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Leicester 0 Saints 0 - Post Match


St Chalet

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Never thought I'd be saying this but long is probably our most important player since Hughes has been in charge, once he went off we had zero pace up top. Not sure why hughes brought on Davies instead of a more pacy option like Sims or Redmond earlier either. If the pan was to bring Austin on you need some pace around him

 

No disrespect to Shane Long, who at least shows some passion and commitment, but it comes to something when our main goal threat recently has scored (correct me if I am wrong) 2 goals this season and, apart from one relatively purple patch, has not exactly been profligate during his time here.

 

Even in today's inflated transfer market paying £12m for an average Championship forward was poor business but, of course, this pales into insignificance compared to Carrillo and possibly Boufal and Gabbiadino

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I'm actually feeling pretty positive - I did think beforehand it would be a draw. We struggled last 20 and I was happy not to get beat.

 

I also like having 29pts now. The multiples of 3 from there go nicer - 29 / 32 / 35 / 38 etc.

 

We will very obviously beat Bournemouth and then we'll see what we need to do from there.

 

I don't subscribe to the: "We've only won 1 game in x - what makes you think we'll win 3 games in y?" theory. Sunderland had done nothing to suggest that they'd get anything from the games they left a few seasons ago.

 

When you're in the poo poo anything can happen.

 

 

Obviously.... :rolleyes:

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If our predicament wasn't so desperate a point away to Leics is a reasonable result, despite the predictably woeful performance . But it's not enough and now I fear it's too late. We had a good chance of 3 points tonight but the team and MH bottled it. Above all else most of these players have no courage and cannot call themselves sportsmen.

None of them would make it into any other PL team based on this seasons performances. When VVD went we finally emptied the barrel. On the positive side the Championship might offer a more exciting and enjoyable season if we offload the w****rs we need to and play some of the younger lads who want to bust a gut for the club. It wouldn't be the end of the world . So lets get on with it and back to red & white stripes next season please !

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That right there is why I didn't think Hughes was the right fit for us.

Why oh ****ing why did he adopt the same negative tactics and team selections that the previous muppet got sacked for? We needed to win that game. We needed to go forwards and test their reserve keeper. Whenever they had a corner or throw in we defended on mass. Everyone was in the box. How are you going to score if all your players are told to stay in your own box? And when we didn't have the ball everyone was again defending on mass.

No risks and no rewards.

 

Why are you moaning? You got to watch mahrez and vardy.

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Be honest guys.

 

If we had attacked that Leicester set up with our players we would have lost.

 

You know it, and Hughes Knows it. He took the point.

 

Maybe it will be crucial. Maybe it won't.

 

But it is not Hughes' fault that we had to beat a Leicester side with 5 games to go. A side that are perfectly set up to hit on the counter (possibly the best in the league for this), and with a team that can't defend for toffee .

 

I agree totally. Watched on a stream and then listened to Merrington droning on about "going for it". I thought it was pretty much a must win, but as the game progressed I could understand what Hughes was doing. We've shipped 3 in our last 4 games and had we "gone for it", would have probably shipped a couple tonight. Clearly it makes it tougher as it pretty much takes everyone bar Swansea out of the equation. But, we still go there and we're one more point nearer them. Fingers crossed they don't get anything from City. Chelsea going to within 5 points of Spurs tonight makes their home game against them a little bit tougher. We're clearly going to have to go and win at Swansea, that's the game we can't sit and accept a 0-0, tonight as it panned out, I felt we had to.

 

 

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I agree totally. Watched on a stream and then listened to Merrington droning on about "going for it". I thought it was pretty much a must win, but as the game progressed I could understand what Hughes was doing. We've shipped 3 in our last 4 games and had we "gone for it", would have probably shipped a couple tonight. Clearly it makes it tougher as it pretty much takes everyone bar Swansea out of the equation. But, we still go there and we're one more point nearer them. Fingers crossed they don't get anything from City. Chelsea going to within 5 points of Spurs tonight makes their home game against them a little bit tougher. We're clearly going to have to go and win at Swansea, that's the game we can't sit and accept a 0-0, tonight as it panned out, I felt we had to.

 

 

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Sensible post. This was not an easy three points that we threw away.

 

At any other time, we'd be saying a point away at Leicester was ok.

 

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Sensible post. This was not an easy three points that we threw away.

 

At any other time, we'd be saying a point away at Leicester was ok.

 

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Was out of Solent area so had to listen to Talksport commentary. At least it's objective. They were stunned we were playing for a point. I was ok with keeping it tight for 85 mins but at some point you have to go for it. We are playing with fear crippling us.

