. Also nice seeing the kids lap of honour before 2nd half and the Stoke support clapping them too.

For some reason it took them ages to work out that chipping it to the back post so he's up against Cedric in the air would work. Reminded me of the way we used to score with Lambert piling in at the back post for a header on goal or back across the area for someone else to score.

Remember Berbatov being told before a corner exactly what was going to happen? And to stick to the back post and Lambert when he inevitably popped up behind him? And he ignored it and went walkabout, Rickie turns up bang on schedule and nods it into the net in time-honoured fashion? Oh christ that was funny, even funnier for the defender who'd warned him standing in the box afterwards berating him for it.

I do love a good melt down.

I've said before that I don't agree with how Puel has treated some players but that's not going to make me boo him, or any players.

 

We scored 2 goals the game before last, do they not count? Yes the home record isn't great but we have still had a reasonably decent season, definitely not bad enough for poeple to be reacting the way they do.

I didn't boo anyone and TBH I didn't expect anything different once I saw the formation.

Stoke are slow and just Austin with no-one close was always going to restrict our chances. Gabi in Italy often played as second striker after 450 mins without a home goal surely that could have been tried?

I am not a Clasie fan but treated poorly as has Jayrod .

Caceres played at Boro not played 1 min in 12 games before and none since.

Man management appears poor.

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46 points for 8th place seems low, I wonder if anyones managed to finish 8th on a lower amount of points?

Wahhh, I'm not getting what I want, wahhh the nasty man won't play 2 up front.

 

How is it Sunderland fans didn't boo or chant for Moyes to get sacked until right at the end of the season? They still turned up in their droves, sold out away ends up and down the country all season yet we don't play 2 strikers and our fans start whining little kids.

Don't be a ****.

You buy a ticket to get into the ground. If you want gauranteed entertainment you're spending your money on the wrong thing.

Guaranteed entertainment? I want some entertainment. I want to see effort. I want to see positivity. I want to see movement off the ball. I end up watching clouds and seagulls because they're much more interesting.

Yes you're right, I am spending my money on the wrong thing, and thousands of others apparently feel the same.

Drab, dull and far from inspiring. Think the majority of fans ate thinking the same as the players.

First time ever that our group of 8 have not stayed for the lap and of honour. Not massively Puel out, but something has to change.

Has he gone yet?

46 points for 8th place seems low, I wonder if anyones managed to finish 8th on a lower amount of points?

Only six points off seventeenth place too.

Has he gone yet?

Meeting is tomorrow apparently. We should find out then I hope.

Not sure why the away support is suddenly held up as some measure of virtue. After all, results have generally been better on the road.

Where the results and performances have been poor, there's also been plenty of booing -Prague and Palace being examples. If anything, the home support has shown more tolerance insofar as it waited till the end of the season to express its dissatisfaction.

Today was the day to break the mould, We could have played without the ball recyclers and given the strikers a go. We lost, finished 8th playing ultra cautious crap. Puel still hasn't worked out that the three behind the one striker are supposed to be goal scoring forwards not ball recycling midfielders with no instinct when it comes to getting on the end of chances. The sooner he goes the better.

Attendance today: 31,286. That means we finish the season with the 2nd highest average home gate in the Club's history. Our 4th consecutive and 13th top 8 finish is another cause for celebration.

We just need to send Les Reed away on a well-deserved holiday for the entire summer, so he doesn't have to bother himself with any involvement in choosing the next manager or selling and buying players, and we can look forward to next season.

Attendance today: 31,286. That means we finish the season with the 2nd highest average home gate in the Club's history. Our 4th consecutive and 13th top 8 finish is another cause for celebration.

 

We just need to send Les Reed away on a well-deserved holiday for the entire summer, so he doesn't have to bother himself with any involvement in choosing the next manager or selling and buying players, and we can look forward to next season.

That figure will count all ST-holders, whether they attend or not.

46 points for 8th place seems low, I wonder if anyones managed to finish 8th on a lower amount of points?

From what I can find 46 points for 8th is the lowest ever in the EPL. 2 teams have finished there on 49.

Well thank god for Romeu and Stephens who at least showed some commitment and endeavour today. I do wonder how many others heads were somewhere else.

