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I’ve just been looking at the League Table and can’t believe that 5 of our 7 draws this season have been against the bottom 6 teams in the Championship.

19 Stoke (D 0-0) (W 2-0)
20 Birmingham (D 2-2)
21 Huddersfield (D 1-1)
22 Sheffield Wed (W 0-1)
23 QPR (D 0-0)
24 Rotherham (D 2-2)

It just shows how we struggle against teams that set themselves up for a point as was clearly Stoke City’s objective today.

If we look for a positive at least we’ve not lost any of these games, but, if we aspire to win promotion to the Premier League we should really be winning more of these games.

Simile case last season, struggle against teams that sit deep and defend. I feel the last couple of games were more suited to Ladapo but it’s very clear form the lack of minutes that he’ll be off soon.

I much prefer Hirsts all round game but ladapo works ok against teams where we are camped in their half and he can live inside their box.

For me, it highlights something wrong in the way we approach such games.

I can't deny that KM has been very successful here, but on the other hand I think he is very one-dimensional in his tactics and approach - almost like we are a one-trick pony. We need to play a different game against teams who are prepared to just sit back and defend, and I think that our form of late is indicative of other teams knowing exactly how we are going to play.

rossi wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 02, 2024 9:06 am

For me, it highlights something wrong in the way we approach such games.

I can't deny that KM has been very successful here, but on the other hand I think he is very one-dimensional in his tactics and approach - almost like we are a one-trick pony. We need to play a different game against teams who are prepared to just sit back and defend, and I think that our form of late is indicative of other teams knowing exactly how we are going to play.

Sort of - but I also feel we are punching above our weight in terms of the players we have, if we had a Dewsbury-Hall or some of those Leeds attackers then we might have that bit of extra quality to unlock a stubbon defense. I think we have all got v high expectations from the amazing start, but have to maybe accept the players are doing so well given their ability, i.e KM is really getting the most out of them. It was the same last season before Jan, then we signed a bit more quality to raise the level up and we blew the league away. Much harder to do that this Jan, but if we can get some needle movers in we will be a real force.

Someone posted this on the “ other” forum re Saints recent run of wins..,,, as he says it puts those wins they have got, into some context …


“There is a bit of context to Southampton's recent run, the last ten fixtures being against the teams currently in 21st, 11th, 9th, 10th, 8th, 17th, 23rd, 16th, 18th and 13th - all middle and lower table. They drew four out of the five away games from that lot, too.

They also have yet to play away at all the rest of the top six except Sunderland.”


I’ve already said that when I saw their last two games, thst what struck me most about them was they don’t look particularly quick ( when compared to Leeds / Leicester…. I know we don’t play them until April and lot can happen before then, but I think we’ll beat them at PR.

It's been going on for years hasn't it, struggling to overcome opposition teams way down below us in league placing. Not all the time, but often enough. Seasons back before McKenna came on the scene, we'd play off against those we were expected to beat and came up short, dropped points and everything, missed out on victory enough times.

Not sure if it's a psychological thing or there's a certain mindset when we go out against certain opponents but a clear pattern has emerged over past seasons. Maybe the players think victory is already assured or something and don't try as hard as they should, lose focus, become complacent etc.

Think what makes this issue more prevalent now than before being we're having best season for (almost) 20 years and we're remaining so high up and so many challengers far below than past seasons it just takes on greater prominence than what many are used to. McKenna's requisite 4-2-3-1 start formation isn't for everyone but look at how many we've scored by it and the success with it. You got to consider however if more attackers were deployed at start of games regular enough, would the team be taking victory from the opposition teams listed here and in the above. There's key players out right now and unavailable but they (more often than not) would have been involved for the games stated.

I see it differently, in seasons gone by and under different managers we lose those games.

rossi wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 02, 2024 9:06 am

For me, it highlights something wrong in the way we approach such games.

I can't deny that KM has been very successful here, but on the other hand I think he is very one-dimensional in his tactics and approach - almost like we are a one-trick pony. We need to play a different game against teams who are prepared to just sit back and defend, and I think that our form of late is indicative of other teams knowing exactly how we are going to play.

I agree. Alternatively, in the few times we've been dominated (Leeds), it seems KM didn't have a plan B (nothing like previous managers). Obviously, I am not being too critical of KM...he's a fantastic manager without doubt. We have to realize; he's still learning even though he's probably viewed as one of the best managers in the championship. I can only see KM growing into a an even better manager in the future, and with even better players in the squad who knows how far he can take us.