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Chelsea 0-2 Saints - FT - Merry Christmas!


Suhari

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Premier League matches are only available to Amazon.co.uk Prime customers based in the UK. We don't have the broadcast rights for Ireland or other territories. UK customers travelling outside the UK will be able to access the stream if within the European Union. All other international locations are not supported.

 

Thanks - do you work for Amazon perchance?

How do you watch from outside UK? I can use my mum's account (she leaves in Southampton, but has no interest in footy!)

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We got our goals by being brave and trying the difficult passes. When you play like that, your success rate goes down but threat increases as long as you're set up to work hard to win the ball back when the adventurous pass doesn't come off.

 

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Yes, that's the idea behind our style.

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I think Jack Stephens deserves praise. The guy has got a load of abuse this season but he has come back into the team and done his talking on the pitch. Those that slagged him should be feeling a tad embarrassed right now. He was immense today.
I've been singing his praises for a while. Not a worldy obviously, but a natural leader and a player who shows the courage we need.

 

Armstrong MOTM for me but JWP and Stephens close behind.

 

People really need to accept that these youngsters need time and confidence. They will very rarely be instant hits. They'll make mistakes but good pros learn from them and improve.

 

Obefemi is a classic example. Frankly he looked a little lost until he scored his goal. Suddenly he had an extra yard and started spinning off defenders (his USP) and causing trouble.

 

Enjoyed the game and MOTD for once.

 

Onwards and upwards

 

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Premier League matches are only available to Amazon.co.uk Prime customers based in the UK. We don't have the broadcast rights for Ireland or other territories. UK customers travelling outside the UK will be able to access the stream if within the European Union. All other international locations are not supported.

VPN ?

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The difference between us "playing brave" and playing timid and negative is night and day. Same players, totally different mindset - but it has to come from Ralph.

 

I was not sure if RH could change their mental attitude after Leicester but obviously he did. Whatever the trick was. Or it was simply to work harder. Fact is, the basic attitudes are back again, harder than before. I wonder who will be part of the team on Saturday!

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VPN ?

 

Yea, tried that but still didn't work. Technology getting too smart - at least for me anyways! Not sure why they won't allow it - can get all the TV and movies etc. Still have BT Sport so good for the Spuds game - will be in dreamland if we get anything there :-)

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Best performance this season and only our second clean sheet in the league. The whole team put a good shift in, but Redmond and Armstrong stood out for me.

 

These two were great, really enjoying Armstrong's inclusion now.

This is our third League clean sheet btw. Commentator on my feed said the same, but it's 3 - Shef Utd and Brighton being the other two.

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Nice to see some good passing combinations in our midfield when we broke up their play, we looked like a proper football team yesterday. Chelsea are work in progress for sure, but to win well away against a top 4 side is a fantastic achievement. I had my doubts with two virtual rookies up front but they did us proud, I'd like to see Adams start with Ings v Palace and hopefully get his 1st goal. Two great goals, and for all Chelsea's possession McCarthy only had a couple of routine saves to make.

Palace will be a different test, we need to play with tempo and keep Mr Zaha quiet....

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Everyone to a man who I watched that game with said Prowse was the best player on the park. Ran the midfield, put in tackle after tackle after tackle and protected the back four brilliantly.

 

Redmond was looking like getting back to his form of last season, and despite making a few poor decisions, by and large out in a very good performance.

 

I know that everyone has an opinion, but everyone has an arsehole too and yours is quite simply wrong.

 

Silly post.

 

 

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Prowse was busy yes. He worked hard I agree. I just didn't see him do anything outstanding. People are allowed to have different opinions.

 

For me it was Armstrong who ran the midfield. Constant positive and attacking play.

 

As for Prowse being MoM? You have never had an opinion different to a commentator or do you let others decide your opinion for you?

 

 

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Prowse was busy yes. He worked hard I agree. I just didn't see him do anything outstanding. People are allowed to have different opinions.

 

For me it was Armstrong who ran the midfield. Constant positive and attacking play.

 

As for Prowse being MoM? You have never had an opinion different to a commentator or do you let others decide your opinion for you?

 

 

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Your really suggesting that a right midfielder controlled and ran the game? And not hoj and jwp in the middle?

 

?

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great performance and team effort yesterday, reminded me of when Leicester won the league with their lack of possession but counter attacking goals.

 

Thought stephens and benders were great in the middle, I like stephens as he is our ball playing CB and plays nice passes out of defence.

 

One note I made sure I wanted to mention here was the amount of physical contests JWP won in midfield yesterday, thought he was really great and the mentality was what we have been missing.

