Saints 1-2 Stoke - Match Thread

[saintant]

1 hour ago, OttawaSaint said:

Archer is utter wank!

You're not wrong 🙂

[Miltonaggro]

Just now, Toussaint said:

Imagine that team minus Fernandes 

And that was probably his worst game for us today! 

[bogwoppit]

Complete pile of shit.

We have been poor every game this season.

Downes screwed up for the first goal, then missed a header.

Forwards look poor.

formation and players positions questionable.

build up play slow

Basically, all round shit day.

I presume we may sign a couple of players then loan out to Turkey Utd

 

 

[Toussaint]

13 minutes ago, Football Special said:

Yes , we've had some wise guys on here preaching that our pile of shite squad from last season will still be "good enough for the championship " despite us losing what little quality we had. 

Damion Downs will be worse than Sekou Mara 

I don’t know how Downs will turn out, I’m not especially hopeful for him, but the bigger issue he isn’t championship ready. This is what concerns me with the current set up, I’m OK with Still, but neither he or Spores know what is required in this league, whereas you can see Mark Robbins and whoever buys their players know exactly what is required.

Edited 5 hours ago by Toussaint

[beatlesaint]

Very powder puff up front. If I was Still I’d be demanding a good chunk of that Dibling money is spent on a proven goalscorer at this level.

Oh and he must see that Armstrong is shite through the middle by now. If you play him play him out wide ffs. Even Russell sussed that out.

[Pamplemousse]

Bad in both boxes.

We need some new signings but can't say I'm optimistic we'll get them right. The two we signed early on are both on the bench! If they can't get ahead of this shower of shit, what was the point of signing them? Money wasted.

We need quality, sort it out Spors, it's your job.

[Gloucester Saint]

8 minutes ago, Nolan said:

My word isn't everybody having a hilarious meltdown.

We had a testing start and know that there's another week to go. 

We missed Quarshies pace in chasing the ball back. He has to start over Wood.

We'll need to get some left back cover in on loan as Weli didn't look good. 

We need to be faster on the ball. Both Stoke and Ipswich had too much time and ability to leverage Charles out of the game. 

FFS two years ago we lost 4 on the bounce at the beginning of the season, and Still's a lot more proactive in play than Martin was. 

Lesson learnt, let's take it out on Norwich on Tuesday.

Spors and Dragan under huge pressure, and Still will be a goner if we lose the derby.

They need to pull off some magic in the transfer window this week, real drive, urgency and intent needed. 

[saintant]

Been banging on that we still haven't resolved the centre forward position and all I get is we won't be buying one. Well, today again showed that we need one as a priority and. if we don't fix that then goals are going to be very hard to come by.

Will Still needs to immediately drop the 5 at the back rubbish because every man and his dog can see it doesn't work for us and leaves us with an extra centre half on the pitch that we don't need at the expense of an extra body in midfield or up front that we do need.

Spors and the recruitment team will need to have some magic up their sleeves this week or we are in for a long and disappointing season.

This team ruined plenty of weekends last season but I was hoping things would improve but we are a long way off the squad we need. Too much dead wood is still getting picked and it's going to make it hard to win football matches which is Will Still's mantra. Weak as the squad is he needs to explain what he's trying to achieve with this 5 at the back and I don't buy the excuse that we can't play a 4 with the players we have - that's just a cop out.

[Patches O Houlihan]

2 minutes ago, saintant said:

This team ruined plenty of weekends last season but I was hoping things would improve but we are a long way off the squad we need. Too much dead wood is still getting picked and it's going to make it hard to win football matches which is Will Still's mantra. Weak as the squad is he needs to explain what he's trying to achieve with this 5 at the back and I don't buy the excuse that we can't play a 4 with the players we have - that's just a cop out.

Who that was picked today do you class as dead wood?

I'm sure we'd all like a PL standard squad, but of the players we have at the club who would you have played today instead?

[Willo of Whiteley]

Charles and Downes are the same player sitting deep; and all Fernandes did was run and play deep too.

