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Comment | Southampton V Stoke City The Preview
at 15:29:43
Other teams have got better at nullifying us as the season has gone on. They learn from the first time they played us as well as from watching how other sides achieve success against us. Therefore I think we need to be more flexible in our tactics. Our full backs tend to be very good at attacking but not so good at defending. I would therefore be tempted to play 3 centre backs thereby allowing KWP and RM to play further up the pitch where they are more comfortable and effective. I know we’ve tried this before this season but we didn’t give it a proper go. The next 2 games are an opportunity to try to bed it in properly. |
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Comment | No Togetherness No Character No Fight
at 13:47:59
Russell Martin’s comments were made as a reflection on what had just happened against Leicester and shouldn’t be taken in a wider context. Whilst we have had the highest scoring attack for most of the season we certainly haven’t had the tightest defence. The defence has been an accident waiting to happen all season and on occasions has been found out. Last night was one of those occasions. Hopefully in the playoffs we can refind our attacking mojo to compensate for the defensive issues. That was how we were getting results earlier on in the season. |
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Comment | Southampton At Leicester The Debacle
at 10:04:43
Ultimately this season a poor defence has been bailed out by an attack that has more often than not delivered. All the stats back this up. However, when the attack has an off day (e.g. the last 2 games) the fragility at the back is laid bare for all to see. |
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Comment | What Brought About Russell Martin U Turns Against Preston
at 09:26:53
When I heard that Jack Stephens wasn't playing against Preston my immediate reaction was 'Oh no, who's Nick going to blame when it all goes wrong'. But then, whilst having a leisurely pint in the Gasworks before the game I saw on the tv screen what looked like Alex McCarthy warming up. No, it couldn't be. A quick check on the phone confirmed that Gavin Bazunu had been injured in the warm up and Alex McCarthy was in the side. I breathed a sigh of relief as Nick had a ready made replacement scapegoat. |
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Comment | Southampton V Preston North End The Verdict
at 12:44:34
I think Bazunu getting injured might have done us a favour. Because McCarthy is less comfortable with the ball at his feet to a certain extent we parked the playing out from the back and as a result everything seemed a lot calmer and more controlled. Of course it may have also been down to Preston being poor on the night. We’ll know more after the next game. |
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Comment | Southampton V Watford The Verdict
at 19:47:11
Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, SanMarco, and they should express it. But when that opinion gets repeated ad infinitum by a contributor irrespective of what’s happened on the pitch it ceases to be objective and doesn’t add to the debate. |
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Comment | Southampton V Watford The Verdict
at 18:53:48
Hear hear, James Hill. Could I just say that this forum has become a bit of a laughing stock with many people I know because of its obsession with one player. Can we just move on? |
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Comment | Southampton V Coventry City The Verdict
at 11:59:07
I thought we were as good as we have been all season in the first half, defensively solid but at the same time creative with our play out from the back. Also, Joe Aribo was immense going past players and showing great energy. However, in the second half Joe visibly tired and I was shouting for him to be subbed along with Will Smallbone a good 5 minutes for before the Coventry goal went in. To my mind neither Joe or Stewy last the 90 minutes so why don't we give one 60 minutes and the other 30 minutes rather than trying to eke extra minutes out of the one that starts. Also, I pray that Ross Stewart is fit enough to come on as a sub in the play offs because he has shown in his limited time on the pitch so far that, once the opposition start chasing the game and putting us under pressure, his exceptional ability in the air can offer us a very useful out ball option. |
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Comment | Southampton V Coventry City The Preview
at 16:43:32
Yes, let’s have a look at the youngsters. I’d be particularly interested in having another look at Jayden Meghoma. He did very well at left back in the 2 FA Cup games against Watford and it is our problem position. Luke Shaw came into the side in the same position at a similar age and it was problem solved immediately. |
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Comment | Southampton At Blackburn Rovers The Verdict
at 13:17:48
