Lincoln 1-1 Saints - Match Thread

[Tanlee]

People can say about Mubama not knowing this system yet and all  that, but if your totally incapable of doing basic forward play and devoid of general football intellect, you can forget all about systems! 

Edited 4 hours ago by Tanlee

[Wade Garrett]

26 minutes ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Edozie is utter shite. Lots of tricks - no end product whatsoever. Thinks he’s a one man team.

How does he get on the pitch?  Done nothing for us, just put in a transfer request, and Fellows is on the bench.

Looks like Tonda is trying to please everyone, why on earth would he have started Stephens for any other reason.  Fucking mug.

[HKsaint]

We are not good enough to get promoted 

[Miltonaggro]

6 minutes ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

Tonda's mistakes today

1) Stephens when it should have been Wood

2) Scienza and Larin off on 60 mins. They needed to play another 10-14 mins minimum.

3) Should have been Wood for Stephens - you go to three at the back with the lightweight front three we were going to be left with and you are saying lets play back to the wall football for the last 12 minutes.

I don't call him out much (if ever) but this was SO avoidable. 

100% spot on!

[Lord Duckhunter]

2 minutes ago, James said:

The drop off going forward once Larin and Leo went off was pretty scary. 
 

Larin was pretty fucking poor today.

[Disco Stu]

2 minutes ago, leeham_69 said:

I just have a feeling we may be sending mubama back in Jan to try and get someone else in. Very poor, not what we needed at all. But that said trying to defend for our lives with 10 minutes to go against Lincoln was stupid. Could easily have just knocked it around them in their half.

Switching to a back three was asking for our box to be bombarded. Eckert played into their strengths. I don't want to see us play a back three ever again. And taking off Scienza was unforgivable.

Edited 4 hours ago by Disco Stu

[Zorba]

This squad lacks quality. First eleven good enough but as soon as changes need to be made, we’re struggling. Mubama is no replacement for Larin. Edozie is no replacement for Scienza. Dobbin/Azaz the same. We’re still a CB short and now relying on a young loanee. Bree, JWP & Downes played ok today but we’re screwed if any of these 3 are injured.

Going to be a long season. 

 

[James]

Just now, Wade Garrett said:

How does he get on the pitch?  Done nothing for us, just put in a transfer request, and Fellows is on the bench.

Looks like Tonda is trying to please everyone, why on earth would he have started Stephens for any other reason.  Fucking mug.

I hope we don’t start subbing Edozie on now just because he put out a statement about wanting more minutes. He’s utterly brainless as a footballer and could easily have cost us a goal. He shouldn’t be coming on ahead of Fellows.

[Mboto Gorge]

Seriously what the fucking hell was that? Attempting to Hold on for a 1-0 win at fucking Lincoln who even Pompey went and comfortably beat only 2 weeks ago? Pathetic negative subs and tactics from the manager. Mubama yet again gave us no outlet and looks a fucking terrible signing. Then the moment he goes 5 at the back it’s a literal waving of the white flag. we all knew what was coming. The warning signs had been there before hand. 
But let’s just take a step back and consider that we got to 65-70 min at 1-0 up away to Lincoln and the management didn’t back the team to get another goal , against a side costing a 10th of ours. Pathetic negative management and subs cost us that. Edozie showing us yet again why he rarely plays, don’t think I’ve ever seen a player with less end product 

Edited 4 hours ago by Mboto Gorge

[Maggie May]

Mubama believes his own hype.

[James]

Just now, Lord Duckhunter said:

Larin was pretty fucking poor today.

Yep, not his best game but looked like Harry Kane compared to Mubama.

[Saint Fan CaM]

Just now, Saintinnot said:

It was Wood who cost us the fucking goal - not Stephens

To an extent, but Tonda fucked up by putting Stephens in from the outset and then going back 5 finished it off. Tinkering at CB has been our downfall before.

[gammon cheeks]

A bit boring,   and thats being generous!

[bugenhagen]

Every sub made us weaker. This is the difference from last season. No chanche of competing for the autos with this squad. Luckily there are more playoff places.

[saintant]

For a side with aspirations for automatic promotion against a team as limited as Lincoln that simply was nowhere near good enough. We scored one worldie but, other than Leo's effort that hit both posts our football was woeful.

As we sunk deeper and deeper it was inevitable the 6'8 giant would be presented with a free header. Steaming after watching that pathetic performance and seeing us throw two points away.

