Norwich 0-1 Saints - Match Thread

[saintant]

I make that 2 defeats in 31 Championship games (including play-offs). That is some going by any standards. Take a bow Tonda.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

16 minutes ago, trousers said:

At least I refrained from adding that I'm lording it up in the American Airlines business lounge... 😂

Security will catch you one day, trousers. 🙂

[SNSUN]

2 minutes ago, Vancouver Saint said:

Good win - great that we can win with just one goal - I'm always thinking we'll concede a last minute goal...still don't have much confidence in us defending corners for example...so really happy we hung on. Was hoping with everybody else that we'd score a breakaway second goal and take the pressure off...that was the Jander chance.
Thought Dobbin was really good playing an Azaz-like role in midfield. We looked controlled and composed at the back. I like it that we mixed things up with long-ball forward in the first half too - will make a few opposing managers think twice about high-pressing us or just working on stopping our passing through the middle.
Shout-out for Edozie too whose trickery and forward play made the goal...

Unrelated dumb question - must have missed it from the start of the season - but what's with the six teams up for play-off positions? How does that work for the knock-out phase with six teams?

8th plays 5th, 7th plays 6th. Winner of 8th vs 5th plays 3rd, winner of 7th vs 6th plays 4th. Winner of 8th or 5th vs 3rd and the winner of 7th or 6th vs 4th plays the final.

Hope that clears it up. 😁

At least that's my understanding. 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

30 minutes ago, Turkish said:

We should do, Bolton home with Baz in goal. Any shot low and at him is guaranteed to go in!

Not too often you can shout "shoot!" at your own goalkeeper, with some confidence of it going in. 🙂

[Vancouver Saint]

2 minutes ago, SNSUN said:

8th plays 5th, 7th plays 6th. Winner of 8th vs 5th plays 3rd, winner of 7th vs 6th plays 4th. Winner of 8th or 5th vs 3rd and the winner of 7th or 6th vs 4th plays the final.

Hope that clears it up. 😁

At least that's my understanding. 

TQ - makes sense to me. Good incentive to play for 3rd or 4th if you're outside the automatics...

[Patrick Bateman]

Great win. 

Dubious team selection, but what do we know ... 

Really pleased for Dobbin as he definitely grew into that match and contributed a far amount by the time he went off, I think there is a good player there. I imagine we'll see him against Bolton too.

Lovely to see Jander's class on the pitch again.  Edozie I was moaning at, a lot, but to be fair that was a lovely bit of play for the goal.

Abbott. Not going to comment on him yet as he hasn't played any competitive football for a while and might well need to warm up.

Great win, tough, gritty, midweek away fixture - will take that. Nice one.

Now thrash Baz's Bolton.

[Dan Johnson]

Like Saturday, I feel the result is more important than the performance to keep pace with the top two. 
 

At this stage of the season the -4pts affects the optics of the table, but we were in the mist of a terrible Will Still slump this time last season and we still managed to claw back an almost insurmountable pts difference, there’s so much football yet to play.

I thought everyone was a solid 6.5-7 out of 10 today, with Jander the stand out player.

a professional performance and another clean sheet

[Lighthouse]

Well, those aren't the two prettiest back to back wins we'll ever take but they all count. Hopefully the injuries to Downes and Jander aren't that bad and the latter just had cramp. I'm not sure this was the right game to start Abbott but then again the derby certainly wasn't and we had to take the plunge one day. He was nervy for the first 25 minutes but seemed to settle a bit after his booking and put a couple of decent crosses in. Probably a good decision to sub off the two booked fullbacks all things considered.

Fair play to Dobbin for a decent second half and Edozie for unlocking their defence for the goal. JWP too, looking more and more of a bargain with every game.

[maysie]

43 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

Yep. No coincidence that's two clean sheets in a row now.

We all know he isn't amazing but he is solid at this level as shown previously.

I really think something was up with him physically/mentally at the start of the season. He looked really leggy and like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Much more like it last two games.

[SNSUN]

10 minutes ago, Vancouver Saint said:

TQ - makes sense to me. Good incentive to play for 3rd or 4th if you're outside the automatics...

We're good enough to be top 4 but it depends how we strengthen in January as to whether we can finish top 2. I'm still surprised to see Swansea up there although they are there on merit but Boro, West Ham, probably Wolves if they can find some consistency and maybe someone like Brum or QPR will be up there too. At the moment I'd have top 2 as Boro and West Ham but things can change. 

[PJ]

4 minutes ago, Dan Johnson said:

Like Saturday, I feel the result is more important than the performance to keep pace with the top two. 
 

At this stage of the season the -4pts affects the optics of the table, but we were in the mist of a terrible Will Still slump this time last season and we still managed to claw back an almost insurmountable pts difference, there’s so much football yet to play.

