Ipswich 1-1 Saints - Match Thread

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

5 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

Noticing the formation being used is hardly a deep analysis. 

It was a genuine question. I've watched/enjoyed football my entire life, but never really sat and considered things such as the difference between a single pivot and a double pivot in a 433 and 4231 formation. To best honest, I don't really know what it means, and I'm not really that interested in finding out. Then again, I've never really be "involved" with football since playing at about u13 level.

 

[tdmickey3]

7 minutes ago, Sir Ralph said:

I agree but overall a good performance. I thought tactically a tight unit second half. Stopped the gap between centre backs and wing backs that happened first half. What did you think?

Point was correct result but lots of improvement needed.

Composure in defence is severely lacking and needs addressing urgently or it will prove costly.

The inability to maintain any sustained attacking is evident, it’s still to slow and makes it easy for the opposition to set themselves.

When we do move it forward with speed and intent it’s decent all be but the final pass is wayward but we don’t do it enough

[Smirking_Saint]

16 minutes ago, Stripey McStripe Shirt said:

Do people who analyse football like this get any enjoyment from it. 

I just like it when they score good goals and stuff. Sometimes enjoy a crunching tackle too.

Well yes… Football has been a passion for me since I was about 4 years old, one Ive played, coached and watched along the way

As such Im going to want as much knowledge for my passion as possible, so yes, Im going to enjoy a deeper analysis of it

Taking it as a bit of a side interest like you clearly do is fine, but lets not swipe at those of us that see it as a deeper interest and have a bigger depth of knowledge 

[Cabrone]

Good result. Arguably the toughest fixture in the season and we get a point to keep momentum. IMO we got Ipswich at the right time, they are still organising before transfer window closes. St Mary's return will deffo be a higher level game.

Before last Saturday my biggest worry was that we'd blow top 2 in the first 6 games as we nurse the hangover, something like W2, D1, L3. However 4pts from a difficult opening 2 gets us quickly over the malaise and ready to roll.

It can't be stressed enough that this league is all about momentum, who can build it the quickest and who can keep it longest.

I feel a lot more confident than I was 8 days ago.

[ErwinK1961]

Suspect Still would love to get rid of at least two or Arma, BBD and Archer and bring in another option. 

[kjurwi]

Baz, Fraser, Fernandes and Robinson good today. 

 

Forgot Charles, he was good aswell.

Edited 10 hours ago by kjurwi

[Barnacle]

4 points is good.  

Especially when you consider that in the league we’ve been behind for a combined 93 mins and ahead for 3!

[Badger]

Just noticed no Downs, even on the bench. Any reason given ? 

[AlexLaw76]

Just now, Badger said:

Just noticed no Downs, even on the bench. Any reason given ? 

Got the squits 

[Gloucester Saint]

8 minutes ago, ErwinK1961 said:

Suspect Still would love to get rid of at least two or Arma, BBD and Archer and bring in another option. 

We all would but relies on them having takers who would pay them what we do. There’s the issue.

[Matthew Le God]

2 minutes ago, Badger said:

Just noticed no Downs, even on the bench. Any reason given ? 

 

 

 

[Badger]

3 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

 

 

 

Thanks 

[gio1saints]

Pluses:

Thought best game I’ve seen Ryan Fraser play for us in a long while. WP!

Glad for Robinson. His final product is improving match by match! 

Shea Charles love his attitude. And a very good player this level too. 

Jack Stephens was, surprisingly, our best defender, once again. He is stepping up. WP!

Bazunu looking the part more and more. 
 

Minuses: 

THB and Quarsie will not be happy with their performances. Too many errors. Some good stuff but I suspect they’ve got higher standards than what we saw and won’t be pleased. 

Our attack looks and is lightweight in absence of a target man up front. All these illnesses and injuries stopping our big CF’s from playing are starting to hack me off. 
 

This 3CB formation I thought would get found out by a better team than Wrexham or Northampton. Ipswich away would do it for sure I thought but we got away with it. I hope the ostensibly good result does not blind club to the obvious squad deficiencies. 
 

It’s annoying we are clearly needing to sell before getting what we need. Just hoping we do not drop too many points waiting for these transfers out to happen and bringing in our lined up targets. Think this is a good point on that basis. 

