Saints 1-1 Boro - Match Thread

[saintant]

Just now, VectisSaint said:

FFS, give it a rest and stop being a twat. I made a comment, you disagree, end of.

Anticipation is an important aspect of the game, especially when you know you have a dodgy keeper behind you. 

Wind your neck in. No need for petty personal insults just because someone disagrees with a stupid comment you made. It's a forum for different viewpoints. If that upsets you so much maybe it's not for you.

[Saint_Jonny]

12 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

People talking on here now like Alex McCarthy is bloody Manuel Nueur 🤣

He is absolutely bloody terrible.

Picking between him and Gavin Bazunu is like being offered the chance to step in cow shit or dog shit. 

Cow all day. 

[egg]

Dunno why, but I'm confident about getting a result here. 2-1 win. 

[tdmickey3]

7 minutes ago, egg said:

Dunno why, but I'm confident about getting a result here. 2-1 win. 

[Chez]

1 hour ago, Saint_Jonny said:

Cow all day. 

It's good luck to tread in cow shit. We could do with some of that, luck, not additional shit.

[trousers]

Another vote for cow shite here 🐄🐮

[SNSUN]

56 minutes ago, trousers said:

Another vote for cow shite here 🐄🐮

Dog shite, but only if I'm wearing someone else's galoshes.

 

God knows what the starting line up will be. I reckon we'll largely stick with the team that started against Hull and not Liverpool, despite getting thrashed in the former and playing well in the latter.

[Obstacle1]

Im not sure which goalkeeper represents which animal but Mccarthy is the lesser of two turds for me

[Willo of Whiteley]

Nearly 24 hours until the team are announced, may as well go with my prediction now: 1-1

I think we’ll score, I think we’ll play a back five and I think Middlesbrough will score a terribly scrappy goal and walk away with a point.

[sad saints fan]

Why do I need a match pass to access content on the O.S

[trousers]

Still: "Whoever we think deserves to play will play...."

Hinting that he'll reward / recognise the team that played vs Liverpool?

[Willo of Whiteley]

1 minute ago, trousers said:

Still: "Whoever we think deserves to play will play...."

Hinting that he'll reward / recognise the team that played vs Liverpool?

*Does not include Gavin Bazunu, who has been poor; Jack Stephens who has been poor; Taylor Harwood-Bellis, who has been poor etc etc.

[trousers]

 

 

[trousers]

 

 

[trousers]

 

 

[trousers]

----------------------- McCarthy -------------------------

-------- Edwards ------- Wood --------- Big Q -----------

Jelert ------------------------------------------- Manning

---------------- Jander -------- Downes -----------------

----- Armstrong (c) ---------------------- Scienza -------

------------------------ Stewart --------------------------

 

Subs: Bazunu, Welington / Roerslev, Stephens / THB, Charles, Azaz, Fraser, Fellows, Robinson, Archer

 

Boom.... 3-1 Saints... COYR!

 

Edited 26 September, 2025 by trousers

[trousers]

[LiberalCommunist]

Talk is cheap. This game needs to be different. 

[Gloucester Saint]

2 hours ago, trousers said:

Another vote for cow shite here 🐄🐮

Puts on Frank Butcher voice…’Paa-aaat’

[Football Special]

2 hours ago, trousers said:

Another vote for cow shite here 🐄🐮

Got to agree,  smells better 

[the saint in winchester]

Don't sweat it, StillWill, 1-3 defeat. But I'll be encouraged if we complete rather than look inferior.

[Barton Saint]

What about giving George Long a go then instead?

Surely can’t do any worse??!!

We don’t want another weekend like last week with Saints losing and Hampshire too; if they lose today and us tomorrow clearly the Gods really have it in for us..

[trousers]

1 minute ago, Barton Saint said:

What about giving George Long a go then instead?

When asked about the goalkeeper situation in the pre-match press conference, Still made a point of highlighting that Long was performing well in training... So be careful what you wish for...

