Move along you miserable git....Well hello there and Merry Christmas one and all. I hate the snow – it’s crap and it buggers everything up. Speaking as someone who had a nightmare drive to Euro Disney, including blizzards and the stress of wondering if we’d get back for Christmas, I can honestly say it was nice to be at SMS again for some footy. The dismal shite of the last game was a distant memory and hopefully would be forgotten by the players as well. I had a simple justification for not caring about the three games being called off and that was that we’ll have a bigger and better squad post-January and so in the long run, it will benefit us. Our postponed games were all away games at Hartlepool, Walsall and Charlton which is proof, if any were needed, that you’re better off living South of Eastleigh.
The side showed a couple of changes from the Brentford fiasco with Jose Fonte returning in place of Desperate Dan Seaborne and Dan Harding being preferred to Ryan Dickson at left back which I found slightly odd as Dickson had been one of the few to not be dreadful in the last game. The bench however did look a lot stronger than of late with returns for Richardson, Chaplow, Barnard, joining Bart, Seaborne, Dickson and Connolly.
Saints had the first threat as Schneiderlin produced a wonderful pass inside the full back to Chamberlain who floated over a cross, straight to Lallana whose first time cushioned volley was brilliantly headed off the line with the keeper beaten. Sir Rickie then teed up Lallana who really should have scored but the keeper managed to save with his foot. We looked great for 10 minutes and then it suddenly went pear shaped as Jaidi and Fonte went for the same ball and panic stations ensued as Davis committed himself and the ball was rolled across to Arfield (who Saints were linked with when he joined from some Scottish club) who had an open goal which he expertly missed. I wonder if you can have a bet on Betfair for ‘minute that a player will miss an open goal from 10 yards’. If so, late Christmas present for the Arfield family from Huddersfield.
Having had an almighty let-off and still laughing about it, we conceded a free kick which the ref allowed it to be taken quickly from 10 yards away from where it should have been. A cross from Roberts a header and a goal. Shit. First reports suggested that Alan Lee had scored the goal but it turned out to be Lee Novak. Interestingly, Alan Lee’s full name is or ‘Alan Lee Six foot Two Diving Pathetic Cheating Bastard’ but that wouldn’t fit on the back of his shirt. I found a small crumb of comfort in the fact that it wasn’t him who scored but he had me howling a minute later when he took a dive when the imagined challenge from Jaidi hadn’t even been made.
Lallana and then Schneiderlin teed up the Gulyman for efforts that he headed wide and then he Puncheoned one into Row Z. The natives were getting restless and things were not going well and then we had what may well be looked back on as a pivotal moment of the season. Harding’s throw in went to Sir Rickie who swivelled and just lashed it first time right footed. The ground went ‘oooooh’ as it hit the side netting. There was a surreal moment as 23 odd thousand realised that the players were celebrating and then we all joined in as it turned out that it had flown in the keepers near post.
Saints were all over them at this point and the comeback was complete a few minutes later as Sir Rickie and The Gulyman teed up Chamberlain who (in front of the watching Liverpool legend, Kenny Dalglish – fuck off), took a touch and smashed home for 2-1. Guly may not be a goalscorer but he’s a decent player and his next contribution was to put Lallana clean through after picking up the ball from a Huddersfield player who had comically fallen on his asspiece. Despite having an age, Adam managed to chip it onto the bar as the one flaw he has in his game came back to haunt him.
Every so often you spot an opposition player who just annoys you. Aside from the aforementioned Alan Lee, Huddersfield had No 8 at centre back who was just a tosser. Lots of petty fouls and histrionics at the referee, culminating in him deliberately handling a crossfield ball to stop it getting to Lallana. Even though the ball had travelled 20 yards and he’d seen it all the way, he didn’t get booked for it which was ridiculous in itself but still went on a big arm-waving hissy fit at the ref. Just shut up you wanker.
Schneiderlin managed his obligatory booking for a Scholes-esque tackle and as half time approached, the mist came down. The pessimist in me said that we’d be 5-1 up with 10 minutes to go and then the game would be abandoned. Meanwhile, Butterfield had a problem and the look on his face when he could hardly walk and was made to hobble forty yards forward to take a throw in was priceless. Half time, 2-1.