 

The other was the amount poor passing Hoj does in midfield, his accuracy yesterday was 63%, some of his balls were terrible yesterday.

 

I like what adams gives us up front. A CF who can hold the ball with his back to goal and bring in runners, thought he worked hard.

 

Obafemi took his goal well and was excellent at hassling the CB's they were hating his pace.

 

I thought Redders had his typical redders game, didnt beat his man too often, blamed everyone else for his mistakes but he finally took a chance to score a 1 on 1 (2nd of the match) and took it, hopefully if gives him some confidence again as some of best chances keep falling to him (thinking newcastle 1 on 1).

 

For me Armstrong was the MOM though, his direct running from the right, his incisive balls and his constant desire to look up the field rather than recycling the ball gave us the quick directness we have been missing this season and didnt give the oppo defence and midfield time to reset which created space.

 

Anyway stoked with the performance, please let us get another win v palace.

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.... the amount of physical contests JWP won in midfield yesterday, thought he was really great and the mentality was what we have been missing.

 

......the amount poor passing Hoj does in midfield, his accuracy yesterday was 63%.

 

For me Armstrong was the MOM though, his direct running from the right, his incisive balls and his constant desire to look up the field rather than recycling the ball gave us the quick directness we have been missing this season.

 

JWP has been playing consistently well for a while now. It is no surprise he is probably the first name on the team sheet. Hell of an engine, started to tackle well now, and top class passing.

 

Like all midfielders he needs support otherwise his efforts are masked. PEH and Romeu are good at breaking up play and interact well at close quarters but they simply don't have the killer pass.

 

Que Armstrong's arrival in the team and as you have observed he has made a huge difference. Suddenly the opposition have to worry about 2 playmakers. Ings must love being on the receiving end of their play.

 

Armstrong has also hardened up the right hand side. Cedric is no longer exposed, and that easy result to our goal has been closed off.

 

Saints still need to improve at RB and an experienced CH wouldn't hurt. I'd like to see Lemina (in a good mood) in that midfield. He hasn't really been given a chance yet.

 

Mustn't get carried away. Hodgson will watch that game and adjust his tactics. He'll try and contain Armstrong and expose the lack of pace on the left.

 

Bluntly can our RH be better than their RH.

 

 

 

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Saints quite rightly getting lots of plaudits for the superb second goal, a class team goal.

 

But watching it on the highlights got me thinking about what the reaction would be to that patient build up in a game at St Mary's? There were several occasions early in the move where players could have played hopeful balls into the box but instead kept the ball and waited for a better opportunity. Suspect there would have been howls of "get it in the effing box" if they played some of those sideways or backwards passes at home!

 

Possibly an example of why the players seem to prefer away games. Also interesting that all of our 3 clean sheets this season have been in away games.

 

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See we're back above Bournemouth and one of the supposed best manager's in the league.

 

Does that mean the south coast is ours again, following their chants earlier in the season?

 

A Bournemouth supporting friend of mine didn’t take too kindly to being sent a copy of the league table from last night. Came back with Cherries finishing above us two seasons running. I went back with the only time(s) in the clubs entire history.......haven’t heard from him since !!

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A Bournemouth supporting friend of mine didn’t take too kindly to being sent a copy of the league table from last night. Came back with Cherries finishing above us two seasons running. I went back with the only time(s) in the clubs entire history.......haven’t heard from him since !!

 

I feel a much better strategy would be to show some ‘genuine’ concern for Bournemouth and say you hope they don’t go down because they’re a nice local club.

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Saints quite rightly getting lots of plaudits for the superb second goal, a class team goal.

 

But watching it on the highlights got me thinking about what the reaction would be to that patient build up in a game at St Mary's? There were several occasions early in the move where players could have played hopeful balls into the box but instead kept the ball and waited for a better opportunity. Suspect there would have been howls of "get it in the effing box" if they played some of those sideways or backwards passes at home!

 

Possibly an example of why the players seem to prefer away games. Also interesting that all of our 3 clean sheets this season have been in away games.

 

Sent from my moto g(7) play using Tapatalk

 

The big difference was that the players were moving and you could see that there was a purpose to the play, sometimes this season at SMS it’s been a fearful pass backwards and a forward pass has been available. I believe most fans know the difference and wouldn’t have been critical. At home fans rightly expect their team to be on the front foot, hopefully the players are regaining the confidence they need to play that way at home.

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JWP has been playing consistently well for a while now. It is no surprise he is probably the first name on the team sheet. Hell of an engine, started to tackle well now, and top class passing.

 

 

 

 

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Credit where its due he was very good yesterday. But he was diabolical against Villa and poor against Newcastle. Consistently good he has not been.