 

Edited 10 hours ago by gio1saints

[Badger]

5 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Got the squits 

No doubt that when it comes to striker options, we’ve got the shits 

[Whitey Grandad]

45 minutes ago, egg said:

To put it another way, we clearly have a few short not so good players.

That's not good. 

[Patches O Houlihan]

28 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Comes to something when Stephens was the best central defender, that how bad the other 2 are. I’d bin THB, not half as good as he seems to think he is. 

In fairness to THB he has had quite a serious injury since the end of last season. The game at Northampton was essentially his only pre-season. I agree he wasn't great today, but I don't think it's fair to bin him off. (Particularly as everyone has also binned off Quashie & Edwards)

Aside from the fact that Ryan Manning can deliver a set piece, and is showing some great resilience stopping crosses coming in, he also has the calm head and maturity that I think would really help Quashie. When I looked the team sheet I saw Fraser and Arma on the right - safe pair of hands both of them, if not dramatically inspiring. On the left Quashie and Welington. It only took 4 minutes to show that Ipswich had done their homework there - that press of Josh, and then double press of Wellie looked pre-planned to me. 

Until Quashie is up to speed he needs Manning alongside him - or else we ought to play Wood or Taylor.

[macca155]

1 hour ago, Saint86 said:

Hard to be pace setters when they'll be behind us all season 😏😏

Mr Confident

[bpsaint]

I’d have taken it before the game but that was still pretty horrific watching. We’re on par with our last championship campaign with 4 from 2 but it’s clear we need some new faces pretty sharpish.

Very different to when we blew Ipswich away 5-2 in our second game of 2011/12!! 

[ErwinK1961]

THB doing himself no favours if he really does want to leave. Appreciate he’s been out a while, but looked poor today and coupled with last season can’t see anyone forking out big bucks for him

[Nolan]

1 point from Ipswich away is going to be seen an a good result at the end of the season.

Quarshie is getting a tough lesson as to the speed you need to make decisions in this league, he'll get there.

[Challenger]

27 minutes ago, ErwinK1961 said:

Suspect Still would love to get rid of at least two or Arma, BBD and Archer and bring in another option. 

I would love to get rid of all three and bring in two other options.

[trousers]

24 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

 

 

 

In French please

[Monk]

Disappointed with JQ performance but I'm adamant there's a player in there. 

Going early with this prediction but Jay Robinson or the kid at WBA to be EFL Young Player of The Season. 

[Matthew Le God]

12 minutes ago, trousers said:

In French please

Mon aéroglisseur est plein d'anguilles

[Charlie Wayman]

2 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

THB, Quarshie and Downes have all been poor today

Yes but it's THB's first game after a lengthy absence through injury and clearly isn't sharp enough or match fit yet. Surprised WS started him to be honest.

Edited 9 hours ago by Charlie Wayman

[gio1saints]

No Downs and no Stewart and yet even with multiple subs and an obvious need for, perhaps a chunkier guy to hold the ball up front a moment for us, BBD can’t get on.

I think his selection on the bench, on live tv for the last two matches is what’s known as “player availability for sale or loan “ advertising. I’m surprised that when camera pans to the bench he’s not been told to wear a “For Sale” fluorescent vest. 
 

Edited 9 hours ago by gio1saints

[sfc4prem]

48 minutes ago, bpsaint said:

I’d have taken it before the game but that was still pretty horrific watching. We’re on par with our last championship campaign with 4 from 2 but it’s clear we need some new faces pretty sharpish.

Very different to when we blew Ipswich away 5-2 in our second game of 2011/12!! 

That team we had played some incredible football and ultimately had two things - a ruthless attack and belief.

[Dr Who?]

5 hours ago, Dr Who? said:

Think this will be one of the toughest fixtures of the season, but being early on in the season who knows. But hoping we can get at least a draw. Would be nice to show our intent for the season, but need to sort out the finishing. 1-1? 

But when I bet it never comes in. 
Yesterday I was at the Carlisle game, and when they were 3-1 up with 15 minutes left I said to my boy, Carlisle are sitting back I can see this causing problems (because they cannot defend). I said I can see this being 3-3. Also when Boreham Wood got back to 3-2, the scoreboard came up with 3-3. 😂. 
if I had bet on it, neither of these would have happened, even though they did! 

