Might as well get this one going.

It seems that Mick Martin was being a tad harsh when he maintained that the lads had put in an indifferent performance.

The reports I've seen so far - Tony Cottee on Sky and the BBC web site - reckon we were well worth our win.

-- Anonymous, February 09, 2002

Answers

It was a comfortable win.

Robert's free kick came after Speed took on three players, beat two of them and was took down by the third. Nobody expected LoLo to even shoot, never mind score, I honestly thought it would be a chip by Solano, but Robert just blammed it as hard as he could, unstoppable shot.

We almost scored straight after that, with a Dabizas header I think, before Shearer headed in a Solano corner. Pahars scored as he always does against us, but the penalty sealed it towards the end of the first half. No question about the decision, Bellamy was knocked to the ground - clear foul.

The defending was at times poor, but we were so entertaining going forward that I really wasn't bothered. I always felt that if we had conceded a second to make it 3-2, we had it in us to go get another goal.

Bellamy deserved a goal for all his running but can only blame himself really for a couple of his usual misses. Robert was outstanding at keeping posession in the second half. I remember one period where Southampton we looking to get into the game and Robert ended up with the ball and just ran about with it, he must have held it for about 20 seconds. Exactly what we needed at that point.

Solano was fantastic, but this was in no small part down to Aaron Hughes who was once again brilliant. As a pair down the right, Hughes and Solano are very special indeed. Hughes' confidence has came on enormously in the past few weeks. He used his pace to beat the last man on the flanks a few times and it was great to watch.

Shearer was his usual self, nearly got a hat trick but he led the line so well, holding the ball up for everyone else to benefit. In midfield I felt we were lacking, particularly in the first half. Gary Speed has got so used to playing the Rob Lee role that he continues to play it now. McClen is a natural defensive midfielder, and both players were doing the same job to be honest. Whenever we broke, both of them tended to stay back which meant it was harder to score. Had Dyer been fit and in the team I am sure we would have scored a lot more.

O'Brien was pretty solid, Dabizas made a few mistakes but was on the whole OK. As a unit there was a lack of organisation. Distin tackled well, but passed not so well. However, as soon as he came off, we immediately had to defend two chances that originated from the left wing - no coincidence that Robbie Elliott had arrived on the pitch.

Given didn't really have any big saves to make, he just didn't make any mistakes, which is all you can ask.

For me, man of the match was probably Solano, who was so involved in the game. However, anyone out of Shearer, Bellamy, Robert and Solano could easily get MOTM.

-- Anonymous, February 09, 2002

I should add that although we were quite poorly organised defensively, we played the offside trap superbly well, breaking up what could have been real goalscoring chances from their long balls.

-- Anonymous, February 09, 2002

If Mick Martin said our performance was "indifferent" then he should be sacked. Reporting the match on the radio live requires eyesight and reasoned judgement, not just some rambling nonsense.

-- Anonymous, February 09, 2002

Thanks Paul for your comments

Again a very important win

AND glad to see Bellamy firing on all cylinder after a somewhat troublesome end to the week

-- Anonymous, February 09, 2002

Anybody who said the performance was indifferent is an idiot.

There was only one team in this. Superb going forward, might have scored 6 or 7. We hit the same post 3 times and their keeper made an excellent save from a superb effort by Nobby. Saints were unable to deal with Bellamy at all who caused all sorts of problems. Distin and Hughes were both excellent - I was very surprised Distin came off - perhaps tired. Jenas had little chance to show what he can do - it was a nice gentle introduction for him and a brilliant Toon welcome. Lots of chances missed which would be annoying if we hadn't won. Let's hope we're saving it all up for the next 3 - Mackems, Liverpool, Arsenal. Nine points there and I would think we would become favourites.

Everyone played a full part in the victory - a great team effort by a great team.

-- Anonymous, February 09, 2002

First half we lost our shape - especially midfield - and Soton played well in phases and made our defence look poor at times. I fear what Owen will do to this defence through the middle. Second half we played much better and looked like a top team again.
However the perceptive reader may observe that we won the first half 3-1 and the second we drew 0-0. So how do we explain this? A fantastic attacking unit, three good set-plays and of course the brilliant A.Shearer.
Robert had an overall average game. First half poor - apart from the blinding free kick - second half he got stuck in and held the ball. Bellamy once again our most effective player along with the hard- working and elusive Solano. McClen and Speed - as Paul observed - were playing the same sort of role - although McClen made some reasonable runs.
Distin I thought was poorish in the first half and looked clumsy. Hughes had a tough time and had to defend some good moves down his wing.
Shearer had a go at Dabizas in the first half as loose defending and loose positional play was rife.

-- Anonymous, February 09, 2002

I thought 3-1 flattered us a bit at half-time because Southampton had played some very decent football. What they were doing persistently was pulling the defenders wide and getting midfield runners into the gaps. Fortunately, they didn't really create a lot of clear cut chances but I never thought we were comfortable in the first half.

Second half was a totally different affair. I thought Distin was outstanding in the second 45 - one run down the left wing when he left the defender for dead was superb. Nobby was excellent on the other wing and, as has been said above, he seems to be developing an excellent relationship with Hughes. Bellamy was all over the place as usual. He must be a total bloody nightmare for defenders - he should have had a hat-trick - there's the rub!

