Southend v Southampton

[Southampton Shrimper]

The Southern Daily Echo today has six pages of coverage of Saturday's game, and I'm pleased to say that their view of the game is a little more balanced and considered than other Saints views aired on this board since yesterday....

The back page headline is:

ROOTS HALL OF SHAME

Saints crash to shock loss at club who hadn't won since mid-August ... it's no wonder that rasiak is totally horrified

Grzegorz Rasiak holds his head in his hands as the realisation of another nightmare Essex defeat sets in. The Saints striker grabbed his 14th league goal of the season at the weekend - but it couldn't prevent George Burley's previously in-form side slumping to a shock 2-1 Roots Hall loss at rock bottom Southend.

It was the hosts' first win in the league since mid-August and for the 2000 Saints fans a stomach-churning taste of deja-vu. Saints, who remain in the play-off zone with almost half of the season gone, had been beaten 2-0 at another promoted club, Col******r, on their last visit to Essex seven weeks earlier.

 

[Northam Saint]

How is this a balanced view?

All I ever said was that some of your fans were watching a different game if you thought you should have won by more.

Even you manager was interviewed by the Echo and said you were very lucky and it could have been 6-6, also commenting on the fact you scored directly after almost conceding.

 

[Southampton Shrimper]

A few choice quotes from the main match report.....

Should we be surprised by this result, or should we have expected it? Seasoned Saints fans probably expected it, it's been the Saints way for so long. On a run of four consecutive wins and seven games unbeaten, they travel to the Championship's bottom team, who were without a win in their previous 17 league games. Oh, and they had a normally prolific striker, Freddy Eastwood, who hadn't scored for ten league games.


For much of the game it seemed as though Saints wanted to walk the ball into the net, whereas Southend would just have a go when an opening arose. Southend were well up for it, snapping at Saints heels.

But there was no lack of effort from George Burley's men. Maybe there was some mental complacency, it's hard to say. For sure, some of the passing could only be described as sloppy, while much of the set-piece delivery was absolutely dreadful. Burley has some thinking to do. There is an obvious discrepancy in the team. The left-hand side looks so strong, the exceptional Gareth Bale of course being much to do with this. The right hand side is not exceptional. Saints still have to find the right blend there.


The match was certainly lively. Freddy Eastwood, the real piece of quality in a workmanlike team, cut in from the left, Saints stood off him and he needed no second invitation to fire in a shot from 25 yards which flew into Kelvin Davis' bottom left-hand corner.

Southend started the brighter in the second half before a game-changing moment on 64 minutes. A combination of keeper Darryl Flahavan and a defender on the line managed to block close range efforts from Grzegorz Rasiak and Baird - and Southend promptly went up the other end and scored again. Again Saints stood off a player, this time Alan McCormack, and he curled a pearler from 20 yards into Davis' left-hand corner, leaving the keeper with no chance. Saints went as far as pushing four men forward in search of a goal and had Davis to thank for keeping them in the match as he made three superb saves.

 

[Southampton Shrimper]

Their ratings...

Darryl 6
Francis 6
Sodje 7
Spinner 7
Hammell 7
JCR 5
Hunt 6
McCormack 7
Gower 7
Bradbury 7
Freddy 8

Referee 4 - Disallowed a good goal and didn't please either team much of the time.


Atmosphere 7/10 - The 2000 Saints fans were bang up for it.

Entertainment 6/10 - plenty of chances at both ends and both teams kept the ball down

Verdict: Bitterly disappointing result, though Southend did just about deserve their win. It was a day where it just didn't quite happen for Saints for a number of reasons. Burley has plenty to ponder as the vital Christmas period looms. This might be just a blip.


and quotes from Saints keeper Kelvin Davis:

"Fair play to Southend, but we weren't good enough to beat them... We've come away wanting to win the game and the feeling around the place was we were bang up for it. But so were Southend. We met them on the day they took their chances better than we did."

 

[mattytheshrimper]

southampton shrimper. was it you i heard on bbc essex txting in?

 

[Southampton Shrimper]

Yes, that was me!!! Was in the car with Soton Blue and his family and did it for a bit of a laugh. I sent a text to Vernon Kay on Radio 1 on the way to the game, but he didn't read it out  

, but good old BBC Essex read it out, and the guy was right, I sure did have some fun with Saints fans at work today, and I had loads of Pompey fans thanking me as well!

I'm pleased you heard it too, Matty!!

 

[mattytheshrimper]

haha, bet you had a gd day at work, haha:D

 

[Shrimper2thecore]

Quote[/b] (Northam Saint @ Dec. 11 2006,20:23)]How is this a balanced view?

All I ever said was that some of your fans were watching a different game if you thought you should have won by more.

Even you manager was interviewed by the Echo and said you were very lucky and it could have been 6-6, also commenting on the fact you scored directly after almost conceding.

The best time to score

 

[Southampton Shrimper]

Yes, there was one Saints fan really trying to wind me up all last week, so he's getting it in return all of this week!!!

