With 20 minutes to go it looked like Saints were dead and buried and heading for their sixth consecutive Premier League defeat, but then came a stirring end to the game that has broken the losing streak and offers hope going forward.

On 70 minutes there weren't many Saints fans who were holding out much hope and a section of the Northam End had broken into a chorus of "Your getting sacked in the morning" when Leeds scored their second, perhaps the first time the crowd had turned on Ralph Hasenhuttl en masse at a game.

But thankfully the bulk of the home support although dismayed by what they had seen did not turn on the manager.

The game in the first half had been fairly even, both sides had had chances but the game remained goalless at half time.

After the break Leeds came out like a train, so much so that when they scored a minute into the second half it wasn't even their first attack, Saints defence had been caught napping and suddenly the pressure was on Saints.

But if the first goal was a shock the second was again poor defending, a failure to defend a corner and when the ball was flicked on a man sleeping and not pushing up to play Rodrigo onside.

Now it looked like we were dead and buried, Ralph Hasenhuttl made two quick substitutions , Stuart Armstrong & Elyounoussi off and Adam Armstrong and Joe Aribo on, but the game didn't turn just yet, on 70 minutes came the 3rd change, off went Jan Bednarek and on came Sekou Mara , a bold and brave move by the manager and one that was about to pay off.

The move started on the left Adam Armstrong got the ball by the touchline played a smart one two with Che Adams and raced towards the byeline, he then pulled the ball back to find Joe Aribo.

But Aribo found him closed down by the keeper, it would have been easy to get a short away and been blocked, but he kept his head took another step to leave the keeper floundering and then fired through a crowd of Leeds players on the goalline to put Saints back in the game.

Now it was game on and the crowd were behind the team again as Saints poured forward, it took a moment of magic to bring us level, in fact two moments of magic, the first when Mara got the ball and played an inch perfect sublime pass behind the Leeds defence, but there was still work to do, Kyle Walker Peters glided past the defender and fired home into the far corner, a finish any striker would have been proud of, yes Mara's ball was worth salivating over, but it shouldn't completely overshadow KWP's finish.

The hope was now for a rousing finish, it didn't quite end like that but there was a decent shot from Mara that made the keeper work.

At the end it felt like a win, the truth was that there was still a lot wrong mainly at the back where we seem to be unable to organise ourselves and communicate, the frustration is that if we sorted that out we would be a half decent side, certainly going forward the three substitutes contribution to the game bodes well for the future.

So there were plus points from this, firstly that Ralph Hasenhuttl now seems to have a coaching staff he can trust and converse with during games, seeing him talk to his bench during the games and input is something that I haven't seen him do since Danny Rohl left in the summer of 2019.

Every manager needs assistants he can trust and lean on and yes tell him when he is getting it wrong sometimes.

Second plus point was the contributions from Adam Armstrong, Joe Aribo & Sekou Mara, in regard to Armstrong his first season here was underwhelming, but he showed glimpses of what he can do, he was overshadowed by Broja in the mid season and never really got much of a look in after, I never dismissed him back then and i think that this could be a good season for him, he didn't score but he had a great assist.

Joe Aribo did score and it was pleasing to see that he could do so at Premier League level, he didn't snatch at the chance when it came and it will do his confidence wonders.

Sekou Mara didn't do much in what was his first Premier League outing, he was an unknown quality, but he showed it isn't how much you do it is about influencing games, one precision pass can change a game and he played it, he also worked a good chance for himself which the keeper had to save.

But the issue still remains of a back line that seems unable to contribute with each other, on the first goal we had three men at that near post yet none of them got a block in, if we don't get a leader in the back four then our season is going to follow the same path as the last three, sometimes we will get away with things and win games and others we will let in soft goals and drop points because of that.

Moussa Djenepo has got unfair stick in some quarters, but he is a player working hard in a position he is not used to, he should be being talked through a game by the defenders behind him, he is getting no help from them whatsoever.

The worst sight for me though was the kit, at one point the crowd burst into a chant of come on you reds, it petered out perhaps as those singing realised that there was little red in our kit, we looked more like Leeds than they do in our mainly white kit, from behind we were Fulham, the picture below captures this, it doesn't look like Saints players celebrating, but it does look like a Saints crowd, plenty of stripes in it outnumbering the few new shirts in evidence.

