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Saints 2 Preston 1 Match & Reaction Thread


St Chalet

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Great result if in doubt chuck on lallana for 25mins and he will sort it out, only worring thing for me is barring in mind i have only been to 2 games is de ridder doesn't seem to be lighting up the league or league cup games.

 

Glad Holmes Butterfield Martin Bart all played gave them so deserved time on the pitch.

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Great result if in doubt chuck on lallana for 25mins and he will sort it out, only worring thing for me is barring in mind i have only been to 2 games is de ridder doesn't seem to be lighting up the league or league cup games.

 

Glad Holmes Butterfield Martin Bart all played gave them so deserved time on the pitch.

 

I think De Ridder has done very well when he's come on in the league. Always looks quite exciting and draws in free kicks well.

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NA

 

Good Butterfield got game coming back from injury

Jaidi Barnard played in training LB prob back after Int break Jaidi waiting to see if reaction

Pleased for Ben Reeves wants to bring more through

Twinges for Jos & De Rid nothing serious

Thought Holmes was excellent 1st half

What is our target for the rest of the season - to stay where we are top

Would love Liverpool Away (or home) next round

We want to win every game

 

 

 

I'm luvvin it

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Just got back from the game. Was a fairly solid, comfortable performance against a pretty average Preston team. The one thing I thought was really encouraging was the way that the second string players seemed to adjust into playing the exact same brand of exciting, passing football being served up by the first team. I love the whole ethos which seems to be running through the whole club.

 

The one negative for me is that Forte's performance shows us that we simply do not have the cover available up front with LB injured. He was terrible, always waiting for the ball and never really looked a credible goal threat. We do need another striker I feel even with LB coming back as I fear that DC won't last the whole season.

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7000 Very poor turnout, its £14 ffs. Very important for the football club that we keep winning as it gives our fringe players an opportunity to play 90 mins and be ready for the first team when called upon.

 

Now the game, not one outstanding performer, morgan isnt as good as people claim and you can see why hammond and cork our 1st choices.

 

Butterfiled looked soild, dickson also. Chaplow was chaplow. Holmes and de ridder looked good in the first half but died away in the 2nd. All in all another win now lets hope for aldershot at home next... big away following and a nice little win to get into the quarters finals.

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not bad game all in all, but boy is it depressing watching Saints in such an empty stadium. I'd like to see fans allowed to go up the other end at half time.

 

I thought we weren't as good passing out from the back as normal, but with the extra man in midfield we dominated possession and passed the ball pretty well in midfield. Forte worked hard up front on his own and looked OK at times, but didn't do enough to force his way on to the bench on Saturday. Holmes got to the byeline a lot (some good passing got him in as well as him beating his man, but with few in the box his crosses never found a man in the first half. Thankfully Lallana got in where it hurts in the secod half and Holme's right foot cross was not wasted. We deserved to win. Thank god there was no extra time, not sure I could take much more.

 

Bart 5 very average kicking and I thought he should have gone for a couple of the very deep crosses as he had years to get under them. The one real chance he saved but not well enough. I thought he could have done better.

Butterfield 7 solid, a few very good blocks and usual calmness and good positional play. Never really overlapped, perhaps just as well with the wingers pushing up a lot. Not enough to dislodge Richardson

Martin 7 good display, looked very solid. Passing OK out from the back, perhaps needed a little more options to help him.

Jos 7 also solid, good in the air and didn't give them much on the deck either.

Dickson 3 I like him a lot and have backed him on here continuously, but he had a shocker. Almost everything he did went wrong or was ****. The lack of games can't help him, especially fitness wise, but he'll never get back in the side if that's what he is doing on the training ground. Very dissapointed as I really wanted him to prove Adkins wrong.

Reeves 7 Excellent prospect. Extremely busy and has good feet and plays with his head up. A little too much in tight areas, but showed great composure. He's small, but he looks looks he has enough about him. I guess the 5 man midfield may hide his weaknesses. Very impressed.

Chaplow 9 I'm not sure what more he could have done other than not tread on the Preston player who tried to foul him. I think he might have been a little lucky the ref didn't see it, but he took plenty of kicks afterwards as punishment. Fantastic workrate and made countless tackles and cut out so many passes. Top stuff

Morgan 6 Not bad, not great

de Ridder 7 some really good stuff, but just lacked a little end product. I still don't think he is quite as quick as we might like, but he does dribble very well.

Holmes 7 some excellent dribbles, beating his man all ends up, although many crosses failed to beat the first man or were too deep. Not much to aim at mind you. His deep cross set up the first goal in a planned corner with Reeves heading it back, and his nice byeline run and cross set up the second. There was some bad, like failing to control anything on his right foot and bottling one header, but even a non believer like me can see he had a decent game.

Forte 7 meh, some nice control and hold up play, but some crap first touches, woeful attempts at headers, missed half opportunities in the box and even a failure to really get into that six yard box to give Holmes a target to aim at.

 

Lallana Forte and Lambert as you would expect, no more no less. One more thing, I thought fatty Mellor looked a real handful when he came on and really perked them up. Never liked him, but he looks on top of his game and could do a job on loan if they need the funds.

Edited by Chez
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Agree about Mellor - he did look good. I thought he was a good option when we were linked in the summer. Could certainly provide back up for Rickie if needed.