At the end of the day if we had a quality left-footed player at left back we wouldn't have to have this tedious Jack Stephens debate. But the fact of the matter is we haven't got that player. Ryan Manning was brought in to be that player but has fallen short. Whilst we were winning his inadequacies were glossed over but once we stopped winning they became clear for all to see, hence the tinkering with the defence to try to find a more solid formation. In the meantime we have become less clinical in front of goal which I see as being a more serious problem and the one that needs sorting out if we are to have a chance in the playoffs. |
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Comment | Southampton At Ipswich The Verdict
at 12:50:54
8 games to go. We need to treat those games as a pre season and have a complete reset. We need to adjust the way we play and every position in the team must be viewed as up for grabs. The way things are going at present no player has a divine right to a position in the starting line up. This is a unique opportunity to sort things out once and for all. |
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Comment | Southampton At Ipswich Town The Preview
at 12:24:08
Hear hear, Colburn. I couldn’t have put it better myself. I can only assume it’s deliberate and designed to get angry supporters such as us to access his reports thereby generating more advertising revenue for his pension fund. It’s certainly not objective journalism and is tantamount to bullying given that it is so incessant. |
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Comment | Southampton V Middlesbrough The Verdict
at 14:19:25
I’d just like to point out that Jack Stephens was named Man of the Match by the Saints supporters in St. Mary’s on Friday. So you Jack Stephens haters are completely out of touch with the majority of true Saints supporters. But of course you know better! |
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Comment | Southampton V Sunderland The Verdict
at 10:48:42
Unfortunately the facts don't back up your assertion that the Bednarek/Harwood Bellis centre back partnership is the answer to all our problems. In the past month we have shipped 3 goals against each of Huddersfield and Bristol City and then 2 goals against Hull with Bednarek and Harwood Bellis at centre back. Admittedly it's been no better with Bednarek and Stephens but it hasn't been any worse either. Therefore I would suggest that the problem lies elsewhere. Whatever centre back partnership we use we don't seem to deal very well with teams pressing us high up the pitch. That is not necessarily the backs problem. If we're not prepared to go long then the onus is on the midfielders to get themselves into positions to receive a pass from the backs. I would suggest that that is not happening which is why we end up putting ourselves under pressure. I would concede that Harwood Bellis is a better centre back than Stephens. But equally Stephens is a better right back than Harwood Bellis so if we're going to play both of them then in my view they should swap positions. Finally, I would suggest that losing Ross Stewart for the season has been a massive loss. In the few minutes that he played you could see that he was very adept at receiving a long out ball and that would have been a very useful option to have at the present time to deal with that high press that teams are using against us. |
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Comment | Southampton At Birmingham City The Verdict
at 16:26:39
The centre back pairing for the defeats against Bristol City and Hull and the almost defeat against Huddersfield was Harwood Bellis and Bednarek so the facts show that the poor results are nothing to do with disrupting that partnership. As felly1 has said the common factor in our poor performances has been Flynn Downes missing from the side. Keeping him fit from now until the end of the season is key. |
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Comment | Russell Martin Expected To Be Appointed Southampton Manager Within Hours
at 19:17:12
Russell Martin on the face of it is a strange appointment. If the fans are to get behind him Sports Republic need to set out their reasons for choosing him and quickly. An answer along the lines that his name popped out of Rasmussen Anderson’s mythical black box will not cut it. I fear the next fans revolt is not far off! |
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Comment | Southampton At Nottingham Forest The Verdict
at 13:31:02
The new owners tried to make up for 5 years of lack of investment in the team by buying a lorry load of youngsters in the last 2 transfer windows. It hasn't worked because it takes time to adapt to the Premier League. But those youngsters will have learnt a lot over the season and will be better players if and when we come back up. As for the Forest fans, when it's your first season in the Premier League for 25 years you're bound to be loving every minute of it. Let's see how positive they are when they've had 5 years in the Premier League like the ones we've just had! |
| | LordDZLucan
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