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Saints 2-1 West Brom - Match Thread

Lighthouse

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Holmes_and_Watson

Holmes_and_Watson

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We made that one harder on ourselves, than it needed to be. And that's good to say, because we're getting those results while still improving.

For moments in the first half we had an excellent blend of possession, while being more direct at a good tempo. There were quite a few nearly moments. Notr necessarily with direct chances. But just not anticipating other players and being able to pick out the right passes. Some things than on other days might click, giveing us more control and efforts on their goal.

When we did go ahead, with a good goal, we nearly let them get an equaliser right away, which is a trend.

We then had a little spell where we're waiting for our, now behind opponents, to come onto us. Meanwhile, they are sitting there regrouping, and waiting for us to attack. We seem happy to wait, and some momentum goes out of us. We know only too well, what we're like with a 1 goal lead, so there's that undercurrent too.

It didn;t last long today, which was good to see. AA had a couple of just offsides not long after. Smallbone had a couple of shots I don;t think even he was convinced with as he hit them.

Towards the end of the half, WBA were getting on top.

Martin really needs to get someoen else into that dressing room at half time. It could be a Sgt from the Marines, or a juggler, or someone who makes balloon animals. Because whatever is said seems to result on us being really flat and uncertain on how to control a lead in the second half.

We missed Smallbone when he went off injured. WBA were already getting the upper hand, but we lost a lot of passing angles, work rate and distribution. WBA's equaliser was coming, even as we were looking to bring subs on.

We kept working away though, which is now something we see every match. We were more disjointed after the subs, and the game stretched a bit. AA moved out wider when Che came on, giving us a different threat.

Fraser's exeprience and freshness as a sub made a lot of difference again. He's a key part of us winning games.

Stewart did fine when he came on. I can see why Martin wanted Che on before we went ahead. But Stewart may well nab that spot from Che sooner rather than later.

If anyting our passing and possession got even scrappier as it went on, and there were numerous corners and a scramble late on to secure the win.

Martin will be looking at -
Making sure we can create, while still supporting all that possession play (tough to pull off)
Looking to work on the anticipation between players (which will come with time and a settled first team)
Sort out our game management. Find ways of changing focus and tempo, to get control back into games; watch those spells before and after half time, and after we go ahead; find solutions to keeping an incisive passing game when we've a one goal lead. All things Martin ahs said he's working on anyway.

Lots of positives.
Baz cool in distribution and awareness. One direct pass given away first half. We covered it, and had it worked it could have led to a chance. Got in the way of a late shot.
Holgate not broken after first two appearances, which were tough for him.
THB looks every bit a classsy defender.
Bree offers a lot to the team. Mannign finding a bit harder, but he was highly thought of too. So good competition.
KWP, Downes both excellent today.
Loads of work rate, positioning and versatility from AA and Smallbone. Key to the tactic (and getting us out of problems, when it's not working)
Fraser makes the difference again, and Stu had a tidy game.

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The Cat

The Cat

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35 minutes ago, Saint NL said:

Who got man of the match, I missed it

Holgate.

Played very well today, got some crucial blocks and tackles in and kept it simple with the ball.

Tough game today, I'd say that's our best win of the season. They were well organised, strong and physical.

Ref seemed to lose it at the end after actually seeming to be one of the more decent ones we've had this season.

It was only a cameo but Stewart looks like he has all the attributes we need. Good touch, technique, height and strength.

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Patrick Bateman

Patrick Bateman

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35 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

Fucking brilliant. 
 

Most enjoyable win in ages. We actually have a spine again thanks to THB & Downes. 
 

Bree & Holgate are revived - both solid as fuck today. Just brilliant saints. Well done Martin. I doubted you but you’re building something here 

Seconded. In true fickle football fan fashion of course!

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SNSUN

SNSUN

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16 minutes ago, The Cat said:

Holgate.

Played very well today, got some crucial blocks and tackles in and kept it simple with the ball.

Tough game today, I'd say that's our best win of the season. They were well organised, strong and physical.

Ref seemed to lose it at the end after actually seeming to be one of the more decent ones we've had this season.

It was only a cameo but Stewart looks like he has all the attributes we need. Good touch, technique, height and strength.

