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Saints 4-4 Norwich

whelk

By whelk,
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  • Lighthouse changed the title to Norwich build up - Saturday 3pm
coalman

coalman

Posted
Posted

The players are still learning Martin's system. We are still vulnerable to sides that press us and set pieces / crosses. We can't score goals. Plus it's St Mary's. We've lost JWP. So all signs point to calamity.

Sentiment seems to have gone from promotion favourites to mid table obscurity based on 2 results.

So, I'm predicting 2-0 to Saints. Looking forward to seeing Charles play a full 90 minutes in centre midfield. Looking forward to 2 out of 3 of Edozie, Tella and Amo-Ameyaw tearing it up down the wings. Looking forward to Charly dropping into pockets of space.

We're not going to be the finished article for a while and there's still 3 weeks before the transfer window closes. August and September were always going to be a wild ride. I'm quite enjoying going into games with greater expectations (for a while more at least)

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Rebel

Rebel

Posted
Posted (edited)

With Lavia on 'gardening leave' and JWP on his way to West Ham we look more than a bit threadbare in midfield.

Jo Tessem commented on Shea Charles performance at Gillingham in the new 'Journey home' pod cast with Blackmore. Basically said he looked miles off a first team role and he was less than impressed - and that was against Gillingham.

Now there is mitigating factor in the that he was playing in a team full of the C squad players but it doesn't bode well. You'd have think we'd have learnt as a club not to throw are youngsters in to the firing line with only the 'fringe' players to protect them and learn from.

Basically it leaves us with a midfield of  Stu Armstrong, Smallbone and Alcaraz - so it picks itself as we don't really have any alternatives.  But none of them are defensive midfielders by trade - although Smallbone did a good job there against Sheff Weds - they are 8s or 10s.  And there is still a question mark over whether Stu can last the full 90 mins nowadays.

I kind of discount Aribo as he was so bad last season - the invisible man on and off the pitch. At best he replaces Stu when he runs out of steam.

If we sell KWP before Saturday we will really will have problems.

For me the team more or less picks itself - as apart from left wing (Edozie) we don't really have any alternatives right now. And I don't think its a game to play the kids (apart from Baz as the alternatives are worse) - we really need a win to build on the Sheff Weds result, plaster over the Gillingham cracks and create some sort of feel good factor at St Marys.  

                    Bazunu

KWP    Bednarek  Stephens   Manning

                    Smallbone

     Stu Armstrong     Alcaraz

Tella                                      Adarma

                  Adams

 

Edited by Rebel
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CamberwellSaint

CamberwellSaint

Posted
Posted

just watched the Gillingham highlights and the Russell M interview afterward-

It doesn't seem like you need to be Inspector Morse to work out that Djenepo, Adams, Onuachu, Perraud and Mara were the targets of Russell's "maybe think they're Premiership quality... not enough intensity, going off piste" remarks.

Also: what on Earth is up with Bella-Kotchap, Sulemana that they can't even be worth some minutes in a change-the-whole-first-11 game like this?

It was refreshing that Martin seemed to acknowledge his own mistakes and over-optimistic view of some of the players' attitude.

That set-piece coach has got his work cut out!

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CamberwellSaint

CamberwellSaint

Posted
Posted

I know that belongs on the Gillingham thread-

my point was- there are still players who need to go, and areas of the team where we're bare even now. Also that I'd trust Martin to know what the issues are, even if he doesn't get every decision/judgement call right. If he plays his on-paper best team he's basically setting himself up to have to do pre-season again on 1st September. So I think we should expect another balancing act against Norwich. I'd take a draw where we play well and come from behind.

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CamberwellSaint

CamberwellSaint

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Rebel said:

 

Jo Tessem commented on Shea Charles performance at Gillingham in the new 'Journey home' pod cast with Blackmore. Basically said he looked miles off a first team role and he was less than impressed - and that was against Gillingham.

 

You couldn't post a link to this could you? I've searched and only religious stuff and old TSPs are coming up. Thanks! 

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FarehamSaintJames

FarehamSaintJames

Posted
Posted (edited)

Rebel pretty much echoed my thoughts.

After Sunday was very confident, the past few days I think will tumble through the club and into the weekend.

1-1, we look weak in midfield now. Not much depth.

Bazunu; KWP, Stephens, Bednarek, Manning; Smallbone, Alcaraz, Charles; Edozie, Tella, Armstrong

I think he’ll save Stu Armstrong for his impact sub role again, otherwise he’d start over Charles.
Charles I think will start because there’s quite simple no one else.
JWP and Lavia won’t be there, obviously. 

Im just not looking forward to having an impactful bench of Aribo, Djenepo, Perraud etc.

Edited by FarehamSaintJames
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Saint Matty 76

Saint Matty 76

Posted
Posted
23 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Rebel pretty much echoed my thoughts.

After Sunday was very confident, the past few days I think will tumble through the club and into the weekend.

1-1, we look weak in midfield now. Not much depth.

