AFTER-MATCH ANALYSIS: MILLWALL

At the end of each month I intend to hold a poll to vote on members' posts commenting on Saints' League and Cup matches. Please get in the habit of giving us a detailed post after each match saying what you thought of the performance, who played best, who didn't, who should have been playing, what you would have done if you were manager etc., etc.
It doesn't matter if you weren't there.....you can still say what you think.

If you are impressed by a particular member's post please let me know so that I will be sure to include the post in the poll.

Your analysis of Saints-Millwall should go on this thread please. There is a separate thread in the Amusement Section's Competition League where the table showing the points gained for the analysis will be shown.

I only saw it on Sky, but it was nice to watch Saints on Sky and not lose!! I was pleased to see a lot of effort being put in and the defence looked much safer than last season.
It is difficult to see how Pardew can get more out of the players he has got and it was pleasing to see from his comments after the game that he knows he must bring in new players to get better results. I hope Paterson is not seriously injured because we are struggling to find alternative strikers.

My ratings:

DAVIS (little to fault) 8
HARDING (seemed competent at marking his man) 8
PERRY (pleased with how he put himself around the park) 8
THOMAS (rather a quiet game) 6
MURTY (seemed very determined and got forward well) 9
JAMES (quiet) 5
WOTTON (slightly better than usual) 6
SCHNEIDERLIN (quiet for much of the game but some absolutely brilliant moments) 7
LALLANA (not one of his best) 5
SAGANOWSKI (fairly satisfied with his performance and effort) 7
PATERSON (a well-taken goal and caused there defence some problems) 8

PARDEW (don't teally think he could have done much more on the day and was impressed by his post-match comments) 8

I took Twizzle and Graham and lo and behold we saw our first saints goal up close. The game was watched by 20,000 and was a good lively accounter. The atmosphere was good in the ground and I was extremely pleased with the amount of effort produced. Saints were relatively tight at the back and we looked fully capable of holding sway after we had settled. Most of the team had good games with the exceptions being James and Lallana. My man of the match has got to be Murty. From the offset he showed excellent awareness and along with Harding helped make us look quite good at the back. Kelvin produced his usual match saving performance but Murty just edged it.
The first half was just shaded by us and a bit more confidence in ront of goal could have seen us leading at half time. Schneiderlin produced one moment of sheer audacious class when he tried lobbing the keeper from way out but Forde the Millwall keeper just managed to get back and turn it over. This just a minute after we had a saga goal disallowed for offside. As the half ended we were feeling quite pleased with what had been seen so far.
The second half began in a relatively high tempo and Millwall came close with a low cross shot. Paterson finally ended the goal drought in the 50th minute with a 6 yard drive after good work and a neat flick on by Saganoski. We tried to up the ante with the crowd roaring the team forward but were unable to capitalise. Millwall were awarded a free gift of a penalty when two Millwall men went down. Alexander stepped up and shot hard low to Davis's right but Kelvin got down superbly to save and then saved the follow up attempt at goal. This was just a reprieve though as a couple of minutes later Millwall did score. A corner came in and was met by Abdou who headed high and wide of davis into the net.
The final phase saw a goal at each end disallowed. As time ran out both sets of players tried to engineer a result. The final whistle coming as we were attacking.
The crowd had in the main stayed and both sets of players were applauded off as we started thinking about the journey home. The crowd had done well and I include in that, the supporters of Millwall. The Northam and Millwall section had some good natured banter as they sang loudly in support of the teams. Leaving the ground it appeared that in the main all were fairly content with what had been watched. We even had some good natured chat with the Lion's fans as we left the ground.
Saints player ratings :-
Davis -Commanded his box and saved the penalty well - 8
Murty - Outstanding first league performance showing excellent positional sense and making a couple of excellent covering tackles plus a cople of really good bursts down the flank. - 9.5
Perry - Steady as usual just wish he was a couple of inches taller - 7
Thomas - Steady with some important headers. Got caught on the wrong side of his opponent a few times but in the main ok. - 7
James - Very quiet game. disappointing - 5
Wotton - Got caught a couple of times but better than expected. - 6
Schneiderlin - Still goes awol at times but quite a few good touches and nearly scored a fantastic goal. - 6
Lallana - Would have taken him off before half time if I was the boss. Poor is too polite. - 4
Saganoski - Had a better game than I had hoped for but no real strength in his efforts on goal. - 6
Paterson - Scored but try as he could he wasn't strong enough to brush aside the defenders, though always a danger. - 7.5

The subs didn't really get much time.
Gillett - Usual effort - 6
Thomson - One good move in his short cameo - 5
Gobern - Helped keep pressure up - 6

AP did ok but where was Mills and why didn't he change James or Lallana at halftime. Won't be surprised to see a striker brought in soon and a strong tackling no nonsense midfielder. - 7

I didn't go to the game, but listened on Radio Solent. It sounded very much as if Saints played well, but ran out of steam after the penalty decision so maybe the players aren't as fit as they should be.
While it's disappointing that we didn't hang onto the lead and, indeed, almost lost the match altogether, a point isn't bad and it starts to chip away at the -10. It is sobering to see that, at the end of the first day of a new season that, although we got a point we are still rock bottom, below teams on the wrong end of 7-1 and 5-0 hammerings, courtesy of that damned -10! Now that really brings home the extent of our handicap this season!

