When You Think You Know Your Football

This is Saints related.... Sort of...

When Le Tiss started against Italy in a world cup qualifier and got taken off on about 65 mins (Will wait to be corrected) and the commentators were slating him and the next days newspapers ripped him to shreds, I was left scratching my head. For me, he in that game, was the only one that was likely to score for England and was one of the only players who was genuinely up for it and thought he had a half decent game.

Given the landslide condemnation of his performance, I had to concede that I probably didn't know my football as well as I thought and that rose tinted glasses were in play.

Two days later Hoddle came out and said he watched the game back several times and he should never have taken him off.

A glimmer of hope...... may be I wasn't quite as stupid as I first thought.

Today I watched on some sort of Sky sports channel in Spain with who I thought was Alvin Martin as co commentator?? (will wait to be corrected) blame the first goal on Forster. Now, I am no goal keeping guru, but when he said it I thought WTF and assumed he had made a mistake. They then did the slowmo and replay and he said the same again. A little worse for drink I have watched it six or seven times and can't work out why in hell that is Forsters fault.

He was adamant it was..... as are many posters on here (Matchday thread) and without looking to defend Forster, what am I missing? Push it out a bit further - possibly, but to put it down as a goal keeping mistake seems ridiculous to me, but then maybe I don't know my football as well as I thought.

People who know their football know that the co-commentator was Tony Gale.

People who know their football know that the co-commentator was Tony Gale.

/thread

I had a Huddersfield supporter round my house for the Italy game and as he left he said " your boy did well". I've always thought he played ok that night, & no amount of stick he got made me change my mind.

As for today. I remember a game at The Dell when Gazza scored a free kick . I think Jones was the keeper, but maybe my memory is wrong. I slagged him off all the way home, only to watch on motd that it was unsavable, so I've always tried (and frequently failed ) to reserve judgment on keepers till I've seen the reply. My gut feeling today was FF should have pushed it further wide. Having watched the reply, I actually think a top quality keeper wouldn't have spilled it. It wasn't a good a save as I thought it was in real time. I'm probably biased because I think the blokes average at best, but that's my view

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Forster should have done better. There were other factors - letting Antonio get the shot away, and Bertrand ball watching and not tracking Hernandez - but that doesn't mean Forster is entirely blameless.

Forster should have done better - wasn't a particularly good strike by Antonio. Because he dives so late, shots always look better than they actually are. V.unlucky for the 2nd goal. Saying that, just before their equaliser, he was again late in reacting to cross-come-shot, having to tip the ball around for a corner.

He should have done better with the first one, stronger hand and pushed it out wider, the second was unlucky., but ultimately both goals were down to a striker reacting quicker in the six yard box than the defender, I think it was Bertrand who didn't react at all for the first goal and Hernandez nipped in to score. Good poaching when its your striker, sloppy defending when it goes against you. Either way I'm pretty sure with a better central defensive pairing and a leader in the back 4 those goals don't happen.

Forster could have tipped the ball behind for a corner rather than bump it out into the danger zone. Maybe.

Goals conceded aren't normally just down to one individual. West Hams first goal had three errors first was the player that let Antonio turn and shoot, second Forster for pushing the ball back into the danger area and then Bertrand for completely failing to track Hernandez after Forsters save.

One of the biggest issues in the second half of last season resulting from the loss of VVD and Fonte was leadership and organization in the back 5 we really need a proper captain type in the back line.

Saying that, just before their equaliser, he was again late in reacting to cross-come-shot, having to tip the ball around for a corner.

I haven't seen it back, but from my seat behind the goal I thought Jack Stephens had a bit of a 'do I/don't I try and get something on this' moment in the middle (ultimately settling on don't) which is what caused the delay in Forster commiting across to his far post.

Personally I think it's harsh to criticise Forster, he'll be disappointed but it looks to me like it took a deflection of the heel of Cedric as far as I can tell. Watch it back, as Antonio shoots Cedric is basically in the way so he'll be partially blocking Forster's view and then he flicks his heel out at it and the ball deviates. It's a full stretch fingertips save, very difficult for him to control where that goes, if anything he saved it too well.

He was also really unlucky with the second, that was a great reaction stop from pretty much point blank to tip it onto the bar but it happened to go straight back to Hernadez.

To be honest both goals are lucky that they basically go straight to Hernandez, just one of those things. Out of the 3 people involved (possibly 4 because looking at it Cedric could have tried to block it better) I think Forster is the least to blame, Romeu should have not allowed him to turn so easily and Bertrand is basically asleep.

I haven't seen it back, but from my seat behind the goal I thought Jack Stephens had a bit of a 'do I/don't I try and get something on this' moment in the middle (ultimately settling on don't) which is what caused the delay in Forster commiting across to his far post.

Very possible, though it reminded of the Chelsea goal at SMS a couple of seasons ago when Forster was indecisive/late in reacting.

Forster is generally late to react to shots at his feet whereas someone like Jack Butland would have dealt with that shot much better than Forster did.

I've probably been a bit slow to come to the conclusion that Forster is not the guy I want between our sticks, but he makes me ask "Could he have done better there?" way way too much. I've been wanting to give him the benefit of the doubt too much for it to mean he is a good keeper in my opinion. Saints have been blesses with some excellent keepers and he isn't one of them unfortunately.

And Le Tiss in that game against Italy - I remember thinking he was our best player up to the point that he went off.

Forster is generally late to react to shots at his feet whereas someone like Jack Butland would have dealt with that shot much better than Forster did.

 

And Le Tiss in that game against Italy - I remember thinking he was our best player up to the point that he went off.

Corre Del Sporte gave him top ratings for England in that game, but what do they know ? If that header had krept inside the post it could all have been different for him. Paul Scholes' first game for England, he slipped and ended up near post instead of in the middle of the box. He scored, but if he hadn't slipped he would have been the other side of the defender who would have cleared it. It's not just talent, you need luck sometimes.

OR let the guy get a shot away, FF should have gathered it or pushed it wider and Bertrand could have acted quicker

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I seem to remember Tiss played against Romania, hit a dipping volley just over the cross bar. A foot lower and he would have been undroppable.

Funnily enough - just found this link. Someone else agrees!

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2009/jul/24/joy-of-six-football-what-ifs

I seem to remember Tiss played against Romania, hit a dipping volley just over the cross bar. A foot lower and he would have been undroppable.

 

Funnily enough - just found this link. Someone else agrees!

 

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2009/jul/24/joy-of-six-football-what-ifs

Spot on. I've always argued that Venables scandalously under used Matt. Hoddle is the pantomime villain because of the Russian friendly, but at his absolute peak Venables ignored him.

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