Saints 0-0 Skates - Match Thread

[saintant]

They're big and strong and are bullying us.

[AlexLaw76]

Just now, Lighthouse said:

He’s had bugger all to work with on this showing. We’d be better off with Grant Holt, playing like this.

Keiffer Moore?

[Baird of the land]

Our intensity is awful

[lambtiss]

4 minutes ago, sotonric said:

Ha! I was going to ask if they were twins 😂

Inbreeding? 

[whelk]

Is Still going to drone on in his monotone voice at half time about this is just another game  

[Gloucester Saint]

This is like a game at Whaddon Road. League 2, ball in the air a lot, head tennis and lots of blind help ons. 

[AlexLaw76]

Is this really the magic of Will Still?

long passes to Archer?

[benjii]

1 minute ago, saintant said:

They're big and strong and are bullying us.

I don't think that's true. Individual duals are going fine. The set up and tactics are terrible.

[BotleySaint]

Awful so far. We can't keep the ball or string any passes together. All very desperate. 

[adrian lord]

Pompey look at home.

[saintant]

2nd best in every department.

[SNSUN]

Afternoon all. Was on nights so just woke up. Now Saints can do the same amirite...

Line up exactly what we wanted, bound to be a bit disjointed with newbies but once we gel we'll be as unstoppable as the swathe of Freshers trying to get to Bonnie Blue's bus at Newcastle Uni.

[Sheaf Saint]

Our entire tactic so far seems to be 'lump it forwards to Archer'. 

[Winnersaint]

Seen us play better……last season.

[Lighthouse]

Has Manning played football before?

[Colinjb]

Finally, ball controlled, passing it and stretching them.

[Smirking_Saint]

If he wanted to play this shite long ball why start Archer ?

[adrian lord]

Corner.

[BotleySaint]

Finally moved the ball faster. 

[Farmer Saint]

We did a shot.

[Smirking_Saint]

Fuck me… much better playing some football 

[Sheaf Saint]

Wrong choice from Manning to hit that. 

[sotonric]

10 minutes since their sub keeper came on, and he could have spent the entire time sat on a deckchair.

[Gloucester Saint]

Bar the Dozzell effort, lucky they’ve not had the quality Wrexham, Stoke and Watford had. Better move there. More like that please. Archer has done well, won and held up.

[BotleySaint]

Just now, Sheaf Saint said:

Wrong choice from Manning to hit that. 

Be he's been hitting them well lately so I don't blame him for having a go. 

 

[SaintsfanSwindon]

Dreadful. Charles the only player that has showed up so far. 

[Colinjb]

No space to run into on the right. Fraser hasn't had a sniff.

The Skates are physical and organised.

[Gloucester Saint]

2 minutes ago, Smirking_Saint said:

If he wanted to play this shite long ball why start Archer ?

Agree, that said Archer has played well and won his duels. Sadly he’s been on his own bar Charles.

Edited 14 September, 2025 by Gloucester Saint

[stknowle]

4 minutes ago, Turkish said:

This has been shit so far

A statement as applicable to the season as it is to this match sadly. 

[benjii]

What the fuck are we doing so deep when they're on the ball.

[AlexLaw76]

This is pathetic performance

[Sheaf Saint]

Oh dear. What a fucking bell end.

[gio1saints]

They better than us. Deserve to be ahead frankly. 

[Edmonton Saint]

Grim so far. Sloppy in possession and aimless punts up field toward Archer.

[Sunglasses Ron]

Pretty shambolic so far TBH.

Hopefully we’ll improve exponentially as they start to tire.

[saintant]

Too big  gap between our attack and midfield. Pompey much more compact and have a better shape.

[benjii]

Utterly bizarre that we let their keeper walk up to the middle of their half under no pressure time after time.

I honestly think our coaching must be pathetic.

[Jonnyboy]

The Koeman days seem so long ago on a day like today

[John Boy Saint]

2 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Wrong choice from Manning to hit that. 

He did have to negotiate the ref, who has been in the way quite a few times

[Suhari]

Fuck me. Ricky Hatton has died.

Guy was a legend.

[Smirking_Saint]

Just now, Gloucester Saint said:

Agree, that said Archer has played well and won his duels. Sadly he’s been on his own bar Charles.

Agree

I like archer, he’s probably my starting No.9 but he’s not going to hold the ball up

Every long ball we lose comes straight back… I ‘think’ he’s trying to play how Ralph used to play, where you try to catch their back four in possession but they’ve dealt with it well.. and our press is lethargic 

[AlexLaw76]

Fucking pathetic 

[imadirtyurchin]

One of the Boro criticisms of Azaz when we signed him was that he had a tendency to go missing in big games. That seems accurate so far.

[saintant]

Being outclassed here at home by Pompey. Let that sink in.

[AlexLaw76]

Just now, imadirtyurchin said:

One of the Boro criticisms of Azaz when we signed him was that he had a tendency to go missing in big games. That seems accurate so far.

Hardly surprising given our tactic is to sit deep and launch it to Archer

woeful 

[Gloucester Saint]

1 minute ago, Smirking_Saint said:

our press is lethargic 

That’s being kind - a sloth sleeping in a tree has more energy bar Archer and Charles. Murphy puts in another quality delivery. 

[stknowle]

What exactly is our game plan here? Is there one? 

[Gloucester Saint]

Add Baz claiming the ball positively and physically as a rare first half positive. 

Thought I’d add something to cheer up @Lighthouse and frankly us all.

Edited 14 September, 2025 by Gloucester Saint

[BotleySaint]

Just now, AlexLaw76 said:

Hardly surprising given our tactic is to sit deep and launch it to Archer

woeful 

Yep, he has been completely bypassed so far. Tactics a mess. 

[Baird of the land]

why doesn't our so called manager do something to counteract way game is going