[Micky]

21 minutes ago, Micky said:

Subs have made us weaker, we are about to throw away at least 2 points. 

I could see it, you could see it, the question is why the fuck can't professional coaches and managers. 

Lincoln were probably picking their lips at the thought of us going 3atb, pump the balls into the box knowing that they would win at least one header. 

We got lucky to get out with a point at the end, bloody awful display. 

[Saint Pete]

2 minutes ago, jamesfp1 said:

That's all on Tonda

I can see why people would say that and blame the subs as we conceded, but you need good subs to bring on and you need a good squad. I think we had that in 2nd half of last season, but after the window, the early signs are we have regressed and several times now we have seen a drop in standard of players when we have made our subs (which we will need to do in a 46 game season). So not all on Tonda. 

[Miltonaggro]

If Spors had the self-awareness he would be feverishly looking over the free agents list currently, some interesting potential experienced additions there at centre back and centre forward to enable SFC to control / see out games, but the fucker won't bother! 

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/spieler/vertragslosespieler/statistik/1/plus//galerie/0?ausrichtung=alle&spielerposition_id=alle&land_id=alle&altersklasse=&wettbewerb_id=alle&seit=alle&yt0=Show

 

Edited 4 hours ago by Miltonaggro

[James]

Just now, Saint Fan CaM said:

To an extent, but Tonda fucked up by putting Stephens in from the outset and then going back 5 finished it off. Tinkering at CB has been our downfall before.

The fact we even have to decide between Stephens and Wood is a massive failure on SR. Still, at least we’ve got a kid from Forest with no experience to come in…

[Dman]

We’re a poor side.
 

A good 45 minutes against Millwall (which could have easily been a different result on another day) has masked how poor we’ve been. We’ve been utter shite every single game so far. 

[Saint_clark]

8 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

So what?

So the angle I saw the collision was obscured and I assumed he'd stopped the game because a Lincoln player pushed one of ours over. 

That's a weirdly hostile question for me just admitting I saw something wrong.

[LegalEagle]

Surely Abbott in for the next game? He cannot be any worse than Stephens or Wood. Stephens has been truly awful every minute he has been on the pitch. He’s also constantly on his haunches because he’s unfit.

[Baird of the land]

2 minutes ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

How very fucking disappointing. Eckhert really fucked us over there - should not have started Stephens. But fair play Lincoln…they had a good game…looked fitter…and had a decent game plan.

Lastly, there are too many sub-standard players in our squad and too few with a decent engine - hence the walking football.

I don’t see how anyone can walk away from that and go it’s because Stephens played. The funny thing is it’s wood who gets done in the air for the goal. 

[jrobsbigshorts]

Edozie shouldn't get minutes for having a tantrum on Instagram, should of been Dobbin

I was positive about the window til today, Mubama looks way off it , surely we could of got a deal done with Stewart 

[hypochondriac]

3 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Larin was pretty fucking poor today.

Because he can't physically play three games in a week. Which is why we needed a good replacement...

[macca155]

Every time we sit back , we invite teams on to us, and our crappy defence cannot cope. Happens in so many games, just stop it.

Tonda seriously messed up there. Wood should have started against Lincoln's mutants. Absolutely the wrong game for Stephens.

Mubama is shaping up like Downs .... garbage. Get Prince on the bench next game, no way can he be worse 

Edozie offered very little and kept losing the ball. Dobbin was ok, has a bit about him. This squad has some serious defects.

Didn't lose but most teams will beat Lincoln.

Bragg should have been on for JWP at the end, he is stronger in the tackle. Fellows on for Matsuki, who I thought was poor today. Needed to attack them as passionately as they did us.

[obelisk]

Maybe scrape 7th or 8th if we're lucky.

[Mr X]

Just now, Dman said:

We’re a poor side.
 

A good 45 minutes against Millwall (which could have easily been a different result on another day) has masked how poor we’ve been. We’ve been utter shite every single game so far. 

Remember we were promised exciting attacking off your seat football this season.... Guess they meant from our opponents! 

[Cuddles]

Win your home games, draw your away games.

Going 3 at the back was suicidal though, we know it doesn't work for us. 

[sadoldgit]

We didn’t lose. Erm, that is it.

