Jack

Solid win in the end but we’ve got to break this habit of pissing about and trying to gift the opposition a way back into the game at 1-0. It happens far too regularly I’m not saying hoof it forward but some of our ‘playing out from the back’ is just pointless risk with no reward. Holgate’s throw in across our own 18 yard line followed by Stephens’ blind pass to their forwards, then another blind pass from Holgate a few mins later is what I’m on about. It’s just irresponsible or complacent and a better team would’ve punished it, and it might have been a different game.

RussBall does not work when you’ve got very limited players. Every week the fannying around and the back gets us in trouble for zero gain. Does my head in

Nice example of why Holgate and Stephens should be nowhere near the starting XI

Agreed, when he’s on it he really makes us tick. It takes a good few games for him to play himself back into form after an injury/break so we need to manage his minutes but he can be top class.

Let’s hope he’s another year wiser and starts playing everyone in their natural positions

We’ve won 6 and drawn 4 of the last 10 so 22 points. We definitely need find a way of turning some of these away draws into wins against these mediocre sides to have a chance of autos, with lots of tough away fixtures later in the season.

Considering our struggles to win away, we’ve only won 6 out of 13, 24 points from that lot is incredibly optimistic. West Brom and Bristol City away the toughest two but no away games are easy

Too much fucking about by Russ I reckon. Trying to be too clever. Will take a point but we’ve drawn too many against mediocre sides. At least Ipswich have failed to win again.

Not a surprise to anyone that we’re not playing great is it? Play your players in their natural positions when you have the option FFS

The Compleat Angler is away fan friendly and right near the station. Not the best pub in the world but I’m sure you’ll find Saints fans there. Hard one to call this. A win would be huge but we haven’t been that convincing away from home. 1-1

Definitely want to see Stu, Downes and Aribo back in the XI for this. Not sure when Bree is supposed to be fit? I’d have him back in the side over Manning all day long. Norwixh have lost the last 2 and the locals are fed up with the manager and hierarchy. Great chance to pick up a rare win at Carrow Road but if I had to bet I’d probably call a score draw

Quite a difficult one to sum up for me. Completely dominant in terms of possession again, but didn’t create enough or take enough quality chances, again. Another great 3 points, but very lucky the officials were useless in our favour and we should’ve been 1-0 down. But then responded well and cracking goal from Charley. Adams hopeless finishing, again, until he scores a really well taken goal. The worst bit for me was reverting to fannying around with possession at the back for no reason. We were nearly caught a couple of times, Baz played short balls over their press which didn’t find a red shirt and the mistake was coming. Really really stupid to let them back into the game like that. It’s all very well going back to the back 4 to recycle possession with the intention of finding space up the pitch, but pissing about and trying to play keep ball between the back 4 and keeper is ridiculous.

We’ve been dreadful the last 5-10. Complacent?

Would make no sense to change the system that’s got us 3 wins and clean sheets on the spin. If that means Stephens on the bench as the THB/Bednarek partnership is too good to break, that’s what he should be doing. Round pegs in round holes as much as possible please RM

Bit sad to go digging up old posts. People were rightly concerned about throwing away stupid goals and points because of the obsession with a certain philosophy. Russball is adapting, thank god, for the better, and it’s now working pretty well. But just because it’s working now, it doesn’t mean there weren’t fundamental flaws with it before which cost us loads of silly points.

Left back position completely vacant, as per. If they’re going to hurt us, it’s there

Top man

I streamed the QPR game perfectly from this beach in Sri Lanka the other day, surely someone can come up with the goods tonight? 🙏

We’re going to need a lot more clean sheets this season if we don’t address the striker situation in January, we’re routinely not putting away enough chances and keeping the opposition in the game. Adams is a shell of the what he used to be, I don’t see the point in giving him game time over those who we need to develop. Well done to THB, another solid performance and great run for his goal. Looks like he’s enjoying it

Though thoroughly dominant possession-wise in the first half, I thought we were pretty ineffective in terms of goal threat. There was a big gap where you’d want a striker in the box, Aribo seemed to be tasked with arriving late but we never seemed to find anyone. Stu’s curler was the closest we got and the goal from a corner was a bit of a surprise. Came out with way more intent and ideas 2nd half and looked like we’d turn it on and create better chances even without their stupid red card. Great to see Stu have such a good game and deserved goal, Alcaraz can stay on the bench for that shocking cocky penalty, Smallbone had a great game, nice to improve the GD. We’ll have much tougher tests and I think we need to up our game in terms of goal threat, which is weird to say after a 4-0 victory.

Very standard performance. Lots of getting into good areas but absolutely no goal threat, other than Stu’s curler that was always going wide. Big striker sized gap on the pitch when we’re in possession in the final third.

Ipswich are a really decent side. Possession, but actually trying to do something with it. Hope Russ is taking notes

The extended highlights also won’t show you the multiple times we refused an easy pass forward and a quick break in favour of recycling it to the back 4. The goal we conceded came from exactly that. We know we’re fairly goal shy so therefore need to create more, and better chances. It would’ve been very easy to create more and Coventry offered very little, but by sticking to Russball we limited the number of decent chances created, that’s cost us more points as much as Arma’s finishing IMO

1-1. Loads of possession. Russ delighted. Groundhog Day

Sadly not far off. I think we’re 4th and on this amazing unbeaten run despite of Russball, not because of it. Some of the games we’ve drawn, we should’ve blown the opposition away. Coventry offered very little and we gifted them a route into the game. Laughably, from refusing a decent chance to break forward quickly in favour of fannying around at the back, and getting caught on the ball. 90+5, instead of trying to win it we’re content on playing triangles in our own 6 yard area with Baz and the CBs. Others find it funny but for me it’s infuriating. I’m sure Russ loves it but these points aren’t as good as he’ll take credit for