Birmingham 1-1 Saints - Match Thread

[benali-shorts]

A very good game and a good advert for the Championship, according to Tonda. Jesus. 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

10 minutes ago, Convict Colony said:

If its not 4 at the back with jelert at right back and fellows on right wing next game I'm official over this bollocks

We will miss you, when the next team sheet goes up. 🙂

[S-Clarke]

First half was as bad as we've been all season, slow, predictable, sideways, backwards, getting caught etc etc - same script that's been played many a time. We were very lucky to go in 0-0, should have been 1 or 2 down if we're honest.

Second half we actually started the same way, and let in a goal that would have not looked out of place in the Sunday league - with 3 CB's on the pitch, not one of them got anywhere near that. The GK didn't command or take control either, just horrendous all round. A non-league standard goal. 

After that, Birmingham changed it a bit and removed the pace they had - so it removed their threat on the break, which allowed us to move higher up the pitch. The goal came from exactly that, with the right back pushed up high and providing a first time drilled ball into the box. Apart from that though, I thought it was more propaganda football in the main - no one willing to take a risk in those last 10-15mins, safe passes, pointless probing and very, very slow predictable build up. We didn't make Birmingham work at all and it was just a revert to type really.

Overall we play too predictably, too slow, too safe. There's no urgency in our game, no movement, no quick passing - it's all very static and slow, which means there's never any space as we give the teams the entire game to block off any channels. 

The entire setup in the CM area is just wrong for me, Jander is clearly being targeted and closed down heavily by everyone we play now - we need an extra body in there to open up some space. 

There is no need for us to have 3 CB's, in an attacking sense it brings us nothing and in a defence sense it brings us nothing. It actually causes us to recycle it backwards as our numbers are at CB, so you end up with THB/Stephens/Wood cycling the ball between each other - the oppo are more than happy for those 3 to keep the ball, it offers fuck all.

We need extra bodies in CM, and have Leo and Fellows on the flanks - keep them up field and wide where they can hurt opposition, what's the point of spending £10m on a winger in Fellows when his primary job was defending? It's foolish. Just cut the 3 at the back for everyone's sanity.

[The Wyvern]

I thought Bragg was very good when he came on.

Good to have the option of Jelert at right back.

Would have taken a point before kick off, but still not a great performance. 

[Mboto Gorge]

It’s been clear for a while that we are finishing mid table and comfortably short of the play offs, performances and results like this just underline as much. Another wasted season under this utterly cretinous ownership group is imminent. 

Edited 3 hours ago by Mboto Gorge

[Convict Colony]

7 minutes ago, Saint Pete said:

He's 32 years old and zero managerial experience. What did people expect to happen? He might end up being a good manager in 2, 3 years. Is that what we needed?

maybe not play 3 cbs when the other team gets a man sent off, or if they are sitting in  a low block etc etc, shit everyone here can see

[CB Fry]

5 minutes ago, die Mannyschaft said:

He won't get sacked, his target is to avoid relegation and he should just make that. Promotion was never on the cards with a change fron a few decent games to back to normal Russell  Martin Gold +

His target was not to "avoid relegation".

[OttawaSaint]

1 minute ago, benali-shorts said:

A very good game and a good advert for the Championship, according to Tonda. Jesus. 

There must be a carbon monoxide leak at St Mary's or the club have gone back to leaded fuel for the team bus. Only explanation.

[Mboto Gorge]

3 minutes ago, benali-shorts said:

A very good game and a good advert for the Championship, according to Tonda. Jesus. 

Spoken like a true puppet to his bosses. Who’d have thought it 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

3 minutes ago, saint michael said:

Nothing will change until these owners fuck off. The longest failed experiment in history. I wonder what stats they look at that tell them there is any element of success on any front 

Selling Scienza and Fellows at the end of the season. That shows the player trading model works. Just all that other stuff getting in the way.

[saintant]

We were averaging 3 goals a game under Tonda but it's fropped to one a game now.

[whelk]

5 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

 

No it’s not. 
 

Birmingham (just up from L1) had a host of players out, yet were by far the  better side until the 80th minute. 
 

Compounded by the Oxford game and it’s nowhere near good enough. 

Just up from L1 - lol. Name the host of players out - Gray, who else?

Oxford was shite but one or two bad performances can’t be a reason for sacking a manager. I am far from convinced he was the right appointment but FFS unless we tear up every game some here want the manager gone. 

