MAN UNITED: Post-match reaction

Put it here.....

That went far better than I expected, we only lost by a single goal. It was a very good Saints performance, especially in the first half and, on another day, we could have snatched a draw (although, tbh, that would not have been a good thing because it's another fixture we didn't need) or even have won it. The team acquitted themselves well in front of a worldwide tv audience (1, maybe 2 billion viewers? Including me, I can't get to games this season), really gave Utd a game, weren't disgraced and, above all, showed we can compete even against top teams.

Negatives - some wayward passing - Guly and Butterfield were the worst offenders - Dickson's mistake that led to their equaliser (or was it their winner? I've forgotten!) and the team becoming tired in the last half hour and, for the last 15 minutes, barely getting a touch of the ball. The ref was a dickhead, giving Utd every decision in the second half and us barely a thing - every time a Utd player went down the decision went their way.

Things that grate - Michael Owen's post-match interview (patronising c**t) and the usual w@nk off over Utd and only token platitudes towards Saints from the studio team at the end. It was all about how poor Utd were and not how much of a good game we gave them.

Chaplow fully deserved his Man of the Match award. £50k? PNE were robbed.
Saints can now concentrate on the league and the more important business of getting out of this rubbish division, starting with 3 points at Exeter on Tuesday. Bournemouth won today, so we need to overtake the irritating little club again and not waste our game(s) in hand. And finally, Bournemouth aside, the league results went our way, we're still 4th with games in hand.

Saw it on the box - not at the stadium. (Watching Sholing win 4-1 against Stourport Swifts in the afternoon. Had Saints not been on the box I would have been at St Mary's).

I thought we acquitted ourselves well considering we were playing one of the best sides in Europe. OK, so they had some second stringers out, but they would get into any other premier team (except maybe for Wes Brown who I rate as bag of dog sh*t). Anyway, yep, Chaplow got MOTM but I would have given it to Harding. I thought he had a great game.

Overall I did not want a draw and to be fair in the prediction league I thought we would go down 4-1, so heads held high.

Onwards and upwards.

Well no disgrace but disappointing as for an hour we were the better side and with a bit more conviction could have won the game. Have to disagree about Guly he was our main attacking threat from midfield and if a few of the other players had been on his wave length we could have scored more. First half Butterfield had a good game getting forward, Nani gave him problems second half not helped by fact he is simply a cheat and Atkinson always gave a free kick every time the MU players appealed. Nani dived in box trying get get pen. Atkinson 10 yards away saw clearly and does nothing, if refs booked the little cheat then maybe he might stay on his feet (unlikely though as seems cheating comes naturally for him)

Guly seemed to play more central midfield with Chaplow on right hand side with Lambert and Barnard up front. Thought Lambert had another poor game, simply didn't put in the effort compared to the other players and rarely got himself into the penalty box. We need a centre forward and Adkins either needs to tell him get in the box or sign a true CF. That said it might be Adkins style but Lambert today is only a threat from set pieces and then when he takes them.

Barnard did his normal chase and harry the defenders but they were good in the air, very tall like championship players so little point trying to hit the long ball. Guess most people would have seen on TV, hopefully even Pete in Oz might have got to see. Lambert close with a couple of free kicks but goalie wasn't really worried. United had a cross which drifted over everyone and hit post and came back out, lucky break for Saints but was never meant as a shot so evens out. Lambert had ball in net but looked clearly off side but Guly probably should have done better with a good chance with a header but he put over the top. Looked like going goalless half time until Chaplow burst into box on right hand side controlled the ball which sat up nicely and blasted into net though goalie should have done better.

Second half first 15 minutes went okay but when Nani and Giggs cam on we didn't adapt plus midfield was beginning to run out of steam. Doesn't help when players like Lambert are not prepared to work and Chamberlain had another poor game, press speculation getting to him. Saw at least 4 50/50 which were more 60/40 but he never went in with any conviction and seemed worried about an injury. Lucky to stay on the park for 90 minutes based on his performance though again seemed to play less out wide which might be the managers directions..

