Saints vs Sheff Weds - Saturday 3pm

[Lighthouse]

Can’t see much change in formation or personnel coming, so I’ll assume more of the same. The million dollar question being how bad Leo’s injury is.

[Football Special]

"It's a great chance for 3 points against a mismanaged club in chaos" ........

 

 

 

 

 

Said Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen

[Convict Colony]

looking forward to Alan Nixon's insights on this one 

[Baird of the land]

Still hoping for a change to a 4 at the back. Can’t see playing on the counter like we did yesterday going down well at home to bottom of the table.

[LiberalCommunist]

This result has nothing to do with the stand in gaffer. This is all on the players. 

The microscope is ready. We are watching. 

(I expect now Oriol is official, he'll be a tad vocal in the build-up to this match, just in case someone doesn't understand what is expected.) 

[Turkish]

Surely a win in this one

the worry is though two back to backs might give the Incapables an excuse to appoint their man 

[Stud mark of doom]

Please no Baz 🙏

Please no DD 🙏

Looking forward to a tackle from Romeu

[Jack]

Macca

Mads THB Wood Manning

Jander Downes 

Fellows Azaz Scienza/Robinson

Armstrong 

 

Not ideal but IMO the best we’ve got available. Can’t continue playing so defensively against poor sides 

[SW11_Saint]

8 hours ago, Stud mark of doom said:

Please no Baz 🙏

Please no DD 🙏

Looking forward to a tackle from Romeu

You’ll need to wait a bit longer for Romeu I’m afraid…

[Willo of Whiteley]

Wishing for: McCarthy; Jelert, Wood, Quarshie, Wellington; Downes, Jander, Azaz; Fellows, Armstrong, Scienza

Expecting: Bazunu; Fellows, THB, Stephens, Wood, Manning; Downes, Jander, Robinson, Armstrong, Downs

I just see the line up tombola being rolled out for this one.

[coalman]

After a dominant 2-1 victory over form club QPR you can expect Tonda to be riding high. Time to roll out the changes and show his job credentials. Expect to see Damion Downs start in the regulation SR 9-0-1.

[Football Special]

11 hours ago, Turkish said:

Surely a win in this one

the worry is though two back to backs might give the Incapables an excuse to appoint their man 

I actually think a draw is most likely, our home form is so bad it's off the scale and Sheffield Wednesday have really impressed me this season, they barely have a first team squad and have gone back to basics,very well organised with an exceptional work rate they have picked up 8 points this season which is impressive considering players weren't even getting paid first couple of months. 

Very good draw away to WBA last weekend

Prediction 1-1 

Yan Valery to score a screamer for them. 

 

Edited 8 hours ago by Football Special

[Saint Fan CaM]

They may be bottom but Wednesday are a good team - i.e. they’re utilising their small squad to very good effect and are picking up points. This is not going to be some easy pushover like some seem to be thinking especially with us not having a decent target man - they will press us hard and capatilise on mistakes at the back (inevitable).

A win is possible but I’m going 1-1.

[trousers]

Press conference at 2pm today 

(Players training at St Mary's today btw)

[Willo of Whiteley]

Sheffield Wednesday might be suffering, but these past ten days will have given them a new lease of life.

They won’t go down without a fight.

1-1 I reckon

[Challenger]

1 hour ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

They may be bottom but Wednesday are a good team - i.e. they’re utilising their small squad to very good effect and are picking up points. This is not going to be some easy pushover like some seem to be thinking especially with us not having a decent target man - they will press us hard and capatilise on mistakes at the back (inevitable).

A win is possible but I’m going 1-1.

When was the last pushover this lot managed ? I am struggling to remember, certainty not expecting one tomorrow.

[hypochondriac]

My prediction: 

We will play five at the back again. Bazunu will stay in goal and make mistakes which may or may not lead to a goal. We will score and then panic allowing Wednesday to score. We will get a second and hang on for an unconvincing 2-1 win. Off the back of that Sports Republic will announce that they've seen enough and appoint Eckert as the new manager. 

 

I wonder how much I will get right. 

[tdmickey3]

Just now, hypochondriac said:

My prediction: 

We will play five at the back again. Bazunu will stay in goal and make mistakes which may or may not lead to a goal. We will score and then panic allowing Wednesday to score. We will get a second and hang on for an unconvincing 2-1 win. Off the back of that Sports Republic will announce that they've seen enough and appoint Eckert as the new manager. 

 

I wonder how much I will get right. 

Sadly, most of it

[saintant]

Please ditch the ridiculous 3 centre backs obsession. I don't see it happening though.

