Southampton 0-1 Leicester - Match Thread

[Chez]

2 minutes ago, woodsaint1 said:

Tbh if Leicester needed to step it up in the last 20 minutes they would have been able to.

They did step it up. They really pressed, got tight, closed every space down, kept the ball brilliantly. Don't get me wrong, we weren't good, but Leicester did a number on us after they go their lead  just like they did at their place earlier in the season. Very good side without the ball.

[sadoldgit]

5 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Exactly. It’s laughable people are somehow making out it was a cagey game they nicked. Evans played in his slippers and The Keeper won’t need a shower. It was a pathetic half arsed going through the motions performance, exactly like most this year. Pathetic 

Leicester weren’t much better than us today. Both teams were poor. Vardy’s pace decided the match.

[Teddeer]

At no stage did we look as though we could come even close to winning that game of football.

[badgerx16]

Chelsea better win the final.

[egg]

Just now, Chez said:

don't get between the lines, don't get round the back, with this rigid 4-4-2 formation, what is the fucking plan...keep it tight seemed to be the order of the day today?

Yep, and then he initial change was to press higher up but that left space behind the press which is what led to the goal.

For me, one of our issues is midfield. They aren't creative enough to hit runners, not strong enough to turn the ball over, and don't run from deep to break between the lines. Personally, I'd have 3 in the middle and have Armstrong running and creating from the middle of the park. 

[DT]

We have no structure. There is no solidity to the way we set up. So we just try all these dangerous flicks and tricks in the name of ‘’exciting’ press play that all teams took half a season to find out. We have a manager who can’t read a game or make changes. And who goes all surly and down about chances or mystifyingly has a gripe about certain players (Jankevitz).  We have a captain who is a bit soullless, and that permeates the team. We have an ex captain, Bertrand, who is so lackadaisical it’s untrue. And drives no-one onward, ever. And we have a ‘forward’, Redmond, who is as loose with the ball as Walcott, but who seemingly thinks he is the bees’ knees because Pep once talked to him after a game, and who  now stirs it up in the dressing room against the gaffer at every opportunity. Ok, I made that bit up. Sounds true though, huh? And we have all these others whose heads are turned by gossip and other clubs as they jump off the stepping stone as soon as they possibly can  

so: we now need another win in the league, somewhere, somehow. To be safe to consider new avenues with more investment, perhaps with a different manager and losing a few of these egos for the sake of the team, long-term. It would be nice to have of the real Saints spirit back.... Time to move on. 

[DT]

4 minutes ago, Chez said:

They did step it up. They really pressed, got tight, closed every space down, kept the ball brilliantly. Don't get me wrong, we weren't good, but Leicester did a number on us after they go their lead  just like they did at their place earlier in the season. Very good side without the ball.

Good manager. 

[saint1977]

5 minutes ago, Marino said:

It's going to be an interesting Summer - whichever division we're in.

Fulham aren’t going to overhaul them but all of the focus needs to be on the takeover thread now. Gao will come under more domestic pressure to sell, and even Wolves and Fosun where investment did happen seem to be moving to sell to buy with Traore. If there isn’t a takeover by the summer in terms for a massive first team overhaul, then its relegation next year. What’s a longer term concern is the weak state of all areas of the organisation, not least the academy, which has to come from the lack of vision from the boardroom and owner intentions. In some ways, the club is in a worse state than 2009 with the COVID loan. Trouble is, no exclusivity periods in place which you’d expect to see if something was imminent. 

[Chez]

12 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Whilst I think the way we try to play is the right way, with the press etc, it's a bit kamikaze with 1) this squad and 2) those defenders. There is no pace at the back and Bednarek is going to be hung out to dry once we push up.

two slow CBs and fullbacks that play as wingers, but without the extra man in midfield to cover the holes they leaveIts bloody madness and teams like Leicester know how to beat it.  