Pleased for him after that tough start. That will be the monkey off his back now. With Jack still to come back, we're looking good at CB. I wanted another CB in January but with Charles as a fifth choice, perhaps that isn't needed now.

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JRM

JRM

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23 minutes ago, The Cat said:

Holgate.

Played very well today, got some crucial blocks and tackles in and kept it simple with the ball.

Tough game today, I'd say that's our best win of the season. They were well organised, strong and physical.

Ref seemed to lose it at the end after actually seeming to be one of the more decent ones we've had this season.

It was only a cameo but Stewart looks like he has all the attributes we need. Good touch, technique, height and strength.

Agree mate, at 1-1 took a winning mentality to get back in front, momentum,  winning habit and all that, players look like they believe in themselves more now which has to be a good thing. 

Top 4 in the table have accumulated so many points for 16 games in, unbelievable really. 

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miserableoldgit

miserableoldgit

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Random thoughts on todays game:-

First half fairly even but Saints just about edged it. Although both teams were playing a similar style, Saints were more clinical and determined. Too many passes going astray for the Baggies and too many tackles lost.

Second half....Baggies seemed to react to their HT talk better than Saints did theirs. We went through the traditional second-half wobble, when they scored, before responding. All in all an entertaining game.

Difficult to pick a MotM. I actually thought that Mason Holgate did OK today....definitely not MotM though! 😂. Thought that everbody played well and a big plus seeing Ross Stewart on the pitch! All in all an entertaining game.

Overheard people talking on the way back to the car, saying that "We were lucky....we can't keep on being lucky. RM is a lucky manager". When do we start giving the team/manager credit for what is happening. I actually hope that he is a "Lucky Manager!"

 

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macca155

macca155

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That was a solid win, knocked WBA's momentum and pulled us closer to Leicester.

I thought WBA played well. They are a massive team (size wise) and are set up to defend and hit teams on the break.

Their problem was the final ball was dreadful. That was partly a lack of quality but equally that Saints kept them pegged back.

Sulemana and KWP had quieter games but they were marked very closely. That reduced WBA's ability to break in numbers.

Two well taken goals and an excellent game from Holgate. He is more comfortable on the right and was really concentrating. His passing is definitely a big step up from Bendarek.

Good to see Stewart, he looked exactly what we thought he would be. A pain in the arse for defenders. AA and Sully will love playing off him.

I thought Adams really got stuck in when he came on. Won a few tackles and pushed the team further forward. He either signs a contract or moves in Jan, needs to sort things out.

Ballard scored again, good to see.

COYS

 

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spyinthesky

spyinthesky

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25 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

THB is another one who is clearly a Premier League level player. He was outstanding.

Thought he was immense not only as a defender but also an organiser.

Player of the Match for us, in my opinion, followed by the ever reliable KWP who is real class for us.

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gio1saints

gio1saints

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I thought WBA were massive!
And they are a play off team for sure I’d say. WBA def up there as one of best teams we played in the league, if not quite the best. 
 

I thought our second half performance was pants - but they got the job done. Last season we would simply lose that game quite easily. This season- we win and avoid losing even when not playing well. Good sign.
But we really do need to sort out this second half drop off thing and put matches to bed quicker. We are good enough to do so. Hopefully they will come. Note that Watford did what we should have done to Rotherham!!!

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CB Fry

CB Fry

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Only listened to it as I was painting a shed (true story). We sounded great first half snd under the cosh second.

But proper steel and winning mentality again to turn what could have been a collapse into another win. 

Sounded great to get Stewart on the pitch.

A brilliant turnaround since September, well done Martin and the team. 

 

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Miltonaggro

Miltonaggro

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WBA were a solid physical and athletic side who gave it 100% there. We showed just how far we’ve come in recent weeks to see that out for an essential home win. We might have been more comfortable if Charly was confident to shoot from the edge of the area. Suleymana also really needs a goal. Credit to Adam Armstrong, from where I was (in line) that looked a very tight angle and consequently a very good poacher’s goal. Agreed with those around me that this is was just what we needed into the international break. Get Smallbone and Stewart up to speed too. Felt like I was supporting an old school saints side today, first time in a while. COYR! 

