Holmes_and_Watson

I think we have seen some versatility in the season, and certainly in the last couple of games. How effective it was, and our ability to switch it up are problems. Last time out, we were trying to use Sule to get past their defender and create/ shoot. This time out, we used a more direct, physical approach with Stephens and Aribo. Last time out, when using Sule didn’t work we struggled to get another option going. Tonight, when Che and Aribo got subbed, we weren’t able to adapt our style. Martin will look at the possession and control. He’ll look at what we’re creating from that. Often enough, we’ve patiently racked up a number of chances. Sometimes we convert them. Sometimes we don’t. We certainly don’t convert enough of them. Martin will no doubt be looking at the players. But the system, in how the chances are created, plays its part. It’s a bit like under Ralph, or Jones, or Selles. Lots of narrow defeats and if only moments. They were all convinced that the system was the key, and if only the players would adapt. Even when it was clear that this was as good as the players were going to provide, they all persevered. Elsewhere, other clubs who didn’t try to revolutionise football, and also with good resources, have managed to leave us behind at the top of the table. Tonight, Ipswich, who aren’t blessed with those resources have also left us behind. We have worked just as hard as them in other games. We looked by far the better team by half time tonight. But they don’t have to worry about their side falling apart when you take parts of a system out of it. If we repeatedly have the same failings, Martin has to tinker Plan A to see what it takes to get us over the line in games. It was worrying that we offered little control or purpose with our subs. No real impact or system was imposed on the game. Giving it to Edozie, with the predicable outcomes is not a solution. I’d expect us to have a number of options from our bench. But we just looked more disjointed. It would be nice to go into the playoffs with a bit of hope that we can actually learn to close out a game. As for Baz, I pretty much think every shot that goes towards the goal on one side will go in. I’d love to think that it’s because of the way our defence line up, restricting his time and sight. I don’t see many howlers. Just lots of those nearly ones. Just not quite in the right position. Just not down quite fast enough. Just not quite able to reach it. The strengths he brings like distribution, mobility and awareness as a sweeper-keeper are supposed to offset a lot of that. He had some good passes tonight. But we weren’t playing that short, sharp passing around to get our possession and move teams around. So, he didn’t have as much to bring to the table.

Despite dominance of possession, Saints manage to squander a promising position, losing them points. We’ve seen it so often this season. After such a solid first half, we ran out of steam in the second. Our subs offered little and our work rate dipped. Both sides work to the last whistle normally, but only Ipswich did today. Removing Adams and Aribo left us physically light, and we were outworked and outfought as a result. Fraser’s work rate wasn’t replicated by Brooks. Edozie was involved in a lot, but created no chances of note. With our line up, we moved away form crisp passing moves through the middle looking to create more from direct play today. But when the players that were key to that were removed, we didn’t manage to get any other system going. We have a squad of players who are good in parts of what RM is looking for. We have quality elsewhere, that is a bit restrained by the system. And we’re seeing game after game that we’re not getting solutions to the flaws in the system or to get to a point where that possession is putting teams away.

Oh for .... Any shot on goal is enough.

Good clearance from Ipswich there. Nearly.

Fortunately, Nathan told us it's actually hardfer to play against 10. Ipswich should watch out. 🙂

Bree off. Considered to be last man. He's been just a little off on a few occassions today.

George Burley in the stands!

#BringBigPaulBack

Brooks for Fraser. Fair enough for the balance of the side. But others are clearly tiring.

Sod

Crumbs! We need that third

Before that when Fraser didn;t get his foul, he should be getting off his rear and tracking back. Not lying there spreading his arms out in a huff. They got a break from that.

OOOOh.. why not pass to AA!?

Bit of curl on AA's effort there. ah, big deflection.

Ooooh... nearly from Bree's freekick in there.

Adams gave a stern look back as the ball was pinged forward far too hard. Seconds later we battle and win in the middle. AA and Che part of the attack, and swithc over. Adams not shot not cross bothers no one. Momentum made him try, when a trade mark cut back more of an option. Wilcox thing as posted above. Disputing a buy out clause. Wilcox has resigned apparently.

Ball not falling for Bree a few times there. They chose not to take advantage a couple of times.

Martin will be pleased with that. The usual bags of possession. Created a decent number of chances, if not lots of near ones. And clinical with the ones we got on target for a change. Stephens very mobile, picking up KWP's attacking position, supporting the midfield and also picking up some of Smallbone's attacking tasks. That will be pretty knackering, so he may be one of the ones to come off later. After Ipswich's goal, I think we've settled into the changes well. Also without Will, we've given up some of that trying to create passing angles through the middle. Honestly, it's not been clicking for a little while. Stephens isn;pt the best at it either, so with him playing, RM has made a fair enough call in by passing it. Besides, they've not played a high line, so we've been able to get the ball out more directly to the flanks anyway. Aribo manages himself really well. I moan about the times he passes back. I'm wondering if he looks at the forward pass, realises he'd have to race forward to get on the end of a return for not much advantage, and picks another option. Because he has been mobile. He has raced into good positions. And his strength paid off in weighted passes, holding players off for assists and tackles at the back. With an experienced line up, Fraser and Stu have linked up well. Well enough that Ipswich were worried about it, allowing Stu to instead pick out AA on the other flank for the goal. Good to see Che do what he always does, and get hsi head down and try. So a good reward for that. Again, this set up suits him a bit more anyway. He's got Aribo, Downes and Stephens to provide steel behind him, and AA and Fraser scaring their full backs. Leaving Stu to pick out osme nice passes, and pick up the bit and pieces. Stamina will be interestign second half. Both teams have put a lot in, and rely on their work rate. Subs could well make quite a bit of difference today. Outr bench is strong, but we went backwards last time out with it.

bah. Offside. Stephens looking for the pass, but not aware of where the line was behind him. Decent move that.

Decent AA shot there. But the build up is what RM was looking for. That was Stephense centrally, moving into space from his inverted position and delivering a direct ball. Ipswich's line isn;t that high, so better AA and Fraser on the end of those than Sule.

We had someone runnign in on the back post too. Had it been more of a miss, he would have got it. 🙂

Soooo close....

There's been a bit of that today. I don;t mind if it's to retain possession. I do mind when they don;t even look for a more forward pass, and play it safe. Because that led to an Ipswich attack.

Straight at Baz. Yes, they had loads of space. But our defence has dealt with this scenario countless times. Elsewhere, RM will be putting money into the potty mouth jar later for swearing to the nation.

Curled in... just 10 feet above where it should have been.