From the radio commentary it sounded as if the defence were solid enough, not quite as many headless chicken moments as previous games.

The thing that cheered me most was the way Murty came charging into the area and put in a great last ditch tackle as he covered the back. The man has sharpened up already as he regains his fitness. He could well be the bargain of the year closely followed by Harding.
I am fairly confident that AP will get in some muscle to help us and also toughen up the squad.

we played well, first half was ours and untill we scored, when they brought on the two subs seemed to change the game we lost our way a bit from then, Murty and Harding looked good as did Davies , a good start to a bright future nice to see mr L at the game and a good support...... minus 9 and sub trackting .....

Perennial Underachiever wrote:I didn't go to the game, but listened on Radio Solent. It sounded very much as if Saints played well, but ran out of steam after the penalty decision so maybe the players aren't as fit as they should be.

I watched on Sky and, to be fair PU, I couldn't see any evidence of lack of fitness on what was a very hot afternoon. I think the team lost their confidence after the penalty and Millwall made an inspirational tactical double-substitution which we struggled hard to cope with.

Lions Tamed?

Saints welcomed Millwall to the big top for their League One curtain raiser.

After last season's comedy of errors, pundits could be forgiven for thinking Ring Master Pardew would send out the clowns once more.

But billionaire owner Markus Liebherr intends to bring a smile to spectators, and not so much laughter.
Silly season is over. A new one begun.

A crowd of 20,000 fans, paid to see a more skillful act, and although they managed to walk a tightrope, the highlight had to be the taming of the Lions. Millwall promised drama, and roared on occasion.

But the fast improving Saints, with a few new additions, could soon be ready to take their show on the road.

The CIRCUS has left St. Mary's.



http://southamptonblog.forumotion.com/southampton-football-club-blog-f2/lion-tamers-t63.htm

Really pleased with the draw, but would have loved Rasiak to be on the end of two or three of those crosses!
Millwall are a good yardstick, and with a few additions ( expected ), this could be a surprisingly good season.

Jillyanne wrote:

Perennial Underachiever wrote:I didn't go to the game, but listened on Radio Solent. It sounded very much as if Saints played well, but ran out of steam after the penalty decision so maybe the players aren't as fit as they should be.

I watched on Sky and, to be fair PU, I couldn't see any evidence of lack of fitness on what was a very hot afternoon. I think the team lost their confidence after the penalty and Millwall made an inspirational tactical double-substitution which we struggled hard to cope with.

Jillyanne

NICE MOVES!

;)

Started off in the Chapel pub sinking back a couple of wets to get me in the mood for the game sitting in the Kingsland.

Decent atmosphere with 20,000+ supporters.

Davies. Good penaly save,but should have saved the goal. (7)

Murty. Are you Jason Dodd in disguise.Played well.8
Harding. Played well,good buy. 8.5
Thomas. Won everything in the air,solid performance. 8.7
Perry. Done ok,except a couple of loose passes. 7

Lalana. A few glimpses of skill.Lost the ball a few times 6.5
Wotton. Average. 6.5
Schneiderlin. Great chip shot in first half,deserves his place. 8
James. Average. 6.5

Paterson. looks a good player in ths league. & a goal. 8
Saganowski. Getting fitter...will score goals against less physical teams. 6.5

1-1 Fair result. As my teachers always said....could do better!!

Do you think Kelvin should still be captain or should the job be given to Murty?
(Or maybe Pardew is planning the signing of someone who would make an ideal captain!! )

A couple more of these performences and I would love Murty to be team captain an d for his service to us and loyalty let Kelvin be club captain. Dad thinks Murty should be made captain now but i woud wait.

Agree with Dad because I've always thought that a goalkeeper shouldn't be the captain and Murty seems to be quite a character. It's certainly good to have a couple of leaders on the pitch like we had yesterday regardless of who is the captain.

I agree TS. Only problem last season was that we only had the one player worthy of being made captain. Murty in my mind is perfect captain material.

Didn't he do the job at Reading?

Yes and he was a very popular one to boot. On Yesterdays performance he fully justifies being given the armband. He was really exstatic whenwe scored and tried to drive us forward after Millwall began to dictate at end of the game.

It would be great to see 3 signings by the weekend, a strong and pacy central defender, midfielder and striker.

Zippy wrote:It would be great to see 3 signings by the weekend, a strong and pacy central defender, midfielder and striker.

One down, two to go!

Rasiak played as a sub today and layed on Lallana's goal with his first touch. If AP can persuade him to stay and get him back to his best we will really have a potent attack at last. It would be like signing another player as well.

Totally agree, SFC.

Good match last week, I wish you well for the season.

Thanks Lenny. I wish you and your Lions all the best as well. I liked the fact that there were a lot of families at the match and your fans sang their hearts out in turn with ours. A lot of good old fashioned banter.


PS feel free to join in the banter on here. all are welcome as long as it is remembered we are a family conscious concern.