 

He really isn't needed. He wouldn't make the five man bench for most (if not all) of the season. Connolly, Barnard and Guly Do Prado are all better options that the club already has to partner Lambert. Lallana and De Ridder can also be used upfront if required.

Edited by Matthew Le God
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not bad game all in all, but boy is it depressing watching Saints in such an empty stadium. I'd like to see fans allowed to go up the other end at half time.

 

I thought we weren't as good passing out from the back as normal, but with the extra man in midfield we dominated possession and passed the ball pretty well in midfield. Forte worked hard up front on his own and looked OK at times, but didn't do enough to force his way on to the bench on Saturday. Holmes got to the byeline a lot (some good passing got him in as well as him beating his man, but with few in the box his crosses never found a man in the first half. Thankfully Lallana got in where it hurts in the secod half and Holme's right foot cross was not wasted. We deserved to win. Thank god there was no extra time, not sure I could take much more.

 

Bart 5 very average kicking and I thought he should have gone for a couple of the very deep crosses as he had years to get under them. The one real chance he saved but not well enough. I thought he could have done better.

Butterfield 7 solid, a few very good blocks and usual calmness and good positional play. Never really overlapped, perhaps just as well with the wingers pushing up a lot. Not enough to dislodge Richardson

Martin 7 good display, looked very solid. Passing OK out from the back, perhaps needed a little more options to help him.

Jos 7 also solid, good in the air and didn't give them much on the deck either.

Dickson 3 I like him a lot and have backed him on here continuously, but he had a shocker. Almost everything he did went wrong or was ****. The lack of games can't help him, especially fitness wise, but he'll never get back in the side if that's what he is doing on the training ground. Very dissapointed as I really wanted him to prove Adkins wrong.

Reeves 7 Excellent prospect. Extremely busy and has good feet and plays with his head up. A little too much in tight areas, but showed great composure. He's small, but he looks looks he has enough about him. I guess the 5 man midfield may hide his weaknesses. Very impressed.

Chaplow 9 I'm not sure what more he could have done other than not tread on the Preston player who tried to foul him. I think he might have been a little lucky the ref didn't see it, but he took plenty of kicks afterwards as punishment. Fantastic workrate and made countless tackles and cut out so many passes. Top stuff

Morgan 6 Not bad, not great

de Ridder 7 some really good stuff, but just lacked a little end product. I still don't think he is quite as quick as we might like, but he does dribble very well.

Holmes 7 some excellent dribbles, beating his man all ends up, although many crosses failed to beat the first man or were too deep. Not much to aim at mind you. His deep cross set up the first goal in a planned corner with Reeves heading it back, and his nice byeline run and cross set up the second. There was some bad, like failing to control anything on his right foot and bottling one header, but even a non believer like me can see he had a decent game.

Forte 7 meh, some nice control and hold up play, but some crap first touches, woeful attempts at headers, missed half opportunities in the box and even a failure to really get into that six yard box to give Holmes a target to aim at.

 

Lallana Forte and Lambert as you would expect, no more no less. One more thing, I thought fatty Mellor looked a real handful when he came on and really perked them up. Never liked him, but he looks on top of his game and could do a job on loan if they need the funds.

 

Thought I couldn't have been the only one thinking Dickson had a shocker. As you say every touch was poor. You could tell he knew it too. I really rated him early on but I think he has too much to prove now as he's been out of the side so much.

 

Last time I remember him having a great game was when he was playing in a more attacking position.

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Comfortable. We used the flanks a bit more tonight, less of the quick link up play in the midfield. Holmes played well and looked very sharp in the first half. Agree about the poor turnout, we were getting more for JPT games.

 

Isn't Ben Reeves a left back? At least he has been in the couple of Academy games I've seen.

 

Aldershot away next please.

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He really isn't needed. He wouldn't make the five man bench for most (if not all) of the season. Connolly, Barnard and Guly Do Prado are all better options that the club already has to partner Lambert. Lallana and De Ridder can also be used upfront if required.

 

Why? Apart from Barney, nobody can genuinely lead the line, hold the ball up, provide genuine power and directness up top. I would have been surprised if Guly (though he's not bad in the air), Connolly etc would have got on the end of some of the decent crosses delivered by Holmes/De Ridder.

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He really isn't needed. He wouldn't make the five man bench for most (if not all) of the season. Connolly, Barnard and Guly Do Prado are all better options that the club already has to partner Lambert. Lallana and De Ridder can also be used upfront if required.

 

Perhaps you are right...but I'd rather him than Forte as the back up striker. I meant he could provide back up FOR Lambert as we don't have anyone like him (Guly maybe but not really) should he get an injury. Last season showed that the LB and DC combo didn't really click.

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Why? Apart from Barney, nobody can genuinely lead the line, hold the ball up, provide genuine power and directness up top. I would have been surprised if Guly (though he's not bad in the air), Connolly etc would have got on the end of some of the decent crosses delivered by Holmes/De Ridder.

 

This. We don't have anyone to fit into the Lambo mould should he get an injury.

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All mellor did was head the ball a few times. No improvement on Forte by all accounts

 

Did you actually go? Mellor perked up Preston no end when he came on and they actually started to look a bit dangerous. Forte on the other hand was absolute garbage and definitely didn't win any headers.

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