[Chez]

Started badly, but there was some decent stuff in the first half, getting between the lines and controlling the game. The second half was a bit of a shit show, with little attacking threat, no control and a fair bit of luck and poor Ipswich play ensuring we got a point.

Robinson is a find, offering some creativity and flair. 

It was good to see Dibling and Fernandes.

[Willo of Whiteley]

Jack Stephens looked like prime Paulo Maldini today in comparison to Josh Quarshie and Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

Very much looking forward, and hoping more than anything to get some significant attacking options come in.

Jay Robinson was hands down the best player on the pitch for us. Matty Fernandes not far behind.

We got away with it today, especially that second half performance, Ipswich on a better day could’ve scored a couple whereas we didn’t look like getting even one.

Onto the next.

[derry]

Quarshie and THB could improve their's and the team's performance immeasurably if they just stopped the short recycling and hit the ball up the lines. Most of our problems were caused by losing the ball cheaply and far too often.

[Paul_B]

1 hour ago, Nolan said:

1 point from Ipswich away is going to be seen an a good result at the end of the season.

Quarshie is getting a tough lesson as to the speed you need to make decisions in this league, he'll get there.

I'm not so sure. Looks like someone stealing a living as a professional football player to me.

At least with Edwards and THB you can see there is a player there, this guy is just terrible.

[rooney]

I would like to throttle Andy Hinchcliffe, the msn who knows it all.

[Micky]

53 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

No Downs and no Stewart and yet even with multiple subs and an obvious need for, perhaps a chunkier guy to hold the ball up front a moment for us, BBD can’t get on.

I think his selection on the bench, on live tv for the last two matches is what’s known as “player availability for sale or loan “ advertising. I’m surprised that when camera pans to the bench he’s not been told to wear a “For Sale” fluorescent vest. 
 

Entirely agree, some pretty overt 'advertising' from us.  Unfortunately so bad is BBD we could probably put him on Facebook Marketplace and still get no takers. 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 hour ago, gio1saints said:

No Downs and no Stewart and yet even with multiple subs and an obvious need for, perhaps a chunkier guy to hold the ball up front a moment for us, BBD can’t get on.

I think his selection on the bench, on live tv for the last two matches is what’s known as “player availability for sale or loan “ advertising. I’m surprised that when camera pans to the bench he’s not been told to wear a “For Sale” fluorescent vest. 
 

Having sale prices on the back of the shirts, instead of squad numbers was also a clue to SR's approach. 🙂

[VectisSaint]

23 minutes ago, derry said:

Quarshie and THB could improve their's and the team's performance immeasurably if they just stopped the short recycling and hit the ball up the lines. Most of our problems were caused by losing the ball cheaply and far too often.

Quarshie early on kept hitting the ball to Welington, often with poor passes, including the one that led to their goal. It was his hits up the line that caused our problems. Same to an extent with THB. But I agree the short recycling needs to be cut out.

[gio1saints]

1 hour ago, Dr Who? said:

But when I bet it never comes in. 
Yesterday I was at the Carlisle game, and when they were 3-1 up with 15 minutes left I said to my boy, Carlisle are sitting back I can see this causing problems (because they cannot defend). I said I can see this being 3-3. Also when Boreham Wood got back to 3-2, the scoreboard came up with 3-3. 😂. 
if I had bet on it, neither of these would have happened, even though they did! 

The Gamblers Paradox ! 

Edited 7 hours ago by gio1saints

[Midfield_General]

3 hours ago, Matthew Le God said:

Armstrong was central today where he isn't as good, Archer wasn't on long and BBD didn't play. Our two main big central strikers (Damion Downs and Ross Stewart) were ill today.

 I know. 

So just to be clear, even when two of our other forwards are unavailable, of the three players you said were definitely good enough to score the goals for a promotion chasing Championship team:

One isn't even good enough to get on the pitch

One is only good enough to be given 20 minutes off the bench, and contributed no shots either on or off target

One played 83 minutes and contributed no shots either on or off target

These are the players you said are good enough 🤣🤣🤣 

[AlexLaw76]

1 minute ago, Midfield_General said:

 I know. 

