Pardew Happy We Pass Test

Alan Pardew is sure that this game will stand us in good stead in the coming weeks as we strive to set our season up for a promotion push.

Talking to the Saints Player He said, They showed what we have to face this year. They played a level of football that might be slightly above their norm, and this is what we are going to get every week, because when you are the favourites everyone wants your scalp.’

He also said that he thought the players were slightly nervous after the Plymouth defeat, and at the start that our fans were a shade jittery as well.

He also explained that he went over to the fans to thank them. We needed them he explained and they were there.

This season he expects a lot of clubs to pack their defence and it will be down to us to find a way through.

The first half was much the harder of the two and we had to scrap for everything. After a bright start we were pushed back for spells as Bournemouth became more in our face.

The second half was much better and Pardew felt we were much more controlled. As the game wore on we began to assert ourselves and the Lallana strike was a superb piece of individual skill.

Pardew said that he felt we were probably performing at about 95% of our capability. We improved through the game and generally did well as we scrapped.

Lallana and his starring role was welcomed as was the return of our talisman, Rickie Lambert. Both are key players and have been missed.

So overall satisfied, but with more needed is the manager’s feeling. We have shown the fight that will be needed to survive and then flourish and I am looking forward to more matches of a similar ilk.