goodymatt

Games coming thick and fast, need to keep this winning momentum going. Midweek results make our recent dropped points really hit home but all we can do now is keep winning and see where that takes us. Watford haven’t lost in 5 games now and have solid draws against Leeds, WBA and Ipswich. This won’t be any easy game. Looking forward to travelling down from up north to watch this one. 2-1 Saints.

Stu Armstrong has concussion, will be tested before Tuesday night’s game but will miss Blackburn. Martin has had a haircut, which he always does when the wheels have fallen off. He made a comment about one of our fans having a go again. Why does he feel the need to address that? Wilcox going will affect him and his team most he thinks but wishes him all the best. i agree with Martin that we should have got 6 points over Easter but we didn’t and that’s the difference between us and the top 3, we aren’t ruthless enough and are too soft.

I‘m going to this one but worry it will be a bit of a nothing game now we are out of the auto hunt. Hopefully we use these next 8 games to get a settled side and positive momentum. It would be nice to stop averaging 2 goals a game against, as per the recent run. I think Bazunu has the 2nd worst save % in the league and has conceded 11.9 goals more than expected (for context our expected goals should be the 3rd least in the league!). For me that is the main reason why we aren’t going up automatically. Our best 2 CBs are both top 10 in the stats as well. Yes a fit and firing Ross Stewart may have covered that more but we have scored in all but 2 league games and have the 2nd top scorer in the league.

Never a red

Bottoms up!

I’ve seen nothing over the last couple of months that suggests we can go away to the top 3 and get the 9 points needed for automatic promotion. It’s the playoffs for sure. Would love to be proven wrong but being realistic.

KWP and Fraser both confirmed as fit for the run in. Brooks (illness) and Bednarek (took a kick and also had an illness) will be involved. Stewart back on the grass training but not much is being expected of him. Good news.

Page said in his post match interview that Brooks had hardly trained the last 2 days due to an illness and so he needed to take him off as he wanted fresh legs.

So odd re Brooks but if Page was apologising that’s encouraging that it’s not an injury. Pens 🚨

Brooks subbed on and then subbed off, didn’t look injured?

Did he handle him well? Moore worries me for our big game Monday.

Fraser back in training, wonder if he will make the bench for Friday or if that’s too soon? Either way we are going to need him for this run in, so good news he’s returned to training.

https://www.footballkitarchive.com/puma-2023-24-kits/ Here’s every Puma kit for this season. Sporting Gijon would do nicely. Bit of a mixed bag when it comes to stripes, some are awful. Barnsley’s kit takes the prize for their worst kit overall IMO.

Agree that how we respond to the lack of game time is key. We’ve been able to get KWP fit, hopefully Fraser not far behind and Downes you’d like to think is being managed to be able to play the season out. On the other hand, our possession style is all about ‘feeling’ according to Martin, have we lost that during this break? Defensively we have been pretty poor since our undefeated streak ended so I’m going with the break being a good thing to work on and correct that glaring issue. It’s going to be an intense month or so, that’s for sure!

I would pick Bree to be fair but don’t think Martin will. Is Stephens an option like we did against WBA away? Martin seems adamant to put him in the team now so maybe that’s the best use of him.

Not long now until Saints finally play a game of football. We now have 10 games in 36 days, starting with Boro. Big game for us to hopefully kick start a decent run in. We need to give ourselves an outside chance of the top 2 by picking up maximum points. Momentum going in to the playoffs would also be important. Boro won’t be a pushover. KWP should be back having returned to training, hoping Fraser is close too. Play our best players in their best positions please Russ: Baz, KWP, THB, JB, Manning, Smallbone, Downes, Stu, Brooks, Che, Arma.

I think Arma slipped and hit he ball into his standing foot. Officials missed it and we got away with it.

Agree with this. Autos is going to need us to win 9 games, which seems very unlikely considering we have all the top 3 to play away and we are conceding 2 goals a game at the moment having lost 3 in 5.

Martin said in his pre Sunderland presser that playing this fixture next week was Southampton FC and Southampton Police’s preference. However it isn’t Preston’s preference due to them playing Plymouth away next weekend and the time available for them to prepare. April is going to be busy!

With staff returning to the building today, that gives encouragement that this game will be going ahead. Fingers crossed it is as we really do not need any further fixture congestion. Hoping KWP is back for this one, my team would be as follows: Baz, KWP, THB, JB, JS, Downes, Smallbone, Stu, Brooks, Che, Arma. 2-1 Saints, assuming it goes ahead!

Do we think that was a pen near the end of the half?

Downes has been close to coming back 3 games in a row but still doesn’t make the bench. Think Martin has just been trying to keep our opponents on their toes? When is he actually back?

Leicester win please

This is a huge game, feels like a ‘must win’. Ipswich will win at home to Rotherham, so will join Leeds on 69 points. We need to kick on and take second place back under control. This is a tough game against a talented footballing side. They have a few players that can hurt us but if we play well we should have enough to get the job done. I’m a little nervous despite the 11 home wins on the bounce.

Such a shame to lose our historic run in this manner. Games are coming thick and fast and we looked leggy tonight. When the intensity isn’t there the possession football becomes too passive. Without Downes, everything is out of sync. Charles had his worst game for us tonight. It was one of those games where our limited chances just sneak wide or hit the bar, meanwhile we get a toe on their pass and they are in for 1-0. IF one of those goes in, we may have just kicked on. Bristol countered us on numerous occasions and set up well to combat our style. Can’t complain that the best team didn’t win tonight but it’s certainly a worry that we’ve conceded 6 goals in 2 games and generally just look out of sorts. All about how we respond on Friday now, the 25 game run was an incredible achievement and we are unlikely to see that again. Players and management have credit in the bank for the last 5 months. Could really do with Downes being fit for Friday. I’ll be there at WBA cheering us back on track.