Saints 1-2 Stoke - Match Thread

[die Mannyschaft]

M3 very slow at All brook junction 

[Matthew Le God]

 

[davefizzy14]

Hoping we can get another positive result today - 2-0 to us Stewart and Fernandes to score 😊 COYR 

Hoping that Roerslev makes his debut today too 😊

Edited 23 August, 2025 by davefizzy14

[Paul_B]

19 minutes ago, davefizzy14 said:

Hoping we can get another positive result today - 2-0 to us Stewart and Fernandes to score 😊 COYR 

Hoping that Roerslev makes his debut today too 😊

Is the glass man actually available? 

[Scoobysaint]

Would have liked Stewart for Arma but otherwise, as expected.

[SNSUN]

Wood over Quarshie. Otherwise as expected. Bench looks good but we still lack creativity. 

[Saint NL]

[RedArmy]

Armstrong again 

 

He has got to be joking 

[Convict Colony]

We obviously want our wing backs and midfielders to have a lot of the ball seeing as it will be coming straight back as soon as it goes to armstrong.

[Wade Garrett]

How on earth is Armstrong starting?  He was dogshit against Wrexham.

[Smirking_Saint]

Not sure im a fan of leading a line with Arma leading the line although at home against lesser opponents to last week we should have more opportunity to press them

Lets see 

Nice to see Stewart and Downs on the bench

[LGTL]

Strange selection to be honest. Slightly concerning that anyone thinks Armstrong is a lone striker, let alone our manager. 

[tdmickey3]

6 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

How on earth is Armstrong starting?  He was dogshit against Wrexham.

Ridiculous 

[UpweySaint]

I could be way off but with the players on the pitch I’m thinking its a 5 at the back out of possession and 4 in with Fraser going up to right wing allowing Robinson to get up along Armstrong. I agree with others worries about Armstrong as the out ball but I guess it depends how the game plays out. 

[Smirking_Saint]

3 minutes ago, LGTL said:

Strange selection to be honest. Slightly concerning that anyone thinks Armstrong is a lone striker, let alone our manager. 

Im assuming its because he expects us to press and Arma is high energy

Which… coincidentally fits one of Downs’ attributes, work rate, albeit in a bigger frame

[egg]

Not unhappy with that, although I'd have preferred any of the other 3 up top instead of AA. Wood at the back for Quarshie makes sense. 

[tdmickey3]

3 minutes ago, LGTL said:

Strange selection to be honest. Slightly concerning that anyone thinks Armstrong is a lone striker, let alone our manager. 

Yep, its been proven over and over that he is useless at it, why do we persist with it.

I like Still but hope this is not his blind spot

[OttawaSaint]

3/5 at the back again and AArm up top. Why do we persist with this? It's a dreadful formation, so unbalanced.

[vectraman]

🤞🤞Armstrong scores and proves all us doubters wrong. 

[santolijador]

1 minute ago, OttawaSaint said:

3/5 at the back again and AArm up top. Why do we persist with this? It's a dreadful formation, so unbalanced.

Unbeaten so far though 👀

I agree though, not ideal but I think we are still improvising a bit till transfer window closes. My suspicion is Armstrong has some credit in the bank with his champ scoring record, and I thought he pressed well last week against Ipswich. I think Still will change things up in the second half, but we should be able to be a bit more aggressive in the press today and I hope that plays into Arma's hands. 

[Challenger]

4 minutes ago, tdmickey3 said:

Yep, its been proven over and over that he is useless at it, why do we persist with it.

I like Still but hope this is not his blind spot

Maybe a non scoring defeat today might be a kick up the ass for him.

[RedArmy]

3 minutes ago, OttawaSaint said:

3/5 at the back again and AArm up top. Why do we persist with this? It's a dreadful formation, so unbalanced.

Because apparently we don’t have any wingers. Strange that because we’re playing one at RWB and one in attacking midfield and one up front. 

[AlexLaw76]

3 at the back, arma line striker

dog shit

 

[Charlie Wayman]

5 minutes ago, tdmickey3 said:

Yep, its been proven over and over that he is useless at it, why do we persist with it.

I like Still but hope this is not his blind spot

Not his only blind spot though is it, he also keeps picking Shoehorn. Not sure even Willy Will can carry two passengers.

No Sugar on the bench, does this mean he is defo off?

[Convict Colony]

Just now, Charlie Wayman said:

Not his only blind spot though is it, he also keeps picking Shoehorn. Not sure even Willy Will can carry two passengers.

No Sugar on the bench, does this mean he is defo off?

He's been our best defender so far.

[DT]

Adam Armstrong is shit. Why does he keep getting picked?