Sadly I was all for giving Puel another season but looking at the players over the last few games, I do wonder whether the players are really doing it for him, I think not in which case I can't see how he survive the end of season review!

We managed to stay up, so it is not a bad season.

Perhaps we could have done better, but if you sell quality players and buy lesser ones, what do you expect? The team did its job and kept the club in the Premier league. We need to show the same determination again next season and grind out a few more 1-0 wins, especially against our near rivals like Stoke, Watford and AFCB.

You buy a ticket to get into the ground. If you want gauranteed entertainment you're spending your money on the wrong thing.

No you don't. You buy a ticket to watch a football match. The aim of the game of football is to score goals. Therefore you pay to see goals scored. Except at Southampton we seem to have forgotten this. 6 blank sheets in our final 7 home games, its a ****ing disgrace (and I don't completely blame Puel for that, Tadic, Boufal, Redmond, even Gabbiadini, Prowse and Davis as well have been shocking in front of goal since February). Last few weeks, utter utter dross. If we were to continue like this next season we will be relegated.

On paper finishing 8th and narrowly losing the league cup final seems a decent season but the reality is it's been as drab as hell.

Highlights were VvD until he got injured and Gabbi when he first arrived - it's his injection of goals that gave us the spurt to get over the safety line with plenty of time to spare.

Puel has underwhelmed me all season, don't mind losing but his teams have been by and large pretty boring. I also don't really know what his best team is.

SFC needs an injection of energy, can't have another season like this.

It's manifested over the past few years. For some reason people just can't handle an average season. Yes the football hasn't always been that exciting but nor is it at a lot of clubs.

 

I've said it before but it's the people that only go to home games who seem to have been the most vocal about not getting their money's worth. Well, I don't remember any guarantees that come with a season ticket stating we will score a certain number of goals or win a certain number of games. You buy a ticket because you support the team, although judging by the crap that falls out of a lot fans mouths you wouldn't think they do actually support us at all.

You really do spout a load of utter bilge. Give it a rest mate, everyone's disappointed after today's game but it certainly isn't the fault of the fans who rightly expect more for their money than they are getting. Try putting your money where your mouth is.

I must admit I am coming off the fence now and think Puel should go. 8th place blah blah blah but I have been totally bored for months.

I just hope Lou Reed and Freddy Krueger have someone lined up, otherwise we might as well stick and not bust.

8th, but it might just as easily have been 13 th.

Amber lights are flashing. Even before our defence is sold, the defence that has kep us afloat, we have serious work to do.

I think Puel has some virtues, and dealt with the necessary rotation before Xmas very well in the main, but I suspect the board will think there is better out there.

JWP's reaction when he saw his number up said it all for me. His head went back in a 'oh no, not me' manner. This man has no idea how to motivate and inspire.

Let's face it not once did JWP win a tackle and most times the ball came to him he offloaded it as quickly as he could, nearly always with a safe little pass sideways of backwards. After 60 mins he more or less went missing, he was actually hiding between or near the two centre backs so that he didn't get the ball! Hojberg & Clasie must be really, really bad for JWP to become automatic first pick. I guess 'though this might be more to do with Les insisting that poster boy must start so that commentators talk about His Wonderful Academy and how good we are at spotting and developing your talent.

One really good thing with a new manager will be that all players start from zero without favouritism which is clearly rampant under this regime.

Let's face it not once did JWP win a tackle and most times the ball came to him he offloaded it as quickly as he could, nearly always with a safe little pass sideways of backwards. After 60 mins he more or less went missing, he was actually hiding between or near the two centre backs so that he didn't get the ball! Hojberg & Clasie must be really, really bad for JWP to become automatic first pick. I guess 'though this might be more to do with Les insisting that poster boy must start so that commentators talk about His Wonderful Academy and how good we are at spotting and developing your talent.

 

One really good thing with a new manager will be that all players start from zero without favouritism which is clearly rampant under this regime.

JWP's reaction when he saw his number up said it all for me. His head went back in a 'oh no, not me' manner. This man has no idea how to motivate and inspire.

Puel's biggest mistake was not hauling of that waste of space earlier JWP was terrible I'd have taken him off after 20 minutes hopefully he won't be here next season but sadly I suspect I will get another season of the "free kick specialist" doing sweet FA.

