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Charlton 1-5 Saints - Match Thread

sockeye

By sockeye
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saintant

saintant

Posted
Posted

Only saw the second half which was ok but no more - probably because we'd done the damage and were saving a bit for Leicester. Have seen highlights of first half and some of the play and goals were top drawer. My take is that we played the usual 3 centre backs but we finally twigged that your wing backs must get high up the pitch as much as possible. If that's down to Eckert's coaching then I take my hat off to him because it freed up so much more space and made us very dangerous going forward. Let's see how we do against Leicester who we usually lose to - if he makes it 4 on the bounce I may start believing he has something. Mad Nate proved today how bonkers we were to appoint him so Rasmus needs to own that one. Bragg looked neat and tidy and we still have Oriel to come once he is up to speed. 

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saintant

saintant

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Thought Arma was superb. Less long balls punted up to him, more him dropping deep with plenty of bodies over lapping.

Some of the break aways in the 1st half were excellent.

That first half display was what I expected under Still, but fair play to Tonda....

Yes he was far more effective dropping deeper to receive the ball and it helped that we finally got our wing backs further forward. We had a far better shape about us today. Eckert is growing on me but I want to see how he does against Leicester.

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Patches O Houlihan

Patches O Houlihan

Posted
Posted (edited)
5 hours ago, Dr Who? said:

I have to say, 3 in a row and 1-5 on the road. Without getting carried away, that is not a bad turn of events considering the state we were in. You could see the confidence returning. The only negative we seem to be returning to knocking the ball around our own penalty area, but not only this a few yards out from the goal. I thought we were moving away from this kind of football. 

We will see how the next 2 games go, but the owners should either say, you have got the job or employ someone else, so all know where they stand. 

Playing around at the back to beat the press was the key to most of the goals - Jander's particularly.

Clearly there is some residual memory of Russball for our defensive unit, and he did get them to be on average pretty good at that playing style in the Championship. The problem was when it didn't go well.

What makes it better than under Russ is that the players now seem to be allowed to play it long, or chip it forward if they feel under pressure and want to play it safe - it felt like they knew they would get a bollocking for doing that under Russ. 

It's not going to be very helpful against teams that will play a low block against us - as most teams in the league now will after that performance.

After a dispiriting 13 minutes with so many gilt edged chances missed that was a lovely 20 minute spell of total football. 

More please.

Edited by Patches O Houlihan
  • Like 2
Give it to Ron

Give it to Ron

Posted
Posted

Felt for the lad in our row who turned up on the 25th minute….we did give him a cheer and some when our 5th went in.

Just been reading the comments on match thread what a bunch of miserable twats and clueless. 

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washsaint

washsaint

Posted
Posted
8 minutes ago, Give it to Ron said:

Felt for the lad in our row who turned up on the 25th minute….we did give him a cheer and some when our 5th went in.

Just been reading the comments on match thread what a bunch of miserable twats and clueless. 

100% on the money Ron.  Bunch of clueless, classless miserable twats who almost seemed to want us to lose to prove their (incorrect) point

  • Like 5
Give it to Ron

Give it to Ron

Posted
Posted
4 minutes ago, washsaint said:

100% on the money Ron.  Bunch of clueless, classless miserable twats who almost seemed to want us to lose to prove their (incorrect) point

Hold my hands up was surprised at Bragg starting but he was really good on the ball and off it simple great range of passing that defence had an outlet to.

Our tempo has gone up loads Fellows and Leo great today but Armstrong my motm worked so hard 2 assists.

  • Like 8
goodymatt

goodymatt

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Lighthouse said:

Two hours ago some people were saying it was ridiculous he didn’t start ahead of Bragg.

I stand corrected, pleasantly surprised by Bragg today. Well done to the lad.

  • Like 3
goodymatt

goodymatt

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, 23rdSaint said:

 

Yeah I’ll hold my hands up on this one, Bragg proved me wrong today and fair play to him. I stand by the expectation that Joe Aribo who was reasonable for us in the PL last season should be contributing more for his £70k a week rumoured wage and not leaving us to take risks that in other games this season have cost us.

  • Like 5
Jack

Jack

Posted
Posted

Happy to admit I called it wrong today. Was mad Nate too hellbent on getting at us that they overcommitted on the press? Either way we moved the ball far quicker than we have done all season and made the most of the acres of space they gave us, and the finishing finally looked good after a few missed chances early on. 
 

I didn’t think much of the QPR or Sheff Weds performances but if these are issues that Tonda has identified and rectified, it’ll be interesting to see what happens against better sides. How we played 2nd half was clearly just to manage the game, but it looked very much like how we’ve played for a lot of this season. More of the first half stuff please 

  • Like 3
LiberalCommunist

LiberalCommunist

Posted
Posted

Delightful to have a comfortable match day for the first time in what feels like years!

