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Fox's sub..


SB

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There was absolutely no point in this sub, niether today nor the Blackpool game. I can only think it is to appease Harding, as it was not tactical nor was Fox having a bad game.

 

Both times was strange, in fact, I thought Fox was playing ok, and TBH I thought Harding was at fault for the corner for the last goal.

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Glad you posted this as I was about to. There is clearly an issue. I have said before and I don't claim to be an ITK'er but I do living in Cheshire have some background on Fox through another party. If you look at his record he is a young man who finds it hard to settle anywhere. He is known to be a home bird and is regularly in Winsford (where he is from). He went to Celtic and could not settle and moved South, living at home whilst at Burnley. I don't think he wil stay long and in all honesty don't know why we signed him. On the flip side he is good mates with Maynard who is also from Winsford............................

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There was absolutely no point in this sub, niether today nor the Blackpool game. I can only think it is to appease Harding, as it was not tactical nor was Fox having a bad game.

 

Both times was strange, in fact, I thought Fox was playing ok, and TBH I thought Harding was at fault for the corner for the last goal.

 

I thought he was playing well and his dead ball ability means he is always a threat. It seemed an utterly pointless substitution. Not surprised Fox was p*ssed off, he was playing well and looked up for it.

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There was absolutely no point in this sub, niether today nor the Blackpool game. I can only think it is to appease Harding, as it was not tactical nor was Fox having a bad game.

 

Both times was strange, in fact, I thought Fox was playing ok, and TBH I thought Harding was at fault for the corner for the last goal.

 

May have been strange today, but he was rubbish against Blackpool.

 

Harding did indeed clear for the corner - following your logic, every player who clears the ball for a corner is at fault..........................dear oh dear

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Thought some of his passing first half was woeful - too many casual balls into the centre of midfield. But his set pieces were the only threat we had for long periods.

 

Surprised by his sub. If Harding was going to come on, thought Guly would make way and Lallana play up top with Lambert and Fox and Harding doubling down the left. Not that it would be like-for-like.

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Harding did indeed clear for the corner - following your logic, every player who clears the ball for a corner is at fault..........................dear oh dear

 

I think he means Harding gave the corner away needlessly as he panicked - cant blame him for the goal but shouldnt have been a corner in the first place.

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I think he means Harding gave the corner away needlessly as he panicked - cant blame him for the goal but shouldnt have been a corner in the first place.

 

I have to agree, I thought at the time we usually manage to clear forwards or at least sideways, rather than conceding corners. It's something we've been very good at this season so it was a shame to give this one away.

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Must admit I did think NA looked confused!

 

I thought the same - it seemed to me there was a mixup in communication, as NA asked Foxy when he came off he is was ok and Foxy seemed to say yeah I could have continued, which surprised NA - possibility that he picked up a knock and said he would give it 5 but the bench thought he would only last another 5.. The truth will out

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Fox gave a signal that he was injured a few minutes before he came off, I noticed he wasn't moving as freely as he was before this as well. I assume Adkins confused face was him trying to work out what was up with him, and Fox explaining.

 

I think the last few games his passing has been casual and his distribution has been some way off. Defensively he's pretty sound though, much better than when we first had him here and I don't think there's anyone else in our squad with a left peg as sweet as his, some of his deliveries this season have been unbelievable - and Lambo is seriously benefiting from his and Frasers superb supply from the flanks.

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Fox did play well today, I can only think that we were trying to protect the one goal lead with a more defensive minded left back.

I'd still try Fox in left midfield, with Adam switching to the right, but then I'm not the manager.[/QUOTE]

 

.....you might be... with a suggestion like that . Maybe Nigel doesn't have a Plan C..?

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There was absolutely no point in this sub, niether today nor the Blackpool game. I can only think it is to appease Harding, as it was not tactical nor was Fox having a bad game.

 

Both times was strange, in fact, I thought Fox was playing ok, and TBH I thought Harding was at fault for the corner for the last goal.

 

I agree. Harding had time to clear the ball without conceding a corner - the subbing of Fox seemed strange to me - he was doing the job.

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Fox did play well today, I can only think that we were trying to protect the one goal lead with a more defensive minded left back. I'd still try Fox in left midfield, with Adam switching to the right, but then I'm not the manager.

 

Agree, at the time I thought it was a sub to bring on a more defensive player. As for LM at the start of the season I'd have given Dickson a run out in that role. However I don't expect that to happen now as Dickson appears to have fallen off the radar as far as NA is concerned. Shame in my view.

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I agree. Harding had time to clear the ball without conceding a corner - the subbing of Fox seemed strange to me - he was doing the job.

 

Harding ball watches he never knows what is happening behind him, he didn't need to knock the ball out for a corner but because he didn't know how much room he had he gave the corner away needlessly. He had at least two other options including belting it into touch.

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He enjoyed the goal probably the most out of all the players.

 

I absolutely loved the passion he showed when we scored, i was suprised when he was subbed, for harding. Really wished we'd taken gully or one of the midfield off to get holmes or de ridder on the pitch and attack them properly

 

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/javaImages/29/4f/0,,10280~10309417,00.jpg

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Watching on tv both Fox and Adkins looked genuinely confused as he was taking his seat on the bench. I actually thought from their expressions the wrong number had gone up and as he'd left the pitch it was too late to change it.

 

I absolutely loved the passion he showed when we scored,

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/javaImages/29/4f/0,,10280~10309417,00.jpg

 

Guly even went missing for that photo !

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From watching on the TV NA and Fox didn't seem happy with eachother, is there any more to this, or was it frustration from Fox..

