Saints v Bristol City Tuesday 7.45pm

[Dman]

It would be very, very 'saintsy' to lose a tuesday night game at home, against a mid-table side with nothing to play for.

[Toadhall Saint]

7 minutes ago, Dman said:

It would be very, very 'saintsy' to lose a tuesday night game at home, against a mid-table side with nothing to play for.

As someone else on here said. We no longer do saintsy 😉

[SouthWalesSaints]

Bristol City, biggest of the season.  I can see us being in top 2 come the end of the evening tomorrow.  Nearly a sell out as well, hopefully shift the last 3/400 more by tomorrow  

On course for a sell out for Ipswich - less than a few hundred remaining for that. . 

[Saint_lambden]

Fun fact 1. Referee is Elliot Bell tomorrow night. In his last 30 games, there's only been 1 away win. 

Fun fact 2. 2023/24 was not the only time Bristol City ended a long unbeaten run of ours (25 games). Back in 2011/12, we were one game away from going an entire calendar year unbeaten at home and, of course, we lost 1-0 to City 2 days before the end of 2011. How many games was that? 25, of course. 

[Football Special]

5 hours ago, SouthWalesSaints said:

Bristol City, biggest of the season.  I can see us being in top 2 come the end of the evening tomorrow.  Nearly a sell out as well, hopefully shift the last 3/400 more by tomorrow  

On course for a sell out for Ipswich - less than a few hundred remaining for that. . 

Looks like Ipswich home is sold out now, depending on results this week could be another big night at St Mary's. 

Fans got to be up for it tomorrow night v Bristol City, help lift the players , surprised its sold so well with all the expense playing twice a week , should be 29k crowd with the 2k empty seats being in the away corner. 

[Harry_SFC]

9 hours ago, Pilchards said:

Larin over Stewart in both games.

Stewart was terrible on Saturday!

I agree. I'd actually start him in every remaining game with Stewart coming on after 70 odd mins

[saintant]

Has Tonda done a press conference for this one?

[Colinjb]

6 hours ago, Dman said:

It would be very, very 'saintsy' to lose a tuesday night game at home, against a mid-table side with nothing to play for.

....who are Bristol City.

Seriously, when have we ever done well against them?

[Colinjb]

4 hours ago, Saint_lambden said:

Fun fact 2. 2023/24 was not the only time Bristol City ended a long unbeaten run of ours (25 games). Back in 2011/12, we were one game away from going an entire calendar year unbeaten at home and, of course, we lost 1-0 to City 2 days before the end of 2011. How many games was that? 25, of course. 

Seared in my memory. 

[Charlie Wayman]

On 18/04/2026 at 23:29, Willo of Whiteley said:

Scrappy 1-0 win

Willo, old lad pleas try and enjoy what is happening with Saints these days. You are allowed a little optimism.

Look, we don't do scrappy wins anymore, what we do do is dominant, comprehensive and demoralising annihilation of the opposition. 4-0 and upwards if the weather holds and the pitch is watered correctly.

[Charlie Wayman]

54 minutes ago, Colinjb said:

....who are Bristol City.

Seriously, when have we ever done well against them?

Different times, different players, different managers…. what has the past got to do with it?

[Willo of Whiteley]

1 hour ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Willo, old lad pleas try and enjoy what is happening with Saints these days. You are allowed a little optimism.

Look, we don't do scrappy wins anymore, what we do do is dominant, comprehensive and demoralising annihilation of the opposition. 4-0 and upwards if the weather holds and the pitch is watered correctly.

I’m confident we’ll win, I’m confident we’ll finish second, I just think this will be a long fought game where it takes a lot to break them down.

A bit like the Norwich game 😀

[pimpin4rizeal]

Without wanting to tinker too much it would be interesting to give archer a audition on the right .. that right wing is the only position I feel like no one’s fully claimed fellows could be a option for city good game vs arsenal but as we know can’t score , matsuki isn’t really a wide player and doesn’t really have the pace  for it but still contributes  in other ways .. but if we could have two pacy wide goal threats for the  city match it  could actually be ideal for playing on the break . 

