Southampton 3 - West Bromwich Albion 0

oshawabaggie:

What do you get when you add totally inept refereeing to a sloppy, lethargic performance? Yes, a thorough defeat. Their first goal, from a silly challenge by Dawson, was well taken and deserved, based on their control of the game. But then the ineptitude started. Scene 1: Gardner was clearly fouled, possibly just outside the box. The idiot, masquerading as a ref, waves play on. Scene 2: Dawson and their forward challenge shoulder to shoulder in the box. With the benefit of tv replays, it is clear their forward barges Dawson and both fall to the ground. Idiot points straight to the spot. Game over.

I am not suggesting we really deserved anything from this game, but two crap calls meant that a possible 1-1 score line became 2-0.

I've said it before, but I'll say it again, football is one of the few remaining sports not to use video review for key decisions. The one area they have adopted it - goal line cameras - is a huge success. Cricket and Rugby are two sports that have benefited from reviews of game changing events. Far from disrupting the game, they remove controversy and assist the refs in what is a difficult job. I put it that more time is lost dealing with distraught players than a quick review would take.

Back to the game, how come Southampton can play with high energy only three days after playing and we look like a bunch of pensioners? No disrespect to pensioners - I am one too.

A parting jab at Pulis - I am getting tired of his 'West Brom never spend any money' Schtick. He spent a small fortune on Chester, Lambert and Rondon. The former two are pretty well on the scrap heap and the jury is still out on Rondon. Demarai Gray and Charlie Austin went for a fraction of what he blew on those three.

Brendan Clegg:

Probably not worth dwelling on this one too much as it just wasn't our day all round.

We conceded early from a 25 yard free kick - that doesn't happen every week.

I can't think of a player who had a decent game, they were all pretty poor in quality, the effort and work-rate were not there.

We got nothing all day from the referee - it was one of those games where every decision went their way, including the bizarre Gardner one; perhaps he made a bit too much of it as he could probably have stayed on his feet and got a shot off but it was still a clear foul. Not that we deserved much but it might have kicked us into life.

I thought tactically and in terms of selections Pulis got it wrong - it is well and good saying it's tough having 2 away games in 3 or 4 days but, use your squad? Play Saido, play McManaman, don't play 2 very old centre backs against Long and Mane - give Olsson a rest if he's just come back from a hamstring injury and switch Evans back to the centre - play Brunt/Poc or even McClean at left back. If your opponent has a beast like Wanyama playing just in front of the back 4 don't base your whole approach to the game on winning knock-downs in and around him, you won't. Get the ball wide of him and have a player like Saido who uses intelligent movement to create gaps. I'm not saying we'd have got anything anyway because too many players had off days but having to sub Olsson anyway at half time was a waste, for example.

The injuries and substitutions didn't help - we ended up playing long ball to 3 strikers instead of one and it still didn't make a difference.

On top of this, Southampton were too good for us. Long and Mane ran us ragged - Long as we know is great in the air but also rapid and we had no answer in the centre. Elswhere on the pitch they had the height and strength to match us and nullify our bullying or set-play threat and then much better quality in midfield.

So one to forget and move on from quickly - we missed Morrison hugely and this demonstrated we don't really have anyone else who can play his role as an understudy like Dorrans could. I think we need to buy, especially if Fletcher is out - it could be a couple of months before Morrison is fit.

• Myhill - 6 Seems to play better when Foster is totally out of the picture. A few examples of his lead legs.
• Dawson - 5 Struggled defensively and was awful on the ball under pressure.
• McAuley - 6 Kept going but this run has been a big ask given his age, and yet he's rightly still trusted more than Chester.
• Olsson - 5 Was left exposed a fair bit but also kept going.
• Evans - 6 I'm not sure why we continue to waste him at left back - did OK.
• Yacob - 5 Kept plugging away and getting a foot in but his lack of pace was horribly exposed.
• Fletcher - 4 hard to believe this was the same player as against Chelsea. Was never fully at it and his use of the ball was really bad at times. Was hoping he'd improve but was injured before that could happen.
• Sess - 5 In very brief moments he showed glimpses but in general he went to ground too easily, we didn't find him enough, he was moved all over the place and his final ball was crap in those rare moments due to there being no options or support and him generally making the wrong decisions.
• Gardner - 4 I'm afraid he was as bad as at Chelsea only without the goal. Should've earned a pen but quality on the ball was nowhere ner good enough.
• McClean - 5 Kept working but again his quality and decsion making let him down - very predictable head-down stuff.
• Big Vic - 4 Miles off it. Nothing like Newcastle game which I'm afraid is exactly what we've come to exptect. Movement was dreadful, effort was nowhere near what's required and he was also isolated and crowded out. Couldn't get going. If the Newcastle performance was the norm and not the exception you wouldn't blame Pulis for going with him - but we all know he can never get consistent performances which is what frustrates everyone and is why his career looks destined to be a waste.

• Brunt - 5 Nowhere near mobile enough for midfield. Tried to keep it better when he got on the ball but spent most of the time getting nowhere near it.
• Rondon - 5 I can't really think of a meaningful contribution and the supply was dreadful again.
• Saido - 6 At least looked interested, showed movement and intelligence and was clever enough to get into pockets of space where we could get on the ball rather than chase hoofs, but was too little too late.

north bayite:

i watched the game live on tv in canada, was surprised pulis didn't use pocc or gamboa as he cried about 2 tough games in 3 days and the new years schedule. when we have players he just refuses to use it amazes me. our injuries are mounting because of his reluctance to use players, who he says he wants to move on.

getting back to the game we looked lethargic and tired, yes ref decisions went against us , it certainly didn't look like a penalty against dawson a good shoulder charge close to the ball. where at the other end possibly we should of had one . that said we were never going to win that game.

now a tricky fa cup replay followed by two massive games villa and swansea at home 6 points we need because teams below us are starting to win and buying wisely 4 mill for charlie adams mmmmmmm how we could of done with him. sad to say rondon looks worse than ideye brown, big vics back to his best (sarcasm) berahino part player. time maybe to throw roberts in and nabi hungry young kids who might make a difference.

boing boing

Ancient Baggie:

I'm not really surprised we lost this one and in fairness Southampton are not a bad side. However it was a lacklustre performance from us and we never really looked up for it. Pulis keeps talking up how fit the side is and how great the medical team is but in truth its an ageing side with no pace and they are not fit enough to play twice in a week. To make matters worse we now have injuries to two of our more influential players.

Some business this month is now essential or we need to start using some of the youngsters we seem to producing for everyone else.

We must have the most ineffective strikers in the league by a distance apart from Berahino(the only academy graduate in the first team squad) I can't see a goal in any of them, when was the last time any of them actually scored? We've now got to play twice a week for the next fortnight so I can't see things getting much better, we've got to win our next two home games against Villa and Swansea or we are in danger of getting dragged into the struggle at the bottom so I wouldn't be surprised to see us throwing a young side into the cup replay which I for one wouldn't mind seeing.

COYB