Leicester vs Saints - Tuesday 7:45pm

[Badger]

5 hours ago, The Wyvern said:

This bizarre modern day football thing that has been made up that people call a “three game week”, like playing three games over eight days is some exceptional event to be overcome. 

Wonder how the current generation of players and coaches would have coped in the old days with three games in four days over Easter.

Wenger, Klopp and Pep would shit themselves at that prospect.  

[Football Special]

33 minutes ago, Badger said:

Wonder how the current generation of players and coaches would have coped in the old days with three games in four days over Easter.

Wenger, Klopp and Pep would shit themselves at that prospect.  

In the 1993/94 PREMIER LEAGUE season i went to Saints v Chelsea on 27th December followed by Manchester City v Saints 28th December,  marvellous stuff 

[Harry_SFC]

I would be tempted to change either Downes or Jander for Charles but that's it.

No need to change the back 4 what so ever and I'd be shocked if Larin was fit enough to start.

Maybe one of the attacking midfielders will be rotated. 

[Saint Garrett]

If there are 2 changes then likelihood is one is Downes out for either Charles or Bragg.

I can't see why we'd change the back 4 unless Stephens cant play twice in 4 days. 

Outside of that, possibly Larin for Stewart or Matsuki in for a-n-other.

[Charlie Wayman]

I'd rather Eckert picked an unchanged side to start and than used his subs after HT. If he changes things around and the reshuffled team go one down it will be an almighty slog to get back on terms whoever is on the bench. The regulars have a much better chance of keeping a clean sheet up to HT.

Big shout out to Alfie bloody House who seemed delighted to announce in The Echo that we ain't getting a live stream on Sky tonight. I had assumed we were and was looking forward to it, let's hope that this is the only one of my hopes to be dashed today.

[Badger]

1 hour ago, Football Special said:

In the 1993/94 PREMIER LEAGUE season i went to Saints v Chelsea on 27th December followed by Manchester City v Saints 28th December,  marvellous stuff 

1980:

Boxing Day - Spurs away 4-4

Dec 27th Leicester home won 3-1.

Not too much rotation. And only one substitute,so no bringing 3 of them off at 65 minutes.

Most players involved in both as I recall. Several probably got pissed when they got back from Spurs as well. 
 

Then there was 1978:

Sat - League Cup final

Monday - Arsenal FA Cup at home 1-1 

Weds/Thursday Arsenal - replay (lost)

Sat - played some other bastards I suspect but can’t look it up at the minute 

[benjii]

1 hour ago, Harry_SFC said:

I would be tempted to change either Downes or Jander for Charles but that's it.

No need to change the back 4 what so ever and I'd be shocked if Larin was fit enough to start.

Maybe one of the attacking midfielders will be rotated. 

Yep, I think Charles will start and maybe Scienza will be on the bench with, presumably, Edozie starting.

Other than that, likely as you were (assuming everyone is fit).

[Wade Garrett]

Downes will be a big miss tonight.  He has been outstanding in recent games.

Keep it tight and nick a late goal.  

[damers]

Any streams available?

[OttawaSaint]

1 hour ago, Badger said:

1980:

Boxing Day - Spurs away 4-4

Dec 27th Leicester home won 3-1.

Not too much rotation. And only one substitute,so no bringing 3 of them off at 65 minutes.

Most players involved in both as I recall. Several probably got pissed when they got back from Spurs as well. 
 

Then there was 1978:

Sat - League Cup final

Monday - Arsenal FA Cup at home 1-1 

Weds/Thursday Arsenal - replay (lost)

Sat - played some other bastards I suspect but can’t look it up at the minute 

Just looked it up. Sat was vs Bolton away, lost 2-0.

[saintant]

3 hours ago, Badger said:

Wonder how the current generation of players and coaches would have coped in the old days with three games in four days over Easter.

Wenger, Klopp and Pep would shit themselves at that prospect.  

Yeah and on heavy pitches that sapped the stamina - not like today's immaculate carpets they play on. Game has gone soft - too much science and data now for my liking. 