17 goals in 19 home games is a bloody disgusting with Gabby, Long, JROD and Austin plus Redland, Tadic and other's.

Didn't get to see the game today, as this is the match/reactions thread rather than the 'Puel out' thread, has anyone or can anyone review how we played today? I've had a scroll through and haven't seen many match summaries/reviews.

I think we need to go two upfront with Gabbi and Austin. They complement each other, and are the only two guys who can reliably score.

Well thank god for Romeu and Stephens who at least showed some commitment and endeavour today. I do wonder how many others heads were somewhere else.

Sadly I was all for giving Puel another season but looking at the players over the last few games, I do wonder whether the players are really doing it for him, I think not in which case I can't see how he survive the end of season review!

For me, the guy who did more to motivate and push us on was Yoshida !

Made no mistakes at all today and was really up for it !

MoM in my book !

Didn't get to see the game today, as this is the match/reactions thread rather than the 'Puel out' thread, has anyone or can anyone review how we played today? I've had a scroll through and haven't seen many match summaries/reviews.

Badly...

I was prepared to give Puel a chance but today was dire. Without any pressure, against a poor Stoke side today was a chance to put things right and he failed miserably.

For me, the guy who did more to motivate and push us on was Yoshida !

Made no mistakes at all today and was really up for it !

MoM in my book !

yeah says a lot about our midfield that our CB felt the need to come half way up the pitch to try and win the ball back and get us moving forward.

Didn't get to see the game today, as this is the match/reactions thread rather than the 'Puel out' thread, has anyone or can anyone review how we played today? I've had a scroll through and haven't seen many match summaries/reviews.

It was very much a case of same old, same old for the large majority. I thought we started the game well, it was actually a pretty open start, a little end to end for the first 10mins. After that it kind of reverted to norm, Bertrand going on the overlap, Redmond hanging back and going inside, lack of movement and too much of a gap between the midfield and the attack.

2nd half it didn't really change, we had a few decent opportunities which Butland kept out - but you'd argue that they were straight at him, rather than to either side.

For me, still not enough clear cut opportunities in the game. Too slow to build from the midfield to the attack, and a lack of options to open the game and spread the wide players. I think we play narrow as per a instructions, I don't see why else Redmond holds back as he does - makes no sense to me.

There was a moment in the 2nd half where someone picked the ball up and ran, and ran and ran...got into the box, was tackled though. But that's what you need from the midfielders, notably the likes of Davis. Who was it that did that run though? Jack flaming Stephens. That said it all for me.

So we've gone 19 home games and I'm still none the wiser as to what Claude is trying to implement. It's not a press, it's not a fast counter attacking style, it's not complete backs against the wall defending - I don't know what he's trying to do, I don't think the players do either. Maybe he's had the right idea's, but he's certainly not executed them correctly.

The football is pedestrian nonsense. Strikers are isolated. Formation (whatever its supposed to be) is lacking fluidity.

17 goals at home. 4th worst home record in the PL. Puel after match interviews are total nonsense.

Lots having a go at JWP today, but Tadic has been rubbish for weeks. Total turd. Davis actually passed the ball for the Gabbi chance & made an excellent last ditch challenge in the first half, but his passing was very very poor.

CP has treated Clasie like poo. He has made Hojberg a worse player. Winning at M'boro & WBA is not a coincidence. You cant play JWP, Romeu & Davis in the same team. Its too lightweight.

We don't get bodies in the box. Redmond would get nowhere near a top 6 side. He was awful today.

Yes, we were spoilt with MP & RK. The football is turgid rubbish.

Personally I would have quite a big clear out. I would rather McCarthy, Gallagher, Sims & Hesketh be in & around the squad than some of our first teamers.

The Under 8's at half time moved the ball quicker than the first team!!!

Sorry, its time for Puel to go.

Don't think for a second that Howe would come, but he would be my choice. Other than that go for DeBoer. MP & RK had a chequered past before joining so the Inter issue may be a glitch. Think Hull getting beat 7 today is enough for their manager to not be considered.

Even consider Gary Monk......................

We've has some memorable trips this season & some utter garbage football!!