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The big difference was that the players were moving and you could see that there was a purpose to the play, sometimes this season at SMS it’s been a fearful pass backwards and a forward pass has been available. I believe most fans know the difference and wouldn’t have been critical. At home fans rightly expect their team to be on the front foot, hopefully the players are regaining the confidence they need to play that way at home.

 

I was just about to write the same thing. That move yesterday was crisp and snappy. At home it’s pass back, plod plod, pass sideways, plod plod, pass wide, plod plod, pass it back again, plod plod...

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Best game I have seen JWP play. He got about the pitch quickly and put pressure on opposing midfielders. Too often he is passive and just cut the angles down. Here he really got tight and got a foot in a lot. I was impressed. I wonder why it was so noticeably better yesterday. Perhaps the whole team pressed and that allowed him to focus on the man closest and not worry about covering others and filling holes. I hope as a team we can keep that up.

His general passing and first touch is and always has been very good. The combination of mobility, physicality and quality is where we have lacked in the middle. It's a position we must bolster IMO.

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Didn't see the game but listened on the Radio Solent feed and then watched MOTD. It was like two different matches. Saints' control of the game was very clear fr4om the commentary, but wasn't apparent on TV because the 'highlights' had to include the few efforts Chelsea actually had on goal. Viewers could have been left with the impression of a more balanced match than it was, whereas the audio feed had given us growing confidence of the win, as the game the went on.

 

As for the team, so many individuals seem to be performing beyond expectations. Stephens looking so assured and not making the silly mistakes that crept in earlier in the season. Armstrong becoming a revelation in midfield, now the Stephen Davies dynamo we have missed. Obafemi becoming a true goal threat and I still haven't mentioned Redmond. You boys were one hell of team yesterday.

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I was just about to write the same thing. That move yesterday was crisp and snappy. At home it’s pass back, plod plod, pass sideways, plod plod, pass wide, plod plod, pass it back again, plod plod...

 

Just like Chelsea yesterday, we don't have enough quality to break teams down at home. The way away teams set up against us has a bearing, as does a lack of confidence. You are right though, our passing at home can be too slow. We ned a simpler plan that moves the ball quicker. We also need to hit teams on the break at home better (just like we did yesterday). When possession is turned over to us we need to see that as our best opportunity to score and power forward with more gusto.

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Just like Chelsea yesterday, we don't have enough quality to break teams down at home. The way away teams set up against us has a bearing, as does a lack of confidence. You are right though, our passing at home can be too slow. We ned a simpler plan that moves the ball quicker. We also need to hit teams on the break at home better (just like we did yesterday). When possession is turned over to us we need to see that as our best opportunity to score and power forward with more gusto.

That would be nice but I live in hope :)

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Best game I have seen JWP play. He got about the pitch quickly and put pressure on opposing midfielders. Too often he is passive and just cut the angles down. Here he really got tight and got a foot in a lot. I was impressed. I wonder why it was so noticeably better yesterday. Perhaps the whole team pressed and that allowed him to focus on the man closest and not worry about covering others and filling holes. I hope as a team we can keep that up.

His general passing and first touch is and always has been very good. The combination of mobility, physicality and quality is where we have lacked in the middle. It's a position we must bolster IMO.

 

Totally agree about JWP in general - didn't see much of the game yesterday but I think he has improved a lot in that regard. He's often been the 'nearly' man, but recently he has more performances where he's actually getting there and making the tackle. He still has anonymous games but at least his good games happen more often now. His set piece delivery has also improved in that time. Perhaps Hasenhuttl has helped him be a bit smarter as to how and when to time his bursts etc, plus as you say maybe he's someone whose game elevates when those around him play better (possibly the reverse causality, but I don't think so).

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Didn't see the game but listened on the Radio Solent feed and then watched MOTD. It was like two different matches. Saints' control of the game was very clear fr4om the commentary, but wasn't apparent on TV because the 'highlights' had to include the few efforts Chelsea actually had on goal. Viewers could have been left with the impression of a more balanced match than it was, whereas the audio feed had given us growing confidence of the win, as the game the went on.

 

As for the team, so many individuals seem to be performing beyond expectations. Stephens looking so assured and not making the silly mistakes that crept in earlier in the season. Armstrong becoming a revelation in midfield, now the Stephen Davies dynamo we have missed. Obafemi becoming a true goal threat and I still haven't mentioned Redmond. You boys were one hell of team yesterday.

