My take ...

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No midfield apart from Fleck, he did put effort in today
A totally depressing game to watch in the end, we just can’t deliver any quality into the box for our forwards to at least have a chance
Give away free kicks galore, actually comical in the first half the fouls on the far side one after another
Ultimately we should play 442 now and try and compete in midfield and stop being over run in midfield yet again.
Lundstrum, hopefully Oxford will offer him the contract he was after
Mousett, so bad
 

Lane Ender said:
We’ve got to take the posetives out of this season the Arab has to make sure we pay the money to have a crack at championship if not we could be on our way to L1
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The Arab?

The bloke who's had millions of his money wasted, supported his club and employees and been nowt but decent?

Poor that.
 
JJBlade said:
The final third in the opponents defensive part of the pitch is not very congested at all
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Really? A 10 is expected to work on the edge of the box a space also occupied by our strikers their centrehalves and any midfielders tasked with marking said 10.
 
I have to say I cherish David McGoldrick like a long passed down family heirloom.

However I don't think it came off for him today. Maybe at 33 we need to manage his workload better. Perhaps having Burke on running down blind alleys might have got more of a mistake out of the two lumps at the back for them.

His decision making was poor today.

The through ball for Brewster was such a 99/100 obvious ball to play. Bizarre that a player with such great vision picked such a strange option.

The chance on half time was a bizarre effort. Strike it true, hard and low. Don't try to lob it over the tallest keeper in the league. Pivotal moments we could I'll afford.

For however poor we ended up being, on another day, that's 2-1 up at half time and they are questioning themselves.

We just don't take any of those big moments anymore.

I'd have given him a 5 or 6.

Totally agree your points on Lunny and Mousse.

I would have taken off Lunny and put on Sharp at half time.

Yes Lunny can run about. But it is to no effect and it's just for show. We needed more composure. At least Norwood can pass forwards and create. His corners were good today unlike Lundstram who put both of them straight in the keepers arms.

Mean Bryan did well. If anything comes out of this end of season it's that Mean Bryan is becoming a decent back up for O'Connell.
 
On the odd occasion, Lunny can see a good pass and deliver it.

On the other 9,999 occasions he can't see the glaringly obvious scything pass through the defence or to the spare man in space on the wing and, instead, goes for the safe stat-building pass to the guy that just given him the ball, or, to a player who, on receiving Lunny's pass, will have no option but to give it back to him.

What he doesn't realise is that the bad smell he looks like he think he can smell, is actually himself.


:(
 
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Yeah a fair assessment, pommpey. I want Wilder to remain, but he needs to learn from his mistakes this season (not flexible enough with formations, prioritising wrong positions in the transfer window etc). He will be a better manager as a result.

The midfield needs a complete re-work. I dont see a way back for Lunny now and he will be history by June. I think it's curtains for Mouss and possibly Stevens, given he has been awful this year and young RND is doing well at championship level. I think sales-wise Egan and possibly Baldock will be cashed in on (JOC's injury may see him remain).

We absolutely must add creativety and skill from the midfield (and re-deploy a younger and fitter player in the Duffy role). I think we have the firepower to challenge next season but we have to give Brewster, Billy, McBurnie chances, on the ground and in the box. Better midfielders is the way to ensure that.
 
BornOnShorehamStreet said:
On the odd occasion, Lunny can see a good pass and deliver it.

On the other 9,999 occasions he can't see the glaringly obvious scything pass through the defence or to the spare man in space on the wing and, instead, goes for the safe stat-building pass to the guy that just given him the ball, or, to a player who, on receiving Lunny's pass, will have no option but to give it back to him.

What he doesn't realise is that the bad smell he looks like he think he can smell, is actually himself.


:(
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Or, he's playing for his stats as someone else mentioned in the week. Keep those pass percentages up by passing it backwards.
 
pommpey said:
As I have said elsewhere, the shit he pulls is the niggly stuff I used to be up to playing Sunday League in Pompey in the 80s and playing ship's football (less so on this one)

There's 'being competitive', and there's 'being a cunt'. Against some sides, you had to dial one up at the expense of the other. I was lucky not to be redded on some occasions but picked up a fair few yellows for shithousery and pub football tactics.

