Saint Albert

I heard booing on the telly at the end of both halves.

Either Les misquoted Pellegrino, and Pellegrino laid out his plans to play timid, defence-first football before he was hired, or Pellegrino told Les a few porkies during his job interview.

I too thought that Redmond was excellent today.

I feel sorry for him. Les overpaid for him, and he is closely linked with Pellegrino, which for many Saints supporters falls neatly into the “starting on the wrong foot” category. Worse for him, he gets to play under Pellegrino’s dull as ****e, timid, scared and nervous conservative regime without a strike partner to play off, and little goal scoring opportunities. Seems like a good guy but unless he hit the ground running like Gabbiadini did last season he was always going to catch flak.

Les has really arsed this up. I think that his failure to replace Pellegrino in December, when it was obviously not working out, may be his single biggest mistake.

I still think that a competent manager could keep us up. I just don’t think that Les will pull the trigger. It’s very frustrating.

If you believe the various reports in the media, he’s not interested in WBA. I’d be surprised if he was interested in us.

Stoke sat back and looked to attack on the break. Pellegrino persisted with a conservative approach against a poor, one-man team that was already playing ultra-defensively. Pellegrino’s over cautious approach cost us a shot at all 3 points in a must-win game. He’s a coward. On the plus side, I enjoyed watching Hoedt clean out Diouf after the stamping incident that the useless **** of a referee missed. Players will take matters into their own hands if the referee lets that kind of nonsense go. Also McCarthy pulled off an excellent low save, that prevented a Stoke goal. Lemina was good again. Redmond played well. I thought we looked way more threatening when Gabbiadini came on for Tadic. If only Pellegrino had done it earlier.

We’re stuck with him until the end of the season. Les is sticking to his guns. The window of opportunity closed a while ago.

An attacking wide free kick earned by Boufal, but the referee blows time before it can be taken. 0-0

2 minutes of stoppage time.

Long on for Carrillo

Boufal misses a free header. Redmond has been excellent today - he supplied the cross from the right.

Boufal about to come on for Sims according to the commentators.

Redmond forces a save with a good shot.

Calls for handball when Pieters blocks a Bertrand shot. His arm was out but it was close range.

Sound the bells...

Cedric with an excellent shot, forces a good save.

Tadic off for Gabbiadini...Choupo-Moting off for Jesé.

Badou cleans out Lemina again. No card.

Redmond with some good moves to set up a long, high Lemina shot...and Stoke are almost in at the other end.

Sims with a shot from outside the box but it’s a little too central.

I can hear the crowd calling for Gabbiadini.

He replaced Diouf with Pieters in the first half so he may be reverting to his starting formation?

Sims played in and forces a save.