See that Wa*kster Lawson has us down for a home defeat, shock!

Damn that pesky Lawrenson predicting us to lose, the audacity of the bloke!

That was proper **** today, Stoke were awful and were only ever going to score from a long ball into Crouch. Quelle surprise that's exactly what happened!

Looking forward to starting the new season already, without clueless Claude at the helm with dour Mr. Black as back up.

Anyone got any photos of what the ground looked like for the lap of "appreciation", I suspect that would have told Kat and Ralph all they needed to know about whether Puel is the man for next season.

Damn that pesky Lawrenson predicting us to lose, the audacity of the bloke!

 

That was proper **** today, Stoke were awful and were only ever going to score from a long ball into Crouch. Quelle surprise that's exactly what happened!

 

Looking forward to starting the new season already, without clueless Claude at the helm with dour Mr. Black as back up.

 

Anyone got any photos of what the ground looked like for the lap of "appreciation", I suspect that would have told Kat and Ralph all they needed to know about whether Puel is the man for next season.

Were either at the match today ?

Didn't get to see the game today, as this is the match/reactions thread rather than the 'Puel out' thread, has anyone or can anyone review how we played today? I've had a scroll through and haven't seen many match summaries/reviews.

Started fairly positively, the usual just one up front (Austin), some neat passing down the wings with crossing attempts but too many defenders in their area for any success. Redmond unlucky to catch Butland out of goal and tried to lob him from 35 yards but hit the crossbar. Lost our way a bit in the second half and the two subs Boufal for Tadic and Gabbiadini for Austin were his usual like for like. Boufal kept falling over or losing the ball. Some hectic spells with frantic shots finding Butland in the right place and hitting him. Gabbi beat their offside once for a one on one but Butland saved and the ball rebounded off Gabbi for a GK. nothing that we haven't seen many times before.

For me, the guy who did more to motivate and push us on was Yoshida !

Made no mistakes at all today and was really up for it !

MoM in my book !

Yep oversight on my part Yoshida also had a good game and what a tackle he made when Cedric made that awful back pass!!

Were either at the match today ?

Both were at the match. At least Kat still loves us (well she did until Crouch somehow managed to outjump his marker Cedric) next view of her she was on the 'phone.

It was very much a case of same old, same old for the large majority. I thought we started the game well, it was actually a pretty open start, a little end to end for the first 10mins. After that it kind of reverted to norm, Bertrand going on the overlap, Redmond hanging back and going inside, lack of movement and too much of a gap between the midfield and the attack.

 

2nd half it didn't really change, we had a few decent opportunities which Butland kept out - but you'd argue that they were straight at him, rather than to either side.

 

For me, still not enough clear cut opportunities in the game. Too slow to build from the midfield to the attack, and a lack of options to open the game and spread the wide players. I think we play narrow as per a instructions, I don't see why else Redmond holds back as he does - makes no sense to me.

 

There was a moment in the 2nd half where someone picked the ball up and ran, and ran and ran...got into the box, was tackled though. But that's what you need from the midfielders, notably the likes of Davis. Who was it that did that run though? Jack flaming Stephens. That said it all for me.

 

So we've gone 19 home games and I'm still none the wiser as to what Claude is trying to implement. It's not a press, it's not a fast counter attacking style, it's not complete backs against the wall defending - I don't know what he's trying to do, I don't think the players do either. Maybe he's had the right idea's, but he's certainly not executed them correctly.

Thanks for that. It sums up what I've been feeling but not not quite been able to pin down.

The players are going through competent enough motions, and that looks ok and does produce some chances, but in the end, it becomes predictable and doesn't deliver.

Something extra in terms of creativity, aggression and committing players in the box is needed.

For example, so many of our crosses come to nothing. Why? How often do we have more than one player looking to get onto the end of a cross? The cross is easy to cut out if no-one is attacking the near post. Who does that?

Our passing can look good and even slick, but there isn't that critical bravery to make something happen in the box. And that's got to be down to coaching.

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Can't score at home and the stubborn git stays with one up front and fails yet again. Pathetic and should cost him his job. The future of Saints is bigger than one bloke and his massive ego.