[Mr X]

I guess it's too much to hope that the club will finally tell Ralph that his motivation of the team is unacceptable as he clearly thinks "we left everything on the pitch" he saw a completely different game!  I know he's not going to say we were awful & managed not one shot on target and I take my share of the blame but to say "we left everything on the pitch today"  is laughable 

Edited 18 April, 2021 by Mr X

[Sunglasses Ron]

13 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

"Didn't bother" watching us in an FA Cup semi final. Okay. You're pretty normal, then.

Yup, didn’t bother. I’m sorry if that offends you but I had this strong feeling come over me this afternoon that we were going to be shite so spent time with my little one whilst keeping track of the score online.

In different circumstances I’d have tuned in, but the reality is that we went out without any real fight and that’s been us since the turn of the year sadly.

We’re in a horrible rut and are lacking in talent and belief and I’m afraid all the enthusiasm in the world was never going to change the inevitability of the result this evening. Fucking depressing but the truth.

Edited 18 April, 2021 by Sunglasses Ron

[Chez]

6 minutes ago, egg said:

Yep, and then he initial change was to press higher up but that left space behind the press which is what led to the goal.

For me, one of our issues is midfield. They aren't creative enough to hit runners, not strong enough to turn the ball over, and don't run from deep to break between the lines. Personally, I'd have 3 in the middle and have Armstrong running and creating from the middle of the park. 

without question I'd of have an extra man in the middle today. As soon as you see their 5-3-2 teamsheet you shuffle it, but we don't seem to ever want to do that. 

[S-Clarke]

1 minute ago, Chez said:

two slow CBs and fullbacks that play as wingers, but without the extra man in midfield to cover the holes they leaveIts bloody madness and teams like Leicester know how to beat it.  

It's kamikaze really, once the oppo break the press...it's pretty much a guaranteed shot on goal for them.

Is Salisu the answer to provide us with the pace at the back? Possibly. But he looks incredibly rash and dives in too much from what I've seen. 

[DT]

💬 Ralph Hasenhuttl: “I think we left everything on the pitch today, everything that was possible for us.” #SaintsFC
 

new career in comedy awaits

[Hatch]

Would have been nice if we had tried to win, but for some reason it seemed to be a 'club' decision to go for a 0-0 result

 

Surely there can not be one single player tomorrow morning when he wakes up that says I am satisfied the effort i gave

 

Ps, probs cost JWP his euro championship place.   

[saint michael]

Absolutely no game changers.... well in a positive way anyway 

[Chez]

1 minute ago, S-Clarke said:

It's kamikaze really, once the oppo break the press...it's pretty much a guaranteed shot on goal for them.

Is Salisu the answer to provide us with the pace at the back? Possibly. But he looks incredibly rash and dives in too much from what I've seen. 

that's the player I saw on tape before he signed too, but Fonte used to be the same back on the day.  Bednarek is a trier, but thats all. The bigger issue is the attackers. We get left short at the back because the attackers reply on KWP doing their jobs. If we had better players up front, he could hold his position more often and we'd be more solid and score goals. It's one or the other at the moment.

[stknowle]

17 minutes ago, egg said:

Apologies - complete sense of humour bypass going on after that shite. 

No apology required. I feel your pain -  yet another fucking disappointment we all have to deal with.

Edited 18 April, 2021 by stknowle

[CB Fry]

5 minutes ago, Sunglasses Ron said:

Yup, didn’t bother. I’m sorry if that offends you but I had this strong feeling come over me this afternoon that we were going to be shite so spent time with my little one whilst keeping track of the score online.

In different circumstances I’d have tuned in, but the reality is that we went out without any real fight and that’s been us since the turn of the year sadly.

We’re in a horrible rut and are lacking in talent and belief and I’m afraid all the enthusiasm in the world was never going to change the inevitability of the result this evening. Fucking depressing but the truth.

It doesn't offend me. You being an absolute weirdo is your problem.

