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Sparta Prague 1 Saints 0 - Match Thread & Melt Down


St Chalet

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Sadly it's Time to move JayRod out, he's finished as a top level striker. Long is also toothless, utterly pointless relying on him to score goals. Redmond is mostly shîte, he needs dropping. We are CRÀP up front and it's really starting to become a problem. I hope this is being dealt with by Les because we need a striker ASAP.

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Hadn't realised that, not great at all at the moment. Agree with comments regarding keeping the ball. At present our players first thought when getting the ball is to pass sideways or backwards...so, so slow and frustrating!!!

 

A game built round possession is ok. I prefer to see a mixture of tactics, with a bit more directness at times, but aimless balls forward can be equally if not more infuriating (e.g. Midtjylland!)

 

Agree on the sideways feel though - we hesitate and then take the easy option too often. Then once we have lost momentum and the defence has closed up, we end up trying to force something and lose it anyway! Prime example is when we're on the edge of the box, pass it all the way back to Forster who then boots it forward... what is the point?!

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Puel has to be careful, in two weeks time we could be out of the league cup and out of europe. Like many of our fans I was happy to have a lower league position in return for a run in europe. I want Puel to be a success but if we go out of europe a lot of the goodwill from fans giving him 'the benefit of the doubt' will disappear. Time to show some passion and desire!!

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JWP has a good game, we think he's turned a corner, he hasn't, he is crap in the next match.

 

Jay Rod is totally devoid of confidence and is rusty as any player I have ever seen. He needs to be loaned out to refind his touch, playing him in games in the Europa League has hindered us. Why didn't he play 90 mins against Crawley a couple of weeks ago ? It was an obvious game crying out for him to build some confidence and fitness.

 

Redmond is not a striker, he will never be a striker and to play him as one is ridiculous. He was awful against Liverpool and no better tonight, he's given up running at players now as well.

 

Clasie - no comment.

 

Martina - no comment.

 

Long - needs a goal

 

Boufal - still settling in and finding his feet but he will come good.

 

Puel - I think he is stubborn and will stick to what he believes which means we will become more and more predictable. A poster warned of this before a ball was kicked, its looking like it will become a major failing.

 

We have to buy a striker in January, there are no two ways about it, if we don't it's going to be a very tough second half of the season.

 

i feel for all the great supporters who have travelled thousands of miles across Europe and spent a small fortune. Not a single goal and two awful performances, Milan the only performance worthy of note.

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Puel has to be careful, in two weeks time we could be out of the league cup and out of europe. Like many of our fans I was happy to have a lower league position in return for a run in europe. I want Puel to be a success but if we go out of europe a lot of the goodwill from fans giving him 'the benefit of the doubt' will disappear. Time to show some passion and desire!!

 

100% ^

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Redmond is too slow......... at decision making said it before and still stand by that , seldom is there any end product and Boufal , no signs of the wonder player yet, some nice touches granted but for what, we have plenty of possession but lack the quick thinking incisive ball , and to be honest even if we had it I'm not sure all the players are on the same wavelength.

 

next game in europa we need to play the prem side not make changes ,

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A game built round possession is ok. I prefer to see a mixture of tactics, with a bit more directness at times, but aimless balls forward can be equally if not more infuriating (e.g. Midtjylland!)

 

Agree on the sideways feel though - we hesitate and then take the easy option too often. Then once we have lost momentum and the defence has closed up, we end up trying to force something and lose it anyway! Prime example is when we're on the edge of the box, pass it all the way back to Forster who then boots it forward... what is the point?!

 

I've said it on here before but I don't really have a problem with passing sideways BUT the player who makes a sideways pass must then move foward into space to receive it. Pass, move, pass, move. That's how you brake the opposition lines and create space. At moment we're to crab like.

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Reluctantly, I'm beginning to agree with those saying our strike force is no longer up to the level we need. Now slipping into the lower half of the Premier table and only 4 points above the relegation zone begins to look serious. It's almost immaterial whether we get into the knock-out phase of the Europa League as I can't see any prospect of progressing very much further. Boufal was a major investment but surely Les Reed didn't expect him to still be in the 'setting-in' phase come December. A lot of people calling for an extra striker but will the budget allow new front players to come in unless one or two are also off-loaded? I'm sure the manager wouldn't do this deliberately but it might be a good thing if we get knocked out of all the cups so that there is only safety in the League to focus on.

