Saints 3 West Ham 2 - Match & Reactions

Did Forster deserve a gold star?

Really? You happy with that performance?

Better than anything last season mr historian

Got out of jail there.

Second half was woeful, safe lazy football. Only the 2 centre halves really put the effort required in. They may have looked dodgy defensively (and I know that's what they're paid for) but at least they tried to break the lines. Stephens, with the ball a couple of times & Yoshida bursting forward a couple of times before he was fouled. Although why the bloke fouled him is beyond me, he should have just given him a free header as he'll miss every time. Everybody else was just recycling the ball, side to side, up to Gabbi than back, then side to side. Pretty much the same as last year. It started the end of the first half. FF at fault imo. But did you see the 3 or so minutes after that? Dawdling about, corner that took an age to take. Attitude was defo, "we've won this". Shocking, no surprise they came out and stuck it to us.

Early on we looked good. Gabbi's movement is fantastic, but we delay passing to him too much. Probably a hangover from last season's style, but we need to play him in down the sides more & earlier than we do.

Tadic on the Pen, WTF. Gabbi should take them if Austins off. Even the ones he scores are heart in mouth moments.

Antonio a real handful, it's what we're missing, a direct powerful runner.

At the end of the day, we deserved a win last week & a draw this, so can't really complain. MoTM is a tough one as nobody shone all game. Yoshida for his effort & winning the Peno or Charlie for sticking it away. Never any doubt he was going to score, if Tadic had picked the ball up, I think I'd have ****ed off home.

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I thought we were easily the better team today.

Then I saw the stats.

So, I have decided to ignore stats from now on!

http://hoofoot.com/?match=Southampton_3_-_2_West_Ham_2017_08_19

For those who didn't fancy a quick Google good result!

Redmond, Davis, Tadic ( even the penalty) again never looked like scoring. We cannot afford to have only one goal scorer (Gabbiadini) and three recyclers in attacking positions. JWP, Hojbjerg, Clasie and Boufal aren't any better and the two defensive midfielders are not contributing.

 

Personally I'd prefer Long, Austin and Gabbiadini plus one to be on the pitch at the same time as the current attackers aren't going to get enough goals., besides Austin and Long give us a bit more height defending free kicks and corners. We recycled the ball a lot and at times were slow motion, 66% possession mostly in front of the WHU team. The crosses and shooting were apart from Gabbiadini's shot, hopeless. If we are going to cross like that how about a couple of players on the 45 outside the back post to put the ball back in. Stephens has got to improve his heading, nowhere near good enough yet. Lamina looks a useful addition alongside Romeu.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahhahaha

Well,

It was always going to be one of those games really, despite buying a few decent looking acquisitions (well, they looked good before I saw them in the flesh) it seems that WHU are sticking to their Allardyce credentials and basically are the new Stoke. A tough battling side, played with two wide target men with Chicarito looking to pick up on the flick ons. And they did ok at that, Arnautovic looked a bit of a handful, he makes life difficult for defences at least, well, until he lost his head anyway.

As for us, again the first 20 mins was pretty good, playing with the same intensity that we started the Swansea game, quick incisive movement and again trying to get behind the full backs. Gabbiadini again was starved of the sort of service that he craves and for his industry and movement deserves. On more than one occasion he was left screaming at his fellow teammates for ignoring another curving run. Thankfully Redmond did find him once, and he showed what he does when you find him in the box.

Lamina looked ok, took a bit of settling in, and there were a couple of misplaced passes (and a header) but in the whole he looks a great buy, strong quick and positive in his play. A proper box to box player that should compliment Romeu very well.

A note on the defence, Yoshida had a very good game, and Stephens looks as though he is developing into a very able young CB. We do, however, miss VVD, or someone like him. We screamed out for a real physical leader with real arial prowess, far too often we were caught out to WHU long balls. Cedric had a positive game, playing the majority at right wing, but seems to have a good relationship with Tadic down the right, hard to think he was getting calls to be dropped so often last year.

