Saints 2-1 QPR - Match Thread

[Danbert]

Fraser looked excellent I thought

[tdmickey3]

Not much to add that hasn't been said except, Manning is pretty poor, very slow and easily beaten by wide player almost every time and nothing special going forward, hope he improves,  a really weak link

[Convict Colony]

1 hour ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Little Mara shout out. He had the ball. COuld have run directly at their goal. There was cover there. SO, with us just in the lead, did the smart thing and goes back. Just what Martin was asking of him.

I enjoyed his hold up play and physicality when he came one he was good at holding off defenders, something I hadn't noticed before.

[trousers]

Just now, tdmickey3 said:

Not much to add that hasn't been said except, Manning is pretty poor, very slow and easily beaten by wide player almost every time and nothing special going forward, hope he improves,  a really weak link

Yeah, and we could've done without his two assists today too.... #wasteofspace

[Convict Colony]

1 hour ago, Saint Scott said:

The best part of that stream was listening to the two QPR commentators constantly winge.

Incredibly unprofessional but hilarious 

I had dean hammond so was loving it

[Harry_SFC]

2 minutes ago, trousers said:

Yeah, and we could've done without his two assists today too.... #wasteofspace

We haven't had a full back that can provide assists for god knows how long. His creativity going forward is not something to bash him on. Going the other way however..

[Saint NL]

2 minutes ago, Convict Colony said:

I had dean hammond so was loving it

Same.

It's really strange to watch a game with really one sided commentary, you only ever get that when England play on BBC.

 

[miserableoldgit]

16 minutes ago, tdmickey3 said:

Not much to add that hasn't been said except, Manning is pretty poor, very slow and easily beaten by wide player almost every time and nothing special going forward, hope he improves,  a really weak link

I always like to give players a fair chance to prove themselves, but having seen all four games, I haven't seen much to excite as far as Manning is concerned...

[manji]

2 hours ago, Disco Stu said:

They're all over us. We deserve to be losing.

Idiot

[Appy]

Fraser was excellent, we controlled the game as soon as he came on. 

[Charlie Wayman]

Lots of passing mostly sideways and zero creativity about sums up our Saints this afternoon. Still relying on moments of individual inspiration for our goals, both of which were outstanding. Also the usual stupid errors in defence and gift goals. Manning, I think shoulders the blame for today's cock-up

Downes looked useful rather than talented but did what he had to do. Fraser very busy and impatient to make things happen. Good to see. Colgate seems to have lucked in with Steven's injury.

The absence of Tella and Adams speaks volumes, not a trace of Perraud either who was probably on the car ferry back to France. More worryingly, at the end of the match KWP was shaking hands with everyone on the staff including the tea lady. Defo looked like a farewell. Doubt we will see him again in a Saints shirt.

All in all not a brilliant display but a win's a win even if we had to dig it out rather than stroll to victory. 

[S-Clarke]

I thought it was our worst performance of the season overall, but we still won and that has to be seen as a pretty big positive.

Against Wednesday and Plymouth we controlled the game for large periods, but we struggled today and it was a very bitty game. It didn't help us that Alcaraz was simply horrific, his worst game for us today - he was a liability out there today.

I thought the midfield, with Charles moved back, got a bit overrun with Downes and Stu in there due to their lack of physicality. Downes is exactly what I thought he was, an absolute JWP clone in the sense of style and position. 

Edozie was a real threat, as he has been most games this season - although he was better from the left in my opinion. S-A-A was pretty poor, couldn't get into the game - I think he's better off as a sub for the time being, he has more impact that way.

Adam Armstrongs tenacity at this level cannot be underestimated. Technically he's pretty poor running with the ball, which is why I don't believe he'll ever make it at the top level, but at this level it's a real threat and teams struggle to defend against it. His tenacity to win the ball back in stoppage time was a highlight for me.

We're almost certainly still a work in progress, lots still to change - but to be winning when we're a work in progress is a massive plus, as I can only see us getting better over the season - and by our standards, this is a blockbuster start.

