The one single factor about this game was that it was a win, but only just.

Saints didnt come out of the traps against Orient, from the very beginning Orient looked up for it and should have been ahead even before the second minute goal that gave them the lead.

After that it was a Saints side that won the game purely by being better man on man than their opponents rather than by playing as a team.

The early goal against was a shock for the home fans and Saints soon got to grips with the visitors, however only one side looked like they had anything to play for, to be blunt Orient looked more determined to stay up than Saints did to reach the play offs and with the very thin margin Saints have for mistakes now,thats got to be worrying.

The only too bright moments for Saints were the two goals from Adam Lallana apart from that it was a baffling display, baffling because orient have such a poor away record and Saints could easily have given another goal away, having Kelvin Davis to thank for a couple of smart saves.

But perhaps the most baffling was the second half substitutions especially the first when Antonio replaced Barnard.

The fact was we were winning against a team battling relegation and with a terrible record away from home, add to that they had already used their three substitutions, one of which was a sub getting injured, Orient were on the back foot and we should have been putting them to the sword.

The obvious choice was a like for like change, the forwards werent getting the ball, Antonio for the inconsistent Puncheon, failing that Waigo for Barnard, but to take off a forward and put on a winger was baffling, initially Antonio seemed to play up front, then he seemed to be playing all over the place and we lost our shape eventually seeming to go to 4-5-2 with just Lambert up front, if we are to have any chance of a play off spot then we have to be bold and brave, this was neither and almost cost us the game and with it our play off hopes.

Sadly this seems to be a trait of late, at Wembley we were dominant we played from the start to make our opponents fear us, let them worry about us not the other way round, but all too oftenthis isnt the case as on Saturday, Alan Pardew seems to respect the opposition too much and in doing so ssends out the wrong message and teams raise their game, at Wembley a weakened team blitzed Carlisle, yet in the two games since a so called stronger team has struggled against poor sides, why ? the answer is tactics.

Of course some will say Im harsh, I dont think so, do we want the play offs or not, we now have to win all our games, to do that we have to have an aura, that aura is created by beating teams and beating them well, Charlton on Saturday will sit in the dressing room saying this lot could only beat orient 2-1, they should be saying this lot blitzed Orient and worrying.      

Photo: Action Images

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