OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint

C'mon Convict. Head up. Win here and we're right back in the promotion race

So he's not resting players. Apart from Rothwell, nothing too contentious here. Leicester to bottle it. Che finds his banjo. Saints win 3-1.

That's the question. I'm guessing Downes isn't fully fit, but do you rest other key players? You then get disjointed teams for three matches before the play offs. Or do you play your full strength teams for Leicester and Stoke to build mutual understanding and confidence? Whatever, I'd like to see Charles get a lot of game time today.

I agree. I deliberately chose the word exciting rather than competent. To be fair to RM, he has got us playing some neat passing football, but a) he hasn't got a plan when teams come on to us and b) he isn't yet tactically astute enough to react to changes from the opposition. In some ways, despite the incompetence up front and lack of a goalkeeper who saves shots, it's our midfield that is getting exposed. One poster mentioned we lost the plot when Romeu went and nowadays when Downes isn't playing and that's what he needs to sort out. Personally reckon Charles could develop in to a competent CDM but there's something RM doesn't like about him. Maybe it's just his inexperience.

But when we signed him in January, there were many posters saying how brilliant the signing had been and with Rothwell too, we had become a much more potent force. With hindsight, Brooks seems to have lost his way and Rothwell hasn't done a lot. Maybe he has been played in the wrong position, but it's a bit late in the season to try out something new.

In terms of excitement at a football match, I'm struggling to think of another season where there been so many games that have caused real tension and excitement. Last minute winners (Watford a week ago), goals galore (Huddersfield, Blackburn), heart in mouth moments as the team tries to bring the ball out from defence...and RM has got to take a lot of credit for creating that environment. He even seems to have learned that Jack S. is not the answer. What he hasn't got right is reacting to change in tactics from the opposition and managing the team to kill off games when we're so much on top. And he's got six games to get it right!

Now that Stuart Armstrong is out of action, Charles needs some match practice in time for the playoffs. Still think he is a solid person to have just in front of the back four and would definitely play him in the Leicester game this week.

I was under the delusion that we had a strong squad. Looking at this analysis, we're a one man team!!

But that's the problem. He was hired because of his possession based tactics, so I'm not so sure they'll ditch RM if he fails to get promotion. What pisses me off is that we were given a lifeline last weekend with that last minute goal and we squandered that today.

First time reading, I read that as "miss shits" which is probably equally appropriate! Yes, the manager can't be blamed for the wastefulness in front of goal, though we didn't seem to be much of a threat after they equalised today. As a manager, he should be yelling them forward and to get their arses in gear and make up for their earlier misses.

I think Brookes' miss was the most criminal. He should have shot first time and then, when he took it round the keeper, God know what he was trying to do.

Thought his subs last year turned the game around in a few games. More recently, his subs seem to have made the team worse. Maybe since the January transfer window he's has more choice and he loves to tinker with the team and formation.

You could almost pinpoint the turning point on that cheap corner. That seemed to breathe life in to them and we went to pot. Don't think bringing on three wingers was wise. Fraser and Edozie didn't know what each other was doing and Sule was his normal crap self. Play-offs it will be but I'm not giving up on getting in to the premiership through the back door.

Last year people rightly laid in to Baz because there's no way he should have been our first team goalkeeper, but this year,, as fans we seemed to accept there was no-one else. Now he's injured, I'm starting to think there really is no-one else. Macca against Preston was pretty awful. He half spilt the only gentle save he had to make, his distribution was as shit as ever, and that dribble out where he got caught was a gentle reminder of how bad he can be. Problem is, I don't think Lumley is much better and the big positive with Macca is that the rest of the team look forwards rather than backwards!

This time of the season you want a middle of the table team with nothing to play for who you've already thumped once....and along come Cardiff! Got to be a win and then it's all to play for at Leicester next week.

Agree. He never does those searching passes and Preston weren't exactly on him as soon as he had the ball, but he looks competent, looks like a solid player to bring on to defend a lead and looks a lot better in that role than Jack!!

Didn't like the way RM put AA in the middle after Che was substituted (when will RM ever learn?), but I agree, now this clown is unavailable, that's one less mistake RM can make by bringing him on.

Totally agree. Any slight pressure yesterday and he made a hash of it. Can't understand why, after so many years, he is still so useless with the ball at his feet. What does he practice in training sessions? And surely this contract/playing time isn't right. We need promotion and the best people in the role and not giving players shop window time. If he is going to be our goalkeeper for the rest of the season, we will be a lot more positive. It was noticeable yesterday how Downes dropped back and that the back pass to Mac was a last resort.

Is it MacCarthy or Lumley in goal? Suspect it is the former though he was far from convincing in the very little he had to do against Preston. That loss of possession and loose kick straight to their player spring to mind.

Actually think that's a good sub

Would have preferred Lumley. Now Mac's chance to earn his squillions.

Preston haven't got a lot to play for. Coincidentally, I spoke to a couple of their fans at Birmingham services last Saturday (they were on their way back from Watford, us from Blackburn) and a lot were wearing pork pie hats so I wanted to know what that was all about. Don't think many will be travelling down for a second time to St Marys so the atmosphere could be a bit flat unless we get off to a flying start....which hopefully we will and this time we'll maintain the momentum. 5-0 Saints and after we'll all working out permutations about how to get an automatic promotion spot!

Fucking hell, Vectis, if that was us going for goals on Saturday after being two up, I'd hate to watch us consolidating. I think we only had one shot on target in the second half or it certainly seemed like it.

Yes, his performances have been pretty average. Seems to jog around in one gear all the time. Can't remember if he has much positional sense but surely as a defensive midfielder and helping to close out a game, he should at least be on the bench...for a start, he could replace one of those 3 wingers (but not Edozie!). Problem now is the next couple of games are so key, RM will perceive playing Charles as a risk.

Great analysis as usual S-Clarke but aren't you also looking at the table and thinking maybe, just maybe the automatic spot is still possible.