Birmingham 1-1 Saints - Match Thread

[die Mannyschaft]

52 minutes ago, obelisk said:

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

Nothing to go for except FA cup and drawing at Fratton. 

[Saint86]

1 hour ago, S-Clarke said:

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.

So obvious to everyone, except perhaps rasmus and his data driven reinvention if football?

[SW11_Saint]

26 minutes ago, austsaint said:

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.

According to Alfie House on TSP the club are looking to appoint an experienced Asst Mgr. Good move, we need one.

[Obstacle1]

5 minutes ago, SW11_Saint said:

According to Alfie House on TSP the club are looking to appoint an experienced Asst Mgr. Good move, we need one.

Yea very sensible. Then again it would be even smarter to appoint an experienced manager. I guess they didnt think of that though

[sambosa75]

5 hours ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Please don't take your 6 yo lad into a pub? Poor kid, it's bad enough for him that he has every prospect of being brainwashed into becoming a Saints fan.

Not entirely sure what is wrong with letting a young lad sample the atmosphere of a travelling support in a respectable away fan friendly pub if there was one.  
 

As it happens we went into the ground earlier and a friendly PR lady from Southampton FC asked if he would like to be our mascot today and walk out with the team.  One happy (but tired!) chappy with memories he’ll carry with him for years.

[benali-shorts]

5 minutes ago, SW11_Saint said:

According to Alfie House on TSP the club are looking to appoint an experienced Asst Mgr. Good move, we need one.

Excellent. Someone like Eric Black or Colin Calderwood would be perfect.

[LGTL]

3 minutes ago, benali-shorts said:

Excellent. Someone like Eric Black or Colin Calderwood would be perfect.

Paul Trollope?

[SW11_Saint]

52 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

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….

You can’t seriously be blaming him for that melee? Shouldn't Stephens, the Captain no less, have that responsibility? 

[SW11_Saint]

58 minutes ago, bugenhagen said:

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

Of course not, but he also shouldn’t shoulder 100% of the blame when we have 3 fairly inept CBs. 

[SNSUN]

21 minutes ago, SW11_Saint said:

According to Alfie House on TSP the club are looking to appoint an experienced Asst Mgr. Good move, we need one.

Bloody SR doing everything arse about face. 

[skintsaint]

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1855451838417493

Lowlights.

[S-Clarke]

21 minutes ago, SW11_Saint said:

According to Alfie House on TSP the club are looking to appoint an experienced Asst Mgr. Good move, we need one.

Do you know what a revolutionary idea would have been?

Appointing an experienced manager in the first place, rather than now scurrying around looking for an 'experienced' number 2.  It's so back to front it's frightening.

Seeing Ben Reeves giving tactical advice on the bench today, was a really stark picture of how much SR have regressed us.

[Dragon_man]

1 hour ago, S-Clarke said:

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.

Your well articulated posts are depressing, but entirely correct. 

Mediocre, mid table championship status has been achieved.

[S-Clarke]

Just now, Dragon_man said:

Your well articulated posts are depressing, but entirely correct. 

Mediocre, mid table championship status has been achieved.

I don't want to be constantly throwing out depressing posts tbh, I've always been someone who looks at the bigger picture/positive swings of situations - but there's just nothing here, it's all pretty hollow from what I can see. There's no grand plan to get behind, nothing.

As fans we're desperate to get behind the club, but we need the club to give us something to cling to - just a chink, anything. But it just feels dead.

[Saint Pete]

55 minutes ago, SW11_Saint said:

According to Alfie House on TSP the club are looking to appoint an experienced Asst Mgr. Good move, we need one.

Wow, genius. Maybe appointing a manager with more than 5 games experience in the first place may have been more sensible? 

[Fabrice29]

41 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Do you know what a revolutionary idea would have been?

Appointing an experienced manager in the first place, rather than now scurrying around looking for an 'experienced' number 2.  It's so back to front it's frightening.

Seeing Ben Reeves giving tactical advice on the bench today, was a really stark picture of how much SR have regressed us.

Are you able to provide examples of available experienced managers who could have returned the points/record that Eckert has in his 11 games so far?

[washsaint]

I gave this place a wide berth for a while.....but it's still inhabited by absolute bell ends in a simpleton's echo chamber.

While there is plenty of room for improvement Saints were not that bad against Brum.  Unfortunately Azaz and Fellows have resorted to being shit again and we still can't defend.

Bar some players this is a medicore squad (way weaker than when we went down last time) - I thought Leo was absolutely terrible today when he came on but no chance he can be criticized on here when there are may forum scapegoats to blame.