 

[mattytheshrimper]

do you know northam saint?

 

[pickledseal]

one of the kids at school had been giving the big un all last week.....

today was sweet ;)

 

[BoyWonder2]

Quote[/b] (Southampton Shrimper @ Dec. 11 2006,20:40)]Their ratings...

Darryl    6
Francis  6
Sodje    7
Spinner  7
Hammell  7
JCR        5
Hunt      6
McCormack     7
Gower     7
Bradbury  7
Freddy     8

Referee   4  - Disallowed a good goal and didn't please either team much of the time.


Atmosphere     7/10  -  The 2000 Saints fans were bang up for it.

Entertainment  6/10  -  plenty of chances at both ends and both teams kept the ball down

Verdict:  Bitterly disappointing result, though Southend did just about deserve their win. It was a day where it just didn't quite happen for Saints for a number of reasons. Burley has plenty to ponder as the vital Christmas period looms. This might be just a blip.


and quotes from Saints keeper Kelvin Davis:

"Fair play to Southend, but we weren't good enough to beat them... We've come away wanting to win the game and the feeling around the place was we were bang up for it. But so were Southend. We met them on the day they took their chances better than we did."

Where they watching the same game? Them ratings are woefully incorrect.

In the football pullout from the Mirror (Either today's or yesterday's) described the game as outstanding, which I have to agree with. End to end entertainment, especially when we went 2-0 up, Saints pushing forward to get back into the game left massive gaps at the back. The result was correct, we wanted it more then them, and had it not been for a combination of excellent goalkeeping and poor finishing Southend could have won 4 maybe even 5-1.

Saints did have some good chances but we had the better ones. Wasn't overly impressed with them today, just assumed it was a bad day at the office because reading their squad on the back of the programme showed the difference between the top of the division and the bottom end of the division. They have players like Indiakez (Arguably Derby's best player in recent seasons) on their bench just proving the strength in depth they have over us.

But on our performance on saturday, we are more than a match for a lot of teams in this division at Roots Hall, and we need to put a run together, especially at home to get out of this situation. Our last 8 home games are winnable, with the possibility of picking points up away from home at places like Hull we have a good chance of staying up but we need to put a run together.

Keep the Faith!

 

[Northam Saint]

Quote[/b] (BoyWonder2 @ Dec. 11 2006,23:32)]Saints did have some good chances but we had the better ones. Wasn't overly impressed with them today, just assumed it was a bad day at the office because reading their squad on the back of the programme showed the difference between the top of the division and the bottom end of the division. They have players like Indiakez (Arguably Derby's best player in recent seasons) on their bench just proving the strength in depth they have over us.

Better chances? Better than hitting the post and having a perfectly good goal dissallowed?

Lmao, ok buddy.

 

[jamesmut2000]

why are you still here?

 

[Northam Saint]

Quote[/b] (jamesmut2000 @ Dec. 11 2006,23:52)]why are you still here?

I will be gone soon, off to the Norwich board tommorow, I'll keep my registration just for a few digs when you come to SMS.

 

[jamesmut2000]

Quote[/b] ]I will be gone soon

thank f**k for that

 

[Bob Cratchitt]

Quote[/b] (Northam Saint @ Dec. 11 2006,23:48)]having a perfectly good goal dissallowed?

You keep mentioning this perfectly good goal being disallowed, but the reason the goal was disallowed is the fact the Lino waved his flag as soon as your player got the ball which was quite a few seconds prior to the ball ending up in the net. So by the time the ref had seen the flag and blown for the foul. The ball was in the back of the net.

It was not a case the ref had made the decision all by himself and the fact the flag was waved before we could see a goal was possible. Which is why I was not concerned when the ball crossed the line as I had seen the flag waved.

I think it is time to drop this from your list of excuses!!

 

[David Essex]

Quote[/b] (Northam Saint @ Dec. 11 2006,23:48)]Better chances? Better than hitting the post and having a perfectly good goal dissallowed?

Lmao, ok buddy.

Yeah but ....no but .....yeah but ....no but ! end of we beat you and hopefully when we play you next we wont be needing the points so badly as this time round....enjoy your season..

 

[Southampton Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (mattytheshrimper @ Dec. 11 2006,21:17)]do you know northam saint?

No, and after some of the tripe he's spouted over the last couple of days I'm pleased I don't! I will say though that he is most definitely not representative of all Saints fans! So don't judge them all on the basis of his ridiculous remarks!

 

[steveo1]

Quote[/b] ]Better chances? Better than hitting the post and having a perfectly good goal dissallowed?

Its hard to see whats happening at the other end sometimes, but we did have 3 really excellent chances, 2 of which were saved brilliantly by your keeper. I think he also got the match summary spot on:

Quote[/b] ]We've come away wanting to win the game and the feeling around the place was we were bang up for it. But so were Southend. We met them on the day they took their chances better than we did."