It was very much a case of same old, same old for the large majority. I thought we started the game well, it was actually a pretty open start, a little end to end for the first 10mins. After that it kind of reverted to norm, Bertrand going on the overlap, Redmond hanging back and going inside, lack of movement and too much of a gap between the midfield and the attack.

 

2nd half it didn't really change, we had a few decent opportunities which Butland kept out - but you'd argue that they were straight at him, rather than to either side.

 

For me, still not enough clear cut opportunities in the game. Too slow to build from the midfield to the attack, and a lack of options to open the game and spread the wide players. I think we play narrow as per a instructions, I don't see why else Redmond holds back as he does - makes no sense to me.

 

There was a moment in the 2nd half where someone picked the ball up and ran, and ran and ran...got into the box, was tackled though. But that's what you need from the midfielders, notably the likes of Davis. Who was it that did that run though? Jack flaming Stephens. That said it all for me.

 

So we've gone 19 home games and I'm still none the wiser as to what Claude is trying to implement. It's not a press, it's not a fast counter attacking style, it's not complete backs against the wall defending - I don't know what he's trying to do, I don't think the players do either. Maybe he's had the right idea's, but he's certainly not executed them correctly.

Good post.

Can't score at home and the stubborn git stays with one up front and fails yet again. Pathetic and should cost him his job. The future of Saints is bigger than one bloke and his massive ego.

I blame the disc jockey. We've been atrocious at home since those dreary, dreary, badly sung drones have started home games.

For me, the guy who did more to motivate and push us on was Yoshida !

Made no mistakes at all today and was really up for it !

MoM in my book !

I agree with you - he was immense.

Thank god thats over .

Now I know how my wife feels after sex .

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Second game in a row their keeper pulls of some good saves and we squander decent chances to score.

 

A lot of out fans are massive helmets. Booing subs, getting on players' backs. I hope Puel stays just so none of those ****s renew. In fact I'd like to believe bringing Pied on right wing was Claude trolling the jumped up, spoilt *****s who are crying because we dared to have an average season.

 

I'd happily just do away games, and it's nothing to do with the football at St Mary's and everything to do with the ****ty atmosphere in a stadium where a third of the support are utter clowns.

The Cat has taken a lot of flak for voicing it, but the ugliness of today's atmosphere was shocking. Even having witnessed first-hand the goal droughts and periods of (occasionally unacceptable) inadequacy, I see no just cause for the more extreme reactions borne from the crowd today. Not sure I've ever felt so disconnected from what was happening around me at a Saints match. Unless you were in the thick of the Northam (go on, insert stereotype about the Northam's demographics - we've heard them all), I don't think you can get a measure of just how absurdly toxic it became. And don't make the mistake of thinking it was all directed at Puel.

Welcome to the Premier League era of entitlement.

The only players who deserve pick up this weeks pay packet from today's game were, Stephens, Yoshida, Romeu, and Austin.

Those of you getting your knickers in a twist over the reaction of others in the crowd to the substitutions, you must be the people who order a steak in a restaurant and ask for it to be cooked medium, when it turns up it's well done and your mushrooms are tepid and when the waitress comes round and asks if everything is ok with your meal, you just say yes thank you.

When the average fan in the stands sees the deck chairs only being changed and not rearranged week in week out, at some point they are going to stop sitting on their hands and voice their opinion. They have invested good money and time to watch the games, Yes you can call this season the transitional one that's probably been long overdue, but Claude and his team are paid handsomely to find solutions to the problems and we ain't seeing any solutions being tried out.

Finally I noted in the paper yesterday that the ref today Lee Probert had only reffed 3 premier league games this season, boy did that show today, he was woeful. The lass running the line in front of the Kingsland also looked like she had been picked at random from shoppers at West Quay 30 mins before kick off.

Well that's it folks, 38 games, 8th in the table, a Cup Final, memorable trips in the Europa league: maybe if we hadn't been so bloody dull over the last few weeks our glasses might have been just over half full.

Quelle surprise Claude, last again on MOTD, you boring boring clueless arrogant little man. A right back asa sub when 0-1 down and no Jay Rod in the squad. Brexit.

Brexit? Lol, you moron.

Thank god thats over .

 

Now I know how my wife feels after sex .

 

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With you?

At least you get to score.