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So we are going to get a proper, red blooded cup tie at home to, hopefully, see us through.

 

Tonight we all feel rubbish but this should be a cracking game with a cracking atmosphere.

 

The permutations are mind boggling but we have to go for the win.

 

Really looking forward to it.

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fecking bed wetters

 

 

also, I thought Boufal would have been used in the 10 position. Bit like Ben Arfa for Puel.

 

Frustrating thing is, you look at the players we have available and they look like they would fit perfectly in the formation from last season (if not the style - nobody to hold the ball up like Pelle did). But plenty of scope for getting the ball wide to Redmond and Tadic to creating scoring opportunities for Austin or Boufal coming in late.

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How many thousand miles have our fans got to travel until they see an away goal? Getting beyond a joke and Clueless Claude's post match interview left me even more ****ed off. Reminded me of the Midgetland away game last year.

 

Got to end Rodriguez experiment , it's just not going to happen.

 

Regretting buying a ticket for Arsenal away next week, that's a guaranteed defeat if ever there was one with the weakened side we are bound to play.

 

So you only want to support the team if it's a guaranteed victory? Class supporter you are :mcinnes:

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Couldn't give a toss about Puel and the players this evening. That really was a turgid, uninspiring display. My thoughts are with the poor s*ds who have attended some or all of the away games without having a goal to cheer. They have done our club proud.

Edited by Ivan Katalinic's 'tache
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So you only want to support the team if it's a guaranteed victory? Class supporter you are :mcinnes:

 

I know the fella and I doubt you'd ever find a more committed fan. He was doing the likes of Blackburn away on a Wednesday night when most Saints fans couldn't be arsed to go north of Romsey so I suggest you simply shut the fu_ck up you clueless tw_at.

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Side to side, back, side to side, back - its like something out of Strictly.

I can see us in a relegation fight if we don't improve.

 

Despite being top half and having played 5 of last years top 6 away, plus in form Liverpool and Chelsea at home.

 

We are nowhere near as bad as Sunderland, Hull, Swansea or West Ham and there are half a dozen other teams worse than us too.

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So we are going to get a proper, red blooded cup tie at home to, hopefully, see us through.

 

Tonight we all feel rubbish but this should be a cracking game with a cracking atmosphere.

 

The permutations are mind boggling but we have to go for the win.

 

Really looking forward to it.

 

Hope you're right but a 0-0 will guarantee progression, so I fear.....

 

And tbh you might be feeilng a bit over optimistic about our 'support', it's usually as dull and boring as our current form, so I'm not setting my expectations too high right now on a 'cracker'.

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Can't slate Martina as you will get labelled as a bedwetter

Not today. I've defended him previously, but he was piss poor today.

 

So we are going to get a proper, red blooded cup tie at home to, hopefully, see us through.

 

Tonight we all feel rubbish but this should be a cracking game with a cracking atmosphere.

 

The permutations are mind boggling but we have to go for the win.

 

Really looking forward to it.

Not really. 0-0 or a win and we're through, anything else and we're out.

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Of all the players, I think Clasie isn't one I'd hang crtisism on. He was alright. But the midfield was full of exactly the same sort of player. Happy to recieve the ball and piviot in the centre of midfield, but really we only need one of those types...and then attackers in front of them. That's why we go sideways and backwards so often, the midfielders we have are all that sort of player.

Agree with this, thought Clasie was our best player tonight in a very poor team performance. Can't recall their goalkeeper making a save second half. Our fans applauded Sparta players off at the end following their lengthy celebrations.....

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Obviously we do need to rotate a little although not as much as we have done but Puel's biggest failing is that he has no idea that certain players can't play together and also that he lacks the tactical nous to adjust our play and formation to suit the players we do have .

 

 

 

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No we didn't play well at all. However we are 1) a home win or tie away from advancing in Europe, and 2) entering a 5 game stretch in the PL where we can win every game. We've had a tough stretch of opponents and scheduling. I think we'll now start to look a lit better moving forward.