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The weather was jolly nice and I had a very good (for football ground) sausage roll, proper handmade style.

 

Those were my highlights.

 

Everyone's said everything about our performance so worth noting that our Claude is sucking the life out of Leicester. Boos at the end. Definitely the quietest I can remember at that ground.

 

Best summary of the match is probably Puel vs Puel. Two teams not trying to lose but not risking a lot going forward.

 

Our fans were great especially first half but dispair did overtake us in the last 20. Mainly because we are nailed on relegated.

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Looks like I had a better time in the pub avoiding the game then. :|

 

Trawling through the threads it looks like we're not even trying to save ourselves. And there was me thinking 2005 was a one off.

 

I'll be at St Mary's for the Boscombe game. I guess that'll be the end of it.

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Mark Hughes after the game...

 

"We hoped to get more out of the game and we had a couple of chances. Their keeper made a good save against Shane Long but we were up against a good side and we had to stay in the game. Clearly we would have liked to have been more expansive but we got a point, and we play at home next which is huge for us.

 

“Only time will tell to see whether the point is enough for us. There was a little bit of apprehension in our play. The players are a little bit flat and we have got a big game at the weekend but we are not in the situation where we are downhearted.

 

"It's the disappointment of not getting maximum points, but the key was to get something from the game. Tonight we probably didn't play as well as in recent weeks but we took something from the game."

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I agree totally. Watched on a stream and then listened to Merrington droning on about "going for it". I thought it was pretty much a must win, but as the game progressed I could understand what Hughes was doing. We've shipped 3 in our last 4 games and had we "gone for it", would have probably shipped a couple tonight. Clearly it makes it tougher as it pretty much takes everyone bar Swansea out of the equation. But, we still go there and we're one more point nearer them. Fingers crossed they don't get anything from City. Chelsea going to within 5 points of Spurs tonight makes their home game against them a little bit tougher. We're clearly going to have to go and win at Swansea, that's the game we can't sit and accept a 0-0, tonight as it panned out, I felt we had to.

 

 

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Brighton, Huddersfield and West Ham are still not out of the equation as far as I’m concerned, taking into account their remaining fixtures. If I was a supporter of any of these teams I would not be feeling comfortable yet.

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All that needs saying is we are ****e. We deserve to go down and now, are down.

 

Reed has ruined us within 2 years of being 6th. Impressive.

Another way or saying it is that reed got us way above our level by finishing 6th.

 

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I thought we looked tired, with wing backs in particular not firing on all cylinders. Appreciate it was a warm night. I thought we weee better team first half, they were second half. Understand the frustration re Long off for Austin, equally I think we would have lost the game taking another out of midfield.

 

If you don’t play well, don’t lose.....clean sheet against Vardy and Maheez is good but we really needed more

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Mark Hughes after the game...

 

"We hoped to get more out of the game and we had a couple of chances. Their keeper made a good save against Shane Long but we were up against a good side and we had to stay in the game. Clearly we would have liked to have been more expansive but we got a point, and we play at home next which is huge for us.

 

“Only time will tell to see whether the point is enough for us. There was a little bit of apprehension in our play. The players are a little bit flat and we have got a big game at the weekend but we are not in the situation where we are downhearted.

 

"It's the disappointment of not getting maximum points, but the key was to get something from the game. Tonight we probably didn't play as well as in recent weeks but we took something from the game."

 

Tbf Leicester are probably the worst team to be attacking away from home (when they're on form) with their counter attacking threat , Apoint isn't a total disaster but a loss most probably would have been ! Last week we were moaning about shipping 3 goals a game so we had to tighten up , Also as he said we played better the last two games and came away with nothing !

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I thought we looked tired, with wing backs in particular not firing on all cylinders. Appreciate it was a warm night. I thought we weee better team first half, they were second half. Understand the frustration re Long off for Austin, equally I think we would have lost the game taking another out of midfield.

 

If you don’t play well, don’t lose.....clean sheet against Vardy and Maheez is good but we really needed more

We certainly faded in the last 20 mins, but that's been a common thing this season. We need to get back to running up sandhills pre-season.

 

Agree too about the wing backs. Barely got a cross in between them all game with Bertrand particularly reluctant to take on his man. Perhaps he only does that against Chelsea.

 

Defence worked hard - they kept out Vardy and co for a clean sheet. And I don't understand the criticism of Romeu. I thought both he and Hojbjerg protected well, but struggled to find telling passes, especially once JWP was off. He was always available, broke up play and looked to bring the wing backs into it. Man of the match for me.

 

Tadic didn't have his best game. In this set-up he has to provide a bit of flair and it wasn't there.