 

[manji]

2 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Baz is having a decent game so far…fair play to the lad.

Great character only young and all shit he received from the moron massive.

[SaintsFan86]

Alfie confirms we have given a NEW contract, so this must be a better one than offered earlier in rhe summer.

 

[Convict Colony]

6 minutes ago, Appy said:

Fraser was excellent, we controlled the game as soon as he came on. 

The only concern I have is you can see Fraser is a direct machine, making runs and wanting to run past people and so far our style is to just walk up the pitch and then bang it about.

Think only arma and mara were on his wavelength today.

[Convict Colony]

Also with this style should our passing be faster ?

 

[Appy]

Just now, Convict Colony said:

Also with this style should our passing be faster ?

 

Definitely, it’s been quicker in the four second halves we’ve played, need to find a way to have it at the required pace from the start. 

[manji]

4 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

I thought it was our worst performance of the season overall, but we still won and that has to be seen as a pretty big positive.

Against Wednesday and Plymouth we controlled the game for large periods, but we struggled today and it was a very bitty game. It didn't help us that Alcaraz was simply horrific, his worst game for us today - he was a liability out there today.

I thought the midfield, with Charles moved back, got a bit overrun with Downes and Stu in there due to their lack of physicality. Downes is exactly what I thought he was, an absolute JWP clone in the sense of style and position. 

Edozie was a real threat, as he has been most games this season - although he was better from the left in my opinion. S-A-A was pretty poor, couldn't get into the game - I think he's better off as a sub for the time being, he has more impact that way.

Adam Armstrongs tenacity at this level cannot be underestimated. Technically he's pretty poor running with the ball, which is why I don't believe he'll ever make it at the top level, but at this level it's a real threat and teams struggle to defend against it. His tenacity to win the ball back in stoppage time was a highlight for me.

We're almost certainly still a work in progress, lots still to change - but to be winning when we're a work in progress is a massive plus, as I can only see us getting better over the season - and by our standards, this is a blockbuster start.

 

We are still in the building process. Young bunch of lads and still a couple of players coming in

[manji]

4 minutes ago, SaintsFan86 said:

Alfie confirms we have given a NEW contract, so this must be a better one than offered earlier in rhe summer.

 

Che was offered a new contract 3 days ago. Martin mentioned it in one of the recent pressers. Alfie do keep up.

[Saint Scott]

36 minutes ago, Convict Colony said:

I had dean hammond so was loving it

Jealous! I imagine he was relatively unbias though. That pair was like carragher on steroids watching pool

[manji]

16 minutes ago, manji said:

Idiot

It’s my new precedent for posting. It’s pointless trying to explain anything to half these morons.

How many times have I explained why Rasmus got lumbered with team selection last season ? Too effing complicated for them. 
 

oh yeah. Dimwits.

[manji]

9 minutes ago, Convict Colony said:

Also with this style should our passing be faster ?

 

Should be.

[The Juice]

Just here to add my voice to any discussion around Fraser. I was cynical but he looked a level above. Every touch, every movement, every decision spot on. Could be a great acquisition 

Edited 26 August, 2023 by The Juice

[S-Clarke]

Just now, manji said:

It’s my new precedent for posting. It’s pointless trying to explain anything to half these morons.

How many times have I explained why Rasmus got lumbered with team selection last season ? Too effing complicated for them. 
 

oh yeah. Dimwits.

team selection??? I hope you mean the player recruitment/scouting, as if he was involved in team selection then that would explain a lot.

[trousers]

18 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

it was a very bitty game.

 

[Suhari]

1 hour ago, Danbert said:

Fraser looked excellent I thought

He did.

So refreshing to see constant energy and movement from a Saints player. 

[The Cat]

3 minutes ago, Suhari said:

He did.

So refreshing to see constant energy and movement from a Saints player. 

