Doncaster 2-3 Saints - Match Thread

[die Mannyschaft]

57 minutes ago, BARCELONASAINT said:

I wish Tonda for once would quit with this playing the party line and call a spade a spade.

"We were decent in the first half and at half time were where we should be against a team struggling in Div 1."

We were utter shit second half and the performance was unforgivable. We have a worrying  lack of mental strength and lack any backbone and leadership and these are traits that have been with us for the last 2 seasons"

Bloody say it as it is Tonda you spineless cretin!

Unbelievable 2nd half. Saints really were useless.  £100m team, more like £2m. How did we pay so much for these players? Not organisation,  slow, unfit. 

[Teamsaint1]

7 minutes ago, die Mannyschaft said:

Unbelievable 2nd half. Saints really were useless.  £100m team, more like £2m. How did we pay so much for these players? Not organisation,  slow, unfit. 

jo Tess was saying that he thinks fitness is an issue, given second half performances.

[AlexLaw76]

4 minutes ago, Teamsaint1 said:

jo Tess was saying that he thinks fitness is an issue, given second half performances.

Still said we were going to be the fittest team in the league, or something like that.

The club is just fucking shit

[Mboto Gorge]

5 minutes ago, Teamsaint1 said:

jo Tess was saying that he thinks fitness is an issue, given second half performances.

Given that the players were desperate to have their mate in charge so they can play walking football again with zero energy and intensity and have an easy ride of it, I can well believe that fitness levels are nowhere where they need to be and should be for a competent team to be successful 

[bangkoksaint]

1 minute ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Still said we were going to be the fittest team in the league, or something like that.

The club is just fucking shit

This is where I wonder about the players. This sounds completely implausible but do you think there’s an element of managers saying ‘we’re doing this, these are our expectations and these are the levels you need to get to’ but the players, because they like Easy Street, simply say ‘no we’re not’ and they’re allowed to get away with it. 
 

Watching other games with the pace and power I just think we’re a million miles away and without a major uplift in fitness and attitude we’ll never get to it. 

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

What's WGS doing these days? He would sort the lazy fuckers out

[Willo of Whiteley]

I’d have more respect for him if he called everyone out at the club.

Imagine calling out the players and those above you for the incompetencies and shitshow and all it’ll cost you as a few quid.

Nowadays the money talks. I bet as soon as he signed that contract he was working out wha his termination pay off was going to be. He knows he won’t be here come the start of next season.

Edited yesterday at 19:38 by Willo of Whiteley

[Galway saint]

I was sat in the Donny end but I could hear a few chants of ‘SR get out of our club’ in the 2nd half which was fair enough as it was shocking. First half we were so comfortable but 2nd half we seemed to concede all impetus in the centre of the park and were hanging on at the end.

the starlings were however great 

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

7 hours ago, die Mannyschaft said:

Unbelievable 2nd half. Saints really were useless.  £100m team, more like £2m. How did we pay so much for these players? Not organisation,  slow, unfit. 

First half was decent.

Agree on the second half. Must be a fitness issue and an attitude one.

Stewart looked handy when he came on. Shame it won't last.

Edited 19 hours ago by JohnnyShearer2.0

[Harry_SFC]

1 hour ago, JohnS said:

Tonda might’ve stumbled on our winning formula moving forward now

Score at least 3 goals & we may be with a chance of winning 

We cannot defend. Doesn't seem to matter who's in charge. But we have very good attackers. So why not say fuck it and take the shackles off.

[Mr X]

54 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

I’d have more respect for him if he called everyone out at the club.

Imagine calling out the players and those above you for the incompetencies and shitshow and all it’ll cost you as a few quid.

Nowadays the money talks. I bet as soon as he signed that contract he was working out wha his termination pay off was going to be. He knows he won’t be here come the start of next season.

He signed for 18 months so there's a chance he will be, they aren't just going to freely admit theyve fucked up yet again.... Their hand might be forced though if we keep sliding down the table 

[saintant]

1 hour ago, Teamsaint1 said:

jo Tess was saying that he thinks fitness is an issue, given second half performances.