[sadoldgit]

3 hours ago, Badger said:

Wonder how the current generation of players and coaches would have coped in the old days with three games in four days over Easter.

Wenger, Klopp and Pep would shit themselves at that prospect.  

The games are a lot more demanding physically now. The players run further for longer. Full backs didn’t venture past the half way line and wingers didn’t track back. There was no press. Players had time for a breather. Games didn’t last much more than 90 minutes.  The pitches were cabbage patches but the ball didn’t travel so quickly. You could waste time by passing the ball back to the goalkeeper numerous times. There is a reason that squads are bigger and more subs are allowed now and that is because the game is physically tougher.

Edited 1 hour ago by sadoldgit

[Oh no Mick Mills]

1 minute ago, sadoldgit said:

The games are a lot more demanding physically now. The players run further for longer. Full backs didn’t venture past the half way line and wingers didn’t track back. There was no press. Players had time for a breather. Games didn’t last much more than 90 minutes.  The pitches were cabbage patches but the ball didn’t travel so quickly. You could waste time by passing the ball back to the goalkeeper numerous times. There is a reason that squads are bigger and more subs are allowed now and that is because the game is more demanding.

Thanks, saved me posting the same thing....in the good old days blah blah blah. 

[Badger]

2 minutes ago, Oh no Mick Mills said:

Thanks, saved me posting the same thing....in the good old days blah blah blah. 

Some fair points SOG raises re level of fitness and player’s roles. Disagree about full backs though, David Peach and Ivan Golac were often playing advanced positions. Wingers, yes,  could be  lazy fuckers.

I know which era was generally more entertaining and exciting to watch though even if it is seen through sepia tinted specs with a dose of nostalgia thrown in. 

[Convict Colony]

I've never got one of these wrong so here is another banger.

2-0 saints

[Lighthouse]

The game hasn't gone soft, it's quite clearly the exact opposite. People love to complain about sports science, data analysis and the obsession with athleticism and physical conditioning. In reality, that's the difference between the Rickie Lambert who played for Bristol Rovers and the Lambert who played for England. The best First Division teams of the seventies and eighties would be comfortably beaten by a decent Championship team from 2026.

[Sheaf Saint]

14 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

The game hasn't gone soft, it's quite clearly the exact opposite. People love to complain about sports science, data analysis and the obsession with athleticism and physical conditioning. In reality, that's the difference between the Rickie Lambert who played for Bristol Rovers and the Lambert who played for England. The best First Division teams of the seventies and eighties would be comfortably beaten by a decent Championship team from 2026.

Indeed. It's treated as an elite sport these days, so the fitness levels required to be competitive are way beyond what was needed in days gone by, and the recovery time needed after the extra exertion of a match negates the possibility of playing on consecutive days.

I remember listening to an after dinner speech from Alan Ball about 20 years ago, and he recounted how he and the boys were out on the piss in Camden on the eve of the 1966 WC final. Seems ridiculous in this age, but it was just normal to them in that era.

[sadoldgit]

53 minutes ago, Badger said:

Some fair points SOG raises re level of fitness and player’s roles. Disagree about full backs though, David Peach and Ivan Golac were often playing advanced positions. Wingers, yes,  could be  lazy fuckers.

I know which era was generally more entertaining and exciting to watch though even if it is seen through sepia tinted specs with a dose of nostalgia thrown in. 

True about the full backs. I think Ramsey was one of the first managers to bring in overlapping full backs during the WC in 1966.

[trousers]

[trousers]

[Saint NL]

Random striker alert 

I expected Stewart, maybe Larin at a push, but Archer? Where's that come from?

[SaintStinger]

Would rather Archer not start.

[trousers]

George "Don't worry, we'll never need to call upon him" Long on the bench instead of McCarthy...

[Divergent]

Archer not Stewart?? 

[Saint_clark]

1 minute ago, Saint NL said:

Random striker alert 

I expected Stewart, maybe Larin at a push, but Archer? Where's that come from?