Bazunu; KWP, Stephens, Bednarek, Manning; Smallbone, Alcaraz, Charles; Edozie, Tella, Armstrong

I think he’ll save Stu Armstrong for his impact sub role again, otherwise he’d start over Charles.
Charles I think will start because there’s quite simple no one else.
JWP and Lavia won’t be there, obviously. 

Im just not looking forward to having an impactful bench of Aribo, Djenepo, Perraud etc.

Aribo was fine off the bench against Sheffield Wednesday I thought. I also imagine that SAA is firmly ahead of Djenepo in the impact sub list at this stage. 

Che/AA, SAA, Stu and Aribo is a brilliant list of bench options, if you want to look at it in a more positive light.

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Mr Brightside

Mr Brightside

Posted
Posted (edited)
4 hours ago, TheAlehouseBrawlers said:

There was only a couple of hundred tickets left earlier but Norwich have now returned Block 43 so a few more up for grabs - looking like a full house.

https://tickets.southamptonfc.com/selection/event/seat?perfId=10228529227812&ot=0&gtmStepTracking=true&_ga=2.1807994

Anyone know if the ticket office will swap (online) tickets to the block 43 seats?

Edited by Mr Brightside
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Forester

Forester

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Rebel pretty much echoed my thoughts.

After Sunday was very confident, the past few days I think will tumble through the club and into the weekend.

1-1, we look weak in midfield now. Not much depth.

Bazunu; KWP, Stephens, Bednarek, Manning; Smallbone, Alcaraz, Charles; Edozie, Tella, Armstrong

I think he’ll save Stu Armstrong for his impact sub role again, otherwise he’d start over Charles.
Charles I think will start because there’s quite simple no one else.
JWP and Lavia won’t be there, obviously. 

Im just not looking forward to having an impactful bench of Aribo, Djenepo, Perraud etc.

This

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Galway saint

Galway saint

Posted
Posted
23 minutes ago, Forester said:

This

I get we need to shift some players to buy but it looks certain we will be selling 120million plus of players so why no striker ?  We need one or two regardless of who stays and have done for 2 years now so the fact we haven't signed one is a concern. 

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Lighthouse

Lighthouse

Posted
Posted
29 minutes ago, Galway saint said:

I get we need to shift some players to buy but it looks certain we will be selling 120million plus of players so why no striker ?  We need one or two regardless of who stays and have done for 2 years now so the fact we haven't signed one is a concern. 

Because our squad and wage bill are still too big to the tune of about five players, which is also top heavy with forwards. Attacking-wise we have AA, Mara, Paul, Adams, Djenny, Stu, Edozie, SAA, Tella, Aribo, Sully and Alcaraz. I make that 12 players fighting over 4 positions. 

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Galway saint

Galway saint

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, Lighthouse said:

Because our squad and wage bill are still too big to the tune of about five players, which is also top heavy with forwards. Attacking-wise we have AA, Mara, Paul, Adams, Djenny, Stu, Edozie, SAA, Tella, Aribo, Sully and Alcaraz. I make that 12 players fighting over 4 positions. 

Only the first four are out and out strikers and that’s stretching the definition in the case of the first three. If we continue with those four then we won’t be scoring many goals. It’s no different however to the failure so far to address the deficiencies in the GK, centre back and centre mid positions. 

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woodsaint1

woodsaint1

Posted
Posted

Crucial that we set the tone for home games for the rest of the season. St Marys has been a gift for opposing teams for way too long and the atmosphere has been dreadful (not the fans fault). If we have any chance for auto promotion this season, then it needs to be a fortress the way it was during our last Championship season.

Hopefully a sell out, or close to it, and a dominating performance to match. 

Team picks itself (although Stu is pushing for a start)

                       Baz

KWP   Stephens Bednarek  Manning

            Charles   Smallbone

Tella            Alcaraz            Edozie

                    Adams

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SW11_Saint

SW11_Saint

Posted
Posted (edited)
9 hours ago, CamberwellSaint said:

You couldn't post a link to this could you? I've searched and only religious stuff and old TSPs are coming up. Thanks! 

I have the link, but due some reason this site never lets me post URLs. I’ll try to send to you via message if I can. 
 

 

Edited by SW11_Saint
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Lighthouse

Lighthouse

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Posted
3 hours ago, Galway saint said:

Only the first four are out and out strikers and that’s stretching the definition in the case of the first three. If we continue with those four then we won’t be scoring many goals. It’s no different however to the failure so far to address the deficiencies in the GK, centre back and centre mid positions. 

You can’t just pretend they’re not strikers or not pay them, just because you don’t like them. If you’re going to argue the first four are the only strikers, then it’s four fighting for just one spot in the team, if Friday was anything to go by. However you spin it, a significant chunk of forward players will have to leave before we can really bring more in.

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Galway saint

Galway saint

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Posted
6 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

You can’t just pretend they’re not strikers or not pay them, just because you don’t like them. If you’re going to argue the first four are the only strikers, then it’s four fighting for just one spot in the team, if Friday was anything to go by. However you spin it, a significant chunk of forward players will have to leave before we can really bring more in.