 

That's why xG is one of the most informative match stats (which they do show on MOTD). It obviously has flaws and seems a bit subjective (especially to more old-school fans), but despite Chelsea having more shots, more shots on target and lots more corners, our xG was higher. Without it one might assume that from the stats we got lucky, even though that wasn't the case.

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This is one of those rare occasions where it is difficult to be critical of any individual player, as the team performance was immense. Equally, there were two or even three candidates for MOTM, the main contenders being Ward-Prowse and Armstrong with commendations for Stephens and Redmond IMO.

 

On paper it was a very bold decision for Hassenhutl leaving our top scorer on the bench for a strike force of our rookie youngster and the misfiring Adams. The tight Christmas schedule made it necessary, but each played a pivotal role in our victory, Obafemi with his pace and the first goal, and Adams with his general hold-up play, passing and movement, and Shane Long type graft. Behind them, a midfield tackling hard, closing down Chelsea's playing space, in their faces at every turn and getting the ball forwards into the channels. And backing them up, an increasingly unified defence, improving their understanding together with each game, confident of the solid goalkeeping of McCarthy at their backs. Previously we had been stronger on the left flank with the Bertrand / Redmond combination, but weaker on the right. Yesterday, we had more equilibrium with Armstrong ahead of Cedric, he providing the defensive cover for Cedric which allowed them to roam forward as a pair.

 

As is often the case, beat a top, expensive glory team like this, and many will highlight the result as a bad day at the office for the glory team, but make no mistake, this was a superb team performance by Saints, who did not allow Chelsea to play to their strengths and would probably give any team in the PL a really hard time, bar perhaps Liverpool. Since that ignominious defeat by Leicester, we have lifted ourselves massively and are showing some real spirit and belief, and melding together as an effective unit. In the current division, there are examples of teams comprising a limited squad who have played together very often and have developed an understanding of each other's strengths and weaknesses. Wolves and Sheffield United are two prominent examples. Is it the case that our run of poor results coincided with the chopping and changing in the team and that our recent success is down to having identified a formation playing to the strengths of the individual players at our disposal and picking a similar team for a succession of matches? The next few matches will give us more of a clue, but we can certainly approach them with the massive confidence boost that we will have from this game.

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Very hard to pick out a man of the match as the whole team put in a shift, I have no issue with JWP getting the nod off the taters as he reliably set the tempo, knowing the liability PEH can be so avoiding the pass when danger is about, but knowing what Armstrong can do and which way he is most likely to be going. Lovely finish from Obafemi and nice play from Adams stepping backwards from Michael as he approached, opening the gate wider for him as Rudiger had to stay on him.

Against Spurs Willian ran the show, against us he looked pretty inert as we collectively snuffed him out, Skate Boy Mount when he came on probably didn’t help himself as he looked to be on a personal mission with p*rtsm*uth v Saints in his head, good to see JWP getting stuck into him midway through the half - That must have smarted losing out to The Pompey supporting lad turned Scummers Poster Boy.

That second goal just summed up the performance of both sides. It started just outside the Chelsea box, and was stroked through the team in a bloody great big loop via the defence and ended up with Redmond about 10 yards from where it started for him to score - Chelsea just watched it unfold mesmerised.

Watching MOTD later when Danny Murphy was blowing sunshine up our backsides his final analysis was an attacking move by us at 2-0 up and we have 5 attackers waiting to pounce - that’s the kind of nonsense you would see from Ralph’s Leipzig - Just need to hope that this isn’t another false dawn.

 

100% record on Prime too, seeing the other issues some folks had, as a child from the 60’s technology still gives me eyes like saucers at times, getting an internet signal round our house is a pain I get Amazon Prime via an App on the DVD player - Christmas Eve the damn thing chooses not to connect, Christmas morning the same, “hang on” Vodaphone gave me 100gb to play with FOC until 2nd Jan “I wonder?” Personal Hot Spot on login the DVD player Bingo! Crystal clear 55” picture - turned it on for Spurs v Brighton eventually turned off after the Leicester game 18gb used - if you spoke of such wizardry not that long ago you would have been burned at the stake after being dunked in the village pond!

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This is one of those rare occasions where it is difficult to be critical of any individual player, as the team performance was immense. Equally, there were two or even three candidates for MOTM, the main contenders being Ward-Prowse and Armstrong with commendations for Stephens and Redmond IMO.