So just to be clear, even when two of our other forwards are unavailable, of the three players you said were definitely good enough to score the goals for a promotion chasing Championship team:

One isn't even good enough to get on the pitch

One is only good enough to be given 20 minutes off the bench, and contributed no shots either on or off target

One played 83 minutes and contributed no shots either on or off target

These are the players you said are good enough 🤣🤣🤣 

They have proven to score goals at this level. They are no good with how Still seemingly wants to play (hoof)

seriously, we should have bought Kieffer Moore, perfect for us now.

[Andrew Watson]

A very good point, as Derry  said we cause most of our  own defensive problems,by continually giving the ball away at the back with some awful passing.

[Lord Duckhunter]

5 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

They have proven to score goals at this level.

Stop living in the past. Armstrong was pony for WBA last season, and looks like carrying on that form this. BBD was pony for Sheffield Utd last season and can’t even get a game this….

[Nolan]

44 minutes ago, Paul_B said:

I'm not so sure. Looks like someone stealing a living as a professional football player to me.

At least with Edwards and THB you can see there is a player there, this guy is just terrible.

He's only just turned 21. FFS.

He's done enough on the pitch in the last two league games to warrant his place. Yes he makes mistakes, but his pace and his throw add something others don't.

[Sheaf Saint]

14 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

with how Still seemingly wants to play (hoof)

No idea what you've been watching but I haven't seen the slightest indication that this is how Still wants us to play. 

[AlexLaw76]

Just now, Sheaf Saint said:

No idea what you've been watching but I haven't seen the slightest indication that this is how Still wants us to play. 

We are now playing plenty of long balls for the striker. Given we have 6 or so defensive players, there is often (not always) a gap between the attack and defence.

gar too many times the defence whacks a direct pass for Armstrong to win - and he doesn’t 9/10

[Sheaf Saint]

8 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

We are now playing plenty of long balls for the striker. Given we have 6 or so defensive players, there is often (not always) a gap between the attack and defence.

gar too many times the defence whacks a direct pass for Armstrong to win - and he doesn’t 9/10

You must have been watching a completely different game from me today then, cos I saw no evidence us launching long balls to Armstrong at all. 

[Totton Saint]

At least the commentator said It was entertaining game. Maybe that is how if being a neutral gives an unbiased view of things.

I think Dibling would be no great loss the way Robinson is playing.

Our goal was the exact opposite of Hoof Ball.

[spyinthesky]

53 minutes ago, VectisSaint said:

Quarshie early on kept hitting the ball to Welington, often with poor passes, including the one that led to their goal. It was his hits up the line that caused our problems. Same to an extent with THB. But I agree the short recycling needs to be cut out.

Quarshie did the same v Wrexham

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

3 hours ago, kjurwi said:

Baz, Fraser, Fernandes and Robinson good today. 

 

Forgot Charles, he was good aswell.

Yes, they all played well though F.Downes was my star today. Covered a lot of ground and the midfield wasn't overrun at all.

Actually thought THB and Jack S were also very solid after that initial cock-up.

[Paul_B]

30 minutes ago, Nolan said:

He's only just turned 21. FFS.

He's done enough on the pitch in the last two league games to warrant his place. Yes he makes mistakes, but his pace and his throw add something others don't.

Age is irrelevant. 

He really hasn't, quite the opposite in fact. I've also thought he looks quite sluggish. A long throw is pointless when it goes to nobody/we have no target man to get on it anyway. He's a donkey.....same sort of calibre as BBD.

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

4 minutes ago, Paul_B said:

Age is irrelevant. 

He really hasn't, quite the opposite in fact. I've also thought he looks quite sluggish. A long throw is pointless when it goes to nobody/we have no target man to get on it anyway. He's a donkey.....same sort of calibre as BBD.

I'm more on Nolan's side. He really does need practice on how to kick a ball, but he can head it, he tracks back quickly and as someone who remembers those pathetic Salisu long throws, I think his long throw is a positive addition to our side's attacking options.

And you can't compare to BBD. He is pony!