Edited 19 hours ago by pimpin4rizeal

[Pilchards]

I think Matsuki has been brilliant on that right flank as he works well with Bree.

This is why Edozie does not start games as he leaves Manning exposed too often.

I love the balance Tonda has and the changes he makes keeps the system in place.

[Toadhall Saint]

9 hours ago, saintant said:

Has Tonda done a press conference for this one?

Not seen one myself.

[Charlie Wayman]

1 hour ago, Pilchards said:

I think Matsuki has been brilliant on that right flank as he works well with Bree.

This is why Edozie does not start games as he leaves Manning exposed too often.

I love the balance Tonda has and the changes he makes keeps the system in place.

Matsuki over Fellows every time. He has an eye for a goal every time he's on the ball.

[Jack]

Really hope the players and crowd can get right up for this one with the distraction of Saturday looming. SMS has been pretty flat recently, it was dire against Blackburn last midweek despite us flying up the table. We know we’re capable of a big atmosphere but would love to see it more regularly 

[TheSoundman]

I’m optimistic Saints will win all their remaining league games… unfortunately, I expect Millwall to win all theirs as well. Stoke are no great opposition for them and we just need to hope the other two still have something to fight for. 

[OldNick]

5 minutes ago, TheSoundman said:

I’m optimistic Saints will win all their remaining league games… unfortunately, I expect Millwall to win all theirs as well. Stoke are no great opposition for them and we just need to hope the other two still have something to fight for. 

Its the Bazunu effect to take into account as hes playing for Stoke, 3-0 to Millwall 😀

[Saint In Cornwall]

Bazunu won’t be doing us any favours if he reads these forums 😂

[Football Special]

13 minutes ago, Jack said:

Really hope the players and crowd can get right up for this one with the distraction of Saturday looming. SMS has been pretty flat recently, it was dire against Blackburn last midweek despite us flying up the table. We know we’re capable of a big atmosphere but would love to see it more regularly 

Has to be. Fail to win tonight and the Ipswich/ Preston games probably wont matter. Huge huge game , got to treat it like a cup tie. 

Edited 10 hours ago by Football Special

[bugenhagen]

13 minutes ago, Saint In Cornwall said:

Bazunu won’t be doing us any favours if he reads these forums 😂

His ability to read won’t have anything to do with it, it will be because of his ability to catch a ball…

[coalman]

29 minutes ago, Saint In Cornwall said:

Bazunu won’t be doing us any favours if he reads these forums 😂

What better opportunity than to prove his doubters wrong?

[benjii]

1 hour ago, Jack said:

Really hope the players and crowd can get right up for this one with the distraction of Saturday looming. SMS has been pretty flat recently, it was dire against Blackburn last midweek despite us flying up the table. We know we’re capable of a big atmosphere but would love to see it more regularly 

I think the Blackburn game was sort of, "we should win comfortably and we'll almost certainly make the play-offs".

Now, hopefully, it will be more: "every match is a cup final for second".

[swannymere]

20 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

When you say we, are you on about the players or fans?

Fans, i'm sure the players don't take anything for granted. There's fans on the socials proclaiming that we're already got second spot sewn up.

[Ted Bates Statue]

20 hours ago, SouthWalesSaints said:

Bristol City, biggest of the season.  I can see us being in top 2 come the end of the evening tomorrow.  Nearly a sell out as well, hopefully shift the last 3/400 more by tomorrow  

On course for a sell out for Ipswich - less than a few hundred remaining for that. . 

People seem awfully confident we'll beat Bristol City considering they're our bogey team, still dozens of spare cheap seats remaining compared to the now sold-out Ipswich match. But there might not be quite so much to play for this time next week. 

[Lighthouse]

I mentioned this when Roy was appointed but you can fit the entire life of Freddie Mercury between the birth of Hodgson and Eckert. I wonder if there's ever been such an age gap between two managers in English football before.

