Boro 0-0 Saints - Match Thread

[Saint86]

6 minutes ago, James said:

We will lose to some dodgy decision to avoid the EFL needing to do anything drastic. I’m convinced. 

Boro can't blame spy gate if they don't win this game after that half - what tangible advantage have saints gleamed.

Absolutely no chance 😂🤣

[Mr X]

Commentators saying they've never seen a game so one sided! 

[Willo of Whiteley]

1 minute ago, steve green said:

Best summed up by when my stream hung I felt an overwhelming sense of relief.

 

Can't play as poorly as that 2nd half ???

Ironically I was about to ask for a stream, I don’t think I’ll bother 🤣

Take the draw going into the home game

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

Very odd listless performance.

In fairness, spysoccer gate has really given the Boro players motivation. They've been all over Saints. Larin having a hard game.

[Saint_clark]

5 minutes ago, Mr X said:

Not playing like that it isnt! Can't believe anyone is happy with that half, things can change of course but we simply didn't show up 

I'm happy with the score after that half. Don't give a fuck about performance in the playoffs, only the result. 

[James G]

It's odd because we're giving them the game to a degree, but we're relaxed about it. It's like a controlled recklessness

Just a theory, I wonder if we've just let them play in the first half, to negate the spygate thing. Tonda is about stats, so he's maybe played on the fact that Middlesbrough don't convert chances, their achilles heel stat

We'll see in the second half.

I was just wondering. It was just how bizarre how relaxed we looked

[Mr X]

Just now, Saint86 said:

Boro can't blame spy gate if they don't win this game after that half - what tangible advantage have saints gleamed.

Absolutely no chance 😂🤣

It's a bloody miracle we didn't concede 

[madge]

The same thing happened against Pompey at home. We couldn’t play out but went long and we lost every first and second ball. If we are going long azaz needs to be within 5 yards of larin otherwise we’ve no hope. We now need to see what Tondas got to charge this. We could be 3 or 4 down.

Edited 2 hours ago by madge

[Lee On Solent Saint]

I think we will see a much more improved performance second half. Might even get a touch in their penalty area.

[aintforever]

Complete shite, has this spygate stuff really effected the players?

[Saint_clark]

Just now, James G said:

It's odd because we're giving them the game to a degree, but we're relaxed about it. It's like a controlled recklessness

Just a theory, I wonder if we've just let them play in the first half, to negate the spygate thing. Tonda is about stats, so he's maybe played on the fact that Middlesbrough don't convert chances, their achilles heel stat

We'll see in the second half.

I was just wondering. It was just how bizarre how relaxed we looked

Absolutely. The players look calm out there. We aren't being forced back, we're sitting back. 

[LGTL]

That’s an incredible half of football. They’ll only have themselves to blame if we win this tie, how on earth aren’t they 4 up?

[beatlesaint]

1 minute ago, Saint_clark said:

I'm happy with the score after that half. Don't give a fuck about performance in the playoffs, only the result. 

That’s the only way to look at it, especially after that half.

[Turkish]

I don’t really get why you’re all whinging. It was obvious what was going to happen, Boro won’t want to come to St Mary’s and win so they were always going to start at full pelt our job is to stay in the game in the first half. We’ve been poor going forward Larin getting bullied by their CB which I’ve not seen before, but, we’ve got the job done. If we can keep them out up until the hour mark they’ll get anxious, frustrated and start to tire then we can come away with a positive result. Those of you saying we should just go for it have no fucking clue how to play football 

[Miltonaggro]

3 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

what should they say?

Less!

[Sheaf Saint]

2 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Whoof! Glad to hear that whistle. Not often I say that, under Tonda.

Defensively, we've soaked up an awful lot in that half. We're well drilled to do it. But it takes one slip/error or bit of extra Boro quality.

Larin has been easily countered. He's looked isolated too. So, he's trying to contest balls in a way where he knows he's not got the support.

Tonda's game plan gets us to 25% of the tie even. Boro will no doubt be pumped up after that half. They've not had to overextend themselves to do that. So, a bit more to hold that ball up and stretch the game would be useful. Hopefully, they'll get caught coming forward at some point.

 

Really? They've played at very high intensity so far and won't be able to sustain that for the whole 90.

[captainchris]

6 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

The whole team is far too deep. We are playing Middlesbrough now, not Man City. 

Too deep and too narrow… Their wingers have not seen a defender all game!!!

[Convict Colony]

probably Tonda's biggest HT talk today, will be interesting to see what he does.

Hopefully someone is listening at boro's door

Edited 2 hours ago by Convict Colony

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, aintforever said:

Complete shite, has this spygate stuff really effected the players?

Course it hasn’t you absolute drip 

[Lighthouse]

It’s one of Baldrick’s cunning plans.

"We wait until our heads have actually been cut off…"

"and then we spring into action?"

"yep!"

[DellBlockH]

3 minutes ago, Mr X said:

Commentators saying they've never seen a game so one sided! 

 

3 minutes ago, Mr X said:

Commentators saying they've never seen a game so one sided! 

Did they not see the 9-0?

[Bewildered]

Boro just look like they want it more, very strange how much the performance level has dropped.