So we effectively had three holding midfielders not moving forward with three CB’s behind them.

[Sheaf Saint]

Just now, Patches O Houlihan said:

Who that was picked today do you class as dead wood?

I'm sure we'd all like a PL standard squad, but of the players we have at the club who would you have played today instead?

I think the point is that we haven't been able to replace the dead wood, hence they are still first choice (and being made captain).

[spyinthesky]

Stoke deserved the win although we were unlucky with Robinsons two efforts both well struck, both hitting the same post.
I cant think of any redeeming qualities.
All of the players, without exception, gave the ball away.
The midfield two of Charles & Downes, normally the heartbeat of the side, were very poor.
Even Fernandes looked off the pace.
Jay Robinson did OK and on another day would have scored again.
Our front 5 options are not very good:
Armstrong (£15m) is not a central striker
Downes     (£8m) as someone posted early seems to be a Mara Mark2
Archer       (£10m) anonymous
Stewart      (£8m) I still think there is a player there but has yet to prove it and missed a sitter today.
BBD            (£8m) ??????????????????????????
So around £50m wasted although I do excuse Armstrong as he did OK 2 seasons ago.

So this season..
Could have lost 2-0 at home to Wrexham if Baz hadnt made an excellent save.
Just about deserved a draw at Ipswich.
No great shakes with a 1-0 win at League 1 Northampton
Deservedly beaten by 10 men Stoke today.
Cant see us being any more than a mid table side this season if current form is not improved.
AND let's mither on the fact that all three promoted sides have already won one game each in the Prem!!

[saintant]

Just now, Patches O Houlihan said:

Who that was picked today do you class as dead wood?

I'm sure we'd all like a PL standard squad, but of the players we have at the club who would you have played today instead?

Stephens, Downes, Charles (not convinced), Wellington, Armstrong - we need better players than these guys as first picks or we're kidding ourselves that we gave a good squad.

[Sparkkyy]

14 minutes ago, beatlesaint said:

Very powder puff up front. If I was Still I’d be demanding a good chunk of that Dibling money is spent on a proven goalscorer at this level.

Oh and he must see that Armstrong is shite through the middle by now. If you play him play him out wide ffs. Even Russell sussed that out.

But we’ve got proven goalscorers at this level according to some. You know who you are. Very quiet this evening. Clueless clown

[spyinthesky]

22 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

F**k me that was bad, from pretty much all involved. Five at the back is fine, if your WBs are pushing high up the pitch but ours seemed to play more like traditional FB just with three CBs in the middle. Nothing in front of them and trying to go long and central to a dwarf #9. At home to Stoke that really is a poor mindset, Armstrong leading the line, Robinson the creativity and nine ball recyclers behind them. Second half we got forward more but it was barely an improvement. Pass, pass, pass, floaty cross from deep straight down Johansson’s throat.

Downs, I know it’s early days but he looks like Onuachu with a fancy hair-do.

Downes, an absolute mug for their first goal and poor generally.

Still took nine minutes to make a sub after the red card, used up nearly a third of our remaining time. Stewart should have been on at HT for Wood, up ahead of AA. Not doing that immediately against ten men, just to see how it goes is really poor and indecisive on his part.

Early days but big improvement needed. Still no goals from any striker in four matches too.

Spot on point. Well made. Worrying.

[Greedyfly]

1 hour ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Did you miss that 5-0 defeat at Sunderland this time 2 years ago then? 

I'm splitting hairs but that was the 5th game in. We were better in the games in the run up to that drawing 1 and winning 3.

 

But that's besides my  overriding point and that this is still shit football. And Still isn't helping himself.

[Suhari]

Didn't watch today, followed it here.

So basically we were shite? Thought the line up was decent (aside from AA upfront). On paper a strong team.

So what happened? 3 CBs still not working for us, and an off-day for too many I guess.

[Sheaf Saint]

1 minute ago, Suhari said:

Didn't watch today, followed it here.