Unsurprisingly, Richardson came on for Butterfield at the start of the second half and away we went as Chamberlain flew past the full back yet again who was booked this time for cynically taking him out. Then came one of those moments that just makes you smile as Lallana floated over the free kick to where the biggest salmon you’ve ever seen, rose majestically and completely unmarked, to thump a header into the net.... and off he went on a sprint behind the goal. Definitely the fastest Radhi Jaidi has run in his entire Saints career. I bet the Pro Zone stats look ridiculous as Radhi suddenly overtook Alex Chamberlain as the fastest Saints player.
Energised by his goal, Jaidi then had some defending to do as he raced towards the right back spot and instead of hoofing it into the crowd like he usually does, he produced a cheeky backheel to totally take the forward out of play and give Dan Harding time to clear. Total madness, totally stupid thing to do but brilliant all the same as he got away with it.
The third goal meant the end of Schneiderlin’s afternoon as Nigel obviously didn’t trust him to go another 35 minutes without getting sent off, so he was given the hook and replaced with Chaplow, making a welcome return to the side. Smithies in the Huddersfield goal was all that was standing between them and a pasting as he kept out two efforts from Cap’n Hammond and others from Sir Rickie and Lallana.
Chamberlain succumbed to his usual 70th minute cramp and Dickson came on and we immediately scored with Chaplow drilling home from the edge of the box from another Guly pass for 4-1. Chappers then went on a fouling spree and got booked and still carried on kicking people. Adkins could see the player brought on to avoid a red card getting a red card himself and so switched him to the wing, meaning that the last 20 were a bit disjointed with both Dickson and Lallana taking turns in central midfield. Huddersfield had a decent chance at the end which Davis parried and Lallana hacked away. Anyway – the end, me happy.
4-1 against anyone is a good result but particularly when it comes against one of your promotion rivals. To be honest, aside from a 10/15 minute spell when they scored and we were abysmal, we dominated the game pretty much and it could have been any score at the end but the foot was well and truly off the gas. The lack of depth in our squad in the wide areas is a concern as both Chamberlain and Lallana were struggling at the end and only one could come off. However, three days until the transfer window opens... Talking of which – it is a worry to see Chamberlain linked with Liverpool and the like. It’s all very well Adkins and Cortese saying that players aren’t for sale but I say that about my house. However, if someone wants to offer me millions for it then you can have it and I’ll throw in a crappy car as well. It was amusing to hear the Moaning Dorset Bastards on the radio, moaning (as they do) about selling players and not replacing them and it’s strongly rumoured that Marc Pugh will be leaving them for SMS in a few days time. If that happens then the moaning will be quite sensational.
Nigel was a happy man in his post match interview, declaring the win as a statement of intent. Most interesting for me was that fact that it was confirmed that Lee Barnard has had a hernia op and should soon be fit and firing. Mind you, I thought he was going to jail but nothing seems to be happening on that front at the moment. So, one game on from the Brentford disaster and we’re looking good again. Fonte and Jaidi were immense today as well and though Radhi won’t be able to play every match, if he produces that level of performance in every match he does play, maybe he’ll get an extra year on his contract after all. The wingers were unplayable at times today and despite looking like he needed about 20 minutes to get a shot away, the Gulyman was a handful up front and a lot of good things went through him. Finally, I have to say that Schneiderlin played well today though it was the correct decision to take him off. The biggest plus of the day though was the return of Sir Rickie who looked like the player of last season having smashed in a goal and suddenly rediscovering all the qualities that make him such a vital player for us. His use of the ball was excellent and he was much more of a handful than usual. Keep it up big man.
Finally, we’re back above the Moaning Dorset Bastards in the League now as we’ve shot up to fifth and have a real chance of cracking the top two if we can pick up 6 points from our next two games (which are on Jan 1st and Jan 3rd) at home to Exeter and away to Dagenham and Redbridge. We of course, should win both of these but this is SFC we’re talking about.
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