[Adkins' Bus]

Got away with that point, same old slow rubbish, same old 3 soft CBs, same old Baz. Terrible for goal, doesn't move his feet, just dives from a standing position. Great save shortly after though tbf. 

Jelert was good, imagining playing him RB in a back 4 with Fellows infront of him, that would be wild!

Would have been a decent point if we'd got 3 at Oxford......

Edited 3 hours ago by Adkins' Bus

[Osvaldorama]

Just now, whelk said:

Just up from L1 - lol. Name the host of players out - Gray, who else?

Oxford was shite but one or two bad performances can’t be a reason for sacking a manager. I am far from convinced he was the right appointment but FFS unless we tear up every game some here want the manager gone. 

You’re trying to move the goalposts. Your original post said people are overreacting. No they aren’t. 
 

Tonight was as bad as it gets. 
 

[Convict Colony]

7 minutes ago, benali-shorts said:

A very good game and a good advert for the Championship, according to Tonda. Jesus. 

This sounds like he has the same attitude as i do at my year end review.

[Saint Pete]

5 minutes ago, Mboto Gorge said:

Spoken like a true puppet to his bosses. Who’d have thought it 

There's no ambition in the club. He is just following the lead from SR. Failure and/or mediocrity is accepted in terms of results on the pitch. Bring back Cortese! 

Edited 3 hours ago by Saint Pete

[Holmes_and_Watson]

21 minutes ago, trousers said:

Bazunu Sky's MotM...

Did he flap at catching the award, and have to pick it up from behind him?

[captainchris]

9 minutes ago, benali-shorts said:

A very good game and a good advert for the Championship, according to Tonda. Jesus. 

Did we watch the same match… ? 
God that was poor for most of the match, Tonda needs to up his game! 

[obelisk]

11 points off the promotion places and 10 points clear of relegation. Mid-table finish pretty much nailed on.

[Lighthouse]

4 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

Tonight was as bad as it gets. 

A 1-1 draw away to a team with a decent home record is 'as bad as it gets'. Priceless. 😆

[OneMrsWallace]

Reality check time. Swansea just won at Oxford where we lost. Swansea, who are shit, are right behind us in the league. SR are completely delusional. We are drifting in to obscurity and only a change in ownership gives us any chance of turning things around. 

[captainchris]

Matsuki looked good apart from the foul he gave away. The guy deserves a lot more game time…

Edited 3 hours ago by captainchris

[Saint Pete]

12 minutes ago, Convict Colony said:

maybe not play 3 cbs when the other team gets a man sent off, or if they are sitting in  a low block etc etc, shit everyone here can see

So why were people on here creaming over him a few games ago and saying he should get the job over someone more experienced? Which was my point. 

Edited 3 hours ago by Saint Pete

[S-Clarke]

3 minutes ago, obelisk said:

11 points off the promotion places and 10 points clear of relegation. Mid-table finish pretty much nailed on.

Oh absolutely, there's nothing in this season for us. It's like I thought it was going to be, similar to our 05/06 season when we came down with Redknapp - and then changed to Burley in mid-season.

I can see how it'll play out, we'll get another good run which takes us to a playoff shout after 40 odd games - everyone gets excited (teams as far down as 12th are often in the playoff shout come the end of the season), then when we fail to finish top 6 it will be lauded as ''what an effort, we got so close''. Tonda will be kept on to help shape the next season, then we start the next season stuttering and shit, he gets dumped in November/December, and we've wasted half a season again.

So basically, we're never getting promoted with SR in charge. They've fucked us. We're now Stoke/Swansea. Pretty much nailed on now.

Edited 3 hours ago by S-Clarke

[Lord Duckhunter]

Take. In isolation it’s a decent point, but off the back of Oxford, 10 men Cov & Norwich it’s disappointing. We really are shite defending set pieces & no it’s not just Jack Stephen’s, that Prima donna THB gave an appalling ball away which resulted in a free kick. Fellowes was poor letting the guy hook it back in, then Baz did one of his diving boots jump. To me, he’s got to move his feet backwards and then jump and tip it over. He’s mistimed the “jump”, he really is fucking pony. Forget his save, had he not let that easy one in, they’re not buzzing not dominating that 5 mins (as we’re rocked back). 1-1, their keeper makes a save, ours doesn’t. It’s that simple. 

[SW11_Saint]

26 minutes ago, RedArmy said:

To make up for flapping at the slowest header you’ll see all season. 

Which should have been cleared multiple times by a defence who stood around watching the action… 

[RedArmy]

11 minutes ago, whelk said:

Just up from L1 - lol. Name the host of players out - Gray, who else?