[Baird of the land]

Very depressing insipid way to go out.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

These players may never make another semi final again in their careers. The lack of desire, commitment and fight was appalling.

[S-Clarke]

2 minutes ago, Chez said:

that's the player I saw on tape before he signed too, but Fonte used to be the same back on the day.  Bednarek is a trier, but thats all. The bigger issue is the attackers. We get left short at the back because the attackers reply on KWP doing their jobs. If we had better players up front, he could hold his position more often and we'd be more solid and score goals. It's one or the other at the moment.

I think this way of playing does rely on the full backs, I think that's to be expected. But I agree, we need more from the attackers.

Moussa is just diabolical, is there anyone who rates this guy? Just a muddle of legs and no strength on or off the ball. 

Redmond is Redmond, maybe 1 purple patch a season which lasts 1 1/2 games. Pretty shit. Adams is bog-standard.

Ings is your only real quality, and he's your focal point up top - we need so much more quality from wide/cutting inside to play this way in my opinion.

It's possible that Ralph is the right man at totally the wrong time in terms of where we are as a club (re: ownership/finances etc)

Edited 18 April, 2021 by S-Clarke

[Roo1976]

29 minutes ago, nta786 said:

I’m going to try and put a different perspective on things- I think we did try but the players we have, the squad are just so limited. Confidence is incredibly low and Ralph and the players have gone backwards in 2021. 
 

If I’m honest, Leicester made one chance which they took and scored, Iheanacho is on top form and in those situations you end up making your own luck, similar to Ings last season.

Otherwise, Leicester’s other main chance came from our mistakes and that’s as a result of our players not being as good as theirs.

Yes, I’m upset, and yes it is a very bitter pill to swallow but we need to learn from Leicester tactically and strategically in the transfer market

Hey its not us keyboard fans that have to learn tactics it s the bloody manager and the backroom staff that need to address this issue ,and lets face it Ralph is way too stubborn to think about changing things up. If we played Jankewitz against WBA and it didn't turn out then hey hes not playing  but the lads done one mistake and now it seems hasn't got the ability or managers belief that hes worthy of replacing what we had on show today. Wheres the captains passion and drive to lead to team as it is and show desire. How many times did we get to the 18 yrd line only to pass it all the way back to Forster and for him to pump it into touch. Not just this game we showed no passion but at least the last 9/10, its rotten and broken, not one shot on target for a game that could have meant that if wed won and then gone on to win the final itself  we would have been on cloud 9,and that it seems isn't sufficient for us to get motivated. Can we survive this season?..........and if we do i hope ,we can turn the corner bin the dead wood and hopefully show some trust in the one or two fringe player to come good at some stage and build from there. Wow just deflated to be honest no passion just from the fans who are desperate for signs of players giving a fuck.

Edited 18 April, 2021 by Roo1976

[The Curse of St Mary's]

It was criminal Leicester were not made to defend. It was seriously easy for them and they were nowhere near there best. Again poor tactics, no identify and subs awful but the players lack heart and motivation. 

[nta786]

7 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

It's kamikaze really, once the oppo break the press...it's pretty much a guaranteed shot on goal for them.

Is Salisu the answer to provide us with the pace at the back? Possibly. But he looks incredibly rash and dives in too much from what I've seen. 

Yep I agree. 
The problem is we are buying players like Salisu/Diallo, young players who may be good in 5 years but with the Premier League you don’t always have that time to nurture them.

Someone like Jonny Evans, a Cahill, a Fonte, or a Steven Davis- an actual captain is what we are crying out for but our transfer policy is fixated on these ‘gems’. Even Craig Dawson for West Ham has been a good centreback loan signing. 

This lot of players are just so toothless and under the current ownership it isn’t changing. 

[Chez]

Just now, S-Clarke said:

I think this way of playing does rely on the full backs, I think that's to be expected. But I agree, we need more from the attackers.

Moussa is just diabolical, is there anyone who rates this guy? Just a muddle of legs and no strength on or off the ball. 

