Southampton vs. Villa Post Match Thread

[PeterWithesShin]

The 9 games after the Arsenal game will decide if we stay up or not I reckon.

[Villan For Life]

I thought that after initial problems Okore and Lescott looked like they have the making of a reasonable partnership. I'd stick Richards in at right back and move Hutton across to left back.

Small steps and I think a few tentative glimpses of potential. We need a minor miracle but things are looking a little more positive.

[SamTheMouse]

Even if we were comfortable in mid-table, that would still be a good result today. Southampton may be having a blip, but they're a handy side and although they battered us for a spell at the start, I thought we grew in confidence as the game went on.

If can pick up a few points here and there between now and January, and make some useful signings in key positions, we might just about stand some kind of chance of getting out of this.

And that's as much optimism as you're going to get from me!

[levico]

An unexpected point. We're still going down but hopefully we won't beat Derby's lowest point record.

[CT Villan]

Surely Kozak is a better bet than Gestede? And why not try Adama for Sinclair? His pace will worry any defence. Sinclair offers very little.

Offensively you are correct, but Sinclair does track back and support Hutton and right now that is very important. Gil doesn't track back too well either and it's why I suspect he was on (and stayed on) the bench.

Had Sanchez not been looking for snuggle time with Romelu instead of marking him, I doubt Southampton would have scored. I would have taken a point before the game so will be happy with it now, but we were within touching distance of 3 points and a big confidence boost.

[class-of-82]

Great point
The empire has just struck back
Utv

[Malandro]

Goalkeeper who doesn't make you shit your pants.
Big hard no fucking around centre back.
Left back who isn't a complete donut.
Centre mid, holding player who can pass to replace Sanchez, he's not going to make it in this division.
Someone to lead the line.

That's the bare minimum I think we need to stay up and you're looking at £35-40m.

Sadly that's exactly what we need. Not likely is it.

[LTA]

Have been watch Stourbridge today so not seen any action from Southampton, but a point there is a decent result. 

[lovejoy]

Chin up folks, some posts on here sound disappointed we didn't lose. If we can get a point at Saints we can get enough points to stay up. Keep the faith.

[Goldie.7]

move Hutton across to left back.

I can't see any positives in doing that.

[Lastfootstamper]

I'd be hoping/praying for the defence to look like this.

New keeper
New leftback
Richards right back
Okore
New centre back

Any combination of the current defenders look like a comedy act, we need leaders and a physical prescence at the back. Starting with replacing the clown Guzan.

Sinclair works hard for the team defensively helping but has become completely anonymous going forward, if we had more solid full backs then Traore for Sinclair would seem a nailed on easy decision but our wide areas are such a weakness I can see why the manager won't commit to playing someone who won't help back so much.

The stuff about the back four is another thing that annoys me about Sherwood's "legacy". Senderos, if fit, has been left unavailable for selection til January. Couple that with the decision to send Baker out on a season-long loan (when there was a rumour over the summer of the stripeys being interested in Clark, I'd have let him go, and kept Baker. Baker had played well at the tail end of last season. And, for me, he plays like someone that thinks they're a centre-half. Clark, on the other, annoys the shit out of me, because he plays like he's under the misguided belief that he's a footballer). We weren't exactly blessed with options at the back, so those two decisions are coming back to give us at least a little nibble on the arse.

[Ads]

Very pleased with that result.

The first twenty minutes were as ropey as last time in the league; hacking and panicking, Guzan rooted to the spot, cheaply giving it away. I thought if we could just weather it though then we'd have a chance.

Confidence is huge and in the second half I felt you could see it coming back. Taking players on, tough in the tackle, a little quicker in the running.

Southampton didn't really create a great deal at all and the was a lot more even.

Veretout impressed, as did Gana and Ayew. Okore recovered well and Lescott didn't look a pub player either,  even Guzan came for balls!

A confidence boosting point where we ran  and battled at the death, showed our nouse and slowed it down.

They need to build on this.

[four fornicholl]

Goalkeeper who doesn't make you shit your pants.
Big hard no fucking around centre back.
Left back who isn't a complete donut.
Centre mid, holding player who can pass to replace Sanchez, he's not going to make it in this division.
Someone to lead the line.

That's the bare minimum I think we need to stay up and you're looking at £35-40m.

Sadly that's exactly what we need. Not likely is it.

what we need is a combined raging juggernaut of fans, players and manager!!!
a la leicester ,surejy that's not beyond the realms

[nodge]

According to their manager they played better today in that initial 20 minutes than they did at the end of last season when they went 4-0 up.  It's a decent point and if (and it's a massive if) we could somehow get 4 points from our next 2 games, I reckon we'd only be 2 or 3 points from safety, looking at who the others around us have got to play in their next 2.

[Malandro]

According to their manager they played better today in that initial 20 minutes than they did at the end of last season when they went 4-0 up.  It's a decent point and if (and it's a massive if) we could somehow get 4 points from our next 2 games, I reckon we'd only be 2 or 3 points from safety, looking at who the others around us have got to play in their next 2.

I admire the optimism but we've been atrocious in almost every game since Leicester.
Not just poor football, calamitous.

I've not seen a poorer team in the league.