SNSUN Posted 2 hours ago Posted 2 hours ago 4 minutes ago, trousers said: I know there has been a lot of football but some of those seem to be changes for changes sake. That said: A) it makes the bench strong as balls B) Jelert, Bragg, Archer and Matsuki did make decent cameos last game and C) The standard recent first choice XI haven't exactly shone like earlier in Tonda's reign and this will keep them on their toes. It's a brave decision but it does seen to be rewarding the sub performances from the Brum game. Just hope it's enough. 3
captainchris Posted 2 hours ago Posted 2 hours ago Good team apart from Stephen’s and Buzuno maybe…We must not keep wasting time passing around the back three though, that is the biggest takeaway from Birmingham imo.
Suhari Posted 2 hours ago Posted 2 hours ago Um...what the fuck, Hungry Eyes? I heroically drag myself out of my manflu pit, coughing and dribbling from almost every orifice, and I'm greeted by that 'line up'. C'mon. There's only so much lemsip a man can take. Okay......glad Matsuki gets a go. Saints better fucking entertain me today. 1
DellBlockH Posted 2 hours ago Posted 2 hours ago 2 hours ago, manji said: Just read this whole thread. I don’t normally bother. Basically all negativity and a lot of quite lunatic simplistic theories. so I might as well throw in an alternative view. I think Tonda is learning but he needs some back up. Being a manager in apparently one of the biggest leagues in football with a rebuilt squad with is going to be hard work. again I sure I read we have one of the smallest support staff out of all the main teams in this league. Fans need to step back and stop looking for scapegoats". The game generally is becoming like American football with specialist coaching staff, set pieces are becoming important it really is a far more complicated game from when I started following Saints Combination League with Mick Channon still in the reserves. Sports Republic have financially backed well ( yeah I know lots of poor decisions but not all of them ) they aren’t going anywhere. Unless it was a massive takeover the last thing we need is disruption. fucks sake look at some teams that have had “dream” takeovers. Man United fans were saying instant Champion League. Wrexham ( who I especially despise) wonder set up is starting to collapse. Lots of similar examples. 100% SR want Premier League football but do we really want promotion this season ? Really ? OK we might get all misty eyed over Wembley , great days out in London but that was a couple of nice days which inevitably led to one fk of a miserable season. That season damaged the club. yes this with hindsight whatever. I know Hull fans are dreaming of promotion they are ready for it. Wolves potentially heading for the worst record in the The Premier League🤔 I want the whole team to strive for promotion and that will make us stronger but another season in the Championship isn’t going to hurt us. The club isn’t a mess we aren’t a laughing stock. One thing reminded me of that. Gavin Bazuna and Cameron Archer being interviewed after the last match many commentators were saying Bazunu was man of the match he spoke well Archer clearly relieved he had finally scored. They were backing each other it was good. many will want to see that as player delusion I saw that as team cohesion. We are going to have bad runs ( is our home form a bad run ? No) and good runs ,if at the end of the season we have improved ,finish in a decent league place that’s good enough for me. We beat Leeds in the playoffs which team is in a better position to us. and yeah I could have done a short post criticising Baz or Stephens for “likes” but WTF see you at St Mary’s. At last, the whole negativity of this thread is astonishing. I'm sure people on here aren't unique among football fans, but, my word, they do like a moan and a conspiracy theory. 6
tdmickey3 Posted 2 hours ago Posted 2 hours ago 6 minutes ago, Saint Matty 76 said: 5 actual defenders and 3 central midfielders at home. On paper yes, but the fact that 1 is a ball watcher and 1 has no idea how to defend, we have 3 1
Willo of Whiteley Posted 2 hours ago Posted 2 hours ago 8 minutes ago, trousers said: Got to admire the attacking ambition from our club. Three CBs, again. Stephens again. Bazunu again. Drop the attacking talent including your highest goal scorer. Matsuki goes from being anonymous to a starter. I don’t get this club. 3
tdmickey3 Posted 2 hours ago Posted 2 hours ago 2 minutes ago, RedArmy said: Is Will Still picking the teams again? Nah, it’s tombola
imadirtyurchin Posted 2 hours ago Posted 2 hours ago I’m interested to see that lineup play, but the reappearance of jelert and the continuation of the back three seems to suggest a formation change isn’t incoming anytime soon. Which depresses me slightly. My resolution this year was to move away from possession for possession sakes boring football. 😬😂 happy new year everyone. 2
coalman Posted 2 hours ago Posted 2 hours ago 9 minutes ago, trousers said: That's a relief. Was worried we were going to break up the Bazunu, THB, Wood, Stephens, Manning, Downes axis there for a moment. 3
BARCELONASAINT Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago no matter how shit he performs Stephens the statue keeps his place and more depressingly the captains armband when he is bloody useless as a defender and a captain 6