But, our third win in a row still feels a little hollow after such a disappointingly bad start to the season.  

Glad we are starting to put things right, but we are now playing catch up. Can't afford the silly mistakes. 

Tuesday is looking massive. 

  • Like 2
Mr X

Mr X

Posted
Posted (edited)

I was skeptical about Eckhart but he deserves a chance on a short term contract for the rest of this season.... I just hope we don't appoint him permanently and this upturn in form turns to shit again as is the saints way! ... It is a gamble but one worth persuing if it's a short term contract! 

Edited by Mr X
  • Like 1
saintstowin

saintstowin

Posted
Posted

That was an interesting game to be in with the home fans. Crikey those 8 minutes and 4 goals. Didn't know what to do but somehow kept calm. 

Fair play to the home lot around me, was next to the Saints fans so a pretty quiet part of the ground but they took it well enough.

Wooley07

Wooley07

Posted
Posted

Great first half, best football we have played for sometime.

So many subtle changes to the way we played today to under Will Still. The most notable to me were the position of the full backs and the two forwards behind the striker.

Manning and Fellows were much higher and Azaz and Scienza were wide to begin but narrowed and played closer to Armstrong.

We were playing out from the back but the two CM were making passing lanes for the ball, on the ground, up to the front players, Charlton got wise to that second half. We were running in behind and players were, at last, looking for those runs. The attacking play looked to have planned and practiced basic moves, with third man runs, for the first time this season.

All five subs made were, for me, the right players going off and coming on.

If anyone questions what difference the manager can make, I think today showed it is massive. I have been worried about Sports Republic taking the easy/cheap option with Tonda but what he put out today showed his influence and it was clearly positive.

Two more games like this you have to think he will have earned the role full time.

PS. To top a great game all round, Downs came on and showed us a little bit. Not saying he was great but I saw something from him today.

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Maggie May

Maggie May

Posted
Posted

We were excellent and it was brilliant being among the fans looking utterly astonished at what we were seeing. 
 

Bragg was top drawer. Scienza could become a Saints legend. 

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Cabrone

Cabrone

Posted
Posted

What team was I watching today? Fast incisive attacking movement and clinical finishing? Seriously where the hell has this team been all season?

After such a crap start playoffs must be the minimum target. We know what you can do so no excuses now.

  • Like 1
St Louis

St Louis

Posted
Posted (edited)
24 minutes ago, benjii said:

Unfortunately, Jones' comments were very measured and magnanimous. 

He said for parts, we were the best side he’s ever seen at this level. That was nice to hear… especially from him 😁

Edited by St Louis
  • Like 1
Sheaf Saint

Sheaf Saint

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, Maggie May said:

Scienza could become a Saints legend. 

He could, but I honestly don't think he will stick around long enough for that to happen. If he keeps up his current form we will be getting some serious bids in for him next summer (or possibly even in January), of the kind that would be very hard for SR to turn down.

hypochondriac

hypochondriac

Posted
Posted

It's a magnificent result and brilliant first half but I do think at least some of it was that Charlton played very poorly. I'd like to see this performance repeated in other games before I proclaim Tonda as the answer. Great start though.

  • Like 3
Charlie Wayman

Charlie Wayman

Posted
Posted

Well done Eckert for doing exactly what it says on the tin, keep the ball moving quickly and always pass forward. Should have been 8 in the first 30 mins but I'll take 5. Loved the little one touch triangles in midfield, how good was it to see our players finding spaces to receive the ball without challenges. Big shout out for Cameron Bragg another discovery from the Academy alongside Jay Robinson, what a debut. Let's hope they can find a goal scoring striker.

Roll on Tuesday, it's about time we beat Leicester.

  • Like 2
Charlie Wayman

Charlie Wayman

Posted
Posted
20 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

It's a magnificent result and brilliant first half but I do think at least some of it was that Charlton played very poorly. I'd like to see this performance repeated in other games before I proclaim Tonda as the answer. Great start though.

Here we go again, best performance for years and some nut has to come up with that old trope "We only beat poor teams". There are going to be a lot of poor teams in this league before the season ends my friend.

  • Like 1
DT

DT

Posted
Posted

Just got back. Have to say that at times we were brilliant, and totally bossed the first half. I sat with my Charlton supporting mate in the side stand and he said we were the best team by far he has seen in the 8 games so far this season he's been to.

I thought Scienza was amazingly good with his pace and directness, and Fellows also excellent. But boy oh boy were Charlton open, and Nathan Jones didn't seem equipped to change it. Deja vu.

Even Armstrong was pretty good, one glaring piss poor header aside, and at least finished after his bites at the cherry. Wood looked a bit lumbering at times, choosing to manhandle his man too much, and Stephens had one Stephens moment, plus of course we conceded (poor marking or should Baz have come?) but overall an incredible performance, great result, and much rendition of the sheepshagging song about Nathan Jones.

