United 0 Southampton 1 - report

[crucialkneeligaman]

I normally see the game in a very similar light to you Deadbat but think you are being unreasonably harsh about us this time.

On the balance of play we should have come away with at least a draw and potentially a win. McG had enough chances to win 3 games and took not one. We had a blatant penalty refused by VAR. Their only goal came from another individual error followed by 3 or 4 poor / non existent challenges.

We could and should have come in at half time 1 or 2 up given the clear chances that we created.

How you can think that Mason had a good game is beyond me. 2 of the 3 major decisions in the game were incorrectly given against us. He failed to understand the basics of gamesmanship and awarded free kicks continuously for incidents where he should have been waving play on or booking their players for diving. The linesman on John Street was just as bad, giving foals continuously to their wingers when they decided to slam the brakes on, feel minimal contact and then fall to the ground in good crossing positions. The officials need to wise up to this as it is killing the game. Billy challenge was never a red. There was absolutely zero chance of that ever injuring anybody.

For me, we deserved something from the game today and were denied by poor finishing on our part and poor officiating from Mason, the linesman and the VAR officials.
I find it perfectly understandable that people feel a little pissed off.

Think that you have to remember, thanks to the powers that be, the referees are now a major part of the entertainment, we are here to see them as well as the players (or so they think) and dramatically waving cards about for mostly non entity misdemeanours adds to the enjoyment for supporters. Wasn't the worst refereeing display I've seen though.

 

[crucialkneeligaman]

Early days but it maybe we look back on yesterday as the match when it became clear we didn't have enough quality to stay in the league.
Think only one of the summer signings started the match and he was very average before being taken off.
Hopefully we will wise up as Wilder said but both yesterday and against Leicester players have made errors that get punished at this level and we've missed the kind of chances that teams at this level cannot afford to miss.
If that's down to us simply not having enough quality we will go down.

Mousset especially could be a spark for us as he looked lively when he came on. Would love to see him paired with Robbo. Rav if he can also force his way into the first team squad is another who could have that extra quality. I was critical of Ollie yesterday but certainly not given up hope on him, just one of those games.

 

[dc_blade]

If you read our supporters’ reactions to the Chelsea game and then to yesterday’s match you’ll risk getting whiplash.

Two weeks ago we outplayed one of the better teams in the league for 45 minutes—that same team absolutely tonked Wolves away yesterday. Yesterday we lost a narrow game that on another day we might easily have won, and we’re all talking about relegation.

There are some tweaks needed in a couple of important areas and it’s worrying not to get something from a home game against Southampton but you could make a strong case that we haven’t deserved to lose any of our games so far. No one has really outplayed us.

 

[Deadbat]

If you read our supporters’ reactions to the Chelsea game and then to yesterday’s match you’ll risk getting whiplash.

Two weeks ago we outplayed one of the better teams in the league for 45 minutes—that same team absolutely tonked Wolves away yesterday. Yesterday we lost a narrow game that on another day we might easily have won, and we’re all talking about relegation.

There are some tweaks needed in a couple of important areas and it’s worrying not to get something from a home game against Southampton but you could make a strong case that we haven’t deserved to lose any of our games so far. No one has really outplayed us.

No-one has outplayed us but we have only won one. That's the reality at this level. We make mistakes and don't put the ball in the net we are going to be in the bottom 3. As well as we have done and played ok; thoee two trends have happened in every game.

I am not even sure it's about tweaking things. The performances have been ok but our inability to not give the ball away and lack of composure in front of goal have cost us. You just have to hope we improve in these areas but so far we have not learnt our lesson.

 

[coaxingstar71]

Cheers for the report Deadbat . Painfully honest as ever.
Very disappointing result. The gushing optimism following the Chelsea game has been swept away. I must say that five games in and we still haven't played at the top of our game, so that's kind of positive.

I wouldn't want to knock McGoldrick as I think he's one of our better players on the ball, but he's got to score that first half chance and then it's a different game. The only game we've been ahead in, we won.

