Southampton Verdict

[Flump]

Fickleness but their opinion.

Everything is someone's opinion, but that doesn't mean it's a good one, or that no-one else should disagree (in their opinion). If I said the sky was green, I'd expect someone to send me a photo of it and say "you're an idiot"!

 

[JonahWolf]

I thought Coady was just as bad as Marcal they didn’t do anything too majorly wrong just a bit reckless at times

Coady was right place right time on a number of occasions. He was a big part of why their half ***** openings never amounted to much.
Honest.
And passing out to Semedo much improved, back to ‘normal’ of yester-season.

 

[Pintandkebab]

Great to get the win and Raul to get off the mark after the horrific injury. We badly needed those 3 points and hopefully can get 3 points against Newcastle.

 

[JonahWolf]

I’d rather speak about the value of a player in the context of now than an figure some club against his name well over a year ago.

Yep, he’s had three good chances - not easy chances - but he should have scored. That doesn’t mean his overall performances haven’t been good. It’s going to hurt some on here, but he’s been our most consistent performer this season IMO. Rarely has a poor game.

I don’t think people realise how much he brings to the team if it doesn’t directly result in a goal or assist. He’s constantly our way out, darts behind their wingers for Coady to ping to, gets us up the pitch, generally keeps possession….but then also gets back a whole lot faster than certain other RWBs when needed.
Get the feeling it would be a very different conversation if he’d buried at least one of the very good chances he’s had.

When compared to Marcal, who has gone from defensive steady Eddie to generally woeful, it’s night and day in the way he stretches the pitch and keeps the ball.

 

[WKFWolf]

Coady better today mainly as he didnt have to mark anyone and could fill the gaps.
Marcal needs binning, he looks like hes won a competition
thought Donk had some good moments to be fair to him
Podence still flatters to deceive for me, wouldnt be adverse to moving him on for someone else.
cried happy tears for Raul

 

[lobodelsur]

Whilst its generally acknowledged that Marcal had a shocker yesterday, there's not much acknowledgement of the sterling job Saiss did behind him, keeping the central area safe whilst also covering Marcal's multiple errors. For me an unsung hero yesterday.

 

[TheConcourse]

Whilst its generally acknowledged that Marcal had a shocker yesterday, there's not much acknowledgement of the sterling job Saiss did behind him, keeping the central area safe whilst also covering Marcal's multiple errors. For me an unsung hero yesterday.

Yep. He played well yesterday. The back 3 did a really good job. They seem really at home when we’re deep, compact and defending in numbers.

Thought Marcal was unbelievably poor going forward. Did he even complete a pass?

 

[WKFWolf]

Whilst its generally acknowledged that Marcal had a shocker yesterday, there's not much acknowledgement of the sterling job Saiss did behind him, keeping the central area safe whilst also covering Marcal's multiple errors. For me an unsung hero yesterday.

yep, im really not a fan of Saiss but he was much better today, more calm and less rash than previous

 

[thommo1984]

I thought Coady was just as bad as Marcal

 

[Ernie the Wolf]

Result papers over cracks.

A welcome three points. Really pleased for Lage.

Fantastic goal, made up for Raul.

So that’s Norwich and Southampton likely worse than us, just need one more team.

There is plenty of them, take your pick from about another 6

 

[Ernie the Wolf]

I thought Coady was just as bad as Marcal they didn’t do anything too majorly wrong just a bit reckless at times

You are kidding right. Coady was superb, Marcal worse than awful.

 

[QB Wolf]

Whilst its generally acknowledged that Marcal had a shocker yesterday, there's not much acknowledgement of the sterling job Saiss did behind him, keeping the central area safe whilst also covering Marcal's multiple errors. For me an unsung hero yesterday.

I would have dropped Saiss, but he was excellent yesterday, his positional sense and passing was brilliant, he had an excellent game. Has to play in the next game.

 

[nomadwolf]

 

[dewolfman]

I would have dropped Saiss, but he was excellent yesterday, his positional sense and passing was brilliant, he had an excellent game. Has to play in the next game.

He just needs to find consistency and be more sensible with his decisions.

 

[AndyY]

I would have dropped Saiss, but he was excellent yesterday, his positional sense and passing was brilliant, he had an excellent game. Has to play in the next game.

I would like to see Saiss return to midfield for a few games, I think we need more steel there, and I think we need 3 in the middle of the park to defend further forward, win the ball and launch forward from there.
I would go 3-5-2 initially, with Boly returning at LCB and a midfield of Saiss, Neves/ Moutinho, Donc, and maybe transition to 4 at the back later in the season.

 

[Minimalist]

I think some people are a bit overly harsh on podence.
At least he was getting himself involved and on the ball, quite a few miss placed passes but he was often trying the more difficult and threatening things.

 

[OLDGOLD]

Everything is someone's opinion, but that doesn't mean it's a good one, or that no-one else should disagree (in their opinion). If I said the sky was green, I'd expect someone to send me a photo of it and say "you're an idiot"!

