Holmes_and_Watson

Over a dozen players in plus one on loan, and certainly lots of investment from SR. Certainly a lot more than I expected. Both in number, and cost. Even after all that, the biggest gap is the Romeu one. While I've not seen Baz be atrocious, he's not impressed either, and should be stopping more than he has. Not unexpected, considering his age. But a problem in games where the single goal makes the difference. I don't know enough about our incoming players to have confidence/ or lack of on how they will settle in. Like everyone, hopefully it will be enough to stay up, rather than an expensive stable door with the horses long gone with Ralph. I'd be surprised if every one of the new signings ousted the others as seen from some of the line ups up above. Orsic and Alcatraz haven't set the world on fire yet. It's only fair that it can take a little time. But there's pressure from needing those points so badly. Somewhere in the new lot, there just has to be goals. Broja's finishes and play made such a difference for a spell. If we can even get that, we'll have a chance. Bree was as pants as a lot of the team first half last night. Like the others, we saw some of their strengths in the second. You could see the style NJ is looking for with the long, direct passing. But we only got to see that, because Newcastle's job was done. Watches swannymere reach for the tissues.... Indeed it is. Indeed it is. 🙂

Standard Saints Odd selection, in odd formation that the folk who hired NJ wanted, and RH jettisoned after being seemingly told to try it. Disjointed start, where we get overrun due to lack of midfield or attacking outs. Go behind, and make plucky but futile attempt to get back on level terms. Have at least one decent chance to level it, but miss. We lost that one partly on the team sheet, as we struggled to impose any identity on the game, with that selection. As usual, we looked more comfortable in a back four. But the club know best, and we'll have another losing back 5 along shortly. We did look better in spells of the second half. But that's no surprise as Newcastle already had their goals. The subs nearly all had an impact. But that just showed that Lavia and Perraud should have started. We struggled to get a couple of passes together first half, while our opponents were all over us. We didn't have the composure to beat their pressure, had no midfield to generate anything and no attack getting either service or creating anything, until Adams' goal. We got to see better parts of Bree's game, as Newcastle stopped overrunning that flank. Lavia had some incisive passing. I was pleased for Che getting a goal. It was AA's turn to miss a decent chance tonight. Where Adams is too slow to release a shot, AA could have waited another half second and it would have gone past the keeper. Some poor passing in a rattled defense at times. Bednarak playing team mates into danger was like old times. Poor passing in midfield didn't help us either. Edozie is raw and young, but isn't offering any real assists or creating chances yet. Delighted to see Bruno shown red, as he's been a moaning hacker throughout both legs.

Bree no more effective down that flank, than we were last time. KWP =right Perraud =left In a back four, with a solid DM covering like Romeu, who the club moved on. Dumplings.

Oh heck. Hopefully not serious for KWP. We really need him. Any number of other players, I'd miss a lot less.

AA should have attacked that one.

Oh well done Che! We don't create much. He needs plenty of chances to find one he can put away. But he gets on with it, so credit for creating and finishing that one.

A hospital pass from Baz. Rattled trying to clear it, let alone to start off a move of our own.

Even clearing from the back is grim. We used to be a side that pressed opponents. Now we're undone by the slightest pressure. That's a few Has punts where we've just given it away.

Cut apart. Lovely passing move. We didn't get close to them at any part of it. The difference between a team that anticipates and moves into space, against a tactically limited, disjointed side with no effective creative plz.

Lyanco done a couple of times. We can't fashion any kind of passing move. Newcastle on the other hand have all the pressure on us, and the creativity to get chances too. Sad to see such a gulf already between the two teams.

Jeez. Poor tracking. No challenges. And really tough to come back from that. Here's hoping for a fight back.

Over

They are paying as mituch of it off, across the length of the contracts. Something the authorities have put a stop to from this summer. So Chelsea keen to get this one done before then.

Infinite

Hand

Chocolate

Quest

His pashun for Nate's aggressive style made all the difference in what many will soon call a coup for Saints, while Chelsea fans will wonder what might have been. 🙂

In a window where rivals have nabbed all the players we've been linked to, it's satisfying that we nipped in ahead of Chelsea's bid for Bree, forcing them to their back up option. 🙂

Story

Under

Another widely known about scandal, with a political party once again dragged kicking and screaming every step of the way to make the decision anyone with a shred of decency would have made from the outset. Corrupt and self serving to the last.

I got the feeling in pre season, that the club, supremely confident of getting a new striker in, were prepared to listen to offers for Che. I think he didn't play for the next game at the time, which I was taking as the club letting him know he might not get as many minutes, and maybe a rumour or two at the time. Here we are with the club confident in bringing in a new attacker, and Che linked again with a departure. I think he's still needed, and he'd be a good partner for a better finisher.

Pint

As someone who has picked the first two socks out the drawer in the dark, I was more worried about your last sentence than the stats. 🙂