[stknowle]

2 minutes ago, HKsaint said:

We are not good enough to get promoted 

On the evidence presented to us thus far I make you 100% right HK my old pal. Worth remembering how shit we were under Still and then Tonda over Xmas last season so it may come good but the big key difference making that unlikely imho is how fucking weak our CF options are beyond Larin.

[James]

Just now, macca155 said:

Every time we sit back , we invite teams on to us, and our crappy defence cannot cope. Happens in so many games, just stop it.

Tonda seriously messed up there. Wood should have started against Lincoln's mutants. Absolutely the wrong game for Stephens.

Mubama is shaping up like Downs .... garbage. Get Prince on the bench next game, no way can he be worse 

Edozie offered very little and kept losing the ball. Dobbin was ok, has a bit about him. This squad has some serious defects.

Didn't lose but most teams will beat Lincoln.

Bragg should have been on for JWP at the end, he is stronger in the tackle. Fellows on for Matsuki, who I thought was poor today. Needed to attack them as passionately as they did us.

At least if Prince develops into something we will benefit from it long term, if we manage to turn Mubama or Abbott into anything they’ll fuck off next season anyway. 

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

2 minutes ago, Saint Pete said:

I can see why people would say that and blame the subs as we conceded, but you need good subs to bring on and you need a good squad. I think we had that in 2nd half of last season, but after the window, the early signs are we have regressed and several times now we have seen a drop in standard of players when we have made our subs (which we will need to do in a 46 game season). So not all on Tonda. 

Well yes. 

Putting on an extra defender and going to a back 3. What was the point. 

[Winnersaint]

1 minute ago, O_Lord_Marian said:

1 point against Lincoln City, lets celebrate. Lincoln frigging City..

 I mean yeah, little Lincoln, no right to be on the same pitch as us.

[macca155]

1 minute ago, Baird of the land said:

I don’t see how anyone can walk away from that and go it’s because Stephens played. The funny thing is it’s wood who gets done in the air for the goal. 

Wood has played ok this year and he is a solid old unit. No way should Jack have played in his place. He was beaten for the goal, but the defence was totally disorganised by then. Nobody was marking anybody.

[Saint Fan CaM]

1 minute ago, Baird of the land said:

I don’t see how anyone can walk away from that and go it’s because Stephens played. The funny thing is it’s wood who gets done in the air for the goal. 

Of course it wasn’t just Stephens and yes Wood got taken for a mug. The point was that Eckherts decisions for this game were terrible, starting with the first 11 and ending with the sub choices.

[Mr X]

9 minutes ago, stknowle said:

Yeah of course he is. Just like Baz was.

And gunn 

[bugenhagen]

Just now, LegalEagle said:

Surely Abbott in for the next game? He cannot be any worse than Stephens or Wood. Stephens has been truly awful every minute he has been on the pitch. He’s also constantly on his haunches because he’s unfit.

Yeah, he was well off it today again. Marking air in a lot of dangerous situations. Lincoln had a break at the end where he left Manning to mark two players, as he was doing som zonal defending marking fuck all!

Something is wrong with him. It is worse than usual this season.

[saintant]

7 minutes ago, James said:

I hope we don’t start subbing Edozie on now just because he put out a statement about wanting more minutes. He’s utterly brainless as a footballer and could easily have cost us a goal. He shouldn’t be coming on ahead of Fellows.

Not just brainless he's weak as a kitten.

[Dman]

1 minute ago, stknowle said:

On the evidence presented to us thus far I make you 100% right HK my old pal. Worth remembering how shit we were under Still and then Tonda over Xmas last season so it may come good but the big key difference making that unlikely imho is how fucking weak our CF options are beyond Larin.

I wonder what changed the season last time round…..

[Pilchards]

Makes me laugh that we make substitutions to save them for the next game.

How about we win this one first and fucking worry about the next one when it comes round?

Is Tonda missing his right hand man as the coaching team used to nail the subs last season.

[Miltonaggro]

4 minutes ago, LegalEagle said:

Surely Abbott in for the next game? He cannot be any worse than Stephens or Wood. Stephens has been truly awful every minute he has been on the pitch. He’s also constantly on his haunches because he’s unfit.

Looks like he is ready for the knackers yard to me.

[Dangerspoon]

5 minutes ago, Miltonaggro said:

If Spors had the self-awareness he would be feverishly looking over the free agents list currently, some interesting potential experienced additions there at centre back and centre forward to enable SFC to control / see out games, but the fucker won't bother! 