Ratings -

Forster - 7 - Had a pretty good game, and would have scored more if it wasn't for the 1st goal, unlucky with the 2nd after making a great save onto the bar

Cedric - 7 - Another top game, I really like him, his crossing is pretty good and links up well down the right

Stephens - 6 - Reasonably solid game, struggled aerially but nothing really beat him on the floor, comes out with the ball well too

Yoshida - 7 - A long cry from the mistake a game player we knew a year or so ago, looks solid, could do with a dominant partner but very able player these days.

Bertrand - 5 - Has looked uninterested for a couple of games, none any more than today, a couple of times he didn't bother overlapping or chasing the ball down, beat too easily all day by antonio.

Romeu - 6 - Game bypassed him in the main due to WHU tactics, but what he does he does well. Passes excellently and always has time on the ball.

Lamina - 6 - A few dodgy moments, but could be a real crowd favourite, quick, strong, positive and no fear of a challenge.

Tadic - 6 - Frustrating, does a lot right, and then slows the game down too much, and is too one sided. Wasted far too many crossing opportunities today aswell.

Davis - 6 - Im a real long time admirer of Davis, and he adds a lot of industry, but isn't creative enough really, completely ignored a great run by Gabi down the right.

Redmond - 5 - I just don't see it, he has stopped running at defences, and strangely his left foot is miles better at shooting then his awful right, anonymous again today, was lucky to see the game out.

Gabiadinni - 8 - I thought he was excellent today, and a real shame that he was brought off, make some brilliant runs, scored a goal, hit the bar and generally looked dangerous whenever he got on the ball. You can see his frustration, we really need to get the ball to him more.

Subs -

Long - 5 - Didn't really make much of an impact

Austin - 6 - Again, not massively involved, but fair play to him for stepping up to take the penalty

JWP - 7 - I know he wasn't on long, but got involved straight away, his crossing is brilliant, a real surprise that he was dropped after last week, I suppose he may have been too lightweight ?

Sorry its long guys

Well,

 

It was always going to be one of those games really, despite buying a few decent looking acquisitions (well, they looked good before I saw them in the flesh) it seems that WHU are sticking to their Allardyce credentials and basically are the new Stoke. A tough battling side, played with two wide target men with Chicarito looking to pick up on the flick ons. And they did ok at that, Arnautovic looked a bit of a handful, he makes life difficult for defences at least, well, until he lost his head anyway.

 

As for us, again the first 20 mins was pretty good, playing with the same intensity that we started the Swansea game, quick incisive movement and again trying to get behind the full backs. Gabbiadini again was starved of the sort of service that he craves and for his industry and movement deserves. On more than one occasion he was left screaming at his fellow teammates for ignoring another curving run. Thankfully Redmond did find him once, and he showed what he does when you find him in the box.

 

Lamina looked ok, took a bit of settling in, and there were a couple of misplaced passes (and a header) but in the whole he looks a great buy, strong quick and positive in his play. A proper box to box player that should compliment Romeu very well.

 

A note on the defence, Yoshida had a very good game, and Stephens looks as though he is developing into a very able young CB. We do, however, miss VVD, or someone like him. We screamed out for a real physical leader with real arial prowess, far too often we were caught out to WHU long balls. Cedric had a positive game, playing the majority at right wing, but seems to have a good relationship with Tadic down the right, hard to think he was getting calls to be dropped so often last year.

 

Ratings -

 

Forster - 7 - Had a pretty good game, and would have scored more if it wasn't for the 1st goal, unlucky with the 2nd after making a great save onto the bar

 

Cedric - 7 - Another top game, I really like him, his crossing is pretty good and links up well down the right

Stephens - 6 - Reasonably solid game, struggled aerially but nothing really beat him on the floor, comes out with the ball well too

Yoshida - 7 - A long cry from the mistake a game player we knew a year or so ago, looks solid, could do with a dominant partner but very able player these days.