One thing we need to be more aware of with the ball in midfield is the runs the forward players make. Must have been at least 5 times today that someone made a great run which wasn't spotted, and a couple were by Fraser.

If we can start picking some of those out we will create a lot more chances.

[Suhari]

2 minutes ago, The Cat said:

One thing we need to be more aware of with the ball in midfield is the runs the forward players make. Must have been at least 5 times today that someone made a great run which wasn't spotted, and a couple were by Fraser.

If we can start picking some of those out we will create a lot more chances.

Agreed.

AA made a bunch of 'interesting' runs in the second half as well, that weren't matched by a pass.

We're a work in progress: but damn, isn't it nice to see us win and develop.

[Whitey Grandad]

9 minutes ago, Suhari said:

He did.

So refreshing to see constant energy and movement from a Saints player. 

His first game for us. Give it time

[saintant]

5 minutes ago, The Cat said:

One thing we need to be more aware of with the ball in midfield is the runs the forward players make. Must have been at least 5 times today that someone made a great run which wasn't spotted, and a couple were by Fraser.

If we can start picking some of those out we will create a lot more chances.

I think that's almost a mindset thing which needs changing. Our first thought is too often the safest option so these runs tend to get ignored - as Wee Gordie would say we need to be braver on the ball.

[S-Clarke]

 

[Charlie Wayman]

3 hours ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Lots of attacking play. But it's QPR who are doing a lot more than ourselves. We look weak at the back, and are leaving spaces, with the players we push forward not pinning theirs back.

Nothing like that in real life at St Mary's. You should try it sometime.

[Turkish]

Armas cooking FFS 🤦‍♂️ 

[The Cat]

2 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Armas cooking FFS 🤦‍♂️ 

I don't understand what's wrong with it? Surely it's just a shortened version of "cooking up a storm."

[hypochondriac]

Sinclair Armstrong deserves to play for a team that doesn't just lump it to him on his own. 

[sfc4prem]

1 minute ago, The Cat said:

I don't understand what's wrong with it? Surely it's just a shortened version of "cooking up a storm."

Wasn't it Dwayne Johnson's catchphrase in WWE?

[Forester]

Another enjoyable day in a, so far, enjoyable season.  Loads of positives, both centre backs (I thought Charles handled physicality really well), good creativity from full backs and both Armstrongs and Edozie good.  Only negatives were Stephens injury and always performance from Charlie.

New signings started well, particularly Fraser.  Would have bitten your hand off for ten points from August.  We have our toughest month of fixtures in September, and I would be happy for ten points from those five games, seeing us at 20 from nine

[Baird of the land]

54 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Edozie was a real threat, as he has been most games this season - although he was better from the left in my opinion. S-A-A was pretty poor, couldn't get into the game - I think he's better off as a sub for the time being, he has more impact that way.
 

 

Thought thought Edozie was bright against Wednesday and again today. The other games i thought he's been mediocre.

Also as bright as his dribbling was today i thought his final ball is still very poor. Nice for him to get a goal(however generous the keeper was feeling), hopefully it will help his confidence.

[trousers]

9 minutes ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Nothing like that in real life at St Mary's. You should try it sometime.

Maybe one of the Charlie Wayman Saintsweb member syndicate could donate one of their tickets for a game?

Edited 26 August, 2023 by trousers

[The Cat]

Just now, sfc4prem said:

Wasn't it Dwayne Johnson's catchphrase in WWE?

That was "can you smell what the Rock is cooking" wasn't it?

[The Cat]

1 minute ago, trousers said:

Maybe one of the Charlie Wayman Saintsweb member syndicate could donate one of their tickets for a game?

Maybe they didn't go today and that was why there was a weird bunch of seats up the back of the Chapel that no one was sat in.

Very strange to see that in a game that I thought was sold out.

[Farmer Saint]

One thing to really take into account is that last week we won away at a half decent Plymouth team, despite losing JWP, who has been a constant for so long and an incredibly important player. Smallbone also went off injured and Alcaraz unavailable. Then this week we've lost Tella and Adams, and no Smallbone from the start, and beaten another decent side. 

