Holmes_and_Watson

Lots of space for a shot for them. Straight at Baz, who could put both paper wrists behind it, and keep it out comfortably.

A let off for their booked player? 4th official explaining to Martin why the rules are actually flexible things. 🙂

Crumbs. Nearly forgot Fraser was playing. Decent again. Smallbone pulling the strings when they drop back. But it means we lack a driving midfielder in there. We just don;t have a player who can do both, sadly.

Nearly from us. Smallbone had space a shot. He did have a pop earlier, so can;t be too critical. Manning got back in time. We did have 2 back for that one. So 1 of them will be getting a telling off later for noti being in the 'boro box. 🙂

Manning yet again not up to his opponent. Worrying, since he's now above Holgate and Bree in the pecking order. Smallbone covered well. I suspect as he knows that it's a weak link, and he's been told to watch out for it.

Decent chance for us, but AA's pass is too lightweight. We'd never know how Adams would conspire to miss it or score.

Patient, possession football. Looking for space to exploit. But enough about 'boro... 'Boro give it away, but we make nothing from it. They manage to get players back, even when they give it away. We would be panicking and racing back, having all moved up.

'Boro looking to pick out Jones in that free gift zone exists behind our tucked in full backs. A minute later... We push up, so look a bit desperate racing back to defend. Ball goes back into the free gift zone and they get a shot in. Fortunately, not even Baz could get out of the way of it on time, so it got saved. 🙂

Utterly mental passing move out from the back. Now we did get a corner form it in the end. So that sounds decent. But we had every opportunity to pass it forward a lot earlier, and chose to not bother looking and play back and slowly across. It's that lack of intesity in pretty much everything that makes so placid looking, and easy for teams to regroup and pick off.

Decent ball to Adams... one in the box. Smallbone decent shot.

Holgate off? Strange the manager would seem to have doubts about him? Not enough not to start him, though. 🙂

Half time. The Saints players can regroup, knowing that the energy of all those scarred fans won't have as negative an impact, with us being away from home.

Even when we're compact, we allow them space in the middle and they get another header in. Martin mentioned us not being brave. If bravery means not knowing where you should be, or taking control then yes, that.

Holgate getting caught out looking for a pass. Shot not quite in the corner. Bounced of Baz's hand and as usual with a shot against him, goes in. >sigh<

wow! we are so fragile

wow! Smallbone takes a shot. It pings back, and 'Boro are away. Two running into the centre, with one of us just behind them had that not been cut out. I really, really wish osmeone would have a word with Martin about having cover for risks. We really overcommit.

Clearly, everyone knows exactly how Martin will set up. Everyone gets loads of joy putting it behind our tucked in fullbacks. That's nartually drawing out the centre halves, so we've gaps wide, and gaps centrally as they are pulled out of position. Needs a lot of cover from centre mid to get back centrally and deal with it. We're dropping deep now, which at least gives us some structure. The players don;t seem that sure about it though. Something that will need to develop under Martin, as we're so focused on getting forward under his system, we're celarly not developed aobut defending under certain situations. Like this one, the unexpected what to do when taking a lead scenarion 🙂

Baz claims it! Saints counterattack! When we do it, 'Boro have six players back. When opponents counter attack against us recently, it's been Smallbone or Edozie desperately racing back. 🙂

Martin emphasised the need for us to maintian the same mindset when we went behind. That applies to us going ahead too. We have to keep up the same mentality, as if we sit back, or let those passes become flatter and more defensive, we will get taken apart as per all the other games. We don;t look comfortable dealing with runners, as we leave so much space. So we have to be the ones pushing them back.

Just looking forward to seeing Martin's system at work, when we've got a lead, rahter than it having to adpat to being behind, which it/we don;t seem capable of dealing with. And as I type, we get a total let off. Looked a bit overrun... and again, another vital touch as they move into the gaps where more traditional teams would have had one of those full back chaps. 2 in a minute.

He is! All that work rate to cover those gaps down our flanks. And AA means goals! 🙂 Our more solid lineup, menas that hopefully, he won;t have to cover as much ground defensively, and can give more of that work rate to the attack.

Yay! Finally in front

Warfare

Reaction

Warehouse