Willo of Whiteley

1-1, both them and us aren’t great in our own ways.

Jonathan Forte’s quick fire brace against MK Dons, then he vanished and we never saw him again. 😂

An odd one, but the second goal against Coventry (2012, Jose Fonte). It was a cagey opening twenty minutes and we got that first goal through a deflection, and the second came minutes later. After that goal went in it was almost a sense of “yep that’s it, we’re up”.

The bit I don’t understand is our best form of defence has always been to attack. We’ve always created chances over the last decade but finishing them has been the issue. We’ve never been a team that can sit deep and defend for ninety minutes like your Burnley of-old, defensive teams that are physical and can grind out points. We’re in a position as a club in a league where we should be dominating comfortably with the attacking players we have, which begs the question, why don’t we? Why don’t we have that additional player higher up the pitch? What benefit is there in having another CB five yards away from the GK, especially when the other two CBs are either side and we tend to have two CMs dropping deep for the ball? We just immediately play and set up to not concede, and yet we still do.

Just listened to Tonda’s presser, also heard the five at the back question, definitely not going to change from it, is he. Absolutely wedded to a formation and tactics which arguably don’t play to our strengths. He’s definitely learnt how to give politicians answers quickly in the last six weeks.

One gets beaten at his near post from the tightest of angles every time but can occasionally come for a cross and punch a ball away. The other is great with his feet, not something I’m looking for from a GK, and makes excellent saves very rarely - normally in light of some fuck up he has done a few seconds before.

I’ve already openly admitted I said he was fine for the Championship. The good thing is the goalkeeper position has proven to be one of the ones that needs urgent investment. I’ve also said before how picking between Bazunu and McCarthy is like being offered the choice of stepping in cow shit or dog shit.

Calling bollocks on this immediately. Spending big with Sport Republic doesn’t even mean spending smartly. 😂

I don’t think his World Cup chances were ever born really 😂

This! 30,000+ people can’t be wrong in their observations.

I don’t think you can have a lazy opinion solely by not being at the game, radio commentators paint a pretty good picture; and the example I used was having listened to Total Saints Podcast - I would say those guys are pretty level headed and not reactionary fans. They can articulate the game pretty well, and I believe that based on the games I have been to and then hearing their analysis. 🤷🏻‍♂️

As much as I’m not always a fan of Alex’s opinions I think that’s a pretty fair and accurate summary above. Our tactics is pass sideways, across the back, hope that Harwood-Bellis can play a low whipped ball to the CM who can then play it off wide, who can then play it down the centre. It’s too easy. Yes he’s done ok and we’ve picked up points, but it was a low bar after Will Still. There is no excuse for not being top two with the squad we have, and that’s the biggest frustration. We sacrifice an additional attacking player in either midfield or up front for the sake of one additional five yard pass across the defence or between the goalkeeper and defence; it can’t be surprising that we get to the opposition penalty area and there is no other Saints player there? I think Saints will be looking for a new manager next season. We were rock bottom last season and persisted with a back five. Talk about going down with no fight whatsoever. We’re now in a league we should dominate and our tactics are to defend first, which we can’t, and attack second. It’s incredibly naive, and IF it’s a Sport Republic thing of playing a back five then they should hang their heads in shame. I’m not against Tonda Eckhart after our upturn in form, but if he is serious he has to try something new and have a plan B.

I’m assuming you’re in agreement? (Sorry I can’t be bothered to scroll up tons of comments) 😂 But football is pretty basic and tactics can be simple, and we pointlessly try to be too clever and edgy for our own good.

All about the payday. No sympathy for him. Should’ve learned from his first move (Chelsea).

1-1 draw. Oxford aren’t that great, and neither are we.