The main thing though was to get something out of this game, end that losing streak, draw a line in the sand and move forward, this we have done.

On Saturday Ralph Hasenhuttl changed the course of the season with his substitutions, now he needs to change it further with the signing of an experienced central defender, scoring isn't the problem, shipping six goals in two games is especially when you consider that a decent defence would not have conceded at least half of them.

The next two weeks are going to be big pointers as to how the season goes, truth is we need one more player in and that perhaps needed to be Conor Coady, that was never going to happen, but there are others out there like him.

Photo: Action Images

mgprobert added 09:49 - Aug 15 I agree with most of that. Yes, Conor Coady would have been the man, or even Ben Mee, but as you say there must be others out there available. COYS
2

A1079 added 09:53 - Aug 15 Seems a fair assessment and summary Nick. I would just add that before Leeds scored and until we had made the changes after the Leeds second goal we had offered very little going forward as well and I/we did feel that our failure to offer anything up front would soon be made to pay for it. The defending against the Leeds goals were shocking though.
1

HythePeer added 10:06 - Aug 15 I had this game down as a draw, but changed my mind to a loss when I saw the team selection. But Hasenhuttl outmanoeuvred me by bringing on the players who should have started.
4

Sadoldgit added 10:31 - Aug 15 With 5 subs were are going to see a lot more of thirty people of squad use. The best starting eleven will be more of a team to keep things tight until the second half and our better players will appear when the opposition are getting tired. The trick is not to concede goals before you bring on the big guns!
1

Peterx added 10:34 - Aug 15 How about getting Vesty back, he is not getting a look in at Leicester and he knows the system, his height is an asset. Not popular maybe with everyone, but it should be a deal we can do.
-4

I_would added 10:49 - Aug 15 First rule: get the best players on the pitch.
9

DPeps added 10:55 - Aug 15 Although I absolutely agree that we need a CB with experience I'm afraid that it's not going to happen. Semmens has been very clear about this (see recent article in the Daily Echo). Although I like our youth policy in general I believe that it is wrongheaded when thinking about CBs. It is possible to get very good young strikers for a cut price, but young and excellent CBs are too valuable to their current clubs and/or they play for clubs that are better than us. In general more experience = better for CBs, which is not necessarily the case for forwards. We all know this With the current approach I believe that we'll have to settle for letting in a lot this season. The hope has to be that we score more than we concede come May...

1

landsdownsaint added 10:55 - Aug 15 From what I saw things might be moving in a healthy direction , I like the new signings and already get the feeling Aribo might be our new talisman . Regards Djennepo it seems like he’s gonna be the player that’s gets the fans frustration and I really don’t understand why ? Works his socks offf never hides & often comes up with that little extra.
7

IanRC added 10:58 - Aug 15 What about the sending off that should have occurred in the first half. Bertrand was sent off for much less against Leicester a little while back and we all know how that ended. Poor VAR. Almost as bad as in the Chelsea game. Agree with most of what you say Nick. I would add that I think Djenepo has been one of our best players thus far showing aggression and skill going forward. Good to see Adam Armstrong driving forward and a good cross for our first. Mara looks like he can be a real find but shouldn’t put to much on his shoulders too soon. I cannot believe we have let Dennis go to Nottingham Forest

6

DorsetIan added 11:32 - Aug 15 Re the comments above about Djenepo. Noone can criticise his commitment and his energy levels are very high, never stopping running. But his level of skill is very low and despite all the flashy step-overs etc he very rarely created anything. My frustrations are not with him, but with the fact that he is on the pitch. He's simply not good enough at this level, he is always a weak link, and we are a much more balanced and solid side when he doesn't play. It's not enough to run around like a blue-arsed fly and skin the odd defender from time to time. A player needs to be comfortable in possession so that he can buy himself a bit of time to do intelligent things. Everything with Djenepo is rushed because he is never really in control of the ball.

