Here we go again...... SWANSEA AT ST MARYS

Can Saints get an opening day win for a change? A result like the game against Leeds 6 years ago would be good!

I cannot seeing us keeping a clean sheet to be honest, Stephens/Yohsi and Forster as a combination I think will be exposed as okay but not great. The issue will be can we score, and we were not great last year but hoping Gabbadini strats with a bang. First games can often have odd results and while we should win I am going for a draw.

I don't think Grino will throw Lemmy straight in, more likely on the bench I'd say.

I agree Matty, I think this has 'draw' written all over it.....but keeping fingers crossed for maybe a 2-1 win.

As you said Mike, "here we go again" and in many ways similar to last year, plenty of possession, but couldn't score if still playing now. There was a decent spirit with most of the team, though Redmond always seems to have an attitude problem but if you start Tadic, JWP, Davis and Redmond who between them average 1 goal every 10 games says it all. (that's 4 goals a season in total!)The manager needs to move from the 4321 to playing two strikers, and Redmond and Tadic are NOT strikers. If we stick with starting these players will be a long season. over 25 attempts at goal but only a couple on target.

Cedric and Bertrand got forward well in the first half and a number of times got to the byline but no end product, knew would be bad as we actually had 3 chances in first 6 minutes, Gabbadini had a flick on at near post from a corner which just went over, then Tadic 10 yards out had a great chance but shot wide then a shot from outside box went over. Carried on for most of the half. JWP twice had good chances in the box but his shots were blocked, no composure to look and pick his spot, Yoshida then had a chance set up by a header from Stephens but tried the spectacular and failed miserably.

Second half more of the same though with a bit less pace, Swansea had little threat though a mistake by Yoshida, again here we go again, gifted the ball in midfield, no one tackled and Abrahams had space and time by the penalty spot but Cedric got back to block. With 20 minutes left took off Gabbadini for Austin and JWP for Boufal, so I thought "here we go again" Tadic and Redmond no matter how ineffective they make the team stay on the pitch. Tadic had a shot from outside the box saved, it swerved a bit but really an easy save then Yoshida should have scored at back post but headed wide, hate to say it but the sort of header VVD would have buried. We then had a free kick in a great position but Yoshida took and went wide, have no idea why Yoshida was taking theN Austin hit the side netting with a shot.

Forster 6 very quite game had little to do
Cedric 7 good going forward especially first half
Stephens 6 generally solid but does seem to get outmuscled at times which is odd due to his siZe, needs to get a mean streak
Yoshida 5 usual never looked comfortable on the ball couple of errors mixed with some good blocks
Bertrand 7 really good first half less so second and went off towards the end with a knock
Romeau 6 a mix of good and bad giving the ball away cheaply but still our main ball winner.
JWP 5 pretty ineffective, had a couple of heading opportunities first half, was embarrassing. Think he will make way for Lemina
Davis 5 little going forward and seems to slow the game down
Tadic 5 does have those flashes of brilliance but they are few and far between with to often drifting out of the game, sell him to Liverpool
Redmond 5 again frustrating he could do more and seems to play his own game, his lack of goal scoring suggests he or Tadic should be dropped
Gabbadini 5 made some decent runs in first half but gets little service needs support, shame we don't have someone like Pelle and think would have been perfect.

and just like last season referee standards going backward, Jones booked both Redmond and Romaeau in first half when Redmond was not a foul, goalie had gone to kick ball, so playable and he hardly touched the goalie, Romeau went for ball and won it only for a free kick against him and a booking absolutely garbage. Then Romeau is taken out , no booking, time wasting from goalie, think Jones warned him 8 times no card, Britton Fer and Ayew committed several fouls , far worse and no action. Can we get either some foreign refs or some women as thy have got to be better than this lot.

So 2 points dropped and need to win next week if not will be a struggle, I hope Pellegrino will change the formation and players, Lemina must start next week and Boufal ought to be given a chance to start in place of Tadic. Plus either Long or Austin need to be given a run of games, can understand their frustration when we have gone so long without scoring yet they rarely get to start.

Thanks Matty, nice report.

Another great report Matty, thanks.

We were both spot on in forecasting a draw.... more's the pity.

Only got to see a few highlights on TV so I csn't really judge....but from what was shown, it seemed that despite missing some clear chances Tadic did do some good work.   It looked like he should have had a penalty....but if he had taken it himself he would have been sure to miss!

Is it looking as though Grino is preferring McQueen to Targett or is Targett injured?

Tadic is annoying as he has those flashes of brilliance which will show up in the highlights but switches off for far to much of the game. If he didn't dive as much more chance he would get the free kicks when genuine, certainly was a poor performance by Jones who was pretty awful last year

I think McQueen was on the bench as can play left side of midfield as well and a has more height,