Redmond is Redmond, maybe 1 purple patch a season which lasts 1 1/2 games. Pretty shit. Adams is bog-standard.

Ings is your only real quality, and he's your focal point up top - we need so much more quality to play this way in my opinion.

It's possible that Ralph is the right man at totally the wrong time in terms of where we are as a club (re: ownership/finances etc)

We are looking for Moussa to kick on to be Mane II. We are so desperate for a Saint-Maxin or our own, but he has failed to do that so far. There is still time, but in addition to allour other issues, flair is a major one. Redmond can dod it against shit like Bournemouth, but out him up against better Prem defenders and he hasn't got the pace and he knows it. We need to invest in this area, among others.

[Fan The Flames]

20 minutes ago, Teddeer said:

Where did it go and what was the final score?

It went in we lost, what's your point. Your trying to tie performance to shots on target, well Leciester's must have been nearly as shit then.

We contained then well but at the great expense of our forward offering, we just haven't got the quality on the break, Redmond, Djenepo and Diallo were poor and Walcott and Adams didn't add anything. Our set pieces were also shit. We tried to get the ball down amd play it but they were equal to that and then we resorted to smashing it upfield which they just lapped up.

We just don't have the quality or any depth, their subs of Maddison and Albrighton made them better. We are a very long way from being a competitive prem team.

[stknowle]

15 minutes ago, Sunglasses Ron said:

Yup, didn’t bother. I’m sorry if that offends you but I had this strong feeling come over me this afternoon that we were going to be shite so spent time with my little one whilst keeping track of the score online.

In different circumstances I’d have tuned in, but the reality is that we went out without any real fight and that’s been us since the turn of the year sadly.

We’re in a horrible rut and are lacking in talent and belief and I’m afraid all the enthusiasm in the world was never going to change the inevitability of the result this evening. Fucking depressing but the truth.

Never masturbate whilst keeping track of the footy online.

[CB Fry]

This very much feels like a preface to a relegation season.

Ings, let's be honest, has been ropey since his return but once he goes in the summer and we replace him with Diallo/Salisu level "potential" then the game is up. 

We're pretty dreadful now, but I don't think we have quite plumbed the depths. Yet.

[rallyboy]

It was like Claude Puel but without the charisma.

Who can blame Ings if he wants away? Our 'creative' players created zero.

And why do we go gung-ho at West Brom then shut the door in this game to the extent that people like Bertrand are petrified of going forward?

I suspect most people are just pleased we didn't get hammered, but honestly, we lost to the shittest goal in Wembley history and gave in with no fight.

It was so dull I managed to watch the Grand Prix at the same time.

 

[trousers]

[Chez]

2 minutes ago, Fan The Flames said:

It went in we lost, what's your point. Your trying to tie performance to shots on target, well Leciester's must have been nearly as shit then.

We contained then well but at the great expense of our forward offering, we just haven't got the quality on the break, Redmond, Djenepo and Diallo were poor and Walcott and Adams didn't add anything. Our set pieces were also shit. We tried to get the ball down amd play it but they were equal to that and then we resorted to smashing it upfield which they just lapped up.

We just don't have the quality or any depth, their subs of Maddison and Albrighton made them better. We are a very long way from being a competitive prem team.

Absolutely this. Contained them at the expense of attacking threat due to our lack of quality attackers. Redmond did nothing and nor did Adams and Djenepo. Individually and collectively we dont have `it' going forward. 

[verlaine1979]

7 minutes ago, nta786 said:

Yep I agree. 
The problem is we are buying players like Salisu/Diallo, young players who may be good in 5 years but with the Premier League you don’t always have that time to nurture them.

Someone like Jonny Evans, a Cahill, a Fonte, or a Steven Davis- an actual captain is what we are crying out for but our transfer policy is fixated on these ‘gems’. Even Craig Dawson for West Ham has been a good centreback loan signing. 