 

Pretty obvious to me that at 1-0 up away from home, Harding was brought on as a more defensively-minded player than Fox (albeit one who could still overlap well with Lallana). He immediately showed his defensive skills with an important interception, covering and taking the ball off the foot of a Skate cheat in our box. Unfortunately we then conceded from the corner...

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I have to agree, I thought at the time we usually manage to clear forwards or at least sideways, rather than conceding corners. It's something we've been very good at this season so it was a shame to give this one away.

 

The pressure of derby games make you do strange things, but should have been 2 up at this point. Is a shame as they were no threat at all and we were crusing even at 1-0 up until this point.

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Fox was the better defender and was useful from deadball situations. However, his longish balls into the channels frequently ended up in us losing possession

 

Yeah, I thought Fox was iffy in the first half better in the second, he doesn't seem to like getting forward (like Richardson) but opts to ping it long most of the time which don't end up finding anyone.

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Good, we dont want players that are happy to be taken off. Especially in games like today.

 

This. Thought he was really up for it yesterday when they came out to warm up and also when celebrating the goal. If anyone is happy to come off in such a big game they shouldn't start.

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Watching on tv both Fox and Adkins looked genuinely confused as he was taking his seat on the bench. I actually thought from their expressions the wrong number had gone up and as he'd left the pitch it was too late to change it.

 

 

 

Guly even went missing for that photo !

 

In order to have the wrong number put up you either have to have the wrong number on the piece of paper submitted to the 4th official (which isn't valid until the sub steps onto the pitch anyway) or the 4th official has to put the wrong number on the board having read it on the piece of paper, with none of the numerous Saints backroom team noticing it until after the sub has left the field.

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Fox did play well today, I can only think that we were trying to protect the one goal lead with a more defensive minded left back. I'd still try Fox in left midfield, with Adam switching to the right, but then I'm not the manager.

 

I agree with you. I have made this suggestion before. Seems a lot of us rate this switch, but NA clearly doesn't want to do it.

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I think he means Harding gave the corner away needlessly as he panicked - cant blame him for the goal but shouldnt have been a corner in the first place.

Sorry but I thought that he was under a lot of pressure and had little option but to put it out for a corner. Trying to play it sideways for a throw in would have been pretty risky - and any case one of their players has a long throw on them which wouldn't have been much different from a corner.

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Fox gave a signal that he was injured a few minutes before he came off, I noticed he wasn't moving as freely as he was before this as well. I assume Adkins confused face was him trying to work out what was up with him, and Fox explaining.

 

I think the last few games his passing has been casual and his distribution has been some way off. Defensively he's pretty sound though, much better than when we first had him here and I don't think there's anyone else in our squad with a left peg as sweet as his, some of his deliveries this season have been unbelievable - and Lambo is seriously benefiting from his and Frasers superb supply from the flanks.

 

Thats how I viewed it.

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yes, pity though.

Had Fox still been on then he'd have had the left post to guard- instead of Guly. (when that cross came in, and they scored)

doubt it, you put right footers on a left hand posts. That's why Harding was on the right hand post. Fox would have been where Harding was.
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doubt it, you put right footers on a left hand posts. That's why Harding was on the right hand post. Fox would have been where Harding was.

 

 

well ..whoever, but Guly wouldn't have been there and a " proper " defender would have.

 

(I do hope no-one comes up with that .." a good footballer can play anywhere " comment ).

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There was absolutely no point in this sub, niether today nor the Blackpool game. I can only think it is to appease Harding, as it was not tactical nor was Fox having a bad game.

 

Both times was strange, in fact, I thought Fox was playing ok, and TBH I thought Harding was at fault for the corner for the last goal.

 

Yep me 2 harding could of put that for a throw.

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Yep me 2 harding could of put that for a throw.

 

part of Adkins tactics seem to be to give players a " shorter outing " - especially midfielders - so as not to drive everyone too hard with 95 minute games every time. He continually says this is a 46 game season and we're not even halfway yet. Stamina and fitness in the the last 10 games will decide who are the promotion sides.

 

He has used 2 or all 3 subs. on 24 occasions this season - and only rarely for injuries. Sometimes tactical , and it's won us point (s) , or simply to give the bench player some playing time and not lose touch. Whether it was intended or not, Fox's subbing at Pompey, was not untypical as (in interview) he said.." we had already won the game " ... (the subbing backfired as we didn't have a "genuine defender " on the near post for the corner).

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well ..whoever, but Guly wouldn't have been there and a " proper " defender would have.

 

(I do hope no-one comes up with that .." a good footballer can play anywhere " comment ).

 

In my opinion, it's a bit of a waste to put a "proper defender" on the post when for 99% of the season all they do is stand there or occasionally swing a leg at a clearance. I would much rather have Richardson marking somebody in the box than wasting his defensive skills on the post.

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In addition to the Fox-Harding change,at 1-0 up,away from home in one of the biggest games of the season plenty of managers would have taken off an attacking player and put another defender on instead.Why didn't NA do that then? does he really trust Martin? you have to ask yourself really.

 

 

surely..Adkins entire theory is to have two players for each position.

Although (I'd like to see Martin get some playing time)....the most logical sub. for a left back is ...another left back...and that's exactly what he did.

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In addition to the Fox-Harding change,at 1-0 up,away from home in one of the biggest games of the season plenty of managers would have taken off an attacking player and put another defender on instead.Why didn't NA do that then? does he really trust Martin? you have to ask yourself really.

 

What a strange post. Why would he bring on another centre back and have to completely change the formation to accomdate them?

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