Saints vs Boro - Saturday 3pm

[Saint_lambden]

Playing the league leaders who have won 5/6. Expectations low. Will it be like Leeds at home from a couple of years ago or yet more misery?

Feels like Armstrong has done enough to get a start up top with Archer and perhaps Wood and Jelert will get the nod too after their Liverpool showings. Beyond that, who knows. 

 

[RedArmy]

Wholesale changes from the Hull game needed. Tonight proved that. 
 

Jelert has to start. 
Wood and Quarshie should start but one of them has to replace THB at a bare minimum. 
If Downes can replicate that performance he has to start alongside Jander (if fit). A bit harsh on Charles but the Downes we saw tonight makes us so much better. 

Scienza in for Fraser. 
 

ANYONE in for Downs. 

[S-Clarke]

I like Jelert, I think he gets a league crack now. Jander - I hope he's fit, I thought he was key in that first half. I don't like Downes and Charles together.

Armstrong keeps his place on the right, left is up for grabs still - I don't think Leo grabbed it by the scruff today, he was OK but not 100% yet. Fellows could play left side, or even Robinson back into the fold.

One of Stephens/THB shouldn't start, any of the CB's put in a case - but probably Wood for me.

Obviously the no brainer is McCarthy in for Bazunu, but sadly that 'give away' made the 'club choice' easy again for the weekend, so we know how it'll be.

[Forester]

Bazanu

Quarshie, Wood, Stephens

Jelert, Downes, Charles, Manning

Armstromg, Archer, Fellows

[Mboto Gorge]

2 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

I like Jelert, I think he gets a league crack now. Jander - I hope he's fit, I thought he was key in that first half. I don't like Downes and Charles together.

Armstrong keeps his place on the right, left is up for grabs still - I don't think Leo grabbed it by the scruff today, he was OK but not 100% yet. Fellows could play left side, or even Robinson back into the fold.

One of Stephens/THB shouldn't start, any of the CB's put in a case - but probably Wood for me.

Obviously the no brainer is McCarthy in for Bazunu, but sadly that 'give away' made the 'club choice' easy again for the weekend, so we know how it'll be.

Your last paragraph is the most excruciatingly frustrating part of the evening. At actual goalkeeping, McCarthy was fine, really solid. But we all know that error will give the club all the reason they need to start Bazunu again at the weekend: without the error I reckon it could’ve been very difficult to justify keeping Bazunu in goal but you can sure as hell guarantee he starts Saturday now. 

[bpsaint]

No excuses for this, we know what the team is capable of having performed like that tonight. Yes it was mostly Liverpool reserves but they’re still a better side than Boro.

I’d like Macca to start in place of Baz, yeah he fucked up tonight but I like my goalkeepers to actually be making saves, not pissing about with the ball at their feet, so on that basis AM is the sensible choice.

THB needs dropping after the Hull debacle, and I’d be happy to see Captain Jack dropped as well, although the only way I see that happening is another injury as per the Russell Martin season.

 

 

[Roger]

Why not quashie? Stephen’s and thb shouldn’t start 

[S-Clarke]

Just now, Roger said:

Why not quashie? Stephen’s and thb shouldn’t start 

Quarshie is a good shout too, I thought he was good. Maybe he played a tiny part in the goal as he wasn't setup to receive the ball correctly, but that's being ultra picky. I thought he did the basics fairly well and he's got something about him.

There's definitely a case to start with two new CB's at the weekend for sure.

[The Kraken]

Expecting pretty much the same lineup as Hull. Same GK, same back 4, FDownes in for Jander if he’s still got a knock, Scienza in for wee man, Archer in for Damo.

Personally would have Wood for THB too but Stephens is a bolt on to play. 

[saintant]

11 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Quarshie is a good shout too, I thought he was good. Maybe he played a tiny part in the goal as he wasn't setup to receive the ball correctly, but that's being ultra picky. I thought he did the basics fairly well and he's got something about him.

There's definitely a case to start with two new CB's at the weekend for sure.

Come on, you can't seriously attach any of the blame for that goal to Quarshie - McCarthy has to own that one 100%.

[S-Clarke]

Just now, saintant said:

Come on, you can't seriously attach any of the blame for that goal to Quarshie - McCarthy has to own that one 100%.

I was just being a tiny bit picky tbf, but yeah 99% of that on McCarthy for sure.