0

SaintNick added 11:54 - Aug 15 In fairness to Djenepo he has created one of our three goals scored so far, I judge him on his last game not ones from before, at the moment he is being asked to do a job that is alien to him, he is putting in the effort despite the fact he probably knows that when we get livramento back he will be out of the side
3

DorsetIan added 12:04 - Aug 15 How Djenepo is playing now is no different to how he's played in the past. We can judge him on all the games he's played for Saints.
2

onetowatch added 12:21 - Aug 15 Nick, I'm sorry but your summary leans very much in recognising the influence of the subs and you give credit to RH for making those changes - after we went 2-0 down!! You make no comment whatsoever with how uncomfortable we looked against a side who will also struggle to finish above 15th. The fact is, once again, RH has not learnt in over 3 years the best system to play with those he has available. Starting a home game with 1 recognised forward against teams we need to beat is unforgiveable.

6

WestSussexSaint added 12:44 - Aug 15 Slightly off topic but perhaps relevant. The queues for drinks at half time were ridiculous. I was in the Itchen stand and left my seat just before half time in need of a cold drink after sitting in the heat and sun. I eventually got served just as the second half kicked off and missed the firstLeeds goal. Perhaps the same happened to the Saints players! All joking aside that was really poor planning by the club and given the heat on the day could have led to some health issues amongst the crowd. There was no water available so only overpriced soft drinks unless you had a water bottle to fill up but some fans felt that because they weren’t paying for tap water in their bottles they could go to the front of the queue. The heat was well forecast so it wouldn’t take a genius to realise that their needed to be better plans in place to cover the demand.

2

LordDZLucan added 12:58 - Aug 15 Hear hear Westsussexsaint.
0

LordDZLucan added 13:05 - Aug 15 I agree the defending was abysmal. It seems that the more defensive minded players we have on the pitch the worse we defend. It could be that individual responsibilities are a lot clearer when there are fewer defenders on the pitch. The first Leeds goal was a case in point. At that point we were playing 5 at the back but nobody seemed to take responsibility either for closing Harrison down to stop the cross or for picking Rodrigo up at the near post.

5

felly1 added 13:08 - Aug 15 Yep, a better more experienced CB would certainly be a positive addition to the team. Doesn't look like it's going to happen though as Ralph has only mentioned a need for a full back and possibly a couple more forwards. I think he'll stick with Kotchup and Salisu and bring in one of the other three options as and when required. Either through injury, form or to go to a back 3. Let's see how the defence develops with this new pairing over the next 5 or 6 games. Personally I'd like us to play 4-3-3. With two defensive midfielders to slot in when KWP, Djenepo or Perrau bomb forward. KWP although it was an excellent goal, I agreed with Jo Tessem on the radio on the way home when he felt KWP looks more of an attacking threat when he has more space to attack from the full back rather than wing back position. Would rather see a front three of Adams in the middle and Aribo right, A. Armstrong left. Not the most potent of attacks but at the moment it's a best of an average bunch for me.

1

highfield49 added 13:08 - Aug 15 I can only presume, from your post, that you believe Livramento is going to be re-signed Nick? There's been quite a few rumours recently that we were bringing in a forward sooner than later. If it's a permanent deal then I'm guessing that Adams is going to be sold to Leeds, Everton or whoever. As much as I love Che's hard graft and talent the fact that Aribo and Mara have given us a taste of their potential could mean the end Che's time at St Mary's. The defensive issues are getting more concerning, every team in the league must be working on front post flick ons from dead ball situations now. Surely there's someone on the books that can get a decent head contact on the ball from crosses? Communication is one thing but getting to the ball and winning it is pretty high on the list of needs as well.