No excuse for lack of fitness. Shows a very lazy attitude from players and coaches. If a team at Doncaster's level is fitter than we are that is a major issue.

[Appy]

That was dreadful, almost glad Doncaster came back into it, a comfortable win papers over the cracks and makes it more likely this bluffer manager will stay in charge. 
 

I’m not banking on a single one of this spineless lot at Fratton in two weeks. 

[obelisk]

I thought we saw out the last 2 minutes of added time quite comfortably. Pity about the shambles that came before that. Seems like we're unable to defend balls into our box at all and I suspect opposition managers might have noticed.

[Willo of Whiteley]

43 minutes ago, Mr X said:

He signed for 18 months so there's a chance he will be, they aren't just going to freely admit theyve fucked up yet again.... Their hand might be forced though if we keep sliding down the table 

Sport Republic bods sip tea.

”Oh yes we can”

[Osvaldorama]

3 hours ago, OneMrsWallace said:

Doncaster put in 37 crosses. We put in 15. Pretty poor from us but it's so obvious teams know our weakness against crosses. We desperately need a strong, experienced CB to win the ball but we also need to stop the crosses at source. Loads of work to do as Tonda doesn't seem capable of getting any sort of tune out of this current squad.

This is crazy. Completely unacceptable against a team who are struggling so badly. 
 

Something has to be wrong with the setup of the team for this to happen. No wonder we concede so many goals. 

[Harry_SFC]

46 minutes ago, saintant said:

No excuse for lack of fitness. Shows a very lazy attitude from players and coaches. If a team at Doncaster's level is fitter than we are that is a major issue.

Still and Juric supposedly tried to get the players fit and look how it ended for them 

[Lighthouse]

1 hour ago, saintant said:

No excuse for lack of fitness. Shows a very lazy attitude from players and coaches. If a team at Doncaster's level is fitter than we are that is a major issue.

They aren’t, our issues are derived from game management and tactics. You don’t concede two goals within 15 minutes of half time because the team is unfit.

[hypochondriac]

51 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

They aren’t, our issues are derived from game management and tactics. You don’t concede two goals within 15 minutes of half time because the team is unfit.

I'm inclined to agree. We don't routinely concede goals late in games.

[saintant]

59 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

They aren’t, our issues are derived from game management and tactics. You don’t concede two goals within 15 minutes of half time because the team is unfit.

Disagree. This team is clearly unfit so when they have the 15 minute sit down at half time they then struggle to get going again. It happens every game. They come out second half looking tired and lacking any energy. Convinced it's down to poor fitness levels. 

[Micky]

2 hours ago, Galway saint said:

I was sat in the Donny end but I could hear a few chants of ‘SR get out of our club’ in the 2nd half which was fair enough as it was shocking. First half we were so comfortable but 2nd half we seemed to concede all impetus in the centre of the park and were hanging on at the end.

the starlings were however great 

I was in the away end and the 'SR' chants were happening pretty much from the start.  Make no mistake we were pretty awful today against a very poor Donny side, yes we scored 3 in the first half but there were elements of luck in at least 2 of the goals.  Second half was woeful, we barely got out of our own half, Leo was the impetus that got us over the line, anything better than Donny and we'd have lost. 

And yes, the starlings were probably the most entertaining thing in the second half, especially when the two flocks merged into one at the exact time as they scored their first goal which was met with cheers from the away end as well...!

We need massive improvements in so many areas if we really are seriously looking to make inroads towards promotion, sadly I can't see it in a month of Sundays. Skates away is a frightening prospect with 90 percent of this team. 

[die Mannyschaft]

The way I look at tge Saints team is that none of the players are 'proper players'. Its like when you play Saturday or Sunday leaque football and its Friday in pub and we need 2 players for the game. You get 2 players and there really good and do the job. But that's because they can't play week in week out, you can't play them more than 45 mins. 

There Saints players don't have the ability to play 97 mins, concentrate for that time, are physical able to compete in that time, or can even run all game.

Then add in no player is able to be played in any stable position or have the correct players alongside them. Where are our 4 defenders, where are the midfield, the forwards or wingers, its just a complete shambles.

Now the level of the players. God know how we have players over £5m, £8m, £10m none of them are championship level. Who cares what they did in previous team. These players are all operating at leaque 1. 