No doubt Bazunu should have saved the first and the great save he made was a regaulation save any 'proper' keeper would be making evey single time.

Thank god the people who actually go to the games are not made of the same stuff as many of the posters on here

[S-Clarke]

3 minutes ago, washsaint said:

I gave this place a wide berth for a while.....but it's still inhabited by absolute bell ends in a simpleton's echo chamber.

While there is plenty of room for improvement Saints were not that bad against Brum.  Unfortunately Azaz and Fellows have resorted to being shit again and we still can't defend.

Bar some players this is a medicore squad (way weaker than when we went down last time) - I thought Leo was absolutely terrible today when he came on but no chance he can be criticized on here when there are may forum scapegoats to blame.

No doubt Bazunu should have saved the first and the great save he made was a regaulation save any 'proper' keeper would be making evey single time.

Thank god the people who actually go to the games are not made of the same stuff as many of the posters on here

Apologies, I didn't realise we shouldn't be complaining or criticising the club as everything is in fact pretty good right now.

It's not like we're sat in the bottom half of the Championship past the mid-way point of the season after spending £55m, with 2 relegations in 4 years including one of the worst ever PL efforts by any team.

You're right, we are certainly not made of the right stuff and it's in fact all pretty rosy and going really well, well done Sports Republic. My mistake.

[captainchris]

3 hours 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)

Agree

[Fitzhugh Fella]

I swear to God Tonda is a product of AI.

 

[Draino76]

1 hour ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

I swear to God Tonda is a product of AI.

 

 

[badgerx16]

Would I be correct in saying that the power cut that happened just as the match was about to kick off did me a favour ?

[Tamesaint]

9 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

Would I be correct in saying that the power cut that happened just as the match was about to kick off did me a favour ?

Not really. It wasn't a classic. Quite a few boring bits. At times we were so bad it was unbelievable. 2 stars out of 5. 

However if you enjoy football, accept Saints's limitations and appreciate that St Andrews  is a bit of a Brum fortress (1 home defeat in the last 36) then the game and result was worth watching. We played well at times and towards the end were the team most likely to score. It  always feels better to be the team that scores second in a 1 1 draw. A better evening than being like the wife and watching the Call the Midwife Xmas special on a different TV. 

 

[Osvaldorama]

1 hour ago, badgerx16 said:

Would I be correct in saying that the power cut that happened just as the match was about to kick off did me a favour ?

Yes. Dreadful, turgid stuff against a very poor team. 

Cant believe how boring and bad we are. 
 

[whelk]

9 hours ago, obelisk said:

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

You know league tables can change yes?

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

7 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

Apologies, I didn't realise we shouldn't be complaining or criticising the club as everything is in fact pretty good right now.

It's not like we're sat in the bottom half of the Championship past the mid-way point of the season after spending £55m, with 2 relegations in 4 years including one of the worst ever PL efforts by any team.

You're right, we are certainly not made of the right stuff and it's in fact all pretty rosy and going really well, well done Sports Republic. My mistake.

I dont understand how people keep saying Saints have an average squad. Compared to the rest of the division that simply isn't true. 

If anyone thinks the likes of Hull, Preston or QPR have better players or squads they are deluded.

The team and players, club and coaches are massively under performing. And poor choices I.e. manager choice, odd fixation on Bazunu etc have compounded the issues.

That's the crux of it.

[sambosa75]

8 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

I don't want to be constantly throwing out depressing posts tbh, I've always been someone who looks at the bigger picture/positive swings of situations - but there's just nothing here, it's all pretty hollow from what I can see. There's no grand plan to get behind, nothing.

As fans we're desperate to get behind the club, but we need the club to give us something to cling to - just a chink, anything. But it just feels dead.

Pretty sure Matsuki is Japanese mate.

[obelisk]

19 minutes ago, whelk said:

You know league tables can change yes?

Half the season has gone and Saints are halfway up the table. That's counting and there's little evidence that anything much will change even with blind hope.

[Adman]

8 hours ago, Fabrice29 said:

Are you able to provide examples of available experienced managers who could have returned the points/record that Eckert has in his 11 games so far?

You need to untick the unemployed box Rasmus. A few names will pop up then. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

Did Blackmore or House press Eckert into why Leo didn't start?

[Lee On Solent Saint]

8 hours ago, washsaint said:

I gave this place a wide berth for a while.....but it's still inhabited by absolute bell ends in a simpleton's echo chamber.

While there is plenty of room for improvement Saints were not that bad against Brum.  Unfortunately Azaz and Fellows have resorted to being shit again and we still can't defend.

Bar some players this is a medicore squad (way weaker than when we went down last time) - I thought Leo was absolutely terrible today when he came on but no chance he can be criticized on here when there are may forum scapegoats to blame.