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HarvSFC

HarvSFC

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Season making three points that. West Brom being the best and the most in form of the teams we've played on this run and today showed we have turned a corner from September.

We lost a bit of the game when Smallbone had to go off. I didn't think Faser for Smallbone was the right sub and it did lose us control of the game and West Brom scored from that with a slight momentum shift also, hitting the bar. But, we responded well and executed the gameplan near perfectly. A few scares at the end with headers, but think given the first half we deserved the three points today.

Harwood-Bellis is top class. Should we get promoted he'll be absolutely fine at the back and making the step up like Fonte did. Downes has also been a very good signing. Hopefully West Ham's good form and competition in the centre means they're willing to sell him next summer. Good to see Stewart on the pitch also, who also looked as though he has a bit about him and Holgate having a good game as fill in for Bednarek after his earlier shockers. 

We aren't putting teams away, but neither did Reading when they pipped us in 2011-12, they were just consistently grinding out wins, like we currently are. 8 games unbeaten, 3 wins on the trot. Need to be near perfection with Leicester, Ipswich and Leeds currently. A tough top four in the Championship. The top club after 16 games last season was QPR on 30 points. We're equalling that, while Leeds, Ipswich and Leicester all have more. Could be another crazy points total needed for the top two this season, like League One last season.

Most important thing is that we are good again and watching the football is enjoyable again. Up the Saints.

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Patches O Houlihan

Patches O Houlihan

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1 hour ago, miserableoldgit said:

Overheard people talking on the way back to the car, saying that "We were lucky....we can't keep on being lucky. RM is a lucky manager". When do we start giving the team/manager credit for what is happening. I actually hope that he is a "Lucky Manager!"

 

May be this is still residual Scar TissueTM 

We're so used to Saints being crap, that winning while not playing well feels like just luck; rather than teamwork, effort & innate skill.

Edited by Patches O Houlihan
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Lee On Solent Saint

Lee On Solent Saint

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Really good first half, second half was a nervy watch. Even when we got back in front was expecting another twist in the tail. As others have mentioned they are huge side, but we stood up well to them. Thought the ref was a bit card happy with us, few challenges they put it were equally as bad as the ones we got cards for. Great result and just shows how far we have come to win when not playing that well.

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LuckyNumber7

LuckyNumber7

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Really was a game of two halves, played some really good football in the first half without creating too many chances, and also defended well. WBA were dreadful but really stepped it up in the second half as expected and it was a tough watch at times. The winner came against the run of play but I love the resilience this team is showing now. Nice to have a proper spine in the team again too! Feels like a really big win this. Well done Martin and the team.

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  • Lighthouse changed the title to Saints 2-1 West Brom - Match Thread
SaintBobby

SaintBobby

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Thrilled with the win. Think we just about edged in. Adam Armstrong MotM for me - and not just for the winning goal.

Sulemana was very quiet, he seems way better when the ball is played in front of him rather than to feet.

The three subs coming on (designed for 1-0 and coming on at 1-1) was not brilliantly handled, but that aside solid game management.

West Brom are a good side. That could have gone either way. Great match from an entertainment point of view. 

I want to see Bazanu’s last minute save again - was in a melee, but looked amazing.

 

 

 

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Patches O Houlihan

Patches O Houlihan

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34 minutes ago, revolution saint said:

What the fuck are we going to talk about for next couple of weeks now? FFS!

Russell Martin's shit football tactics

Bazunu's the worst keeper in the league

Smallbone weakens the midfield

Holgate should never pull on a Saints shirt again

What is the point of James Bree?

Sorry Ryan I think you're going to be the one to take the stick for the next week or so

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SNSUN

SNSUN

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14 minutes ago, HarvSFC said:

 

Harwood-Bellis is top class. Should we get promoted he'll be absolutely fine at the back and making the step up like Fonte did. Downes has also been a very good signing. Hopefully West Ham's good form and competition in the centre means they're willing to sell him next summer.

This is key. If we don't get promoted we will lose them next season, and Charly, KWP and Sulemana amongst others. We will start a shell of a team and have to rely on a good transfer window again. Everything about us right now seems to point towards us having the makings of a very good Premier League side and failure to achieve promotion would unravel it all. 