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/spieler/vertragslosespieler/statistik/1/plus//galerie/0?ausrichtung=alle&spielerposition_id=alle&land_id=alle&altersklasse=&wettbewerb_id=alle&seit=alle&yt0=Show

 

Anyone of those that are recognisable could hold the ball up better. I’d be tempted by Ings. He couldn’t start, but would certainly do a far better job for us up front for the last 20-30mins than anything else we have

[Dman]

Just now, Pilchards said:

Makes me laugh that we make substitutions to save them for the next game.

How about we win this one first and fucking worry about the next one when it comes round?

Is Tonda missing his right hand man as the coaching team used to nail the subs last season.

Will salt? 

Perhaps knowing how the opposition are setting up, does make a difference. 

[sfc4prem]

Any positivity seems to have gone from you lot, and it's easy to see why after that:

- First team not good enough to put more than one goal past Lincoln, and the one they did was a screamer rather than a well-worked team goal.

- Tactics in the second half were worrying. Sitting back and playing conservative football to aid long-term fitness and recovery. It played right into their hands as they were more able to lob balls into our box and really turn the screw.

- New or fringe players not showing any quality. Edozie all tricks and skill, beating some players, but also losing the ball and producing fuck all. Dobbin not up to much, got a shot blocked. Mubama all over the place to no effect. Wood static defensively and just hoofing it clear, for it to come straight back at us.

More than anything right now that raw emotion of frustration, anger and disappointment is fucking me right off.

What a shite start to the weekend.

[Saint Fan CaM]

4 minutes ago, macca155 said:

Every time we sit back , we invite teams on to us, and our crappy defence cannot cope. Happens in so many games, just stop it.

Tonda seriously messed up there. Wood should have started against Lincoln's mutants. Absolutely the wrong game for Stephens.

Mubama is shaping up like Downs .... garbage. Get Prince on the bench next game, no way can he be worse 

Edozie offered very little and kept losing the ball. Dobbin was ok, has a bit about him. This squad has some serious defects.

Didn't lose but most teams will beat Lincoln.

Bragg should have been on for JWP at the end, he is stronger in the tackle. Fellows on for Matsuki, who I thought was poor today. Needed to attack them as passionately as they did us.

Agree with most of that, but I don’t think the game ran away from us due to midfield or Matsuki. Eckhert fucked up making subs to our forward line too early, then panicked into surrendering midfield and playing a back 5 that looked in total disarray.

[Miltonaggro]

Just now, Dman said:

Will salt? 

Perhaps knowing how the opposition are setting up, does make a difference. 

Phil Parsons for the pre-match PR offensive...

[Bobsmith]

Edozie gets a lot of hate but he tried to create more than I saw Matski doing most of the game. Dobbin did nothing apart from his shot, and Mbama didn't have one good touch except for when he won a throw by the corner flag. Eckhert to blame for this, with his subs and tinkering with defense to appease the squad. 

[hypochondriac]

1 minute ago, Dman said:

Will salt? 

Perhaps knowing how the opposition are setting up, does make a difference. 

I know you jest but it was flipping obvious what Lincoln were going to do in this game and we still fell onto the trap.

[Patches O Houlihan]

10 minutes ago, BotleySaint said:

Biggest concern for me is Mubama. Looks really off the pace. Can't do link up play. Can't run at them. Can't control the ball. And we have no other options. I find it incredible Edozie hasn't improved at all in 3 years and again, we've not got many other options there.

Let's hope the youth team strikers are better.

This is where the coaching team HAVE to earn their money.

Mubama has some skill, but not ALL the skills - he needs to be doing double training: With the team and then one-to-one coaching on hold up and holding off dirty cloggers because this league is full of them and the Man City training session aren't.

Edozie needs to be trained to lift his head up when he is going past players - I'm convinced that while he can do it, it requires 100% of his concentration and so he can never spot a Saints player to pass to wherever he happens to be on the pitch (or have the awareness of when to shoot).

As a consequence either a) He loses it b) It goes out of play c) we get a free kick/penalty.

It's not good enough after four years at the club

Tonda HAS to learn this time, and REMEMBER that we cannot sit back and hold a lead - we haven't had this ability as a team for years, even against shit teams. It doesn't suit the culture of the club or the players. We just end up retreating when we bring on defensive reinforcements.