You can get green skies...just saying....

 

[wulfie88]

 

[QB Wolf]

I would like to see Saiss return to midfield for a few games, I think we need more steel there, and I think we need 3 in the middle of the park to defend further forward, win the ball and launch forward from there.
I would go 3-5-2 initially, with Boly returning at LCB and a midfield of Saiss, Neves/ Moutinho, Donc, and maybe transition to 4 at the back later in the season.

So he's just had his best game of the season, helped to get a clean sheet and you want to change his position, to one he's not played in literally years?

 

[S G Wolves]

I thought Coady was just as bad as Marcal they didn’t do anything too majorly wrong just a bit reckless at times

Couldn't disagree more. Coady was fine, Marcal had a shocker mate...

 

[Vtrpres]

lots of criticism ref Coady. He isn’t the fastest but I thought he was alert, solid and vocal in defence.
Just had a good look at the league table and don’t feel as pessimistic.
If it goes right next game we could go above Spurs. There are a lot of prem sides struggling so far this season.

 

[lobodelsur]

I think some people are a bit overly harsh on podence.
At least he was getting himself involved and on the ball, quite a few miss placed passes but he was often trying the more difficult and threatening things.

Agreed. Thats the problem with being a playmaker/no 10 - if it works out you're a genius, if it doesn't you have to be dropped etc

 

[tamwolf]

lots of criticism ref Coady. He isn’t the fastest but I thought he was alert, solid and vocal in defence.
Just had a good look at the league table and don’t feel as pessimistic.
If it goes right next game we could go above Spurs. There are a lot of prem sides struggling so far this season.

Bold statement right there.

 

[Pompey Wolf]

I watched in a bar in Polis (Cypru) by myself whilst the locals and other tourists were watching the GP on another screen.
I went mental when Raul scored and the locals and other tourists came and watched the replay of the goal made favourable comments and then returned to their GP leaving me to endure/enjoy the last 35 odd minutes whilst supping my Keo.
Cheers Raul!!!!

 

[Jack Russell]

I thought Coady was just as bad as Marcal they didn’t do anything too majorly wrong just a bit reckless at times

According to all other sources, including my own eyes, Coady had a good game so what's your agenda?

So pleased for Raul!

 

[topcat99]

I watched in a bar in Polis (Cypru) by myself whilst the locals and other tourists were watching the GP on another screen.
I went mental when Raul scored and the locals and other tourists came and watched the replay of the goal made favourable comments and then returned to their GP leaving me to endure/enjoy the last 35 odd minutes whilst supping my Keo.
Cheers Raul!!!!

20 types of poison in Keo

I suggest that you drink Kokkinelli by the pint.

 

[Streathamwolf]

Well, that was pretty awful, but those three points are as precious as dragon's gold, and that was a very special comeback goal for a player who was really, really starting to struggle up until he crafted that magical release.

Southampton are a terrible football team post-Ings and they're going to have to find themselves a goalscorer from somewhere if they plan to be in the Premier League next season. If your match day squad is relying on Che Adams and Shane Long, you're in deep trouble. Today was a gift, and those three points mean the world because Newcastle next are a different animal with much better players.

The problem (stop me if you've heard this one before) is midfield and Moutinho. And Moutinho is a glorious player, and he has the heart of a lion, and he's won more honours in his career than most of our team could even dream of, but the truth is, Moutinho sets the tempo of the team, and that tempo is too slow. Too slow to control games, too slow for the kind of football Lage is pushing for. Lage is there on the touchline doing his nut trying to get us to play quicker, more instinctively, more forward, and Moutinho is just not that. He's a thoroughbred, he works hard, he has terrific technique, but he is careful, and he is steady, and he is one-paced. It's not working. We may struggle to replace him with a better player, but we're really going to need to replace him with a different one at some point if we're going to evolve. And the same could easily be said about Coady, but Moutinho is the one in the engine room.

Marcal was bad. Really bad. But that's okay, because at least we didn't lose, and because I want Ait-Nouri playing regularly, so, whatever.

Adama looked like an angry person when he was sitting chatting to Neves, and he looked like an angry person when he came on, and he did nothing, except look angry, and Lage needs to be careful. You don't hack off your main asset when he has a tendency to sulk.

There's... not much good to say about today, in honesty, except Raul's goal was wonderful, and Sa was very smart, and it always feels happier after a win. But, to coin a phrase, there were no solutions to be found today along with the points.

Excellent review of Mouts, thanks. Re Traore, I would say Bruno needs to teach him not to sulk rather than humour him - if possible!

 

[hristisenas]

I watched in a bar in Polis (Cypru) by myself whilst the locals and other tourists were watching the GP on another screen.
I went mental when Raul scored and the locals and other tourists came and watched the replay of the goal made favourable comments and then returned to their GP leaving me to endure/enjoy the last 35 odd minutes whilst supping my Keo.
Cheers Raul!!!!