I thought everyone was a solid 6.5-7 out of 10 today, with Jander the stand out player.

a professional performance and another clean sheet

Another (negative) way to look at it is we're further behind the automatics now then we were at the start of the season, after almost a quarter of the season gone. I still think those 4 points will prove too much to overcome, and that we'll have to rely on the playoffs...

[saintant]

8 minutes ago, Dan Johnson said:

Like Saturday, I feel the result is more important than the performance to keep pace with the top two. 
 

At this stage of the season the -4pts affects the optics of the table, but we were in the mist of a terrible Will Still slump this time last season and we still managed to claw back an almost insurmountable pts difference, there’s so much football yet to play.

I thought everyone was a solid 6.5-7 out of 10 today, with Jander the stand out player.

a professional performance and another clean sheet

I know you can't change the table but I view it as a one point deduction per quarter of the season. On that basis we are doing really well and would have 19 points from 10 games 🙂

[Midfield_General]

Absolutely love grinding out an ugly 1-0 away win. Another three points in the bag and up to seventh.

Make it nine from nine at the weekend when Baz shits the bed and that’s this week wrapped up as a lovely bit of business all round. 

[SNSUN]

1 minute ago, PJ said:

Another (negative) way to look at it is we're further behind the automatics now then we were at the start of the season, after almost a quarter of the season gone. I still think those 4 points will prove too much to overcome, and that we'll have to rely on the playoffs...

Depends if we string a run together like the second half of last season. I'm not saying we will be that consistently good again but if we come even close to matching that then the -4 will soon be a worry of the past. Nobody is running away with the League this year yet either, like Coventry did last season. It's still anyone's.

[austsaint]

1 minute ago, Greedyfly said:

I hope Downes isn't crocked. And I really hope Jander isn't crocked. Quality players at this level the pair of them.

Thought Dobbin did alright as the game went on as did Edozie.

JwP looked ropey, play the ball forward man. 

 

Fair fucks to Stephens been good in both games. Looks more comfortable on the right in fairness.

No disrespect intended to JWP, but Jander and Downes are clearly our best central midfielders.   Jander is stunningly good - he's got the lot.  Tackles well, breaks up play, great movement, carries the ball forward, can pick a pass.     We have to enjoy him while he's here because even if we're promoted, there are going to be serious offers for the lad.

The decision to rotate the side worked well.   Dobbin was good, the central attacking role suited him and he combined well with Azaz,  those two half-turns were a joy to watch and the block off the goal line crucial.    Edozie, for all the criticism he cops, showed he can contribute.   One of the notable differences from the Pompey game was the greater attacking threat we carried.  Even late in the game, bringing Larin and Mubama on gave Norwich something to think about defensively.

Peretz, Schott. and Stephens provided the defensive backbone for the clean sheet, well supported by the midfielders.

[pimpin4rizeal]

Don’t think we are in full stride yet . But would be third without the deduction .. key is to get one of those 20 game unbeaten steaks going . It’s a fairly decent start really .. and think at sone point it will all click 

[Harry_SFC]

Just now, pimpin4rizeal said:

Don’t think we are in full stride yet . But would be third without the deduction .. key is to get one of those 20 game unbeaten steaks going . It’s a fairly decent start really .. and think at sone point it will all click 

I agree, it's been pretty good. The Watford result was very frustrating though given how crap they are. 

[Lighthouse]

One more thing, we've kept our record going of only conceding goals when Wood is on the pitch, since the opening game against Watford.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

38 minutes ago, Saint Scott said:

Good opportunity to close in on Saturday with Swansea v West Ham and QPR v Brum

How the fuck did Birmingham end up 4th? This league is absolutely mental.

[PJ]

7 minutes ago, SNSUN said:

Depends if we string a run together like the second half of last season. I'm not saying we will be that consistently good again but if we come even close to matching that then the -4 will soon be a worry of the past. Nobody is running away with the League this year yet either, like Coventry did last season. It's still anyone's.

Oh yeah I agree. We could do. I'm simply pointing to the mathematics. We're further behind now, than at the start. If it was as straightforward as some seem to suggest, we'd have eliminated, or at least reduced the -4 in the first 10 games. 

[CSA96]

 

[suewhistle]

55 minutes ago, Saint Pete said:

Also not a great start for Abbott getting hooked at half time.

Actually I'm not too worried about that. I've no more idea than you have but get the vibe that this was going to give him experience in the team, and a not easy away game too, and that he came off as planned with a "well done, you helped keep a clean sheet".

Either way, part of a great team effort..

 

[Hoggins]

Jander is very good. Going right to the top

[saintant]

18 minutes ago, Hoggins said:

Jander is very good. Going right to the top

Best midfield player in the Championship by a distance.

