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We never seem to do the business against ten men, whereas we absolutely crumble after a red card. When you have the extra player you need to make the pitch bigger, move it wide and quickly. We don’t do that.

Lampard caused all that silliness at the end, initially I thought he was applauding away fans but obvs they are at other end now! I then saw him be a total knobber and keep giving it to the Northam and then to THB. He went over the top and that caused the furore what a prick

For the last 25 minutes of the match this was pretty much the pattern. Coventry were pinned in. Fellows and Scienza and sometimes Manning feeding from the wings. Archer and Arma looking for scraps. THB recycling the ball, feeding Fellows and Azaz and then charging into the box if a header was on. There was no real space for intricate passes because Coventry were so defensive. Another creative player in the THB spot would arguably tread on the toes of Azaz and Fellows. In my opinion we were better to have that physical aerial presence able to pop into the box and then return to recycling and defensive/turn over duties. Does Oriel, Fraser, Bragg, Aribo, or Robinson do that any better? Maybe Robinson does, but he would have to settle into the game and there are 20 mins left. Whilst he can head the ball and does have some presence, probably not as much as THB. Please give me your reasoned argument for why this is clearly wrong "playing 3 at the back", assuming that Jander needed to be subbed for a fitness reason.

It's also painful watching THB get to the edge of their penalty area. Stop. Agonise for a bit. Then turn and play it backwards. He should either be in the box trying to get his head on the ball when we have a man advantage or we should put on someone capable of unpicking their defence on. And I can't remember Downes playing a progressive pass all game. As soon as they went to five at the back our crosses into Armstrong on his own or Archer who was apparently on the pitch were easily mopped up by their centre backs. While Coventry stopped offering threat at that point, so did we bar Scienza who looked lively every time he got the ball.

In 43 and didn't hear anything. There was more barrcking of Saints players who have forgot RM is not in the dugout but continue to play side to side.

So much this. Worse than that it's clear where the ball is going next before it even reaches the player. You see other teams starting to press where the next pass is going before the ball arrives, is controlled painfully slowly and then inched towards its destination. We're just putting players under pressure in the wrong bits of the pitch. At no point does it look like we'll pass past the players we're supposedly drawing into our trap.

I counted about 9 times we were on the edge of box or 1m in and instead of shooting into top corner which isn't difficult as they practiced it in warm up the ball goes back to centre stop the left wing, right wing etc. Apart from Scienza we need to shoot quickly. We have gone back to flat walking sideways which doesn't help in motivating the crowd. A lot of fans looked bored.

Yeah, LB is a real issue for us IMO. Wellington just isn't up to it, and Manning is Manning. Backup at best is what he should be. Jelert was supposed to be someone who could operate at LB, but that's not gone to plan. Need to re-visit the full back positions in January on both sides IMO, it's a bit of a problem.

I can vouch for this. Well the sausage bit, not the rest of the nonsense.

We've totally ruined this lad, he had a decent enough rep at Sheffield United and Boro before that - but he's now a shadow of that player, looks L1 at absolute best - maybe lower end L1. We'll do well to get rid, it will be loans until the end of his deal. Adds more criticality to the need for us to buy an actual striker though.

It was a bit square-pegs for no real benefit. We had no fluidity in those final stages due to those changes, as it ruined any shape. 5, 4 or 3 at the back is not the issue really, it was the lack of any real shape in those closing stages. You never saw us winning because we couldn't build up any momentum. More poor in-game management from him I have to say, especially with a 2nd half against 10 men.

That wasn't a great showing really. Coventry were makeshift in a number of places and they still looked better than us for most of that 1st half, much more organised and you could see an actual pattern in their approach and what they're trying to do. They play with a purpose. The red card totally changed their approach, as expected. That made the second half look more 'one sided' in terms of the context of the game as they sat back a bit more, but we didn't push them at all. We didn't have them on the ropes, we didn't pen them in, we didn't cause their CB's - who haven't played all season - any issues what so ever. It was really poor. There has been a gradual return to the pass backwards, pass sideways and around the back four in recent weeks. I don't think I'm the only one seeing that. I understand what doing it can give you, draw them on, move it quick and break the press...but you need to be very accurate and have very good players to do that regularly, of which we don't have. So it might work once every now and then, but doing it when the oppo is clearly onto it (Cov pressed heavy) seemed a bit daft. We played ourselves into 2 or 3 issues just from self inflicted pain. Their goal came from the insistence that Manning kept the ball in play rather than lofted it out of touch to settle the team down. Tonda needs more to his game, or should I say the club - as this feels more and more club directed whenever I see it. I also think teams have sussed Janders role in our side and are giving him special attention - I saw it against WBA (second half), and against Norwich. Stick players around him, don't leave him in space, don't let him burst. It often leaves Downes as the free CM available for the pass. It removes all of that fluidity in our side as it was Jander who broke the lines and enabled us to drive. Teams are safer leaving Downes free as all he will do is pass it backwards, teams know there is no danger if Downes gets the ball. A draw is a draw I guess, and in the context of all the other results, it doesn't cause us any real problems in the bigger picture. I'm still not entirely convinced by us though and I believe we just lived through a purple patch, a so-called manager bounce as they call it, and now we're settling back into our baseline. We'll be in the market for a new manager come May.

