Tonda Eckert

[Pilchards]

7 hours ago, Harry_SFC said:

Looks like he learned his lesson somewhat with the subs tonight 

Indeed he did but they do have an extra day off this time round.

Its clear he loves a small squad and likes to make the odd starting line up change but keep the main engine players in.

Matsuki was his great impact sub last night but the same can’t be said about many others off that bench.

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

I'm just hoping it's a matter of time before the bench shapes up and starts making a difference.

Dobbin - there is a player there, but what's his position? 

Mubama - again, start learning off Larin!

Bragg trudging along and once Jander gets fit. It will be better.

[West end Saints]

On 06/09/2026 at 20:29, West end Saints said:

Same fixtures last season

Away to watford drew (L) -1

Home to stoke lost (w) +2

Home to Millwall drew (w) +4

Away to Birmingham drew (d) +4

Away to Lincoln (top promoted side) drew (d) + 4

Gained 4 more points than same games last season.

After first 6 games last season we had 6 points beat Swansea and we have 7 even after points deduction!

Hardly a bad start yet!

Finn Azaz, my player of the season last season, was unplayable against a very good Millwall, for some reason was awful in last two games. He makes a huge difference

 

 

Saints v Swansea, last season, drew +2 = 6 points up on last season's fixtures. (6 more points last season would have given us automatic promotion)

First 6 games last season 6 points, this season 11 earned.

If not for points deduction we would be top.

Goal difference two better than any other side.

14 goals scored in 6 games.

Larin top scorer

2nd highest goals + assists is 4 - with two of our players Azaz and Scienza.

Tonda stated he consciously started with late / easy pre-season to allow players to process play off situation, so not a bad start!

(Drew home to Bristol last season)

 

 

 

 

Edited 10 hours ago by West end Saints

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

Hopefully TondAI will keep on learning and adapting!

[Saint86]

https://fmttmboro.com/index.php?threads/tonda-eckert-news.83872/page-31

Still obsessed and delusional (they have more recent posts on this than we do...), but also starting to realise we aren't going away. Will love it if we torpedo their season.

Edited 6 hours ago by Saint86

[Willo of Whiteley]

9 minutes ago, Saint86 said:

https://fmttmboro.com/index.php?threads/tonda-eckert-news.83872/page-31

Still obsessed and delusional (they have more recent posts on this than we do...), but also starting to realise we aren't going away. Will love it if we torpedo their season.

The fact they haven’t moved on is hilarious 😂

[Midfield_General]

He's got a really strong spine of a team now: 

Peretz, Bree, Schlotterbeck, Downes, Azaz, Scienza, Larin and either of JWP/ Jander: that's basically eight of the eleven positions that effectively pick themselves. 

Then mix and match the left back, right-sided CB and right winger depending on the opposition. 

I know there's a question mark over depth and ability to rotate as effectively as last year, but if everyone's available that first team spine of quality players is as strong as anything in this division. 

Edited 5 hours ago by Midfield_General

[saintant]

3 hours ago, Saint86 said:

https://fmttmboro.com/index.php?threads/tonda-eckert-news.83872/page-31

Still obsessed and delusional (they have more recent posts on this than we do...), but also starting to realise we aren't going away. Will love it if we torpedo their season.

They've never thanked us for allowing them to become the first ever team to lose the semi-final play-off and still go to Wembley for the Final which they made a complete cock-up of against a limited Hull side.

[saintant]

2 hours ago, Midfield_General said:

He's got a really strong spine of a team now: 

Peretz, Bree, Schlotterbeck, Downes, Azaz, Scienza, Larin and either of JWP/ Jander: that's basically eight of the eleven positions that effectively pick themselves. 

Then mix and match the left back, right-sided CB and right winger depending on the opposition. 

I know there's a question mark over depth and ability to rotate as effectively as last year, but if everyone's available that first team spine of quality players is as strong as anything in this division. 

Would like to see what Zack Abbott is capable of because he can play either centre back or right back. I guess Tonda will be closely monitoring him in training and give him some minutes when he feels he's ready. The lad comes with bags of potential judging by the comments from Forest fans. It would be brilliant if he turns out to be the perfect partner for Schlotterbeck and as cover for Bree. That would leave just Larin as the only first teamer we don't have adequate cover for so we'll either have to work some magic in the free agent market or wait until the Jan window opens which is a gamble.

[Midfield_General]

10 minutes ago, saintant said:

Would like to see what Zack Abbott is capable of because he can play either centre back or right back. I guess Tonda will be closely monitoring him in training and give him some minutes when he feels he's ready. The lad comes with bags of potential judging by the comments from Forest fans. It would be brilliant if he turns out to be the perfect partner for Schlotterbeck and as cover for Bree. That would leave just Larin as the only first teamer we don't have adequate cover for so we'll either have to work some magic in the free agent market or wait until the Jan window opens which is a gamble.

