Saints kept another clean sheet but will perhaps feel this is two points dropped rather than one gained as they matched Leicester City and were good value for the draw.

Saints dominated the game at Leicester City and in the main looked composed and in command enjoying 62% possession, but they could not quite find the goal needed to take all three points.

Of course there will be some who will claim that Saints failure to land a big name striker in the summer cost them dear today, but the reality is that Saints went to the home of the Premier League Champions and came out of it with not only a sixth successive clean sheet,b but further evidence that Claude Puel has his team playing as a solid unit.

Leicester had their moments but in the main they were handed o them on a plate, Virgil Van Dijk uncharacteristically dropping a back pass short that gave the Foxes three clear chances in the space of 30 seconds.

The hero of this moment was Oriol Romeo, who firstly got a via toe in to stop the home side getting a clear shot in on Fraser Forster but then made two crucial blocks to make sure a dram did not become a crisis.

Romeo was the man of the match for Saints and showed why losing Wanyama was not a big issue for Saints, the Spaniard is perhaps not as physically imposing as the Kenyan, but he is more mobile and quicker off the mark and is fast becoming indisposable in the Saints midfield.

Charlie Austin hit the post from a tight angle, but perhaps Saints best chance came in the dying minutes when James Ward Prowse blasted over.

Make no mistake though, Saints now look the real deal under Claude Puel, they play to a system that makes it difficult for the opposition to create chances and they attack at speed and in numbers, perhaps the issue is putting those chances away, but after the International break they will have Jay Rodriguez back in the fold as well as the first sighting of Sofiane Boufal, this will perhaps add that touch of finishing that we need.

Last season two of the most difficult places to get a result where West Ham and Leicester, we failed to take a solitary point from either, this time around we have had a return of four points from the two games, that should not be swept aside by those looking to decry Claude Puel.

So Saints continue to march on, they now have a two week break to get everyone fit and then can resume the season with hopefully everyone fit and raring to go, there is a ong way to go this season and a ot to pay for, but in the past few weeks Saints as a squad have come a long way themselves and can hopefully go a lot further.

Photo: Action Images

BarnetSaint added 18:04 - Oct 2 Good summary. Agree with all that. Have to confess i was an early critic of our manager ( we fans have no patience lol!) but we both restrict the opposition and have a variety of runners bursting into the box to assist our forwards. A bit more composure in front of goal and we could have had a few more in recent games. At this stage of the season, we're looking the best of the rest. A nice long cup run or two wouldnt go amiss either.

1

vanmans added 18:18 - Oct 2 Another boring game to watch. Nick you are right saints failure to land a big name striker in the summer cost us the game today. Why do we have to keep playing James Ward Prowse if that ball had fell to any one else they would have scored. I also thought Romeo was the man of the match for Saints.
4

the_saint added 19:06 - Oct 2 Just hope Austin does not get picked for England as if we lose him we're in trouble only one that looks like scoring. Romeo quality
2

Ali_Diarea added 19:09 - Oct 2 Vanmans, I think Nick is saying the club was right (surprise surprise) not to sign a quality striker. And why would we when we have Jay Rod, Long and Redmond smashing them in lol. Thank god for Austin, just hope he stays fit. But great run recently and amazed how well Puel has got them to gel. We march on.
4

smiffdub added 19:16 - Oct 2 My first live match for a while! Taking our chances in front of goal is obviously the biggest problem. If Redmond is going to be considered a striker, should he not make a strike from time to time? He seems to be the only non-defender who has an automatic place but he is basically toothless. That's my only real complaint, though I admit I fear that "the system" is making our lads more boring to watch than they've been for a while.

5

A1079 added 19:32 - Oct 2 I said all along (to myself) that a point would be good away to Leicester and I would be happy with that. I am happy with that but in the end felt frustrated as with more firepower we could and probably should have won it. Our lack of scoring prowess is proving the difference and is our Achilles heel because in all other depts. we are looking ok. I know you made the point Nick that Leicester are last years champions. That was last year. I would also add our entertainment value (and that of the opposition of course) has not been great in the last couple of games but they have both been away and being solid in defence is a great foundation but it is not pleasing on the eye. Overall though, we are going in the right direction.

5

AmericanSaint added 21:12 - Oct 2 Sorry to disagree with a lot of the comments, but our play is not boring. It is a deliberate build up system. You can't constantly attack with Route 1 balls etc, or you will be caught on the counter attack (which happened to us several times today). If you don't recognize this, then you are short of tactical knowledge. Hey, these games happen all the time and another shut-out is a showing the defense is solidified and getting better. Romeu was MOTM and great and shows that he has replaced Wanyama without a problem. Everyone who is complaining are just trying to find something to knit-pick about and will always complain. Just keeping playing ball and the the wins will come.

-1

davepid added 21:13 - Oct 2 Vanman . I was at the match and neither I or most of the away fans would regard the game as boring. We showed real class at times and we sung with pride at the way the team and individuals played. Boring 0-0 s I've seen a plenty but this was one of the most entertaining.
2

BoondockSaint added 22:29 - Oct 2 Take the point gladly as 40 is the new 60. Typical-team starting to settle and bam! International break! Don't know why like Koeman, Puel takes Tadic off when we need a goal and he is the only really creative player we have. Yes, having another dangerous striker would have added to the goals and points the past couple of week. Teams know to just close down Tadic and Austin. I would say the reason the Scouse have 18 goals is Mane stretching the field for others if he isn't scoring himself. But he was "easily replaced", right Nick?

