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WBA 1 Saints 2 - We March On Reactions

St Chalet

By St Chalet,
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Saint Pete

Saint Pete

Posted
Posted

We have proved over 2 games that under MP we are marginally better than West Brom. Unfortunately, that means we are worse than pretty much everyone else in the premier league.

 

A typical game between 2 struggling sides really. Lacking quality for most of the match, with the Tadic and Rondon goals out of character with everything else on show.

 

McCarthy apart, I thought we still looked dodgy at the back, allowing a number of free headers in the box that would have been punished by a better side. I actually thought Redmond was reasonable and one of our more effective players today as at least he was prepared to run with the ball in the direction of their goal which was a novelty to see in our side. Sims also looked lively in the short time he was on.

 

All in all, we won and have a quarter final to look forward to, but don't think the performance gives much confidence of better things to come in the league.

 

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

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stknowle

stknowle

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Look at the stats until we were 2-0.

 

WBA have to come at us so of course the game changes.

 

Bertrand was just instinctive to get back onto the line and head away. Brilliant and for that alone we deserve to win.

 

Shots on goal mean nothing. Biggest stat is we scored 1 more than they did.

 

Romeu is part of the problem. Højbjerg is the solution. Note how we stopped passing when he went of.

 

Gabbiadini was a disgrace. Is he unfit. Not enough work rate. Sims made a fantastic impact.

 

The defence dealt with the long ball well.

 

Best team lost despite having ref on their side.

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Jackie@home

Jackie@home

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Yoshida is safer at the back than Hoedt. He used to get heavy criticism on this forum for his mistakes but he has improved and Hoedt makes more and worse
Couldn't agree more. We looked pretty solid at the back last season when Yoshida and Stephens got used to playing with each other regularly. Hoedt looks like making a lash up every time he plays.
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redkeith

redkeith

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Thought we counter atttacked very well all game, but the final pass was not quite there, particularly when Cedric was crossing in from the left.

 

Good reactions from McCarthy made 2 saves that FF would have missed.

 

Ref was awful though, only seemed to give us a free kick if the tackle was so bad that he had to book a baggies player.

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stknowle

stknowle

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Posted
who would you award your MoM. vote to in a saints kit

 

I thought rondon was a handful and scored a screamer

 

I think you are saying that you thought Rondon was West Brom's best player and possibly the best player on the pitch (?). Fair enough, I guess I would probably say the same based on the fact he scored their goal, it was a good goal, and they were generally quite unremarkable apart from that.

 

As I have already said, nobody "in a saints kit" particularly stood out.

 

We won the game. The fact that West Brom may have had the best player on the pitch does not mean the best team lost the game.

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Gorgiesaint

Gorgiesaint

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Game of two halves. We really need to keep the intensity and tempo for the full 90 as switching off like that in the league would have cost us. Having said that, a win's a win and anything to install some confidence is very welcome.

 

Have been thinking for a while that we are just not fit enough as a team. Problem is, even if MoPe thought to address it, how do you do that mid-season?

 

Shots on goal mean nothing. Biggest stat is we scored 1 more than they did.

 

Correct, we've had loads of shots over the last seaosn and a half, and at times haven't looked close to finding the back of the net. Maybe (thinking this as I type it out) the lack of composure in front of goal is a direct consequence of the lack of fitness?

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Pilchards

Pilchards

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Thought we counter atttacked very well all game, but the final pass was not quite there, particularly when Cedric was crossing in from the left.

 

Good reactions from McCarthy made 2 saves that FF would have missed.

 

Ref was awful though, only seemed to give us a free kick if the tackle was so bad that he had to book a baggies player.

 

The final ball was pathetic at times.

The thing that puzzles me is a short pass from one of our own would go straight to a WBA shirt too often.

Its almost like they are colour blind.

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Saint Albert

Saint Albert

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They outshot us 23-5 in that game, and had more shots on target, 7-3. We rode our luck a little in the second half which is a little worrying because W.Brom are a poor, poor side rooted to the bottom of the table and dealing with some internal strife.

 

Still, it’s worth noting that Carrillo was instrumental in both goals - he drew the defenders with him leaving Hoedt wide open for the first goal, and it was his pass that set up Tadic.

 

I’d like to see Sims play more. He had a decent cameo today.

 

It was odd to hear that Long, Boufal, Yoshi and Davis were all injured when leading up to the game Pellegrino only mentioned Long’s hamstring injury. Perhaps I missed something.

