goodymatt

Well I’m feeling a tad nervous this morning. Come on you Saints! 😇🙏

If Che isn’t starting it’s a huge blow. Ross isn’t ready to start and the alternatives are not good enough. Guess we will find out tomorrow but if he’s not been in full training then it seems very likely he’s not in the squad at all.

Martin confirmed in his pre match presser (part 2) that we have been practicing penalties for quite some time now and will continue to do so. Just to put that earlier argument to bed. Also took the team and management out for a meal after Warnock recommended it on Sky.

https://x.com/talksport/status/1787829272649802019?s=46&t=7raSKCMt6LV8RJ1C2d39WQ Liam Rosenior sacked by Hull

Clear foul on Downes edge of the box, not given. You worry about challenges like that, we do not need him injured

Another issue in the past has been home vs away tickets counting or not counting. As a Northern based Saint I might only get to 2 home games a season but usually make 8-10 away games minimum. I remember for the Wembley EFL Cup final, people who had bought 3 home tickets all season had priority over my 12 games total. Tickets all sold out and I missed the boat. Fortunately the club later released another small batch (returned by players families I think) and let the away games count for those (after a few had kicked off about it), so I did eventually get a ticket. Be interesting to see how they manage tickets for Wembley this time, should we get there. Home leg tickets for the playoffs doesn’t really prioritise us season long Saints Plus members and it could have also prioritised those who have attended more than just the one game but I’m hoping I will get a ticket on Tuesday morning’s rat race.

Looking forward to seeing Ross Stewart play at some point tomorrow. Didn’t see too much of him in his 2 little cameos before injury. If he’s actually fit for these upcoming playoff games he may be a useful option as he is an out and out CF and we have nobody else that fits that criteria. Interesting debate on the team selection. I’d agree with the half way house approach that Martin alluded to in his presser. Give all key players some managed minutes. Lock Downes up in a padded cell so he can’t hurt himself until next Sunday. KWP would be the other one I might leave out altogether, not been as good since his return from injury and the rest might be helpful. The worry about momentum going into the playoffs is a reasonable one. Other than Huddersfield, there aren’t many examples of teams going into the playoffs and winning them after losing 3 or 4 on the bounce. They did that without scoring a goal themselves too. Leeds have to get the job done tomorrow so I expect it will be a defeat for us. 3-1 Leeds.

Ipswich’s 2nd goal was offside for me

Brooks isn’t very good, is he?

Both should have nothing to play for against Leicester but we can hope!

Leicester got very lucky there, WBA missed so many big chances. Can’t see us catching them now

I’m glad I made the 440 mile round trip at the weekend, that 99th minute winner was worth it! Absolute limbs and my voice was ruined until today. Agree we only played well for 30 mins and didn’t deserve the win over the course of the game. Poetic justice if it was a handball (not 100% clear on replays) given their Doucoure goal in 2018 and their late equaliser earlier this season.

I hope we can handle the pressure and not drop any points before we play Leicester. One game at a time and keep piling the pressure on those above us. It still feels unlikely we will win 7 on the bounce and take a top 2 spot but it is the best time to finally register a winning streak like that. What a way to go up that would be. I’m going 1-0 Saints tonight, very scrappy game but we just about get the job done. Every game just feels massive at the moment. Up the Saints 😇

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.