Bertrand - 5 - Has looked uninterested for a couple of games, none any more than today, a couple of times he didn't bother overlapping or chasing the ball down, beat too easily all day by antonio.

 

Romeu - 6 - Game bypassed him in the main due to WHU tactics, but what he does he does well. Passes excellently and always has time on the ball.

Lamina - 6 - A few dodgy moments, but could be a real crowd favourite, quick, strong, positive and no fear of a challenge.

 

Tadic - 6 - Frustrating, does a lot right, and then slows the game down too much, and is too one sided. Wasted far too many crossing opportunities today aswell.

Davis - 6 - Im a real long time admirer of Davis, and he adds a lot of industry, but isn't creative enough really, completely ignored a great run by Gabi down the right.

Redmond - 5 - I just don't see it, he has stopped running at defences, and strangely his left foot is miles better at shooting then his awful right, anonymous again today, was lucky to see the game out.

 

Gabiadinni - 8 - I thought he was excellent today, and a real shame that he was brought off, make some brilliant runs, scored a goal, hit the bar and generally looked dangerous whenever he got on the ball. You can see his frustration, we really need to get the ball to him more.

 

Subs -

 

Long - 5 - Didn't really make much of an impact

Austin - 6 - Again, not massively involved, but fair play to him for stepping up to take the penalty

JWP - 7 - I know he wasn't on long, but got involved straight away, his crossing is brilliant, a real surprise that he was dropped after last week, I suppose he may have been too lightweight ?

 

 

Sorry its long guys

V.good summary (Forster apart).

Well,

 

It was always going to be one of those games really, despite buying a few decent looking acquisitions (well, they looked good before I saw them in the flesh) it seems that WHU are sticking to their Allardyce credentials and basically are the new Stoke. A tough battling side, played with two wide target men with Chicarito looking to pick up on the flick ons. And they did ok at that, Arnautovic looked a bit of a handful, he makes life difficult for defences at least, well, until he lost his head anyway.

 

As for us, again the first 20 mins was pretty good, playing with the same intensity that we started the Swansea game, quick incisive movement and again trying to get behind the full backs. Gabbiadini again was starved of the sort of service that he craves and for his industry and movement deserves. On more than one occasion he was left screaming at his fellow teammates for ignoring another curving run. Thankfully Redmond did find him once, and he showed what he does when you find him in the box.

 

Lamina looked ok, took a bit of settling in, and there were a couple of misplaced passes (and a header) but in the whole he looks a great buy, strong quick and positive in his play. A proper box to box player that should compliment Romeu very well.

 

A note on the defence, Yoshida had a very good game, and Stephens looks as though he is developing into a very able young CB. We do, however, miss VVD, or someone like him. We screamed out for a real physical leader with real arial prowess, far too often we were caught out to WHU long balls. Cedric had a positive game, playing the majority at right wing, but seems to have a good relationship with Tadic down the right, hard to think he was getting calls to be dropped so often last year.

 

Ratings -

 

Forster - 7 - Had a pretty good game, and would have scored more if it wasn't for the 1st goal, unlucky with the 2nd after making a great save onto the bar

 

Cedric - 7 - Another top game, I really like him, his crossing is pretty good and links up well down the right

Stephens - 6 - Reasonably solid game, struggled aerially but nothing really beat him on the floor, comes out with the ball well too

Yoshida - 7 - A long cry from the mistake a game player we knew a year or so ago, looks solid, could do with a dominant partner but very able player these days.

Bertrand - 5 - Has looked uninterested for a couple of games, none any more than today, a couple of times he didn't bother overlapping or chasing the ball down, beat too easily all day by antonio.

 

Romeu - 6 - Game bypassed him in the main due to WHU tactics, but what he does he does well. Passes excellently and always has time on the ball.

Lamina - 6 - A few dodgy moments, but could be a real crowd favourite, quick, strong, positive and no fear of a challenge.

