Saint86

Hah.. I think it's plausible (as others have said) that we've paid an analyst to do some work for us, and they're remote and we haven't asked how they do it 🤷. But fundamentally we still don't know for certain who is allegedly involved. And it would still be a 1 off that delivered us no shooting advantage (evidently). So hard for the efl to justify too much of a punishment. If the club have routinely had someone going to every single team's training grounds all season then I think we are in a whole different ball game and will land a significant punishment. I would be more worried about that than any blow back from the Boro game - they dominated us for 45min and can only have themselves to blame for not winning, we very clearly had no advantage due to any alleged spying 🤷

If it's William Salt (if - his name has only been leaked by unnamed Boro sources), then I think it's very unlikely we have commissioned him (intern / graduate) to go traipsing all over the country by himself to do covert surveillance. Imagine he has an accident driving for work and the club needs to explain why he's driving to/from Coventry's training ground 2 days before a game for example. When it broke, I don't think the club knew what had happend (possibly still don't), and so they just tried to ignore it and focus on the footy. Which is the correct approach. And thinking about it more recently, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if tonda was told not to go for it too much in the first leg as well - as it would only have added fuel to the story if we went up there and comfortably beat them. Rock and a hard place really... Could explain why he was delighted with how the game went... All according to plan? Take away any threat from Gibson about us having a sporting advantage?

Saints should try and get him back. Would be a better signing than larin for the money 🤷

So in summary, still no evidence saints did anything, no material harm done to Boro, and significant harm done to saints in terms of reputation and match prep. At least we won't have to worry about Gibson coming after saints, love to see their lawyers argue they've been materially disadvantaged... If it's true, we helped them sell out and generate an atmosphere for their game of the season, and then we gave them a free hit for the first half... We're in the clear in that front ☺️😌

I'm not sure the club knows what's gone on tbf. But they could equally just be focussing on the playoffs, simply acknowledging there is a charge, and getting on with the football rather than spending loads of time allowing this to distract us.

Was the exact same situation at city, just a complete non event despite coming on fresh. 2 biggest games of the season and he's gone into his shell utterly. It's a question mark against him. As for Wrexham, we should be beating those - and we won 5-1, but Larin missed 3 big chances and had a xA of 0.02. Don't get me wrong, I like the guy and think he's been very good for us in the champ, but he isn't a big game player and I sadly don't think he is going to cut it in the prem (although I hope he gets the chance and proves me wrong - obviously). He's also perpetually offside.

He wilts under pressure imo 🤷

That's fairly horrendous for him and his family. Hope they catch the culprit and they can all move beyond it.

Just to go back to this, there is no way they can argue saints received a significant sporting advantage from any alleged spying. Boro bottled their big chance, all the media shit storm and mind games have come to naught.

Stewart coming on 2nd half will make a big difference I reckon, hopefully we're still in it at that point. Boro have expended an awful lot of energy that half. If we were going to be that defensive, surely we play matsuki.

Boro can't blame spy gate if they don't win this game after that half - what tangible advantage have saints gleamed. Absolutely no chance 😂🤣

Never mind spying, 0-0 at full time would be outright theft.

My only hope is that tonda instructed them not to turn up and give Boro the ball as a defence against "spy gate" (i.e., look EFL, they totally battered us first half, it made no difference), and then we come out 2nd half with the other half of the team playing and some tactical tweaks and battery them 😅.... Because if that wasn't the gameplan then that's the shittest we've been in ages.

And who is the dinlow with the air raid siren FFS.

Wood so casual there as well FFS.

Boro have had so many chances, we are well past the point of spy gate having a material impact on the result 🤣😂

Boro will tire if they keep going like this. So I guess we just have to hang in there.

This is shambolic.

Keep playing like this and there won't be any need to give us a punishment for the 2nd leg 🤣

We're making ayling look like prime busquets this half. Embarrassing so far.

Where the hell is our midfield?

How are we losing a throw in in our own half FFS.

Boro clearly won the mind games this week. We look well off it. Wood is an absolute liability like this. Fellows poor as well, Larin wilting up front.

Best things that can happen now is that we absolutely smash them or the Boro fans do something to disgrace themselves. The former and it puts one little training session out of its significance (especially with 46 games to review), if the latter happens it puts Boro in a very negative light with all eyes on the game, I am sure the EFL won't take lightly to that. Eitherway, they've behaved embarrassingly, complete and utter melts. Reviewing training sessions has gone on for years up and down the country, just embarrassing for saints if we have actually been stupid enough to do it and get caught like this. Boro can't really complain too much though, a wide open training. Ground and no security 😂😅

If Tonda wrote club statements?