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Stoke v Saints Saturday 31 Jan 12:30 Kick Off

Saint Marky

By Saint Marky
in The Saints

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austsaint

austsaint

Posted
Posted

Well played Azaz today. Kept going for 94 minutes with skill and work rate.   Wellington was great in both attack and defence.  Downes backed up recent good performances; he tackled, harassed and intercepted…right back to his best.  Peretz is going to be a cult figure.   His shot stopping is good and he has a presence, he talks, organises and encourages which lifts the team.   The improvement gained by playing two centre backs, dropping Wood and Manning, playing two solid specialist full backs and two wingers has been long overdue.  Why did it take so long?

The slim hope of the play offs flickers on.

  • Like 8
badgerx16

badgerx16

Posted
Posted (edited)
6 minutes ago, BarberSaint said:

But realistically, how well would we do if we went up?

Would depend on if it is Tonda or a proper manager in charge.

Edited by badgerx16
sadoldgit

sadoldgit

Posted
Posted
18 minutes ago, Mr X said:

Tonda is bloody weird in interviews! very starey eyes looks right through the interviewer shows zero enthusiasm or charisma even on the very rare occasion where we've won! And says the bare minimum when answering questions

Perhaps there aren’t German equivalents to “buzzin’,” “over the moon” and “sick as a parrot?”

  • Haha 7
Mboto Gorge

Mboto Gorge

Posted
Posted
38 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

I can’t believe we played with a back 5, the shittest formation possible, for over half a season.
 

Whilst all the fans were writing down our OBVIOUS best 11…Which it has taken until FEBRUARY to play. 

Really happy with the win and the good performance, but good God I fucking HATE this club for doing the absolute basics all wrong all the time 

It’s not about formations though, come on. 

  • Haha 1
Mboto Gorge

Mboto Gorge

Posted
Posted

Very solid win, good to see. No shock that we are suddenly looking far more solid and dependable at the back with a strong character in goal who tries to take command, and can actually make good saves when needed. As well as having 2 very able full backs for this level. Ridiculous that we’ve thrown so many games away with manning at left back, Baz in goal and a back 5. 

  • Like 14
hypochondriac

hypochondriac

Posted
Posted
51 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

I can’t believe we played with a back 5, the shittest formation possible, for over half a season.
 

Whilst all the fans were writing down our OBVIOUS best 11…Which it has taken until FEBRUARY to play. 

Really happy with the win and the good performance, but good God I fucking HATE this club for doing the absolute basics all wrong all the time 

Absolutely. As shit as some of the performances and players have been this season, there's no doubt in my mind that had we played that formation and kept it simple from the start if the season we'd be in the playoffs. Instead we've wasted the season trying a nonsensical system that has barely worked all year.

  • Like 12
St Louis

St Louis

Posted
Posted
46 minutes ago, Mr X said:

Tonda is bloody weird in interviews! very starey eyes looks right through the interviewer shows zero enthusiasm or charisma even on the very rare occasion where we've won! And says the bare minimum when answering questions

Wow, anyone would think you’re struggling to find things to criticise him for today…. 🤔 

  • Haha 2
SW11_Saint

SW11_Saint

Posted
Posted

Stoke were poor (and weakened), but fair play - an excellent away performance from start to finish. Some v good individual performances too today. Jack my MOTM. Let’s keep it going and keep that shape!! 

  • Like 1
trousers

trousers

Posted
Posted
8 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Absolutely. As shit as some of the performances and players have been this season, there's no doubt in my mind that had we played that formation and kept it simple from the start if the season we'd be in the playoffs. Instead we've wasted the season trying a nonsensical system that has barely worked all year.

It's nothing to do with formations and systems.... How many more times FFS!!

;)

#bants

  • Haha 6
Jack

Jack

Posted
Posted

Welington my MOTM today, he’s everything that Manning isn’t and I think as fans we’d forgotten what a competent full back looks like. Great leap, good on the ball, pace in both directions, tackles. 
 

Downes and Jander looked great today, little give and goes, actually turning and driving into space rather than going backwards - I’m sure because now with the extra man in midfield it means them not being as tightly marked/outnumbered. And getting tight and stuck in without the ball rather than retreating. So much better. 

  • Like 8
Football Special

Football Special

Posted
Posted
48 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Welington coming back in for No Manning Land, Bree from Charlton and Peretz has made a huge difference allied to a back 4.