 

Tadic - 6 - Frustrating, does a lot right, and then slows the game down too much, and is too one sided. Wasted far too many crossing opportunities today aswell.

Davis - 6 - Im a real long time admirer of Davis, and he adds a lot of industry, but isn't creative enough really, completely ignored a great run by Gabi down the right.

Redmond - 5 - I just don't see it, he has stopped running at defences, and strangely his left foot is miles better at shooting then his awful right, anonymous again today, was lucky to see the game out.

 

Gabiadinni - 8 - I thought he was excellent today, and a real shame that he was brought off, make some brilliant runs, scored a goal, hit the bar and generally looked dangerous whenever he got on the ball. You can see his frustration, we really need to get the ball to him more.

 

Subs -

 

Long - 5 - Didn't really make much of an impact

Austin - 6 - Again, not massively involved, but fair play to him for stepping up to take the penalty

JWP - 7 - I know he wasn't on long, but got involved straight away, his crossing is brilliant, a real surprise that he was dropped after last week, I suppose he may have been too lightweight ?

 

 

Sorry its long guys

Forster 7?

The first goal was all down to him.

Forster 7?

 

The first goal was all down to him.

Well, I sort of explained, first goal all down to him, but he made some great saves, and the one he made for the second was outstanding and unfortunately it came off the bar to Chicoritos foot

Ok... he probably shoulda got a 6

Just seen the replay on MOTD of Pellegrino's celebrations after Chaz scored the winner, love that passion!

Austin's reaction to the penalty on MOTD!!

Our kit looks ******* fantastic.

What exactly is the point of Redmond? He just gets worse and worse. All downhill since his England call up

3 points, got the rub of the green with some of the decisions but I'll take that.

I can see some high scoring games this season, we've got a couple of handy strikers but the central defence is soft.

wI Want to see Gabbi and Charlie together, could be fun.

Love the kit, happy memories.

So all the fuss about Tadic was lucky not to be sent off didn't even merit showing on MOTD. In fact that utter gob****e Noble should have been sent off instead.

Not quite sure why all the analysis was about West Ham there on MotD.

Anyway, can't be arsed to read the thread but another match where we were comfortably the better team.

We have deficiencies but even with those it's pretty clear we're one of the best teams outside the "big 6".

If we can sort out centre back aerial weakness we should be able to have a good season.

I must admit I had very little hope of winning this one after the 2-2. So thrilled it fell our way for a change!

Didn't get to watch the game live but from motd the only decision the ref got wrong was not sending off noble. Those criticising Forster need to get off the wagon. He was poor last season and worries me at times but he made two good saves today that were picked up by a striker who has made a career of scoring that type of goal.

Same sort of football as last season but with a bit my attacking intent.

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First up on MotD! Yuss!

Analysis:

1. Pre-match - Focus on Bilic; Hammers being away from their stadium due to athletics.

2. Match highlights - ok, showed goals, fouls, cards as expected, though didn't show Tadic's "worst challenge ever" at all.

3. Post-match/Studio - Hammers defeated themselves; their experienced players made bad decisions; 10 seconds on Saints playing a better style than last year; focus on Hernandez return to form for Hammers.

So, who won? Where was it played? Which team has just had a major financial take-over? Who's got a new manager? Who's just scored at home for the first [& 2nd & 3rd] time for about 6 matches?

Were Saints even playing, or did WHam just go out & stick the ball into their own net 3 times??!!

First up on MotD... not that you'd know it!!

My = more

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Both goals conceded were because the defenders never kept their eye on Hernandez.

Both goals conceded were because the defenders never kept their eye on Hernandez.

And the first one was because Forster parried a weak shot into his path.

And the first one was because Forster parried a weak shot into his path.

Rubbish, was a decent save. If you have a drum might as well bang it.

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Was joking.

Rubbish, was a decent save. If you have a drum might as well bang it.

 

 

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If you want to settle for having a sub standard goalkeeper that's up to you.

If you want to settle for having a sub standard goalkeeper that's up to you.

