Carabao Cup 1st Round South - Gillingham 3 Southampton 1

Russ Waves Goodbye to Five Players

A trip to the Priestfield Stadium to take on Gillingham in the Carabao cup First Round Southern section, which sounds as tinpot as it comes. Regardless of this, it’s an important game for Russell Martin and the gang and a chance for some of the outlying members of our squad to show that they can step up and play the Russball style of football now being preached across the whole club.

It pains me to say it but we will have to concentrate solely on the league this season and our efforts to get promoted. When we were in the Premier League, I was thought there was a chance that we could get to the League Cup Final and indeed we have in recent times and we’ve had a few decent runs but this season it’s different and whilst I’m not saying we should sack it off, we certainly shouldn’t prioritise it in any way. Consequently tonight, I am hoping for and expecting to see a massively changed line-up from the game against Sheffield Wednesday.

The team was announced and it was a bit of a strange one and it was very difficult to see where everyone was going play from the 11 names that were announced. There’s was either going to be some one strange playing in midfield or at centre back and it was the latter, with Perraud as the left sided centre back alongside Lyanco.  Jayden Meghoma was in at left back with Shay Charles, Stuart Armstrong and Sekou Mara the midfield three, with Sam Amo, Djenepo and Captain Che up front.

Not in the team and not on the bench was Romeo Lavia, fresh from another leaked bid by Liverpool which is still about £5 million short of what we have been asking for all along and about a tenner more than the one that was rejected last time. They don’t fucking get it do they. Needless to say, one Romeo wasn’t in tonight’s squad, Liverpool fans flooded the Saints Twitter timeline with their opinion that it meant it was happening. I think it will happen, but I live in hope that it happens… and he moves somewhere else…. anywhere else.

Away we go and it was all a bit half-arsed right from the start with everybody getting used to where they should be and nothing much happened until 12 minutes when James Bree dribbles into a cul-de-sac and loses the ball.  One pass down the line sends the winger away and a low cross is met at the back post by the unmarked Nadesan to put the Gills one nil up. Absolute dog shit to be honest, both in the way we lost the ball and in the way we didn’t defend.

Saints do start to play through Charles and Sam Amo and the ball is eventually worked out to the left where Djenepo takes on his man and knocks it back and Mara who takes a shot from too far out and straight out the goalkeeper.

Gillingham are happy letting Saints have the ball in her own half and for now we are building up well with Sam Amo again been put away down the right-hand side and he beats the full back twice before pulling the ball back and it bounces off a defender to Mara who smashes it out for a throw on the far side.  Fucking useless

Unperturbed, Saints carry on building up nicely through midfield with Stuart Armstrong heavily involved and out it goes to the Clown Prince of Mali, Moussa Djenepo. He’s obviously spent a lot of time getting dreadlocks put into his hair, time that could probably have been better spent actually going out and learning how to play football and his eventual shot is straight down the goalkeepers throat.

We seemed to be exclusively having shots from 25 yards out and there’s another one as Armstrong tees up for second Mara and attempts a left-footed volley which is well out of his ability range and unsurprisingly, it goes wide.

Despite us having all of the possession since the goal, Gillingham have the ball in the net again just before half-time but it’s disallowed for a push which on first viewing, you couldn’t see.  You can already see it’s going to be a long night.

Half-time and this has been absolutely shit. Half paced and half arsed and is it any wonder, given some of the shite we’ve got it on the pitch?  Russell Martin makes two changes at half-time with Stuart Armstrong coming off, I assume because he’s building up his minutes and being replaced by Joe Aribo. Also off is Sekou Mara with Kami Doyle coming on.

Good Effort Alex

A ridiculously harsh free-kick is giving away by Lyanco about 45 yards out on the right hand side giving us another chance to demonstrate our defensive set-piece prowess.  In it comes, headed down by a free man at the back post and McKenzie get something on it and it rolls apologetically into the net whilst McCarthy flops over like a falling tree. Embarrassingly shit. 

It gets worse though as Djenepo shields the ball out after he’d won a tackle to give Gillingham a corner. Utter prick. Why he did this is anyone’s guess but my guess would be it’s because he hasn’t got a fucking clue what he’s doing.  In swinger, headed down, half cleared and then smashed back in by McKenzie and it flies into the net before McCarthy can move.  3-0 to Gillingham.  Pathetic.

It’s now all Gillingham as they brilliantly build up down down left hand side before the cross comes in and it’s met on the volley about 15 yards out and by Nichols and fuck me, Alex McCarthy actually got in the way and the ball hit him and bounced to safety.  Breaking news, the hologram has made a save ladies and gentlemen.