So basically we were shite? Thought the line up was decent (aside from AA upfront). On paper a strong team.

So what happened? 3 CBs still not working for us, and an off-day for too many I guess.

Stoke did a number on us. They were well organised and attacked at pace. We were disjointed and pedestrian.

[Willo of Whiteley]

I don’t think you can blame Armstrong for anything this season. Seriously how can you?

He’s made runs, he’s pressed, he’s had shots at goal, put people through etc. But when you’re against at least two defenders a foot taller than you and largely playing on your own, what do you expect?

[Lord Duckhunter]

Stoke were everything we weren’t. Bright, quick, well organised, tough, good defensively and a good keeper. 
 

Even when we’re chasing the game, we’re slow and fucking safe. Downes & Armstrong need to fuck off. Downes, gave them the goal then missed a sitter. Sums him up that in injury time with plenty of time we played the fucking thing backwards, fucking Lego loving fraud. 
 

Frasier probably our best player, probably player of the season so far. That, and the fact 3 of our 4 goals have been scored by defenders, sums up Armstrong, the other Downs & fuvking Rod Stewart. 
 

 

Edited 4 hours ago by Lord Duckhunter

[Lord Duckhunter]

7 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

I don’t think you can blame Armstrong for anything this season. Seriously how can you?

He’s useless

[Willo of Whiteley]

6 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

He’s useless

Tell me something he did wrong today?

Id argue he was better than Charles, Wood etc

[Lord Duckhunter]

3 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Tell me something he did wrong today

Turned up…

[Gloucester Saint]

20 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

I don’t think you can blame Armstrong for anything this season. Seriously how can you?

He’s made runs, he’s pressed, he’s had shots at goal, put people through etc. But when you’re against at least two defenders a foot taller than you and largely playing on your own, what do you expect?

Watch the Wrexham game back. Should score the rebound from Robinson hitting the post, and had another 3-4 very good chances where the keeper isn’t worked.

Today, not sitters like the Wrexham game but should still be on target. Granted, he looks world class compared to fucking Downs and Stewart.

[Jack]

I’m normally one of the more negative, frustrating but I think it’s fine margins there. Downes had a shocker in giving up possession which led to their first, then should’ve equalised right after = different game. Their keeper made an unreal save from THB just before their goal, probably kept them in it. Then we’ve been hugely naive to let their keeper bowl them an assist when we’ve overcommitted. 
 

2 stupid mistakes for their goals, and 3 missed sitters and hit the post twice, really we’ve done enough to win that but fucked it where it counts. 
 

How there’s only 5 mins added too is a joke, should’ve been 12. Another awful official but we’ve got to get used to that 

Edited 4 hours ago by Jack

[stknowle]

40 minutes ago, beatlesaint said:

Very powder puff up front. If I was Still I’d be demanding a good chunk of that Dibling money is spent on a proven goalscorer at this level.

Oh and he must see that Armstrong is shite through the middle by now. If you play him play him out wide ffs. Even Russell sussed that out.

The most worrying bit for me is AA has proven time and time again, over and over again, with us and on loan to West Brom that he is not a CF. Yet we keep playing him there. So in training he must look better than any other option we have. That’s better than Downs, Stewart, Archer, and BBD. All bought into the club after him, and all not considered good enough to play in that position ahead of him even though he is demonstrably crap in it. 

[Football Special]

40 minutes ago, saintant said:

Been banging on that we still haven't resolved the centre forward position and all I get is we won't be buying one. Well, today again showed that we need one as a priority and. if we don't fix that then goals are going to be very hard to come by.

Will Still needs to immediately drop the 5 at the back rubbish because every man and his dog can see it doesn't work for us and leaves us with an extra centre half on the pitch that we don't need at the expense of an extra body in midfield or up front that we do need.

Spors and the recruitment team will need to have some magic up their sleeves this week or we are in for a long and disappointing season.

