Derby v Saints - Match Thread

[Harry_SFC]

16 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

There's only two teams on the pitch and our form is better than theirs. 

But I get it. This is a pivotal game ahead of the break. Win it and we are respectably in the mix for top six or better especially as no one is absolutely running away with it yet. Will feel a lot better.

Lose or draw and meh, it could be a long disappointing autumn.

It is a big game and a game we simply have to be winning. They will be in and around the bottom 3 come the end of the season but they've got a good enough manager to probably keep them up. 

I said I'd judge Still come this international break. Win this and it's decent progression. 13 points after 9 games wouldn't be as many as I'd hoped for at the start but given the circumstances of trying to build a new side it would be ok. 

A loss here given the Hull debacle a couple of weeks ago would leave me very concerned. 

[Saint86]

No presser for this one?

[saintant]

28 minutes ago, Saint86 said:

No presser for this one?

There is a brief one - you can find it online by searching Will Still press conference Derby.

[BARCELONASAINT]

Saints have a habit of ruining the weekend just when your hopes are up that a corner has been turned. I'm not convinced at all by Tuesdays win and generally speaking think we have been awful this season. Tuesdays win has raised the hopes that we can now start a good run and certainly on paper we should but i seriously think the team lacks a proper leader on the pitch. I live in hope that i watch a good performance from us this afternoon because in all seriousness i can't remember the last time i actually saw us play good attacking football.

[Matthew Le God]

40 minutes ago, Saint86 said:

No presser for this one?

Because they stayed up north to train at St George's Park they didn't hold a press conference at Staplewood. So did a brief one on Derby straight after the Sheffield United game.

 

[Baird of the land]

13 hours ago, Football Special said:

Same for me, but top notch away end that was 

Funny that Derby side went on to be the laughing stock record low points total that we spent much of last season trying to avoid 

 

Don’t think I’ve seen the highlights since watching it live. Some awful goals. Davis not saving the first and best kicking the ball into his own net.

[SNSUN]

Here it is, the moment you haven't been waiting for. The mostly unreliable prediction wheel. More useless even than posting pretty Irish girls on the match thread. Well following a needed if somewhat iffy win against Sheff Utd, surely it will predict a win for the mighty Saints.

 

No. No it won't.  So there you have it, another spanking.  Thank god it's pretty useless. I shall be drunk on the Bermondsey beer mile today so will be relying on SWF to keep me updated as Derby's goals fly in. 😎

[Sheaf Saint]

Very wet and windy up north today. Gonna be horrible conditions on the pitch. In previous times I would suggest that might work against us as it would hamper our passing game. But our passing has been generally awful this season anyway, so it might just even things up a bit.

[Midfield_General]

For what will be an awful spectacle to be played in a hurricane: 

Macca

Edwards, Wood, Quarshie, Manning

Jander, Charles

Fellows, Azaz, Armstrong

Stewart

With Scienza, Robinson, Fraser, Archer off the bench if we need to change it up second half. 

Edited 3 hours ago by Midfield_General

[Whitey Grandad]

17 hours ago, bugenhagen said:

I'd rather do the jigsaw puzzle with Edozie and Aribo 😉

Playing Scrabble would get you more points.

[Totton Saint]

54 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

For what will be an awful spectacle to be played in a hurricane: 

Macca

Edwards, Wood, Quarshie, Manning

Jander, Charles

Fellows, Azaz, Armstrong

Stewart

With Scienza, Robinson, Fraser, Archer off the bench if we need to change it up second half. 

I would rather have Downes than Fellows.

[Harry_SFC]

10 minutes ago, Totton Saint said:

I would rather have Downes than Fellows.

Would be a bit disappointed to see 3 CMs away at Derby.

[Tommy]

39 minutes ago, Totton Saint said:

I would rather have Downes than Fellows.

So you want to take out the one player that has some creative ability and the skill set to create a chance and bring in a defensive midfielder?

[davefizzy14]

2-0 to us today - Stewart to score both - COYR 😊

[Saint NL]

[Saint Matty 76]

Not happy to see Fellows dropped. Our most (only?) direct player who I think has been good.

Robinson not even on the bench either, very weird.

[Saint NL]

Scienza starting. Let's see what he can do.

No Fellows or Azaz is a weird one. But great subs to change the game later 

[Suhari]

Pretty happy with that lineup; Fraser was decent when he came on midweek.

So.....do I watch the match, or head out into a Saturday night Bangkok scene?

[captainchris]

So just just how does Downs get on the subs bench ????

[davefizzy14]

Looking forward to seeing Scienza start 😊 Fellows must be carrying a knock as he's been one of our best players recently. Good to see Fraser start too 😊

Edited 58 minutes ago by davefizzy14

[SNSUN]

Don't like 3 CBs and never will but we were lopsided last week so hopefully this balances it out a bit. Don't hate that line up. Just let Ross loose.

[RedArmy]

Sign a winger. 
 

Play him as a wing back. 
 

Drop him. 
 

Mental. 

[Barton Saint]

4-4-2 surely?

[Midfield_General]

Is that Scienza replacing Azaz at 10 in a 4-2-3-1 with Edwards at RB? 

Also: Stephens not even in the squad? Is he injured or is he now 4th choice? 

Edited 49 minutes ago by Midfield_General

[benjii]

4 minutes ago, Suhari said:

Pretty happy with that lineup; Fraser was decent when he came on midweek.

So.....do I watch the match, or head out into a Saturday night Bangkok scene?

Watch the match then get down to Nana Plaza, handsome maaaannn!