[Toadhall Saint]

2 hours ago, Football Special said:

Has to be. Fail to win tonight and the Ipswich/ Preston games probably wont matter. Huge huge game , got to treat it like a cup tie. 

Every game until it’s not possible to finish second - every game.

[Graffito]

29 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

I mentioned this when Roy was appointed but you can fit the entire life of Freddie Mercury between the birth of Hodgson and Eckert. I wonder if there's ever been such an age gap between two managers in English football before.

You’ve got too much time on your hands. 

[Saint Scott]

Going into tonight feeling weirdly relaxed. Putting everything in to perspective; after a very poor christmas run most fans didn't believe the playoffs were attainable, let alone an automatic push.

Whatever happens in these last 3 fixtures i'm confident Tonda and the players can get the job done, be it 2nd or through the playoffs. 

COYS!

[saintant]

If we win tonight and Millwall fail to beat Stoke we jump into 2nd place which piles more pressure on Ipswich who will probably have to win their away games at Charlton and West Brom. If we fail to win tonight that's almost certainly us done as regards 2nd spot. Exciting time to be a Saints fan.

[macca155]

2 hours ago, Jack said:

Really hope the players and crowd can get right up for this one with the distraction of Saturday looming. SMS has been pretty flat recently, it was dire against Blackburn last midweek despite us flying up the table. We know we’re capable of a big atmosphere but would love to see it more regularly 

Problem is crowd dynamics are not straightforward. Saints were expected to beat Blackburn. 5 minutes into the game and it was obvious Blackburn's only ambition was to hold out and avoid a spanking. With zero jeopardy it's hard to raise the spirits. There was more interest on the phones watching the Pompey score.

The players must be running on empty now, and no matter how professional they are, Saturday will inevitably be a distraction. A draw or defeat is very possible tonight, and I'm sure we'll all deal with it after we've got over the shock.

Nevertheless the competition remains open, Saints are still in it, so I intend enjoying it while it lasts.

[Toadhall Saint]

Win (hopefully), lose (hopefully not) or draw (not the end of the world) tonight there’s no criticism from me - we have been outstanding and have restored my faith in SFC.

- 3-4 at lcfc after 3 down

- win away at Coventry 

- beat Premier league Fulham at theirs

- beat Premier league title contenders Arsenal at home (and not just a flukey result)

- smashed Wrexham at theirs (wonder if that will make the Hollywood edition)

[Cuddles]

40 minutes ago, macca155 said:

Problem is crowd dynamics are not straightforward. Saints were expected to beat Blackburn. 5 minutes into the game and it was obvious Blackburn's only ambition was to hold out and avoid a spanking. With zero jeopardy it's hard to raise the spirits. There was more interest on the phones watching the Pompey score.

The players must be running on empty now, and no matter how professional they are, Saturday will inevitably be a distraction. A draw or defeat is very possible tonight, and I'm sure we'll all deal with it after we've got over the shock.

Nevertheless the competition remains open, Saints are still in it, so I intend enjoying it while it lasts.

Nah, every team is running on empty at this point of the season. Let's go for it!!

[Addict54]

Can’t use my ticket tonight (block 17 chapel) - free to anyone who wants it

[HKsaint]

5 hours ago, Saint In Cornwall said:

Bazunu won’t be doing us any favours if he reads these forums 😂

Baz knows if we stay in championship, he will come back to be our goalkeeper, and if we return to premier league, he will definitely not. So, he may not do us favour.

[RedArmy]

11 minutes ago, HKsaint said:

Baz knows if we stay in championship, he will come back to be our goalkeeper

He bloody won’t. 

[saintant]

24 minutes ago, HKsaint said:

Baz knows if we stay in championship, he will come back to be our goalkeeper, and if we return to premier league, he will definitely not. So, he may not do us favour.

How will we know whether he does us a favour or not?

[Jack]

3 hours ago, Cuddles said:

Nah, every team is running on empty at this point of the season. Let's go for it!!

