I don’t mind the loss if it focuses the mind before the NLD quarter final, but you have to say it’s been coming.
There’ve been enough games in these 21 where we’ve snuck our way through without playing at all well. I don’t rate Leno particularly and without Sokratis/Holding we now have a mediocre defence that could be termed abject. Shipping 3 goals from crosses to a relegation zone side isn’t great
Immediately after giving it away he stands still and watches them play it forward. Nit picking but alot of players would of got back in front or stick a foot in.
Can’t believe I woke up at 5:00 AM for this… Meh, get a head start on the day I reckon.
Its the truth though, have you seen how these cunts have been playing up until now, and then contrast that with today…they didnt even seem to be making an effort on most fucking matches but they put in a damn shift today didnt they. Teams do it with us a lot, maybe teams view us as a team they can get something out of, but they do seem to raise they games against us but play play like a bunch of cunts against the likes of spuds and chavski even fucking manu.
Reality is if we keep starting games poorly and conceding goals it’s going to cost you at some point.
In different seasons this side might have been good enough to come top 4, but not this season, the standard is to high for someone to concede 50 goals and finish in the CL places.
This is what i’ve been questioning. For a manager who is known for prematch preparation we sure have been relying on in game situational adjustments after various limp 1st halfs
That’s why starting well is important. Give a team like Soton some hope and they will have a go. You set them straight from the off and they are more likely to give up. I can’t believe how easily they waltzed through us… guenduzzi and the rest of these guys need to show more urgency and pressurize better. Auba needs to do more leading the line by himself too. Contributed to our choppy play.
It’s not the truth. It’s in your head
The line up could be way better, but I’m not averse to Emery playing players like Iwobi and such, if Squad players can’t get us pass a terrible side like Southampton they have zero business at this club they are completely unreliable, although I diress it doesn’t help some of our better squad players (Welbeck) are not unavailable.
It’s easy to raise your game when you see Granit Xhaka playing in defence infront of you. This was a golden opportunity for Southampton to beat us and they took it. I genuinely expected it to happen, but also we’ll improve once Sokratis is back. A patched up back 4 of Lichtsteiner Koscielny Xhaka and Monreal was never going to get through today unscathed
That said, without Leno proving again how bad he is on crosses, we would’ve got a deserved point at least
Spot on.
I don’t get how Ozil gets away with such laziness
If I was Soton, I’d be licking my lips pre-match seeing our defensive line up. Good for them.
On to the next one for us.
I have to disagree, I think he often purposely doesn’t start with his strongest lineup so he can bring on fresh players in the second half and wear teams down. It’s happened countless times and worked.
I don’t think he got it right today but he also wasnt exactly blessed with a full squad.
Biggest thing that annoys the f*ck out of me is Soton basically had one way to hurt us. Throw crosses into middle and we were a shambles at denying the crosser. Frankly, this has been a problem for ages.
Yeah but if as you say they view us as a team they can get something out of, that highlights the main issue.
I agree with you both @Stroller and @Maverick79 on this one.
Southampton clearly did game raise, and it is frustrating as they’ll probably remain where they are over the festive period. However, we need to ask ourselves how we got so rattled so very easily
They knew we’re crippled by injury and under a new manager.
I just don’t think you can make that kind of argument, let the fog of anger discipate and it’s a pretty piss poor argument IMO.
Southampton has a new manager, the game raising thing is entirely explainable.
Who was your man of the match?
Shane Long