[benjii]

3 minutes ago, Barton Saint said:

4-4-2 surely?

Doubt it!

[hypochondriac]

If Fellows doesn't have a knock then that's bizarre. Our two big money signings don't even start ?

[benjii]

Just now, hypochondriac said:

If Fellows doesn't have a knock then that's bizarre. Our two big money signings don't even start ?

Keep the other team guessing.

But Azaz has been crap, so I'm not surprised at him being left out.

[Saint Scott]

3 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

Is that Scienza replacing Azaz at 10 in a 4-2-3-1? 

Also: Stephens not even in the squad? Is he injured or is he now 4th choice? 

Stephens rolled his ankle before Sheffield United and missed that too. 

Think Azaz needs a break from starting, hopefully he can bring something off the bench today.

Only disappointment is Fellows being dropped and not sure we need 5 at the back against Derby

[Tom57]

Could be a 523 with Fraser and Manning as wingbacks and Armstrong and Scienza either side of Stewart 

[Sheaf Saint]

2 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

If Fellows doesn't have a knock then that's bizarre. Our two big money signings don't even start ?

Only three of our summer signings starting.

So much for having a complete refresh of the squad. 

[Saint NL]

4 minutes ago, Tom57 said:

Could be a 523 with Fraser and Manning as wingbacks and Armstrong and Scienza either side of Stewart 

That's my understanding, but let's see

[macca155]

Still using his resources I guess. Disappointed that Robinson isn't on the bench, he has a spark about him.

[HarvSFC]

Issue with Azaz is that he plays a position that many teams don't use, so you have to change the shape of your squad to cater towards him. Can't see him being any good as a central midfielder, or a winger.

That said, I don't like this constant three centre-back formation. I think it's a big factor in why we've been largely crap this season for the most part and it was horrendous last season.

It worked against Liverpool for the most part, but that's a game to deploy it because they'll look to attack us and there was more space for us to move into when we recovered the ball because Liverpool pushed numbers forward. As we've since, Championship teams will play defensively against us and we're easy to defend against in this setup as we don't have enough numbers in the attack.

But, I just want to see a better performance than what we've seen in recent weeks and hopefully it does come against a poor Derby side.

[Baird of the land]

Fraser overfellows the only slight surprise.

[davefizzy14]

Will is definitely using the 3-4-2-1 set up 😊

Edited 31 minutes ago by davefizzy14

[Suhari]

12 minutes ago, benjii said:

Watch the match then get down to Nana Plaza, handsome maaaannn!

That is, in fact, the plan. 💪

[ErwinK1961]

Maybe Fellows is being rested, plus intrigued to see what Scienza can do from the start in the Championship.

Not surprised to see Azaz out, he’s been mediocre since he joined.

Expecting a low key, low scoring game. They’re average but don’t concede many.

Edited 34 minutes ago by ErwinK1961

[Willo of Whiteley]

I don’t dislike that team, it shows we have good squad depth. But I’m not trusting of much of that bench to be “impact subs”.

A dull 1-1 I reckon

[Baird of the land]

4 minutes ago, HarvSFC said:

 

That said, I don't like this constant three centre-back formation. I think it's a big factor in why we've been largely crap this season for the most part and it was horrendous last season.

Our 2 worst performances of the season have come in games we’d played a 4 at the back.

[Saint NL]

Some impressive strength on the bench (apart from Downs obvs). 

[ErwinK1961]

6 minutes ago, HarvSFC said:

Issue with Azaz is that he plays a position that many teams don't use, so you have to change the shape of your squad to cater towards him. Can't see him being any good as a central midfielder, or a winger.

That said, I don't like this constant three centre-back formation. I think it's a big factor in why we've been largely crap this season for the most part and it was horrendous last season.

It worked against Liverpool for the most part, but that's a game to deploy it because they'll look to attack us and there was more space for us to move into when we recovered the ball because Liverpool pushed numbers forward. As we've since, Championship teams will play defensively against us and we're easy to defend against in this setup as we don't have enough numbers in the attack.

But, I just want to see a better performance than what we've seen in recent weeks and hopefully it does come against a poor Derby side.

I don’t like the 3/5 at the back, but we looked even worse with a 4.

[Wade Garrett]

Coventry look mustard this season.

[benjii]

5 minutes ago, Suhari said:

That is, in fact, the plan. 💪

Choose wisely.

[imadirtyurchin]

Downs should be nowhere near this squad. 

[egg]

20 minutes ago, Barton Saint said:

4-4-2 surely?

Not sure. I'm guessing 343 with Fraser at RWB. 

Slightly odd line up for me. 2 full backs signed and neither play, nor Fellows, nor Azaz. Robinson binned completely and Downs on the bench is bizarre too. 

[Chris cooper]

Was hoping the boy Robinson would get the nod today or atleast be on the bench.

has something about him .

is he injured or resting him ? Same for fellows ? 🤷🏻‍♂️

[Totton Saint]

Just now, Chris cooper said:

Was hoping the boy Robinson would get the nod today or atleast be on the bench.

has something about him .

is he injured or resting him ? Same for fellows ? 🤷🏻‍♂️

ask stills

[SaintNewForest]

1 minute ago, Chris cooper said:

Was hoping the boy Robinson would get the nod today or atleast be on the bench.

has something about him .

is he injured or resting him ? Same for fellows ? 🤷🏻‍♂️

Simple as the fact that Downs is preferred. No injury.

[davefizzy14]

Jay must have a knock as otherwise surely he would be in the squad.