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Batman

Batman

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I think you are saying that you thought Rondon was West Brom's best player and possibly the best player on the pitch (?). Fair enough, I guess I would probably say the same based on the fact he scored their goal, it was a good goal, and they were generally quite unremarkable apart from that.

 

As I have already said, nobody "in a saints kit" particularly stood out.

 

We won the game. The fact that West Brom may have had the best player on the pitch does not mean the best team lost the game.

you don't think McCarthy stood out much?

 

each to their own

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stknowle

stknowle

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Posted (edited)
you don't think McCarthy stood out much?

 

each to their own

 

No mate (or is this the point in proceedings when I have to refer to you as 'pal'?) He made a couple of good saves, nothing particularly remarkable, out of the ordinary or beyond the capabilities of any Premier League goalkeeper apart from Fraser Forster. Each to their own.

Edited by stknowle
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derry

derry

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Good away win. Clinical goal from Hoedt, Classy finish by Tadic, from a good quick break. Played it around in the first half but pretty toothless against a poor side. Second half WBA route one again but scored the goal of the season. Lots of pressure, MaCarthy getting better every match. Foster made a few saves to deny us,. Old saying, pressure doesn't win matches..

 

Tadic contesting the ball nearly, then going to ground, referees have got his measure he's just giving the ball up, FFS stay on your feet. Gabbiadini was hopeless and his closing down non existent when we really needed it He looks a shadow of the player he was last season. JWP had a poor game, a neat and tidy lightweight who chooses not to go forward and turns and passes back putting us under pressure when he should be going forward. Sims, a breath of fresh air should be given a go, more direct than Redmond who had a fairly good game defensively and not too bad going forward. Carillo works hard but isn't getting into the goal area enough.

 

Soares needs to learn when to put his foot through the ball, trying to control it and beat a tight challenge is dropping us in it, otherwise a good game, gave everything. Hoedt very composed and good left foot then has Bambi on ice moments not sorting out his feet and dwelling on the ball and getting closed down. Bertrand, brilliant anticipation to get back on the post and head off the line, solid game. Stephens had a decent enough game but gave Rondon room to volley his goal. Probably didn't want to get turned but with more determination and anticipation could have got to the ball first. Lamina and Hojbjerg look a decent pair.

 

IMO, Davis should be left out as we have three better midfielders, A place should be found for Sims. Carillo isn't a lone striker play Long, Sims and Maybe Tadic/Redmond/Boufal. Hesketh should replace Davis on the bench.

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explorer saint

explorer saint

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No mate (or is the point in proceedings when I have to refer to you as 'pal'?) He made a couple of good saves, nothing particularly remarkable, out of the ordinary or beyond the capabilities of any Premier League goalkeeper apart from Fraser Forster. Each to their own.

 

Didn’t see the game listened on solent but said Alex was superb and commanded his area also said hoet was v dodgy apart from the goal of course

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Wes Tender

Wes Tender

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Having dominated much of the first half and two goals to the good, West Brom came out much more motivated in the second half and put us under the cosh to get a goal back. Rondon's strike was a worldy and McCarthy had no chance of getting anywhere near it. From that moment on, they were really in our face and a combination of great goalkeeping from McCarthy and some last ditch defending kept us in it, with the ball hitting the bar, Bertrand heading off the line and some wayward shooting from clear openings for West Brom.

 

Whereas I was reasonably OK with the team selection, even more or less ambivalent at seeing Redmond selected, here was another opportunity missed to play two up front and see how Carillo and Gabbiadini might work together. Having them together for 10 minutes at the end of the match doesn't allow any conclusion to be drawn. Redmond didn't do too badly and for once when he got the ball, his first inclination was to run forward with it, which was a pleasant surprise. From this point of view, some pace was a potent weapon against West Brom's ageing and slow midfield and defence, so they were always susceptible to be hit on the break. However, yet another match goes by with the goals scored by either one of our defenders or midfielders instead of a striker, but thank God at least that there are these goals from elsewhere.

 

Once again, I thought that Pellegrino was slow with the substitutions and personally I thought that leaving Hojbjerg on and bringing Romeu on instead of Redmond or Ward-Prowse would have cut off a lot of the West Brom threat when they started winning the 50/50 balls in midfield and piling forward. McClean in particular was a livewire threat, although walking a red card tightrope.

 

Bringing on Josh Sims proved to be a good move towards the end, as he was a handful, a box of tricks that caused some real problems for slower tired legs in the West Brom defence. One wonders whether he might have had even more of an influence had he come on earlier to offer an outlet to hit them on the break. I can see the usefulness of a last roll of the dice to bring your goalkeeper into the box, but Foster's stay there when the chances had gone, hoping for the ball to return, were ridiculous and asking to be punished by a long distance punt towards goal.

