Its hard to find fault with anything or anyone after a comprenensive win.
A few weeks back I said that perhaps a 1-0 win in many ways was more satisfying than a big win in the fact that when you have drubbed somebody there is that feeling that perhaps they have had a bit of an off day rather than you have played that well.
But this cant be said about Saints victory over Boro, here was a well drilled side who dont concede that many and Saints got it right from word go.
I said on Friday that Nigel Adkins was going to need to make a few decisions to freshen up the side and he did that brilliantly, in defence bringing in Danny Butterfield in place of Frazer Richardson whether it was tactical or enforced was just what we needed at the back, yes we lost an attacking option going forward, but Butterfield defends a lot better and to be blunt we have so many attacking options in midfield, we could afford to sacrifice a little at the back to bring calm and experience in.
In midfield it was good to see Adam Lallana back and then came perhaps the selection that made the difference, pushing Guly up front and bringing Richard Chaplow in his place on the right, Guly scored the two goals that meant we dominated the game and upset the Boro rythym where they like to keep it tight and nick a goal somewhere and Chaplow's performance was nothing short of inspirational, possibly the best of a Saints player this season.
Its hard to find fault with any player, of course there were wayward balls from time to time, but every side will have that, but in general every player did his job and did it very well, from Kelvin Davis in goal to the final substitute, the team knew what they needed to do and they did it.
I said that bringing in Butterfield perhaps took an attacking edge away, however it was the ex Palace man who delivered the cross for Guly to head home the opener, and it was another Guly header for the second with a well worked goal straight from the training manual, with Lallana hitting an inch perfect cross that found Lambert at the far post with his header across goal screaming to be put in to an empty net with the Keeper stranded.
But it was important that we didnt throw the North East side a lifeline and just after the second Kelvin Davis needed to be alert to smother a through ball just ahead of a Boro striker, this is bread and butter goalkeeping and just what was needed.
Guly had a great chance of a hat trick before the break but his shot came back off the post and the half finished with Saints well on top and controlling the game with passing football.
The second half saw much the same as the first, Saints had to make sure that Boro didnt get back in it and also get the third goal that would make sure there was no way back for Boro,
Chaplow was now starting to pull the strings and seemed to be everywhere and as Boro had to push forward to tray and get back into the game, Saints got a third with a passing move that some have reported as 25 consecutive passes before the ball was finally laid back for David Connolly who struck it home with controlled power and accuracy.
All that was now needed was for Saints to run down the clock and they did so and almost incresed their lead as Boro tired.
So a great victory for Saints and as I said at the start very satisfying because Boro are a good well organised side who dont lose very often and dont concede many goals, indeed the three here were as many as they had conceded in their previous six away games, it was a job well done where you knew that if we had taken our eye off the ball at any time they would have taken their chance.
Its a result that gets Saints almost back on track in the current form stakes as they now have 11 from the last six games, however all this good work against Boro will mean nothing if they dont despatch Peterborough on Tuesday and then get the away form back and beat Coventry.
But you feel that they can do this, there was a different buzz about the side against Boro, one that has been missing a little recently.