[Mr Brightside]

12 hours ago, Jack said:

Macca

Mads THB Wood Manning

Jander Downes 

Fellows Azaz Scienza/Robinson

Armstrong 

 

Not ideal but IMO the best we’ve got available. Can’t continue playing so defensively against poor sides 

Would be my choice too, though doubt we’ll get it. 
Regardless, looking forward to it. 

[SaintNewForest]

35 minutes ago, saintant said:

Please ditch the ridiculous 3 centre backs obsession. I don't see it happening though.

SR won't allow that. 

[Football Special]

1 hour ago, Challenger said:

When was the last pushover this lot managed ? I am struggling to remember, certainty not expecting one tomorrow.

In the league I think the last time we won by more than one goal was WBA home play offs? Lol 

[SNSUN]

Taking my 7 year old to this one so hoping shes a lucky omen. At least for goals, the only other game I got her to was the Saints 4 Norwich 4 early on in our last Championship season.

I will say but it won't finish 4-4 tomorrow. Another scraping one goal win will do me.

Downs with the winner. There I said it.😁

[egg]

13 hours ago, Jack said:

Macca

Mads THB Wood Manning

Jander Downes 

Fellows Azaz Scienza/Robinson

Armstrong 

 

Not ideal but IMO the best we’ve got available. Can’t continue playing so defensively against poor sides 

That'd be my pick, although I'd actually prefer Stephens to THB, purely because I think he's less shit. 

[Toadhall Saint]

Any links to the press conference?

[lumuah]

6 hours ago, coalman said:

After a dominant 2-1 victory over form club QPR you can expect Tonda to be riding high. Time to roll out the changes and show his job credentials. Expect to see Damion Downs start in the regulation SR 9-0-1.

Don't forget like the last match for the last 15 minutes we were 10-0-0

[trousers]

7 minutes ago, Toadhall Saint said:

Any links to the press conference?

Its either running late or Alfie got his timings wrong...

 

[trousers]

 

[tdmickey3]

2 minutes ago, trousers said:

 

7 defensive players it is then  including Crisp hands 🙄

What a event we have in store for us

[Jack]

Basically doubling down on Bazunu and a back 5. Fucking great 

[St Louis]

Barnaby Williams on the bench on Saturday then, anybody know what he's like as a player? I dont know anything about him.... attributes, style, position?

[trousers]

4 minutes ago, Jack said:

Basically doubling down on Bazunu and a back 5. Fucking great 

It amuses me somewhat that when managers are asked if they're sticking to 3/5 at the back they never actually stick up for it as a good tactic; instead they resort to deflection by saying that the numbers in any formation don't matter, it's more about what the players do on the pitch...

I wonder why are they so reluctant to sing the praises of it as a formation...?

[trousers]

8 minutes ago, St Louis said:

Barnaby Williams on the bench on Saturday then, anybody know what he's like as a player? I dont know anything about him.... attributes, style, position?

Holding / central midfielder.... Bragg has "been feeling his hamstring" so Williams is set to replace him on the bench tomorrow...

Edited 2 hours ago by trousers

[hypochondriac]

2 hours ago, hypochondriac said:

My prediction: 

We will play five at the back again. Bazunu will stay in goal and make mistakes which may or may not lead to a goal. We will score and then panic allowing Wednesday to score. We will get a second and hang on for an unconvincing 2-1 win. Off the back of that Sports Republic will announce that they've seen enough and appoint Eckert as the new manager. 

 

I wonder how much I will get right. 

Well that's the first one right. Bazunu stays in goal for the game and Fellows will be staying at full back. Just bizarre. 

[Lighthouse]

He’s the interim manager, he was never going to reinvent the way we play for two games, so hardly surprising he’s sticking to a back five. Sounds like Leo is not a concern, which is encouraging.

[BARCELONASAINT]

any news on Leo??

[hypochondriac]

6 minutes ago, trousers said:

It amuses me somewhat that when managers are asked if they're sticking to 3/5 at the back they never actually stick up for it as a good tactic; instead they resort to deflection by saying that the numbers in any formation don't matter, it's more about what the players do on the pitch...

I wonder why are they so reluctant to sing the praises of it as a formation...?

I don't think I've ever heard other managers say that formations don't matter. 

[hypochondriac]

1 minute ago, Lighthouse said:

He’s the interim manager, he was never going to reinvent the way we play for two games, so hardly surprising he’s sticking to a back five. Sounds like Leo is not a concern, which is encouraging.

We played four at the back in WIll Still's last game and all of preseason. Five at the back is not how we play, it's randomly what we decided to do after getting smashed by Hull. 

[LeG]

I'm not really bothered who is in goal - both sh1te. Bazunu must edge it on his ability to start attacks quickly from the back I guess. 