[lambtiss]

9 minutes ago, Monk said:

I was thinking this… can’t believe I’m saying that out loud. 

To be fair Jack hasn't put a foot wrong since his return.

[LaptopSaint]

“We clearly weren’t spying, your honour, and as evidence I’d like to present this tape of the first half” 🤣

[saintant]

4 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

The whole team is far too deep. We are playing Middlesbrough now, not Man City. 

Exactly this. Play deep and you invite the opposition on and have no outball. It's just about the most stupid tactic you can adopt. Take off Larin. Azaz and Fellows, bring on Stewart, Matsuki and Bragg and get some stability or this could get ugly in the second half because if they score early the roof will come off and they'll go for the jugular. We need to act first to stop that or the tie could be over today.

[SNSUN]

Need to get the 3 points here in our fight for second especially with Ipswich not playing. 😜

[Suhari]

What is the fitness situation for Stevens?

Will he be back Tuesday?

[aintforever]

Just now, Turkish said:

Course it hasn’t you absolute drip 

Yeah, obviously. 😂

[Saint86]

Stewart coming on 2nd half will make a big difference I reckon, hopefully we're still in it at that point.

Boro have expended an awful lot of energy that half.

If we were going to be that defensive, surely we play matsuki.

Edited 2 hours ago by Saint86

[RedArmy]

2 minutes ago, aintforever said:

Complete shite, has this spygate stuff really effected the players?

They looked a bit sheepish walking into the stadium so you’d have to say yes 

[captainchris]

3 minutes ago, madge said:

The same thing happened against Pompey at home. We couldn’t play out but went long and we lost every first and second ball. If we are going long azaz needs to be within 5 yards of larin otherwise we’ve no hope. We now need to see what Tondas got to charge this. We could be 3 or 4 down.

Well spotted Madge

[Lee On Solent Saint]

1 minute ago, Turkish said:

I don’t really get why you’re all whinging. It was obvious what was going to happen, Boro won’t want to come to St Mary’s and win so they were always going to start at full pelt our job is to stay in the game in the first half. We’ve been poor going forward Larin getting bullied by their CB which I’ve not seen before, but, we’ve got the job done. If we can keep them out up until the hour mark they’ll get anxious, frustrated and start to tire then we can come away with a positive result. Those of you saying we should just go for it have no fucking clue how to play football 

Typical old fashioned two legged European performance.

[saintant]

2 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Really? They've played at very high intensity so far and won't be able to sustain that for the whole 90.

If you're playing well and dominating tiredness is not an issue.

[John Boy Saint]

9 minutes ago, 6ft8saint said:

I hear they've not had them on since January 

There was a stat in the build up reflecting that, something like 600+ touches in the box with double figure shots.

[Turkish]

My Boro mate reckons we’re going to win 1-0 if only our own fans werent such wet lettuces 

Edited 2 hours ago by Turkish

[Holmes_and_Watson]

2 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

Absolutely. The players look calm out there. We aren't being forced back, we're sitting back. 

This. The stats show a hammering. And I'm sure Tonda wanted it better when we get the ball upfield. But we've stuck to the instructions. We're keeping it compact and absorbing pressure on purpose.

[obelisk]

One free kick in Manning territory is even probably too much to hope for.

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, aintforever said:

Yeah, obviously. 😂

Unsurprisingly you don’t get it do you

[Convict Colony]

no changes

[adrian lord]

Got Borough in a noose and surrounded -  they’re going to be destroyed in the second half and in the Home leg

[Convict Colony]

fucking hope the tactics have

[Miltonaggro]

2 minutes ago, Turkish said:

I don’t really get why you’re all whinging. It was obvious what was going to happen, Boro won’t want to come to St Mary’s and win so they were always going to start at full pelt our job is to stay in the game in the first half. We’ve been poor going forward Larin getting bullied by their CB which I’ve not seen before, but, we’ve got the job done. If we can keep them out up until the hour mark they’ll get anxious, frustrated and start to tire then we can come away with a positive result. Those of you saying we should just go for it have no fucking clue how to play football 

Agree 0-0 a good result for us, but we cant let them have 17 shots on goal without answer second half. Hopefully we come into it more after weathering the storm. 

[saintant]

No changes - amazing!

[Hussar Saint]

Reading the comments here you’d think we were 4-0 down!

 

Poor half, but we all know we have a team that can step up. 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

3 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Really? They've played at very high intensity so far and won't be able to sustain that for the whole 90.

They have. But they've not had to chase back or absorb any pressure. Or defend really. That's made it a bit easier for them, than we'd have liked.

[Miltonaggro]

Strap in ladies. Hopefully not a strap on. 

[Sheaf Saint]

1 minute ago, saintant said:

If you're playing well and dominating tiredness is not an issue.

Absolute nonsense. Not even the fittest teams can play at full intensity for 90 minutes.

[RedArmy]

1 minute ago, Turkish said:

My Boro mate reckons we’re going to win 1-0 if only our own fans werent such wet lettuces 

You don’t think this is the worst we have looked since January? 

[Osvaldorama]

Can we try and keep the ball for longer than 0.001 seconds please? 

[RedArmy]

Much better so far.