OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint

The plan from kick offs also seems to be to get the ball to Scienza or Fellows and hope one of them can run past a player or two and create space for the others. With Fellows out yesterday, it limited our options...and from kick off it was frustrating to see the ball in our corner flag, that's asking for trouble. I would have though Matsuki or even Edozie might also be able to run at players and create openings but these two seem to be sidelined.

We are dealing with a legend here....albeit the whole left hand side of Archers Road got prepared to duck when our Francis hoofed it up to the forwards! No, Baz is as bad as anyone I can remember in goal for us. He doesn't make absolute howlers like letting the ball roll through his legs but he never saves anything and that must destabilise the defence knowing there is no last line of defence.

I genuinely believe that we got promoted out of this division last time because he got injured. McCarthy is pretty awful but again today, come out and collect Baz, it's very simple. His mistakes are costing goals time and time again. And I've never seen him play but he owns a pair of gloves so perhaps George Long is worth a try. At the very least, by picking him, Tonda would be sending a message to SR that we've been saying for years.

If Fellows plays, this could be a basketball score. 4-4 or even more!

Concerned that Fellows is a doubt as he's become one of our main ways of getting out of a high press. He's come on leaps and bounds in recent games. Also, Norwich are playing better nowadays and a bit unlucky not to pick up more points in recent games. I'm less confident about this that Brum and WBA so an away win really will tell everyone we're on the way up.

I'm one of those. It's a job creator for the industry, players become more negative to preserve their stats and xG is bollocks. Back in the 1970's, as part of my Statistics degree, there was a book "How to lie with Statistics". Made a lot of sense. But when Baz is constantly at the bottom of the stats rankings, maybe, just maybe, there might be something in it. And in football eyes don't deceive. Just look and see how bad he is. Beadle (Brum goalie) pushes a couple of Scienza shots around the post; Baz lets identical shots in. And his lack of presence has to make the defence nervous. Against West Brom we go from in a comfortable position to hanging on all because of his lack of presence. Used to think his deficiencies were somewhat negated by his ball control but as someone noted, his long kicks have recently been going out of touch. But sadly, we don't have many options...

Exactly this. He has absolutely no presence, particularly in the six yard box - and what I don't understand is that after years in goal, he is not getting any better. Second goal was his main clanger. Punch the guy who's blocking you or fall on the floor and claim obstruction but don't waft around. Quarshie also needs to be in the centre headering those type of crosses clear. And Baz is staying. Don't think we'll be shopping for a new goalkeeper in the January window.

It started after we went three up. Far too early to try to hold on to a lead and go on the defence. It's another 3 points. It's another move to the play off places. Sort out this game management and we'll get automatic promotion.

Yes the finishing has been clinical and a joy to watch, but my special shout out goes to Quarshie. He's learning to pass a ball sensibly and his presence in the centre is shielding any crosses that come over.

He's evidently been coaching Tom Fellows on how to kick a ball judging by high it went. He was trying his best not to look sheepish after he kicked it which suggests he didn't put a lot of thought in to what he was doing!

The most notable difference I can see from my untrained eye is the speed of movement from defence to attack which is a pleasure to watch. Millwall closed us down quickly but we didn't have Scienza or Downes that day, and they made a huge difference against Brum's press. A couple of training ground drills:- 1) Tom Fellows (who is getting better by the game) need to practice shooting along the ground; 2) Ryan Manning needs to break the habit of a lifetime and practice getting closer to the attacker without pushing or fouling him.

I was trying to think back to when I've enjoyed watching Saints so much. Yes, we scored a lot of goals and went on that unbeaten run under RM last time we were in the Championship, but it wasn't exciting football. Probably Ralph at his peak...

Great game to watch. You can see the confidence in the team. Edge of the seat stuff at the end but I wish we wouldn't sit back and invite trouble. Have a release for corners. Good to also see Archer hopefully keeping Downs off the sub's bench. My only real criticism is allowing Joe Aribo on the pitch. He's a liability and not someone who can help protect a lead.

Starting to look very settled. Nowadays, I look more to the bench. Disappointed that Matsuki or Edozie aren't on it, though perhaps Robinson will come on to run at their defence if Fellows or Scienza run out of puff.

Maybe I'm an optimist but I'm looking at those play-off places and thinking that's our target and easily reachable...so still all to play for. And Convict, I'm missing your pre-match stream advice. Hopefully you can give a pointer or two just prior to today's match.

And I remember him coming on at Northampton and while he didn't do anything spectacular, he looked competent and in control of the ball. I am also really confused with Eckert's persistence with Aribo (and Downs). He's now got a settled starting 11 and we're getting off to a good start but his substitutions seriously weaken the team. Matsuki, even Edozie, need game time.

Look at the clues....who's heard of a doubting Wolfgang? Let's see what happens tomorrow and on Tuesday. Six points and Tonda will be staking a major claim for the job.

Interesting find, SuperSAINT. That does make a lot of sense because he is regularly ill and he even looks unhealthy. Does this go back to his eating that dodgy chicken? After that, I'm sure he played a lot of games on the bounce and was one of our stars two years ago. He has a lot to offer and our medical bods should be working overtime getting him eating the right diet and match fit.

Demarai Gray is a left winger so should be on the opposite side to Manning because otherwise he'll be getting in those crosses all day long to Stansfield. If Scienza is fit and confident that Tonda has got them practising ways of getting through a rapid high press, I'm expecting another goalfest. 4-2 Saints win.

Always brings a smile when kids are singing the line "I loved them as a nipper..."

Everyone seems to be singing the same songs nowadays. Flicking between the Sky channels tonight, you're hearing "Always believe in...." at Arsenal. At Brighton, there is the version of "It started in a chapel..." Of the channels, recommend the Brighton game. It's just depressing seeing South coast clubs like Brighton and Bournemouth doing well and us going nowhere fast.

Against Millwall we were missing arguably our best two players in Scienza and Charles and Downes was also unavailable. That's quite a chunk out of the team. What I would like to see at goal kicks is Armstrong coming back to give another out option for the defence and mixing it up more with goal kicks getting to the half way line and us chasing that second ball. And for corners, we need to have a release. Someone on the half way line. Someone half way between the penalty area and half way line. Chelsea did this against Arsenal. And if Aribo comes on as a sub, we need to boo him. Sod that song. We need to let Tonda & SR know that this guy should not be wearing a Saints shirt.

Understand what you're saying, Dusic, so I am a little less concerned than I was with Tonda bigging Aribo up - but even Matsuki should surely be before Joe Aribo on the subs bench.

His comments about Aribo worry me a lot! Anyone could see that Aribo's performance on Saturday was woeful and while Tonda can't use those words, he can certainly avoid beefing the guy up. I would hope SR have kept Tonda informed of their thinking. He definitely showed his inexperience against Millwall and he needs to work out how to get the ball forward on the ground given our vertically challenged forward line. Hopefully Brum will use the same high press and our guys can show they have worked out an answer for it.

And relegation places starting to look sorted already. For comedy value, the Plymouth striker getting sent off yesterday was good. Mr Angry kicked the touchline ball in to the stands and slipped on his arse in the process.