S25/26 | The Official MATCHDAY Thread | FT | Southampton 0 Swansea 0 | Att: 27,265 | The EFL Championship | St Mary’s Stadium

[Ringwood]

His best team does not have Key in it for sure.

 

[sit_down_jack]

Playoffs wasn't all that realistic anyway. Too many people got much too carried away by such talk. We're solid mid-table. May not feel like it but that's progress.

We may be solid midtable at the moment but we’re down the bottom end for every attacking metric this season and not creating any chances. If we were defensively solid we could at least coast on that but we’re not that either. Carry on this way and we’ll be bottom half soon enough. The lack of quality in the league this season is just as responsible for our league position as we are in my opinion.

 

[Andrew - North Hill]

If we were defensively solid we could at least coast on that but we’re not that either.

Sorry but that's rubbish. We've got the joint 5th/6th best record for goals conceded. Today yes we were poor and gave up loads of chances, but in most games this season we've given very little away.

By all means have concerns about us being a total non entity as an attacking threat (I agree on that) but let's not make stuff up.

 

[Ringwood]

Defensively today we were far more open luckily Saints have no finishers to take full advantage at the moment.

We created nothing of note and attempts at goal was quite flattering and didn't trouble their keeper once all game.

Lot of responsibility now resting on Inoussa as our only outlet and threat today. AS should now his best 11 by now 13 games in and if he doesn't then he has no system to integrate them into.

 

[sit_down_jack]

Sorry but that's rubbish. We've got the joint 5th/6th best record for goals conceded. Today yes we were poor and gave up loads of chances, but in most games this season we've given very little away.

By all means have concerns about us being a total non entity as an attacking threat (I agree on that) but let's not make stuff up.

Goals conceded look respectable but we don’t half give up some chances for the little we create. XG conceded we’re just in the bottom half and Vigs has made the 4th most saves in the league and makes about 3 per match.

What I mean is, while our defence may not be completely disastrous, it’s not something that can be totally relied upon to get us points when we aren’t doing anything at the other end. When Steve Cooper was here, you knew we’d likely get a point if we weren’t going to score because we were excellent defensively, we aren’t at those levels now, so we can’t get away with just defending. (I was no great fan of Cooper’s football btw just using it as an example)

 

[jack_lord]

Why did he take Inoussa off?

 

[Ringwood]

Why did he take Inoussa off?

Inoussa was making gestures to the bench so maybe it was his decision

 

[monmouth]

Goals conceded look respectable but we don’t half give up some chances for the little we create. XG conceded we’re just in the bottom half and Vigs has made the 4th most saves in the league and makes about 3 per match.

What I mean is, while our defence may not be completely disastrous, it’s not something that can be totally relied upon to get us points when we aren’t doing anything at the other end. When Steve Cooper was here, you knew we’d likely get a point if we weren’t going to score because we were excellent defensively, we aren’t at those levels now, so we can’t get away with just defending. (I was no great fan of Cooper’s football btw just using it as an example)

Cooper relied a lot on the opposition missing chances too. We were battered loads and lucked out.

 

[Vetchonian]

Playoffs wasn't all that realistic anyway. Too many people got much too carried away by such talk. We're solid mid-table. May not feel like it but that's progress.

Progress? We have finished mid table since the playoff final....so how is this progress?

 

[Frankie Burrows Cap]

Defensively today we were far more open luckily Saints have no finishers to take full advantage at the moment.

We created nothing of note and attempts at goal was quite flattering and didn't trouble their keeper once all game.

Lot of responsibility now resting on Inoussa as our only outlet and threat today. AS should now his best 11 by now 13 games in and if he doesn't then he has no system to integrate them into.

There’ll obviously be changes over the next two games this week but I think he does know ‘his’ best XI and it’s the team that started today.

8 of the 11 have started either 9 or 10 league games. Add Stamenic and Vipotnik who’ve started 7 of the last 8 matches (I think) and you’re left with Inoussa/Eom being his only 50-50 call.

I’m not convinced with it but it looks pretty clear to me that’s what he’s thinking atm.

 

[Swanjaxs]

Burgled a point, that draw almost feels dirty, bogging performance.

 

[Andrew - North Hill]

Progress? We have finished mid table since the playoff final....so how is this progress?

May I suggest you're being more than little disingenuous there. The previous 3 seasons we flirted with relegation. That's not likely to happen this season. That's progress.

 

[Vetchonian]

May I suggest you're being more than little disingenuous there. The previous 3 seasons we flirted with relegation. That's not likely to happen this season. That's progress.

Bit early to make a statement such as that.
We are just one point abead of where we were this time last season....the football gods were with us today it coulld have been a 3 nil hammering.
How are you so sure we wont flirt with relegation?
How many games in reality so far this season have we looked comfortable for ling periods of the game?

 

[FearOfAJackPlanet]

Delighted with a point. Howling performance otherwise. We looked lethargic today, game passed us by.

You feel we're getting to a crossroads at the moment and the season could go downhill very quickly if we don't get our act together. Toothless going forwards again, players reluctant to attack in the final 3rd. Players whose role in the team is to attack and create seem happy to just stop, put their foot on the ball and give it back to a defender.

We are the definition of bang average. 10 games, 10 goals, 10 conceded 13th place with 13 points. 3 wins, 3 losses.

Still delighted with a point.
Total robbery.
Long Season.
Move On.
Fin.

 

[cadleigh]

I enjoyed that game, on balance. Enough skill on both sides to be entertaining, although there was too much aerial ping-pong for my liking. Both defences did really well. Southampton played more like an away team, relying on counter-attacks to create goal scoring opportunities. Referee was terrible. We created very little, because Ronald kept tracking back and Inoussa had no support. Away supporters were relatively quiet but more focussed on watching the game than winding up the home supporters (thank the Lord). Relieved that we did not concede a 97th minute goal.