Southampton (A) - 6pm 29/12

Fortuneseeker

Hamstew, in that case I reckon we should hang onto Haller as we will be in an even worse state if he leaves and we don't replace him.

Hamstew

Fortuneseeker said:

Hamstew, in that case I reckon we should hang onto Haller as we will be in an even worse state if he leaves and we don't replace him.

Yeah could do. But that may mean we don't buy Benrahma. Could call back Silva and see what he can do.

Fortuneseeker

Isn’t the deal for Benrahma at the end of the season which we can fund from our prize money from the Premier League? I thought it was interesting Owen Hargreaves thinks we should be happy to finish mid table whilst Jermaine Jeans thinks Southampton should be in the Europa League shake up. Why?

Lukerz

This also shows that we can play with a back four.

We played with a back four second half against Villa, winning 2-1 after it was 1-1. We played a back four against Leeds (winning 1-2) & again today (drawing 0-0). We played it at the back end of last season.

That’s 7 points from 3 very good teams who are all currently in great form. We can play it & I suggest we stick to it whilst Arthur is out.

IronHerb

I believe we are 'obligated' to buy Benrahma in the summer.

Slacker

Wow! It was just like watching Brazil in the seventies.
What an awful game of football that was.

ASLEFshrugged

Lukerz said:

This also shows that we can play with a back four.

We played with a back four second half against Villa, winning 2-1 after it was 1-1. We played a back four against Leeds (winning 1-2) & again today (drawing 0-0). We played it at the back end of last season.

That’s 7 points from 3 very good teams who are all currently in great form. We can play it & I suggest we stick to it whilst Arthur is out.

We also lost against Newcastle and Chelsea with a back 4 plus tonight was the first time we've kept a clean sheet.

With a back 4
P5 W1 D2 L2 GF3 GA7

With a back 3 + wing backs
P11 W5 D3 L3 GF20 GA14

Maybe try Cresswell at LWB with Oggy, Balbuena and Dawson as a back 3?

alderz

You lose a massive amount from Cresswell’s game if he plays LB in a 4. He doesn’t get enough time to cross with any kind of quality. If we go to a 4 we will be gaining with one hand and taking with another

Lukerz

alderz said:

You lose a massive amount from Cresswell’s game if he plays LB in a 4. He doesn’t get enough time to cross with any kind of quality. If we go to a 4 we will be gaining with one hand and taking with another

I agree but with no natural LWB I don’t think we have another choice.

alderz

Lukerz said:

alderz said:

You lose a massive amount from Cresswell’s game if he plays LB in a 4. He doesn’t get enough time to cross with any kind of quality. If we go to a 4 we will be gaining with one hand and taking with another

I agree but with no natural LWB I don’t think we have another choice.

I mean, the window opens in 3 days. We definitely have a choice. We either need a backup LWB, or we need another option at LB. Cresswell has had a great season at LCB, but he doesn’t look good as a fullback anymore. I’m happy for it to be a 3-4-3 or a 4-3-3 but we need to have the right players to play the system effectively

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

He was a bit overrun in the first half, but thought Cresswell had a good game at LB personally

Obviously prefer him at LCB, but he wasn't as bad as I thought he'd be, especially against two quick players in Walcott and Walker-Peters

alderz

I’m annoyed that this was the Luis Boa Morte Derby and I forgot

Ravel49

The 🐍

alderz

I’ve seen that Dawson is being reported as MOTM, which I guess is fair enough, but I do remember him making one clanger, whereas Ogbonna didn’t put a foot wrong that I can recall.

Cuz1

I thought Dawson marshalling the defence talking pointing won it for him, considering it was his first game for us would be confident of him slotting in due to injuries, something beforehand I probably wouldn’t have so fair play to him and moyes for playing him 👏

buffybegood

He did give the ball away in a very dangerous situation, but fortunately they squandered the chance. I did feel that he grew into the game though, but not sure he'd be my MOTM

EXETERHAMMER

I did like the way Dawson was talking and being vocal. A key component we have been missing for a while now.

alderz

Tbh, I don’t really think there was a MOTM, nobody stood out in particular, so I don’t have an issue with it being Dawson, I just think it’s interesting to see how these things are decided.

puddleglumhammers

Excellent point against a pretty good team, who played with more confidence than us until our subs came on. I feel for Diop not getting in ahead of Dawson but the latter was generally composed and effective.
I agree we can play Cresswell at LWB if we have to, but Johnson was not too bad there before. I would OK seeing a back 5 of Coufal Balbuena Diop Ogbonna Cresswell.
From from the little we saw yesterday Benrahma might well be better up top than Haller.

alderz

puddleglumhammers said:

Excellent point against a pretty good team, who played with more confidence than us until our subs came on. I feel for Diop not getting in ahead of Dawson but the latter was generally composed and effective.
I agree we can play Cresswell at LWB if we have to, but Johnson was not too bad there before. I would OK seeing a back 5 of Coufal Balbuena Diop Ogbonna Cresswell.
From from the little we saw yesterday Benrahma might well be better up top than Haller.

That back five with Soucek and Rice in midfield would put an awful lot of pressure on the front three to do all the attacking and creating alone.

Hamstew

alderz said:

Tbh, I don’t really think there was a MOTM, nobody stood out in particular, so I don’t have an issue with it being Dawson, I just think it’s interesting to see how these things are decided.

I think the commentary team seemed unsure of who to give it to also. One of them (Was it Morrison?) Mentioned Oggy also but I think it was noted that it was also because of how it was Dawsons first game and did well etc..

puddleglumhammers

Not so sure, Alderz. Cresswell is a good overlapper and crosser and Coufal is OK too. Soucek can push up now and again, so 3 and a half attaching players, I suppose.

Lukerz

I thought Dawson was alright but just did everything that was expected of a Premier League defender. Not sure you should get added points for pointing & shouting. But he was certainly solid for a debut & first game since July. Fair play to him.

Thought Fornals was our best player, in terms of his defensive work, shape, help for Cresswell & some reasonable bits of play going forward.

Cuz1

Probably meant marshalling as opposed to talking and pointing, it must be loads better for players if you had someone around you that reads the game like the great Bobby Moore did, not that I’m saying Dawson is anywhere near as good

IronHerb

I think Fornals plays like that on a regular basis but for some reason he is totally expendable to some.

Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes

I think Fornals is a frustration because he seems to have great technical ability, but it never seems to really come to the fore.

He lets himself down with the final pass, finish or cross too often.

But I think we look better whenever he is in the team.

thornburyiron

I think he’s had a fair few assists this term. His quick thinking for the Bowen goal against Wolves was class.

EXETERHAMMER

I like Fornals. He gives good balance to the team and works very hard giving good protection to the LB/LWB.
He gets a chance in most games as he presses well.... He just needs to finish more chances and on occasion make better decisions in the final third.

Cuz1

I agree Exeter if he could finish some of these chances we’d have one player on our hands imo

IronHerb

That'll come. At least he's getting into those positions.