the long ball game.

[bonzosbest74]

get your hands out of your pockets!

Ash has returned and he likes to keep his hands in his pockets at all times

[bonzosbest74]

JIIIIIIIIIMMMMMMY

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT

[NordicMonkey]

Hi mates! So glad to see us winning again, have to respect our owners for trusting Big Sam. Of course it's easy to say now, i would had been happy to see him go a month ago.

Solid defending, leathal in the other end. Well done Irons.

Another point of view in this long ball topic.
This is Big Sam's tactic, everyone knows it. When it works we're hard to beat. It's ideal for McCarthy, O'Brian, Collins, Taylor, Noble, Nolan, C.Cole and Carroll of course. They are teamplayers and do whatever they're asked to do.

But Ravel Morrison, Nocerino, Borriello, Almero are totally different type of players and couldn't get even in starting line-up. I think that Joe Cole didn't suit Big Sams tactic at all, he was bought by his homecoming status. And they aren't worse than Taylor. Ravel's off, can't see Nocerino gonna stay with us after sitting on the bench, same goes with Almero.

If I see look a bit further than couple of GREAT 3points, can't see us getting too many classy players with Big Sam. H

[Ironworks1]

I was there, how I saw it pan out, we had a slow start, they scored, and we were pretty flat for 10-15 minutes. Then we scored, and were well on top, scored again, to take a fully deserved lead. We swamped them, and could've got another before half time.

Came out second half, admittedly sat back on the lead, but was under no real threat imo, hit the post and the bar. They made a sub, cut through us a couple of times (Collins at fault both times) but I certainly didn't feel that worried, like it appears some were.

To sum up, when we had our good spell, we scored 2 goals and looked a lot more threatening than they were when they had their late rally.

Spot on for me.

This wasn't a repeat of the Norwich robbery. We gave away a dreadful early goal - the only tone they got in our box that half was Lambert's header.

Second half we sat back too much - they had two very good chances that they wasted - especially Lallana. We scored an

[The_Jeepster]

As a Saints fan that was at UP yesterday I've read the above comments with interest. Despite losing I actually enjoyed the game, and as has been pointed out above, ultimately the only stat that counts is the times you put the ball in the opposition net...
But I am intrigued by the references I've read both here and on other threads to claims that Saints are the Barcelona of the South! I've never actually heard that from anyone before, and certainly no Saints fan. Although we have played some good one-touch stuff this season I wouldn't suggest that we'd give Barcelona much of a game.
My favourite comment so far this season was the radio pundit at St Mary's about a month ago who said in the first half that we had "out-Arsenaled Arsenal". An Alan Partridge comment if I ever heard one...

[Dailly___7]

Just to go with what the OP was saying...



Now, I wouldn't call them a hoofball team, but I do find it amusing that their fans arrogantly look down on us as a long ball team and yet they fail to notice that they've looked UP in the air even more often than us

I wasn't impressed with them yesterday and would assume most of the pundits who wax lyrical about them must just go along with the protocol of giving certain tags to certain teams.

It's easy to defend Allardyce when results are going well, and many people don't like it when you stick to your opinions about the man through good form and bad form. After the game yesterday, I had the nerve to question our manager in spite of another good win and was called a miserable c.unt and told to go and support Arsenal if I want to see pretty football

Nobody is happier than me with our recent turn of fortunes and I'm delighted that we've given ourselves a good chance of staying up,

[gmhammer]

I was there, how I saw it pan out, we had a slow start, they scored, and we were pretty flat for 10-15 minutes. Then we scored, and were well on top, scored again, to take a fully deserved lead. We swamped them, and could've got another before half time.

Came out second half, admittedly sat back on the lead, but was under no real threat imo, hit the post and the bar. They made a sub, cut through us a couple of times (Collins at fault both times) but I certainly didn't feel that worried, like it appears some were.

To sum up, when we had our good spell, we scored 2 goals and looked a lot more threatening than they were when they had their late rally.

Exactly how I saw it. Yes they had lots of possesion and passing but to very little real effect. 1 or 2 heart in mouth moments but we caused a few of those ourselves. I was sat near the Saints fans and they were getting pretty nervous when we were on top.

[WHU]

I was there, how I saw it pan out, we had a slow start, they scored, and we were pretty flat for 10-15 minutes. Then we scored, and were well on top, scored again, to take a fully deserved lead. We swamped them, and could've got another before half time.

Came out second half, admittedly sat back on the lead, but was under no real threat imo, hit the post and the bar. They made a sub, cut through us a couple of times (Collins at fault both times) but I certainly didn't feel that worried, like it appears some were.

To sum up, when we had our good spell, we scored 2 goals and looked a lot more threatening than they were when they had their late rally.

Spot on for me.

This wasn't a repeat of the Norwich robbery. We gave away a dreadful early goal - the only tone they got in our box that half was Lambert's header.

Second half we sat back too much - they had two very good chances that

[WHU]

[quote="Dailly___7"]Just to go with what the OP was saying...



Now, I wouldn't call them a hoofball team, but I do find it amusing that their fans arrogantly look down on us as a long ball team and yet they fail to notice that they've looked UP in the air even more often than us

I wasn't impressed with them yesterday and would assume most of the pundits who wax lyrical about them must just go along with the protocol of giving certain tags to certain teams.

It's easy to defend Allardyce when results are going well, and many people don't like it when you stick to your opinions about the man through good form and bad form. After the game yesterday, I had the nerve to question our manager in spite of another good win and was called a miserable c.unt and told to go and support Arsenal if I want to see pretty football

Nobody is happier than me with our recent turn of fortunes and I'm delighted that we'

[bonzosbest74]

Nobody is happier than me with our recent turn of fortunes and I'm delighted that we've given ourselves a good chance of staying up, but I stand by what I said at the beginning of the month: Allardyce must not be our manager on the opening day of next season.

Very well said