More subs as Charly Alcaraz and believe it or not, Tall Paul, come on to try and stop it getting even more embarrassing. It comes down to Kami Doyle to twist and turn in midfield and find a good forward pass to where Alcaraz picks it up, draws a defender and then buries it past the keeper. Typically, it’s one of our good players who scored the goal.  There’s about 10 minutes to go including injury time and another goal straight away might have made it interesting but nothing doing, out we go somewhat pathetically.

Fucking hell - that was dreadful.

In the scheme of things, it doesn’t really matter that we lost and I think that long-term this will do us a lot of good because it proved what we all know already, that a lot of these players just aren’t good enough and now the new management has seen this first hand in a competitive game.

Russell Martin’s interview after the game was particularly scathing and it doesn’t take a genius to work out by process of elimination, who he is talking about when he says that some have their futures elsewhere.

First of the positives – he was impressed with the young players who started the game, in particular Sam Amo but also Shea Charles and Jayden Meghoma.  He also excused Stuart Armstrong and Joe Aribo as they are building up their fitness and need the minutes.  He clearly hasn’t worked out Aribo as yet.

As Far As January Signing Go, Charly is Clear

Those that are left and not spared are Alex McCarthy, Lyanco, James Bree, Moussa Djenepo, Tall Paul and probably Che Adams as well. I think everybody knows that the first five names on the list are not up to it and Che either needs to move or get his head right.  Yes, we have a lot of players in our squad, as has been mentioned by the manager recently… but we have a lot of shit players in our squad.  The most pointed individual criticism from the manager was saved for Sekou Mara, with Martin basically saying that he doesn’t train properly, with the proper intensity to take it into a game.  If your new boss has formed that opinion of you within a few weeks then that’s pretty damning.

Prior to the game there was talk of Uncle Roy Hodgson being interested in taking McCarthy to Palace.  McCarthy played for England under Hodgson at one stage so I hope this isn’t a sign that Roy is losing it.  We’ve got to hope that no one from Palace is looking at the second goal tonight.  In hindsight it would have been good to give Joe Lumley a game tonight and though it's an obvious joke, Joanna Lumley would have done better on the second goal.

 Lyanco - we all know the drill by now - passion merchant who tries to make up for his deficiencies by giving his all.  This is admirable of course but ultimately his footballing ability will always let him down in the end and it did frequently today.  Djenepo - well giving him that new contract least season was always an absolute joke and that's what we've had for the first year of that new deal - just a joke.  Still, only another two years of him to put up with.   Tall Paul - an object lesson in how not to invest money.  £18 million quid fee and 3 years in wages... well played Rasmus.

James Bree gave a good interview after the game and I actually felt sorry for him.  He's desperately trying to prove that he's good enough and knows he hasn't done so as yet and that this was a missed chance.  He implied that he'd have had a better chance in a full strength side and whilst that's undoubtedly true, I still haven't seen anything from him that backs up the assertion that Nathan Jones signed the best right back in the Championship for us. With Tino gone and KWP being too good for the Championship, he may get his wish but he has to show a hell of a lot more than he has done so far.

The one outlier is Romain Perraud who was not mentioned specifically but he was given a hospital pass today by Martin because he is never a centre back and he has virtually missed all of pre-season as well.  That’s the one thing I will criticise Russell Martin for is the lack of a proper central defender to partner Lyanco. Surely it would’ve been better playing someone from the academy who is used to playing in that position. Alternatively, he could’ve risked one of Jack Stephens or Jan Bednarek for this one game.

The fan reaction to this defeat has been predictably over the top. How can you even be surprised bearing in mind the number of starting eleven players who we all know are shit. I feel sorry for those who spent good money to go to the game and they are entitled to feel angry about it, but the rest of us need to give our heads a wobble and calm down.

There is nothing much to say about this game other than the fact that it was only a kid who has just turned 17 in Sam Amo-Ameyaw, who pushed his claims to be in the first team in the Championship against Norwich on Saturday. He is certainly the only one to put his hand up and make the manager think.

Bring on Norwich on Saturday at 3pm.

League 1 Match 45 - Gillingham 2 Southampton 1

Gillingham away at the Priestfield Stadium in what for us, was a dead rubber without those pesky playoffs to worry about. In the build up this week, much was made of the need to finish strongly and the fact that it would make no difference to our performance that we couldn’t get promoted any more. As an observer, you could either take that at face value and believe we would put in a performance or alternatively, you could draw on your experience of supporting Saints over the years and suspect that it was all bollocks and the players would already be in holiday mode.

The team line-up will tell us for sure whether anyone cared about this game and then Aaron Martin’s name was read out in the starting XI and Sir Rickie was a sub. The full list of changes was Martin, Joseph Mills, Lloyd James, David Connolly and Lee Barnard in, Lambert, Harding, Seaborne, Antonio and Waigo out. The only change that I read any significance into was Lloyd James in the centre of midfield as clearly, we need back up for Hammond and Schneiderlin for next season and this was a chance for James to stake his claim, a claim that I am 100% convinced that he won’t take.

