Saints celebrate Trotters not having to take onePic from http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/Gallery/0,,10280~1906537,00.html
Norwich were our visitors in the More-Important-Than-The-World-Cup Johnstone Paints Trophy Southern Semi Final. By dividing the competition North and South, the organizers were hoping to cut down on travelling for the away teams and their fans so Norwich must have been delighted to get a 400 mile midweek round trip. Serves them right for living there I guess.
Much talk in the build-up, due to our climb up the league, as to whether we should field a full side in this match. Questions like ‘would you rather win tonight or on Saturday at Leeds ?’. This is a dumb question in my book as I believe in being greedy and going for both - aim for the starts and you may get there, aim low and you certainly won't. Too many football matches are lost by managers thinking about the following game rather than the one in front of them. With James, Jaidi, Hammond and Harding all on 4 yellows, it would have been easy to imagine Pards leaving all four out. As it was, he only left out Jaidi with Connolly rested and Antonio dropped to the bench where he sat next to Shocking Forecast. Neal Trotman, Papa Waigo and Jacob Mellis (remember him) coming into the side which lined up in a 4-5-1 formation in front of an incredibly healthy crowd of over 15,400. Let's see how many Pompey get for their upcoming home FA Cup tie.
Saints started well and fashioned an early chance for Mellis which was parried aside by the Norwich keeper after decent build-up from Hammond and Waigo. We didn’t have to wait long for the opening goal as in the 13th minute, Papa Waigo ran onto a defence splitter from James (yes, you heard me) and despite the keeper getting a touch, it just about made it over the line. I think I’m gonna dance now !!!
Norwich then realised that the game had started and responded well with Chris Martin forcing a save from Bart. If it had been Chris Martin from Coldplay then it would have been a goal as Bart would have fallen asleep. More Norwich pressure and from a corner into the box we had “Set Piece Defensive Uncertainty” making an unwelcome return as no one really took charge and the ball fell to Doherty who smashed in the equalizer. I’m sure the Leeds game will see the Return of the Jaidi.
I’m listening to the Kris and Dave show on Solent… Kris fancies himself as a bit of a Motty but as opposed to coming out with a fact along the lines of ‘Saints have only beaten Norwich once when an African player scored and that was in 1934’… he comes out with ‘Papa likes teams that play in yellow’. In a week where the Saints have banned the Daily Echo, can Nicola Cortese also ban Kris Temple for no other reason than that he’s rubbish.
Two minutes to half time and it’s all Norwich and the Saints Player thing, crashes and it takes 25 minutes to get connected again. On the way back it gives me the option of listening to Saints or Norwich commentary. I am tempted with Radio Naarrrrrich but decide to stick with the Kris and Dave comedy hour.
I’m finally back and we have Wotton on for Schneiderlin and a change of tactics with the introduction of the diamond midfield which didn’t seem to sort out any problems and we were soon 2-1 down when following more defensive confusion and a race for the ball which Bart lost, it fell to Chris Martin to roll in for 2-1… and it was all Yellow.
There was more reshuffling from Pards, with Antonio, fresh from his terrible display at the weekend, replacing Mellis. Antonio immediately made a difference though as he ran at the defence and was cynically brought down by Nelson. I’m wondering whether or not, totally cynical fouls should get a red card regardless of whether it’s a goal scoring opportunity or not. I’ve decided that they shouldn’t and yellow is enough because there are enough red cards flying about…. Schneiderlin deliberately tripped a guy on Saturday for example, not viciously but totally deliberately nonetheless.
The game was petering out and to be honest, we never even looked like scoring. The last throw of the dice was to throw on another defender, Thomas, which seemed bizarre but we went 3-5-2 with Harding and Antonio out wide and Lloyd James at sweeper. Kris Temple responded to this interesting tactical development by stating that Saints wouldn’t lose because they only lose at home to teams starting with B…. Brighton, Bristol Rovers and Birmingham. Well done Kris.
In the 3rd minute of the added 3 minutes, pantomime villain Grant Holt decided to feign inury and roll around a lot, causing the referee to stop his watch which gave us a final chance to lob it into the box. From the ensuing ping-pong, the ball fell to Papa Waigo and SMS went nuts. 2-2, seconds to go. Bizarrely, I get a text saying the goal has been scored by Dan Harding… Harding and Waigo look the same after all. Kris is on fire with “2-2, Papa with two goals, teams in yellow, in the JPT, we didn’t lose because Norwich doesn’t start with a B”. Radio Solent have a commentator beginning with a T-W-A-T…..