This lot of players are just so toothless and under the current ownership it isn’t changing. 

It wasn't Jonny Evans marshalling his troops like it was D Day that won Leicester the game - it was (among other things) the fact that their players could all pass and control the ball without needing five minutes and a satellite image of the pitch to make up their minds. They had Tielemans on the pitch and Maddison on the bench, while our best hope was that Armstrong would create something with his determined but very much one-paced running.

To borrow Cantona's phrase about Deschamps, we're a team of water carriers with Danny Ings up front.

[Viking Saint]

Sky Sports player ratings, generous if you ask me.....

Southampton: Forster (6), Walker-Peters (6), Bednarek (5), Vestergaard (6), Bertrand (6), Djenepo (5), Diallo (4), Ward-Prowse (6), Armstrong (7), Redmond (4), Ings (5).

Subs: Adams (6), Salisu (n/a), Tella (n/a), Walcott (6)

[Chez]

3 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

This very much feels like a preface to a relegation season.

Ings, let's be honest, has been ropey since his return but once he goes in the summer and we replace him with Diallo/Salisu level "potential" then the game is up. 

We're pretty dreadful now, but I don't think we have quite plumbed the depths. Yet.

cheers. Maybe you can let us wallow in our fa cup semifinal defeat misery before delivering the second barrel.

[S-Clarke]

8 minutes ago, Chez said:

We are looking for Moussa to kick on to be Mane II. We are so desperate for a Saint-Maxin or our own, but he has failed to do that so far. There is still time, but in addition to allour other issues, flair is a major one. Redmond can dod it against shit like Bournemouth, but out him up against better Prem defenders and he hasn't got the pace and he knows it. We need to invest in this area, among others.

How much longer do you give him though? I've had it with him tbh. He's almost into his third season with us and he's still done absolutely nothing. He's biggest moments came in his first 2 or 3 appearances for us. I think he's a lost cause.

Mane had some power/presence to him, Moussa is like a guy you're afraid will snap in half if you touch him. Not suited to this league and another enormous failed piece of scouting at what was £15m outlay for us.

[Lighthouse]

Managed to go the whole weekend without seeing a minute of either the Duke’s funeral or the semi-final. Laid a bit of decking with some beers in the sunshine and saw a cracking Grand Prix with another McLaren podium. It’s been lovely TBH.

[Chez]

2 minutes ago, verlaine1979 said:

 

To borrow Cantona's phrase about Deschamps, we're a team of water carriers with Danny Ings up front.

Good description. we really are. Boy do we need some real talent carrying the ball. We need some pace, flair and `goals out of nowhere' types too. Maybe even a big target man. And a left back and....

[supaimpy_returns]

Did we even have a shot other than the Diallo volley ?  The midfield is so static  it was just a matter of time before Leicester scored , then its game over , as for making changes on 85 mins, ffs its a semifinal , one chance the changes at 60 mins should've been made to give then time to get to the pace , but once again we leave it too late. Just hope that there truly are 3 worse teams  below us in the Prem , although if the European league comes to be then there will be no money left and Saints with the current structure will just fade away.

 

[northam soul]

9 minutes ago, trousers said:

Yes predominantly their bollocks in the changing rooms

[Norm]

5 minutes ago, Viking Saint said:

Sky Sports player ratings, generous if you ask me.....

Southampton: Forster (6), Walker-Peters (6), Bednarek (5), Vestergaard (6), Bertrand (6), Djenepo (5), Diallo (4), Ward-Prowse (6), Armstrong (7), Redmond (4), Ings (5).

Subs: Adams (6), Salisu (n/a), Tella (n/a), Walcott (6)

Would any of the above get into a side in the top 6? Be honest .........

[Nemi]

2 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

How much longer do you give him though? I've had it with him tbh. He's almost into his third season with us and he's still done absolutely nothing. He's biggest moments came in his first 2 or 3 appearances for us. I think he's a lost cause.