Midfield was getting a bit over run but even then their equaliser had a slice of luck about it as cross into box took a deflection which put in path to Owen. Was hoping Adkins would change it then and go for a win but as is often the case slow to use the subs. Saints nearly got a a goal again when following a short corner Harding fired a shot/cross low across the face of goal with no one around to apply a simple finish. Barnard then subbed for Dickson with Guly moving up front. While could understand the front pairing it meant the midfield where Guly was breaking up play became weaker and Dickson at fault for their second goal when gave the ball away cheaply which lead to their goal.

Adkins then brought on N'Guessan for Guly playing him as striker (all other clubs see him as a winger) and then Gobern for Chaplow. Didn't really press them in last 10 minutes, being just 1 behind you would think would just get players in the box and put it in but didn't happen though credit to Utd players who dont sit back but chase and harry when they dont have the ball.

Overall a decent performance and with the cup out of the way team can concentrate on the league. What is clear though when you look at our bench tonight we are short in midfield and up front for an out and out striker. Gobern is never going to cut it even at this level let alone championship and would have rather kept Wotton! Doble our only striker on the bench but again never gets brought on, have to ask what's the point of just keeping the bench warm, Connolly supposedly injured still, no change there then! With Puncheon clearly going we need a midfield player and striker urgently if we are going to genuinely push for promotion. Without still think we will make play offs but it is going to be tight and with other clubs winning critical Saints ensure they have a strong squad to see us through to the end of the season. With Cup and hype of transfer window to be gone soon can then can get the players to knuckle down to win as many games as possible between now and end of season but want to see a couple of decent signings by NC in next couple of days. (Not clever how he treated Franny)

Bart 7 Had a good game in goal and glad he played as had played or other cup games
Harding 7 got forward well
Seaborne 7 had a good game in preference to Jaidi and based on performance should start against Exeter
Fonte 7 looked assured.
Butterfield 6 good first half but struggled second half, Richardson is the better full back
Guly 7 broke up play and made some runs with the ball that created space for others
Chaplow 9 Everywhere and 100% commitment plus good goal
Schneiderlin 7 still to many sideways or backward passes but did okay
Chamberlain 5 Poor game and hype getting to him, If still here Tuesday then he should start on the bench.
Barnard 7 as always worked his socks off but hard to make an impact against premiership defenders
Lambert 6 Aside from free kicks not really goal threat and as he isn't scoring from free kicks we ought to look at others to take

Subs
NGuessen 6 little time to do anything and want to see what he can do out wide rather than as a striker
Dickson 5 tough being played out of position and struggled to get up to speed of game
Govern 5 great 30 yard pass in midfield to Utd player! Simply cant cut it and if he is on the bench we are struggling.

Attendance was poor considering we took 50000 to wembley, saints got the ticketing all wrong allowing season ticket holders then public just one ticket only. If you take a friend you want to sit next to them and while it looked fuller then official figure should have been a sell out.

Thanks for the reports blokes. No, unfortunately I didn't manage to see the match on telly. I'm sure the goals at least (given that it was Man U) will be on later today.

As others have said we gave a good account of ourselves and can be pretty pleased overall.

However I can't help feel seriously fustrated with some of NA's tactics today. First half the formation worked quite well although Chambo was wasted on the left. For most of the second half Chambo was played in the middle and when Dickson and N'Guessan came on they also played down the middle, so we were stupidly narrow for the second half and there was never an option on the right. Put Chambo on the right and get him to run at O'shea and he could create something. In the middle he was completely ineffective as was Dickson. N'Guessan probably didn't touch the ball. Gutted tbh that we didn't press on from 1-0 and get another because even when Giggs and Nani came on United were still there for the taking.

teamsaint wrote:As others have said we gave a good account of ourselves and can be pretty pleased overall.

However I can't help feel seriously fustrated with some of NA's tactics today. First half the formation worked quite well although Chambo was wasted on the left. For most of the second half Chambo was played in the middle and when Dickson and N'Guessan came on they also played down the middle, so we were stupidly narrow for the second half and there was never an option on the right. Put Chambo on the right and get him to run at O'shea and he could create something. In the middle he was completely ineffective as was Dickson. N'Guessan probably didn't touch the ball. Gutted tbh that we didn't press on from 1-0 and get another because even when Giggs and Nani came on United were still there for the taking.

Agree on NA tactics, sometime we try to be to clever, use the pace out wide and get Lambert and Guly in the box