Saints 1-1 Boro - Match Thread

[Jimmy_D]

Decent game, excellent finish by Armstrong, disappointing result.

[stknowle]

1 minute ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Much improved performance against the league leaders. Frustrating equaliser to concede, but a fair result overall.

Lots of positives to take from that. The changed up defence was so much more comfortable than of late. Jander is developing into a very important player for us. First assist for Fellows. 

Overall I'm not as unhappy right now as I have been most weekends for the last year.

I didn’t think it was a fair result at all but otherwise agree with all that. 

[bpsaint]

Would have taken it before the game of course, but genuinely don’t think Boro deserved a draw from what they created.

The bulk of this squad need to be first choice now, forget shoehorn and THB, they need to earn their place back in the side.

[sfc4prem]

If we had a decent keeper we would've won, right?

[obelisk]

More than enough good chances to win that. Must be more clinical in front of goal. At least we didn't lose it.

[SWLondon Saint]

Good - Jander - best midfielder on the park, winning it, using it well, won free kicks when we needed them. The CBs did well.

Bad - Azaz really didn't do much all game, he seems to be struggling. Stewart did very little too.

Ugly - we went SO PASSIVE after we scored. If the players can't respond the manager has to make changes and get some energy on. Downes for Charles, Archer for Stewart could have worked, anything really. We just went into our shells and invited them on, you could see the equaliser coming.

Edited 6 hours ago by SWLondon Saint

[Picard]

An improvement.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

Fuck knows how they are top of the league. 

[Mr X]

Just now, sfc4prem said:

If we had a decent keeper we would've won, right?

Wasn't it a wicked deflection? 

[coalman]

Jander is just on another level. Let's enjoy the year we have of him.

[LGTL]

Two sitters missed first half and some bizarre subs cost us. Not much else to say. 

[Zorba]

Fair result. We were better but Still not good enough!

[badgerx16]

3 minutes ago, pingpong said:

 

Easy win on Tuesday at least, 

Sheff Utd have just won.

[Costa del Solent]

Objectively, not a great result and always feels worse to lose a lead. 
 

that said, football is not played objectively, and in the context of our current situation, I think another step forward, far better than we’ve seen so far this season. Boro will get promoted this year. And we went toe to toe. Still deeply concerned about the real lack of in form goal scorer (Stewart did a lot well today but not convinced he’s the answer). 
 

more positives to take and, I hope, a purple patch soon. 

[Sheaf Saint]

1 minute ago, stknowle said:

I didn’t think it was a fair result at all but otherwise agree with all that. 

We didn't create enough to be able to claim we deserved to win IMO. 

[sfc4prem]

1 minute ago, Mr X said:

Wasn't it a wicked deflection? 

It was, to be fair. I wonder if Kelvin Davis back in our promotion season would've had the reflexes to save it, though.

[RedArmy]

2 minutes ago, sfc4prem said:

If we had a decent keeper we would've won, right?

Yes and we don’t have one. We played the less shit one today. 

[trousers]

1 minute ago, LGTL said:

some bizarre subs cost us

I can't remember the last time one of our subs had a positive impact on the outcome of the game 

[macca155]

Don't like it but take it. They'll be up there at the end so no disgrace.

Lots of positives most of all a pretty rock steady defence.

Striker situation is desperate, that is going to cost us.

[stknowle]

2 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Fuck knows how they are top of the league. 

Indeed. I don’t think they looked very good at all. Indicative of this being a weak league imho. 

[Greedyfly]

3 minutes ago, Mr X said:

Wasn't it a wicked deflection? 

Yes massively.  Not AMs fault at all.

[Andrew Watson]

Pleased with the changes, but why cannot we keep a clean sheet ? very pissed off with result.

[RedArmy]

Just now, trousers said:

I can't remember the last time one of our subs had a positive impact on the outcome of the game 

An improved performance going forward really highlighted just how bang average Fraser really is when he came on. 

[Ekelund]

1 minute ago, trousers said:

I can't remember the last time one of our subs had a positive impact on the outcome of the game 

Wrexham 

[rooney]

Did not work their keeper enough.Same old story.

[Saint NL]

1 minute ago, stknowle said:

Indeed. I don’t think they looked very good at all. Indicative of this being a weak league imho. 

I had the Boro commentary on, they seemed to think that Boro were well off their usual standards today.

They were there for the taking, it's not unreasonable to say we could have been 2-0 up at half time.

[Sheaf Saint]

1 minute ago, RedArmy said:

An improved performance going forward really highlighted just how bang average Fraser really is when he came on. 

He's lost all his old pace, and without that he's just a nothing player.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

A more cohesive performance. But we will continue to lack quality in key areas, which will hamstring us in every game.

Nice to see AA get a good finish, now that yet another manager has gone through the process of realising he's a starter.

We're a decent Championship team, without a cutting edge up front, enough creativity or a decent keeper.

[stknowle]

1 minute ago, Sheaf Saint said:

We didn't create enough to be able to claim we deserved to win IMO. 

Hmmmm Azaz chance, Quarshie header from 2ft. We were generally dominant they created absolutely fuck all and got lucky with a deflected goal. Didn’t deserve to win in the sense we didn’t take our easy chances I guess, but we really ought to have won that however you slice it.

[LGTL]

4 minutes ago, trousers said:

I can't remember the last time one of our subs had a positive impact on the outcome of the game 

It’s probably Still’s worst attribute. His in game management is severely lacking and has a habit of just throwing a load of players on and hoping for the best. 

[saintstowin]

I'm going to take the positives. Players who did well midweek came in and did well again - especially happy this included the defence. Chances created - presumably through moving the ball well and more quickly (haven't seen a moment of the game). And could have beaten the top of the table team. Let's build.