You can tell from the press conferences that Tonga doesn't have the personality to manage our bunch of muppets, but I'm sure he is a very good coach. 

Sounds like 5 at the back is happening again, so we can expect more confusion at the back and a huge void in midfield. Getting to be a joke now.   

[Lighthouse]

5 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

We played four at the back in WIll Still's last game and all of preseason. Five at the back is not how we play, it's randomly what we decided to do after getting smashed by Hull. 

We reverted to a four at half time but it looked like nobody had a clue what they were doing second half, so not surprising that we’ve stuck with the formation we’ve started with since Hull. Like I said, the interim manager was never likely to make significant changes. He’s here to keep things ticking over.

[hypochondriac]

2 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

We reverted to a four at half time but it looked like nobody had a clue what they were doing second half, so not surprising that we’ve stuck with the formation we’ve started with since Hull. Like I said, the interim manager was never likely to make significant changes. He’s here to keep things ticking over.

We played better prior to the subs in that second half than the first. 

[saintant]

26 minutes ago, tdmickey3 said:

7 defensive players it is then  including Crisp hands 🙄

What a event we have in store for us

8 actually because the two midfielders are hardly what you call attacking players. Does anyone coaching this club have a clue what they're doing? This chump is trying to claim Fellows can play both as a winger and a wing back. He can't because he is atrocious at defending/tackling and rarely gets forward when attempting to play wing back. Another 90 minutes of non football with zero shape or sign of progress coming up at St Marys tomorrow.

[saintant]

9 minutes ago, LeG said:

I'm not really bothered who is in goal - both sh1te. Bazunu must edge it on his ability to start attacks quickly from the back I guess. 

You can tell from the press conferences that Tonga doesn't have the personality to manage our bunch of muppets, but I'm sure he is a very good coach. 

Sounds like 5 at the back is happening again, so we can expect more confusion at the back and a huge void in midfield. Getting to be a joke now.   

Saw no signs of that against QPR. Must have missed it.

[tdmickey3]

5 minutes ago, saintant said:

Saw no signs of that against QPR. Must have missed it.

Well,  he hoofed it up the park a few times, does that count?

 

[Convict Colony]

guys your aiming at the wrong guy.

Who do the senior players want to play and what formation is the real question 

[saintant]

1 minute ago, Convict Colony said:

guys your aiming at the wrong guy.

Who do the senior players want to play and what formation is the real question 

Are you suggesting the players are picking the side and choosing to play 3 centre backs? Maybe you're onto something because if we don't play 3 centre backs they'd have to leave out one of their pals.

[S-Clarke]

45 minutes ago, trousers said:

It amuses me somewhat that when managers are asked if they're sticking to 3/5 at the back they never actually stick up for it as a good tactic; instead they resort to deflection by saying that the numbers in any formation don't matter, it's more about what the players do on the pitch...

I wonder why are they so reluctant to sing the praises of it as a formation...?

At this point you have to form the conclusion that '3 at the back' and Bazunu in goal is club directed. That's why any seriously competent/experienced manager is never appointed here, as he'd call it out for what it is.

Still had a go at it, and he's now not in a job. Go figure.

Edited 1 hour ago by S-Clarke

[Toadhall Saint]

2 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

At this point you have to form the conclusion that '3 at the back' and Bazunu in goal is club directed. That's why any seriously competent/experienced manager is never appointed here, as he'd call it out for what it is.

Still had a go at it, and he's now not in a job. Go figure.

You would have thought that Still would say something akin to that.

[Lighthouse]

7 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

At this point you have to form the conclusion that '3 at the back' and Bazunu in goal is club directed. That's why any seriously competent/experienced manager is never appointed here, as he'd call it out for what it is.

Still had a go at it, and he's now not in a job. Go figure.

I know some people love a good conspiracy but that’s quite obviously not what’s going on. Five at the back is a legit formation, used by a lot of managers, Bazunu is being picked ahead of Alex McCarthy, not Lev Yashin.

Still would not have accepted the job under those stipulations, which he’s spent half the season ‘ignoring’ anyway.

[CB Fry]

6 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

I know some people love a good conspiracy but that’s quite obviously not what’s going on. Five at the back is a legit formation, used by a lot of managers, Bazunu is being picked ahead of Alex McCarthy, not Lev Yashin.

Still would not have accepted the job under those stipulations, which he’s spent half the season ‘ignoring’ anyway.

😂 Quite.

If I was SR dishing out directives I'd be "directing" the manager to take the number 10 and the winger we spent £25m in the last window on and select them in the first eleven in the positions we bought them for.

If they can't even conspire to make that happen then I doubt they can make any of that other bollocks happen either.

Edited 1 hour ago by CB Fry