Observations From Southampton Game

[Chivs]

Well, I really enjoyed last night. And it's not often you can say that after a 0-3 thrashing. Despite getting hammered (rightly so) we were never outclassed.

Some immediate thoughts are:

• All the younger players will learn from playing top class opposition
  
• The referee had "Stars in his eyes". He definitely favoured the prem team on occasions
  
• What does Roberts have to do to get a full game?
  
• I thought Amaankwaah was awful
  
• Tinman was outstanding
  
• Beattie is one helluva player. Class act
  
• The third goal walkout was disgraceful. I was embarrassed to be a City fan
  
• I thought the atmosphere was good
  

Some people on here seem to think the atmosphere was disappointing. I disagree. There was plenty of humour (mostly gallows, admittedly). On one occasion I looked round to see what the commotion was in the middle of the Atyeo. Turned out to be people singing. Surreal.

[sephjnr]

[*]What does Roberts have to do to get a full game?

* learn to run faster (I accept that this is just a nitpick)

* put it into the Captain's head that he needs more support up front

* instead of charging in, look around for help

* shave the beard, it's gratuitously ugly

* rehearse his strikes in training with the midfield feeding- he's got good one-touch shots, so more opportunities to use them will help

* If Roberts and Peacock are being marked, Amankwaah usually isn't. And vice versa. TAKE ADVANTAGE.

I only really started to walk away in Injury time last night. That disallowed goal was NEVER offside (something else may have caught attention), and Matty & Co. did very well to stand up to the Soton attack for half an hour.

"There's always Bradford Park Avenue" [cue rotten tomatoes]

[Stoke_Gifford_Red]

I agree with all your pints apart from the one about KA. He wasnt awful, just distictly average. He may have appeared awful, but only because everyone else was playing so well.

[sephjnr]

I agree with all your pints

Well I agree with my pints too. They just don't tend to agree with me

[O_Faz]

I agree with all your pints apart from the one about KA.  He wasnt awful, just distictly average.

KA, never tried that one...is it a good beer? :how funny:

[O_Faz]

Chivs I agree with everything you say. That basically sums up the game very well.

Referee was in general very good - the game was allowed to flow for long periods, which made it a better spectacle. However he did seem to make decisions for the Premier League team which we didn't get, e.g. Manhandling.

However there can't really be any complaints about the result, we had some of the games best chances and failed to take them.

Hopefully we will be able to take all the positives from this game and now apply them to league form - I hope this is the game that kick-starts our season

[Chivs]

I agree with all your pints apart from the one about KA.  He wasnt awful, just distictly average.  He may have appeared awful, but only because everyone else was playing so well.

Fair pint :Party12:

Perhaps awful is a bit strong but he did disappoint. He seemed to have acres of space outside Le Saux but constantly turned inside. I wasn't sure whether he was unfit and not getting back, or just positionally very suspect.

Also, did anyone notice when he got substituted? The Soton gk immediately kicked the ball to their left midfielder who was revelling in half of AG on his own in KA's absence. This is Premier League thinking.