 

On paper it was a very bold decision for Hassenhutl leaving our top scorer on the bench for a strike force of our rookie youngster and the misfiring Adams. The tight Christmas schedule made it necessary, but each played a pivotal role in our victory, Obafemi with his pace and the first goal, and Adams with his general hold-up play, passing and movement, and Shane Long type graft. Behind them, a midfield tackling hard, closing down Chelsea's playing space, in their faces at every turn and getting the ball forwards into the channels. And backing them up, an increasingly unified defence, improving their understanding together with each game, confident of the solid goalkeeping of McCarthy at their backs. Previously we had been stronger on the left flank with the Bertrand / Redmond combination, but weaker on the right. Yesterday, we had more equilibrium with Armstrong ahead of Cedric, he providing the defensive cover for Cedric which allowed them to roam forward as a pair.

 

As is often the case, beat a top, expensive glory team like this, and many will highlight the result as a bad day at the office for the glory team, but make no mistake, this was a superb team performance by Saints, who did not allow Chelsea to play to their strengths and would probably give any team in the PL a really hard time, bar perhaps Liverpool. Since that ignominious defeat by Leicester, we have lifted ourselves massively and are showing some real spirit and belief, and melding together as an effective unit. In the current division, there are examples of teams comprising a limited squad who have played together very often and have developed an understanding of each other's strengths and weaknesses. Wolves and Sheffield United are two prominent examples. Is it the case that our run of poor results coincided with the chopping and changing in the team and that our recent success is down to having identified a formation playing to the strengths of the individual players at our disposal and picking a similar team for a succession of matches? The next few matches will give us more of a clue, but we can certainly approach them with the massive confidence boost that we will have from this game.

 

If we’re nitpicking on what was a brilliant performance, Bertrand and PEH were relatively poor. Che Adams struggled immensely first half but turned things around in the second half. Even Redmond was a bit off the pace in the first half before taking over the game (with Armstrong and JWP) after the break.

Edited by shurlock
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Not that it makes the goal worth any less, but it’s a shame that last touch was off the Chelsea player for our second goal.

 

That goes down as one of our best goals of all time without that.

 

It's one of our/the greatest team goals ever. Kante just beat Armstrong to the pass he was going to make anyway. Great goal. May not see it on GOTM as it was 45 seconds in the making, and they prefer worldie shots, but it is our greatest goal this season to date.

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If we’re nitpicking on what was a brilliant performance, Bertrand and PEH were relatively poor. Che Adams struggled immensely first half but turned things around in the second half. Even Redmond was a bit off the pace in the first half before taking over the game (with Armstrong and JWP) after the break.

 

I also thought Hoj was pretty poor. It was one of those days that the ball was forever stuck under his feet. I can't fault his efforts, but he seemed to give the ball away a lot more than everyone else. That has always been his issue, but yesterday it wasn't down to poor decisions, just terrible footwork and balance. He's become very easy to criticise this season and this board doesn't really need another post from me doing the same, but I always think you need to be balanced in both victory and defeat. Not every player deserves a huge pat on the back after a win (likewise criticism in defeat).

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If we’re nitpicking on what was a brilliant performance, Bertrand and PEH were relatively poor. Che Adams struggled immensely first half but turned things around in the second half. Even Redmond was a bit off the pace in the first half before taking over the game (with Armstrong and JWP) after the break.

 

We're not nickpicking; you are, as usual.

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MoTM? Has to be McCarthy, surely. Without his saves, it would have been a different scoreline. Looked a top quality keeper yesterday.

 

why Gunn was selected ahead of him earlier in the season I will never know. He's not the best keeper out there, but he is much more solid than Gunn and inspires more confidence. His non selection typified the confused management/selection policy.

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It's one of our/the greatest team goals ever. Kante just beat Armstrong to the pass he was going to make anyway. Great goal. May not see it on GOTM as it was 45 seconds in the making, and they prefer worldie shots, but it is our greatest goal this season to date.

 

It might have been the pass he was about to make... but he didn't.

 

We had an awesome bit of build up play, followed by a defensive mistake, followed by a great finish.

 

It's still an amazing bit of football we put together for it, but it feels incomplete in my book, in terms of greatest goal anyway.

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One of the most underrated players is Armstrong, does the basics well and can actually pass a football in midfield looking like a shrewd bit of buisness.

 

I always liked him, thought his pace and directness was an asset. However it's also true that he had a habit of making poor decisions at crucial times (e.g. losing possession when we were short at the back etc) so I could see why others didn't rate him. Not sure he's quite ready to be put on the "shrewd business" pile yet, but good to see him getting some game time and doing well with it!

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It might have been the pass he was about to make... but he didn't.

 

We had an awesome bit of build up play, followed by a defensive mistake, followed by a great finish.

 

It's still an amazing bit of football we put together for it, but it feels incomplete in my book, in terms of greatest goal anyway.

 

And of course you’re are spot on. It was the great goal that wasn’t quite. The opposition made the key pass.

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