tdmickey3 Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago 2 hours ago, manji said: Just read this whole thread. I don’t normally bother. Basically all negativity and a lot of quite lunatic simplistic theories. so I might as well throw in an alternative view. I think Tonda is learning but he needs some back up. Being a manager in apparently one of the biggest leagues in football with a rebuilt squad with is going to be hard work. again I sure I read we have one of the smallest support staff out of all the main teams in this league. Fans need to step back and stop looking for scapegoats". The game generally is becoming like American football with specialist coaching staff, set pieces are becoming important it really is a far more complicated game from when I started following Saints Combination League with Mick Channon still in the reserves. Sports Republic have financially backed well ( yeah I know lots of poor decisions but not all of them ) they aren’t going anywhere. Unless it was a massive takeover the last thing we need is disruption. fucks sake look at some teams that have had “dream” takeovers. Man United fans were saying instant Champion League. Wrexham ( who I especially despise) wonder set up is starting to collapse. Lots of similar examples. 100% SR want Premier League football but do we really want promotion this season ? Really ? OK we might get all misty eyed over Wembley , great days out in London but that was a couple of nice days which inevitably led to one fk of a miserable season. That season damaged the club. yes this with hindsight whatever. I know Hull fans are dreaming of promotion they are ready for it. Wolves potentially heading for the worst record in the The Premier League🤔 I want the whole team to strive for promotion and that will make us stronger but another season in the Championship isn’t going to hurt us. The club isn’t a mess we aren’t a laughing stock. One thing reminded me of that. Gavin Bazuna and Cameron Archer being interviewed after the last match many commentators were saying Bazunu was man of the match he spoke well Archer clearly relieved he had finally scored. They were backing each other it was good. many will want to see that as player delusion I saw that as team cohesion. We are going to have bad runs ( is our home form a bad run ? No) and good runs ,if at the end of the season we have improved ,finish in a decent league place that’s good enough for me. We beat Leeds in the playoffs which team is in a better position to us. and yeah I could have done a short post criticising Baz or Stephens for “likes” but WTF see you at St Mary’s. So when does the greatest era bit start? 4
aintforever Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago (edited) So we have the likes of Robinson, Fellows, Jander, Azaz and Armstrong on the bench so we can crowbar in the mandatory 3rd centre back. Edited 1 hour ago by aintforever 2
coalman Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago 2 minutes ago, tdmickey3 said: So when does the greatest era bit start? When you believe it's started. 1
johnnyboy Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago 2 minutes ago, benjii said: Damian Downs to break his duck. Going to have a job as he’s not even on the bench ! 1
Wade Garrett Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago Brilliant selection. Glad we’re sticking to 3 cb’s and continue to pick our top level keeper. Fucking hell. What was that definition of insanity? 2
redkeith Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago Bragg deserves a start after Monday. At least there is no Aribo in the squad, which is a bonus 1
tdmickey3 Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago 3 minutes ago, aintforever said: So we have the likes of Robinson, Fellows, Jander, Azaz and Armstrong on the bench so we can crowbar in the mandatory 3rd centre back. Yep ridiculous SR tactics
LGTL Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago Line up tombola always a sign that the manager has no fucking clue. 4
tdmickey3 Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago 2 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said: Brilliant selection. Glad we’re sticking to 3 cb’s and continue to pick our top level keeper. Fucking hell. What was that definition of insanity? The definition of insanity is Sport Republic 1
Wade Garrett Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago 2 hours ago, manji said: Just read this whole thread. I don’t normally bother. Basically all negativity and a lot of quite lunatic simplistic theories. so I might as well throw in an alternative view. I think Tonda is learning but he needs some back up. Being a manager in apparently one of the biggest leagues in football with a rebuilt squad with is going to be hard work. again I sure I read we have one of the smallest support staff out of all the main teams in this league. Fans need to step back and stop looking for scapegoats". The game generally is becoming like American football with specialist coaching staff, set pieces are becoming important it really is a far more complicated game from when I started following Saints Combination League with Mick Channon still in the reserves. Sports Republic have financially backed well ( yeah I know lots of poor decisions but not all of them ) they aren’t going anywhere. Unless it was a massive takeover the last thing we need is disruption. fucks sake look at some teams that have had “dream” takeovers. Man United fans were saying instant Champion League. Wrexham ( who I especially despise) wonder set up is starting to collapse. Lots of similar examples. 