Looks like a proper defence now to me, I'll acknowledge improvement last few games, would be nice to keep it up and go on a run, lift the fan base a bit. Need couple of decent additions this window as Stewart won't stay fit 

Mr X

Mr X

Posted
Posted
21 minutes ago, St Louis said:

Wow, anyone would think you’re struggling to find things to criticise him for today…. 🤔 

To be fair it's a very rare occasion when he doesn't screw everything up.... So credit where it's due! 😉

  • Sad 2
saintwbu

saintwbu

Posted
Posted

1 goal conceded in 3 games (keeper error for the 1 as well) with a back 4 - more crap defenders on at one time does not make you more defensively solid. Play the good players and the defence will have less to do. 

  • Like 3
trousers

trousers

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, Convict Colony said:

Honestly its taken 3 months but finally Tonda has finally caught up with the rest of us on this forum.

2CBs

Play Welington

Keep Fellows and Leo on the wings.

Drop / sell Bazunu

 

Added the one you missed... ;)

  • Haha 1
Holmes_and_Watson

Holmes_and_Watson

Posted
Posted

Caught the first half and highlights.

A Tonda plus has been a starting eleven that allows changes on merit and circumstances. Bree in for Jelert; Welington for Manning for example.

Today, and with a previous glimpse, we've finally got a formation to match.

Tricky wide midfielder finally gets to play in tricky wide midfield role! And as Fellows provides one outlet, it requires a Stewart type forward in the middle. That keeps defences occupied, allowing for support from Azaz, who has more options in front of him.

Meanwhile, Scienza offers tricky runs and direct efforts on the other side. Having had to try and dig us out in early games, Leo is now going to have to let others have the ball now, when they are in much better positions.

As we've got more attacking options, Downs and Jander have a little more room. Both had good moments today. 

At the back THB has done okay, this transfer window. With it closing, hopefully that continues. Lovely through ball. Stephens deserved a nod for the Derby feisty showing.

Despite a blooper a game or so, Peretz has looked a better all round keeper. And one who is a lot more vocal and engaged with his defence. A couple of excellent saves today.

Stoke allowed space for balls in behind their defences, which suited us. Even so, there was a better balance to our team and play today. 

The main concern is still competition/ replacement for Stewart. And, unless we're changing the profile of our attack completely, someone to fill an Archer/ Armstrong role should they both go.

  • Like 3
Sheaf Saint

Sheaf Saint

Posted
Posted
13 minutes ago, saintwbu said:

1 goal conceded in 3 games (keeper error for the 1 as well) with a back 4 - more crap defenders on at one time does not make you more defensively solid. Play the good players and the defence will have less to do. 

It's really not rocket science is it. THB and Stephens both work much better together in a CB pair. And Welington is light years ahead of Manning.

We could have played those three and, prior to selling, put Edwards in at RB while Jelert and Roerslev were injured. The claim that we absolutely had to play the shitty back 5 formation with the players available just doesn't wash.

  • Like 5
AlexLaw76

AlexLaw76

Posted
Posted
Just now, Sheaf Saint said:

The claim that we absolutely had to play the shitty back 5 formation with the players available just doesn't wash.

That has to be one of the most ridiculous theories on here lately. 

We had no choice to play Fellows RWB because....reasons 

  • Like 2
sadoldgit

sadoldgit

Posted
Posted

An excellent all round team performance today with a special shout out to Welington who had the best game I have seen him play so far. Two great saves from the keeper too.

Stoke gave us plenty of room to play through them in the first half and we should probably have gone in at HT with a comfortable lead had we more better use of our attacking opportunities. Still, for a change we didn’t fold in the second half and did what was needed for the 3 points.

Happy birthday Tonda!

If the various reports are true it seems odd that we are apparently happy to sell Armstrong to our promotion rivals but not Edozie? I guess all will be revealed soon.

Convict Colony

Convict Colony

Posted
Posted
16 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Caught the first half and highlights.

A Tonda plus has been a starting eleven that allows changes on merit and circumstances. Bree in for Jelert; Welington for Manning for example.

Today, and with a previous glimpse, we've finally got a formation to match.

Tricky wide midfielder finally gets to play in tricky wide midfield role! And as Fellows provides one outlet, it requires a Stewart type forward in the middle. That keeps defences occupied, allowing for support from Azaz, who has more options in front of him.

Meanwhile, Scienza offers tricky runs and direct efforts on the other side. Having had to try and dig us out in early games, Leo is now going to have to let others have the ball now, when they are in much better positions.

As we've got more attacking options, Downs and Jander have a little more room. Both had good moments today. 

At the back THB has done okay, this transfer window. With it closing, hopefully that continues. Lovely through ball. Stephens deserved a nod for the Derby feisty showing.

Despite a blooper a game or so, Peretz has looked a better all round keeper. And one who is a lot more vocal and engaged with his defence. A couple of excellent saves today.