This team ruined plenty of weekends last season but I was hoping things would improve but we are a long way off the squad we need. Too much dead wood is still getting picked and it's going to make it hard to win football matches which is Will Still's mantra. Weak as the squad is he needs to explain what he's trying to achieve with this 5 at the back and I don't buy the excuse that we can't play a 4 with the players we have - that's just a cop out.

I agree, and if Armstrong is playing give him someone to play alongside,  he only worked last time thanks to Adams 

[OttawaSaint]

1 hour ago, Mr X said:

Till we get a class striker  (hopefully with experience at a higher level) that's capable of 15-20 plus goals we are going to struggle, our strikers simply aren't good enough!. 

And that ain't happening. Mid to lower table scuffers, duffers, and ball watchers this team.

[Oh no Mick Mills]

Nicely summed up Jack. 

Adding to this I thought our midfield 3 were all really poor today....considering we all thought the 3 musketeers were going to tear it up in the Championship.  

 

Edited 4 hours ago by Oh no Mick Mills

[macca155]

I'll probably be labelled a heretic for this, but I thought Fernandes looked very ordinary today. Really didn't seem on it at all. Downes had a poor game, it is in his DNA to recycle the ball, he just cannot push forward.

Wood looked ok , and as others have said, Frazer got stuck in and did his job.

2nd Stoke goal was class, none of our strikers could do that.

Deserved win for Stoke but boy do we need some strikers. Downs made so many runs but our players were too busy passing it sideways to notice.

Early days no need to panic, just learn and sort it out.

[lambtiss]

3 hours ago, santolijador said:

A lot of people calling for a change of shape (which I would probably back) - but -  in several interviews, Still has expressed a desire to be sound defensively and not concede - something we have really struggled with in the last 3-4 years. Stoke are pumping in the crosses, Mubama is a handful and the wide players

Is the thinking here to defend our box with 3 larger lads and get forward on the transition (hence playing Armstrong) - granted the latter hasn't worked, but we haven't looked like conceding from crosses, and I thought our defending of the box was solid in fairness.

Just offering an alternate opinion, if I was in charge I'd be playing the 4 back, but I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing to start by keeping clean sheets and build from there. 

Except we haven't kept one clean sheet

[skintsaint]

2 minutes ago, lambtiss said:

Except we haven't kept one clean sheet

We have...albeit in the cup.

[lambtiss]

48 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

I don’t think you can blame Armstrong for anything this season. Seriously how can you?

He’s made runs, he’s pressed, he’s had shots at goal, put people through etc. But when you’re against at least two defenders a foot taller than you and largely playing on your own, what do you expect?

We should expect not to see him playing down the middle against defenders a foot taller than him.  

[Katalinic]

I thought today exposed every single frailty in our squad - tactically, physically, mentally. I could list them but we've seen them on repeat for years. Sport Republic have a very big week coming up.

[gio1saints]

Our attack , a review.

Adam Armstrong started well first 5mins- and then - well he totally disappeared. Yet again. Demand the fucking ball mate  you were captain once. Bollock everyone when you don’t get given the ball. No, none of that- just acceptance that he, we, are shit. Not happy at all with the attitude. Or performance. 

Ross Stewart’s miss was God-awful. He had one job and a great cross from Manning to do it with - and blew it. He had one hanging cross he could have taken himself but instead let it go out for a throw in. Sorry mate but you are there to take responsibility for scoring. Not Good Enough. 

I think I’ve seen Enough of The Invisible man aka Cameron Archer too. Game after game he plays or comes on, usually instead of AA - and does nothing nothing nothing. It’s like we have ten men when he’s on. He’s got as much threat as a dead sheep. Please get rid. 
 

The new guy Damion- for a big guy he looked like he was shitting his pants out there. Speed of a glacier legs of lead what happens to these guys when they get on the pitch? Can’t run can’t shoot cant jump can’t fight? 
 

Jay Robinson : Thank fuck he’s not been infected by those others-yet. 
 