Giving him a chance against a less mobile defence whilst also letting him know he still has an opportunity to start if he takes it, Larin still settling in and not wanting to put too much on him too soon, Stewart made of glass so we were never going to start him.

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

Kept the back 4 which is important. Surprised about Archer getting the nod but presumably managing Loch Ness's minutes.

[Tamesaint]

54 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

The game hasn't gone soft, it's quite clearly the exact opposite. People love to complain about sports science, data analysis and the obsession with athleticism and physical conditioning. In reality, that's the difference between the Rickie Lambert who played for Bristol Rovers and the Lambert who played for England. The best First Division teams of the seventies and eighties would be comfortably beaten by a decent Championship team from 2026.

Of course they would lose. They would all be in their 70s now. 

[SNSUN]

6 hours ago, saintant said:

Why would you take out Bree for Jelert? Bree strikes me as the type of player who takes 3 game weeks in his stride. He needs to keep playing unless he's carrying a knock. Let's not change the back 4 which is performing very well. 

I wouldn't as I said. But Jelert for Bree is one option that wouldn't be a huge step down in quality if Tonda was going to tinker, compared to dropping the recently excellent Welington for Manning.

[SNSUN]

7 minutes ago, trousers said:

They hate their full backs, Foxestalk said Ricardo is past it and Thomas is crap. They don't rate Okoli either. Good chance for some goals. Apparently Winks wants out too. Mukasa is the unknown quantity there but they had no choice with Cordova-Reid out. And Daka tries hard but doesn't have many goals in him.

We should, repeat should, be winning this.

[madge]

Any streams for this as not on sky?…thanks 

[sadoldgit]

8 minutes ago, Divergent said:

Archer not Stewart?? 

Yep! The only change.

 

[whelk]

1 hour ago, Lighthouse said:

The game hasn't gone soft, it's quite clearly the exact opposite. People love to complain about sports science, data analysis and the obsession with athleticism and physical conditioning. In reality, that's the difference between the Rickie Lambert who played for Bristol Rovers and the Lambert who played for England. The best First Division teams of the seventies and eighties would be comfortably beaten by a decent Championship team from 2026.

Yeah yeah and Anthony Joshua would knock out Ali in first round for sure

[SNSUN]

7 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

Giving him a chance against a less mobile defence whilst also letting him know he still has an opportunity to start if he takes it, Larin still settling in and not wanting to put too much on him too soon, Stewart made of glass so we were never going to start him.

This, Archer is the more mobile of the 3. Larin looked knackered after his cameo and Stewart does need to be managed. 

Pleased Downes is fine, Charles probably in for him on Saturday. 

[Sheaf Saint]

Can only assume that Archer has been given the nod because he has more pace than Stewart or Larin, and the Leicester defence aren't exactly the most mobile.

Just hope it pays off, for Tonda's sake. Having found a system that works recently, he's taking a big gamble by scrapping it in this way.

[whelk]

Just now, Sheaf Saint said:

Can only assume that Archer has been given the nod because he has more pace than Stewart or Larin, and the Leicester defence aren't exactly the most mobile.

Just hope it pays off, for Tonda's sake. Having found a system that works recently, he's taking a big gamble by scrapping it in this way.

It’s one player!

[BallBoy]

Any long balls will come straight back.

[vectraman]

40 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Indeed. It's treated as an elite sport these days, so the fitness levels required to be competitive are way beyond what was needed in days gone by, and the recovery time needed after the extra exertion of a match negates the possibility of playing on consecutive days.

I remember listening to an after dinner speech from Alan Ball about 20 years ago, and he recounted how he and the boys were out on the piss in Camden on the eve of the 1966 WC final. Seems ridiculous in this age, but it was just normal to them in that era.

Fitness maybe.
Skill no way.

Keegan, Le tis, etc would still be elite regardless.
fitness is now a pre-requisite. 
Skill you can’t buy. 
For Joe average players yeah ok. 
Talent?

Skill every day over fitness  

I’m in my 50’s sadly, so can remember quality over wanky old fitness  

If you’re good enough, you’re good enough.