Things just seemed to get worse on the pitch despite attempts from the away support to lift spirits and by the time their second goal went in even the spirits of the away support were drained and who could blame them.
When a team is struggling it is no coincidence that you pick up more and more injuries as players like Taylor desperately attempt to get United back in the match, especially when we don’t have any squad to speak of in terms of covering players.
Today suggests that we are totally reliant on Yohan Cabaye and Hatem Ben Arfa for creativity, a desperate situation for a club with aspirations of repeating, or beating, last season’s fifth. Krul saved plenty and Tiote fought a lone battle in midfield, not a great platform to go on and win a match.
With options severely limited by his Captain Colo’s suspension and numerous injuries, Alan Pardew sends out the following eleven; Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Williamson, Santon, Tiote, Gutierrez, Anita, Ferguson, Ba, Cisse,
While the back five would appear to pick itself with Williamson coming in for the suspended Coloccini, apart from Tiote and Ba it would appear to be anybody’s guess as to who will make up the front six.
Alan Pardew FIVE weeks ago; “This guy (Nile Ranger) is late so often, it is unbelievable. He will not get back in the team unless he has a period of six weeks where he isn’t late”.
For anybody who endured Le Tissier and all the rest throughout the 70s (only win in those decades was 1971/72 season), 80s and 90s) it was a deserved reward when the tide belatedly turned at Southampton.