[ErwinK1961]

    Chocolate Wrists / Two Left Feet Pete

Jelert Stephens Wood Quarshie Manning

             Downes   Charles 

Fellows/Armstrong                 Scienza

                         Archer 

[Patrick Bateman]

         

On tonight's showing with Azaz added back in:

 

 

          Doesn't matter

Jelert  Wood  Quarshie  Manning

         Charles  Jander

Armstrong  Azaz  Scienza

                 Archer

Edited Tuesday at 22:09 by Patrick Bateman

[die Mannyschaft]

32 minutes ago, Forester said:

Bazanu

Quarshie, Wood, Stephens

Jelert, Downes, Charles, Manning

Armstromg, Archer, Fellows

Except Bazanu, he's either very unlucky or practices unusual goal keeping. 

[saintant]

6 minutes ago, Patrick Bateman said:

         

On tonight's showing with Azaz added back in:

 

 

          Doesn't matter

Jelert  Wood  Quarshie  Manning

         Charles  Jander

Armstrong  Azaz  Scienza

                 Archer

Bit harsh on Downes who was probably our best player tonight and got through a huge shift.

[die Mannyschaft]

13 minutes ago, saintant said:

Come on, you can't seriously attach any of the blame for that goal to Quarshie - McCarthy has to own that one 100%.

Goal keepers shoukd never pass across goal or to own player who is being marked or opponents running towards then. 

Thus habit needs to stop, starting in training as its one of the things our keepers do very well.

[Patrick Bateman]

8 minutes ago, saintant said:

Bit harsh on Downes who was probably our best player tonight and got through a huge shift.

I know, it was a tough call, but nice to have 3 in that position I'd be comfortable choosing. 

[trousers]

We've been short of confidence.... Despite the narrow defeat, tonight's players will have gained some confidence from their performance... Ergo, start the same players on Saturday and tell them their places are theirs to lose now... 

But, alas, I doubt Still will go with such a logical approach on Saturday 😕

Edited Tuesday at 22:25 by trousers

[Hopper]

Off the back of the past couple of games I'd actually be tempted to play Arma as a 9 (I know, I know) but I think with Scienza, Fellows and Either Azaz or Robinson it could actually work well.

Wood should be a nailed on starter and I was very impressed with Jelert, would start him over Mads.

[rooney]

6 hours ago, die Mannyschaft said:

Goal keepers shoukd never pass across goal or to own player who is being marked or opponents running towards then. 

Thus habit needs to stop, starting in training as its one of the things our keepers do very well.

Basic Goalkeeping that.

[Football Special]

Performance against Liverpool was good and certainly some players impressed, however I think it helped that Liverpool gave us space and we were able to attack them on the break. I expect Middlesbrough to follow Hull's blueprint and sit deep , also what Stoke did , need to find a way to break them down without them just waiting for us to lose the ball whilst leaving gaps at the back, getting the first goal would really help 

[benjii]

Return of the Mac

Mads Stephens Wood Jelert

--------Downes----------

---Charles--Jander/Azaz------

Armstrong-Archer-Robinson

[Sorry, we can't do that as those are not the "right sort of wingers" TM.]

Baz, Manning, Quarshie, Aribo, Jander/Azaz, Scienza, Matsuki, Stewart, Fraser

[AlexLaw76]

I doubt Boro will be anywhere as near as open compared to Liverpool.

If we revert to pumping long balls forward, then we have no chance

[Patches O Houlihan]

Going Home with Adam & Jo

Jo Tessem is suggesting that against Middlesborough we play:

                      McCarthy

Jelert    Stephens   Wood      Manning

               Jander (if fit) Downes

Fellows             Azaz                 Fraser

                        Archer

with recognition that Scienza & Arma ought to feel aggrieved and should come off the bench fired up for Fraser & Fellows

[Patches O Houlihan]

32 minutes ago, benjii said:

Return of the Mac

Mads Stephens Wood Jelert

--------Downes----------

---Charles--Jander/Azaz------

Armstrong-Archer-Robinson

[Sorry, we can't do that as those are not the "right sort of wingers" TM.]

Baz, Manning, Quarshie, Aribo, Jander/Azaz, Scienza, Matsuki, Stewart, Fraser

So our most expensive signing of the window doesn't make the bench. "That's a bold move, Cotton. Let's see how it plays out"

[Pamplemousse]

Last night's game showed who needs to start and who needs to be dropped.

Dropped - Downs. Just awful. Take him out of the team and work with him in training. THB - He's had a bad start to the season. Still affected by the injury maybe? Needs a period out of the team in any case. Joerslev - needs to improve.

Starters - Armstrong out on the right, Jelert, Downes, Wood

 

One noticable thing was how much better we were off the ball, particularly how often we won it in their final third. We should be pressing every team like that.