No doubt Bazunu should have saved the first and the great save he made was a regaulation save any 'proper' keeper would be making evey single time.

Thank god the people who actually go to the games are not made of the same stuff as many of the posters on here

So, you agree we are pretty shit then?

[Toussaint]

5 hours ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

I swear to God Tonda is a product of AI.

 

Max Headroom

Edited 7 hours ago by Toussaint

[Harry_SFC]

5 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Did Blackmore or House press Eckert into why Leo didn't start?

Can't start four games in a row apparently...

[gammon cheeks]

9 hours ago, benali-shorts said:

Excellent. Someone like Eric Black or Colin Calderwood would be perfect.

Be Steve McClaren 

[Osvaldorama]

8 hours ago, washsaint said:

I gave this place a wide berth for a while.....but it's still inhabited by absolute bell ends in a simpleton's echo chamber.

While there is plenty of room for improvement Saints were not that bad against Brum.  Unfortunately Azaz and Fellows have resorted to being shit again and we still can't defend.

Bar some players this is a medicore squad (way weaker than when we went down last time) - I thought Leo was absolutely terrible today when he came on but no chance he can be criticized on here when there are may forum scapegoats to blame.

No doubt Bazunu should have saved the first and the great save he made was a regaulation save any 'proper' keeper would be making evey single time.

Thank god the people who actually go to the games are not made of the same stuff as many of the posters on here

Absolute tosh. 
 

We were second best against a depleted Birmingham and Oxford. 

Fans have every right to expect better than these performances.

[Challenger]

Club obviously happy with a mid table finish this season, if not they really need to look at themselves in the mirror as they are the only ones to blame. Same mistakes time and time again.

[Pamplemousse]

8 hours ago, washsaint said:

I gave this place a wide berth for a while.....but it's still inhabited by absolute bell ends in a simpleton's echo chamber.

While there is plenty of room for improvement Saints were not that bad against Brum.  Unfortunately Azaz and Fellows have resorted to being shit again and we still can't defend.

Bar some players this is a medicore squad (way weaker than when we went down last time) - I thought Leo was absolutely terrible today when he came on but no chance he can be criticized on here when there are may forum scapegoats to blame.

No doubt Bazunu should have saved the first and the great save he made was a regaulation save any 'proper' keeper would be making evey single time.

Thank god the people who actually go to the games are not made of the same stuff as many of the posters on here

100%.

[SW11_Saint]

8 hours ago, washsaint said:

I gave this place a wide berth for a while.....but it's still inhabited by absolute bell ends in a simpleton's echo chamber.

While there is plenty of room for improvement Saints were not that bad against Brum.  Unfortunately Azaz and Fellows have resorted to being shit again and we still can't defend.

Bar some players this is a medicore squad (way weaker than when we went down last time) - I thought Leo was absolutely terrible today when he came on but no chance he can be criticized on here when there are may forum scapegoats to blame.

No doubt Bazunu should have saved the first and the great save he made was a regaulation save any 'proper' keeper would be making evey single time.

Thank god the people who actually go to the games are not made of the same stuff as many of the posters on here

I browsed a little during the game and at h/t and was astounded at the mass hysteria that seems to grip this board at times. I can’t only read in small doses. I have quite a few mates who go home and away, and they are always more balanced and phlegmatic than most on here. 

There seems to also be a bizarre rise in conspiracy theories that Rasmus is pulling the strings still too, which is absolute nonsense. 

 

[Fabrice29]

22 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Did Blackmore or House press Eckert into why Leo didn't start?

Yes but it’s not exactly needed is it? It’s painfully obvious why and anyone pretending they don’t know it is pretending. Would expect Jander to miss out at some stage too. 

[Fabrice29]

1 hour ago, Adman said:

You need to untick the unemployed box Rasmus. A few names will pop up then. 

You got any names or nah? The results we’ve achieved since he started holds up against anyone in this league right now. 

[tdmickey3]

3 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

Yes but it’s not exactly needed is it? It’s painfully obvious why and anyone pretending they don’t know it is pretending. Would expect Jander to miss out at some stage too. 

Hopefully it will apply to Manning, Bazunu and Stephens too, permanently 

Edited 7 hours ago by tdmickey3

[Fabrice29]

5 minutes ago, tdmickey3 said:

Hopefully it will apply to Manning, Bazunu and Stephens too, permanently 

Well given all 3 of those have played numerous seasons in this country and over this period and all 3 have different fitness profiles, I’m going to suggest that’s not the case. Stephens does get rotated anyway.