We started off badly which is no surprise given the changes that had been made and it took us a full 18 minutes to go a goal behind when a ball was played through our defence and Davis came steaming out and instead of putting it out for a throw, wellied it straight into Fonte. The rebound could have gone anywhere but unluckily it went straight to Howe who had an empty net to shoot into which he duly did.

Jose Fonte was touch and go for this game with a sickness bug. I’m guessing that his first touch and composure were two of the things that came out of him and ended up in the toilet. Every time Gillingham attacked, there was Jose, slicing it up in the air, missing it altogether or carting the forward up in the air.

Half time and we had nil which was more generous than we deserved as we had been diabolical by all accounts so it was time for Pards to do something about it. Fonte was replaced with Seaborne and went for a lie down and Sir Rickie came on for Lallana, meaning we went 4-3-3 with Lambert, Connolly and Barnard up front. Sadly for all except members of his family and anyone connected with Gillingham, Lloyd James was still on the pitch.

We had an early second half chance with barnard’s shot looping up off a defender and landing on the roof of the net but things were to get worse before they got any better and on 50 minutes, Simeon Jackson headed against a post and we totally failed to get away with it as the ball found itself out on the left wing where the winger totally skinned ‘One game to go’ Otsemobor and crossed for Gowling to head home. 2-0 and deservedly so.

Gills nearly went 3-0 as Heather Mills headed one off the line but at least Saints were creating a bit now as Papa Waigo had come on for Barnard and as usual, the dancing man was making things happen and he almost scored with his first touch. This is the sort of thing they say on the radio or on an official match report but what in fact happened was that Connolly set him up and he dithered and didn’t even get the shot away.

With Lambert on the pitch, Saints are a different side and we put pressure on as Gills got nervous and the goal duly arrived on 65 minutes as Puncheon cut in from the right and toe poked a pass to Connolly who lashed it in from the edge of the box. So, 2-1 and 25 minutes of mayhem and hopefully exploiting our opponents nerves. Well, a bit…

Firstly Sir Rickie controlled a cross with his chest and then volleyed into the ground and the keeper flapped it over the bar. Papa Waigo got through on the left and instead of shooting, opted for the unselfish option of squaring it along the six yard line to the onrushing Saints player that only he had seen – because there wasn’t any bugger there. Out final chance fell to Connolly in the last minute but his falling volley just flopped into the keeper. All a bit half arsed and so the final whistle went and the Gills were happy.

And so we lost and does anyone give a toss? Not really, would be my guess. We played a bit of a weakened side but I think we could safely argue that many more high profile sides than ourselves have done much worse this year. It’s a bit naughty really because the win does Gillingham a massive favour in their quest to stay in League 1 and some of the other teams down there like Exeter and Leyton Orient might not be too pleased with us. The thought of Barry Hearn not being too pleased with us is one I can live with however. On the other hand, Gillingham have one of the best home records in the division so maybe it’s not such a big shock that we went tits up, especially with our tendency to struggle against the lower placed sides away from home.

From a Saints point of view, we remained in the same position in the League and we will finish 7th as long as we beat already relegated Southend at home next week. It’s worth finishing 7th because you never know, a team may get liquidated from higher up the pyramid (can’t imagine who I’m thinking of here) and then who knows what will happen with the promotion and relegation issue. Can you imagine Don Nicola if we throw the last two games and finish 8th and then an extra spot gets opened up in the Championship. Of the players given a chance today, Aaron Martin proved today that he could be a decent player for us and Lloyd James proved that he wasn’t, isn’t and probably never will be.

As already mentioned, last game of the season next week at home to Southend. It should be a decent atmosphere with neither team having anything to play for and the Southend fans are a great bunch. Looking forward to that one and bring it on.

As a post-script for today – today was the day Avram Grant went on the pitch at Fratton Park and gave his Braveheart / Winston Churchill speech – what a total and utter wanker. As usual, he complained again about a points deduction which had no effect whatsoever and a transfer embargo which actually prevented them getting further into debt (and therefore ripping off more cancer charities etc). You’ll get yours you twat.

League 1 Match 11 - Southampton 4 Gillingham 1

X-Ray on Neal Trotman confirms what I suspected all along.

After the disaster that was Bristol Rovers. Saints had something to prove on Saturday against Gillingham. We really needed to win this one and win it well. In a role reversal from Tuesday, my Dad couldn't go and as I was unable to give the ticket away, I was on my own with my usual collection of Kingslanders and desperate for a better performance from the Mighty Saints than the one Dad saw on Tuesday. Gillingham hold a special place in my heart due to the memory of a League Cup trip to Priestfield during Ian Branfoot's reign of complete misery, when we had Dixon and Speedie up front for one of the worst 0-0 draws ever... oh the memories.

