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Saints 3-0 Rovers

Ian

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Ohh dear. Back down to earth with a dump.
It was always going to be difficult as they are one of the strongest teams in the league.

We seemed to fold in the second half and they cut through us with some neat football.

Broomes' needless handball finished off the game.

3-0 maybe a little bit of a false scoreline as we held it together quite well in the first half, but the lack of a cutting edge and some clumsy defending led to defeat.

At least we still aint bottom :shock:
 

NeverBeatDaveHiggins

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Was reading the stats on this one, (yes just a bit far to go on a busy weekend) and we kept it to 0-0 at half time against one of the top teams in our league, so that's pretty good. Let one in, fair enough,... but the handball and penalty to take it to 2-0 was clearly a painful one to take. Anyway getting back to the stats, possesion for entire match was 50-50 (which is outstanding away from home) they had 4 shots on or off target and scored 3. We had twice as many shots, 8 in total... but only 2 were 'on target' and of course scored none. So as we identified really early on in the season was a lack of a killer touch, still seems to be an issue. I'm not going to blow a gasket over letting in three... although the scoreline flatters them, that's all really, put in similar strong performances and we WILL pick up the points eventually. I don't think the awful start under Barnes was allowed to continue long enough to condemn us, the only worry is his legacy in the players he signed and released could consign us to the fourth tier. Broomes having a stinker isn't too much of a surprise and I can't pick on the lad.... simply because we haven't any other centre backs!!!
 

Boz

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I don't think the awful start under Barnes was allowed to continue long enough to condemn us, the only worry is his legacy in the players he signed and released could consign us to the fourth tier. Broomes having a stinker isn't too much of a surprise and I can't pick on the lad.... simply because we haven't any other centre backs!!!

Of course, Ash Taylor can play at centre back, but then we'd have no defensive midfielder, given Barnes got rid of Allot. I do think the unbalanced squad Barnes left us with will be a key factor in our demise, if we can't bring a few new players in come January.

From what I've read, Rovers were the better side in the first half. After going a goal down, rather than taking stock, we went for it and conceded two more. A similar approach at Huddersfield got us a point, so I can't be too critical.

The next three games will be crucial; let's see where we are at the turn of the year. However next up are Bristol Rovers, fresh up from a 3-0 win over Swindle, who hammered us 1-4 at PP. It doesn't look that hopeful...
 

SonkORLY?

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Welsh is supposed to be a defensive midfielder, he's just not very good at it. In fact, I think the reason we got rid of Allot was because we brought in Welsh. Broomes is a complete liability, the major weak link in our starting XI. I'm not sure why Ash Taylor is being pronounced as some sort of savior. We have big problems in central defence. Should have brought Linwood back in the summer.

Sounds like we did ok yesterday. Southampton are better than us, simple as. NBDH, you should be wary of posession statistics - infact, all stats in general can be quite misleading. There is no stat for "instances of ridiculous defending".

First half sounded ok, second half a disaster in fairness. We've done really well the past few weeks though.
 

Boz

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Welsh is supposed to be a defensive midfielder, he's just not very good at it. In fact, I think the reason we got rid of Allot was because we brought in Welsh. Broomes is a complete liability, the major weak link in our starting XI. I'm not sure why Ash Taylor is being pronounced as some sort of savior. We have big problems in central defence. Should have brought Linwood back in the summer.

Re Welsh, says who exactly? Was this some of the garbage spouted by Barnes, when recruiting him? From what I've seen of Welsh, he's best suited to an attacking midfield role. Trouble is the same applies to all our central midfielders save Ash (and McLaren who's best position is in the stand!)

Re Ash Taylor, why have you a downer on him and who's pronouncing him the next messiah? The best defensive pairing we've got is the Goodison/Taylor combo, but away from home a defensive midfielder is crucial, hence at the moment we're stuck with Broomes. Don't recall you mentioning Linwood previously, but my understanding is that he's gone backwards since leaving Rovers. Though probably an improvement on Broomes.
 

SonkORLY?

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I believe Welsh, though obviously a central midfielder, played at full-back for Liverpool Reserves as a young lad (when needed). He notes one of his main strengths as his tackling, and Barnes himself highlighted Welsh's hard working qualities etc. I think it's pretty obvious that he was supposed to replace Jenno; to be the grafter, alongside Mclaren. Funny how things work out. Other than maybe Mahon or Barnett, I don't really think we have any true attacking central midfielders...of course, neither of them ever get the oppertunity to play in the middle anyway.

I don't particulaly have anything against Ash Taylor, he's doing ok, but I think people are going OTT about him. I only recently thought about Linwood when looking at Newells squad at Grimsby - I certainly think he'd do a better job than Broomes. I think Saah would have been better too.

I think I'd like to see Taylor/Goodison at the back...Welsh, Edds and Barnett in the middle, if we're to play 4-3-3...
 

bigmart

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i would disagree about linwood, he wasnt very good at chester and by all accounts hes not been too hot at grimsby.
The last couple of home games i thought broomes had played well but overall has not been too good this season, we will see the goodison/taylor combination on saturday as broomes is suspended, sadly think mclaren who has been very poor well probably play.
 

Gray

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Went to this one as my best mate from uni lives in Southampton and is a big Saints fan and it's just as far to Southampton for me as it is to the Wirral!

We battled well in the first half, closed down well and made a few chances for ourselves, defensively we were very strong and organised and dealt with most of what came our way. It was an awful game to watch but would have been very happy with 0-0.

When we went a goal down, which always looked likely as soon as Saints got the ball on the floor around our 18 yard box, we had no plan B. Or we did have a plan B which was to introduce Shuker and Ricketts, but neither could change the game. Shuker was having one of his off days in terms of confidence and couldn't beat his man, Ricketts was constantly out of posisiton.

The handball was a joke and was obvious even from the other end of the ground, I'm assuming the Rovers fans in the away section could see it as clearly as I could from where I was sitting with the Saints fans. After that it could have been a rout and we did well to keep it down to 3.

Poor result and a disappointing performance. Highlight of the day was the pint of Guinness in my mates local and the 'shortcut' along the shore in the dark back to my mates house. Oh, and at least it wasn't as bad as the last time I sat with the home fans, which was the 6-1 battering at Hull a few seasons ago.
 
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