He's English.

If he were a foreigner he'd be slaughtered.

Oh and by the way - I love how people are defending Forster by saying that he made the save 'at full stretch'...

...y'know, there might be a bit of an issue if your 6'6'' goalkeeper is at full stretch to save a shot from outside the area that's a good yard and a half inside the post - his footwork and (lack of) ability to launch himself into a dive has always been a problem.

Problem is people complain about our ponderous style of play yet we don't have any other attackers with pace who can beat a man and stretch teams. Both Boufal and Tadic like to slow things down, stand a player up and then beat them. Bringing in another pacey AM or winger would provide some needed competition.

Radical and Boufal slow things down??!!................ Bloody Redmond just stops and goes errr umm derrr!

Romeu had the ball Redmond was showing for it, Romeu ignored him as if to say, you'll be lucky, you'll lose i again, and I will have to run the length of the damn pitch again.

If Gabbi drops deep like he did today we need someone that can get forward and link up with him,Davis is a quality player but he is not the one for me to play behind the striker,Tadic is becoming more frustrating to watch as well

Didn't look like any other result until thier first. As much as Forster should have done better, Bertrand was either ball watching or couldn't be ar$e& to get to it (personally I'd drop Bertrand for a couple of games, he was awful or not bothered today).

Redmond also need dropping. Acknowledge the through ball for Gabi's goal but aside from that he didn't look threatening at all. Didn't run at the defenders, didn't use his pace and trickery and just seemed to rely on his modus operandi of get ball outside box, shoot, miss, repeat.

JWP was fantastic when he came on. His delivery was what we'd missed in the second half. Surely he'll start at the 'Udders

Radical and Boufal slow things down??!!................ Bloody Redmond just stops and goes errr umm derrr!

 

Romeu had the ball Redmond was showing for it, Romeu ignored him as if to say, you'll be lucky, you'll lose i again, and I will have to run the length of the damn pitch again.

In principle he gives you that option -and its a v.valuable option to have. Not a priority but would be nice to bring in another player with pace and trickery. He needs competition - he's needed it for months.

What the f@@k is Bertrands problem? Never looked interested and ran straight off down tunnel as soon as full time was blown.

He didn't have his best game but he was probably also frustrated at the embarrassing lack of movement from the players ahead of him.

What exactly is the point of Redmond? He just gets worse and worse. All downhill since his England call up

So sets up the opener, cracks the crossbar - this forum is clueless!!

Can't believe people are saying Forster was not to blame for first goal. It did take a deflection, so I have some sympathy there, may explain why he was so slow to get to ball virtually in the middle of the goal. Having got to the ball though, if you can't catch it you either have to push it away from danger or (if you have the presence of mind to) to one of your defenders.

Second goal has to be on Yoshida. Cresswell looks up, clearly going to cross it, no excuse for Sakho being stood on his own in the middle with Yoshida stood a yard or two behind him. He had a good game generally, but that wasn't good enough.

So sets up the opener, cracks the crossbar - this forum is clueless!!

In the second half he was pretty anonymous, and kept losing the ball when we were building attacks. His crossbar shot was in injury time and took a big deflection. He actually had an ok shot earlier on (Hart had it covered) but he is frustrating when he takes shots instead of playing someone in who would have a better chance.

Really don't see why people are having a pop at Forster. Not a lot more he could've done with that and he made some very good saves. If Hernandez wasn't around for that second goal we'd all be saying how much of a world class save he made to tip it onto the bar.

I was a big critic of him last season but don't give him a hard time just for the sake of it.

P.S. Noble is an utter **** for that challenge. He has a habit of making those and he should've 100% seen a red card for it. Ref was in a good position as well. Terrible challenge.

Rubbish, was a decent save. If you have a drum might as well bang it.

 

 

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This

I can't believe that people on here believe that Forster was responsible for the first goal

Having watched the game live on NBC and seen several replays of the various incidents..

