| Saints v Everton - a demolition of our tactics 10:34 - Oct 2 with 761 views | saint901 |
I saw the game yesterday and wished I had not.
Aside from the fact that it took my two hours to drive the 30 miles and walk the mile to the ground because of inept traffic management in the city.
First, why start three new players in the team at the same time? One, certainly. Two, perhaps but three?
It was clear from the off that these players were strangers to each other and the rest of the team. As a result, until Perraud came on the whole left side of our team was out of sorts and not contributing to the effort.
The two centre backs have never played together before and in my mind, at least one and perhaps both Evertn goals are at their feet. They both got caught ball watching, going to the wrong post and leaving the person they're meant to be marking.
Worse, the defence - with two of the new boys - used a zonal system which left them looking at each other and pointing fingers.
KWP did his best as usual but how many times did he have the ball look up and was faced with an option of a three yard pass to somebody already under pressure or to try and run past people? Also, he was in space many times but the Hollywood pass cross field was easily cut out.
Larios look ssmall to me but I thought he did the best of the new boys and was instrumental in the goal. Otherwise though Everton noticed that he was short and played the ball high to the right side and Larios had little choice but to wait for the winger to bring the ball down.
Aribo scored a decent goal and ran around a lot but was ponderous and lacked any wish to grab the game. I think he was player out of position. He should have been in the centre protecting the back players and instead seemed to be to far forward in the first half and them player either right or left once the subs appeared.
Maitland-Niles - really? He was unlucky to get booked but that was his only contribution. He was neither defending nor protecting his full back not going forward.
S Armstrong was head and shoulders our best player on the day.
JWP cut a frustrated figure. He must look around once has has the ball and wonder if he's playing a different game. His choices are forward running away from him, full backs who are too close to him, midfield players who cannot find space. His set piece delivery was decent but at least three times, he's taking a corner with Edoysi stood next to him and the nearest defended 25 yards away. Why?
Che Adams had one of those days when nothing really worked. But he worked and was a close second to S Armstrong.
Mara was a complete waste of a place in the team. He takes his title of centre forward too literally and does not want to come out of the centre. He did nothing to support Adams and was marked out of the game. His only chance came with a header against a much smaller defended and he managed to fall over. He reacts and does not provoke players into a pass. He makes his run after the player has had to change their mind and then throws his hands in the air. I've got news for him - it's your fault because you don't want to come out of the centre and when you do it's too late.
Adam Armstrng look ed good when he came on and sparked some life. I would have started hiim in favor of Mara. Edoysie is young and has a lot to learn but we saw some flashes. Perraud I have a lot of time for and he and A Armstrong were the main reasons we pressed in the last 20 minutes
Otherwise a hugely frustrating day not helped by an incompetent ref who allowed Pickford to run the game.
The final insult was barriers across the road in the industrial estate creating dangerous conditions for the ten thousand or so leaving that way.
Ultimately this lies at RH's door.
I have tickets for Arsenal. Unless the team can be sorted and actually win a point (not even three) I'll be back here seeing if anybody wants them. |  | | |  |
| Saints v Everton - a demolition of our tactics on 11:13 - Oct 2 with 657 views | DorsetIan |
I'm not sure it's fair to blame Ralph for the barriers in the industrial estate :) , but otherwise that's a pretty good summary of what we all saw and thanks for spelling out in detail what was going on.
I suppose the question is, can Ralph not see all this too? Or if he sees it, why doesn't he change it earlier? (I remember Dave Merrington tearing his hair out in the first half at Villa away last season, because he could see what was going wrong and Ralph did nothing).
But actually, who cares any more - I think he needs to go, it never gets better under his management. At best it's just different tactics, a different set of unforeseen problems. and a lack of a decisive reponse. | |
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| Saints v Everton - a demolition of our tactics on 11:37 - Oct 2 with 611 views | saint901 |
I have not mentioned RH himself.
He's on the line and walking around the pitch with the players when we win or do well.
When we lose or are not playing well, he goes missing.
To blame yesterday on "not working hard enough" is a kick in the teeth for the players who huffed and puffed but you can't polish a brown thing and no amount of effort was going to help that team.
The last 20 minutes when Adam A was running at them and as a result Che got some space showed what could and should have happened.
Do I think RH will see that and learn? No.
I've defended RH in the past, but I confess that unless he goes by the World Cup break, we are relegation fodder. The alternative is that he starts listening to his coaches who got some good results early in the season. If he continues to be arrogant and stubborn, I really fear for us.
(And yes, I'm sure RH ordered the roadworks to stay in place in the industrila estate). | | | |
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