Next fitness, well none of them can run during 97m or even 35 mins.

Now substitutions.  What a ridiculous situation we have in making 5 subs every game. Again its bad enough no one who playing where or its the usual bodge job and then after subs bodge job number 2.

Saints have completely lots any style or formation or way of playing since Tonda got job. The standard of football is just unacceptable and no good club keeps saying the player injured needs time, these players can play alongside but be ok when x or y back, this player needs time, that player not used in best position.  God the excuses just never end. Today was as bad as it can get even with 3 goals. It was v Doncaster not Hull. Pompey,  Millwall, Oxford or Norwich. 

To me it looks like we are throwing the games. Someone in club wants us relegated or has £5,000 on Saints to draw after leading or other bet. Maybe there is a buyout in club and tge price needs to drop, so hey let's play crap send halves no one will notice and we can get club cheap.

[die Mannyschaft]

50 minutes ago, Micky said:

I was in the away end and the 'SR' chants were happening pretty much from the start.  Make no mistake we were pretty awful today against a very poor Donny side, yes we scored 3 in the first half but there were elements of luck in at least 2 of the goals.  Second half was woeful, we barely got out of our own half, Leo was the impetus that got us over the line, anything better than Donny and we'd have lost. 

And yes, the starlings were probably the most entertaining thing in the second half, especially when the two flocks merged into one at the exact time as they scored their first goal which was met with cheers from the away end as well...!

We need massive improvements in so many areas if we really are seriously looking to make inroads towards promotion, sadly I can't see it in a month of Sundays. Skates away is a frightening prospect with 90 percent of this team. 

We are do bad its unbelievable the rate at which our game has reverted to a worse than Still output. Why haven't we got 4 defender by now in window? We have no defence at all, they cant do basic defending from set play week in week out. God know what the coaches are doing or seing but its more fitness and fame plan for darts or table tennis.

[die Mannyschaft]

2 hours ago, Osvaldorama said:

This is crazy. Completely unacceptable against a team who are struggling so badly. 
 

Something has to be wrong with the setup of the team for this to happen. No wonder we concede so many goals. 

We need experienced players full stop in all departments. And a experienced manager and coaches who know and understand football NOT fuckin stats and marketing,  podcasting.  

[SouSaint]

That second half was a disgrace. 

No leadership in the boardroom, no leadership on the touchline and no leadership on the pitch. 

This is about to get a whole lot worse when we get a battering against those shit cunts down the road. Zero chance this lot go there and show any bottle. 

SR out. 

[die Mannyschaft]

Last observation from Doncaster was that this was the quietest Saints away crowd I've been to on over 30 years. Even with Saints scoring 3 goals all fans were watching in shock and disbelief at how poor the quality of football was. So the two worst games I've ever seen are the Pompey home game and now Doncaster (replaces Everton away) both in this season. 

[Saint Fan CaM]

The concern I have is that SR will get shot of some duds in the squad and then dilute the squad quality even further. That’s the dilemma you face when you’re a mid-table team…the best players want a shot at promotion and we’re miles off it now.

[Appy]

5 hours ago, die Mannyschaft said:

Last observation from Doncaster was that this was the quietest Saints away crowd I've been to on over 30 years. Even with Saints scoring 3 goals all fans were watching in shock and disbelief at how poor the quality of football was. So the two worst games I've ever seen are the Pompey home game and now Doncaster (replaces Everton away) both in this season. 

When it wasn’t quiet, there were people round me singing the weirdest things too. 

[Doctoroncall]

10 hours ago, Osvaldorama said:

This is crazy. Completely unacceptable against a team who are struggling so badly. 
 

Something has to be wrong with the setup of the team for this to happen. No wonder we concede so many goals. 

Don’t worry, it could have been worse, Tonda has known about this for a few weeks and has been working on it with the players. 🤪

[EssEffCee]

8 hours ago, die Mannyschaft said:

Last observation from Doncaster was that this was the quietest Saints away crowd I've been to on over 30 years. Even with Saints scoring 3 goals all fans were watching in shock and disbelief at how poor the quality of football was. So the two worst games I've ever seen are the Pompey home game and now Doncaster (replaces Everton away) both in this season. 