Unfortunately there are 4 very good teams fighting for 2 places. IMO I'd like to see Leeds in particular pilfered a bit in the January window!

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ScandiSaint

ScandiSaint

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21 minutes ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

Russell Martin's shit football tactics

Bazunu's the worst keeper in the league

Smallbone weakens the midfield

Holgate should never pull on a Saints shirt again

What is the point of James Bree?

Sorry Ryan I think you're going to be the one to take the stick for the next week or so

Can't understand why he got booed when he came on.

Players looking much more comfortable in the system, Holgate was a perfect example of that today. Downes was great in midfield too.

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hypochondriac

hypochondriac

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32 minutes ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

May be this is still residual Scar TissueTM 

We're so used to Saints being crap, that winning while not playing well feels like just luck; rather than teamwork, effort & innate skill.

Think there's some truth in that. Fair enough if we keep going and winning in this way but I would like to blow some teams away. Maybe not against the likes of West Brom but certainly against some of the smaller teams down the bottom. 

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hypochondriac

hypochondriac

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Just now, ScandiSaint said:

Can't understand why he got booed when he came on.

Players looking much more comfortable in the system, Holgate was a perfect example of that today. Downes was great in midfield too.

I didn't hear any boos but I think it was more that at that point we had just conceded and seemed like an odd sub when we needed a goal. 

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OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint

OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint

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1 hour ago, miserableoldgit said:

Random thoughts on todays game:-

First half fairly even but Saints just about edged it. Although both teams were playing a similar style, Saints were more clinical and determined. Too many passes going astray for the Baggies and too many tackles lost.

Second half....Baggies seemed to react to their HT talk better than Saints did theirs. We went through the traditional second-half wobble, when they scored, before responding. All in all an entertaining game.

Difficult to pick a MotM. I actually thought that Mason Holgate did OK today....definitely not MotM though! 😂. Thought that everbody played well and a big plus seeing Ross Stewart on the pitch! All in all an entertaining game.

Overheard people talking on the way back to the car, saying that "We were lucky....we can't keep on being lucky. RM is a lucky manager". When do we start giving the team/manager credit for what is happening. I actually hope that he is a "Lucky Manager!"

 

Must admit, wasn't convinced by today's performance. Thought we were lucky, whereas we were always in control in the previous couple of games. West Brom were shit. They had quite a few opportunities to find the right pass and instead found the touchline. When they were on top in the second half, they had the ball in the middle of the field with acres of space but made the wrong pass or were too slow. We were lucky today.

 RHB was great. KWP great. Dare I say it, but thought Holgate was very good. And who says the Loch Ness monster doesn't exist? Great to see Stewart and his cameo.

Good news is RM will be in the stands for the next game. Keep him there and let someone else do the half time team talk because his evidently don't work.

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The Cat

The Cat

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9 minutes ago, ScandiSaint said:

Can't understand why he got booed when he came on.

Players looking much more comfortable in the system, Holgate was a perfect example of that today. Downes was great in midfield too.

Yes, was very weird that some people booed Manning. He hasn't been great but that was completely unnecessary. 

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Long Shot

Long Shot

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2 hours ago, Saint_Ash said:

Top of form guide over last 8 games with 20 points out of 24. Very good form that. The International break helps Stewart and any other niggles we have and I reckon we can really push on for a top 2 spot. 

Screenshot_2023-11-11-17-21-45-96_40deb401b9ffe8e1df2f1cc5ba480b12.jpg

Not trying to dampen your enthusiasm but I think you are getting ahead of yourself a little here. Good win today but while we are picking up points let’s remember a lot of our wins are by a single goal or late goals. It doesn’t matter I hear you say but so far this season we lack the dominance a top two team needs in their performances. 
I think play off is a reasonable bet but compare this side with the one that went up in 2011 and there’s no comparison. 

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JRM

JRM

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8 minutes ago, The Cat said:

He was down getting treatment for a while before being subbed. Hopefully nothing too serious.

Maybe just enough to withdraw from the Ireland squad and be fit in time for Huddersfield, seemed to be holding his thigh 

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