 

McCarthy was solid. Long did what he does well. If only he'd put that chance away.

 

The view that we should have approached this in an all-out attack mode is naive. That would have played perfectly into Leicester's hands and probably set up another 1-4 defeat.

 

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I agree with almost everything that has been said, we are a mediocre team playing mediocre football mediocrely.

 

We cannot play blood and thunder football, it is not in the DNA of most of the players and the team as a whole. They think they are better than that.

 

All the clubs we are competing against down the bottom have some balls and are prepared to put it on the line. That's why they can get surprise results against the better sides and grind out wins against the lesser sides. Hughes seems to have quickly caught the Saints manager malaise of only playing one up front and pack the rest of side with defensive minded and predictable players. The real nail in the coffin was taking off Long for Austin, when all of us would have gone with both up front for the last 20 minutes. Christ ...we needed to win this game and Hughes seemed more concerned about holding onto a point. On that basis we might as well have kept Mope.

 

We are deservedly going down, the real shame is that it is with a whimper and really could have been avoided.

 

Does the fact that a succession of managers have only played one up top tell us something about the quality of players (especially centre backs)?

 

I think that it was obvious that Mope was only taking the team in one direction (so should have been replaced much earlier), but serious questions need to be asked about player recruitment. We effectively sold both Fonte and VVD without a replacement.

 

When Hughes has tried to put two up top, we have lost any kind of control elsewhere on the pitch- he obviously thinks that he can’t rely on just a pair of centre backs (and the evidence suggests even playing any 3 of those we have available is not very good either). Whatever happens in the summer, I would like to see us get in some kind of no nonsense CB who is prepared to head the ball and hoof it out if needed...

 

 

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Tbf Leicester are probably the worst team to be attacking away from home (when they're on form) with their counter attacking threat , Apoint isn't a total disaster but a loss most probably would have been ! Last week we were moaning about shipping 3 goals a game so we had to tighten up , Also as he said we played better the last two games and came away with nothing !

 

This. We have players who are shot of confidence, that's obvious and understandable, and gung ho tactics with 2 up top would have seen us torn apart in midfield and smashed apart. The players (well the ones that actually care) will hopefully take heart from a clean sheet and that's gotta be better than another game where we concede 3.

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Great evening in Leicester involving lots of drink.

 

Boring as hell match to watch but exciting in terms of nerves and the hope eating away at you.

Thought Yoshi and Hojberg were excellent - Yoshi marshaling the defence, talking and directing the players around him, as you would expect a captain to do...oh!

Hojberg did lose the ball a couple of times but usually trying to go forward or to do something different to the norm. He looks up and tries to pass forward, covers very well and looks a class player in my opinion. Thought JWP was also looking good and was unlucky to be substituted for Davis, who did nothing at all.

Tadic was woeful and should've been the first player taken off, completely invisible for most of the match. Long was very good, chasing down, pinning Leicester back a bit. Taking him off for Austin was a huge mistake. Austin did nothing for us at all apart from a very tame shot on target that the keeper had no trouble with at all.

Also thought that Bertrand and Cedric looked out of sorts and barely ventured forward down the wings at all. Think they'd been told to hold back by the manager so that we had more than enough cover for when we eventually lost the ball.

 

On this evidence I think it is looking pretty poor for us in terms of staying up. Still, that hope is eating away there!

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Great evening in Leicester involving lots of drink.

 

Boring as hell match to watch but exciting in terms of nerves and the hope eating away at you.

Thought Yoshi and Hojberg were excellent - Yoshi marshaling the defence, talking and directing the players around him, as you would expect a captain to do...oh!

Hojberg did lose the ball a couple of times but usually trying to go forward or to do something different to the norm. He looks up and tries to pass forward, covers very well and looks a class player in my opinion. Thought JWP was also looking good and was unlucky to be substituted for Davis, who did nothing at all.

Tadic was woeful and should've been the first player taken off, completely invisible for most of the match. Long was very good, chasing down, pinning Leicester back a bit. Taking him off for Austin was a huge mistake. Austin did nothing for us at all apart from a very tame shot on target that the keeper had no trouble with at all.

Also thought that Bertrand and Cedric looked out of sorts and barely ventured forward down the wings at all. Think they'd been told to hold back by the manager so that we had more than enough cover for when we eventually lost the ball.

 

On this evidence I think it is looking pretty poor for us in terms of staying up. Still, that hope is eating away there!

 

Good analysis...that’s how I saw it too. Sometimes fans forget that players are given strict instructions to follow to deliver a game plan...in this case don’t lose.