- Tadic's foul was never a red. It was clumsy, but was hardly dangerous and he wasn't out of control. Yellow all day long.

- Noble is a thug. should've gone.

- That elbow to Jack Stephens neck could've been far more serious. Thankfully it wasn't.

- Very harsh to blame forster for the first goal. Was a decent save - Bertrand switched off.

Don't know what Pellegrino said to the team at HT, but he might need a rethink.

Great to score some goals and get a win and an entertaining game after the turgid Puel regime. A few things to sort out though:

1. Why the **** is Tadic still on penalties? Really lucky to score - soft down the middle rubbish again.

2. Still so many attacks breaking down at the feet of Tadic.

3. Redmond is **** weak on the ball. Gets bullied off it repeatedly every week. Needs to spend some time in the gym.

4. I sort of get the 5 in the middle thing so we have to play 1 up top alone. But when the opposition lose a midfielder why did we stay with 5 in the middle and leave Gabbi isolated? We handed them back the initiative and nearly paid for it.

5. For a professional footballer, Cedrics shooting is abysmal.

What exactly is the point of Redmond? He just gets worse and worse. All downhill since his England call up

He got an assist and had a shot hit the crossbar.

5. For a professional footballer, Cedrics shooting is abysmal.

Omg this! He just slashes at it, doesn't believe for a second that he can score. Both chances he had, he had enough time to pick a spot and pass it into the goal. Incredible that a pro could miss by that much so often.

Among all the hot takes, can I just contribute that I am so pleased that we moved Jose on when we did? Do people need more that that that one's a + in the "Les" ledger?

not the best performance but an entertaining afternoon.

Time to stop pretending Stephens is good enough to be first choice. As much as he's been an absolute c1nt, VVD needs to be kept and intergrated into the team.

Pellegrino still seems to be working out the best attacking line up, which is fair enough.

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We what I can't understand is how the duck that Noble tackle ended up in a free kick to them from that very spot or did I miss something.

not the best performance but an entertaining afternoon.

 

Time to stop pretending Stephens is good enough to be first choice. As much as he's been an absolute c1nt, VVD needs to be kept and intergrated into the team.

 

Pellegrino still seems to be working out the best attacking line up, which is fair enough.

 

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The problem with your analysis is that if Stephens does not play he will not get any better he is not the finished article but eventually he will be as he has got potential it is not as if he is losing us games

As supporters I thought we should encourage young players not continually find fault with them

The problem with your analysis is that if Stephens does not play he will not get any better he is not the finished article but eventually he will be as he has got potential it is not as if he is losing us games

 

As supporters I thought we should encourage young players not continually find fault with them

Nah! too many on here, want a finished article at age 18, if not, buy one. I love it when a youngster comes through.

If you can't be happy after a 3-2 score line falls our way with a last minute (brilliant) penalty, and all you can think about is how you don't like our goalkeeper, or how our young centre back isn't a 70m player, or our young winger only got one assist and hit the bar, or how one of our players made a clumsy challenge and got away without a yellow, it's time to stop 'supporting' the saints, and either pick a glory team, Man Utd would be good for this season, or, just give up football. Move on. You will never be happy here.

Not quite sure why all the analysis was about West Ham there on MotD.

 

Anyway, can't be arsed to read the thread but another match where we were comfortably the better team.

 

We have deficiencies but even with those it's pretty clear we're one of the best teams outside the "big 6".

 

If we can sort out centre back aerial weakness we should be able to have a good season.

Forster still hesitant on occasions. He doesn't naturally look to come for crosses, but until we sort out aerial deficiencies, he needs to be more assertive.

Thought Bertrand looked disinterested. Is he wondering if he should be doing a VVD?

Cedric great, except for shooting.

Interesting to see Lemina. Think he'll come into his own when we're more on the defensive. Today, and against 10 men, JWP improved things.

Redmond started well, faded. Tadic ok.

My MOTM was Yoshida.

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MoM yoshida?

wow