Saints vs Derby - Saturday 21st 1230pm

[SouthWalesSaints]

Finally at a point where I can talk football again after Saturday. 
 

Massive week, 3 games in 6 days.  Larin & Jander back available for the squad, which is huge.  But we’re going to see rotation and using our “squad” has been our biggest downgrade from last season.  

We need to try and close the gap on the top 3 in these 6 days. Two home wins and a solid point on the road will do the trick for me. 
 

The back 4 is going to be the biggest dilemma, what with KS injured and Wood dropped, personally would like to see Stephens from the right and Wood from the left.  We’ve got to stop resting manning against the poorer sides, Bolton and Preston we missed his technical ability.  
 

I’d start Bragg over JWP and bring him back in for the last two games of the week.  Bragg is better on the ball and we’ll need someone to play progressive passes on Saturday. Tough game, flip of a coin on whether it’s Dobbin or Divin, I’d side with the latter and play Dobbin Tuesday and ease Larin in for Friday.  

Bench has options, need to keep everyone fit until January and pray the BFG is fit by Boro. 
 

Peretz 

Bree Stephens Wood Manning 

Bragg Downes 

Matsuki Azaz Scienza 

Mubama

Long, Roerslev, Abbott, Jander, JWP, Larin, Dobbin, Edozie, Fellows. 

[Saint Fan CaM]

When you say Manning’s technical ability you can’t mean in defence surely?!?

If Wood is on the left (not likely) or Stephens for that matter, there’s a clusterfuck waiting to happen so I’d bolster that flank…

Peretz

Bree. Wood. Stephens. Welington

JWP. Downes.

Matsuki. Azaz. Manning.

Dobbin.

Bench: Long, Abbott, Roerslev, Jander, Scienza, Mubama, Fellows, Princewill. (Edozie is a waste of a bench space; give Larin one more game to recover).

[AlexLaw76]

Must win

[whelk]

If we have any hope of getting into the top 8 we must smash them at least 6-0. Anything less and we are fucked

[Patches O Houlihan]

35 minutes ago, whelk said:

If we have any hope of getting into the top 8 we must smash them at least 6-0. Anything less and we are fucked

No it needs to be 14-0

[steve green]

 

Looking forward to this, I'll be going to my first Saints game for several years after giving up my season ticket/membership when I moved to Wales.

 

So the buggers better put on a show. Or I will be miffed.

[Barton Saint]

Firstly let’s hope Finn and Ryan don’t get injured on duty.

Just need to keep our home form going and more importantly the fans get noisier than last time

[Pamplemousse]

We'll bounce back with a bang. Routine home win

[SouthWalesSaints]

8 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

When you say Manning’s technical ability you can’t mean in defence surely?!?

If Wood is on the left (not likely) or Stephens for that matter, there’s a clusterfuck waiting to happen so I’d bolster that flank…

Peretz

Bree. Wood. Stephens. Welington

JWP. Downes.

Matsuki. Azaz. Manning.

Dobbin.

Bench: Long, Abbott, Roerslev, Jander, Scienza, Mubama, Fellows, Princewill. (Edozie is a waste of a bench space; give Larin one more game to recover).

Our record with Manning is far better than when he doesn't play.  

This season he hasn't started in 4 games.  We've not won any of them, drawn 2 lost 2. 

[Badger]

11 hours ago, SouthWalesSaints said:

Finally at a point where I can talk football again after Saturday. 

Massive week, 3 games in 6 days.  Larin & Jander back available for the squad, which is huge.  But we’re going to see rotation and using our “squad” has been our biggest downgrade from .  

Bench has options, need to keep everyone fit until January and pray the BFG is fit by Boro. 
 

Hope you’re right about both Larin and Jander, but I wouldn’t bank on it, Jander especially. There seems to have been an ominous silence over his recovery or so it seems. 

[whelk]

1 hour ago, Barton Saint said:

Firstly let’s hope Finn and Ryan don’t get injured on duty.

Just need to keep our home form going and more importantly the fans get noisier than last time

1230s are shite for atmosphere generally 

[LordHester]

1 hour ago, Badger said:

Hope you’re right about both Larin and Jander, but I wouldn’t bank on it, Jander especially. There seems to have been an ominous silence over his recovery or so it seems. 

Not that much silence about Jander? That's more definite than most of Tonda's injury updates.

[Badger]

13 minutes ago, LordHester said:

Not that much silence about Jander? That's more definite than most of Tonda's injury updates.

Fair enough, I had missed that. 

[SNSUN]

I would like to beat them by six or seven goals.

 

*Kids of Saintsweb* - 

[Saint Fan CaM]

15 hours ago, SouthWalesSaints said:

Our record with Manning is far better than when he doesn't play.  

This season he hasn't started in 4 games.  We've not won any of them, drawn 2 lost 2. 

That may be so, but it doesn’t alter who we have available across the defensive back line.

[Football Special]

18 hours ago, LordHester said:

Not that much silence about Jander? That's more definite than most of Tonda's injury updates.

That sounds very positive but I'd take it with a pinch of salt. Larin hasn't trained for over 3 weeks so he'll need to be managed carefully, who knows on Jander who has been out for months other than a brief return in October 

[Badger]

5 hours ago, Football Special said:

That sounds very positive but I'd take it with a pinch of salt. Larin hasn't trained for over 3 weeks so he'll need to be managed carefully, who knows on Jander who has been out for months other than a brief return in October 

IF available I’d expect it to be a phased return. Perhaps building up to being available to start at home to Middlesbrough. 

[SouthWalesSaints]

Let’s hope derby bring a few, currently on for our lowest home league gate of the season. 
 

Strange given our home form.  Boro, basically sold out however. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

8 hours ago, SouthWalesSaints said:

Let’s hope derby bring a few, currently on for our lowest home league gate of the season. 
 

Strange given our home form.  Boro, basically sold out however. 

Think the kick off time is putting a lot off. Personally not a fan of 12.30 games.

[Chez]

On 11/11/2026 at 09:49, Barton Saint said:

Just need to keep our home form going and more importantly the fans get noisier than last time

unless decibel levels in grounds determine league position, then keeping our home form is perhaps the more important of the two? 😉

[die Mannyschaft]

If you are collecting the Saints book today allowed lots of time as function in Dell so can't collect from there but via shop. 

[Totton Saint]

Next four games are on Sky.

[SNSUN]

2 hours ago, Totton Saint said:

Next four games are on Sky.

Armchair fans - 👍

Sports Republic - 

I just hope we can do as well defensively without Schlotterbeck. Otherwise we will need to outscore some teams. 

[Football Special]

https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/derby-county-everton-friendly-agyemang-11240054.amp

 

Bad news, Derby getting stronger 😞 

[Football Special]

17 hours ago, SouthWalesSaints said:

Let’s hope derby bring a few, currently on for our lowest home league gate of the season. 
 

Strange given our home form.  Boro, basically sold out however. 

Derby going to bring about half the section (1500 or so) 

One of the longest trips for them for a 12.30 wont be attractive, especially when they've sold out the bigger (2800) allocation for Wolves away 3 days later on the Tuesday 

[Barton Saint]

Big Kev out for at least 3 weeks then missing 4-5 games..

Par for the course for all our injuries so far this season his was terrible luck just added to the feeling immediately that it was going to be one of those days..