I saw the first half and the highlights of the second. Happy to see a settled side. Tonda has settled on his system, and the players have to show themselves capable of getting into the side. It's not the best of possible set ups, but he's working with the squad SR have left him with. Fraser hadn't worked out, and Wellington was the best option available there. We do miss Fellows though from the start, and it robs us of an important attacking outlet. Along with the settled approach, other sides know to stop that midfield ball from the back, and put pressure on Scienza. Even so, Scienza did lots of good things today, and we had opportunities. We overplayed around the back. Fine when we invited the press. But wasted when our midfield didn't show up to collect it, resulting in a number of incomplete passes. Baz's distribution used to be a lot better. Don't know if this is just a dip, or if he needs to definite outlets a regimented RussBall system provided. Manning was nowhere for their goal. Quarshie could have tried to close down that space, or at least given less time to pick out the cross. But I do understand that it was Manning's fault for not being anywhere near where he should have been. We got an equaliser with a nice header. But our usual second half drop off, combined with our lack of cohesion when we make changes meant we couldn't get a winner. So, it feels like a missed opportunity. Going into Christmas 4 points off the playoffs, and our form dropping a little, under another SR season.

We weren't playing 5 at the back. THB pushed up into midfield and both Manning and Fellows were playing as wingers.

Sunderland 3 wins and a couple of draws away from staying up. Their attitude compared to Saints last season, complete night and day.

Yep all gone in my app too.

I thought we looked pretty ordinary until they went down to 10 men after a justified red. Too much slow passing around the back and in midfield with the only apparent attacking intent coming from Scienza. Their goal was textbook Saints. 1) Bad defending and give the ball away .. Tick (Manning) 2) Winger given too much time to cross the ball .. Tick (Manning out of position) 3) Soft header from an unmarked player in the 6 yard box .. Tick (centre backs) We deserved the equaliser with a rally after they went down to 10 men. For the remaining 30-40 minutes we huffed and puffed but lacked a cutting edge with Scienza again being the only creative influencer. From about 20 minutes out to the end I didn’t feel that a winner was coming. The game was crying out for a strong , battling number 9 to put their defence and keeper under pressure but we got Cameron Archer who did absolutely diddly squat. The nearest we got to an equaliser was after a tantalising bit of play from Scienza to get to the goal line and put a perfect ball across the penalty box which cut their keeper out, but nobody was there for the needed tap in, which we have seen too many times.

Yep, bizarre to leave 3 CBs on and keep 5 at the back, yet send Bazunu up for a corner at the end. Almost as if that was a “look how much we’re trying to win the game” exercise for show. Smacked of that to me, anyway.

Coventry were the better side in the first half although we had two good chances that were spurned by AA and Scienza. Nearing half time Manning had a chance to boot the ball into row Z but took the daft option of keeping the ball on the pitch even though he had no pass on - the ball went to a Coventry player and they then played it around got a cross in to an unmarked player who headed home. We'd been poor to be fair but the game changed just after half time when a Cov player went in late and dangerously on Wellington and picked up a deserved red card. We dominated the rest of the game and Wood equalised with a header. Despite a man advantage we didn't really look like getting a winner. Draw was fair result. Lampard got some abuse from the fans at the end and decided to react even though he should know better - there was some handbags but nothing serious. Not a great spectacle - Scienza was our best player by a long way.

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Again, another embarrassment for Farage from his flagship council. They promised to slash waste and make savings, now this… https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/dec/20/kent-council-reform-condemned-spending-thousands-political-assistants

You’re just a Shit Steven Gerrard was all that I heard … seems fair to me

Just read his comments. Not sure I believe him about the desperation to win the game when we continue with three centre backs.

Lampard was a prick at a young age as well. https://www.skysports.com/football/news/2219148/blues-stars-fined-after-drinking-binge He takes after his uncle.

Yep. 9 attempts to wrestle AJ down. Pathetic. Credit to the bloke for stepping in the ring though, and for bagging Jutta Leerdam.