For most of the first half, I was wondering if there would be any Saints highlights to talk about. It's a little hard to come up with positives when your team is still stuck on the motorway. It took almost forty minutes for the Saints to show even a glimpse of their usual selves. Having said that, there were one or two Saint players who were keeping us in the game. Michael Svensson had a fair start, but soon began to impose himself on the opposition. On a night when Lundekvam wasn't at his best, Svensson made an important contribution to the result. Svensson is clearly improving in his time with Saints. It might not be every game, but we'll see a very good Premiership centre half by the end of the season.
One player who should also improve is Agustin Delgado. Let's face it, it's very hard to adapt to a brand new culture, learn the language and in Agustin's case, overcome serious long term injury. In return, we've seen little spells of the player he probably is, when he's at his best. The chances are, it will take Agustin the rest of this season to settle in. Considering the whole policy of the club is to bring players in who will improve over time, this shouldn't be too much of a problem.
While Delgado hasn't set the Premiership alight, he has good awareness and skill. The only real issue, to me, is that alongside Beattie we have to players who are much of the same. The inclusion of Ormerod or Pahars with either Beattie or Delgado may well make for a better pairing. It's really exciting to be able to have serious debates about the line up. We haven't had this depth of quality since the late 80s, if then.
Saints are really benefiting from that depth of squad. It's not just having eleven good players to pick from. It's not even having some players o come in for injuries. It's the push competition for places has on professionals. We've seen Saints players go that extra mile because they're only too well aware that their place in the first team is up for grabs. One good example of this is Rory Delap. Saints paid over the odds for the versatile ex-Derby player and he gets a bit of stick for having that £4 million price tag. We've seen him be ineffectual as a right back, not seen him at all in his favoured right wing back position and he's looked less than brilliant up front. Where he does seem to settle is in the centre of midfield. Having a player who is more than just creative and attacking (Svensson) and holding and defensive (Oakley these days) gives Saints an extra option. It's taken Rory a while to really come into his game. I think that faced with the prospect of a season on the bench under Strachan and losing out on his international place has pushed him to fulfil his potential. Make no mistake, Delap's a bloody good player. I used to see him for Derby and moan that we didn't have anyone like that.
Strachan now has to pick two from Svensson, Oakley and Delap and with all three playing at their best, Strachan knows he can focus more on the tactics than the individuals.
James Beattie has now scored nine goals from his last seven games. The big question is, how long can he keep it going ? He's had two previous purple patches when his confidence was high, but these have been in between long barren spells. I'm quite hopeful that this season, we'll see a much more consistent James Beattie. There was every sign that this would happen last term. Unfortunately, Beattie's run of goals was ended through injury and it took him time to fully recover his sharpness.
Beattie has now returned to that form with the new season and with Saints having more creative options with Fernandes and Anders Svensson, there shouldn't be a shortage of chances. Of course, there are going to be games when he doesn't get on the scoresheet. But there's every chance that he'll create something for a team mate. Beattie has developed an impressive all round game in the last eighteen months. In addition to being just a target man, Beattie now creates plenty of space with his runs, can take an excellent set piece and is skilful enough to take on players and get excellent crosses into the box.
Beattie was determined to do well last night. There's grit in his confidence. His early challenge sent, would be tough nut, Repka flying. While the West Ham players moaned and cried, Beatts just walked off with a bemused look on his face.
That's pretty much it for Saints Snapshots this week (well, until Sunday). I would have loved to have shown the utterly superb Niemi, who kept us in the game again last night. I'd have loved to have shown the Chris Marsden pic where you can actually see him on every blade of grass simultaneously. Even a pic of Fabrice Fernandes, twisting and turning this way past some confused West Ham players would have been nice. Alas, PA Sports have decided to have umpteen images on a pensive looking Glenn Roeder. I understand his predicament, but he always looks pensive. He always has done. One picture from months ago would have sufficed.