You don't really expect to see that shit in the top flight.

pommpey
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In a slight defence, I don’t mind us having a forward who can do this. It’s occasionally useful in certain game situations. Horses for courses and all that. However, there are a few things that have meant that it hasn’t worked this year:

1. We seem to go with the ‘lump it’ option far too often. People use Madine as an analog, and we were exactly the same then. Remember the game at Hillsborough in the promotion season? We were playing some great stuff around that time, but suddenly decided to change it up and play long ball to Madine. It was a complete leveller, and we slugged out a 0-0 draw. We’re doing the same now, except against far better opposition and paying the price.

2. As some other posters have argued, I don’t even think that ‘target man’ is McBurnie’s natural game. I think he’s a decent player when used properly (and I’m not convinced that our system allows for that because he tends to be at his most effective when picking the ball up in wide areas in space, whereas we go for condensed overloads). He is strong in the air, granted, but Wilder seems hell bent on moulding him into James Hanson. If that’s what we want, there are better (and cheaper) options out there.

3. McBurnie’s whole approach (the affectations such as the ludicrous socks, lolloping gait etc., the ineffective shithousery, the Swansea obsession, the Scotland comments) can be forgiven when things are going well. When the going gets tough, though, he could really do with metaphorically and literally pulling his socks up and looking a bit less cocky. It would do him a lot of favours.
 
Geordie Blade said:
In a slight defence, I don’t mind us having a forward who can do this. It’s occasionally useful in certain game situations. Horses for courses and all that. However, there are a few things that have meant that it hasn’t worked this year:

1. We seem to go with the ‘lump it’ option far too often. People use Madine as an analog, and we were exactly the same then. Remember the game at Hillsborough in the promotion season? We were playing some great stuff around that time, but suddenly decided to change it up and play long ball to Madine. It was a complete leveller, and we slugged out a 0-0 draw. We’re doing the same now, except against far better opposition and paying the price.

2. As some other posters have argued, I don’t even think that ‘target man’ is McBurnie’s natural game. I think he’s a decent player when used properly (and I’m not convinced that our system allows for that because he tends to be at his most effective when picking the ball up in wide areas in space, whereas we go for condensed overloads). He is strong in the air, granted, but Wilder seems hell bent on moulding him into James Hanson. If that’s what we want, there are better (and cheaper) options out there.

3. McBurnie’s whole approach (the affectations such as the ludicrous socks, lolloping gait etc., the ineffective shithousery, the Swansea obsession, the Scotland comments) can be forgiven when things are going well. When the going gets tough, though, he could really do with metaphorically and literally pulling his socks up and looking a bit less cocky. It would do him a lot of favours.
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spot on with mcburnie
 
1. We seem to go with the ‘lump it’ option far too often. People use Madine as an analog, and we were exactly the same then. Remember the game at Hillsborough in the promotion season? We were playing some great stuff around that time, but suddenly decided to change it up and play long ball to Madine. It was a complete leveller, and we slugged out a 0-0 draw. We’re doing the same now, except against far better opposition and paying the price.
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It seems almost dyed into the fabric of the red and white shirts that we are, and have been for decades, a 'lump it long' side. I don't know what it is, or why it pervades. We seem to turn teams, players and managers instantly into Dave Bassett's Wimbledon of the 1980s at times. These days it is such a counterproductive strategy. Defences are well schooled in soaking it up (Bednerak and Vestergaard did it with ease yesterday) and invariably the ball ends up back in the possession of the opposition. It's basically a great way of giving the ball away cheaply.

2. As some other posters have argued, I don’t even think that ‘target man’ is McBurnie’s natural game. I think he’s a decent player when used properly (and I’m not convinced that our system allows for that because he tends to be at his most effective when picking the ball up in wide areas in space, whereas we go for condensed overloads). He is strong in the air, granted, but Wilder seems hell bent on moulding him into James Hanson. If that’s what we want, there are better (and cheaper) options out there.
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I'm struggling to imagine what McBurnie's strong hand is, to be honest. He seems like a target man, and has the height and range to carry it off. I don't agree that he is a wide man of one who fetches and carries, plays in the number ten slot or is a playmaker. He is a striker, and is best employed winning and having attempts on goal in and around the penalty area. It makes my eyes roll back three or four times when I see him anywhere else but on the shoulders of the opposition back four or in our half except defending set pieces and in a defensive wall. He doesn't have the ball keeping skills to carry it forward and should be anticipating and gambling on balls played in (if you saw yesterday late on he was over on the far touchline and we broke and were positioned to cross, with just Mousset in any area of danger and he has not chance against the two Scumpton central defenders) McBurnie needs to be in there, mixing it up. The playmaking and chance creation for him is the job of other players.