I realised as the teams lined up that I'd got the shape of the team completely wrong for the midweek game as we were playing 4-3-3 with Hammond, Wotton and Mellis in midfield and Lallana, Waigo and Lambert up front. Despite fantastical rumours of impending fitness, Wayne Thomas was again kept out of the side by his fractured eyelash.

Saints started off in a very lopsided way with 9 outfield players on the right and Dan Harding on the left which looked a bit worrying as Gillingham started the stronger of the two sides. About 10 minutes in we settled in our formation a bit and began to play. Wotton was patrolling in front of the back four and when we had the ball we had 5 players breaking forward. It soon paid off when Waigo fed Hammond who put in a decent cross from the right for Lambert to crash home with a right footed volley. Excellent goal and showing the value of getting somewhere near the oppositions goal before crossing the ball. Feed the Lamb and he will score!!! 1-0.

Saints were looking dangerous now and even the set pieces were better. It really should have been 2-0 straight afterwards as a Lallana corner was met by Trotman, six yards out but 50p Head directed it straight at the ground and it bounced over.

A week or so ago I was extolling the virtues of the Saints defence and the uncompromising nature of it. It didn't look so good 10 minutes later when Trotman had a free header to clear and instead, managed to 50p it straight to a Gills player who crossed, only for Jaidi to half clear it to another Gills player who ran past Harding's feeble attempt to tackle before (not the real) Rooney chipped Kelvin Davis who didn't seen to realise it was going over him until too late. 1-1 and not in the script.

The next chance fell to Jacob Mellis who worked himself a space with some nice footwork before rolling a precise shot against the outside of the post. Maybe there is a footballer in there after all.... but is there one in Papa Waigo, loitering ten yards offside? The next time that Waigo got the ball he just had the keeper to beat from 6 yards but his first touch was woeful and the chance was scuffed wide. I cursed him and his stupid dance and I cursed him with the ultimate insult of being as bad as Bradley.... and then he scored and I forgot all that negative stuff. Lambert played him in with a nice touch and even though there was an element of fortune about the control with his face and knee, it ended up in the net and Papa Waigo N'Diaye could legitimately do his dance for a reason at the third attempt.

Half time was approaching and so was the first booking as Trotman incurred the wrath of the referee for a kind of Judo throw that I think would have been a foul in that Ultimate Fighting cack that they pretend is a sport on Setanta. The first half action was not over though as Saints broke at pace and a combination of Waigo, Lambert and Mellis worked to ball to Lallana who scored easily. 3-1, Half time, happy days are here again.

At half time I thought I'd ring an old friend to see if they were in the concourse. They were in a concourse all right, but unfortunately, it was in an airport in Hong Kong wheich meant of course, that a half time chat and a beer was out of the question. More roaming charges for me no doubt.

The second half began with a lull as Gillingham weren't ready to go for broke yet and Saints were happy with what they had. Things livened up with the award of a free kick, 25 yards out which Rickie Lambert smashed towards the top corner, only to be denied by an excellent save from Simon Royce. This was followed by a superb run by Papa Waigo who left the full back on his bum before cutting in and sliding a lovely ball across the box where the flying Lambert just failed to connect. I am not convinced that the Waigo means anything he does but for today, what he was doing was just fine.

Gillingham rarely threatened and the game was finished off when after some over-elaboration by Mellis, Lambert and Waigo, Lallana decided it was time to stop all the messing about and curl home the 4th. The game was over from there on in with Lambert, Waigo and Lallana all being substituted to deserved ovations.

Despite his two goals, Adam Lallana is just pipped as player of the day, by Rickie Lambert who was simply unplayable. He is improving and I can't have been alone in thinking that he could play at a higher level than this. A shout must also go out to Paul Wotton whose 'dirty work' underpinned the result today. He knows his limits and plays within them, winning the ball, passing it to players who have more creative ability and generally, being a rock in the centre of the park. I firmly believe that he and Hammond should be two of the starting central midfielders with Schneiderlin challenging Mellis for the other spot. Last year, Wotton would launch into tackles so late that the game was already over. This year he appears to be staying on his feet more and only 'clearing out' when completely necessary.

To be honest, this is the sort of game we should see a bit more of at SMS this season. We should be burying these sort of sides and hopefully this will be the first of many emphatic wins at home and my Dad will hopefully see the others. He saw Bristol Rovers, I saw this one, I won, ha ha ha!

Next up is a first in the shape of a game v Torquay United in the Not-In-the-Top-Two-Divisions-Trophy knows as the Johnstone Paints Trophy. In his interview after the game, Alan Pardew said we'd be putting out a full side and he wanted to win it. To be honest, it is our only hope in hell of winning a trophy this season so why not.... I fancy a day out at Wembley too.

PS - Our game finished before Pompey's fluke, not a handball honest, win at Wolves.... so we got to one point first. We are now +2