[Midfield_General]

32 minutes ago, Barton Saint said:

What about giving George Long a go then instead?

Surely can’t do any worse??!!

We don’t want another weekend like last week with Saints losing and Hampshire too; if they lose today and us tomorrow clearly the Gods really have it in for us..

George Long is cat shit

[Dark Munster]

1 hour ago, Obstacle1 said:

Im not sure which goalkeeper represents which animal but Mccarthy is the lesser of two turds for me

Presumably Macca is the cow, since nearly everyone agrees that Bazunu is dog shit.

So that’s another vote for the cow shit from me. 

[StrangelyBrown]

I probably need a lie down, but thinking about who I really don't want to see playing and who has looked the most effective recently, I'd switch formations to a 4-3-3 and go with:

 

McCarthy 

Jelert, Wood, Quarshie, Manning 

Shea, Jander, Downes

Fellows, Archer, Robinson

 

It's probably a bit harsh on Frazer, Scienza and Armstrong.

[Lighthouse]

2 hours ago, trousers said:

Always a good idea if you leave them outside overnight and they're cold. 

[Greedyfly]

Jander being fit is a bit of good news from the mid-week's showing.

[Greedyfly]

44 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

George Long is cat shit

But is that better than cow shit?

[Wade Garrett]

17 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

People talking on here now like Alex McCarthy is bloody Manuel Nueur 🤣

He is absolutely bloody terrible.

Picking between him and Gavin Bazunu is like being offered the chance to step in cow shit or dog shit. 

Nobody is saying that about McCarthy to be fair.  

[Wade Garrett]

Difficult for Still to select in a few positions.  Who do you drop from Downes, Casper and Charles?  Charles has been decent as has Casper and Downes was really good the other night.

Who do you play wide?  Frazier has been good this season, Armstrong good the other night and has scored a goal, Fellows is highly rated at this level, Robinson a really good young player.  Do you play 5 at the back and probably sacrifice Azaz?

For me, the simple choices are to drop those that have been woeful - Stephens, THB, Baz, Downs and the RB from Brentford.

I don’t envy Still.  I hope he shows a ruthless streak, because if he doesn’t and keeps picking under-performing players it’s his job on the line.

I was really encouraged by our general play against Liverpool after the horror show v Hull.  A lot of that was down to a change in personnel - players who don’t seem to just be able to play RussBall.

[Gloucester Saint]

1 hour ago, Midfield_General said:

George Long is cat shit

More like lion shit it smells so foul. Need to go to Marwell for that. 

Edited 26 September, 2025 by Gloucester Saint

[saintant]

3 hours ago, trousers said:

Still: "Whoever we think deserves to play will play...."

Hinting that he'll reward / recognise the team that played vs Liverpool?

We'll see.

[saintant]

2 hours ago, trousers said:

----------------------- McCarthy -------------------------

-------- Edwards ------- Wood --------- Big Q -----------

Jelert ------------------------------------------- Manning

---------------- Jander -------- Downes -----------------

----- Armstrong (c) ---------------------- Scienza -------

------------------------ Stewart --------------------------

 

Subs: Bazunu, Welington / Roerslev, Stephens / THB, Charles, Azaz, Fraser, Fellows, Robinson, Archer

 

Boom.... 3-1 Saints... COYR!

 

Agree with this starting eleven but we know Capt Jack takes his spot as always.

[bugenhagen]

This is my prediction:

Bazunu

Rørslev, THB, Wood, Stephens, Manning 

Charles, Downes

Armstrong, Archer, Fraser

I hope to see more or less the same team that played on tuesday... 

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, Midfield_General said:

George Long is cat shit

Whereas Russell Martin is bullshit

[Football Special]

1 hour ago, Wade Garrett said:

Difficult for Still to select in a few positions.  Who do you drop from Downes, Casper and Charles?  Charles has been decent as has Casper and Downes was really good the other night.