1

NewburySaint added 13:30 - Aug 15 RH can take no credit for this result. If you had been going to your first game of football, for 70 minutes you would have been thinking that the team in white & red were disjointed and didn't look like they knew what they were doing. But suddenly, we switch to 4-4-2, or 4-2-2-2, whichever 1 it was, and we suddenly looked like a team with ideas, with confidence, a team that looked like they knew what they were doing. Essentially the comeback happened because we were finally playing in a way that the players know and feel comfortable with - Leeds didn't fall apart, i just think they were caught out by how we went from being so poor to a team that looked more purposeful because they were suddenly more comfortable. & this isn't hindsight - the 5 / 3 at the back didn't look great pre-season, and obviously Spurs happened, so we shouldn't have been starting this way. Add in to the mix that it is the 1st home game of the season, against an ordinary team, and you start with this defensive formation, a formation the players are clearly uncomfortable with, and only 1 striker is criminal. The massive difference before, and after, the formation change was so huge that it is no coincidence. Also i think RH could have saved face a little bit if he had come out post match and said he'd got it wrong but i haven't read that he has done so as of yet. By the way i am a fan of RH but i feel he is on the edge now and surely doesn't have anymore credit left - he needs to get it right PDQ or i think it will end badly for him very soon.

5

halftimeorange added 13:55 - Aug 15 I agree about the defensiveness of the starting eleven against a team that will struggle at least as much as us if not more so. We were sent out for a point. That is ridiculous. We might well have won if the stone-cold red card had been given for the foul on Stuart Armstrong. A dreadful decision by VAR. As for the Djenepo debate he's always given 100% but, in truth, he's a cross between Nathan Redmond and Fabrice Fernandes and will always flatter to deceive. If Perraud is fit he should always start. Bella-Kotchap seems to be more solid on this showing than Salisu who has gone backwards. Why Aribo didn't start is Ralph being his unconventional self and still tinkering.

2

AmericanSaint added 14:14 - Aug 15 So some good comments and observations on this one. Just a few observations: (1) our defending on corners is criminal. The TV pundits were saying how bad we were and warned just before their 2nd goal. (2) The game showed that we need to go back to the 4-4-2 or 4-2-2-2 system. SA and ME played ok, but they are so much better in the mid-field than upfront. (3) Che Adams played such a key role in holding the ball and doing the hard work. If we get rid of him we are idiots. (3) I have read a few articles from former refs that say that tackle on Stewy was a red card - so this shows our luck has not changed from last year as we can't get that break we need sometimes. (4) Finally, I think the upcoming game could really show if we have gained some confidence and are moving forward or was just taping over the cracks. It will be on RH. If he is stubborn and doesnt change the back 3 formation and we lose, then the blame lies with him and he should not be surprised if he is sacked. He has had plenty of time to know that Premier League is unforgiving and other teams learn from other teams on how to beat you. COYR

4

Block8 added 15:37 - Aug 15 Right get the minuses out, Salisu was responsible for both goals (watch the replays if you doubt it) he had Rodrigo both times and let him go past to attack the ball! He's young still learning but has an error in him! Djenepo had a pretty good game but shouldn't be in any starting line up, particularly in defence. He may be a good impact sub but that's about it. Adams led the line well especially when he had a bit of help. Prowesy looks a far better player when using the ball earlier with positivity. Like the look of all the new boys.

3

Block8 added 15:39 - Aug 15 Forgot to mention Adam Armstrong also looks like he could be an asset if we can involve him a bit more.
3

ItchenNorth added 18:26 - Aug 15 I couldn't hear the Northam all game, as they were soundly blocked out by a noisy away end, but there was only a slight mermer of Ralph Out by a couple blokes trying to get the rest signing it in the Itchen North. But they left, only to miss the comeback lol! Love the new kit btw. COYRs! Onto the next.
-1

Saintaxidriver added 19:07 - Aug 15 Sense of frustration with the manager and coaching team continues. In pre season we played 3 at the back and it clearly didn't work. Against Spurs we played 3 at the back and it clearly didn't work. Against Leeds we played 3 at the back and it clearly didn't work. Finally they go to a back 4 and we look like a different team. When we play 3 at the back we look like a disorganised shambles for whatever reason and sit too deep, don't have enough bite in midfield and virtually nothing up front. Change to 4 4 2 or 4 2 2 2 and we play further up the pitch and are more proactive. 3 at the back and everyone seems to be looking around expecting someone else to be doing the job required. Bazunu looks good. KWP Kotchap Salisu (or a new signing) and Perraud in defence, Adams and A.nother up front and 4 from any 10 in midfield. I also feel JWP isn't a captain and isn't indispensible because his corners and free kicks have been poor for a while now.

2

Blogs 31 bloggers

Burton Albion Polls