[Patrick Bateman]

Stolen from FB ... crikey ...  

 

Reporter Adam Blackmore asked Tonda a question after Southampton’s win at Norwich:

“Sometimes management is about making important decisions, I think we all probably doubted or worried about the team news and you’ve won with a second clean sheet in a row, talk us through the thinking with the changes?”

Tonda Eckert: “I don’t like that question. Why do you doubt me?”

[stevematthews635]

 

10 minutes ago, Patrick Bateman said:

Stolen from FB ... crikey ...  

 

Reporter Adam Blackmore asked Tonda a question after Southampton’s win at Norwich:

“Sometimes management is about making important decisions, I think we all probably doubted or worried about the team news and you’ve won with a second clean sheet in a row, talk us through the thinking with the changes?”

Tonda Eckert: “I don’t like that question. Why do you doubt me?”

Bloody love that response from Tonda and fantastic he put Blackmore in his place.

 

Don't mess with our Tonda.  Myself and @Nordic Saint said from the start there was something special about Tonda.  I hope he is here for a long time.  Top, top manager and his record is incredible.

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, trousers said:

At least I refrained from adding that I'm lording it up in the American Airlines business lounge... 😂

It's a good thing that you didn't then.

[Cuddles]

Tonda didn't say that in a nasty way when listening on the radio 😂 But the self-confidence is good to see.

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, PJ said:

Another (negative) way to look at it is we're further behind the automatics now then we were at the start of the season, after almost a quarter of the season gone. I still think those 4 points will prove too much to overcome, and that we'll have to rely on the playoffs...

It's only October. Such interpretations are futile.

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, Lighthouse said:

One more thing, we've kept our record going of only conceding goals when Wood is on the pitch, since the opening game against Watford.

But also scoring fewer.

[RedArmy]

27 minutes ago, Patrick Bateman said:

Stolen from FB ... crikey ...  

 

Reporter Adam Blackmore asked Tonda a question after Southampton’s win at Norwich:

“Sometimes management is about making important decisions, I think we all probably doubted or worried about the team news and you’ve won with a second clean sheet in a row, talk us through the thinking with the changes?”

Tonda Eckert: “I don’t like that question. Why do you doubt me?”

It’s about time he refused to talk to Blackmore. 
 

 

[saintant]

I reckon we've got around 10 points more than from the same fixtures last season (that's using the Lincoln result for the one against Oxford).

[Saint Pete]

1 hour ago, suewhistle said:

Actually I'm not too worried about that. I've no more idea than you have but get the vibe that this was going to give him experience in the team, and a not easy away game too, and that he came off as planned with a "well done, you helped keep a clean sheet".

Either way, part of a great team effort..

 

Yep, fair point. Wasn't writing him off in any way, just probably not the ideal debut getting brought off at HT, which I'm pretty sure was not pre-planned. But sure he will get more chances and of course we know he was bought primarily as a CB anyway so no judgement should be made on 45 mins at RB. 

[SouthWalesSaints]

Positives.  

Great support on the road, dogged performance, squad depth wins us a game. Dobbin was tidy, S&S at centre half compliment each other well.  JANDER. 
 

Negatives. 
 

it’s 4am. I’ve just got in. Two loan boys miles off it. 
 

 

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

24 minutes ago, SouthWalesSaints said:

Positives.  

Great support on the road, dogged performance, squad depth wins us a game. Dobbin was tidy, S&S at centre half compliment each other well.  JANDER. 
 

Negatives. 
 

it’s 4am. I’ve just got in. Two loan boys miles off it. 
 

 

Don't see what your 4am rent boys have to with the game.

[PJ]

6 hours ago, Whitey Grandad said:

It's only October. Such interpretations are futile.

Do you think it's harder to overcome 4 points over 46 matches, or to overcome 5 points over 36 matches?

I'm not saying we can't do it, I'm just putting an alternative view that our challenge is statistically harder now, despite a relatively positive start.

[sfc4prem]

15 minutes ago, PJ said:

Do you think it's harder to overcome 4 points over 46 matches, or to overcome 5 points over 36 matches?

I'm not saying we can't do it, I'm just putting an alternative view that our challenge is statistically harder now, despite a relatively positive start.

Our away form has been poor. If we start winning every other away game with a few draws in there, that 5 points will be surmountable.

[kitch]

7 hours ago, Patrick Bateman said:

Stolen from FB ... crikey ...  

 

Reporter Adam Blackmore asked Tonda a question after Southampton’s win at Norwich:

“Sometimes management is about making important decisions, I think we all probably doubted or worried about the team news and you’ve won with a second clean sheet in a row, talk us through the thinking with the changes?”