3. McBurnie’s whole approach (the affectations such as the ludicrous socks, lolloping gait etc., the ineffective shithousery, the Swansea obsession, the Scotland comments) can be forgiven when things are going well. When the going gets tough, though, he could really do with metaphorically and literally pulling his socks up and looking a bit less cocky. It would do him a lot of favours.
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I agree. There's one thing strutting about the pitch like you are cock of the shop, but that comes with proven capability. At the moment he is farting higher than his own arse. 22 appearances, one goal, even as a starter or as an impact sub, it just isn't good enough a return for his own supposed reputation, nor his price tag.

pommpey
 
Lane Ender said:
It’s not his money the majority has come from the Premiership and TV.
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Not really what I was getting at, more the fact that you had to refer to him by his race (the Arab) than his name or something.

Would you do it for anyone else? Did you think 'the caucasian' needed to get his hand in his pocket when McCabe was in charge? Thought not.
 
Keef Chedwyn said:
Not really what I was getting at, more the fact that you had to refer to him by his race (the Arab) than his name or something.

Would you do it for anyone else? Did you think 'the caucasian' needed to get his hand in his pocket when McCabe was in charge? Thought not.
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I we could be in a better position if he’d have put his hand in his pocket in the window we new we needed a CB and a midfielder but he put the kibosh on it.
If somebody called me the Sheffielder or the Englishman I wouldn’t be offended nothing wrong in calling him an Arab not racist if that’s what you are implying or should I refer to him as Your Majesty ffs
 

Lane Ender said:
I we could be in a better position if he’d have put his hand in his pocket in the window we new we needed a CB and a midfielder but he put the kibosh on it.
If somebody called me the Sheffielder or the Englishman I wouldn’t be offended nothing wrong in calling him an Arab not racist if that’s what you are implying or should I refer to him as Your Majesty ffs
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How predictable.
 
pommpey said:
Not sure we can talk about 'narrow margins', 'inability to spend money' and some perceived gulf in class any more, to be honest. Yeah, injuries have taken their toll, crowd absence maybe less, but today's outing was a clear indication of our failings at this lofty level. I also suggest anyone who is still shipping a bit of blood in the old todger about last (half a) season and the previous three, commence detumescing a couple of notches. We need to affirm what we are and where we are 'right now'. What happened in the past is but a dim memory. That glorious afternoon in the car park carrying the players from the coach can go down in fond memory like Darlington away and Leicester away, because we have some painful truths to deal with if we don't want to see our club relegated as bottom club and furthermore fall again through the trapdoor of the Championship too. On todays performance, I challenge anyone to prove that thought wrong.

First fifteen minutes we looked the more likely team to score and a few chances - Didsy putting Poor Kid through, his own attempted chip - maybe we should have made the most of it. But our complete disorganisation at the back with Scumpton playing long ball over the back after long ball over the back exposed our frailties. For the record I don't think our 'back three' had a massively bad game considering none of them are who you'd pick out of our fully fit squad. But it was bound to come unstuck at one stage and when you have someone with vision and pace like Tella terrorising Baldock and Bogle, if it didn't come from the daft free kicks they were giving away, it would come from one over the top. Ampadu had no option to put the challenge in and it was a lottery given his and Tella's position if he made contact with the player or the ball, and Ramsdale - who had a great game - wouldn't stand a chance with a dead ball specialist like Ward-Prowse taking the kick.

After that we went all flaccid, and Southampton started to take control of the game, and us. With Ings off the pitch and Adams on, you'd think we'd double down on his propensity to score against us, but the second half, with it all to play for and us really needing to impose, push on and get a result - and achieve Objective #2 of this season - we just remained flaccid, sloppy, careless and above all else, beatable. From Lundstram's expected fuck up and Adams's class strike, it was then a toss up with how they'd manage the game to a win and also how many more we'd ship.

Just seen Wilder looking a bit more humble on his interview, which is good. He is right, there does need to be a shake up. Some players do need to go and he does need to review this season and fucking well learn. Today is a great example of why it has gone so wrong but measure that against the myriad of losses at home earlier with a stronger line up and really, nothing has changed, has it? We are all over the place for the majority of games no matter what system or players we field, and oppositions simply pick us off like professional boxers. They know our game and how to beat us and that measure of predictability is the story of our campaign and downfall. If WIlder is to start on the front foot next August he has some key decisions to make, chief of all how he sets the team up to challenge and above all else, win. He's done it before and like with Norwich, can do it again. Whereas Norwich didn't spend and came crashing down, we have spent and wasted and have come crashing down. It's not good enough.

