Patches O Houlihan

Neil Maddison now working in player support at Middlesborough discusses Finn Azaz on BBC Sounds from 7m30s

You called him out for being crap at his near post - but he got right down to a cracking strike at his left near post in the first half against the scousers and made a solid save. One swallow does not make a summer but I reckon we'd have finished with 4 against with Baz playing.

The Hull manager said it in the press conference - just in case the rest of the league hadn't already worked it out. You can sit back in a low block, wait for us to lose it. Loft in a back post ball from anywhere in our half, Saints will fail to deal with it and provide an easy header or tap in. With the defensive unit we had at Liverpool that wouldn't be the case: Wood and Quashie would be fighting to make the clearing header and muscling out all but the biggest Championship strikers. Edwards would be collecting the knock downs and playing sensible forward balls to the midfield. Macca is not afraid to come for crosses. Jelert will get out and be in the face of a player looking to cross, and Manning has shown a little more in that realm recently. The issue is that to do this we give up Azaz in that creative 10 role. We could just play Wood and Quarshie as CB in a back 4 but I don't want to put that pressure on them yet. Although Wood showed a bit of confidence with the ball at his feet it is Edwards that has that skill. Playing the 5 at the back makes it easier to pick Jelert and Manning too as Roerslav's defensive skills are less required, and he seems to be hopeless offensively

Are you talking about Flynn Downes or Damion Downs? Spelling matters this year 😉

Quashie seems comfortable in the LCB slot so I'd have Stephens playing RCB but Edwards put his hand up for that role yesterday so its not a given. Jander likely not fit to start so midfield and wingbacks I'm supportive of. Arma looked hungry yesterday and in a bit of form based on his cracking finish at Hull. With his record he needs to play, and we know he is best from the right. He also led the press really well yesterday. Archer is the most likely scorer of our strikers so he is in, recognising that he could be subbed for a winger and Arma moved to striker 'in-game' if required. I was concerned about Fellows on the left as he is clearly superb at delivering crosses from the right. I looked on Transfermkt and he has played LM or LW for WBA before: Once last year, six times 23/24, and six times 22/23.

Better than standing in dog shit! 😁 We played a mid block which gave us space to get in behind them. The front five pressed really effectively. It was a shame that Jander had to go off, but Charles played well and scored his first goal for us. Jelert had a good debut, looked lively, and worth persevering with despite him losing his man for their second. Macca played great except for one brain fart 38 seconds after Arma and then Scienza had very good chances to put us ahead. Game turned on that moment. The ref apologised for being forced to send off Liverpool's second bright new hope so to make up for it he gave them everything after 86 minutes played. All our team put in a good shift and put their hands up for a place in the team; but Downs looked and played like like some of the 11 year olds I played the occasional game of footy with at a US summer camp.

Crazy one-sided that BBC match report.

Great post Clarkey - This is exactly how I feel about Jack too. He clearly bleeds red & white and tries hard. You really want him to do well. But he just never quite makes the grade for more than a game or two at a time.

That's what it is! He looks like a lacrosse player. When you're carrying a long stick with a big pocket then you don't have to move too much to collect the ball or dominate a space.

Don't get me wrong. I get it. But SR seem to be willing to sacrifice the success of the team if it avoids depreciating an asset. Why else would we be playing Baz and Damion Downs all the time?

The improved pressing seemed to be down to that starting front 5: Archer Scienza Arma Jander Downes Arma was captain, and had a point to prove as did Scienza. We know Arma can do the Shane Long press really quite well when he is fired up, and he knows he is in competition with our most expensive signing Fellows right now. Surely he was the one commanding the press of the front three, Downes has always had skill in that area and Jander looks like a talent. Was good to see that we can do it. Fraser can do it. Need Azaz and Fellows to grasp the nettle too. Forget Downs doing it; it would require him to get up out of his rocking chair.

Wan't there something a bit odd with their striker situation this summer in the Gold Cup? I caught the last few minutes of a game with Downs in it and half remember a commentator saying that he was playing on a temporary basis because 1 or 2 main men were away for whatever reason.

He lost Chiesa for their winner, but in fairness to him it was a very clever run and playing a back 5 you might expect Edwards or Wood to have picked him up so that space in the RB space wasn't left. He was subbed for Fellows 2 mins later on 88 mins and went off with a face like thunder really pissed off about their goal. Looked lively all night and definitely applying pressure on Mads & Manning. He starts at RB for me against Middlesborough.

Yes he did. But Downes played his best game for a year - carrying the ball forward, playing forward passes. Jander nicked balls off the scousers for fun and is clearly a clever player. Their whole discussion was based around 'isn't it nice to be discussing a positive Saints performance' and 'what a challenge for Will Still' Do you play 4 or 5 at the back and there isn't an easy selection choice right now anywhere in the team perhaps with the exception of Manning at LB. Jelert played really well at RB but did lose Chielsa for their winner; but in fairness you could see why he wouldn't track a run like that when playing a back 5. I think there is something in the Downes & Charles are too similar and don't work well together theory. Classic Gerard & Lampard syndrome but of course at a lower level.

I watched the last 15 minutes of the game back specifically watching Downs. Everything he does is 30-70% energy max. Nothing he does is fully committed and aggressive. I did make one vaguely useful run into space but it required a worldy ball to him and you can completely see why his teammates wouldn't trust him. The incident with Still and Manning showing frustration immediately followed Downs being powder puff but was actually because the ref incorrectly gave a throw in for Liverpool in injury time (standard) But focusing on the intentions of our other players rather than watching the game everyone else was doing well in that last 15 minutes. We'll do alright this season if we can cut back on the crazy unforced errors.

So our most expensive signing of the window doesn't make the bench. "That's a bold move, Cotton. Let's see how it plays out"

Going Home with Adam & Jo Jo Tessem is suggesting that against Middlesborough we play: McCarthy Jelert Stephens Wood Manning Jander (if fit) Downes Fellows Azaz Fraser Archer with recognition that Scienza & Arma ought to feel aggrieved and should come off the bench fired up for Fraser & Fellows

Going Home with Adam & Jo Jo Tessem is suggesting that against Middlesborough we play: McCarthy Jelert Stephens Wood Manning Jander (if fit) Downes Fellows Azaz Fraser Archer with recognition that Scienza & Arma ought to feel aggrieved and should come off the bench fired up for Fraser & Fellows

You're a young manager from a foreign league - people have heard of you but don't really know what you are about. You are ambitious and very aware of what people are saying about you and your team because your missus is very well connected. You have virtually the strongest squad in the league but all the experienced players are downtrodden and have had Russball beaten into them. Your new players are exiting, but raw and don't yet have the familiarity required to get the team charging. Every single competitive game since you started has seen at least one, usually two or three absolute clangers dropped by the players which means that any good stuff they have done is forgotten. [and the Pompey game couldn't have come at a worse time] The owners of the club have a poor reputation with the fans, and the club has been through 97 managers in the last 4 years. Also the fans have put a poll up one the principal forum calling for your head already. You don't want your young career to be fucked by Saints before it's started. I think I'd be having some sleepless nights and feel under pressure in front of the cameras too.

That'll do pig, that'll do

It must suck being you

That's why their winner wasn't offside too. If you read the small print you have to be 15m offside if Liverpool aren't winning and you ar into the last 10 mins at Anfield

We'll take that

Downs with the trampoline first touch