gio1saints

My observation is that we have obviously been practicing the under lap ( as opposed to the over-lap) in which a runner moves into a space somewhere between the ball holding wide player and the near post edge of the penalty area - something we’ve done in the past but not all that regularly last year. From what I saw v Eastleigh and from the limited excerpts of Gillingham it’s happened a lot more often than statistical chance. It’s a planned move alright. BBD -for all his deficiencies in my book- does have the football nous and technique for this - as the wide guy giving the pass that is -not as the runner - JR could have passed the ball many times for wellington who made countless ( fruitless) underlapping runs - but ultimately he managed something adjacent to it with his ball for CA to score for instance. On the other wing first half AA was not really supported enough by bree to do that nor was RS making the right runs( nor is he frankly the right player to make that run) whereas SE working with TD second half we saw multiple examples of under lapping passing. Causing problems in penalty area. Yep. It’s a thing. IF that’s Wills plan then the wide player is essentially a decoy and it’s the full back or wider mf needs to have leg speed and a decent left foot/right foot to either shoot or pass to the feet of our knows where to be incoming forward.

Compared to his teammates he still is upper quartile though - low bar perhaps ~ and probably reflective of a weakness we all suspect throughout the team - below par athleticism. Which Spors seems to have prioritised resolving.

IF Tyler is valued at >£30M by Saints then he is right to want to be paid at or close to the going rate for that kind of player. The “ going rate” salary ahead of that transfer fee being banked though, would have to take into account he’s done fuck all so far except show glimpses of high potential in some EPL matches. And he is v young with NO track record or medals/experience to back him up. All he’s done is get relegated.m and played u21 football. Given all that he still believe it’s in Saints interests that he be offered at least the median rate in the squad if not upper quartile. If he is still on £5k pw it would be right to add a zero ( to £50k pw) and extend his contract 3 years - imo. He can still leave next year if he’s good enough and wants to and if so we’d get more ££ ~ and he’d be a better player for it. Be the right solution all around I’d hope. Leaving now before season starts - bit of a sickener really.

Low bar but you are right. Above average performer in our EPL squad I’d say last year. And, considering his baseline ( and many fans expectations of him) it would be not be unreasonable to say he had a fair to good season- all in context and with that caveat of course - before all you mr Disappointed from Totton tell me how rubbish he is. For his limitations he played well. Compared to others with whom we had a higher expectation of performance he essentially did better. THB good example. Ditto Flynn.Ditto Adam. 😁

Will Smallbone seems a quiet unassuming good guy and not short of grey matter I’d hope. So I find it, almost, inexplicable, that he has not either been told or worked it out for himself what he might need to do to maintain at least a horizontal trajectory in his professional career for the next few years. As @Gloucester Saint said above He needs to improve his physicality. It’s quite literally his livelihood at 🥩. Why? Multiple factors : As a Midfielder he will not win most of his headers in this league - sure he’s not 6ft3 but it’s mainly, imo, because his explosive energy is limited ( relative to other pro athletes in his position not civilians) by the capacity of his musculature. And his timing for approaching those impacts sucks, again all imo. And it’s arguable this in turn has preconditioned him mentally to accept he will come off second best in aerial combat. Similar to his general tackling ability. He often cannot muscle players off the ball because, imo, he lacks the explosive pace to get into the right position to shield it ~ nor the mass to bounce players off him (see Tyler). And in a straight shoulder to shoulder he almost always comes second. IMO he is (currently) mentally preconditioned to accept in one on one tussles he majorly loses. He has to rely on timing -and he’s just not nippy enough for that way of doing it ( see Kante). What he does have is a good engine for middle and long distance running. Good visual awareness and propensity to run. We’ve seen him arrive late edge of box and slot in goals so we know he CAN score. He’s a not as good JWP as @Gloucester Saint also noted. IF he’s going to play in Will Stills team it’s only if Flynn is injured because Flynn is better than him. Playing him AND Flynn is not going to deliver the kind of powerhouse football we’re expecting. Or only if the rest of the team have mega characteristics that compensate. But frankly a player that can do all the things Will can do PLUS physicality is an obvious upgrade for Stills team imo. He will be a v good squad player but not starting-if he stays at Saints imo.

Yes you are right. I got carried away by us having a big CB who looks like he might enjoy mangling forwards. 😋

My selective players report : AM : nothing to do except dive over the cross for their goal.. GB : Ditto. Still popular with support though. Taylor, Stephens, Bree, Fraser, RS and Will :forgettable nothingness. BBD, SC, Sanda and AA : best of rhe meh lot first half. Best player : Shea. Classy and looks the part. Second half : Downes: looks a class act at Nat League level 🤣. JR: a ray of sunshine that graced the day and made the £15 worth it. Tyler : Class obvious. combined well on rh flank with SE. A difference maker. We shall see. SE : lost weight. Still got tricks still got flair still no end product and looks like has got half a yard extra pace or was his opponent just a Nat league defender? CA: took goal well. Ran around a lot. Usual Cam except the goal scored thing. Wish I could see some personality in this player 🙁. Wellington : cool dude and decent player with skills. LB this year imo.Matsuki - nothing much. Wood : did ok but rarely troubled. Yuki same. Quarshie : lovely lovely lovely big man bullying the opponents! At last. And can run and can pass and can header! Must start. Overall : Quarshie, JR and Tyler stood out.

BBD was playing on Stills side of the pitch so he was obviously under closest eye scrutiny 1st half. IMO He did what he did v Lazio last year except didn’t score. Did some movements that showed he’s experienced but I personally question whether he’s willing to bust a gut for us. No real pace and cannot beat a man. Competes in the air. Showed he is better than national league full backs -just - but Teddy Sheringham he ain’t. JR was pitched up against a triallist 2nd half and yes he had him on toast with a cup of tea - though I did notice Wellington gave him some evils a few times having made at least half dozen overlapping/underlapping runs and only getting one average pass out of it for his efforts. Did make JR look even better though so as exciting as JR was to watch give credit to wellington and bearin mind the oppo was a kid younger than him I think!

You know what? I’d love a job on £100k pw like AR just to cop over a few crosses for the goalies from the sidelines pre match as he’s doing.Trousering £100k and all he has to do is knock a few crosses in for AM to catch. Must be up there with easiest ways to earn £100k. Think it’s about £15k per cross. Nice. WP sir.

It’s a great question, no doubt.

Join bet365. Deposit £10. Watch the match. Withdraw £9.99. All super easy no hassle. Jeep £0.01 in your account so it’s “ live@. Then you can watch whatever matches bet365 is streaming all season. Including this one. And thru stream a LOT of good matches.

Sue you need to get here a bit early to soak in the local. erm atmospheres. 😎

Have to say- first rate service at the turnstiles by the stewards and security and bar staff. All excellent. Well done Eastleigh!

Oh indeed they are. Could be trouble brewing with the Riverside park steam train casuals. And in my first pint of the season…old speckled hen on draught. 🍺

I don’t think the Saints massif, YOOF!( central) the SO18 nor the Lordshill sniffers are bothered by this one. Im going but just as a warm up for Wrexham. 🏃‍♂️