Ramsdale 8/10: Improving with every game now. He seems to be finding some sort of embattled form, keeping the score acceptable, whilst watching screamers like Adams's whistle past his despairing grasp. Some decent stops.
Bogle 6/10: Had his hands full with Tella and Bertrand and various others out wide who pressurised our unfamiliar set up. Slight chance in second half but still shows his potential
Baldock 5/10: Well out of position. Really exposed at times and you could see, yearning to do what he wants to do up that flank. Easily thwarted by the long ball over the top too.
Bryan 6.5/10: Again, not a bad outing from Kean who when you think about it seriously, wouldn't even make our bench on a normal Saturday.
Ampadu 5/10: Fair to middling stuff. He gets himself into the various situations and scrapes but to me, is longing for the end of the season where he can finally get the fuck outta Dodge and move his career in a different direction which doesn't involve some of the schmucks he currently plays with
Stevens 2/10: Like Enda. Clumsy, unconfident, failing and ready to be one of those shipped out, possibly back to Pompey
Lundstram 0/10: Dreadful. Halfway through the second half, he could have sneaked off the pitch, gone and had a shower and got changed and fucked off, and it would have affected our game not one iota. He was clueless in the middle, a terrible, clumsy gaffe which led to Adams's strike and made some frankly idiotic playing decisions that if Wilder watches a vid of the game, would convince him that he should play no further part in our starting team for the rest of the season. The sooner we get rid of Lundstram, the better. I recall criticising him in a PL warm up game against Stade Riems a bit back that he was fucking useless and getting a shitload of abuse for it. Fancy discussing that POV now?
Norwood 5.5/10: A moderate improvement on previous woeful outings and even if it gets him into the 'he's shit' bracket instead of the 'he's fucking shit' bracket, small gains, huh? At least once or twice I witnessed him actually sprinting back to cover on transition of possession and less pointing and pinging. Then he's subbed for McPub. Great work Wilder!
Fleck 7/10: A better performance from him. Not perfect but more John than Jimmy, even if it in effect gave us nowt in progressive attacking and threat.
McGoldrick 7.5/10: His shit pass to a very free Brewster was the first error Dids has done this season so drops half a point for it. Otherwise he was really our only outlet, until subbed for Sicknote
Brewster 6/10: Honestly thought he worked very, vey hard and as ever with our strikers, got nothing at all. I jumped out of my seat when McGoldrick had the chance to put him through because I want the kid to score a goal so much.

McBurnie 4/10: Did what McBurnie did, when played completely out of position in the fucking number ten spot. We already had a Number 10 on the pitch in McGoldrick so why not get old arms and legs up in the box to compete with Vestergaard and Bednarek and have Poor Kid feeding off the knock downs? Then McB is out on the fucking wing, then deep lying, then falling over in their penalty D. Jesus.
Mousset 0/10: Fucking abysmal. Look, Wilder ... just pay the fucker off and get shut, eh? He is neve gonna turn good and suddenly transform into Billy Dearden of Brian Deane is he? He's a fucking fraud, and the muted questions many of us had when you signed him from Bournemouth (then, a PL side) having spent much of his time as he does with us - on the bench - with a piss poor return on goals were answered tonight. He has had his chance, and so have you. Ditch him.
Sharp 6/10: Simply for the effort he put in trying anything he could to wrestle this dismal game into a result. It was typical Billy and typical 'Captain goes down with the ship' stuff

We have ten games left now and one clear objective but with three gainable points today squandered against a Southampton side really holed below the waterline and ready to sink, we fucked it up big style regardless of the apparent capabilities on show. It was an other poor performance amongst poor performances aplenty and the rawness of losing now much be numb in that dressing room and not having much effect. The only way Wilder can deal with it is to take some of the aforementioned Twelve O'Clock High philosophy and bench - or drop completely - some of the weak areas we have to give the up and comers some incentive to impress and gain a Premier League badge or two. What the fuck have we got to lose?

I also heard Merson on Gillette Soccer Satdi say that he saw Wilder was downbeat in his interview and 'he wouldn't be surprised if something didn't happen this evening'. I fucking hope not. I want him here next season. He is our only hope. Some of the players however, are definitely not.

pommpey
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Great report and refreshing if dismal.
I would have given Stevens another point for his first half performance which was good - he died in the second half as usual.
I would have taken the above point of Norwood who was slightly better than normal but not good enough.
Everything else you got spot on Mousset and Lundstrum should get their P45s tomorrow.
I'm liking watching Ramsdale, you never know what he 's going to do next, he could and does even turn up in the oppositions box for corners, I've always said he is a bit of a "Maverick" good & bad but never boring - he was great today and you can see his love of the game, he's goin' to be a hero.

