POST-MATCH THREAD: Southampton v Charlton Athletic: Saturday 21st February 2026: KO 15:00

Major said:

NomadicAddick said:

If you watched that game in complete isolation and somebody told you it was a team that were 8th in league1 and a team that were 5th in the championship - and were told it was a 5th round FA Cup tie I doubt you would be surprised... 

What on earth have you been smoking?

fenaddick said:

SporadicAddick said:

Major said:

NomadicAddick said:

If you watched that game in complete isolation and somebody told you it was a team that were 8th in league1 and a team that were 5th in the championship - and were told it was a 5th round FA Cup tie I doubt you would be surprised... 

What on earth have you been smoking?

The same stuff as me probably - I think it’s quite a good analogy.

It only works if your default measure for quality is attacking play though. There is a general bias, both here and in general football discourse, that defensive based football is of a lower quality than attacking or possession based football. It may not be as exciting or entertaining but defensive football requires a high level of planning, skill, focus, organisation and communication and isn't as simple as "we'll just sit back and let the have the ball". I think there's a near zero chance that a L1 team pulls out a defensive performance like that as regularly as we would and I think it massively denigrates the work and skill level required from our players and coaching staff to suggest it was like watching a L1 team

PeaksAndValleys said:

Separately and maybe already said, but one of the best moments in the match yesterday was Sichenje flying out from defence to close down an attacker halfway in our half, absolutely crunched him when he tried to turn. Loved it

EugenesAxe said:

PeaksAndValleys said:

Separately and maybe already said, but one of the best moments in the match yesterday was Sichenje flying out from defence to close down an attacker halfway in our half, absolutely crunched him when he tried to turn. Loved it

MOTM voting would suggest many people noticed it , was the moment Collins decided he'd had enough of him and he had to go.

CaptainRobbo said:

EugenesAxe said:

PeaksAndValleys said:

Separately and maybe already said, but one of the best moments in the match yesterday was Sichenje flying out from defence to close down an attacker halfway in our half, absolutely crunched him when he tried to turn. Loved it

MOTM voting would suggest many people noticed it , was the moment Collins decided he'd had enough of him and he had to go.

Collins would have won that MOTM vote if he had scored 3 o.g.'s, given away a penalty and got sent off.

Mortimerwasgod said:

Personal opinion re Kelman and the breakaway. I think it was drilled into him to come on, work hard at closing down, retain the ball and waste time if you can. So I don't blame him at 1 on 1 having the first thought to protect what we have, as no doubt NJ would have bollocked him had he tried to go and failed. That's the mentality drilled in, this season at least. So no way do I write him off, actual strikers are like hens teeth these days and Godden is 34 now, so a successor is needed. 

MuttleyCAFC said:

I think both Kelman and Apter are terrific prospects. They are in their first season and are having to adapt to different responsibilities within our system. It is wrong to write either of them off. From his comments, I dont think Jones has.

fenaddick said:

SporadicAddick said:

Major said:

NomadicAddick said:

If you watched that game in complete isolation and somebody told you it was a team that were 8th in league1 and a team that were 5th in the championship - and were told it was a 5th round FA Cup tie I doubt you would be surprised... 

What on earth have you been smoking?

The same stuff as me probably - I think it’s quite a good analogy.

It only works if your default measure for quality is attacking play though. There is a general bias, both here and in general football discourse, that defensive based football is of a lower quality than attacking or possession based football. It may not be as exciting or entertaining but defensive football requires a high level of planning, skill, focus, organisation and communication and isn't as simple as "we'll just sit back and let the have the ball". I think there's a near zero chance that a L1 team pulls out a defensive performance like that as regularly as we would and I think it massively denigrates the work and skill level required from our players and coaching staff to suggest it was like watching a L1 team

SporadicAddick said:

fenaddick said:

SporadicAddick said:

Major said:

NomadicAddick said:

If you watched that game in complete isolation and somebody told you it was a team that were 8th in league1 and a team that were 5th in the championship - and were told it was a 5th round FA Cup tie I doubt you would be surprised... 

What on earth have you been smoking?

The same stuff as me probably - I think it’s quite a good analogy.

It only works if your default measure for quality is attacking play though. There is a general bias, both here and in general football discourse, that defensive based football is of a lower quality than attacking or possession based football. It may not be as exciting or entertaining but defensive football requires a high level of planning, skill, focus, organisation and communication and isn't as simple as "we'll just sit back and let the have the ball". I think there's a near zero chance that a L1 team pulls out a defensive performance like that as regularly as we would and I think it massively denigrates the work and skill level required from our players and coaching staff to suggest it was like watching a L1 team

Perhaps all correct (although I might argue that football, as a form of entertainment, absolutely should be measured by the entertainment on offer, and that is generally measured by attacking play - the crowd doesn't go wild when we execute another extended period of positional excellence whilst sitting deep and out of possession). 

However, the gulf in class, at a team and at individual level, was redolent of a top championship side versus a decent league 1 outfit, particularly given that our team is in very large parts league 1 quality. On Saturday I couldn't see any player on the pitch for Charlton that would get into Southampton's team.

And that's why I think it's a fair analogy.

SoundAsa£ said:

Of passing interest, did you notice the superb condition of Southamptons pitch…..it was absolutely superb, like a putting green in fact.

MillwallFan said:

DOUCHER said:

Good solid performance after tuesday's flop - pompey have clearly had a great window coz they ruined us tuesday night and seems like they did similar to smallwall so i cannot see them getting dragged back down - problem now is wba are one of the teams we r relying on to finish above - this season we haven't shown up for most of the 6 pointers so glad its away as think that will do the team a favour. Teams who battle and fight are our enemy - we can stifle the ballers but when we come up against teams that match our work rate and fight we struggle. We can grind our way to safety but are far from comfortable yet. Stay up and get Lloyd Jones signed up in the summer and make him the highest paid player at the club and captain. Bring somebody in in recruitment asap who knows what a footballer looks like and get what we can for tanto, kelman, knibbs and apter and completely overhaul the midfield and attack for next year - not sure our current set up recognize anything other than a good defender, which, to be fair, they have excelled at.   

Doucher, on the subject of recruitment, I heard recently that you paid similar for Kelman what we paid for Coburn?… roughly 3 to 3.5 million up front, climbing to 5 million with add ons?