Line-up
George Burley gave home debuts to four new signings in a bid to try and reinvigorate the side with fresh blood. Given the changes and exits, it was always going to be difficult to get the new side to gel, but few expected it to be this bad.
Up front Kenwyne Jones started alongside Danish striker Masden. Masden made some intelligent runs but looked a long way from being match fit and was withdrawn at half time for Dexter Blackstock.
For the first 10 minutes of the second half that change looked to have worked as Jones and Blackstock combined well and won a series of headers. However, Saints soon reverted to type and the strikers got little service, with the defence having to bypass our static midfield with long punts downfield.
Potter looked to have brought his namesake’s invisibility cloak as our entire midfield simply disappeared from view for much of this game. They are simply too static and would do well to learn from Liverpool’s pass and move philosophy to create space and chances.
Derby and Idiakez in particular were granted the freedom of midfield and passed it around at will. There was barely a challenge worthy of the name in the second half. Indeed one of the biggest cheers of the afternoon when the referee did what Saints struggled to do and got in the way to hand possession back to Saints.
At least the introduction of Nathan Dyer for the unfit and ineffective Kamil Kosowski provided some pace and willing into our game. Earlier in the season midfield was one of our strong points as we passed the ball around confidently and created chance after chance for our strikers to miss.
That midfield was typically Prutton, Oakley, Quashie and Belmadi. If we can get a leader in on loan to at least try to replace Quashie, then with the proper motivation from the players, we can get back to something approaching form.
Fortunately for Saints, our defence was on top of its game. Lundekvam and Higginbotham combined excellently, with an impressive debut from the aggressive Ostlund who already has the makings of a fans favourite.
On the Cross verdict
Any illusions we had about being involved in a relegation battle should be dispelled now. Thanks to our early season relative ‘form’, we are ahead of Derby in the table although it certainly did not look like that on the pitch.
Derby deserved to win pure and simple and bar a decent striker they would have done. Remind you of an earlier vintage of Saints? Idiakez was simply a class apart and strolled through the game, putting in a series of dangerous set pieces and virtually never conceding possession – take note Matthew Oakely. The one time he lost the ball he was so shocked he appealed for a free kick and on today’s performance he deserved one.
In the press conference afterwards George Burley sung his praises and admitted that he would ‘love to have him’, a clear indication that Idiakez was one of our five failed bids. It is now vital that the three loans lined up for next week can lift the side as the players look incapable of doing so themselves bar for ten minutes after a rollicking from Burley.
Burley was rightly angry at the performance today, describing the first half as ‘like watching paint dry’. The match was once again overshadowed by protests against Rupert Lowe by a worryingly small crowd of 21,829, many of whom will be wondering why they didn’t stay in and watch the rugby in the warmth. Even Sir Clive will be asking himself that one.
Man of the match: Danny Higginbotham is one of the few who can hold his head high after today's performances. Strong in the air, committed and hard working, he deserved better in front of him. On the Cross pulled up alongside him at the lights after the game to see him angrily shaking his head as he ranted to his friend in the passenger seat. I just wish I had had a top end Mercedes like his so I could have kept up with him and told you what happened next.
Cameo of the day: This award goes to the referee for making the only tackle on Derby from midfield in the second half. Sign this lad up quick.
Thorn in the side: Idiakez ran the show for Derby and looks to be playing in the wrong league. A class apart and barely broke into a sweat.
Lemon of the day: Matthew Oakley also strolled through the game and barely broke into a sweat. Unfortunately, he did so without the ball. Whatever is going on behind the scenes is clearly affecting him on the pitch. Oakley is a Saint and a quality player when on top of his game - we want him back.