 

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Galway saint

Galway saint

Posted
Posted

A number of the names you put forward are not strikers. I’d be amazed if we aren’t looking to bring in a striker on the back of sales to date but then again I’m amazed we haven’t brought in a new keeper so who knows. We seem in the past few years to have gone through cycles of buying crap and then having to off load the crap before we can buy new players and rinse and repeat. Our recruitment has been atrocious. Guess that’s why we were relegated 

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CB Fry

CB Fry

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37 minutes ago, Galway saint said:

A number of the names you put forward are not strikers. I’d be amazed if we aren’t looking to bring in a striker on the back of sales to date but then again I’m amazed we haven’t brought in a new keeper so who knows. We seem in the past few years to have gone through cycles of buying crap and then having to off load the crap before we can buy new players and rinse and repeat. Our recruitment has been atrocious. Guess that’s why we were relegated 

Whether you like it or not we have four out and out centre forwards/ strikers for one position in the team.

About £50m worth considering fees and/or market value.

I imagine we can't do much until we ship out Paul and we know the future of Che.

Still two weeks plus of the window to go.

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CB Fry

CB Fry

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, Yorkshire Saint said:

Wet Spam will pull the plug on JWP if McTominlay goes through... allegedly ...

According to clickbait rubbish.

Now this forum garbling it into JWP straight back into the starting eleven on Saturday. Jesus wept.

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Wade Garrett

Wade Garrett

Posted
Posted
12 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

According to clickbait rubbish.

Now this forum garbling it into JWP straight back into the starting eleven on Saturday. Jesus wept.

‘Reckon JWP might be playing after all’ is not JWP straight back into the starting eleven 😂.

Picked this up on TUI.  Nick reckons the journalist who broke the story is very closed to David Sullivan.

Jesus wept CB, do your research.

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CB Fry

CB Fry

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Posted
22 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

‘Reckon JWP might be playing after all’ is not JWP straight back into the starting eleven 😂.

Picked this up on TUI.  Nick reckons the journalist who broke the story is very closed to David Sullivan.

Jesus wept CB, do your research.

Just because it's passed through the bowels of The Ugly Inside doesn't mean it's not shit.

So when you said might be playing you actually meant not playing. Clear.

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goodymatt

goodymatt

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, Bad Wolf said:

No early morning presser? I thought Martin had insisted on 8:30am going forward so didn't interrupt training. 

Do we know when the presser is? Normally it’s announced in advance on the official Twitter or at least by Alfie.

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revolution saint

revolution saint

Posted
Posted

Looking forward to this and I think we'll have a much better idea of the strength of the league and how good we are after the game.

Main concern again is set pieces - they've got players like Holt, Duffy and Sargeant that will pose a big threat and I can easily see them scoring.

I'm going for a pessimistic 0-2 in the hope I'm wrong.

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Verbal

Verbal

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Posted
1 hour ago, revolution saint said:

Looking forward to this and I think we'll have a much better idea of the strength of the league and how good we are after the game.

Main concern again is set pieces - they've got players like Holt, Duffy and Sargeant that will pose a big threat and I can easily see them scoring.

I'm going for a pessimistic 0-2 in the hope I'm wrong.

Interesting snippet from an insider from another club last night: Mourinho was apparently a bit of a data nut about set pieces and spent a lot of time complaining about corners. He argued there was a slightly higher chance of the attacking team conceding from a corner than scoring from one. Also, around 40% more balls from a corner are delivered straight into the box in the Prem than with other major European league. He believed it was just a British cultural thing, and he hated committing his best defenders forward, leaving a lone full back or midfielder vulnerable to counterattack. Even he, though, had to send players forward in the usual way, presumably in some part because of fan pressure.

Long story short, maybe our new set-piece specialist coach will be looking at issues like this to exploit the apparent advantage bigger teams have at corners...

Anyway, all FWIW.

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Appy

Appy

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Posted
22 minutes ago, Yorkshire Saint said:

I am sure RM can't wait for all the original questions. Of course non will be about transfers...

It a journalist started off asking how he sees Smallbone and Charles linking up, they aren’t doing their job properly realistically. 

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CB Fry

CB Fry

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Posted
2 minutes ago, Verbal said:

He argued there was a slightly higher chance of the attacking team conceding from a corner than scoring from one.

Not fussed about stats as a rule but that is an interesting one I'd like to see.

Counter-intuitive until you think about how few goals are ever scored from bloody corners.

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sandwichsaint

sandwichsaint

Posted
Posted (edited)
11 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

Not fussed about stats as a rule but that is an interesting one I'd like to see.

Counter-intuitive until you think about how few goals are ever scored from bloody corners.

Exactly. It's in-bred into fans DNA to get up for it when their team wins a corner, yet relatively few goals are scored from them. Terribly Saintsy though that 'we' manage to concede from them.

Edited by sandwichsaint
typo
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The Cat

The Cat

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39 minutes ago, Yorkshire Saint said:

I am sure RM can't wait for all the original questions. Of course non will be about transfers...

Hopefully someone asks him what the craziest thing he did or wore at a football match was.

Much more interesting than a lot of the questions will be.

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