100% SR want Premier League football but do we really want promotion this season ? Really ? OK we might get all misty eyed over Wembley , great days out in London but that was a couple of nice days which inevitably led to one fk of a miserable season. That season damaged the club. yes this with hindsight whatever. I know Hull fans are dreaming of promotion they are ready for it. Wolves potentially heading for the worst record in the The Premier League🤔 I want the whole team to strive for promotion and that will make us stronger but another season in the Championship isn’t going to hurt us. The club isn’t a mess we aren’t a laughing stock. One thing reminded me of that. Gavin Bazuna and Cameron Archer being interviewed after the last match many commentators were saying Bazunu was man of the match he spoke well Archer clearly relieved he had finally scored. They were backing each other it was good. many will want to see that as player delusion I saw that as team cohesion. We are going to have bad runs ( is our home form a bad run ? No) and good runs ,if at the end of the season we have improved ,finish in a decent league place that’s good enough for me. We beat Leeds in the playoffs which team is in a better position to us. and yeah I could have done a short post criticising Baz or Stephens for “likes” but WTF see you at St Mary’s. Fantastic fishing expedition.
egg Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago 3 minutes ago, aintforever said: So we have the likes of Robinson, Fellows, Jander, Azaz and Armstrong on the bench so we can crowbar in the mandatory 3rd centre back. People keep on saying this. 4231 leaves us even more exposed defensively. 433 leaves nowhere for Azaz. They'll ping crosses in all day and I'd prefer a 3rd CB in there dealing with that personally.
vectraman Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago So we start again without our most dangerous pair (Scienza and Fellows) starting together. Sigh. 1
Lighthouse Posted 1 hour ago Author Posted 1 hour ago Interesting but okay, I'm on board with it. Lets not pretend Jander, Fellows, Armstrong and Azaz have been decent in recent games, so I've no issue with them being dropped, especially with four games in ten days. Hopefully the likes of Bragg, Matsuki and Archer take this as an audition and force their way into Tonda's long term plans. Excited to see more of Jelert too. 2
Wade Garrett Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago Just now, egg said: People keep on saying this. 4231 leaves us even more exposed defensively. 433 leaves nowhere for Azaz. They'll ping crosses in all day and I'd prefer a 3rd CB in there dealing with that personally. We should really play a back 8 then.
egg Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago 1 minute ago, Wade Garrett said: We should really play a back 8 then. Great contribution mate. 4231, with 2 crap CB's, and lightweight players all over the pitch, will get absolutely bullied by Millwall. 1
West end Saints Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago 3 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said: Brilliant selection. Glad we’re sticking to 3 cb’s and continue to pick our top level keeper. Fucking hell. What was that definition of insanity? Although I accept it's a position we should prove on, our form improved since he came in, and he was MOM last game, clearly not about to be dropped. Bragg has looked very good whenever played (Charlton particularly) Jelert makes sense. Scienza in. Armstrong works hard and Archer scored last game so not total shock, although I would be much more confident with Armstrong. Matsuki is interesting one...look forward to seeing him but possible more of a risk
Harry_SFC Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago 4 minutes ago, egg said: People keep on saying this. 4231 leaves us even more exposed defensively. 433 leaves nowhere for Azaz. They'll ping crosses in all day and I'd prefer a 3rd CB in there dealing with that personally. TBF it doesn't matter what formation you play if you've got Manning and Stephens playing. 3
benjii Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago 12 minutes ago, johnnyboy said: Going to have a job as he’s not even on the bench ! I didn't say when! 2
JohnS Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago Millwall totally deserved to beat us at theirs. So much more effort, fight & physicality. Their manager tactically played a blinder. Unfortunately, I only seeing it being the same today. Brave changes with team selection today but feel it’s less positive/attacking Hope Ekert changes it up at the right times if needed
Mboto Gorge Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago (edited) 9 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said: Fantastic fishing expedition. That’s one take on it. Utter fucking drivel is another Edited 1 hour ago by Mboto Gorge 1