And so to penalties and in brackets is my confidence that a goal will be scored.
Holt (100%) – he’s a t0sser but it’s too much to hope for…. Goal, 0-1
Lambert (100%) - bang, goal, 1-1
Russell Martin (95%) – goal, 1-2
Waigo (50%) - this could be interesting - goal top corner, I should have had more confidence, 2-2
Chris Martin (90%) – Miss and don’t make any more records!!! – goal, 2-3
James (30%) - not confident in the slightest – missed, 2-3
Nelson (50%) - goal and we're 4-2 down and screwed. Saved by Bart – COME ON!!!, 2-3
Lallana (90%) – goal, finger nails gone, 3-3
Russell (75%) – COME ON BART!!!... goal, 3-4
Wotton (75%) – he’s going to smash it… goal, 4-4
Sudden death and now for the people who really didn’t want to take one
Otsemobor (60%) – goal, it’s always the 6th taker that misses… who’s up for us, 4-5
Hammond (100%) – goal, 5-5
Gill (50%) – young sub, defender, this is a chance…SAVED BY BART, 5-5
Antonio (50%) - to win it - where is Harding !!!! – miss, AAAAARGH!!!, 5-5
McDonald (75%)- another young sub….SAVED BY BART AGAIN!!!!, 5-5
I breathe and ponder who we have left. I make it Harding, Thomas and Bart. I don’t even want to contemplate Trotman who would probably try and head it or tackle it in.
It’s big Wayne Thomas (50%) – Just smash it…..GOAL!!!! Norwich 5 Saints 6. I jump and bang my knuckles on the ceiling.
Kris is on fire with Thomas and Waigo being declared JPT specialists and Saints being on a March to the Arch (I actually quite like the last bit). In the Area final we will be playing my favourites, the fake Dons… and they have Darren Powell. Bring it on.
Overall, it sounds like we didn’t play well but who cares, job done, no yellow cards, bring on Dirty Leeds.
Much talk in the build-up, due to our climb up the league, as to whether we should field a full side in this match. Questions like ‘would you rather win tonight or on Saturday at Leeds ?’. This is a dumb question in my book as I believe in being greedy and going for both - aim for the starts and you may get there, aim low and you certainly won't. Too many football matches are lost by managers thinking about the following game rather than the one in front of them. With James, Jaidi, Hammond and Harding all on 4 yellows, it would have been easy to imagine Pards leaving all four out. As it was, he only left out Jaidi with Connolly rested and Antonio dropped to the bench where he sat next to Shocking Forecast. Neal Trotman, Papa Waigo and Jacob Mellis (remember him) coming into the side which lined up in a 4-5-1 formation in front of an incredibly healthy crowd of over 15,400. Let's see how many Pompey get for their upcoming home FA Cup tie.
Saints started well and fashioned an early chance for Mellis which was parried aside by the Norwich keeper after decent build-up from Hammond and Waigo. We didn’t have to wait long for the opening goal as in the 13th minute, Papa Waigo ran onto a defence splitter from James (yes, you heard me) and despite the keeper getting a touch, it just about made it over the line. I think I’m gonna dance now !!!
Norwich then realised that the game had started and responded well with Chris Martin forcing a save from Bart. If it had been Chris Martin from Coldplay then it would have been a goal as Bart would have fallen asleep. More Norwich pressure and from a corner into the box we had “Set Piece Defensive Uncertainty” making an unwelcome return as no one really took charge and the ball fell to Doherty who smashed in the equalizer. I’m sure the Leeds game will see the Return of the Jaidi.
I’m listening to the Kris and Dave show on Solent… Kris fancies himself as a bit of a Motty but as opposed to coming out with a fact along the lines of ‘Saints have only beaten Norwich once when an African player scored and that was in 1934’… he comes out with ‘Papa likes teams that play in yellow’. In a week where the Saints have banned the Daily Echo, can Nicola Cortese also ban Kris Temple for no other reason than that he’s rubbish.
