OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint

Subs were brilliant. Was starting to get pissed off with Charles ambling back, and Aribo made a big difference. Edozie and Brooks also came on just at the right time and added intent. Well done RM. We might have a fantastic bench but he manages them well. Just the one, just the one undefeated...

Serves him right for getting rid of Holgate! 😀 That said, he's raided the Man City academy but now our contacts are established there, maybe it's not such a disaster if he's poached from us.

There seems to be a new legion of fans that have come out of the woodwork. Don't know where they're coming from or if there's any truth in the rumour that season ticket holders can buy double using the same numbers, but us SaintsPlus members are finding it harder to get away tickets. One person I spoke to at Sheffield earlier in the season said he hadn't missed a game home or away since 1980...and it sounded very creditable. Meeoww!

Charles looked cumbersome and only seemed to do the short pass but he was ok at the start of the season. Problem is, being out the team seems to have slowed him and reactions up even more. Like S-Clarke said, he was often out of position or when he got the ball, he gave it away and deserved to be yanked off at half time. And I'm not usually a Baz critic but couldn't he have anticipated and dived out to cut out the cross for the first?

You're right and I think half way through the second half he switched with KWP and Bristol switched their attacking side. Think more clubs will be doing the same.

That's good because that means replays and a proper commentary team and not some kids on work experience.

Yep and probably perfection from wherever you were in the ground. Standing right behind the goal, you could see it was in from the moment it left his foot. A goal for the history books.

Yes, this week's games could be close but I don't see these games being season defining. Mid-March is Ipswich and couple of weeks later is Leicester. That could be more make or break though by then we could be eight points clear of third in the League!

I agree there'll be other teams looking at that high press because it caused us difficulties, but the other thing they did well was give none of our players much time on the ball when they played that press - especially their midfield. With our pace, if other teams play that tactic, I wouldn't mind Baz popping one or two over the heads of the last man.

Compared to last year when he would flap at crosses and seemed to never make a save, Baz has got considerably better. Playing out from the back with possession football needs a Baz rather than a McCarthy/Lumley because his passing is so good. He also seems to read the game very well. The problem seems to come with saves to the left. Not that I know, but I'm told this is a common problem with league goalkeepers. Well, surely they can be coached to sort that out.

Yes, Mara in for Che. Mara is getting better each game. Stu was off the pace yesterday and looked like his was nursing an injury/strain before going off so needs a rest. Not convinced Meghoma deserves a start even though Manning was probably our worse player yesterday. Don't think Charles is the quickest so need someone in midfield to counterbalance that.

Can't ever remember see us score five in a half. Atmosphere in Northam in second half was magical. Timings of subs from RM were excellent. Sule flattered to deceive as always and maybe Mara is nudging ahead of Che is the striker stakes. Just read through the thread's pages and someone said Mara seems to have been in the gym or something because he seems a lot stronger. I agree. A great cameo, held off defenders and maybe just maybe he could turn out to be the striker we're crying out for.

Be interesting to see what RM does if we get through. Will it be another 'B' team?

In the fifteen minutes he played, he looked absolute class.

It interesting to compare forum comments about this transfer window to those of last year and before. There seems to be general agreement and understanding about what the club is doing this time around and even when people like Charlie go on loan, it's understandable and cover was brought in before he went. Compare that to the scatter gun approach of bringing in Tall Paul, Sulemana, Orsic and Charlie last year and the money thrown at youngsters in the 2022 summer and you think everything now is part of a plan.

You're probably right. I'm reading about these 'shop window' transfers where we arrange a loan which revolves around him playing quite a few games (the more he plays, the less the loan fee), and while Juventus won't pay £40m, he will hopefully play well in some games which will up his permanent transfer value to a.n.other club. Which suggests we might not see him again in a Saints shirt. That would be a pity. Bit of a flair player but has the ability to make things happen.

Definitely my best player I've ever seen in a Saints shirt. It was like a buzz whenever he was on the ball. All I can remember about Gazza was that daft lunge he did in a FA Cup final and scoring against Scotland because it's been shown thousands of times. MLT was so so much better and all I ever got was the "you would say that wouldn't you?" dismissal when comparing the two.

Yes, there's been a couple of times this season he's taken a pass back to goal between the half way line and the penalty area and done his half turn and straightaway created something. Add to that he can see a pass and has a good shot on him and you've got a quality player. A couple have said RM doesn't trust him and that makes sense. He can lose the ball in awkward places but it'll be irritating if he goes to Forest or another average club in the premiership.

Having just seen a very unfit Rothwell come from Bournemouth, it'll be interesting to see Brooks' fitness levels. Given he's only started twice this year and he had that long term injury before his cancer, it may take him a while to get up to speed. We seem to be in the market for crocks and recovering crocks. Is this SR being too clever for its own good again?

Really? 10 minutes? I'd rather shore up our defence with more support than another winger. Wee-man, AA, Edozie, Sule, Sam AA + overlapping defenders, think we're comparatively covered in these positions.

I agree. For a £10m youngster, I'd expect a lot more. Someone with a positive attitude and an eye on goal aka Broja. Appreciate central defenders cost less, but it's making THB look a bargain.

And apart from his shot, he didn't look much better after our subs came on and changed the game. Players on the fringe need to seize opportunities like this and he didn't. True, the midfield weren't giving him much service but his touch looked heavy, he looked a lightweight and he didn't seem to have that urgency. Dibling also looked afraid to run at people and there was an occasion when he was fed through and had an acre of space but instead tried to thread a pass. Yes they're young but I expect them to have a go.

Yep, looked like an unfit 2022 version of Aribo traipsing around the pitch. Really slow, looked overweight and knackered when he came off. Though Sam AA had a great cameo

Think Convict Colony usually says choose any one of these:- https://goal.soccerstreams100.io/event/eng-fa/southampton-vs-watford-live-soccer-stats/694693

Interesting that Dibling is now ahead of Sam AA in the pecking order. Ketchup Che (believe it was Ralph who called him ketchup - you squeeze the bottle and nothing comes out and then it all comes out at once) has his last chance to impress before the window closes. Don't like JS and Holgate playing together. Hopefully Watford will put out their 'B' team too