 

I will say however that I wonder whether having more attacking intent would have been a bad thing even if it did end in a loss. Providing it was not a heavy loss would it have made a difference? Is a point good enough when you’re desperate for three? Not sure.

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So when we are fighting for survival in the division having left it far too late to replace the manager, who on earth would think it a good idea when it eventually happens, to replace the manager with the one who was sacked by one of only two teams below us? Was it because there is typically a new manager bounce which results in better performances from players wishing to impress the new manager? Did the fact that Hughes had never been relegated as a manager influence the decision, so that it was deemed infeasible that he would relegate us? We will be his first relegation, as would Stoke have been had they not sacked him.

 

Typically having put in a decent shift against two glory teams, but having capitulated and lost the matches when we had a real chance of points, we threw away the really decent opportunity of gaining points against a lesser team, because we just didn't have the nerve, the desire, or the tactical ability to win. Hughes' substitutions threw away that chance. Despite a scrappy, boring first half when we gave away the ball from clumsy passing or half-hearted tackling, the defence at least was resolute and stood firm. Leicester's danger men were Vardy and Mahrez and we kept them quiet, reducing them to the ball over the top to Vardy, relying on his pace. Effectively we had countered that by having Long up top, and when he was substituted for Austin, we lost the pace threat. Most on here, and the commentators, thought that Long and Austin should have been up top together. Long, although tired, still had the pace and the heart to track back to midfield and cover breaks by them. The attack would have added further menace had Simms also come on, as he is both more attack-minded and with a better footballing brain than Redmond.

 

But still, when we are in the Championship next season, we will hopefully get in a manager who is capable of inspiring the remaining players, once we have lost those who think that they are too good for us. A manager who will take us back to basics, recognising that a successful team is built with a strong spine from top to bottom. When we were promoted in successive seasons, a major factor was that the teams comprised of several players who had previously captained their former clubs and had good leadership qualities. Currently we are lacking any such players, which is why we cannot lift our heads when we go behind in a match, or put in a sustained effort when we have the chance to win late on, like last night.

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This. We have players who are shot of confidence, that's obvious and understandable, and gung ho tactics with 2 up top would have seen us torn apart in midfield and smashed apart. The players (well the ones that actually care) will hopefully take heart from a clean sheet and that's gotta be better than another game where we concede 3.

 

This is the attitude that Pellegrino had, which resulted in no wins for a record run of poor results which was the worst in our history. There is nothing wrong with two up top, especially late on in a game you need to win, providing that one or both of those strikers are prepared to track back and aid the midfield. Simultaneously to adding the second striker, you also strengthen the defence or midfield too.

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I thought Bertrant looked knackered, hardly tried to get to the bye line all evening. Gave a few sloppy passes away too. And with Southgate in attendance recon hes blown a start in the WC opener.

 

Hardest position to play in our formation and it is his third game in ten or so days there.

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If our predicament wasn't so desperate a point away to Leics is a reasonable result, despite the predictably woeful performance . But it's not enough and now I fear it's too late. We had a good chance of 3 points tonight but the team and MH bottled it. Above all else most of these players have no courage and cannot call themselves sportsmen.

None of them would make it into any other PL team based on this seasons performances. When VVD went we finally emptied the barrel. On the positive side the Championship might offer a more exciting and enjoyable season if we offload the w****rs we need to and play some of the younger lads who want to bust a gut for the club. It wouldn't be the end of the world . So lets get on with it and back to red & white stripes next season please !

 

This phrase is the key takeaway, and I don't understand what the objective was. Admittedly I only came in on 80 mins played (other commitments, not lack of interest) but in that final 13 mins we weren't trying to score. Whose decision was it to hold on for a point? Hughes said we should have gone for it, inferring the players weren't brave. I was listening on Talksport so not biased and they were amazed at our apathy to a win. One point is not enough in our circumstances. I would have preferred for us to go for the win in the final minutes and if they broke on us and scored, I could accept that, as we had to go for it. But to park the bus, I'm confused and embarrassed.

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I agree totally. Watched on a stream and then listened to Merrington droning on about "going for it". I thought it was pretty much a must win, but as the game progressed I could understand what Hughes was doing. We've shipped 3 in our last 4 games and had we "gone for it", would have probably shipped a couple tonight. Clearly it makes it tougher as it pretty much takes everyone bar Swansea out of the equation. But, we still go there and we're one more point nearer them. Fingers crossed they don't get anything from City. Chelsea going to within 5 points of Spurs tonight makes their home game against them a little bit tougher. We're clearly going to have to go and win at Swansea, that's the game we can't sit and accept a 0-0, tonight as it panned out, I felt we had to.