benjii Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago I don't mind Jelert starting, as we ask a lot of Fellows and he was recently injured. I don’t mind Bragg starting as he seems very good. I don’t mind Matsuki starting as Azaz is quite hit and miss, and hasn't been great recently. Not sure about Archer though. 4
Lighthouse Posted 1 hour ago Author Posted 1 hour ago I think it's extremely naive to be expecting a formation change in the middle of the X-mas and NY fixtures. We've four fixtures in ten days, I've got sandwiches in the back of the fridge older than that. It seems especially ill-advised when you consider that players will need to be rotated, so you could be looking at a new formation, with four different players in and two days to prepare in between each game. 2
tdmickey3 Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago 3 minutes ago, egg said: People keep on saying this. 4231 leaves us even more exposed defensively. 433 leaves nowhere for Azaz. They'll ping crosses in all day and I'd prefer a 3rd CB in there dealing with that personally. But they don’t deal with it do they? 2
suewhistle Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago The line up is to make the fans happy: they all like a good moan. To be honest any line up would serve that purpose.. Personally I'm not sure, but I can see that there is a rationale behind it (if we forget Bazunu and Stephens). It's been an intensive period, some of the players were looking a bit tired in the last game (eg Jander), the subs played well and Archer needs to maintain some momentum. Plus there is motivation for all the players, and those benched are available but have been given a little jolt that they need to improve a bit. I do apologise if some of you think that is too optimistic a view, and you may well turn out to be right, but I can't quite manage the level of universal pessimism some of you maintain. 3
Harry_SFC Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago Just now, benjii said: I don't mind Jelert starting, as we ask a lot of Fellows and he was recently injured. I don’t mind Bragg starting as he seems very good. I don’t mind Matsuki starting as Azaz is quite hit and miss, and hasn't been great recently. Not sure about Archer though. Jander clearly needed a rest. So did Azaz. Fellows and Armstrong probably do as well. They've all been below par recently. I just don't understand how Manning and Stephens get in this side though. 1
VectisSaint Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago Should have been Jander instead of Downes, but otherwise not as bad as it could have been.
egg Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago 2 minutes ago, tdmickey3 said: But they don’t deal with it do they? Ask yourself whether 2 will deal with it better or worse. Seems pretty obvious to me.
coalman Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago 2 minutes ago, suewhistle said: The line up is to make the fans happy: they all like a good moan. To be honest any line up would serve that purpose.. Personally I'm not sure, but I can see that there is a rationale behind it (if we forget Bazunu and Stephens). It's been an intensive period, some of the players were looking a bit tired in the last game (eg Jander), the subs played well and Archer needs to maintain some momentum. Plus there is motivation for all the players, and those benched are available but have been given a little jolt that they need to improve a bit. I do apologise if some of you think that is too optimistic a view, and you may well turn out to be right, but I can't quite manage the level of universal pessimism some of you maintain. I have no problem benching tired players. In particular we've been asking Fellows to take on a ludicrous workload by playing him at wing back. Stephens/Manning might be tired enough to rest if they played at more than walking pace.
tdmickey3 Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago (edited) 23 minutes ago, egg said: Ask yourself whether 2 will deal with it better or worse. Seems pretty obvious to me. Who knows, maybe they leave it to another and that’s the problem, like I said, who knows but it is not working in with the three is it? Edited 1 hour ago by tdmickey3
bpsaint Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago Hard to have an opinion one way or the other with that attacking lineup when we’ve still got shite at the back. I fucking hate Manning with a passion honestly, he’s such a nothing playing for us. He’s like a shit Danny Fox which is an achievement in itself. At least Fox had a hell of an assist on him.
Greenridge Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago Starting to remind me of the team tombola selection strategy of Burley and Puell.
Lee On Solent Saint Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago Not entirely convinced with Matuski. Possibly a bit lightweight especially against a physical side like Millwall. Same with Bragg, not sure this was the right game for a completely new midfield. 1
Saint NL Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago Tonda read on here that the subs make the team weaker, so he's benched all the good players. 1-0 Tonda.
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