[Sheaf Saint]

1 minute ago, stknowle said:

Hmmmm Azaz chance, Quarshie header from 2ft. We were generally dominant they created absolutely fuck all and got lucky with a deflected goal. Didn’t deserve to win in the sense we didn’t take our easy chances I guess, but we really ought to have won that however you slice it.

Our goal came from a lucky deflection as well though. 

[coalman]

Wood and Quarshie have to keep their places. The team that's top of the league really didn't threaten that much. If we can stay solid we can build the attack from there.

[trousers]

1 minute ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

We're a decent Championship team, without a cutting edge up front, enough creativity or a decent keeper.

Indeed, and something most of us were banging on about during the transfer window. Why Sport Republic are blind to such obvious deficiencies is beyond me. 

[Saint Fan CaM]

Interesting that the commentators were saying we need the strikers to be better - actually we need our midfielders to have more composure in the box and score - Azaz was poor today and as I predicted Scienza did come in and looked better immediately. We effectively lost the win by not pressing as high later in the 2nd half…as usual we thought 1-0 would do the business.

Overall you could argue 1-1 against the league leaders was a good result, but that still leaves us 19th I believe…that league position is nothing really to celebrate - check out the teams above us. A win on Tuesday now is looking almost essential. I think Still needs to leave this team in place - so much more attacking intent, grit and fight. Importantly, more chance of this line-up improving.

[trousers]

1 minute ago, LGTL said:

It’s probably Still’s worst attribute. His in game management is severely lacking and has a habit of just throwing a load of players on and hoping for the best. 

Fair point, but I wasn't just talking about this season...

[Football Special]

Predictable result even with unpredictable line up, some good moments,  bit of a freak goal to concede. 

First half I thought Stewart and Azaz looked immobile and Boro gradually realised we had nothing to hit them on the break with. Shame to not win having taken the lead 

[SWLondon Saint]

4 minutes ago, Saint NL said:

I had the Boro commentary on, they seemed to think that Boro were well off their usual standards today.

They were there for the taking, it's not unreasonable to say we could have been 2-0 up at half time.

We stopped them from playing really, our press was dominating.... Until we scored and we just dropped back.

I know Fellows had the assist, but right now I think Scienza-Archer-Armstrong should be our front 3. Fellows and Azaz don't look as sharp.

[trousers]

14 shots... 2 on target, 6 off target... What are the other 6 shots classed as if not on target or off target?!

 

[Patches O Houlihan]

2 minutes ago, trousers said:

14 shots... 2 on target, 6 off target... What are the other 6 shots classed as if not on target or off target?!

 

Smashed into a Boro defender? They were very resilient, and robbed it off Arma a few times

[bpsaint]

14 minutes ago, macca155 said:

Don't like it but take it. They'll be up there at the end so no disgrace.

Lots of positives most of all a pretty rock steady defence.

Striker situation is desperate, that is going to cost us.

I find it astounding that all of us fans could see how desperately we needed  to sign a striker, yet the club disagreed other that Downs who looks to be a shite Sekou Mara which is quite the feat.

I’m even more astounded that Will Still came out and claimed he didn’t want to sign a striker anyway, which makes you question his credentials if he genuinely believed that.

[Harry_SFC]

Lack of half decent keeper and striker cost us again. How many times...

[John Boy Saint]

Did I miss much - got dragged away from the Ryder Cup by my young Grandson, then got stuck back into the Golf, looked at the time “oh what did Saints do”. 

[Costa del Solent]

2 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

Lack of half decent keeper and striker cost us again. How many times...

You don’t honestly think AM was to blame for that goal? 

[Saint NL]

It's either really bad luck or maybe he's hiding, but a shooting chance never fails to Stewart does it?

His hold up play was fine today, but we'll never know if he can score because he's never in the vicinity of the ball when it's in the box 🤷

[Lee On Solent Saint]

24 minutes ago, Costa del Solent said:

Objectively, not a great result and always feels worse to lose a lead. 
 

that said, football is not played objectively, and in the context of our current situation, I think another step forward, far better than we’ve seen so far this season. Boro will get promoted this year. And we went toe to toe. Still deeply concerned about the real lack of in form goal scorer (Stewart did a lot well today but not convinced he’s the answer). 
 

more positives to take and, I hope, a purple patch soon. 

Not sure I would agree with your Boro assessment. They are pretty ordinary 

[Hoggins]

Still has no clue what his best XI is

[Football Special]

15 minutes ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Interesting that the commentators were saying we need the strikers to be better - actually we need our midfielders to have more composure in the box and score - Azaz was poor today and as I predicted Scienza did come in and looked better immediately. We effectively lost the win by not pressing as high later in the 2nd half…as usual we thought 1-0 would do the business.

Overall you could argue 1-1 against the league leaders was a good result, but that still leaves us 19th I believe…that league position is nothing really to celebrate - check out the teams above us. A win on Tuesday now is looking almost essential. I think Still needs to leave this team in place - so much more attacking intent, grit and fight. Importantly, more chance of this line-up improving.

Wilder will get Sheff Utd going now, a draw most likely Tuesday I think , Still will not want to look at the table tonight

[Saint NL]

Just now, Hoggins said:

Still has no clue what his best XI is

I'd like to think he knows what the keeper, defence and holding midfield will be at least.

The attackers, you may as well just use a tombola.

[Scoobysaint]

Much improved. Would like to see Jelert come in for Manning as I am still unsure of his defensive capabilities. Other than than, something to build on. 
Don’t think we’ll have Jansen for too many seasons.