I think a huge part of our success this 2nd half of the season is we’re able to rotate so much without an obvious drop off, so we’re not running on empty. Lots of key players are only playing 90 mins per week despite us playing Saturday - Tuesday - Saturday. It’s only really been Bree and Manning who haven’t had much of a rest, and I guess Azaz until recently. 
 

As we’ve seen from lots of other sides recently, substitutions weaken them where a lot of ours are positive changes and we can finish games strong even if we haven’t been at our best. 

[Toadhall Saint]

Didn’t Bree come off at half time recently?

[swedish dave]

9 hours ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Matsuki over Fellows every time. He has an eye for a goal every time he's on the ball.

seems like we have two or more candidates for almost every midfield / striker role.

You can start with one , and put the other on sometime later on in the game, and it works.

Matsuki has been outstanding in some games, gets some stick, but is not afraid to give it out.

Don't see Bragg as a regular starter YET, but he moves around the pitch well,  finds space and

rarely makes a bad pass. Not a standout figure, but neither was Prowsey back in his early days.

[Dr. Kucho]

It’s Bristol City and that worries me, we never seem to beat them. Just got this feeling we’ll struggle tonight. Hope I am wrong.

And Bazunu, we need a performance of a lifetime from you. 

[Weston Super Saint]

7 hours ago, Saint In Cornwall said:

Bazunu won’t be doing us any favours if he reads these forums 😂

I suspect a lot of the comments will slip past him.  Probably low and left.

[RedArmy]

36 minutes ago, Toadhall Saint said:

Didn’t Bree come off at half time recently?

Yes this time last week against Blackburn. 
 

I would expect the same again tonight if we have a comfortable lead. 

[Lighthouse]

2 hours ago, HKsaint said:

Baz knows if we stay in championship, he will come back to be our goalkeeper, and if we return to premier league, he will definitely not. So, he may not do us favour.

I think his time here is done, whether we go up or not. We've clearly decided to replace him with someone else and I think the bridges have probably been burned.

[Jack]

Just now, Lighthouse said:

I think his time here is done, whether we go up or not. We've clearly decided to replace him with someone else and I think the bridges have probably been burned.

Only 3.5 years too late 

[Toadhall Saint]

6 minutes ago, RedArmy said:

Yes this time last week against Blackburn. 
 

I would expect the same again tonight if we have a comfortable lead. 

Is Jelert fit? The bench could be interesting 

[saintant]

48 minutes ago, Dr. Kucho said:

It’s Bristol City and that worries me, we never seem to beat them. Just got this feeling we’ll struggle tonight. Hope I am wrong.

And Bazunu, we need a performance of a lifetime from you. 

Yeah, as kick-off gets nearer, like you, doubts are starting to creep in purely because it's Brizzle City. About time we gave them a good tonking so maybe it'll happen tonight. 

[James G]

1 hour ago, Dr. Kucho said:

It’s Bristol City and that worries me, we never seem to beat them. Just got this feeling we’ll struggle tonight. Hope I am wrong.

And Bazunu, we need a performance of a lifetime from you. 

My logic is, they have nothing to play for, a manager who leaves very soon, and a season that ends very soon. Their players will be thinking of summer holidays and their fans are probably switched off now

[SNSUN]

16 minutes ago, saintant said:

Yeah, as kick-off gets nearer, like you, doubts are starting to creep in purely because it's Brizzle City. About time we gave them a good tonking so maybe it'll happen tonight. 

In a completely random link to us and bad luck to Bristol City:

A couple of days ago that Tommy Lawrence clip popped up on my feed on FB. He was the old Liverpool goalkeeper that was interviewed by a reporter on the street that didn't recognise him about whether he remembered the FA Cup fifth round tie of Liverpool vs Everton in 1967. He did, he played in it and Alan Ball stuck the winner past him.

Anywho I wondered who knocked us out the cup that year so I looked on Wikipedia.

Bristol City in the 4th round. I'm taking it as an omen. 😜