Edited 7 hours ago by Fabrice29

[Lee On Solent Saint]

9 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

Yes but it’s not exactly needed is it? It’s painfully obvious why and anyone pretending they don’t know it is pretending. Would expect Jander to miss out at some stage too. 

Yet he drags him off after 55/60 minutes most games. So, in fact he's not regularly playing a full 90 minutes. Is that pretending? 

[Turkish]

9 hours ago, washsaint said:

I gave this place a wide berth for a while.....but it's still inhabited by absolute bell ends in a simpleton's echo chamber.

While there is plenty of room for improvement Saints were not that bad against Brum.  Unfortunately Azaz and Fellows have resorted to being shit again and we still can't defend.

Bar some players this is a medicore squad (way weaker than when we went down last time) - I thought Leo was absolutely terrible today when he came on but no chance he can be criticized on here when there are may forum scapegoats to blame.

No doubt Bazunu should have saved the first and the great save he made was a regaulation save any 'proper' keeper would be making evey single time.

Thank god the people who actually go to the games are not made of the same stuff as many of the posters on here

Disagree with you on Fellows, he was our most dangerous attacking player last night, beat his man on several occasions and put some dangerous crosses in, one of which he pulled back to Armstrong who should have done better. The problem was he was pushed back as we persisted with this shite knocking it around slowly between the 3 centre backs which meant they pressed higher. Azaz was playing in a sort of inside left role which doesn't suit him, he wasnt great but he isn't going to go past people like Scienza and Fellows do, he's much better centrally with runners around him. I do agree with you on Scienza though, never got into it and kept giving the ball away. 

It was a weird game where we had a few spells where we looked half decent and created some chances, more chances than they did i'd say but other periods where we looked terrible, got overrun in midfield and resorted to passing it around slowly and lumping it forward to Armstrong who is never going to get a sniff. 

I dont blame people for being pissed off, aside from last time in the championship we've had years of being shit and this team should be doing far, far better than it is. 

[Oldandtired]

1 hour ago, JohnnyShearer2.0 said:

I dont understand how people keep saying Saints have an average squad. Compared to the rest of the division that simply isn't true. 

If anyone thinks the likes of Hull, Preston or QPR have better players or squads they are deluded.

The team and players, club and coaches are massively under performing. And poor choices I.e. manager choice, odd fixation on Bazunu etc have compounded the issues.

That's the crux of it.

The crux of it is the very average players who play for, perhaps, the clubs you have mentioned work their arses off for the badge. Saints players don’t atm, maybe they have an instilled mindset believing the first two sentences of your post and think they just have to turn up to win.

Also I don’t think I’m imagining it but I think we’re playing a different sort of football now to when TE was on probation. It almost seems to be back to Russball (shudder) with the occasional long ball thrown in. Whatever it is it patently doesn’t work in terms of either entertainment or results.

[Fabrice29]

1 minute ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Yet he drags him off after 55/60 minutes most games. So, in fact he's not regularly playing a full 90 minutes. Is that pretending? 

I suspect that the reason he’s subbed off and can’t start 4 games in a row are the same. 

[tdmickey3]

4 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Yet he drags him off after 55/60 minutes most games. So, in fact he's not regularly playing a full 90 minutes. Is that pretending? 

It really isn’t worth asking him questions that suggest manager/coach criticism because he supports everything they do however bad it is.

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

5 minutes ago, Oldandtired said:

The crux of it is the very average players who play for, perhaps, the clubs you have mentioned work their arses off for the badge. Saints players don’t atm, maybe they have an instilled mindset believing the first two sentences of your post and think they just have to turn up to win.

Also I don’t think I’m imagining it but I think we’re playing a different sort of football now to when TE was on probation. It almost seems to be back to Russball (shudder) with the occasional long ball thrown in. Whatever it is it patently doesn’t work in terms of either entertainment or results.

Yep, that is definitely another factor. Where is the urgency, fitness etc?

All seems like a mess contributing to where Saints are now.

The second point agree, said it before the team has reverted to playing it around at the back and hitting it long to Armstrong which were Still's tactics and Russball. I like you, dont get it at all.

 

 

[Fabrice29]

2 minutes ago, tdmickey3 said:

It really isn’t worth asking him questions that suggest manager/coach criticism because he supports everything they do however bad it is.

That’s not actually true. What I don’t do is wet the bed about managers all the time, despite being on our 4th one this year (and only this one is actually having any sign of actually improving anything). 

[saintant]

10 hours ago, SW11_Saint said:

According to Alfie House on TSP the club are looking to appoint an experienced Asst Mgr. Good move, we need one.

But only someone who likes the idea of playing 3 centre backs - those with other ideas need not apply.