I was watching Jenas warm up on the touchline and I said to my old man that he must be thinking "how the hell do I get in this team?" McClen was very unfortunate to go off - he ran his wotsits off and did a great amount of ball winning (which is just as well if he'd run them off!). When Jenas came on he was like a spectator at Wimbledon for a while - head flashing from side to side as he tried to keep up with the ball zipping around. He made a couple of decent first time passes but didn't have the chance to do much.

Al scored two, missed a sitter, and hit the woodwork. He also defended some of their set pieces very well. I noticed him playing left back at one point! We then had to endure a bloody idiot on 606 as we were coming down the M6 telling us that Shearer had deserted England and shouldn't be allowed back. Fine mate - you can't bloody well have him back. He got nowt but a abuse from fans and the media in his last 18 months in an England shirt - why the hell should he even consider putting himself through that again.

Robert's goal was a bit special. Just before the free kick was taken I said "hey look, they've set up two walls!" The second was more of a fence than a wall but it still didn't make any difference. 76mph according to the tell and from 33.1 metres (why metres and miles per hour - are we metric or not!)

Was that your text message/email on 606 Jonno or has someone pinched your name?!!!

-- Anonymous, February 09, 2002

Great reports again there folks. Thanks> (:o)

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2002

Southampton looked good, neat, supported each other well, a threat in Pahars and generally solid all over. I could see how they managed to get a draw at Highbury last week, and be the in form team of te Premiership.

But, as Strachan said post match, Newcastle were better in the opposition box. We created a lot of chances, played very well second half and thoroughly deserved the win.

Our midfield didn't work first half in particular. As others have noted Speed and McClen just doesn't work. Speed looks brilliant with Dyer next to him, but limited if it McClen (or Robert Lee). Speed looked off the pace to me and unusually for him didn't track their players coming through from midfield.

McClen was more positive and didn't really deserve to come off.

Hughes was fantastic again. I (and Buff) have gon eon long and hard about Agathe for Celtic who is the definition of world class wing back, well up to now he is. Hughes is still only 22 but is now a classy classy defender. I have always liked him because he had a no nonsense approach to defending and had no ambition to cross the half way line. This is great, a defender who wants to defend, definitely no Dabizas wandreings into midfield from Aaron. But now out on the win he has turned into a superb overlapping fullback. His understanding with Solano is great and SOlano also needs praise for having the maturity to cover Hughes when he does go forward. Great.

The O'Brien/Dabs/Distin thing doesn't work for me. Distin played okay but I feel he is a better centre half than fullback. Their goal came from Distin missing a tackle out wide, Dabs covering, having two goes at tackling but failing, O'Brien and a midfielder (SPeed) going for the near pots ball and missing it, and Hughes not clearing by the time he had two against him. Awful defensively, from all of them. The answer to our problems was on the pitch though. Later.

Solano was good, and if the shot had gone in would have been an excellent goal, a brilliant save from Jones denying him.

Robert's goal was outrageous. All around me we were saying how stupid he was to line up a shot from that sort of distand (33m on ITV, = 36 yards in old money, so two penalty areas out !!!). As McCoist said last night, the ball didn't even go in the corner and the goalie still couldn't get across !

Bellamy was subdued for me, he still ran around but first half looked less billy whizz like than normal. Back to normal in the second. The problem though may well have been Southampton's left back Wayne Bridge who was the first player this season to match Bellamy for pace. Bellamy started to go left rather than right in the second half to escape him. He is the answer to the left back 'problem' and suddenly we're made.

Shearer ? Same old Shearer ... but I feel that's three home games in a row he's missed back post tap ins. Should be dropped until he gets better.

Jenas only had 10 minutes or so, and did what he did okay. Looked as though he wanted to go forward so that's fine :0)

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2002

One thing, it looked from where I was sitting, like Distin had a couple of occasions where he could have given the ball to Robert and failed to do so. Did anyone else notice this?

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2002

What a fantastic day out. It was absolutely wonderful to meet you all yesterday and I will hopefully be able to spend more time in the Strawberry next week and share a pint or two after the game. I was worried that we wouldn't win and I wouldn't be welcome back

It was a great game for me (remember my last game was Charlton at home 0-0 TSM) and I think Mick Martin was talking about his co-commentators performance when as opposed to the teams. Second half they were awesome and I think Southampton only got the ball from goal kicks or to clear the ball away.

Robert scored the best goal I have ever seen, possibly the best freekick ever. Everybody talks about Carlos' freekick at le tournoi in 1997 but this was just as good if not better. 36 yards out, outside of the boot, it curled one way and then curled the next before beating the keeper. Absolute cracker. It's a goal that I could never tire from seeing.

Solano had a good game, his distribution sometimes let him down, but he was always there and was prevented from scoring a well deserved goal by a great save by there keeper. Everyone else played well, McClen was much better than I expected him to be and Distin thoroughly impressed me. I've seen him a number of times on TV and he hasn't impressed me at all but I think he is excellent and hope we sign him up at the end of the year before anyone else does.

Looking forward to seeing you all again next week and thanks for arranging the ticket Screacher.

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2002