Baird of the land

Yes we do not intend him ever being in the first team if we can help it. It shouldn't be that hard to fathom, it's hardly a new thing in the prem in terms of the job description of a third choice goalie. Just because he's 23 rather than 37 doesn't change the fact he's taken such a gig, probably because it pays better than any other option he had.

He's there to be the cheap match day warm up person, which is exactly what Stuart Taylor's job was.

Be interesting to find out how long we will without either of our two keepers. West ham seem obvious choice if it’s a week or two as we don’t play them till Boxing Day, sadly we don’t appear a threat to them and gk could commute fairly easily.

I lost some respect for Mccarthy for refusing to step aside once he couldn't even do the basics of his job due to injury.

Which is why lewis is also happy filling the same role as Taylor.

I don't really it being the same. Third choice keeper is largely a cheap superfluous position(outside of these rare instances). It's why we had stuart Taylor on the books for several years.

We largely did draw because of Alex not going off and the idiocy that it led to with JWP. We played pretty well in the 2nd half until we panicked at the pressure of playing 10 men.

If Bednarek's not fit you've always got Valery who played well there in the Chelsea cup game.

Assume it would have to be free agents, looking at transfermarket at UK keepers that's a very poor bunch (The likes of Ben Alnwick/Lee Camp). Might as well just give Bycroft or Lewis the gametime.

With all the absentees i'd maybe try something slightly different. A 5-3-2 or 4-5-1. Try and beef up the CM with 3 players (Jwp, Diallo & Smallbone) with Romeu out.

This one has heavy loss written all over it.

Don’t see that as any consolation really.

Cannot it not be both. If McCarthy told him he couldn’t surely a sensible person would tell him to go down and get treatment.

Then why are the rest of the team standing like muppets and not dropping back.

Why not play the keeper who has played for the b team? By Croft?

Bizarre, why wouldn’t he just go down and get treatment. Waste some time. If necessary use the last sub.

I’m struggling to care. This team has zero backbone.

Personally thought we played ok for most of the second half. the problem is instead of taking advantage of them going down to 10 we froze and hit the self destruct and the manager just watched them freeze.

The fact that we had zero control vs 10 men is atrocious you would also think Ralph would have tried to use his last sub to change that.

Thought it was a magnificent assist from jwp.

A disorganized mess. If ward prowse is going to drop, the whole defensive line needs to too.

Not sure what you can do with these players. They just have no ruthlessness and a massive panic switch.

Embarrassing how bad saints are. Looked like rabbits caught in headlights against 10 men. Two points thrown away. This team is just utterly infuriating.

Seemed a very innocuous challenge.

After all the invention from corners midweek i’ve been surprised how simplistic our approach has been. With the likes of Duffy Brighton don’t look that vulnerable to aerial balls either.