 

 

 

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Sometimes I agree with you, sometimes I don't. This time it's the latter. I was all for staying in it for 88 mins but we did have to go for it at the end. If we stay up by one point, you can thumb your nose at me. But I fear we will be (at least) 2 points adrift now.

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I wonder if Hughes' widely publicised £2m bonus for keeping us up is actually not having the desired effect on our spoilt players? Wouldn't put it past some of this lot to not play out of spite. Perhaps a bonus for the players might be a good idea (too). At least that might motivate the mercenaries.

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I wonder if Hughes' widely publicised £2m bonus for keeping us up is actually not having the desired effect on our spoilt players? Wouldn't put it past some of this lot to not play out of spite. Perhaps a bonus for the players might be a good idea (too). At least that might motivate the mercenaries.

 

The reputed £70k a week not enough to persuade them to give there all for the cause then !

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The reputed £70k a week not enough to persuade them to give there all for the cause then ! ��

My sentiments exactly. The average fan earns half in a year that these prima donnas receive in a week yet turn out in all weathers to support the team. Surely we can expect some reciprocation without offering even more monetary incentives. Football is now full of mediocre money grabbing non-entities and the sooner Clubs wake up to this the better for all of us.

Edited by hasper57saint
Incorrect word.
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Sometimes I agree with you, sometimes I don't. This time it's the latter. I was all for staying in it for 88 mins but we did have to go for it at the end. If we stay up by one point, you can thumb your nose at me. But I fear we will be (at least) 2 points adrift now.
It wasn't a question of not going for it at the end. By 80 minutes they were all over us like a rash and we simply hadn't got the energy or pace to get out. So hanging on for a point was pretty well the only option with the available players.

 

If Sims had come on, we would have still had a pacy outlet, but he didn't.

 

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Our tactics / selection was flawed as it was based on trying to defend deep and counter attack, when we did that a couple of times with Long his finishing let us down, without Long we had no pace and with it no attacking threat, Leicester realised this and pushed up dominating the play.

 

I thought our support was decent considering the game, made a decent amount of noise.

 

Their fans really don’t like Puel.

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A point not enough really, but also felt like playing two up top when we were already losing the battle in midfield, and pretty much everywhere, would have handed even more control to Leicester.

 

Earlier in the season I felt like we had a good team, but when I look through the team today I’m less sure, especially when you factor in lack of spirit and fight. McCarthy, Cedric, Yoshida, Hoedt, Bednarek, Hojbjerg, Redmond, JWP, Davis, Tadic, Long. Would any of them look out of place in fellow relegation sides? Would we be clamouring to get them if they were about to be relegated with another side? Then you have players like Romeu, Lemina, Boufal, Gabbiadini & Bertrand, who have demonstrated obvious quality but are either too inconsistent or have been ruined by the manager.

 

I still firmly believe that a better manager than Pellegrino (I.e. any other human being) would never have had this group in a scrap, but I no longer look through the team on the pitch and wonder how these players aren’t doing better.

 

They've surely ruined their footballing careers. Who would want to buy now? We are stuck with them and their inflated wages. Welcome to the wonderful five star Staplewood, retirement home for ex-footballers.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Be honest guys.

 

If we had attacked that Leicester set up with our players we would have lost.

 

You know it, and Hughes Knows it. He took the point.

 

Maybe it will be crucial. Maybe it won't.

 

But it is not Hughes' fault that we had to beat a Leicester side with 5 games to go. A side that are perfectly set up to hit on the counter (possibly the best in the league for this), and with a team that can't defend for toffee....

 

The point was a good one. We have Bournemouth, Swansea, Everton and City to go.

 

Get 3 wins. Or hell, even 7 points might do us.

 

What a prophetic post :lol: :D :smug:

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On the other hand, if City batter us, Seansea score a few and we go down, the two extra points we should have gone and got there would have saved us ahead of the last game ������

 

And if my Aunty had a pair of ****** she'd be my Uncle.*

 

* I do realise this doesn't apply in PO Postal Code areas as the answer could be Dad, Brother or Uncle ... and in fact probably is!!

 

Citing a game where we actually got nothing after being ahead would be a better option, there's enough to pick from :rolleyes:

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And if my Aunty had a pair of ****** she'd be my Uncle.*

 

* I do realise this doesn't apply in PO Postal Code areas as the answer could be Dad, Brother or Uncle ... and in fact probably is!!

 

Citing a game where we actually got nothing after being ahead would be a better option, there's enough to pick from :rolleyes:

 

I think you meant to say Dad,Brother and Uncle:lol::lol:

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