Tough to watch, but at both ends we showed some promise, however Reed and Clasie completely lost the midfield and the Ox destroyed our C team. We have almost a complete first team injured and played our strongest side on Wed and I hope they will come out again on tuesday...I have sympathy with Puel that was too much to ask them to play 3 matches in 6 days after the schedule we have been on since xmas. Wenger also rested most of his team knowing that there is an EPL game on Tuesday, but he had some quality players coming back from injury.

Rubbish scheduling, not making room for the FA cup and then moaning that sides play their reserves.

Isgove, Reed, Clasie, Macqueen had shockers,
Simms, PEH, Gardos were good and everyone else had average games.

The FA Cup was a bridge too far for saints...38 games so far this season and 7 first teamers injured and another sold. I just hope we win on tuesday (I will be there), and then overall it will be a very good week. A final at wembley and back to 9th in the EPL.

1

Overawed in first half. Some good football played in the second. It was a tough test for the youngsters who learnt a lot as did the management. Puel had no option but to rest players due to the small squad, number of games played, number of injuries and lack of support from board to bring in new players and for letting Fonte go without a replacement.

4

If you went you should have a had a mass walk out at half time! Ask for your money back the management are taking the p***.

4

Better when Boufal arrived, Redmond needs a rest for a month or two.

3

Good job we rested the first team on Saturday in preparation for this game...

5

Did Classie play tonight? No I know he was in the team but did he play?

5

Will we have to pay for the satellite that Davis damaged?

2

Puels master plan worked well tonight then. After Saturdays abysmal performance with the Kids now its just as bad with the first team. Just as well played the first team against Arsenal because the rest done them no good. Are defence tonight was rubbish. Andy Carroll will have a field day against our 2 centre halves on Saturday. Need to buy one tonight.

4

Puels master plan worked well tonight then. After Saturdays abysmal performance with the Kids now its just as bad with the first team. Just as well played the first team against Arsenal because the rest done them no good. Are defence tonight was rubbish. Andy Carroll will have a field day against our 2 centre halves on Saturday. Need to buy one tonight.

0

Frustrating again - Swansea never touched it for the first 15 mins, then we sat back and let them come on to us. It seemed Tadic got a knock early on and after that our attacks were focused with Redmond on the !eft - which perhaps explains a lot !!
Not sure if it was a pen to them for the handball, but couldn't really tell from my seat. Long seemed to get kicked and hacked a lot, but got nothing as usual.
Fraser kept us in it in the first half with a few good saves, but the headed (perhaps from Davis?) clearance that led to the save for the corner that led to the first goal was piss poor.
At least changes were made - and good changes at that. Boufal did more running and created more than Redmond and Tadic combined. Bizarrely and comically Redmond had a shot from in the box, that went for a throw on. It had so much slice on it, it probably finished behind him - then blamed Boufal for a poor lay off !!! WAC
After we drew level with a really well worked goal, i thought we would go on to win it, but embarrassingly poor work from our own corner gifted them a break away and ultimately a goal that was so, so avoidable - and FF should have saved.
After that, to be fair, we pretty much beseiged their goal, but could convert anything and the likes of Sims, Boufal, McQueen and Davis need to learn when to shoot or lay it off. When the shot is the best option, too often we pass instead and nobody wants to take on that responsibility.

Oh - funny that the biggest bloke on the pitch(Lorente) is the dirtiest shirt pulling diving cheat that gets all the decisions, yet Long gets kicked and tripped all over the park and gets nothing. It is not La Liga FFS.

Then to sum the evening up, the M4 was closed for a section on the way back, meaning a lovely detour round a semi-foggy Newport !! Still, was nice to head back for some of the way with a car with SFC on it's number plate :-)

3