One thing I thought was interesting - okay, some of their fans went home early but even at halftime whilst queuing for teas, I couldn't sense any of the anger, vitriol, and toxicity that might have been there had we been 5-1 down. Or at the final whistle. My mate suggested that there was still a lot of goodwill around for their promotion, and that was also evident by the way their fans applauded their team at the final whistle. Despite being demolished in the first half.

There will be a lot of people now calling for Eckert to get the job full time but it's too early I think, and perehaps Charlton were just the third bad team in a row we have played. But he hasn't done himself any harm. Ownership must be rubbing their hands with glee. 

  • Like 1
Hopper

Hopper

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Well done Eckert for doing exactly what it says on the tin, keep the ball moving quickly and always pass forward. Should have been 8 in the first 30 mins but I'll take 5. Loved the little one touch triangles in midfield, how good was it to see our players finding spaces to receive the ball without challenges. Big shout out for Cameron Bragg another discovery from the Academy alongside Jay Robinson, what a debut. Let's hope they can find a goal scoring striker.

Roll on Tuesday, it's about time we beat Leicester.

Play like this and I think you keep Arma at 9. He was incredible today. Dropped back, created well and scored.

If Eckert's system allows him to perform like that through the middle I wouldn't upset the apple cart.

  • Like 5
DT

DT

Posted
Posted

One other thing. If I was Downs and in a miserable run of form, I would at least run around a bit. Bloody hell he doesn't look he's even trying! On a day of brilliance, he looked drab. Still need the scouts out for a CF and GK in January.

Hopper

Hopper

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, DT said:

One other thing. If I was Downs and in a miserable run of form, I would at least run around a bit. Bloody hell he doesn't look he's even trying! On a day of brilliance, he looked drab. Still need the scouts out for a CF and GK in January.

I find myself rooting for Downs when he comes on for some reason. He shows flashes of good positional sense and he made a couple of nice turns today but you can see he's playing with a ton of nerves.

If we can string a few more dominant performances together hopefully we will get to see a few more low-risk opportunities for him to get his feet underneath him. I think there's potential there but he's WAY off at the moment.

  • Like 5
hypochondriac

hypochondriac

Posted
Posted
19 minutes ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Here we go again, best performance for years and some nut has to come up with that old trope "We only beat poor teams". There are going to be a lot of poor teams in this league before the season ends my friend.

In all politeness; fuck off.

  • Sad 1
wild-saint

wild-saint

Posted
Posted
13 minutes ago, DT said:

One other thing. If I was Downs and in a miserable run of form, I would at least run around a bit. Bloody hell he doesn't look he's even trying! On a day of brilliance, he looked drab. Still need the scouts out for a CF and GK in January.

Thought he looked better and that there is possibly player there if we don’t crush his confidence completely. He has been poor and seriously lacking in confidence but saints fans are jeering him constantly even when we are 5-1 up away from home. The lad is 21 and some of our fans need to get a grip and give the lad some support. 
 

great game though and first half we were fucking electric. Bragg was the star for me based on the position he played on his first real game. A lot of pressure and he handled it superbly. 
 

Paul_B

Paul_B

Posted
Posted

I was very busy with work and only saw the score earlier this afternoon. Thought there was a glitch in the internet when I saw that we'd scored 5. I was pleasantly baffled by it. Is anyone able to summarise briefly how we managed this to save me reading through....many thanks!

Verbal

Verbal

Posted
Posted
18 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

In all politeness; fuck off.

That's not polite at all; I'm deeply offended by your misuse of the semi-colon.

  • Like 1
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benjii

benjii

Posted
Posted
6 minutes ago, Paul_B said:

I was very busy with work and only saw the score earlier this afternoon. Thought there was a glitch in the internet when I saw that we'd scored 5. I was pleasantly baffled by it. Is anyone able to summarise briefly how we managed this to save me reading through....many thanks!

Better coach.

  • Like 1
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Lee On Solent Saint

Lee On Solent Saint

Posted
Posted
51 minutes ago, DT said:

One other thing. If I was Downs and in a miserable run of form, I would at least run around a bit. Bloody hell he doesn't look he's even trying! On a day of brilliance, he looked drab. Still need the scouts out for a CF and GK in January.

Same could be said for Aribo to be fair. Waste of a sub. 

saintwbu

saintwbu

Posted
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, hypochondriac said:

It's a magnificent result and brilliant first half but I do think at least some of it was that Charlton played very poorly. I'd like to see this performance repeated in other games before I proclaim Tonda as the answer. Great start though.