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Managed to catch the game down the pub, with much muttering from me, partly because I was driving later and couldn't anaesthetise myself from the pain. My first mutter to no one in particular was when I saw Martina's name on the team sheet: "He's our weak link", and so it proved, although plenty of others didn't play to their potential. It's all so safety first and predictable.

 

Let's hope I'm not three hours late on a Southern train like last Saturday, and manage a few pints this Sunday, they might be needed.

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Is it me or has Holberg started to look drained of any confidence under Puel. He just looks like he is regressing as a player every game.

 

Didn't see it tonight but his performances in other recent games backs up your view. He looked superb at first, strong in the tackle and never misplacing a pass. He's looked poor lately.

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It's too late now with Villa having refound their belief under Bruce. It was Jack Grealish we should have signed not f*cking Redmond. Grealish would ha e been just the player to get us firing on a cylinders. Redmond is one of the worse ever signings. He gives the ball away every time and it results in yet another failure to go for goal.

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Sat in a bar just off the centre of Prague old town, had a nice dessert, and drinking double shorts (sod the beer). That performance is still like a cut that has had lime poured on it!!

Shane Long can wave his hands in a sod you motion at the fans that were venting their anger at such an abysmal performance, most folks at the game have shelled out a decent amount of money, probably each in the region of how much he earns in the time it takes to curl one out of a morning!!!!!! You are a professional football striker: learn to stay onside man!

 

Redmond........ A Norwich fan said, when I asked him about Redmond: nice footballer lots of running and stuff but beyond that he is bloody thick, he gets into a position then goes "Duuurrrrrrrugh what do I do now" Claude you are bloody deluded if you still believe he is a new Henry.

 

all of you fellow posters can slag me as much as you want........... I don't care because however you cut it that was a $H1t performance and I am ****ed off!!

 

Barman......... Same again!!

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A lot of booing from our support at the end.

 

And I have to say a few fights breaking out between fans at the end between the ones that booed and those simpletons who clapped what was a woeful performance. Long did himself no favours either with his fxxx you gesture to the fans. Walking out of the stadium through the park leading down to the old town there was a massive rendition of "we're **** and we know we are"!

Gotta to say having spent two grand on the 3 away Europa games, Saints have let us down. In hindsight Puel and Reed had an indifferent transfer window which is now biting us on the arse.

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Reluctantly, I'm beginning to agree with those saying our strike force is no longer up to the level we need. Now slipping into the lower half of the Premier table and only 4 points above the relegation zone begins to look serious. It's almost immaterial whether we get into the knock-out phase of the Europa League as I can't see any prospect of progressing very much further. Boufal was a major investment but surely Les Reed didn't expect him to still be in the 'setting-in' phase come December. A lot of people calling for an extra striker but will the budget allow new front players to come in unless one or two are also off-loaded? I'm sure the manager wouldn't do this deliberately but it might be a good thing if we get knocked out of all the cups so that there is only safety in the League to focus on.

 

Well, there you have it. I have being saying this from the beginning of the season. The Board did not invest enough fro a European campaign. There again, the Europa does not bring any money into the Club and SFC is a business. No, I think the decision has been made somewhere to exit Europe and the Cup and concentrate on staying in the PL. That's where the money is and if we can do it with the minimum of outlay I am sure the Board will be delighted.

 

Trouble is, we are in danger of being dragged into a relegation dog fight !

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Embarassing. Worst performance since Bournemouth away last season. Fans should be refunded. Massive pressure now just to qualify. Theres no squad depth. Clasie ****ing useless. J rod not good enough. If we don't beat Everton there will be serious questions asked. We are not ready for Europe yet. Anyone we draw if we get through, we will ****ing bottle it like we have tonight. Fuming.

 

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And I have to say a few fights breaking out between fans at the end between the ones that booed and those simpletons who clapped what was a woeful performance. Long did himself no favours either with his fxxx you gesture to the fans. Walking out of the stadium through the park leading down to the old town there was a massive rendition of "we're **** and we know we are"!

Gotta to say having spent two grand on the 3 away Europa games, Saints have let us down. In hindsight Puel and Reed had an indifferent transfer window which is now biting us on the arse.

