Blackburn v Saints: Saturday 3pm

[IFHP]

A lot easier game on paper than play off hopefuls Bristol mid week .

We should have too much for Blackburn and win, however we need to stop making silly mistakes .

if we can, than a win it will be. 
 

if we can’t stop making silly mistakes, even against this lot we will be punished and another draw on the cards .

Either way there’s no way we should be losing this.

[SuperSAINT]

Ismael, relax mate.

[die Mannyschaft]

56 minutes ago, IFHP said:

A lot easier game on paper than play off hopefuls Bristol mid week .

We should have too much for Blackburn and win, however we need to stop making silly mistakes .

if we can, than a win it will be. 
 

if we can’t stop making silly mistakes, even against this lot we will be punished and another draw on the cards .

Either way there’s no way we should be losing this.

Agree on paper its a win. But our style of play is too ridged, robotic and predictable. Its time for more creative play. Its double pressure on the players as its a six pointer plus a must win game (unless we play for a draw)

[die Mannyschaft]

5 minutes ago, SuperSAINT said:

Ismael, relax mate.

He's must be be of those managers who don't watch opposition games on video or the tv screen is broken.

[SuperSAINT]

6 minutes ago, die Mannyschaft said:

He's must be be of those managers who don't watch opposition games on video or the tv screen is broken.

Defend in numbers an then… just wait…

[Andy Hill]

With 5 at the back then surely we can draw at worst.

[Harry_SFC]

43 minutes ago, die Mannyschaft said:

Agree on paper its a win. But our style of play is too ridged, robotic and predictable. Its time for more creative play. Its double pressure on the players as its a six pointer plus a must win game (unless we play for a draw)

Creating chances is not a problem. It's putting them away and then not making stupid mistakes at the back. The in-between is improving. 

[LiberalCommunist]

Perfect game for Rovers. When hard work has a good chance of beating talent, just add some wind and rain. 

[Hussar Saint]

Fully expect our pathetic losers to bottle it and embarrass themselves. 

[Challenger]

Is a poor result here a cue to start moistening mattresses or shall we hang on until Xmas ?

[AlexLaw76]

2 minutes ago, Challenger said:

Is a poor result here a cue to start moistening mattresses or shall we hang on until Xmas ?

a draw will be enough to get the clappers happy until we beat Sheffield Weds, when their excitement will go into overdrive.

[Hussar Saint]

8 minutes ago, Challenger said:

Is a poor result here a cue to start moistening mattresses or shall we hang on until Xmas ?

I’ve had to turn mine over already….

[AlexLaw76]

[Verbal]

2 hours ago, Andy Hill said:

With 5 at the back then surely we can draw at worst.

Blackburn will also have 5 at the back, meaning that both sides will spend the entire game in their own half waiting for an attack that never comes, but patiently counting on an accidental pass-back/Panenka. Could be quite a match.

[Forester]

I think we will see changes for this, through combination of needing to turn it around and third game in a week.  Great shame both right backs are injured.

McCarthy

Edwards, Wood, THB, Manning

Charles, Downes

Fellows, Azaz, Scienza

Amstrong

Edited Thursday at 21:48 by Forester

[Turkish]

11 hours ago, SuperSAINT said:

Ismael, relax mate.

Not won at home all season. We can change that 

[Convict Colony]

Blackburn is where it clicks.

you heard it here first.

either the goals we score or the gun fired at still.

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

10 hours ago, Verbal said:

Blackburn will also have 5 at the back, meaning that both sides will spend the entire game in their own half waiting for an attack that never comes, but patiently counting on an accidental pass-back/Panenka. Could be quite a match.

Bit like last time we played Blackburn at Ewood Park!

Problem is, every team we've played has a nucleus of players who can barge and muscle through the opposition. We've got no-one up front who can do that and watching Ronnie Edwards trying to push players off balance is all rather sad.

[WALK DMC]

15 hours ago, Mr X said:

Remind me how many he's scored again? 

Maybe a better question would be how many minutes has Azaz played for Saints. He still has more Championship goals/assists this season than Archer, Scienza, Fellows, Charles, Janker & Downs. Plus the same total as Stewart & Fraser. 

We're not scoring goals, perhaps we should start playing people who have demonstrated over multiple years the capacity to do so at this level.

Edited yesterday at 09:09 by WALK DMC

[a1ex2001]

40 minutes ago, WALK DMC said:

Maybe a better question would be how many minutes has Azaz played for Saints. He still has more Championship goals/assists this season than Archer, Scienza, Fellows, Charles, Janker & Downs. Plus the same total as Stewart & Fraser. 

We're not scoring goals, perhaps we should start playing people who have demonstrated over multiple years the capacity to do so at this level.

and stop playing three centre backs, draws will not get us out of this leage, being hard to beat might sound great but actually we would be better off loosing more if we actually won a few in the meantime.  We have two maybe three seasons to get promoted before we risk a leeds/wednesday/coventry spell in the wilderness.