 

[dc_blade]

No-one has outplayed us but we have only won one. That's the reality at this level. We make mistakes and don't put the ball in the net we are going to be in the bottom 3. As well as we have done and played ok; thoee two trends have happened in every game.

I am not even sure it's about tweaking things. The performances have been ok but our inability to not give the ball away and lack of composure in front of goal have cost us. You just have to hope we improve in these areas but so far we have not learnt our lesson.

Five points from five games. Thirty-eight from thirty-eight games likely keeps us up.

Agree on the need to cut out individual mistakes but defensively we’ve looked fairly solid before yesterday—gave up very few clear chances against either Palace or Bournemouth. Chelsea didn’t really run through us either; they capitalized on poor defending. And look what they’ve done to Wolves.

Even yesterday, if the big chances go in I think the score is 2-1 to us or 2-2 and we’re talking about being pleased with a display that showed more attacking intent from the off. Can we got someone into those scoring positions who will hit the net more consistently than McGoldrick? My view is yes, and that’s why I think we’re talking tweaks.

 

[Woodwardfan]

bit harsh, he had one chance and buried it. Unfortunate it was disallowed.

I'll agree, he's not the most technically gifted player. But he's had 2 good chances in the Prem (and one half chance vs Bournemouth that deflected to Sharp) so far and scored them both.

If he gets a chance, I'm confident he'll take it and that's what we need. Even if he does naff all for the rest of the match, as long as he sticks it in when he gets the chance then that's good enough, and so far, he's proved that he is capable of doing that.

He's 'different'.

He heads it brilliantly, he puts good pace and accuracy on his passes, he's a real team man.

He has a clumsy first touch and he is not an obvious target man, more a roaming striker, can be out of the game for long spells.

He'll score goals and provide assists. He will not dictate the pattern of the game.

Good value ay £20m? - depends on the support he gets around him. Not a ' make it happen for myself' type.

 

[true99blade]

Do you think they would get it overturned if they appealed it?

No because the Premier League is the one of the most corrupt entities in existence.

 

[itsinyerblood]

Good report DB.

Why anyone imagined that it wouldn't be a difficult leap from the Championship to the Premier division surprises me? It was always going to be a steep learning curve, and one thing supporters must learn to avoid is the quick descent into irrational and unhelpful criticism. Mistakes will be made, but what matters is how quickly the manager and players learn. Although I know that many subscribe to the adage that the buck stops at the manager's office, we cannot ignore the players and their ability, or lack of it, when it comes to making the necessary adjustments if we're to improve.

So far I've not been disappointed, perhaps frustrated, but I'm sure the key to mistakes and any tactical errors are priorities that Wilder and Knill will focus on. Like one or two posters, I have no illusions about where we might finish, but I also think we have enough about us to improve and gain those vital points that ensure we remain in this division next season.

 

[shrubbery]

Do you think they would get it overturned if they appealed it?

I think that there would have been a chance if wilder hadn’t made the strange decision to chuck Billy under the bus immediately following the game. Can’t understand why he commented like he did as he can’t have had the time to see it back on replay. The system probably wouldn’t want to go against the ref so may not have overturned it anyway but they certainly wouldn’t now. This does not make the refs original decision correct.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Can’t understand why he commented like he did as he can’t have had the time to see it back on replay.

Can’t he? He’ll have either seen it first hand after the game or been told about it by his staff. They’ll know that the nature of that challenge will mean they won’t stand a chance at an appeal, and he said post-match vs Brentford that we wouldn’t appeal the Madine red. He’s no idiot – they won’t make frivolous appeals.

 

[dublin 10 blade]

Agree with most of that DB , Billy’s was a sending off , from where I was on the kop it looked a peno , and the ball from Ollie was way out wide to Baldock in acres of space , not that ball also he should have fouled the player rather then let him waltz through , great atmosphere also
Unfortunately we can have no room for sentient, we’re down billy now , so diddsy has these next games ( except pool game ) to score or be dropped
UTB and see you v Burnley
And thanks Scoots for the lift in , beautiful motor mate was looking for you on London road in crown after game
D