VectisSaint

The Ipswich goal came from Saints giving the ball away with a sloppy pass under no pressure (pretty sure that it was by Charles, one of our better players). Like nearly all our goals, a sloppy pass, we are currently useless at the basics. You really cannot credit Ipswich with making that goal, it was not due to pressing or a clever interception it was down to us simply giving them the ball in a dangerous area. Really only made one really bad passing error after that (Aribo) that I recall but we were not confident passing. Can't fathom why we started Charles at CB, with both Bednarek and Holgate on the bench. Charles is just so much better in CM, even if Bednarek wasn't considered fit enough for 90 minutes then why not start with him and replace by Holgate in second half (or vice versa) unless Martin has decided after the Sunderland shit show that Holgate just isn't good enough. Seems like Adams has reverted to his "not in contract negotiations" type. Total waste of space, we had no idea in front of goal, we made some good chances and build up play, especially in the second half, was actually decent at times.

WE can go on and on about the style, but the fact is that some of our players cannot pass the ball. Everything we bring on ourselves because we are too lackadaisical and inaccurate with our passes. We are also completely ineffective in attack, and have no presence due to the team being a bunch of midgets.

Talking of contracts, are we to assume that Adams has not signed a new contract, he was offered one that included him being captain of vice, but Armstrong A was wearing the armband for the Leicester debacle.

Bazunu, KWP, Bednarek, Adams, Armstrong (A), Armstrong (S), Edozie, Aribo, Alcaraz, Kamaldeen, arguably Smallbone, all involved last season and on Friday (except Bednarek). Not really a totally new team. 3 out of 4 defenders new plus Downes and Fraser.

Looked like metatarcel injury from the way they were checking his foot (not that I am any kind of doctor). Edozie was also replaced due to injury according to the commentary team, they said due to a knock, think that makes him at best doubtful for Tuesday. Hopefully Bednarek will be back, sounded like he wasn't far off on Friday having trained. Would go Bazunu, KWP, Bednarek, Harwood-Bellis, Manning (would prefer Larios, but no chance), Charles, Smallbone, S Armstrong, Fraser, A Armstrong, Adams. Maybe Charley instead of Stuey.

Best wishes Whitey, I can empathise, I lost my wife (of 40 years) last November, football becomes an irrelevance (almost).

Saints 2 Ipswich 3 ,at least that would be the next score in the sequence.

Agreed, he actually did quite well tonight, apart from one suicide pass to Smallbone (or Downes, not sure) which he got away with. Would have been more than 4 without him.

First lesson, don't win a corner.

I'm usually a supporter, but Smallbone needs to be hooked, unbelievable ball watching several times. He's not the only one though, utter shambles through the middle. Not convinced by Downes either. Bazunu has been good (apart from the suicide ball to Smallbone).

Pitts, Merry, Oyekunwe and Moses Sesay according to the OS.

OK, sorry it's a bit difficult for you to understand. Yes I'd rather he didn't take corners (on the right at least), leaving him hopelessly out of position when we lose the ball (as we tend to do 90 % of the time) and that instead he takes up a defensive position (allegedly he is a defender). Hopefully we will see someone like Fraser perhaps taking on corner duties. Personally I'd rather Manning wasn't on the pitch at all because he is not very good at his job (defending), but we don't have too many options and anyway he is a manager's favourite so unlikely to be dropped. He would actually be better suited in MF where he has played many of his games, but at the moment we seem to be quite well stocked in that area.

Well yes, that's the point, he needs to have a head start to have any chance of defending a fast counter attack, so back well behind the ball.

They make sure they have proper defensive cover and also Arnold and Robertson are not exactly slow at getting back. Manning is pedestrian.

He wasn't even playing for us for half of last season, so he is certainly not a consistent. I did say though that only having 4 true CBs for this season (with Stephens seemingly out till Christmas, if you believe Wilcox over Martin) was madness and that was before I saw Holgate play. Looks like Olly Lancashire might be up for a recall at this rate.

Hants Senior Cup 2nd Round at Westwood Park

To be fair many of the yellows were for time wasting, kicking the ball away etc, not all for stopping counter attacks, and is giving away a yellow for breaking up a counter attack necessarily a bad thing anyway, better than allowing a shot on target/conceding a goal.

Note even his own first injury, he missed a few games for us last season as well. Has he actually kicked a ball (competitively) for Chelsea yet?

First thing is to take him off corner duty if he is playing at LB. Relying on Edozie while Manning, who is very slow, is diametrically opposite to where he needs to be is ridiculous. I don't believe there is no one else in the side that can take a decent corner. Surely Fraser would be a better bet for corners, because he is not much use in the box (because of his height). Seems the problem to me if Sunderland is to be followed is that Martin doesn't expect the two nominal full backs to be defensive, KWP is marauding all over the pitch. Personally I would prefer to see Larios at LB, perhaps Manning could be utilised in MF, which is where he has played a lot during his career (though I would not pick him there above any of Charles, Downes or Smallbone. All that said, I doubt very much Martin will drop Manning, ever.

8 first team squad players are u21. 3 of the 20 25-man squad are not really first team players (Vokins, Bycroft and Lancashire). So we have a first team squad of 25 (Onuachu out, Stewart in) which seems like a reasonable squad size, no more bloating.

This is true, just watch the games and you will see for yourself that he is 'not very good'.

Really. Where would I find the forms for an English passport application?

How do you get an English passport?

Agreed but you missed the 1st basic, that is keep possession. Saturday there were far too many sloppy passes, especially in our own half. Holgate was probably the worst culprit, but Armstrong (S), KWP, Manning, Alcatraz, Smallbone all guilty, Bazunu contributed as well. Far too often players tried a risky pass when it wasn't necessary. Risky passes are OK further up, indeed they are critical to breaking through. It might seem ponderous and boring to us, but for the system to work it is an unforgivable sin to give the ball away unnecessarily and under no pressure. Commentators on Saturday praised Sunderland for winning the ball but in most cases they did not win it, we gifted it to them. Part of this is also stopping our CBs marauding up the pitch, it may look good but usually ends in tears, and then we are too ponderous to get back. Probably find the stats will show very high percent of successful passes, but it only takes one misplaced pass in a dangerous area to give the opposition a chance. Would also like to see Manning taken off corner duty, LB taking right side corners is a recipe for disaster as we know from the days of Bertrand, great corners but trouble if they break down.

Wouldn't take it as read that Sulemana is staying, yet. Wilcox stated that there will be a couple more departures yet, with transfer windows elsewhere still being open, obviously Onuachu is the primary candidate but Sully and maybe Djenepo are possibles.