Yep, am keen to see him too. I’ve got a feeling Mubama might surprise a few people once he settles in a bit and we learn how to use him properly, but I agree that it would be good to have another physical, back-to-goal hold-up CF on the bench as well, to do more of a like-for-like swap for Larin when we need. We’re definitely at risk at the moment if he gets injured or is unavailable for any length of time. 

[revolution saint]

16 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

Yep, am keen to see him too. I’ve got a feeling Mubama might surprise a few people once he settles in a bit and we learn how to use him properly, but I agree that it would be good to have another physical, back-to-goal hold-up CF on the bench as well, to do more of a like-for-like swap for Larin when we need. We’re definitely at risk at the moment if he gets injured or is unavailable for any length of time. 

It would be nice for Mubama to surprise some people.  I haven't really seen anything yet to suggest he will but it's still early days.  Last night in the second half we were getting quite a lot of space and able to play some nice through balls which should in theory play to his strengths so from a developmental point of view it would have been good to get him on a bit earlier. 

I'd be a bit concerned about using the argument about how we learn to use him properly.  He's a 20 year old kid with very little senior experience and it's up to him to adapt to the way we play.  Obviously there's a bit of nuance in the argument but fundamentally we shouldn't be having players that are so limited that they can't adapt to the way we play.  

[Patches O Houlihan]

2 minutes ago, revolution saint said:

It would be nice for Mubama to surprise some people.  I haven't really seen anything yet to suggest he will but it's still early days.  Last night in the second half we were getting quite a lot of space and able to play some nice through balls which should in theory play to his strengths so from a developmental point of view it would have been good to get him on a bit earlier. 

I'd be a bit concerned about using the argument about how we learn to use him properly.  He's a 20 year old kid with very little senior experience and it's up to him to adapt to the way we play.  Obviously there's a bit of nuance in the argument but fundamentally we shouldn't be having players that are so limited that they can't adapt to the way we play.  

I think inevitably there is a bit of nature and nuture - you'd be up shit creek trying to train Archer to play as a traditional big man Championship hold up striker.

But as someone suggested to me last week there is more than one way to hold the ball up; you can run into space sideways to receive and then take chasers down the channels or out to the byline while your team mates catch up or get their breath.

[Midfield_General]

45 minutes ago, revolution saint said:

It would be nice for Mubama to surprise some people.  I haven't really seen anything yet to suggest he will but it's still early days.  Last night in the second half we were getting quite a lot of space and able to play some nice through balls which should in theory play to his strengths so from a developmental point of view it would have been good to get him on a bit earlier. 

I'd be a bit concerned about using the argument about how we learn to use him properly.  He's a 20 year old kid with very little senior experience and it's up to him to adapt to the way we play.  Obviously there's a bit of nuance in the argument but fundamentally we shouldn't be having players that are so limited that they can't adapt to the way we play.  

I thought I noticed him backing in a bit more once or twice last night, trying to hold off his man and hold it up. Only in a few flashes to be fair, but getting slightly more involved in physical battles. I agree we definitely need to see more out of him, but I also think that Tonda and his team have the ability to improve players if the raw materials are there to work with. Time will tell, but fingers crossed that with some good coaching and three weeks on the training ground over the international break we'll start to see him make more of an impact in the areas we need him to once Larin's off the pitch. 

Edited 1 hour ago by Midfield_General

[gio1saints]

I’m sure there’s an obvious answer to why Larin is not allowed to play 90 minutes but JWP or Bree or Downs can? Are the requirements on a #9 in Tonda team so onerous? It cannot be that Larin is not fit enough? Or is he carrying a secret injury?  The minute he gets taken off I’m not expecting any more goals basically - and neither do the opposition basically. You need stamina - but surely he has enough? Is Tonda frightened when tired he is more likely to hurt himself - and we have no like for like - so takes him off early? But we kind of did last year with RS and was same story..

Edited 1 hour ago by gio1saints

[Badger]

5 hours ago, Saint86 said:

https://fmttmboro.com/index.php?threads/tonda-eckert-news.83872/page-31

Still obsessed and delusional (they have more recent posts on this than we do...), but also starting to realise we aren't going away. Will love it if we torpedo their season.

Couple of interWsting comments in there:

Unfortunately given Parson's reported handling he may have a valid point in the last bit.

 

Why the fuck is he on the panel ? This is something that our team should really have contested, even if only to be bloody awkward at the outset.

[UpweySaint]

1 hour ago, Midfield_General said:

I thought I noticed him backing in a bit more once or twice last night, trying to hold off his man and hold it up. Only in a few flashes to be fair, but getting slightly more involved in physical battles. I agree we definitely need to see more out of him, but I also think that Tonda and his team have the ability to improve players if the raw materials are there to work with. Time will tell, but fingers crossed that with some good coaching and three weeks on the training ground over the international break we'll start to see him make more of an impact in the areas we need him to once Larin's off the pitch. 

Will we have him over the international break or will he be away with the 21s? Hopefully we have him, I agree that three weeks on the training ground with Tonda and the coaches could really help.