[Patches O Houlihan]

10 minutes ago, Pamplemousse said:

Last night's game showed who needs to start and who needs to be dropped.

Dropped - Downs. Just awful. Take him out of the team and work with him in training. THB - He's had a bad start to the season. Still affected by the injury maybe? Needs a period out of the team in any case. Joerslev - needs to improve.

Starters - Armstrong out on the right, Jelert, Downes, Wood

 

One noticable thing was how much better we were off the ball, particularly how often we won it in their final third. We should be pressing every team like that.

The improved pressing seemed to be down to that starting front 5:

                           Archer

Scienza                                    Arma

              Jander         Downes

 

Arma was captain, and had a point to prove as did Scienza. We know Arma can do the Shane Long press really quite well when he is fired up, and he knows he is in competition with our most expensive signing Fellows right now. 

Surely he was the one commanding the press of the front three, Downes has always had skill in that area and Jander looks like a talent. 

Was good to see that we can do it. Fraser can do it. Need Azaz and Fellows to grasp the nettle too. Forget Downs doing it; it would require him to get up out of his rocking chair.

[benjii]

1 hour ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

So our most expensive signing of the window doesn't make the bench. "That's a bold move, Cotton. Let's see how it plays out"

Well, he doesn't seem any better than what we already have. Likewise Azaz, but we have fewer people in his position. 

[Patches O Houlihan]

1 minute ago, benjii said:

Well, he doesn't seem any better than what we already have. Likewise Azaz, but we have fewer people in his position. 

Don't get me wrong. I get it. 

But SR seem to be willing to sacrifice the success of the team if it avoids depreciating an asset. Why else would we be playing Baz and Damion Downs all the time?

[Toadhall Saint]

9 hours ago, saintant said:

Bit harsh on Downes who was probably our best player tonight and got through a huge shift.

And the pairing of him with Jander looked so much better. 

[Roo1976]

Id like us to stick with the same team against boro, as was the starting line up for last night against Liverpool. Back 4-5 at times looked decent and not unduly under pressure. Pressing was what we've been hoping to see for sometime, and we looked good, admittedly Liverpool weren't the full team( so we may have paid them too much respect if it were),but we went about them with a good vibe i liked it. 

But i suspect the usual slow thinking back 4  defenders will grace the team sheet, and our shape will once again be slow sideways /backwards thinking passes and not progressive passes and movement to make spaces that we saw  against Liverpool. Just hope this has built a shoot or two of rebuilding and we can start to see progress.

[Sheaf Saint]

10 hours ago, saintant said:

Bit harsh on Downes who was probably our best player tonight and got through a huge shift.

Maybe that's another issue though. If the recent rumours about him having a long-term illness is correct then starting him on Saturday after putting in such a shift last night may not be feasible.

[saintant]

1 minute ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Maybe that's another issue though. If the recent rumours about him having a long-term illness is correct then starting him on Saturday after putting in such a shift last night may not be feasible.

Yeah possibly.

[Harry_SFC]

Sounds like Jander has a nasty ankle injury. Hopefully more impact rather than anything serious. Either way looks like it'll be back to Downes and Charles for this one. 

[Lighthouse]

Personally I'd go with:

Baz

Roeslev Stephens Wood Jelly

Charles Downes (I'm guessing Jander's injured)

Fellows Azaz Armstrong

Archer

Two wingers firing in crosses to one guy isn't working, we need Armstrong to get into the box with Archer more regularly. With our scoring problems, leaving out a guy who scored 22 goals two years ago just seems like madness.

[Toadhall Saint]

10 hours ago, trousers said:

We've been short of confidence.... Despite the narrow defeat, tonight's players will have gained some confidence from their performance... Ergo, start the same players on Saturday and tell them their places are theirs to lose now... 

But, alas, I doubt Still will go with such a logical approach on Saturday 😕

Why do you doubt it? 

[macca155]

11 hours ago, Forester said:

Bazanu

Quarshie, Wood, Stephens

Jelert, Downes, Charles, Manning

Armstromg, Archer, Fellows

That's a cracking team, (GK woes exempted) Robinson and Scienza on at 60mins to really pile the pressure on.

Edited yesterday at 09:13 by macca155

[SWLondon Saint]

11 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

I was just being a tiny bit picky tbf, but yeah 99% of that on McCarthy for sure.

I'd put the rest of the blame on a Russ-ball 'automatism' as McCarthy clearly decided where the ball should go without looking, thinking or even checking the other player wants it like everyone is taught in what, day 1 of football training?

[trousers]

1 hour ago, Toadhall Saint said:

Why do you doubt it? 