 

Ultimately, what counts is the result. For all their shots on goal against ours, two of ours ended in the net and only one of theirs. We defended stoutly and had no chance with their goal. They defended poorly for both of their goals. We are still in the hat and in the last eight. Although Pellegrino is still a crap manager and this win buys him more time, this is the FA Cup. Even allowing for our manager's lack of tactical nous, we still do have the players capable of giving even the glory teams a match on the day. It very much depends which of our teams turns up on that day. Just in the last few weeks, Bournemouth have beaten Chelsea convincingly and even West Brom have beaten Liverpool. Getting into the semi-finals is unlikely, but not impossible

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stknowle

stknowle

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Didn’t see the game listened on solent but said Alex was superb and commanded his area also said hoet was v dodgy apart from the goal of course

 

McCarthy just did what any competent keeper should do. Hoedt is ok to quite good but has a schoolboy error in him. Did it last week costing us a goal, did it against Bournemouth which cost us a goal, did it today but it didn't cost us a goal. He'll get better, let's hope he get's the chance to do so in the Prem.

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Batman

Batman

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McCarthy just did what any competent keeper should do. Hoedt is ok to quite good but has a schoolboy error in him. Did it last week costing us a goal, did it against Bournemouth which cost us a goal, did it today but it didn't cost us a goal. He'll get better, let's hope he get's the chance to do so in the Prem.
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OttawaSaint

OttawaSaint

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I think a lot on here are being a little unfair on Saints.

 

Sure it wasn’t a classic but we won and did a lot of good things in this game. You can see that the players are still a bit low on confidence and nervous of making a mistake but I think with each game as this reasonably settled lineup we are getting stronger and more purposeful.

 

Of course Brom we’re going to come at us, that was their whole season on the line. They are down.

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stknowle

stknowle

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Posted

 

Ah so Adam Blackmore is now the all seeing arbiter of performances by goalkeepers playing in a saints shirt. Listen mate/pal even buddy if you would prefer, I'm really happy that McCarthy is in goal for us and not the statuesque Forster. He did fine today but, unless he made some worldy saves whilst I was having a **** (he may have, I genuinely do not know) it was nothing outstanding, just ok, which is enough to look outstanding in comparison to Forster, so perhaps that is where you and Blackmore are coming from.

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sadoldgit

sadoldgit

Posted
Posted
best team lost IMO

McCarthy our MoM

 

carrillo very isolated

cedric terrible

stephens ball watching in the air again

 

thought tadic was decent with Bertrand

 

liked sims when he was on

 

 

Nothing happened that gave me any shred of hope the team will get out of the mess

no doubt MP will go in about how we are growing

 

That’s the spirit! Not happy to be in the FA cup quarter finals for the first time since 2005?

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eurosaint

eurosaint

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I think a lot on here are being a little unfair on Saints.

 

Sure it wasn’t a classic but we won and did a lot of good things in this game. You can see that the players are still a bit low on confidence and nervous of making a mistake but I think with each game as this reasonably settled lineup we are getting stronger and more purposeful.

 

Of course Brom we’re going to come at us, that was their whole season on the line. They are down.

 

Fair points, seems that even an away win in the last 16 of the FA cup is cause for criticism from the Saintsweb faithful:mcinnes:

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Appy

Appy

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Yoshida is safer at the back than Hoedt. He used to get heavy criticism on this forum for his mistakes but he has improved and Hoedt makes more and worse

 

Neither of them are reliable enough,

 

Our downgrade in the centre half position over the past year has summed us up.

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Micky

Micky

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Just got back, to say that the best team lost is simply not true. We bossed the first half and deservedly went in winning. We actually weathered the inevitable WBA fast start in the second half to extend our advantage. After the week that they have had they were always going to have to put in a performance in front of their fans, but again we stood firm.

 

Yep, McCarthy played really well, but sometimes you need your keeper to do that. Some of his punches today were not the best, but he always gets something on the ball. He does things that Fraser just doesn't, like coming for crosses and making saves, been really impressed with him.

 

Nobody really had a mare, Hoedt has a mistake in him, Gabi looks a bit lost and made half hearted attempts to retrieve the ball or to close down, but generally speaking it was a decent away performance. Fans were good as well, maybe not quite as loud as 2 weeks ago, but still good support.

 

All in all a good day out, hope we get a decent draw.

 

Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

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