Who do you play wide?  Frazier has been good this season, Armstrong good the other night and has scored a goal, Fellows is highly rated at this level, Robinson a really good young player.  Do you play 5 at the back and probably sacrifice Azaz?

For me, the simple choices are to drop those that have been woeful - Stephens, THB, Baz, Downs and the RB from Brentford.

I don’t envy Still.  I hope he shows a ruthless streak, because if he doesn’t and keeps picking under-performing players it’s his job on the line.

I was really encouraged by our general play against Liverpool after the horror show v Hull.  A lot of that was down to a change in personnel - players who don’t seem to just be able to play RussBall.

Lots to choose from and need to find a settled team, any mention of Aribo or Edozie? 

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

1 hour ago, Wade Garrett said:

Difficult for Still to select in a few positions.  Who do you drop from Downes, Casper and Charles?  Charles has been decent as has Casper and Downes was really good the other night.

Who do you play wide?  Frazier has been good this season, Armstrong good the other night and has scored a goal, Fellows is highly rated at this level, Robinson a really good young player.  Do you play 5 at the back and probably sacrifice Azaz?

Some times the team picks themselves but right now isn't one of them. Personally, I think Downes (on his day and he has quite a few) and Charles are as solid a midfield as you get in Championship and now that Downes is starting to look forwards rather than backwards, I hope they're picked.

I'm guessing he might revert to 5 at the back but that's not a disaster because hopefully that'll make a place for Wood who needs a run in the team to show just how good he is.

Goalkeeper? I'd choose McCarthy but he comes across as pretty gormless, so he needs to be briefed to kick every ball as far as he can down the pitch!!

[trousers]

 

 

[trousers]

 

 

[SW11_Saint]

McCarthy

Jelert, Stephens, Wood, Manning

Charles, Downes 

Fellows Jander(/Azaz) Scienza 

Archer

[SaintNewForest]

I mean, the fact that the choice is between Bazunu & McCarthy is absurd, and yet another damnijg indictment of yet another piss poor transfer window where we absolutely should've bought a new keeper.

[Harry_SFC]

Must admit I do agree with most of what Will Still says, which can't be said of other managers we've had recently. 

We just need to see the results on the pitch to back it up. 

[Zorba]

Still will mix it up. Unbeaten home run starts today. Scienza hatrick.

Saints 4 - 2 Smoggies 

COYFSFFS

[SW11_Saint]

1 hour ago, SaintNewForest said:

I mean, the fact that the choice is between Bazunu & McCarthy is absurd, and yet another damnijg indictment of yet another piss poor transfer window where we absolutely should've bought a new keeper.

Never a priority. The biggest issue was not buying a guaranteed goal scoring striker. 

[Midfield_General]

23 minutes ago, SW11_Saint said:

Never a priority. The biggest issue was not buying a guaranteed goal scoring striker. 

You need both to properly compete. We neglected both. 

[Willo of Whiteley]

Four and a half hours until the team is announced and already feeling frustrated.

You just know it’ll be the same back five/six as previous league games 

[sfc4prem]

44 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Four and a half hours until the team is announced and already feeling frustrated.

You just know it’ll be the same back five/six as previous league games 

Don't do this to me. Where's the optimism?

Armstrong and Archer to start I reckon. Defence has to include Wood and/or Quarshie.

[Willo of Whiteley]

2 minutes ago, sfc4prem said:

Don't do this to me. Where's the optimism?

Armstrong and Archer to start I reckon. Defence has to include Wood and/or Quarshie.

I’m hoping for a 4-3-3 with Armstrong, Archer and Fraser from right to left.

Im also hoping for Wood to start ahead of Stephens or THB but know this won’t happen.

I can’t see Will Still making wholesale changes even after Tuesday.

[Nieldy]

And our best keeper sits on the bench up in Newcastle in the league games. More chance of getting picked for the world cup if he was playing here regularly.