Chez

Possibly. I always like Armstrong's work rate and pace and felt one of his better games was against Newcastle in the league cup semi final a few years back when playing right wing. Although he is not a winger, he always gave you something, wherever you play him. he did provide pace, but I am not sure he gives you the dribbling that fellows provides. Fellows hasn't been as bad as some make out. The Leicester game was bad, and he hasn't been great since, plus his overall goal contributions (is that the right way of describing goals and assists) isn't good, but he has still contributed. His keeps the ball well and usually he does go at the fullback.

I imagine Newcastle will keep us hanging on all summer. We get to pay him £50k (or thereabouts) a week for 3 months and then they'll low ball us. We need a second club to come in and force their hand. Not sure who that would be.

Agreed. He wasn't at the top of his game and he didn't offer us that physical presence we badly needed. If we could have sold Archer, I think that would have been the club's preference, but no one want to buy him. Having sent him out on loan the previous season, I was surprised he didn't force a move in the summer. He can't have been happy. I think the move made sense to all parties. Removing his wages has paid for Larin/Peretz.

Do we? We seem to have done pretty well since we replaced him with Larin and a "fit" Stewart.

The bottom teams do get results against the better sides, the skates stuffed Millwall at their place. Leicester just beat Bristol City, Oxford drew at Boro etc. These teams are no mugs. Go a goal in front and you have something to hold on to and you can loo to catch teams on the break. If you are losing, your play can often be a little desperate. Teams drop deep and there is no space to play in. Even the absolute best teams (like Man City were) at breaking down sides that are parking the bus can come up short. So, its not surprising middle of the road teams like us struggle.

Feel the same. We need to beat the top sides before I'm convinced about the manager and the team. The one thing is add is that I'm not totally sure the players we have are world beaters, so even if we had the best manager in the works we still might not have been top 2.

Stewart had to go off. So I assume you would have brought Archer on at half time to play 442?

bores people more like.

we played badly, but Tonda's in play changes helped rescue a point, so i imagine the posts will be balanced...

why is it when saints play badly its always the managers fault?

Keiffer Moore probably out for the season. No bad thing for us.

Takes me back the when you could choose either the sitting or standing section at some grounds, the Dell included.

The centenary game against Everton at the Dell was the first time I'd seen us switch ends and unsurprisingly we lost (Everton were pretty decent back then). ASlways thought it was a bad omen from then onwards. Not sure it has turned out that way. I notice we switched ends on Sunday and obviously won.

I think scientists generally suggest at least 72 hours is needed for muscle tissue to repair, so it's not ideal playing Sunday/Wednesday.

i genuinely thought he was a leftie, but i think you might be right, which might explain he piss weak shot on sunday, although looking at his highlights video you could argue he is very two footed and perhaps not terribly strong at shooting with either

Interesting point. I keep wondering about this. Are managers (head coaches) actually difference makers? It's the players that play the game. Just because managers pretend to be ringmasters on the sideline doesn't mean their arm waving has any impact at all. I guess if you look at Tonda vs Still you could make an obvious case for the manager improving things despite the situation being the same. However, getting a proper keeper, target man up front and fit full backs has created a more favourable situation for Tonda, so is the situation really the same now? I do think managers can create an environment where players thrive. Martin and Southgate, both tactically naive, created environments for players that enabled them to put the past failures behind them.

It was a fucking atrocious pass. In addition to that, I thought he struggled a little yesterday to be honest. The time and space was far less than against Leicester, where he looked really good. And that lack of space meant he went backwards a little. I'm probably being a bit too harsh as it's not easy to get up to speed when coming on.

I was slightly concerned Larin might have become out nominated penalty taker, but thankfully not. Stewart seem to understand the role. If he's not on the pitch I'd have Bree and Manning ahead of Larin that's for sure.

nah he was cutting inside a lot before too. About one in five going outside onto his weaker foot sounds about right. Might be less than that. It needs to be more. When he does do it, the cross tends to be a little floaty, but sometimes that isn't a bad thing. He really does need to score every now and then. The chance he had on Sunday was a good one but considering he hit it with his left, was a really weak effort. He's only 22, so there is still a possibility that his finishing might improve, but equally what we see now might be what we get from here on in.

he's a mini Boruc for me.

Love it.

Wellington is not a great defender (he gets too tight, sells himself etc.), which is why Juric didn't pick him.

Over the course of the whole season, he hasn't been too bad. His first touch, ball retention and willingness to take the ball in tight areas and draw defenders to him has been very beneficial. He was our best player at right wing back for several games when Tonda came in. Personally, I have been pleasantly surprised by him, as when I have watched him the past for WBA I thought he looked really mediocre. I wasn't excited by his signing to be honest, as I could see why PL clubs didn't fancy him. I guess his more recent form, which hasn't been quite as bad as some are making out, is more aligned with what I had witnessed before. He can still play a major part in our promotion, but he needs to re-find his mojo a little.

I agree. Norwich game will be tough. They all will be, although WBA were absolutely pathetic against the Skates the other week, so you have to fancy us if we play to our potential.

How about the dream ending with us winning the cup, which might require WH/Brentford and Leeds getting two of the big boys and then beating them.