Voting was locked for this match at midnight on Thursday 2nd May but you may still add your mini match reports. Note that members and non-members alike were able to vote.

Your Southampton v Stoke City Match Reports

Boris1977 added 17:32 - Apr 27 Should have played Stephens after all v Leicester the other night. RM is right - we didn't lose 5-0 today. What an odd season this has been. In the play offs while always looking susceptible to dropping bollox all season. I expect RM will do his best to over think the play off games but I genuinely don't know how the matches will pan out. I'm assuming sports direct are indifferent about going up anyway. Their finances will be much more transparent in the top flight.

0

codge added 17:34 - Apr 27 Firstly l don’t want to hear anymore about ho we have the most talented squad in this league,what l can’t figure out is we played so well to go undefeated for 20 plus games and then it all turned to crap so fast.Something has to happen real fast to turn this around or we will be back here next year.If l am being honest l can’t see us getting passed the playoffs but l hope l am wrong.I still hold out hope but these last few performances do not feel me with a lot of confidence.

4

I_would added 17:35 - Apr 27 At last some reliability. Shite every week now. And only four changes in the starting eleven so plenty of familiarity in the style of play.
4

I_would added 17:52 - Apr 27 At last some reliability. Shite every week now. And only four changes in the starting eleven so plenty of familiarity in the style of play.
0

Bawdrip added 18:13 - Apr 27 Woeful performance lacking pace, aggression, any clear efforts on goal. Meandering nowhere at present.
9

LordDZLucan added 18:38 - Apr 27 Looked like a pre season friendly from the Saints side. If any of the fringe players were trying to make a case to start they failed miserably.
9

janecook added 19:22 - Apr 27 What a load of rubbish, out played by a team fighting relegation!! We don't have a hope in the playoffs We need to get rid of all the deadwood in the summer and start from scratch at building a new team. We also need a good manager not this clown!
9

10i added 22:01 - Apr 27 At least we got another Look at how shite Mara really is.
5

Block8 added 11:00 - Apr 28 In what was in effect a meaningless game, in terms of result, we could have given a couple of kids a run. All that has been learned from this dreadful performance is that we have far too many wingers, a pretty lightweight midfield (without Downes) and complete lack of cover centrally in attack. I feel a bit sorry for Mara as you can see there is ability there but the drive and enthusiasm is missing. We have witnessed some great forward runs across the front line, all season, go wasted due to, either instructions to keep ball or lack of vision from midfield. And the keep ball style of play means the majority of passes require the receiver to turn back towards his own goal, when collecting the pass as a safety measure. I've enjoyed most of this season, home and away but have also been incredibly frustrated at times in the knowledge that a bit more adventure would have secured the points that we needed for promotion! Lets get the selection correct for the paly offs please? COYR

7

saint901 added 11:18 - Apr 28 Dear oh dear. Stoke turned up and we did not until the subs started to arrive. Stoke could and should have won this by a bigger margin. All the faults we have seen this season were present. No shape, intricate passing at the back inviting trouble, no ability in the forwards to hold the ball, too many players not interested or not good enough. Going to be hard to get this team back to the one that was in a record beating run of wins/draws.

3

SanMarco added 13:05 - Apr 28 The record run is now a stick to beat RM and his hapless players with. The truth is that we weren't superb in all of those games. Many were won right at the end and one or two we probably deserved to lose. Interesting to compare Cardiff away with, say, Norwich away. Both we should have won easily and in both we failed to put the opposition to the sword. Norwich did NOT fluke a winner at the end so our run continued, Cardiff was different. "The table doesn't lie" has more truth in it than many cliches, especially at this time of the season. Even out the up and downs and we have been the 4th best side. The problem going into the play-offs is that something else seems to be happening. Yes, we are 4th over the whole season but we weren't during our first 'four in a row including an abject 5-0 ' fiasco and we aren't now (I assume defeat at Leeds). We are getting all the usual 'lost the dressing room' and 'players not trying' comments but none of us (beyond perhaps injuries) really know the truth. I share misgivings about a RM led Saints in the prem but I can't make myself not want us to get through the play-offs. I have never wanted Saints not to win a game in my long life and I am not starting now. Promotion and RM then goes to pastures new is my best (and probably quite slender) hope. Then, of course, we would face SR's abysmal record in managerial appointments. They'd probably go for the Derby bloke who most of their supporters see as someone who nearly prevented promotion rather than achieved it.

5

StRipper added 13:21 - Apr 28 If most of our fans think that McCarthy was the best player yesterday, we really are in trouble. Awful distribution and, as usual, easily beaten at his near post to lose us the game, when that was the only place he needed to protect. There wasn't a lot good out there, I admit. But the same old tired rotation of places by RM, meaning there is no longer any credible competition for getting an appearance, with a bull headed determination to never give any of our youngsters a chance, means it's hard for any player to shine. Our Midfield is totally ineffective and its left to our forwards to come back and try and create some build up. No hope of that when so many bang average signings and loan players who no longer care surround them

1

StRipper added 13:38 - Apr 28 If most of our fans think that McCarthy was the best player yesterday, we really are in trouble. Awful distribution and, as usual, easily beaten at his near post to lose us the game, when that was the only place he needed to protect. There wasn't a lot good out there, I admit. But the same old tired rotation of places by RM, meaning there is no longer any credible competition for getting an appearance, with a bull headed determination to never give any of our youngsters a chance, means it's hard for any player to shine. Our Midfield is totally ineffective and its left to our forwards to come back and try and create some build up. No hope of that when so many bang average signings and loan players who no longer care surround them

-2

Bowlercow added 15:05 - Apr 28 McCarthy made some important saves yesterday and for a change was NOT beaten at his near post Unfortunately the defence in front of him has got used to having Bazunu as an extra defender playing the sweeper/keeper game.Mac is not comfortable playing that role and can make his centre backs nervous Our second choice mid field failed to step up and we're over run If this had ended 0-0 we would probably have called it atypical end of season game with nothing to play for me Hopefully RM and his team will be able to get us back on track with a whole week's training in front of them I do suspect that Sports Republic will replace RM if we are not promoted Personally I think that would be a massive mistake as the experience they have gained this year will be invaluable next season if we are still a championship team

1

UgandaSaint added 20:44 - Apr 28 Take a deep breath and think before you write any more drivel. What would RM's instructions be? 1. Don't get sent off 2. Don't get injured We are 4th, we'll finish 4th, the next important game is the away leg of the playoff.
0