5

SanMarco added 00:13 - Oct 3 Excellent point about Mane Boondock - Long looks half the player without Mane creating space for him. I enjoyed the game - it wasn't dull like Thursday. If Austin had still been on he would probably have scored the JWP chance but then anyone but JWP would probably have scored the JWP chance! The quarrels over the non-signing of a goalscorer will run and run if we keep failing to win games like today - we were better than Leicester and should have beaten them. Yes a point is a point and if we are happy with mid-table then it's a good result. If we aspire to higher then it is 2 pts dropped because we didn't take out chances. We can't rely on Austin every time so who else is there? Perhaps Boufal is the man if he ever gets fit...

5

perazi added 01:08 - Oct 3 Enjoyed the game and the performance. Avery good point which could so easily have been all three. So impressed by Romeu backing up from Thursday night and surely the Spanish national team must be looking at him (let's hope not). Hojbjerg was also excellent in his box-to-box role and he is quickly showing himself as a brilliant replacement for Morgan. I thought Fonte was much improved today as well. My only disappointment on the day was the performance of Redmond who tried hard and ran around but offered little in attack and doesn't seem suited by the attacking midfielder/striker role he played today. Special mention for Puel - I was underwhelmed at first but this man has some tactical nous; is calm and considered and clearly has players keen to follow his system and put in for the Manager. If Mane was stil here we would be in the top 6 - let's hope Boufal is the player to make that possible.

8

welhamdowed added 06:17 - Oct 3 I thought a few of our players looked like the miles are catching them up. Dick Van making a few errors and Tadic who faded in the 2nd half, come to mind. Saying that we were the better side and could have nicked it with some better finishing. Big Rom the stand out peformer
1

smiffdub added 06:43 - Oct 3 @davepid you and the others must have necked a few to not be bored! But seriously, almost no comments about Redmond, our new Henry "striker" ??? Plays every single minute of 7 premiership games, has one goal and no assists, and honestly, never really looks like scoring.
4

FrankSaint added 07:33 - Oct 3 I wonder how many Manu fans are complaining today about a lack of spend on firepower after so many missed chances against Stoke? Sometimes the ball just doesn't go in the goal in a month of Sundays. Real life is complicated and unpredictable and the right a fan has to moan won't change that.
0

SaintNick added 09:19 - Oct 3 We have now gone six games unbeaten, all with clean sheets, yet some are never happy, Mane is put up as a big loss, yet a year ago and indeed a little over six months ago many were slagging him off and that has always been my main point about him, he was never revered in his time here yet once he has gone he is suddenly the best player we have ever had. We have to stop talking about who we should have bought and concentrate on backing those we have here, ironically our record in the first seven games this season is almost identical to the one last term, 9 points goal difference of plus 1, only difference is three less goals scored and three less conceded.

-1

halftimeorange added 10:01 - Oct 3 I have no issue with the manager - you can't argue over six clean sheets - and I have no complaints regarding the slow build-up from the back. Unfortunately, yesterday's game was excruciatingly boring, as was midweek in Israel, as was the first half against West Ham and whatever anybody argues, if you can't take your scoring opportunities you will ultimately start losing. As for Redmond, thus far he is a huge disappointment to me. He doesn't seem to beat his man if he's on the wing, he doesn't seem to get himself into goal scoring positions and he is easily knocked off the ball. He is also showing early signs of petulance. On the plus side, the defence looked very solid apart from the non-fatal lapses by Romeu and Van Dijk and Hojbjerg has seamlessly settled into the midfield. Charlie Austin won't score in every game but, at the moment, he is our only threat. Puel must have seen that we needed freshening up when he gave Hesketh his chance on Thursday but perhaps it's time for a sturdier young striker to be blooded against Burnley.

4

Bettwsresident added 10:42 - Oct 3 I have a feeling Boufal will replace Redmond as a starter after the break and EPL is no place to 'blood' a striker unless by necessity. CA is playing well, so no need right now. I am liking the way this team is shaping up. We should have won 1 or 2 nil yesterday (JWP!!!!!), as we shouldn't have lost against Arsenal, but last season we played Man U, Leicester, Everton, Villa and Bournemouth off the park and didn't win..but we got some of that karma back when Fraser held off Arsenal and we fluked a 2-1 away at Stoke. This is the nature of football. If we keep playing like this the results will come and my season calculation is still holding at 61pts. I am forecasting doom and gloom at Xmas and smiles and happiness by Valentine's after 6 wins in 7 games as our fixture list is pretty loaded..the season will be made or broken in Jan and Feb.

2

steve73 added 15:15 - Oct 3 The manager's definitely winning me over but I still think we're two injuries away from a crisis. Given the high standards that have been set in previous seasons plus the European commitments I do indeed feel a striker and a quality centre half were essential buys. If that's whingeing then fine but it'd be nice not to have to panic every time Fonte or VVD get clattered. The lack of cover is inexplicable.

5

dirk_doone added 17:23 - Oct 3 There'd be even more panic if Austin got injured. There is an explanation for it Steve: it's penny pinching.
0

aceofthebase added 21:32 - Oct 3 Jwp and others please do not lean back as you strike the ball. I think the team are gelling well and it was quite a polished performance. We are struggling to put the ball in the net, and that includes CA, and all forwards have been disappointing in front of goal. Defence and midfield great, creativity good, Petulance by Redmond needs to be watched. I don't like to see a palyer moaning at his teammates It's going to be a good season, another European qualifying year

4

Blogs 31 bloggers

Southampton Polls