HULL CITY AT ST MARY'S

Back to the league and hopefully a win against newly promoted Hull.

An interesting nostalgic article on a Hull website....

http://www.ambernectar.org/blog/2013/11/nostalgia-city-give-saints-a-wembley-warm-up/?

Will be a tough game as Bruce has set Hull up as an organised side hard to break down and hit on the break, the type of sides we struggled against last year. I am going for a 2 - 1 win

Hope you are right Matty. Three players called up to England squad, Tino named Manager of the Month.....got a really horrible feeling Saints are going to lose tomorrow. Prove me wrong boys please.......

don't like this Mike as your premonitions are normally right

Well Mike your premonition did not come to fruition for once!

A superb first half performance, one of the best I have seen at St Marys, gave saints a stranglehold of the game that despite a slow start to the second half ended up in a comfortable and classy win. Saints were bright from the start with Lallana and Rodrigues fired up knowing Hodgeson was in the ground. It didn't take long for saints to score after some sparring with Rickie being fouled but getting nothing Clyne put in a cross to the far post, Lambert in between 2 players was able to win the ball and head back into the middle of the box and Schneiderlin coming in had time to power a header high into the net. Quite an open game with Hull not as defensive as I thought but only played 1 up front with Huddleston looking to cancel out Wanyama. Schneiderlin was having a good game as saints passed the ball around with great confidence. That all important second goal came from a neat ball through from Lambert which Lallana ran onto, last season he would never have got there but this season he went for the ball, got into the left hand corner of the box and harper rushing out brought him down. Clear penalty and yellow card right decision as Lallana had knocked the ball past Harper but away from goal. Up stepped Rickie, harper knew was going to his right and actually stood this side but Rickie blasted hard as he does and straight in.

Ward prowse hit a deep cross which was headed over by a Hull player then saints got the third and a superb goal by lallana, definitely worth watching MOTD just to see this goal. Lallana picked the ball up in the centre, ran to the left hand side of the box beat 2 defenders cut in towards the goal and passed the ball into the opposite corner of the goal. Brilliant goal by Lallana and showed how well he is playing, didn't look to fall over which he was doing last year, actually taking on players, which he didn't do last year, then when he had sight of goal took it with confidence. best goal this season at St Marys. had the crowd chanting "He's off to Brazil, he's off to Brazil, Adam Lallana, he's off to Brazil. Also sung with rickie and J Rod inserted plus chants of like watching England and Come on England. Think Hodgeson will want to play all England's games at st Marys based on the first half. Having dominated the half and well worth a 3 goal lead we nearly let in a sucker goal on stroke of half time but between lovren and Boruc kept the ball out.

Did see wanyama walk off at half time holding his back and had clearly taken a knock which I think was partly why Hull got back into the game at the start of the second half. Wanyama who was not moving well gave the ball away in middle of the park giving the ball to Sagbo who from outside the box found the corner. Some clown sent a text to Solent saying Boruc at fault for the goal, they clearly were not at the game! For the next 10 minutes saints were shaky, couldn't really get the passing game going which gave Hull more of the ball and opportunity to throw in some crosses. saints though weathered the storm and started creating some chances which Hull managed to block or put out for corners and saints replaced wanyama with Davis with wanyama holding his back when he went off.

Saints had a breakaway from a corner where there must have been 6 saints players bombing forward but unfortunately a poor final pass meant came to nothing. Osvaldo came on for Rickie who arguably had 2 assists plus a goal and looked quite lively, did manage a header at the far post but was a looping header which Harper caught under the bar. Game was back under saints control and Lallana went off to a standing ovation and the icing on the cake was the fourth goal. Ball was knocked across from left side to right side, Cline running at pace crossed the ball and Davis near the penalty spot controlled the ball with one touch then fired low into the net to left side of Harper.

Game all over but still some time for saints to show their class with some nice moves. Third in the table and Arsenal away next, a top of the table clash!!

Boruc 7 no chance with goal but very little else to do
Clyne 8 another great game which must have done his England chances no harm
Fonte 8 solid and comfortable
Lovren 9 always looks class but will hoof it when needed.
Shaw 9 another great game with some good runs going forward
Schneiderlin 9 a great all round performance
Wanyama 6 started well but did give the ball away and at fault for the goal.
Ward Prowse 8 a lot of effort and some decent crosses.
Lallana 10 absolutely stunning performance from Adam who at start of the season was so frustrating, well done MP for improving
Rodrigues 8 unlucky not to score, made some great surging runs and great effort
Lambert 8 another understated performance by rickie but makes the team tick.

Subs
Davis 8 brings a solidity to the midfield and another goal.
Osvaldo 6 did okay when he came on.
Cork 6 good to see him on the pitch and linked up well in his 10 minutes with Cline

Nice one. Good report as well Matty.

Another fantastic display and Lallana was magnificent. Surely Hodgson will give him a game!

Delighted to have my prediction proved wrong.

Away to Arsenal next, and if by some miracle Saints should win it, then we could quite easily find ourselves top of the table!!!  

Got to savour this.....