 

Long made a '**** you' gesture to the fans ?

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I'm not going to start calling people bed wetters , but some perspective is needed. It is the Europa LEAGUE , a league we need to beat or avoid a goal scoring draw against an Israeli team to get out of. I'd take that any day of the week.

 

We also need to look at the side we've played in this league. Our captain and guanteed starter hasn't kick a ball , 3 other shoe ins ( Davis, Cedric,Bertrand) haven't played or hardly played . That's 3 of our back 4 , not many sides can get away with that and still qualify.

 

As disappointing today is, it's not the end . It's not like Sunderland or Denmark where a shiete performance meant goodnight Vienna, we're still in this. Puel is getting a rough deal on here tonight , but his rotation & tactics can only be judged at the end of the season. 90 odd European games earns him that. I'm hoping the McQueen's, Redwoods & PEH's of the side will learn from this and Puel & the club will finally see that JWP/JRod/Classie are done .

 

Knock out stages , we'd all have taken that from day one. Koeman couldn't even get us into the league , with Mane,Big Vic & Pelle, yet Puel gets dumped on?

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And I have to say a few fights breaking out between fans at the end between the ones that booed and those simpletons who clapped what was a woeful performance. Long did himself no favours either with his fxxx you gesture to the fans. Walking out of the stadium through the park leading down to the old town there was a massive rendition of "we're **** and we know we are"!

Gotta to say having spent two grand on the 3 away Europa games, Saints have let us down. In hindsight Puel and Reed had an indifferent transfer window which is now biting us on the arse.

Call me a simpleton if you like, but I applauded the effort. I don't believe any of the team tonight weren't up for it and I can't criticise the team.

 

But obviously there is a problem, in that there is an obsession with retaining possession at all costs, and I think that cones from the manager. If your first thought is always not to lose the ball, you'll never try the quick incisive pass that opens up defences. And the front men aren't making the movement needed because they know the pass isn't coming.

 

With the pace in the team tonight, we should have had them running ragged chasing back for balls over the top, yet after Shane was harshly pulled back for offside for one, I can't recall another worthwhile long ball into the space.

 

You have to be brave to create chances and win games and I don't think our manager encourages bravery.

 

 

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I know the fella and I doubt you'd ever find a more committed fan. He was doing the likes of Blackburn away on a Wednesday night when most Saints fans couldn't be arsed to go north of Romsey so I suggest you simply shut the fu_ck up you clueless tw_at.

 

No need to react like that. He worded it as though he meant that it was worthless to watch Saints, unless we win.

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Agree with this, thought Clasie was our best player tonight in a very poor team performance. Can't recall their goalkeeper making a save second half. Our fans applauded Sparta players off at the end following their lengthy celebrations.....

Clasie was ok, but like all of our midfield, lacks the positive and incisive move.

 

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I know the fella and I doubt you'd ever find a more committed fan. He was doing the likes of Blackburn away on a Wednesday night when most Saints fans couldn't be arsed to go north of Romsey so I suggest you simply shut the fu_ck up you clueless tw_at.

 

No need to react like that. He worded it as though he meant that it was worthless to watch Saints, unless we win.

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We have so many samey central midfielders who take the easy option. Tonight was crying out for someone in the middle to beat a man to create space, or run beyond the forwards but it was pass by numbers unfortunately.

 

Certainly tonight. Until Boufal finds his feet (hopefully he does...!), then Tadic is really our only hope of creating anything. When Tadic doesn't play, we have to play Davis. I don't even think he's that good, but at least he shows a bit of purpose going forwards. He carries the ball, does look for forward passes now and again. That's more than we get from JWP and Clasie. Hojbjerg showed signs of it at the start of the season but seems to have lost form completely.

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We have so many samey central midfielders who take the easy option. Tonight was crying out for someone in the middle to beat a man to create space, or run beyond the forwards but it was pass by numbers unfortunately.

 

Agreed, we're so one paced and one dimensional. The first time I saw a player take someone on was Redmond in the 85th minute, ****ing laughable.

 

Jay Rod's time is up, tonight should be his last game for the club but of course he'll start next week at Arsenal.

 

Tonight is the first time I'm worried as to where we're going, not sure Puel knows either.

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