It was poor but there's been far worse this season alone.

[Football Special]

We're on the March with Tonda's Army, we're all going to Wembley 

At least the 1976 kit looked good 

[East Kent Saint]

Unfortunately Saints match only showed the goals on Motd , perhaps they were the only highlights ! but watching the other games was good as there was no VAR ! I'm sure a few of the goals would have been put under the not very accurate VAR microscope ! The players didn't protest as far as I saw just got on with the game and no issues seemed to be raised on the after match chats about dodgy decisions etc .

[Oh no Mick Mills]

I enjoyed yesterday.  

It was worth the long coach trip up there.

Yes we were crap in the 2nd half but ultimately we're through to the 4th round . 

 

[Football Special]

5 minutes ago, Oh no Mick Mills said:

I enjoyed yesterday.  

It was worth the long coach trip up there.

Yes we were crap in the 2nd half but ultimately we're through to the 4th round . 

 

There's some really appealing potential draws still in the cup as well, would love a trip to Burton, Macclesfield, Port Vale, Grimsby 

[Sarnia Cherie]

3 minutes ago, Football Special said:

There's some really appealing potential draws still in the cup as well, would love a trip to Burton, Macclesfield, Port Vale, Grimsby 

No hopes. A trip to the Etihad is on the cards. 

[Football Special]

1 minute ago, Sarnia Cherie said:

No hopes. A trip to the Etihad is on the cards. 

You're right, fuck that! 

Although could be another opportunity for Pep to praise another of our managers 

[M271]

I know that some on here like to slag off all of our players for one reason or another, every goal conceded someone is to blame, every goal chance missed someone is crap, every misplaced pass someone’s not fit to wear the shirt etc.

However my view may not be popular. I believe that our squad are plenty good enough to walk this league but for whatever reason the team spirit, morale, getting the best out of the individuals as a team collective, being better or at least as good as the sum of the parts isn’t there. Often players who come here having played well at their previous club don’t play as well for us, I can’t think of many (any) recently who play better when they have come to us. Something is wrong behind the scenes and I can only think that it is poor organisation, tactics, coaching and fitness training making us worse than we should be. I find it very frustrating that other teams are doing well with less resources than we have but get the maximum out of them.

I thought that we had ‘turned a corner’ a month ago but we have regressed again. Yes we got through to R4 but not convincingly.

Edited 12 hours ago by M271

[Saintinnot]

4 hours ago, Appy said:

When it wasn’t quiet, there were people round me singing the weirdest things too. 

There was a bunch of guys taking any chance they could to hurl obscenities at Jack Stephens whenever he was warming up , really goading him with vile abuse . One of them called ‘“Lawrence” standing by the railings calling him a c**t and trying to get him to come over . Jack realised the bloke was a pr**k and moved away. Luckily 10 minutes from the end they all pissed off down to the pub.

whatever you think of him as a player is this really necessary  - made my enjoyment of the game even worse than it was .

 

 

[HarvSFC]

"I know where this question is coming from in terms of formation, and we started in a back four. I actually think we became a lot more solid going into a back three with those changes."

So predictable. A back three forever more then.

[EssEffCee]

24 minutes ago, Football Special said:

There's some really appealing potential draws still in the cup as well, would love a trip to Burton, Macclesfield, Port Vale, Grimsby 

Mansfield would be good too if they could cause an upset today.

You just know though that we'll draw Liverpool again.

Or Leicester away as that's the league game which will be rearranged.

[M271]

7 minutes ago, Saintinnot said:

There was a bunch of guys taking any chance they could to hurl obscenities at Jack Stephens whenever he was warming up , really goading him with vile abuse . One of them called ‘“Lawrence” standing by the railings calling him a c**t and trying to get him to come over . Jack realised the bloke was a pr**k and moved away. Luckily 10 minutes from the end they all pissed off down to the pub.

whatever you think of him as a player is this really necessary  - made my enjoyment of the game even worse than it was .