Mane had some power/presence to him, Moussa is like a guy you're afraid will snap in half if you touch him. Not suited to this league and another enormous failed piece of scouting at what was £15m outlay for us.

Yeah probably not going to happen. Shame as I like him and he’s talented but he’s not got the physicality to consistently produce in this league. That’s why we see a few moments of brilliance and a lot of nothing the rest of the time

[Ivan Katalinic's 'tache]

An utter waste of a semi-final. We'd have been better off letting Bournemouth get there and save ourselves the embarrassment. I imagine they'd have had more of a go than we did. If that's leaving it all out there then the amount of effort it takes to be a professional footballer has diminished massively from my recollections.

Edited 18 April, 2021 by Ivan Katalinic's 'tache

[Chez]

3 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

How much longer do you give him though? I've had it with him tbh. He's almost into his third season with us and he's still done absolutely nothing. He's biggest moments came in his first 2 or 3 appearances for us. I think he's a lost cause.

Mane had some power/presence to him, Moussa is like a guy you're afraid will snap in half if you touch him. Not suited to this league and another enormous failed piece of scouting at what was £15m outlay for us.

this is is second season (and to be far he was unlucky with injuries last year), and he's 22, so I don't want to write him off, especially as he is the closest thing we have to a `goal out of nothing type', but where are those moments? Need many more of them next season or we are fucked.

I can't stand his crying when not even touched. Hate it. He has a trick, but he falls over his own feet too often. He works pretty  hard going up and down, but we need much more when he has the ball. I get the feeling that workrate is Ralphs only cup of tea. He seems to be coached only to do that. I want to hear Ralph shouting at him to take players on not pass it safely.

[saintbenny]

well that was woeful. I just cant for the life of me see what our identity is. We are so painful going forward it hurts. Slow, ponderous, sideways and then back, this is the Southampton way.  I like Ralph as a human but he has coached the life out of these players, everything is so negative. No leaders, no passion. It's always been tough being a Saints fan but right now it's just bloody awful. I actually think the boss should go. He's tactically inept, stubborn as fork and clearly unable to motivate this group of players and before somebody asks who should replace him, the answer is literally anybody!!  

[Micky]

An FA Cup semi final.  We didn't have a shot.  We're we hoping to get to penalties? 

[nta786]

1 minute ago, saintbenny said:

somebody asks who should replace him, the answer is literally anybody!!  

the Saintsweb Intelligentsia? 

[HedgeEnder]

12 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

Managed to go the whole weekend without seeing a minute of either the Duke’s funeral or the semi-final. Laid a bit of decking with some beers in the sunshine and saw a cracking Grand Prix with another McLaren podium. It’s been lovely TBH.

Eh? You’re the moderator of a Saints forum and you didn’t even watch us in the semi final? Reckon you’re in the wrong job!

[Viking Saint]

7 minutes ago, Chez said:

this is is second season (and to be far he was unlucky with injuries last year), and he's 22, so I don't want to write him off, especially as he is the closest thing we have to a `goal out of nothing type', but where are those moments? Need many more of them next season or we are fucked.

I can't stand his crying when not even touched. Hate it. He has a trick, but he falls over his own feet too often. He works pretty  hard going up and down, but we need much more when he has the ball. I get the feeling that workrate is Ralphs only cup of tea. He seems to be coached only to do that. I want to hear Ralph shouting at him to take players on not pass it safely.

He's like a pissed Bambi on ice. All arms and legs, none of which seem to know where the others are going. Too lightweight by far

[nta786]

9 hours ago, Matthew Le God said:

It isn't 'uncharted' when McCarthy, Bednarek, Romeu, Bertrand, Redmond, Ward-Prowse and Forster were all in the 2018 FA Cup semi final squad and were all at Staplewood this week in the build up to today's game.

So MLG how do you think that experience from the 2018 semi-final helped us tonight?