[Totton Saint]

13 hours ago, Forester said:

I think we will see changes for this, through combination of needing to turn it around and third game in a week.  Great shame both right backs are injured.

McCarthy

Edwards, Wood, THB, Manning

Charles, Downes

Fellows, Azaz, Scienza

Amstrong

I think Robinson should start but who would make way for him, I am not sure. But agree with. your formation.

[StrangelyBrown]

13 hours ago, Forester said:

I think we will see changes for this, through combination of needing to turn it around and third game in a week.  Great shame both right backs are injured.

McCarthy

Edwards, Wood, THB, Manning

Charles, Downes

Fellows, Azaz, Scienza

Amstrong

Thats a very strong team for this division. Shame they play like strangers.

[Willo of Whiteley]

Fellows out, Robinson and Jander possibly out too.

[hypochondriac]

Will still: "it's not about the names or positions"

Bollocks. I hate when managers say shit like that.

[AlexLaw76]

Prezzer....

• It is different after this defeat
• we now have a pattern of play to dominate teams
• we played well against Swansea, and we did against Boro
• We are building towards what I want it to look like, but letting in too many
• So this situation is not the same compared to after the Hull game
• We have had 3 really good days, with honest conversations and watching it again
• we have to win the moments in the games, and it is costing us
• We have opportunities, but we don't win those moments enough and it is costing us
• We try to set the scenario up as best possible, we are trying lots of little things
• One of these days our luck will change and we kill a game off
• We have a few illnesses and tired bodies
• Tom Fellows will to be with us he is ill. Jay is not right, neither is Casper, there is a bug
• Despite how frustrating it is, we have to keep doing what we are doing
• Tom really is not right and will be left at home, but Jay and Casper will travel, as will Mads
• The players on the bench have players ahead of them playing better
• They will get opportunities and they will need to take it
• They are all professional footballers and they need to be ready to take their chance when it comes
• The team is the priority over individual players, regardless how much the club paid for them
• That is what we have been doing, they have all played this season but we need to find consistency
• Football is not an exact science. We all have theories on the formation
• I think I have shown I am not bothered about the formation but more about how you get the ball forward
• you look, we have made the opportunities. our expected goal threat is high than our Xg

[AlexLaw76]

When asked by Blackmore about maybe not needing 3 CBs all the time, he kind of swerved it and said formations do not matter to him, it is about getting the ball forward.

At least Blackmore asked the questions, to a degree.

[Osvaldorama]

Seems like it will be 5 at the back against Blackburn again then. 
 

So much for “tactically flexible coach”.
Just does the same shit every week hoping it will work. 

[trousers]

10 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

Seems like it will be 5 at the back against Blackburn again then. 
 

So much for “tactically flexible coach”.
Just does the same shit every week hoping it will work. 

His argument is that 'tactics' and 'formations' are different things, and the latter doesn't necessarily  dictate the former. In other words, the stats show we are are creating loads of chances and getting into good shooting positions, so it's predominantly our lack of clinicality in front of goal that's the issue, and that's got nothing to do whether we're playing 3, 4 or 5 at the back. I'm inclined to see his point to be fair. If Sport Republic had bothered to buy a clinical centre forward in the summer (and any transfer window since Ings left for that matter) then we'd likely be converting much more of those chances. 

Edited 23 hours ago by trousers

[hypochondriac]

9 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

Seems like it will be 5 at the back against Blackburn again then. 
 

So much for “tactically flexible coach”.
Just does the same shit every week hoping it will work. 

I genuinely don't understand. If we're conceding a load of goals either way then why not at least go more attacking and try to out score the opposition.

[trousers]

2 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

I genuinely don't understand. If we're conceding a load of goals either way then why not at least go more attacking and try to out score the opposition.

As above, we're creating plenty of chances to do just that already.... We just need someone who can consistently convert said chances....

Edited 23 hours ago by trousers

[hypochondriac]

11 minutes ago, trousers said:

As above, we're creating plenty of chances to do just that already.... We just need someone who can consistently convert said chances....

Which is why we need to play with a more attacking style.

[CSA96]

[CamSaint]

44 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Fellows out, Robinson and Jander possibly out too

Maybe bench chances for the likes of Matsuki, Aribo & Edozie?

[trousers]

16 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Which is why we need to play with a more attacking style.

That logic assumes our profligate strikers will score more goals if they get even more chances than the shed load of chances they're already getting (and not converting), doesn't it...?

Edited 22 hours ago by trousers

[AlexLaw76]

One for the hipsters

our Xgoalthreat is higher than our Xg

Put that in your pipe !!!!

[Gogledd Saint]

Taking my lad to his first game tomorrow so I'm hoping he brings us some luck!! Don't want to be seeing the usual sheriff badge footed sh!te we've had so far this season.

