Watford 2-2 Saints - Match Thread

[musesaint]

Disappointed with yesterday’s result. Same old issues resurfacing. We are creating more chances but still lacking the clinical edge to put them in the net. The points made about the midfield are spot on in this thread. We are repeatedly being overrun and out muscled in midfield. As a result, the our already vulnerable defence is being put under constant pressure forcing silly mistakes and fouls and gifting unnecessary goals to opponents. It’s early days in the season but we need to kick on after the International Break if we are to have any chance of automatic promotion or even a playoff spot. 
 

 

[bpsaint]

1 hour ago, macca155 said:

In contrast THB had another average game, constantly pulled out of position, and there is hardly an eyebrow raised. Which is fair enough frankly because he needs to rediscover his game.

He hasn’t looked like the THB of 2023/24 at all, wonder if he was expecting another side to come in for him particularly after his England call up. That and a season of spankings has probably messed with his head.

Reckon some of our squad could do with a sports psychologist to get some focus back.

[Hodgey]

I think this Championship is much tougher than the last time we were in it and honestly I’m not convinced we are top 2 material. I think we’ll be ok upfront with new signings but that core of gk,cb,dcm simply isn’t at the standard required and doesn’t look like we will improve it. I also have doubts that we have the right type of cf.

I do expect us to be highly competitive but can see a number of stoke and Watford style results keeping us in a play off battle.

still - much more fun than the Prem. on which note those wanting prem level players is a very tall ask, think we are doing the right thing getting top quality Championship players and worrying about it if we go up (interestingly consensus is that Azaz isn’t Prem quality but Fellows may be)

[East Kent Saint]

Early days yet and we wait to see what the new squad members add. Plus a few hangers on are away for the season or gone altogether so a new team spirit to cultivate !

[Charlie Wayman]

Very poor performances from both sides in an ugly, foul ridden match. Especially in the first quarter of the match Watford were in our faces all the time, over-physical and fouling at virtually every touch. "Dirty sods" came to my mind more than once!

Apart from 'getting the ball in the net' we seemed to have no discernible game plan at all although arguably the early physicality of Watford probably knocked us out of our stride so much that we never recoverd and got going. We just let the B's (!) dictate the pace and style of the game.

Poor team selection didn't help. Azaz was okay on his debut but needs to work much harder off the ball, not just stand around and watch when he loses it. Robinson as we are beginning to expect was a bundle of energy and determination but he still needs to learn how to channel his enthusiasm better. Taylor Harwood-Bellis was out of postion on the left side of the back three and seemed out of sorts. He's probably looking at the exit door and hoping somebody will come in for him tomorrow. 

It's still early days to pronounce judgement but the clock is ticking; on this showing Will Still needs to show us what all the hype was about " 'cos at the moment it ain't looking great". 

Anybody know what the touchline bust up was all about after the fianl whistle?

Edited 19 hours ago by Charlie Wayman

[Forester]

Always a good trip to Watford, albeit frustrating to lose the lead twice.  My reflections would be:

- Wrong choice to play Robinson in midfield once Downes withdrew.  And this was our conclusion as soon as we kicked off and saw formation rather than hindsight.  Would have preferred almost any other logical choice, eg Wee Man deeper, Edwards, Matsuki, Stephens in that role

- Azaz looks class, and looks a very good signing.  A touch of the Lallana/Tadic/Boufal unpredictability about him, albeit he has much to do to be in the same class as the first two

- While a bit chaotic, the playing ball earlier and behind Watford defence looked dangerous and is likely to get best out of our forwards given their profile.  Can see this working well away from home, but at St Mary’s doubt we will be given much space as teams defend deeper

- I felt Roeslev looked injured/knackered from about 65 mins onwards and should have come off sooner.  For this and the Robinson decision it is Still’s least impressive game management fixture so far for me, but am sure he will have learned much.

Overall I am not as concerned as many on here.  I remember leaving home at 330am almost exactly two years ago to be battered 5-0 by Sunderland, and you can see Ipswich are yet to get going too.  We need ultimately two points per game and so we have three points to make up in 42 games, with news signings yet to feature.  Very early days.

 

[saintant]

15 hours ago, Ex Lion Tamer said:

The free kick was on the side that the GK would normally leave to the wall, so I'm not sure he should be expected to save it. However, it did seem like he should have got closer to it. It was almost like he misjudged the height. 

No goalkeeper can leave a free kick to the wall. It's his job to set the wall up correctly and then position himself to give him the optimum chance to save the kick whether it goes his side or the side he's set his wall to help defend. Free kick defensive set up is all down to the goalkeeper, it's his job.

[saintant]

4 hours ago, hypochondriac said:

That was our issue even two seasons ago tbh. I look at a team like Burnley in this league and wonder why we can't go multiple games without conceding or even just reducing the amount of times we let goals in. It's really frustrating because actually we play quite well some of the time. I agree with Still, we never put in a 96 minute performance, it's always moments of games where we perform.

Mainly because our go to centre half is Jack Stephens - if he's considered the best it highlights how bad the rest are.

[Sheaf Saint]

4 hours ago, bpsaint said:

He hasn’t looked like the THB of 2023/24 at all, wonder if he was expecting another side to come in for him particularly after his England call up. That and a season of spankings has probably messed with his head.

Reckon some of our squad could do with a sports psychologist to get some focus back.

In fairness, he picked up an injury towards the end of last season and missed all of pre-season and then the first 3 games. It's no surprise he's looking a little rusty.

[Patrick Bateman]

7 hours ago, Sheaf Saint said:

In fairness, he picked up an injury towards the end of last season and missed all of pre-season and then the first 3 games. It's no surprise he's looking a little rusty.

Get Eileen Drewery on the case.

[StrangelyBrown]

19 hours ago, bpsaint said:

He hasn’t looked like the THB of 2023/24 at all, wonder if he was expecting another side to come in for him particularly after his England call up. That and a season of spankings has probably messed with his head.

Reckon some of our squad could do with a sports psychologist to get some focus back.

My view is this is just down to formation. He looked his best in the 23/24 season in a 2 playing with Bednarek, whereas in a 3 he looked like a fish out of water.

In a 3 there seems to be confusion around who is doing what - i.e. who is marking who and as a consequence THB often looks like he's waiting for someone else to take responsibility. Stephens does this all the time too.

In a 2 the responsibilities are super clear and I'm confident THB would look significantly better provided he's not paired with Stephens who is a liability regardless of formation.