There has been a huge amount of chopping and changing, and how we've managed to get to 10 points from a possible 12 is really impressive to me. Much kudos has to go to RM and team. 

Edited 26 August, 2023 by Farmer Saint

[JohnS]

Another very disappointing performance - but another great 3 points

Best players today for me were Charles, AA, KWP & Fraser - Downes was also good - still lacking that urgency & penetration in final 3rd 

Get a clone Ricky Lambert for Fraser to connect with & we’ll be on another level 

Manning was poor defensively today - got done pretty much every time 

[S-Clarke]

Just now, JohnS said:

Another very disappointing performance - but another great 3 points

Best players today for me were Charles, AA, KWP & Fraser - Downes was also good - still lacking that urgency & penetration in final 3rd 

Get a clone Ricky Lambert for Fraser to connect with & we’ll be on another level 

Manning was poor defensively today - got done pretty much every time 

''Another''? I thought today was our worst display of the season, but our previous 3 games have been good showings in my eyes. 

[SambaMaverick]

Not to be too negative after a decent win, but how bad was Alcaraz? Needs an arm round his shoulder this week because he has the potential to be important for us.

We're going to have to go some to better Leeds' attacking options in this last week of the window (if they can keep them all together)

[TheAlehouseBrawlers]

26 minutes ago, The Cat said:

Maybe they didn't go today and that was why there was a weird bunch of seats up the back of the Chapel that no one was sat in.

Very strange to see that in a game that I thought was sold out.

That was a bit bizarre, in block 14, we were fairly close by. A couple of mates missed out today as it was a ‘sell-out’, wait till I tell them 😄

Downes and Fraser made an instant impact, Fraser showing a real tenacity right down in front us. Happy days.

 

[S-Clarke]

6 minutes ago, SambaMaverick said:

Not to be too negative after a decent win, but how bad was Alcaraz? Needs an arm round his shoulder this week because he has the potential to be important for us.

We're going to have to go some to better Leeds' attacking options in this last week of the window (if they can keep them all together)

Yeah I agree, he was so bad - liability bad. 

I think we just need the window to shut, get the team settled around him and get him some fitness. He'll come good, but no denying he was as bad as he's ever been today.

[Leighsterrr]

4 hours ago, The Cat said:

At the very least this score means that no one will end up mentally scarred by having to witness me streak across the pitch at full time.

Funnily enough that was the very thought that crossed my mind...I booed when Edozie scored 😆

[ErwinK1961]

Thought Charles was superb, handled Sinclair really well (with Bednarek), always seemed in the right place and didn’t give the ball away.

Arma very good and cracking finish, he looked better in a deeper role (made good runs up top but no-one passed it to him).

Downes not bad, looked a bit undercooked (sorry Flynn!) but clearly has class and will be important for us.

Manning decent going forward, really not good defensively.

SAA - too soon for him. Keep to the bench cameos.

Alcaraz, no idea what was up with him today. Looked morose and disinterested all game, lucky not to be pulled sooner.

Good subs by Martin. 

Good to win when not at our best, but will need to improve big time if we want to get promoted. 

Edited 26 August, 2023 by ErwinK1961

[Whitey Grandad]

My thoughts,

Both debutants had good games and looked a class above most of the others on the pitch.

Charles took to the role of Centre Back as though he had always played there.

Bednarek looked a much better player after Stephens had to go off.

Alcaraz has looked a bit out of salts lately.

Manning needs to learn how to use his right foot. At present he only uses it to stand on and he’s not very good at that.

When Adam Armstrong took his goal he was playing in a different time dimension to everybody else. He was on Fast Forward.

Edozie finally got the goal that his trickery deserved.

When oh when are we going to hang onto a lead for more than just a couple of minutes?

It’s a strange feeling to be at home celebrating after a home win. I could get used to it.