[Turkish]

13 minutes ago, Gogledd Saint said:

Taking my lad to his first game tomorrow so I'm hoping he brings us some luck!! Don't want to be seeing the usual sheriff badge footed sh!te we've had so far this season.

taking mine to his 4th away game, he's seen us lose at Hull, Man City, draw at Huddersfield so we are not expecting much tomorrow

[Weston Super Saint]

20 minutes ago, Gogledd Saint said:

Taking my lad to his first game tomorrow so I'm hoping he brings us some luck!! Don't want to be seeing the usual sheriff badge footed sh!te we've had so far this season.

 

6 minutes ago, Turkish said:

taking mine to his 4th away game, he's seen us lose at Hull, Man City, draw at Huddersfield so we are not expecting much tomorrow

Shit parent awards coming your way.

[Weston Super Saint]

48 minutes ago, CSA96 said:

He'll probably be wearing a tin foil hat tomorrow then.

[Turkish]

55 minutes ago, CSA96 said:

about global warming & vaccines? 

[SWLondon Saint]

It really doesn't matter if we have 3 CB or 2, I'm pretty sure we had a back 4 against Hull and from what I (unfortunately) remember that was crabbier than a crab trawler full of crabs who've shat themselves.

Always more about how you play and the players you have on the pitch.

[VectisSaint]

1 hour ago, Osvaldorama said:

Seems like it will be 5 at the back against Blackburn again then. 
 

So much for “tactically flexible coach”.
Just does the same shit every week hoping it will work. 

I know it's semantics, but when was it ever 5 at the back against Brizzle. It was 3 at the back with two outside pushing forward. I don't recall Frazer ever defending (except when he kept them onside for their 2nd) and Welington didn't do much in the way of defending.

The big problem I have with what Still says about getting it forward being the key, not the formation, is that is exactly what our defenders (whether its 3, 4 or 5) don't do. They pass it around at the back and always look to play sideways or back without trying to get it forward, just like in Martin's time. The only difference I see is that McCarthy does sometimes launch it. THB is the worst at playing it around at the back, except occassionally he seems to remember to try to get it forward and alunches a diagonal to no one. I know its heresy on here but I think Jack does a better job of getting it forward than THB. 

[hypochondriac]

1 hour ago, trousers said:

That logic assumes our profligate strikers will score more goals if they get even more chances than the shed load of chances they're already getting (and not converting), doesn't it...?

I haven't personally seen us create a shed load of chances. Most of our dangerous play breaks down in the final third. We've had a few chances that have drawn good saves from the keeper but other than the Swansea game I haven't seen a load of glaring misses. I reckon they count chances in an odd way.

[Whitey Grandad]

2 hours ago, trousers said:

His argument is that 'tactics' and 'formations' are different things, and the latter doesn't necessarily  dictate the former. In other words, the stats show we are are creating loads of chances and getting into good shooting positions, so it's predominantly our lack of clinicality in front of goal that's the issue, and that's got nothing to do whether we're playing 3, 4 or 5 at the back. I'm inclined to see his point to be fair. If Sport Republic had bothered to buy a clinical centre forward in the summer (and any transfer window since Ings left for that matter) then we'd likely be converting much more of those chances. 

Then the stats are wrong. 

[trousers]

19 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

I haven't personally seen us create a shed load of chances. Most of our dangerous play breaks down in the final third. We've had a few chances that have drawn good saves from the keeper but other than the Swansea game I haven't seen a load of glaring misses. I reckon they count chances in an odd way.

Yeah, I was going on the stats, which I guess are debatable. Either way, I don't think its guaranteed or inevitable that the more chances you give a poor striker the more goals they'll score (proportionately)

Stick me in a Formula One car as many times as you like and I ain't getting close to winning a Grand Prix, whether I try 10 times or 100 times...

[trousers]

Just now, Whitey Grandad said:

Then the stats are wrong. 

You could well be right. Alas, I'm not qualified to judge.

[Whitey Grandad]

23 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

I haven't personally seen us create a shed load of chances. Most of our dangerous play breaks down in the final third. We've had a few chances that have drawn good saves from the keeper but other than the Swansea game I haven't seen a load of glaring misses. I reckon they count chances in an odd way.

We create half chances. Not even that, quarter chances maybe. Any shots that we have are snatched at.

Edited 20 hours ago by Whitey Grandad

[CylonKing]

4-4-f'in-2....though I'm not sure who the 2 could be 😂

[Football Special]

Flynn Downes has been cooking for the team this week 

[RedArmy]

2 hours ago, trousers said:

That logic assumes our profligate strikers will score more goals if they get even more chances than the shed load of chances they're already getting (and not converting), doesn't it...?

Playing more attacking players creates overloads which in turn should bring easier chances to score. 
 

xG is an indicator it’s not a fact. Give two strikers the same chance it doesn’t mean both of them are prolific at that type of shot. 
Armstrong and Archer for example - I’d say Archer would prefer a shot from the left and try and hit it around the keeper whereas Armstrong is better at going across the keeper from the right. If the chance falls to the opposite player it’s still rated the same xG despite the fact we all know they’re less likely to score it.