Tonda Eckert: “I don’t like that question. Why do you doubt me?”

Was listening to that, it was kinda awkward!

[BARCELONASAINT]

12 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Opting to play with ten men then.

Fuck off Edozie you useless waste of space.

Money on a Norwich win.

this lasted well then 🤣

 

[Mr X]

10 hours ago, JohnnyShearer2.0 said:

Get in.

Another clean sheet and kept it together when Norwich threw on more attackers.

Crazy that Saints didn't prioritise a decent second striker.

In the main We rely on a 31 year old striker

We got lucky but we definitely need some more experience alongside Larin 

Edited 2 hours ago by Mr X

[Fitzhugh Fella]

4 hours ago, SouthWalesSaints said:

Positives.  

Great support on the road, dogged performance, squad depth wins us a game. Dobbin was tidy, S&S at centre half compliment each other well.  JANDER. 
 

Negatives. 
 

it’s 4am. I’ve just got in. Two loan boys miles off it. 
 

 

Abbott and ?

[sadoldgit]

9 hours ago, PJ said:

Another (negative) way to look at it is we're further behind the automatics now then we were at the start of the season, after almost a quarter of the season gone. I still think those 4 points will prove too much to overcome, and that we'll have to rely on the playoffs...

You’re assuming that the teams above us won’t drop points, which they will. There is still a very long way to go and a lot to do for all of the teams, including us. We were worried about a relegation fight this time last season!

[Midfield_General]

19 minutes ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

Abbott and ?

Mubama is our other loan player

[VectisSaint]

9 hours ago, Patrick Bateman said:

Stolen from FB ... crikey ...  

 

Reporter Adam Blackmore asked Tonda a question after Southampton’s win at Norwich:

“Sometimes management is about making important decisions, I think we all probably doubted or worried about the team news and you’ve won with a second clean sheet in a row, talk us through the thinking with the changes?”

Tonda Eckert: “I don’t like that question. Why do you doubt me?”

Out of context. Blackmore clarified and Tonda was OK with it, maybe a misunderstanding at first. Their relationship is a bit prickly though you sense.

[whelk]

7 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

Mubama is our other loan player

They brought on Maghoma, Musaba and Makama, we brought on Mubama. Those subs were tough on commentators 

Edited 1 hour ago by whelk
Tough on posters

[hypochondriac]

We've scored in every game this season. Impressive record.

[Midfield_General]

50 minutes ago, sadoldgit said:

You’re assuming that the teams above us won’t drop points, which they will. There is still a very long way to go and a lot to do for all of the teams, including us. We were worried about a relegation fight this time last season!

It’s easy to forget that last season, on 18th January we were still 15th in the table and hadn’t won in 7 games. 

That run we then went on last season was phenomenal, but overall we are in so much better shape this season. 

A slightly spluttering start but you get odd results all over for the first few weeks while everything settles down, and the way we’ve come out of the blocks in terms of overall results and cohesion is night and day. 

A 46 match season is a long slog and consistency tells in the end. Personally I think the top 4 will end up being us, West Ham, Wolves and Middlesborough, but could be in any order. 

Edited 1 hour ago by Midfield_General

[saintant]

2 hours ago, PJ said:

Do you think it's harder to overcome 4 points over 46 matches, or to overcome 5 points over 36 matches?

I'm not saying we can't do it, I'm just putting an alternative view that our challenge is statistically harder now, despite a relatively positive start.

As an alternative and more realistic view take the 4 points over the whole season not just 10 games ie 1 point deducted per quarter. That makes us on 19 points level with West Ham, 2 behind Boro and 4 behind Swansea who won't keep up their current form.

[Football Special]

5 hours ago, SouthWalesSaints said:

Positives.  

Great support on the road, dogged performance, squad depth wins us a game. Dobbin was tidy, S&S at centre half compliment each other well.  JANDER. 
 

Negatives. 
 

it’s 4am. I’ve just got in. Two loan boys miles off it. 
 

 

Fair play mate,  superb effort travelling that distance midweek , thought support was good last night, not an easy place to get to at all 

 

 

[gio1saints]

20 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

A 46 match season is a long slog and consistency tells in the end. Personally I think the top 4 will end up being us, West Ham, Wolves and Middlesbrough, but could be in any order. 

Squad strength is an underrated attribute. Swansea first team are doing well but they have shallow squad depth. A few injuries and they will go backwards. Whereas WH and Saints are much stronger in depth despite not getting as many points so far. The Boro squad not as good as ours but they have 4 points head start and a star striker in form ( if he gets injured though…) 
 

My final placing best guess is 1. WH 2. Boro or Saints. The league matches v Boro will be virtually Play Off Finals in which case.