 

Klarer. Doyle. Both suspended. 
 

Osayi-Samuel at the AFCON, and Laird his natural replacement out injured (but has also played left back this season) 

And obviously Gray. 
 

Osayi-Samuel, Doyle and Gray are the signings that made them one of them favourites to go up in the summer. They’re big losses. 
 

They were there for the taking tonight and we didn’t turn up.

 

 

[Wade Garrett]

Thought Bragg was our best player.

[RedArmy]

2 minutes ago, SW11_Saint said:

Which should have been cleared multiple times by a defence who stood around watching the action… 

Yes and a goalkeeper is the last line of defence. Helps a bit when they’re not flapping at slow moving objects. 

[hypochondriac]

Imagine having two of the best wingers in the entire league and refusing to play then together in their best positions. We concede multiple goals every other match regardless of how many defenders we play. If we'd played both wingers together as wingers with four at the back and looked worse then fair enough but we haven't and I think it would be hard to look worse at times. 

I'm annoyed at the manager. He never seems to be particularly upset at what are mostly poor performances. I'd be expecting him to have higher standards. Today wasn't good enough again and I want to hear him say that.

[VectisSaint]

17 minutes ago, saintant said:

We were averaging 3 goals a game under Tonda but it's fropped to one a game now.

Still 2.27 per game

[bugenhagen]

2 minutes ago, SW11_Saint said:

Which should have been cleared multiple times by a defence who stood around watching the action… 

Absolutely, but that does not relieve him of his duties as our last line of defence.

[Viking Saint]

38 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Not rocket science. 

Mccarthy

Jelert THB Wood Wellington 

Downes/Charles Jander 

Fellows Azaz Scienza 

Armstrong 

 

Like it, but is there room for Matsuki in there, possibly in place of Azaz?? I really like the look of him, looks calm and composed on the ball with some nice touches (brain fart FK conceded in last minute aside)

[Lord Duckhunter]

4 minutes ago, SW11_Saint said:

Which should have been cleared multiple times by a defence who stood around watching the action… 

Part of his job is organising the defence, bollocking people and taking command of his area. He’s like a little fucking boy lost in there. Abysmal player….

[saintant]

4 minutes ago, VectisSaint said:

Still 2.27 per game

I was taking the last 4 games.

[RedArmy]

2 minutes ago, Viking Saint said:

Like it, but is there room for Matsuki in there, possibly in place of Azaz?? I really like the look of him, looks calm and composed on the ball with some nice touches (brain fart FK conceded in last minute aside)

What the fuck would we drop Azaz for? 
 

When he’s not played out of position he has proven himself to be one of the best players in this league. 

[S-Clarke]

3 minutes ago, RedArmy said:

What the fuck would we drop Azaz for? 
 

When he’s not played out of position he has proven himself to be one of the best players in this league. 

Not sure it's a case of him being played out of position per-say, it's our general lack of moving the ball with pace. If we move the ball quicker, he can get into space and make things happen. He's one of those 'stand still' number 10's, he's not effective if we're needing him to go after the ball/pressing/chasing - that's not his game, like a duck out of water.

Just move the ball quickly, stretch the game, get him in the space in the gap between the midfield and attack and watch things happen. Azaz cannot be the final line of our attack, he needs people ahead of him.

Edited 3 hours ago by S-Clarke

[Saint Pete]

1 minute ago, RedArmy said:

What the fuck would we drop Azaz for? 
 

When he’s not played out of position he has proven himself to be one of the best players in this league. 

Agree, Azaz may be unpopular on here but he is a quality player for this level, 3 games ago folks on here were saying Still was barmy to leave him on the bench and they were right. 

[Viking Saint]

38 minutes ago, Saint Pete said:

2 mid-table teams. We have players who think they are good but don't walk the talk. A lot will be said about the manager as usual. It's no good complaining about that, fans shouldn't have been so quick to accept a 32 year old guy on basis of 3 or 4 results. We have to accept that now and that we have a manager who is learning on the job and not ready to achieve anything this season. 

There's 'learning on the job' and 'it's so blatantly fucking obvious that a child could see it'. Bazunu is not up to it and breeds nervousness amongst an already disorganised and leader-less defence. 3 CBs doesn't work and constantly leaves us overrun in midfield, Manning is an absolute liability and can't defend, Fellows is an attacker who is being asked to play as a defender, Aribo is stealing a living as a Footballer. Archer this evening proved what he can do when he can actually be bothered.

