Agree Ralph got his team selection wrong especially with Josh, although after last week you could understand why. I'm afraid he looked out of his depth. However his changes at half time were spot on and Armstrong and especially Lamina made a big difference in the second half. Can't understand why we had so many up for the corner when JWP was lucky not to get a red. Just like the Liverpool game there was no need to push so many forward for the corner.

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I've said a few times on here that some of RH's selection decisions seem wrong--though it's true that, like yesterday, he often can use subs to rectify the problems he causes himself. And of course, some decisions get forced on him because of lack of squad quality. So yesterday, you're missing Valery and Vestergaard, so you have to play JWP out of position and have to field the ever woeful Jack Stephens. Up fron, Soms was probably the wrong choice (as Armstrong was at pains to demonstrate). And Ings is doing his best to make sure Long gets on the field from time to time. All our squad weaknesses were exposed today, in other words, and once that XI was named it was game over.
That said, Lemina had a good game, and I'm learning to appreciate Gunn.
A word abut Ings, though. As the season draws to a close, and assuming we stay up, we surely have to give some serious thought as to whether he should be bought. He scored a few, true. But he's easily injured and right now looks unfit. Unless something drastic happens to his form in the final games, his overall profile for the season won't be an argument for signing him.

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Something that has not really been highlighted yet in anyone´s post match analysis:
Yoshida´s significant tendency to miss BIG chances.
For crying out loud: We should have won 4-3! I seriously mean that.
There is a reason for bringing Yoshida all the way up and into the box every time we have a corner. He has been a pro for more than a decade and expectedly trained at least weekly on making an impact on dead balls / finishing in the opponent´s box..
He is supposed to:
1) win headers in the opponent´s box and direct at target (and not too close to the keeper), AND
2) win second balls and direct the bloody thing at target (and not too close to the keeper)

He does win a fair amount of headers and second balls in the opponent´s box,
BUT WHERE THE HELL IS THE END PRODUCT? It´s almost time wasting to bring him forward for corners and stuff like that.... :(
Bl**dy fr*strating.
(Though, admittedly, he had a rare assist to Longy against Wolves).

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I suppose we would forgive him if he was a brilliant defender KriSaint!!

I wonder what our points per game ratio is when both Stephens and Yoshi are both in starting XI....

Jimmy Melia's point about whether we want Ings is a very important one for the summer.

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Well, how inevitable was that? Rs definitely deserved a draw and arguably, esp in the first half, were the better team. I thought Furlong was outstanding at the back and if only our passing and crossing in the final third had been better we could have comfortably won.

But, of course, the ref was bound to give a 'homer' penalty if he could. After all it is Frank Lampard's Derby. And then Joe's gaffe at the end was the icing on the cake... Or not - think that's the wrong metaphor. But we all want to see the youngsters play and if they do they will make dumb decisions from time to time.

But hats off to the team today. They were organised, knew what they were doing, pressed and tackled well. Why, oh why, can't they do it more consistently?

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What no Verdict after that dismal display at Newcastle or are you waiting till after the Watford game? I have noticed that when we lose it takes longer to produce.

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Great game to watch, we played really well for 90% of the game. A point away at Watford is worth having.

A bit frustrating that we just couldn't capitalise on all our other chances or hang on to our lead but yet again we seem to struggle for hold on to the ball and manage the game when we are trying to hang on to a lead. Enormous pressure on all the defenders not to make a single error. I'm sure the usual suspect will cop some undeserved flak for a mistake caused by effectively the whole team.

Shane Long now a positive pub quiz answer who ever would have thought!

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What-if aye?

0

Good game. I thought Saints fought for the cause and gave it a good go in every challenge and played with a very high tempo. We should have killed the match in the second half with one or two of our best chances, but that didn´t happen, and then Watford scored in the last minute.
I honestly think we are save with that point, and I think we will get 7 poinst from our last 3 matches and end up with 44 points just below midtable.
Congratulations to Shane Long who immortalized himself with the fastest ever goal in the premier league. I will give him a new nickname, which is simply: Seven-Sixty-Seven (7.69).
WELL DONE SHANE <3.

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When l saw Stephens starting l thought oh know,the good news is we’re safe and surely we won’t have to watch him next year.Again this game showed what we need at least a defense that doesn’t cave and a front player to score although we did very well up front today. Got to give Targett credit for a cracking goal but it could of come to nothing when Stephens gave the ball away but Gunn came through with a great save.Will be looking forward to seeing what happens in the transfer market hopefully we get what we all know we’ve needed to a long time COYR.

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