[revolution saint]

Sugawara must be off fairly soon. Strange with Armstrong though. I guess he had chances against Wrexham but even so, still seems a strange pick.

[danjosaint]

Great around the changing room 

[sandwichsaint]

Trust the process, we Will be joint top at 5 o’clock tonight. 

[LGTL]

I can only think Still is blinded by the 25 goals Armstrong got in the Championship last time. Hardly any of which were as a lone striker, if any. 

[OttawaSaint]

4 minutes ago, DT said:

Adam Armstrong is shit. Why does he keep getting picked?

Cos MLG made him good on FM.

[benjii]

33 minutes ago, SNSUN said:

Wood over Quarshie. Otherwise as expected. Bench looks good but we still lack creativity. 

Edwards.... gone from a big hope for the season to 5th choice already.

[Willo of Whiteley]

My wife has gone full tourist in the Chapel end, snapping photos of anything and everything.

👀🤣

[EBS1980]

15 minutes ago, OttawaSaint said:

3/5 at the back again and AArm up top. Why do we persist with this? It's a dreadful formation, so unbalanced.

Because we haven’t signed the midfielders yet to play with wingers instead. Until we do it’ll be 3/5 at the back 

[suewhistle]

In the pub somebody showed me the team.. Who is playing up top, I asked? Armstrong? We both made a face. 

 I hope he now goes and shows us as all wrong! 

[stknowle]

18 minutes ago, egg said:

Not unhappy with that, although I'd have preferred any of the other 3 up top instead of AA. Wood at the back for Quarshie makes sense. 

I was unhappy enough reading the line up but after consulting the BBC to see how were set up I’m absolutely FURIOUS.

[Gloucester Saint]

11 minutes ago, benjii said:

Edwards.... gone from a big hope for the season to 5th choice already.

He’s looked terrible though. Wouldn’t be a surprise to see him loaned out.

[gio1saints]

Have to mention Mattie looks full of beans and very up for it today if his rondo performance is any judge. Made everyone else look pedestrian. Like- this is the top top player with instant reactions and the rest of you just play at about two heartbeats slower. First time I seen this in these pre match efforts. Impressive given the noise around him. C’mon Mattie give us a goal- and 3 points!😇

[Wade Garrett]

30 minutes ago, vectraman said:

🤞🤞Armstrong scores and proves all us doubters wrong. 

He couldn’t put one in from inside the 6 yard box with the keeper on his arse against Wrexham so don’t get your hopes up.

[Baird of the land]

No centre forward displeases me

surprised manning isn’t starting.

[bugenhagen]

I don't think Still sees "leading the line" the same way most of us do. To him it is more about pressing, having a good finisher inside the box when the chances come, and be able to break the lines with pace. Holding up the ball, being strong and good in the air are secondary skills and attributes.

I do not agree with this, but there is no way Will looks at this role the same way most of us do, and continues to select Arma. Hei is neither blind nor stupid, and he has about the same understanding of football as most of us here😉

[Toussaint]

27 minutes ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Not his only blind spot though is it, he also keeps picking Shoehorn. Not sure even Willy Will can carry two passengers.

No Sugar on the bench, does this mean he is defo off?

Keeps picking the best and payer for the first two games, strange. 

[Maggie May]

16 minutes ago, stknowle said:

I was unhappy enough reading the line up but after consulting the BBC to see how were set up I’m absolutely FURIOUS.

Is one of your tabs “Best alcoholic drinks to take the edge of watching Saints”?

[Harry_SFC]

22 minutes ago, EBS1980 said:

Because we haven’t signed the midfielders yet to play with wingers instead. Until we do it’ll be 3/5 at the back 

I keep seeing this but why can't Fraser play on the right and Robinson on the left? Surely Robinson plays on the left in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 even once we've signed a new winger or two? 

[stknowle]

5 minutes ago, Maggie May said:

Is one of your tabs “Best alcoholic drinks to take the edge of watching Saints”?

It’s actually ‘best alcohol free beers’ honestly guv. I won’t be drinking any during the game though.😁🍺

[Saint Fan CaM]

Manning in the bench as Will fancies not conceding early. Stephens in back three - disappointing but inevitable. AA up front…good for an early press - again inevitable. It’s going to be a difficult day.

[benjii]

Where the boss streams at?

[Southner]

We'll be stoked if we lose this. 

[Saint_clark]

Flashscores has some interesting ideas for our lineup.

[egg]

41 minutes ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Not his only blind spot though is it, he also keeps picking Shoehorn. Not sure even Willy Will can carry two passengers.

No Sugar on the bench, does this mean he is defo off?

Stephens has been our best defender by a country mile. Of course he's being picked.