[RedArmy]

Just now, S-Clarke said:

Not sure it's a case of him being played out of position per-say, it's our general lack of moving the ball with pace. If we move the ball quicker, he can get into space and make things happen. He's one of those 'stand still' number 10's, he's not effective if we're needing him to go after the ball/pressing/chasing - that's not his game, like a duck out of water.

Just move the ball quickly, stretch the game, get him in the space in the gap between the midfield and attack and watch things happen.

He needs runners either side of him, something we haven’t been able to do the last few games.
 

But today he was asked to be the runner to replace Scienza with Robinson filling the middle of the pitch when Fellows got forward which is just bizarre. 
 

God knows what Still was trying to do with him either. 

[Toussaint]

Credit where it’s due, playing 3 central defenders tonight really paid dividends, they completely nullified Japans very own miniature Haaland. 

[Midfield_General]

£50m spent to be bottom half of the Championship more than halfway through the season.

Nowhere near good enough, but we are where we deserve to be and there’s no way we’re getting out of this division this season. It’s a horrible, lopsided, dysfunctional team and squad being managed by a novice who’s out of his depth and getting no support. 

From ownership to manager to coaching staff to players, we are aggressively bang average from top to bottom and there’s no hiding from it anymore. We had a chance to properly reset in the summer, and another one when we sacked Still, and we fucked both opportunities. 

Now we’re settling in as mid table championship dross, where we’re going to stay for some time, and SR has no one to blame but themselves. 

Edited 3 hours ago by Midfield_General

[bpsaint]

1 point from Oxford and Brum away is an embarrassment to be honest. Especially when the makeshift Birmingham side tonight were the better side.

Playoffs ain’t happening, how the fuck Tonda managed that purple patch of form is beyond me.

Cant wait for another inevitable manager merry go round in a few months when we search for Ankersen’s next puppet on a string.

Edited 2 hours ago by bpsaint

[Viking Saint]

26 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

A 1-1 draw away to a team with a decent home record is 'as bad as it gets'. Priceless. 😆

Did you watch the game?! We were absolutely fucking dire for 70 minutes, with the most expensive squad in the league. We improved as our best player started on the bench and for once our subs didn't make us worse.

[austsaint]

35 minutes ago, Adkins' Bus said:

Got away with that point, same old slow rubbish, same old 3 soft CBs, same old Baz. Terrible for goal, doesn't move his feet, just dives from a standing position. Great save shortly after though tbf. 

Jelert was good, imagining playing him RB in a back 4 with Fellows infront of him, that would be wild!

Would have been a decent point if we'd got 3 at Oxford......

If ever there was a blueprint for formation change we got a glimpse of what might be better when Jelert came on.  Play him at RB, have Fellows playing higher up the pitch.   Replace Manning with a better LB and play Leo as the winger.   Take Wood or Stephens out of the picture, play Bragg or Matsuki in front of Jander/Downes (who was good tonight).   Fellows, Armstrong, Scienza.

Azaz isn’t justifying a starting place at the moment.   A Goalkeeper change is desperately needed.   As for Tonda.   It’s almost as if he has every detail of game management set in cement before kick off, even down to the timing and identity of the subs.   He is too cautious; not responding to the game situation and patterns.  Where were the needed changes at half-time?   It’s always like-for-like changes at appointed times.    He’s rapidly showing himself to be another dud appointment.

Edited 3 hours ago by austsaint

[Viking Saint]

17 minutes ago, RedArmy said:

What the fuck would we drop Azaz for? 
 

When he’s not played out of position he has proven himself to be one of the best players in this league. 

Cos he's been bang fucking ordinary, and sometimes not even that good, in way too many games this season. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

36 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

A 1-1 draw away to a team with a decent home record is 'as bad as it gets'. Priceless. 😆

In terms of performance, yes it was pretty bad. Again.

[macca155]

28 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

Thought Bragg was our best player.

He was one of the architects of the Charlton win. When he came on at Norwich things improved. One of the positives, so play him

[hypochondriac]

37 minutes ago, Viking Saint said:

Like it, but is there room for Matsuki in there, possibly in place of Azaz?? I really like the look of him, looks calm and composed on the ball with some nice touches (brain fart FK conceded in last minute aside)

I'd certainly have him on the bench with the idea that he would displace Azaz if he proves himself to be better.

[hypochondriac]

10 minutes ago, macca155 said:

He was one of the architects of the Charlton win. When he came on at Norwich things improved. One of the positives, so play him

The advantage of playing four at the back is that you could have three cms and play one further forward if required.