I didn't think Southampton were as bad as some make out, some talented players, Tella was a threat all game until he got subbed, i was glad to see the back of him, i guess Furious and Bogle were thinking the same.
They looked a lot fitter than us (like most teams), why is that when CW prides us on our fitness levels ?
They look a solid "top half team" to me, they seemed to have that bit of quality we didn't have.

Anyway love reading your "my take" on a dismal day - even here in Spain!
 
BornOnShorehamStreet said:
I mentioned it in my post actually "goes for the stat-building pass" 😉
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I hate any form of "stats" - nowhere do stats tell the whole story (as you have pointed out), it's same as percentages, 10% of nowt is nowt - i know this because i was told by my boss how lucky i was to get a 10% pay rise which turned out to 10p - or ten-pence back in my day!
 
I couldn't agree more with the 0/10 for Lundstram and Mousset.

Both looked completely disinterested in winning the ball back, invariably after they had just given it away. I think it was their worst performances that I have seen.

A thoroughly dispiriting watch, with maybe just Ramsdale's continuing improvement being the only positive.
 
I should coco said:
I couldn't agree more with the 0/10 for Lundstram and Mousset.

Both looked completely disinterested in winning the ball back, invariably after they had just given it away. I think it was their worst performances that I have seen.

A thoroughly dispiriting watch, with maybe just Ramsdale's continuing improvement being the only positive.
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lundstram has been very lucky that theirs no fans inside the lane he would have been crucified thats one thing united cant stand not putting the effort in i hope he never plays another game for us
 
Lane Ender said:
It’s not his money the majority has come from the Premiership and TV.
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It’s his business though so he has the choice of investing for progression or stashing the cash for future dividends for shareholders (I.e. himself) so any suggestion that he isn’t putting “his” money in is unfair.
 
CornwallBlade said:
It’s his business though so he has the choice of investing for progression or stashing the cash for future dividends for shareholders (I.e. himself) so any suggestion that he isn’t putting “his” money in is unfair.
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Ok but he’s keeps buying nondescript European outfits what’s that all about just bought a no mark French outfit another one to dilute our transfer budget.
This is the Premiership wish he’d concentrate on it
 
While we are naturally thinking about this season, maybe HRH is planning for future one's ? We can but hope.

I'll be glad when this season over but a least we didn't have to pay to go down and sit through it live, because I suspect that even the ease in finding a parking space would have been of little consolation .....
 
Lane Ender said:
Ok but he’s keeps buying nondescript European outfits what’s that all about just bought a no mark French outfit another one to dilute our transfer budget.
This is the Premiership wish he’d concentrate on it
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That’s a fair point, I have no idea what is to be gained - nothing like the revenue streams here in the Championship let alone the EPL
 
Lane Ender said:
I we could be in a better position if he’d have put his hand in his pocket in the window we new we needed a CB and a midfielder but he put the kibosh on it.
If somebody called me the Sheffielder or the Englishman I wouldn’t be offended nothing wrong in calling him an Arab not racist if that’s what you are implying or should I refer to him as Your Majesty ffs
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I would guess he's fed up of "putting his hand in his pocket" for under-performing players? We don't know who was on CW's "wanted" list that was submitted to the board. Ben Davies, for example, never wanted to come here, even before Liverpool went for him.
 
ancientblade said:
lundstram has been very lucky that theirs no fans inside the lane he would have been crucified thats one thing united cant stand not putting the effort in i hope he never plays another game for us
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Not sure about effort. Is he not just a League 1 standard player who had a fairly good season last year?
 
Bennyand the Blades said:
While we are naturally thinking about this season, maybe HRH is planning for future one's ? We can but hope.

I'll be glad when this season over but a least we didn't have to pay to go down and sit through it live, because I suspect that even the ease in finding a parking space would have been of little consolation .....
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If there were fans, the team would have been roared into action whereas without, they aren't getting any of the encouragement.
 

hello said:
If there were fans, the team would have been roared into action whereas without, they aren't getting any of the encouragement.
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I agree, the flip side is that some of them would have been roasted which would have influenced selection?
 
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