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Southampton came into this game on a 14-match unbeaten run.

We had a sloppy opening period of giving the ball away on a
number of occasions

And I have to say that a general lack of movement made it easier for
the opposition to press & box us in in.

Kenneth Paal prevented a certain goal with some superb defending
in the box.

Mixed bag from Ilias. He had a good shot well saved, an audacious lob
from around the half-way line just cleared the crossbar.
But as we know he often hangs on to the ball too long, trying to beat two
defenders & then drifts across the pitch!

The visitors took the lead after a free kick was swung over, knocked on
to Harwood-Bellis to finish at the far post.

On 65 minutes, Chris Willock produced our second & I think last shot on
target?

Sinclair/Paul Smyth's arrival didn't make much of an impact & a number of
blocks/saves prevented the Saints doubling their lead.

After Uncle Albert was flattened in the closing stages, the culprit received
a send yellow.

We all know what is needed.....in Marti I have faith.

Attendance: 17,745.

I was very disappointed with some of the performances yesterday, Dykes, Dozzell and Cannon
were absolutely shocking. Sam Field had a poor game, Ilias Chair was his usual self hogging the
ball and doing his own thing.

Unfortunately we appear to be saying the same thing on a weekly basis with Dykes, offering the team
absolutely nothing and everything is a real effort for him. Hopefully we can move him on somewhere
in January, he has been a poor signing and it would be a miracle if we could recoup our initial outlay on him.

Dozzell and Cannon are just not Championship standard, you just can’t see the team going forward as long as
these players continue to be selected.

I would imagine Marti Cifuentes would have a good idea of what needs to be done short term, whether he will
be allowed to go into the transfer market remains to be seen.

Steve Russell wrote: ↑Sun Dec 24, 2023 1:04 pm Southampton came into this game on a 14-match unbeaten run.
We had a sloppy opening period of giving the ball away on a
number of occasions

I thought we had a cracking 20/25 minute spell, beginning of the 1st half.