Just a hunch

[trousers]

1 hour ago, Harry_SFC said:

Sounds like Jander has a nasty ankle injury

Is this from an official comment from the club or another source? Cheers 👍🏻

[Toadhall Saint]

2 minutes ago, trousers said:

Just a hunch

Based on what 

[Jack]

Positive that last night should’ve given WS some selection headaches. 
 

The flip side is we’re 7 weeks into the season and nobody has a clue how best to set up, what our best side might look like or how we’re going to turn decent buildup play into a goal with our non striking strikers 

[saintant]

13 hours ago, Forester said:

Bazanu

Quarshie, Wood, Stephens

Jelert, Downes, Charles, Manning

Armstromg, Archer, Fellows

Swap Macca for Baz is a no brainer. I'd also Keep last night's 3 centre backs so Edwards instead of Capt Jack. They moved the ball far quicker than Stephens and THB, were better in the air and worked well as a unit. Other than Macca's brain fart our play out from the back looked far more assured and all 3 passed well to their wing backs and dropping midfielders. However, we all know Stephens starts every league game for reasons I can't begin to fathom because he is so slow on the ball and lacks spatial awareness.

[saintant]

22 minutes ago, trousers said:

Is this from an official comment from the club or another source? Cheers 👍🏻

Will Still said in a post match interview that Jander picked up a nasty ankle injury.

[Football Special]

Loads of tickets still available for this game , as usual mostly either side of the away fans,  not surprising really considering our start to the season and the club classifying it as an A Cat fixture for pricing, not great value for money. 

Middlesbrough have sold the 2400 "basic" allocation with a handful left, but not taken full allocation so block 28 will just be left empty. 

Southampton Boat Show is on over the weekend for anyone who fancies buying a yacht pre-match, expect town will be a bit busier than usual. 

[Dusic]

IMO:

--------------Baz--------------

Jelert---Wood--Stephens--Manning

--------Downes-----Charles------

Arma----------Azaz--------Scienza

--------------Archer------------

Harsh on Fraser who has played well but just doesn't really look like opening anyone up.

Arma has to play as the only player who really looks like scoring.

On the basis Jander is injured.

[Patches O Houlihan]

14 hours ago, Forester said:

Bazanu

Quarshie, Wood, Stephens

Jelert, Downes, Charles, Manning

Armstromg, Archer, Fellows

2 hours ago, macca155 said:

That's a cracking team, (GK woes exempted) Robinson and Scienza on at 60mins to really pile the pressure on.

Quashie seems comfortable in the LCB slot so I'd have Stephens playing RCB but Edwards put his hand up for that role yesterday so its not a given.

Jander likely not fit to start so midfield and wingbacks I'm supportive of.

Arma looked hungry yesterday and in a bit of form based on his cracking finish at Hull. With his record he needs to play, and we know he is best from the right. He also led the press really well yesterday. Archer is the most likely scorer of our strikers so he is in, recognising that he could be subbed for a winger and Arma moved to striker 'in-game' if required.

I was concerned about Fellows on the left as he is clearly superb at delivering crosses from the right. I looked on Transfermkt and he has played LM or LW for WBA before: Once last year, six times 23/24, and six times 22/23.

[Hopper]

2 hours ago, saintant said:

Will Still said in a post match interview that Jander picked up a nasty ankle injury.

He had it dressed, looked like it could have been a gash from studs or something rather than an impact or twist etc. Undoubtedly uncomfortable but hopefully not long term.

[Wade Garrett]

Drop Baz, Stephens, THB, the RB from Brentford and Downs.

Flynn has to play, he was really good last night.  More positive with the ball, hopefully RussBall is being exorcised.

Anyway, it’s only Boro.  Went there in 1984 and the stench is still with me.  Hopefully, there are hygiene measures being put in place to prevent infection from the unwashed northerners.  Hopefully, there’ll be some charity workers at the ground collecting soap donations that they can pass on to the minty fuckers.

Will, be brave with your selection and we’ll fucking rip them apart.  Stick with the usual suspects and we’ll get more of the same.

 

Edited 23 hours ago by Wade Garrett

[derry]

I thought the outfield team last night that played well should be started with the luxury of some good substitutes to use later. they deserve another go. If Jander not fit possibly Charles. Personally as there isn't an alternative I'd play Bazunu because the three centrebacks are more combative and Wood and Quarshie are far superior to THB and JS in defending an areial threat. Because of his incompetence if the ball is passed back, like Bambi on ice, unless 100% went long which it wouldn't, furthermore Middlesborough will be looking to exploit him I wouldn't want McCarthy.