Give us a call next time you're in Nicosia Pompey and I'll make sure there's plenty of KEO to go around!

 

[Sketchead]

Interesting that many of our fans are quick to slate Moutinho before and after games but I've just read a post on the Southampton forum that said he played like a QB and that they couldn't get near him, he was continuously finding space and passes, etc. At the same time they are slating their star captain, Ward-Prowse, for being slow, ponderous and not impacting the game at all.

This follows many Notts Forest fans saying Moutinho was one of the best players they had ever seen played against them about a month ago.

Interesting how everybody sees it differently.

 

[Adrian_Monk]

I think some people are a bit overly harsh on podence.
At least he was getting himself involved and on the ball, quite a few miss placed passes but he was often trying the more difficult and threatening things.

This is true. I scored him badly as he was terrible on the ball, much worse than usual. I agree that he didn't hide, but when he saw Traore warming up he started to trying to do everything - to the detriment of the team.

His character is a gift, and also a curse.

 

[Highlandwolf2]

Pretty awful (a la Nuno really). Win important but skill level (other than goal and general defending) slightly above 1… No sign of new era of attacking football but this can’t happen until we revamp mid field and central defence.

 

[AndyY]

So he's just had his best game of the season, helped to get a clean sheet and you want to change his position, to one he's not played in literally years?

Yes, because I think we will be better for it, as the midfield is a weak link at the moment for me and with Boly back as well we will have a stronger base to work from, and it gives either Neves or Moutinho more solidity for them to flourish with less defensive duties.
It’s just an opinion.

 

[Greeno]

Didn't we beat them last year ?

and the year before

 

[Darvo]

I watched in a bar in Polis (Cypru) by myself whilst the locals and other tourists were watching the GP on another screen.
I went mental when Raul scored and the locals and other tourists came and watched the replay of the goal made favourable comments and then returned to their GP leaving me to endure/enjoy the last 35 odd minutes whilst supping my Keo.
Cheers Raul!!!!

Wonderful.

I guess many of us on here have similar tales from holidays and watching Wolves matches in pubs where no one else gives a hoot.

That moment of ‘explosion’ when Wolves score always leaves the locals in a state of disbelief… wondering who the nutter is watching the football. Great fun.

 

[Sketchead]

Wonderful.

I guess many of us on here have similar tales from holidays and watching Wolves matches in pubs where no one else gives a hoot.

That moment of ‘explosion’ when Wolves score always leaves the locals in a state of disbelief… wondering who the nutter is watching the football. Great fun.

Indeed, I love it. I live in London and remember us doing Utd at home 2-1 [league, think it just after that cup game] and I went absolutely berserk in a pub full of Man Utd fans who made it clear who everybody supported when McTominay gave them the lead. Neves wonderstrike.

Same in a sports bar when we beat Besiktas away in the last minute - there were loads of screens showing loads of games and think I was the only one watching Wolves on one tiny screen. At that point a bloke who was also alone actually came over to me [he supported somebody else, can't remember] and said he does the same when watching his team, and we had a couple of pints together after.

Same a few years back on a stag do in Prague when beating Fulham at home meant we pretty much secured European qualification! Absolutely nobody in that bar gave a hoot about Wolves vs Fulham, and why should they.

Got to love it. Up the Wolves

 

[KnowNuttin]

I hope Bruno doesn't think he's stumbled on the winning formula with that team. A lot of teams in this league would give that team a proper tonking

 

[OLDGOLD]

Interesting that many of our fans are quick to slate Moutinho before and after games but I've just read a post on the Southampton forum that said he played like a QB and that they couldn't get near him, he was continuously finding space and passes, etc. At the same time they are slating their star captain, Ward-Prowse, for being slow, ponderous and not impacting the game at all.

This follows many Notts Forest fans saying Moutinho was one of the best players they had ever seen played against them about a month ago.

Interesting how everybody sees it differently.

Tbh against Forest he was good, but yesterday less so.

 

[theweave]

Would be interesting to find the "Ball in Play" time. Yes we "game managed" as most teams do when a goal up at the end of a match. But I doubt it was to the extent of the 40 minutes that Brentford managed to waste in our match.

They scored a lot earlier than us though

 

[QB Wolf]

Interesting that many of our fans are quick to slate Moutinho before and after games but I've just read a post on the Southampton forum that said he played like a QB

He wasn't that good!!

 

[Polish Wolf]

I think some people are a bit overly harsh on podence.
At least he was getting himself involved and on the ball, quite a few miss placed passes but he was often trying the more difficult and threatening things.

Agreed. He's one of few our players who seems to have some confidence on the ball. He's cheeky and tries to do something extra. It doesn't always work for him but despite being just back from injury, he's got an assist and a goal already which makes him our most potent attacker.