THB - not his best game but nearly scored twice. Ryan and Fraser - good efforts. 
The rest of you - I’m very very disappointed with you. I’m not going to stop supporting you but you’d better show more bloody fight and will to win. Not this weak shit you are getting overpaid to deliver. 
 

Fucking team and manager should be apologising to supporters for that shite against a technically mediocre team who we made look like fucking Champions league contenders. 
 

 

[Convict Colony]

If still doesn't want to play 4 at the back whose gonna tell him we don't have the players to play 3 at the back.

Also while the centre forwards are getting blamed I feel sorry for them as I see other teams cf getting incisive passes played through on the run into space, we shuffle it out wide and wang it in the mixer.

Also hitting the 1st man the most award today goes to manning @Chez will be doing his nut, Romain Perraud mark 2.

Edited 4 hours ago by Convict Colony

[SNSUN]

Key takeaways

No more 3 CBs.

No more AA at CF. 

We hope Welington is OK.

We cannot rely on JRob all season. 

We need to sign some players. 

We aren't anything special in this League. 

Defeat while window is open has silver linings.

Probably sums it up. Too soon to panic, but while the window is still open we need to get shit done.

Shit. Done.

[lambtiss]

36 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Tell me something he did wrong today?

Id argue he was better than Charles, Wood etc

What at?

[Gloucester Saint]

Just now, Katalinic said:

I thought today exposed every single frailty in our squad - tactically, physically, mentally. I could list them but we've seen them on repeat for years. Sport Republic have a very big week coming up.

Not a year for balancing the books, need to spend right up to what PSR allows to the last penny. Rotten decisions need writing off in businesses. 

[Fabrice29]

46 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

He’s useless

He's not useless but he's not playing in a team set up to suit him anymore. Not entirely sure why we are so insistent on winging crosses into the smallest striker in the league who is flanked by a kid and the smallest winger in the league and backed up by a attacking midfielder who also is pretty small.

Edited 4 hours ago by Fabrice29

[Midfield_General]

Not one of our signings has improved on what we had. 

And what we had was fucking dogshit. 

Therein lies the issue. 

(Mads obviously gets a pass as it's too early to tell)

Edited 4 hours ago by Midfield_General

[lambtiss]

1 hour ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

Who that was picked today do you class as dead wood?

I'm sure we'd all like a PL standard squad, but of the players we have at the club who would you have played today instead?

Ironically,  for a start, Wood looked far too slow. I would have kept faith with Quarshie and, with his pace, kept him as the last man when we were pressing and Stoke were down to 10. Instead of Stephens, who has  little pace. 

I would also have started a PL right back, Roerslev, as right back and had a right winger, Fraser, playing on the right wing. I know, who'd have thunk. 

I would not start Armstrong as a down-the-middle CF when he has proved time and time again, that he can't play there. So, I would have started with Stewart as CF. As we now have a proper CF, I would have played Manning as left full back so that with | Fraser on the right, we have crosses and a threat coming in from both wings.

[Disco Stu]

Any news on Welington?

[Katalinic]

2 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

Any news on Welington?

He got the wrong side of the stretcher

[Gloucester Saint]

3 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

Any news on Welington?

He needs resting when he comes out of the oven. The potatoes and veg are coming on nicely though. 

Edited 3 hours ago by Gloucester Saint

[the boy from saints]

2 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

Any news on Welington?

Not great according to Still. Already had issues on that ankle prior to today's injury.

[derry]

4 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

Any news on Welington?

Still says ankle injury he's had trouble with previously.

[Crab Lungs]

1 hour ago, Toussaint said:

What did Bazunu do? I couldn’t see from the other end of the ground 

Kicked the ball whilst diving towards Lewis Baker for 0-1. Better keepers do better than that. I wonder how many points Johansson is worth to Stoke over a season…

[Gloucester Saint]

2 minutes ago, the boy from saints said:

Not great according to Still. Already had issues on that ankle prior to today's injury.

Charlie Taylor staying then. 

[Mr Dad]

Team fitness in doubt. Need three up front who can run!