I agree with a fair bit of what you post but can’t agree with this at all - this is the third game in a row people are detracting from the performance/result by saying the opposition are poor. I’d say almost every team we’ve played this season have been average at best, I don’t think the league is great this season at all, yet we’ve just absolutely torn apart a well drilled workmanlike side with a decent coach (at this level). Until three games ago we’d made a meal of every single team we’ve played against, even the games we won. I struggle to remember a half of football that good from any Saints side, maybe ever to be honest. 

Edited by saintwbu
  • Like 2
hypochondriac

hypochondriac

Posted
Posted
9 minutes ago, saintwbu said:

I agree with a fair bit of what you post but can’t agree with this at all - this is the third game in a row people are detracting from the performance/result by saying the opposition are poor. I’d say almost every team we’ve played this season have been average at best, I don’t think the league is great this season at all, yet we’ve just absolutely torn apart a well drilled workmanlike side with a decent coach (at this level). Until three games ago we’d made a meal of every single team we’ve played against, even the games we won. I struggle to remember a half of football that good from any Saints side, maybe ever to be honest. 

I'm not detracting anything. We played poorly in the previous two games and won the games. We played extremely well in the first half of this game and won the game. Let's take stock after Leicester and Millwall. If we play similarly then regardless of the result you'd have to say he's made a strong case for himself.

  • Like 1
Singapore Saint

Singapore Saint

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, SaintBobby said:

Excellent stuff.

That blistering spell in the first half was beautiful to watch.

Nerd/trivia question - have we ever scored 4 goals in as few as 8 minutes before?

Yes, about 10 years ago in the Premier League, against Aston Villa I think it was, Sadio Mane scored the fastest hattrick in history (a bit over 3 minutes) and Shane Long scored soon afterwards with a wonderful floater from long distance.

The Wyvern

The Wyvern

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Jack said:

Happy to admit I called it wrong today. Was mad Nate too hellbent on getting at us that they overcommitted on the press? Either way we moved the ball far quicker than we have done all season and made the most of the acres of space they gave us, and the finishing finally looked good after a few missed chances early on. 
 

I didn’t think much of the QPR or Sheff Weds performances but if these are issues that Tonda has identified and rectified, it’ll be interesting to see what happens against better sides. How we played 2nd half was clearly just to manage the game, but it looked very much like how we’ve played for a lot of this season. More of the first half stuff please 

I think they did over-do the press and weren’t good enough at it. Teams often do well against us sitting deep and letting us play infront of them. 
 

Excellent performance in first half, best in a long time. 
 

Key being moving the ball quickly, something we just haven’t done in the last few years. 

  • Like 1
saintant

saintant

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, DT said:

Just got back. Have to say that at times we were brilliant, and totally bossed the first half. I sat with my Charlton supporting mate in the side stand and he said we were the best team by far he has seen in the 8 games so far this season he's been to.

I thought Scienza was amazingly good with his pace and directness, and Fellows also excellent. But boy oh boy were Charlton open, and Nathan Jones didn't seem equipped to change it. Deja vu.

Even Armstrong was pretty good, one glaring piss poor header aside, and at least finished after his bites at the cherry. Wood looked a bit lumbering at times, choosing to manhandle his man too much, and Stephens had one Stephens moment, plus of course we conceded (poor marking or should Baz have come?) but overall an incredible performance, great result, and much rendition of the sheepshagging song about Nathan Jones.

One thing I thought was interesting - okay, some of their fans went home early but even at halftime whilst queuing for teas, I couldn't sense any of the anger, vitriol, and toxicity that might have been there had we been 5-1 down. Or at the final whistle. My mate suggested that there was still a lot of goodwill around for their promotion, and that was also evident by the way their fans applauded their team at the final whistle. Despite being demolished in the first half.

There will be a lot of people now calling for Eckert to get the job full time but it's too early I think, and perehaps Charlton were just the third bad team in a row we have played. But he hasn't done himself any harm. Ownership must be rubbing their hands with glee. 

Seems you have a problem with Armstrong. He has six goals plus numerous assists and, at Championship level is one of the best. Not sure what you want from him or who you think might do better.

  • Like 2
Singapore Saint

Singapore Saint

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, JohnnyShearer2.0 said:

 

Bambi on ice Kenwyne Jones? 

 

30 minutes ago, saintwbu said:

I agree with a fair bit of what you post but can’t agree with this at all - this is the third game in a row people are detracting from the performance/result by saying the opposition are poor. I’d say almost every team we’ve played this season have been average at best, I don’t think the league is great this season at all, yet we’ve just absolutely torn apart a well drilled workmanlike side with a decent coach (at this level). Until three games ago we’d made a meal of every single team we’ve played against, even the games we won. I struggle to remember a half of football that good from any Saints side, maybe ever to be honest. 

Agreed. If we get a decent result from our next 2 games, we absolutely must appoint TE or risk having him snatched from under our noses by some struggling Premier League club mid-season.

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