 

 

Hurling abuse at our players is really going to help them to perform better isn’t it 😂 I’m not saying that people should clap a poorly performing player but just be neutral and certainly not verbally attack players who are part of our beloved club.

[Cabrone]

Wins a win but looks like we made very hard work of it. We should have put them to the sword but we stumbled over the line.

[Fabrice29]

18 minutes ago, M271 said:

However my view may not be popular. I believe that our squad are plenty good enough to walk this league

Just worth remembering we’ve finished behind Ipswich and Leicester two years in a row. 

[Hamwic]

I saw the Macclesfield game earlier and it was clear from the start that they had a determination about them. I have no idea whether or not it's down to management, coaching or something else. They were inspired by the lad Dawson who,apart from goal scoring and defending, was a leader on the pitch. Something we lacked yesterday and for some time before that. Sign him up. 

[saintant]

25 minutes ago, M271 said:

I know that some on here like to slag off all of our players for one reason or another, every goal conceded someone is to blame, every goal chance missed someone is crap, every misplaced pass someone’s not fit to wear the shirt etc.

However my view may not be popular. I believe that our squad are plenty good enough to walk this league but for whatever reason the team spirit, morale, getting the best out of the individuals as a team collective, being better or at least as good as the sum of the parts isn’t there. Often players who come here having played well at their previous club don’t play as well for us, I can’t think of many (any) recently who play better when they have come to us. Something is wrong behind the scenes and I can only think that it is poor organisation, tactics, coaching and fitness training making us worse than we should be. I find it very frustrating that other teams are doing well with less resources than we have but get the maximum out of them.

I thought that we had ‘turned a corner’ a month ago but we have regressed again. Yes we got through to R4 but not convincingly.

I'm convinced this squad has a very poor work ethic led by the likes of senior players Capt Jack, Downes and Manning. They strike me as the type of individuals who will not put in the maximum or required effort when it comes to the fitness training and that filters down to the rest of the group. They need a good kick up the arse and we should bring in a training coach who takes no nonsense and knocks them into some sort of physical shape. My sense is that training is all too cushy and has been for a long time. Will Still alluded to it and, for whatever reason (probably lack of respect from players) he was unable to make us any fitter. Manning is a prime example - he looks to be carrying a bit of timber. If you are less fit than your opponents you are handing them a big advantage. 

[Football Special]

19 minutes ago, M271 said:

Hurling abuse at our players is really going to help them to perform better isn’t it 😂 I’m not saying that people should clap a poorly performing player but just be neutral and certainly not verbally attack players who are part of our beloved club.

I agree, singling out individual players for abuse is pointless. 

 

[Football Special]

30 minutes ago, EssEffCee said:

Mansfield would be good too if they could cause an upset today.

You just know though that we'll draw Liverpool again.

Or Leicester away as that's the league game which will be rearranged.

I'm still traumatised by a trip to Mansfield in 2000 for league cup 2nd round 2nd leg, very strange place, streaker ran on and waved his knob at Uwe Rosler, took ages for a steward to come on with a fire extinguisher to cover the offensive area and escort the bloke off the pitch 

[Whitey Grandad]

19 minutes ago, saintant said:

I'm convinced this squad has a very poor work ethic led by the likes of senior players Capt Jack, Downes and Manning. They strike me as the type of individuals who will not put in the maximum or required effort when it comes to the fitness training and that filters down to the rest of the group. They need a good kick up the arse and we should bring in a training coach who takes no nonsense and knocks them into some sort of physical shape. My sense is that training is all too cushy and has been for a long time. Will Still alluded to it and, for whatever reason (probably lack of respect from players) he was unable to make us any fitter. Manning is a prime example - he looks to be carrying a bit of timber. If you are less fit than your opponents you are handing them a big advantage. 

I know it's hard to believe but last time I looked Manning and Bree are the same height. 

[saintant]

Just now, Whitey Grandad said:

I know it's hard to believe but last time I looked Manning and Bree are the same height. 

Sorry, not sure I understand your point. What has comparing the respective height of Manning and Bree got to do with my post? 🙂

[Appy]

1 hour ago, EssEffCee said:

It was poor but there's been far worse this season alone.

Yep, I think Oxford is the worst away end I’ve been in for a long time.