Saints vs Wrexham - Saturday 1230

[Charlie Wayman]

I doubt Still knows his best XI yet so is likely to get team selection wrong at the start;  we might be all at sea as we were against Brighton early on. Wrexham are clearly on a mission and will be buoyed by their recent success and the publicity bubble that they are enjoying.

They seem to be unstoppable at the moment so I can see us losing the first half 0-2. If Still can recover the team formation with subs hopefully we will mount a comeback of sorts but I am not optimistic we will have enough to get a result.

1-2 to Wrexham

[CSA96]

How do they seem to be unstoppable at the moment? Their last three games they've lost to Sydney FC, Wellington Phoenix and FC Groningen 

I think we a more likely to benefit from playing them early before they finish their transfer business and get their new faces settled in and used to playing together, if anything

Edited 16 hours ago by CSA96

[saintant]

12 minutes ago, CSA96 said:

How do they seem to be unstoppable at the moment? Their last three games they've lost to Sydney FC, Wellington Phoenix and FC Groningen 

I think we a more likely to benefit from playing them early before they finish their transfer business and get their new faces settled in and used to playing together, if anything

Depends whether you think their eventual settled side will be better than ours I guess as we currently have upheaval of our own to deal with. 

[CSA96]

1 minute ago, saintant said:

Depends whether you think their eventual settled side will be better than ours I guess as we currently have upheaval of our own to deal with. 

Our start point is undeniably higher than theirs, we're coming down with a bad PL squad but a good CH one, they are coming up with a good L1 squad. Even with upheaval on both ends, we should be the better side

(yes I know... should is a dangerous word!)

[saintant]

1 minute ago, CSA96 said:

Our start point is undeniably higher than theirs, we're coming down with a bad PL squad but a good CH one, they are coming up with a good L1 squad. Even with upheaval on both ends, we should be the better side

(yes I know... should is a dangerous word!)

We'll find out on Saturday I guess.

[sockeye]

Frankly I think we’ll trounce them. They aren’t really anything special in this league in neither squad or manager. I still expect us to be a bit lethargic and shaky throughout but a couple of flashes will win us the game.

[Roger]

Flynn and Fernandez both training today. 

[Saint Matty 76]

If Downes and Fernandes are back in training, we may as well make use of the latter whilst he's here (such as JWP v Sheff Weds).

Bazunu
Edwards - Stephens - Quarshie - Welington
Downes - Charles
Armstrong - Fernandes - Archer
Downs

That'd be my guess. Although wouldn't be at all surprised to see Bree in for Edwards and Fernandes back next to Charles with Fraser in at 10 (🤮) if Downes isn't quite ready. I'd also love us to just give Robinson the start, but would understand the logic behind him being an impact sub to begin with.

[for_heaven's_Saint]

I’ve never been a fan of us playing 3/5 at the back but if we want to get the best out of our best full backs (Sugawara and Welington) I feel like we might need to play them as attacking wing backs. That formation also allows for Edwards to play and allows Charles to get forward more.  
 

If Fernandes doesn’t play, maybe something like:

Bazunu; Sugawara, Edwards, Stephens, Quarshie, Welington; Charles, Downes, Robinson, Downs, AA

 

Obviously, against Wrexham at home you’d want it to be much more of a back 3 than a 5. 
 

 

[gio1saints]

My best team so far plays 3CB with two aggressively attacking wingbacks a double six, our new striker, our best old striker and our boy wonder: 

                       Bazunu 

         Ronnie.  Stephens.  Quarshie.

Sugawara.                                Welington

                    Sesay.    Charles

         Armstrong   Downs   Robinson 

Subs : Alex, Wood, Manning, Bree, Fraser, Archer, Stewart, & any two not tactically or genuinely injured/ being protected. 

 

If starts I’m putting ££ on Sugawara / Downs to score! 

Edited 12 hours ago by gio1saints

[CSA96]

THB, Downes, Fernandes, Smallbone and BBD all now in full training, as per footage on Saints app 

Edited 12 hours ago by CSA96

[Roger]

22 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

My best team so far plays 3CB with two aggressively attacking wingbacks a double six, our new striker, our best old striker and our boy wonder: 

                       Bazunu 

         Ronnie.  Stephens.  Quarshie.

Sugawara.                                Welington

                    Sesay.    Charles

         Armstrong   Downs   Robinson 

Subs : Alex, Wood, Manning, Bree, Fraser, Archer, Stewart, & any two not tactically or genuinely injured/ being protected. 

 

If starts I’m putting ££ on Sugawara / Downs to score! 

Fernandes and downes will play 

[gio1saints]

14 minutes ago, CSA96 said:

THB, Downes, Fernandes, Smallbone and BBD all now in full training, as per footage on Saints app 

Interesting if Will starts any of those.

I really liked the shape we finished the Brighton match with. IF that’s going to be our default shape (3cb’s plus 2wing backs plus 2 sixes,)  then the only improvement I can see is in changing the front three around - because all the others seem effective in those roles. A front two with a new recruit  #10 is something they may have in mind ..

[Charlie Wayman]

3 hours ago, gio1saints said:

My best team so far plays 3CB with two aggressively attacking wingbacks a double six, our new striker, our best old striker and our boy wonder: 

                       Bazunu 

         Ronnie.  Stephens.  Quarshie.

Sugawara.                                Welington

                    Sesay.    Charles

         Armstrong   Downs   Robinson 

Subs : Alex, Wood, Manning, Bree, Fraser, Archer, Stewart, & any two not tactically or genuinely injured/ being protected. 

 

If starts I’m putting ££ on Sugawara / Downs to score! 

I like your team. Surely the best way to go.

[Charlie Wayman]

3 hours ago, CSA96 said:

THB, Downes, Fernandes, Smallbone and BBD all now in full training, as per footage on Saints app 

Great news but none of them will be any where near match fit for Saturday so don't expect to see any of them on the pitch.

[Matthew Le God]

54 minutes ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Great news but none of them will be any where near match fit for Saturday so don't expect to see any of them on the pitch.

Why wouldn't Fernandes be fit enough? He had 3 or so days off for illness and then training for a week before the game?

I'd also not rule out the other bar Harwood-Bellis, especially as we don't know the full details of their injuries/recoveries.

Edited 7 hours ago by Matthew Le God

[Pamplemousse]

If Downes isn't 100% then no point in risking him, we'll need him in the Ipswich game more than this one.

[Pamplemousse]

We've got a good omen in the referee - James Bell - 4 times he refereed us two seasons ago in the Champ and we won all 4 games.

[Tommy Mulgrew]

Wrexham sign an eighth striker:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cwy3jpgg9g3o

And I thought we had too many!

[Ex Lion Tamer]

4 hours ago, Tommy Mulgrew said:

Wrexham sign an eighth striker:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cwy3jpgg9g3o

And I thought we had too many!

And yet none of them are really prolific at this level. I think they may struggle to break our defence down, especially if we go three at the back