Two minutes to half time and it’s all Norwich and the Saints Player thing, crashes and it takes 25 minutes to get connected again. On the way back it gives me the option of listening to Saints or Norwich commentary. I am tempted with Radio Naarrrrrich but decide to stick with the Kris and Dave comedy hour.
I’m finally back and we have Wotton on for Schneiderlin and a change of tactics with the introduction of the diamond midfield which didn’t seem to sort out any problems and we were soon 2-1 down when following more defensive confusion and a race for the ball which Bart lost, it fell to Chris Martin to roll in for 2-1… and it was all Yellow.
There was more reshuffling from Pards, with Antonio, fresh from his terrible display at the weekend, replacing Mellis. Antonio immediately made a difference though as he ran at the defence and was cynically brought down by Nelson. I’m wondering whether or not, totally cynical fouls should get a red card regardless of whether it’s a goal scoring opportunity or not. I’ve decided that they shouldn’t and yellow is enough because there are enough red cards flying about…. Schneiderlin deliberately tripped a guy on Saturday for example, not viciously but totally deliberately nonetheless.
The game was petering out and to be honest, we never even looked like scoring. The last throw of the dice was to throw on another defender, Thomas, which seemed bizarre but we went 3-5-2 with Harding and Antonio out wide and Lloyd James at sweeper. Kris Temple responded to this interesting tactical development by stating that Saints wouldn’t lose because they only lose at home to teams starting with B…. Brighton, Bristol Rovers and Birmingham. Well done Kris.
In the 3rd minute of the added 3 minutes, pantomime villain Grant Holt decided to feign inury and roll around a lot, causing the referee to stop his watch which gave us a final chance to lob it into the box. From the ensuing ping-pong, the ball fell to Papa Waigo and SMS went nuts. 2-2, seconds to go. Bizarrely, I get a text saying the goal has been scored by Dan Harding… Harding and Waigo look the same after all. Kris is on fire with “2-2, Papa with two goals, teams in yellow, in the JPT, we didn’t lose because Norwich doesn’t start with a B”. Radio Solent have a commentator beginning with a T-W-A-T…..
And so to penalties and in brackets is my confidence that a goal will be scored.
Holt (100%) – he’s a t0sser but it’s too much to hope for…. Goal, 0-1
Lambert (100%) - bang, goal, 1-1
Russell Martin (95%) – goal, 1-2
Waigo (50%) - this could be interesting - goal top corner, I should have had more confidence, 2-2
Chris Martin (90%) – Miss and don’t make any more records!!! – goal, 2-3
James (30%) - not confident in the slightest – missed, 2-3
Nelson (50%) - goal and we're 4-2 down and screwed. Saved by Bart – COME ON!!!, 2-3
Lallana (90%) – goal, finger nails gone, 3-3
Russell (75%) – COME ON BART!!!... goal, 3-4
Wotton (75%) – he’s going to smash it… goal, 4-4
Sudden death and now for the people who really didn’t want to take one
Otsemobor (60%) – goal, it’s always the 6th taker that misses… who’s up for us, 4-5
Hammond (100%) – goal, 5-5
Gill (50%) – young sub, defender, this is a chance…SAVED BY BART, 5-5
Antonio (50%) - to win it - where is Harding !!!! – miss, AAAAARGH!!!, 5-5
McDonald (75%)- another young sub….SAVED BY BART AGAIN!!!!, 5-5
I breathe and ponder who we have left. I make it Harding, Thomas and Bart. I don’t even want to contemplate Trotman who would probably try and head it or tackle it in.
It’s big Wayne Thomas (50%) – Just smash it…..GOAL!!!! Norwich 5 Saints 6. I jump and bang my knuckles on the ceiling.
Kris is on fire with Thomas and Waigo being declared JPT specialists and Saints being on a March to the Arch (I actually quite like the last bit). In the Area final we will be playing my favourites, the fake Dons… and they have Darren Powell. Bring it on.
Overall, it sounds like we didn’t play well but who cares, job done, no yellow cards, bring on Dirty Leeds.
I really, really envy those who went to the game. Sounds like an absolute rollercoaster that will get you through dozens of boring 0-0's in the future... "Remember that JPT game against Norwich?" ;-)
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