Stoke allowed space for balls in behind their defences, which suited us. Even so, there was a better balance to our team and play today. 

The main concern is still competition/ replacement for Stewart. And, unless we're changing the profile of our attack completely, someone to fill an Archer/ Armstrong role should they both go.

bro couldnt read all that but massive commendation for using the word tricky a lot.

Pamplemousse

Pamplemousse

Posted
Posted

Excellent stuff today. Perfect away performance.

Defence in particular outstanding. Kept them quiet all game.

I suspect it will be too late but 4 at the back the way to go and hopefully we can push on up the table.

The league is weird, anyone who goes on a good run now will get to the play offs. It might be us.. 

Stud mark of doom

Stud mark of doom

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

What was that stat about shot conversion in the first 6 games of TE and the last 6? How did we do today on that front?

They showed a similar stat on sky - something like outscoring our xG by a goal a game in TE’s first six and underscoring Xg by a goal a game recently. 
 

looks like our xg was 1.6 today so 2 is about right 

Fabrice29

Fabrice29

Posted
Posted
Just now, Stud mark of doom said:

They showed a similar stat on sky - something like outscoring our xG by a goal a game in TE’s first six and underscoring Xg by a goal a game recently. 
 

looks like our xg was 1.6 today so 2 is about right 

 

On 04/01/2026 at 16:45, Fabrice29 said:

It's not that they don't matter but any talk about them is is just masking fundamental flaws. Until we get a keeper who saves shots, a defender who defends it's box properly and a phsyical attacker who is an outlet and threat in the box then any formation, tactic and manager are going to face the same problems all but one of our last 5 managers has. 

Tick

Totton Saint

Totton Saint

Posted
Posted (edited)

 I thought that the Sky commentator was excellent. Let you know who had the ball. At times the picture made it hard to distinguish who were Saints and who were Stoke.  From what I could make out Wellington was MoM. 

But a very composed display from the whole team.

 

 

 

Edited by Totton Saint
Lord Duckhunter

Lord Duckhunter

Posted
Posted (edited)
49 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

It's really not rocket science is it. THB and Stephens both work much better together in a CB pair. And Welington is light years ahead of Manning

And the keeper is light years ahead of Baz, Bree is light years ahead of Edwards or whoever else you’d put in at full back, and Ross Stewart is a far better centre forward than AA. Tonda didn’t have Bree, didn’t have Wellington, didn’t have a proper keeper  & didn’t have Ross for most of his spell in charge. If we’d have had Baz in nets, Manning at full back & not played Jack Stephen’s (as 90% of posters wanted), with AA as the centre forward, you think we win today? Because I don’t. Baz isn’t saving those 2….

Whilst it isn’t “rocket science “ it’s a bit more nuanced than people are making out.  

 

Edited by Lord Duckhunter
  • Like 1
Turkish

Turkish

Posted
Posted
49 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

It's really not rocket science is it. THB and Stephens both work much better together in a CB pair. And Welington is light years ahead of Manning.

We could have played those three and, prior to selling, put Edwards in at RB while Jelert and Roerslev were injured. The claim that we absolutely had to play the shitty back 5 formation with the players available just doesn't wash.

Exactly it’s weird plus we look much better going forward with Leo, Fellows and Azaz in their best positions. You have to wonder why they persisted with it

  • Like 1
SNSUN

SNSUN

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, Golac's Cunning Stunts said:

Just seen the last minute save by Peretz low to his left don’t think Baz would have made that

Was a great touch on to the post. His first half save was excellent too. OK he slipped and that could have cost us, and his punch right at the end of the first half was iffy, but I already think he's an improvement on Baz and he could be a key part of the rebuild if he continues with these saves, especially as we have the option in the summer.

ButtikonSaint

ButtikonSaint

Posted
Posted (edited)

Against a relatively poor Stoke, we win away convincingly - love it - 12 more of these pls.


I really liked that we scored two very different types of goals.
A defence splitting pass followed by a great cross and tidy finish (two in the box for that one... nice)
And with a messy little finish due to physical presence at a corner (simply lovely)

Two good saves for our keeper and a competent back four... wow

Bring on Watford... COYS

Edited by ButtikonSaint
  • Like 1
OneMrsWallace

OneMrsWallace

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Welington coming back in for No Manning Land, Bree from Charlton and Peretz has made a huge difference allied to a back 4.

An actual left back that does defending, driving forward, passing to team mates and shit. It's almost as if we have someone who's been coached to be a left back being good as a left back. Manning made me forget what an actual left back does. Am I too excited about a left back 😅

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