Saints vs Borussia Mönchengladbach - Match Thread

[saint1977]

McCarthy

Targett

Stephens

Hoedt

Bednarek

Hojbjerg

Romeu

Long

Austin

Redmond

 

None of them would look out of place in a Championship team. And that's why we will struggle.

 

Broadly agree but then WGS era we had players that you could say that about as well but that side worked it’s backside off. This lot won’t out-football anyone at top level but at least get super fit if you are up against technically superior players (which they mostly will be, even against Brighton and Bournemouth these days), you may rush them into having an off day.

 

The fans would more inclined to get behind them if they looked like they were busting a gut.

[richardc]

Should have been 1 down within a minute but next 15/20 mins we played some beautiful quick passing football Lemina and Gabbi were on fire - we then conceded a goal and our heads went - Lemina basically gave up - 1st 20 mins in 2nd half could easily and should have been 6:0 - by this stage both teams were playing b teams and we gained a bit of possession back but it was a meaningless kick about by then. Thought Mo was rubbish on Weds except for the goal but thought he was really lively when he came on today - Armstrong was absolute class on Weds but pretty anonymous today and got sub off at half time but he played in a deep role today - Vestegard been pretty poor both games. However I dont think its the defenders I think its the system that is the problem we dont have the players for it or at least they dont know how to play in the system - at the end we played 433 today and they all seemed much more comfortable

[SaveloyMush]

Not sure I witnessed any encouraging performances today, at least on the Southampton side...Positives?

 

Elyonoussie looks a player, with the flair of Boufal but, hopefully, the temperament to turn in a team performance.

 

I like the look of Armstrong, as I did on Wednesday night, but early days.

 

Redmond looked feisty, in a good way; could be a super-sub, could be used as second out-and-out forward.

 

Yoshi - has attained legend status after the World Cup, looked good to me.

 

Otherwise - errr...

[derry]

That was dire. The formation was crass to start with. Both full backs stayed way up the pitch obviously under instruction because it didn't work. after the first goal Bertrand spent the rest of the half gesticulating to the bench about his high, wide position. The first and third goals cut the back line behind the full backs. They were as useful as defenders as tits on a bull. Second half he played more orthodox.

 

The full backs have to be defenders first and attackers after. Targett isn't good enough to play right side. The centre backs were exposed also by the two midfielders. Hojbjerg and Lamina don't play together. Lamina was hopeless against WHU last season and mostly left out after that. He was hopeless against Derby and again today didn't look a team player constantly trying to be clever then losing the ball and rarely tracking back to help out. Hojbjerg is limited, courageous and gives his all. He and Romeu are our most effective pair.

 

Armstrong showed flashes of his ability but again came up against the lack of blend, pace and aggression from Austin and Gabbiadini. They don't play together and lack a cutting edge through the lack of pace to make aggressive runs. One or the other with Long or even Gallagher if their isn't new blood on the horizon.

 

IMO Yoshida, Vestergaard and Hoedt. Bertrand as a left back and without Soares maybe Stephens at right back or new blood. Romeu and Hojbjerg as our best and most physical DMs. Armstrong, Long/Gallagher and Austin/Gabbiadini.

 

Elyanoussi shows flashes but is settling in. Lamina needs to look at himself as he is talented but wasting it. JWP, Davis, Reed, Sims, Redmond look like peripheral figures. Maybe this week we will be moving two or three on with today sealing the opinion. Opening the way for a couple of reinforcements.

 

Sitting in the Itchen under the hot sun watching a poor display was difficult to stick it out to the end. Well done the ref blowing up on 90 minutes. I'd had enough.

[striker]

After hearing Hughes comments about the formation, seeing he eventually did change it, and reading above about Bertrand gesturing to the bench, gives me more hope. I think this was Hughes trying a formation more than us being overmatched. If this was next week he would have switched to a 4-3-3 (or something else) early on. Its preseason, its a time to try things out and determine what the current players can/can't do.

[warsash saint]

Defence all at sea

Midfield lack of creativity

Attack with no quality

 

A long long season awaits !!

[CityRanger]

After hearing Hughes comments about the formation, seeing he eventually did change it, and reading above about Bertrand gesturing to the bench, gives me more hope. I think this was Hughes trying a formation more than us being overmatched. If this was next week he would have switched to a 4-3-3 (or something else) early on. Its preseason, its a time to try things out and determine what the current players can/can't do.

That was our last friendly wasn’t it? We’ve played 3 at the back all

Pre season and it’s not worked, there are huge gaps. If we change to 4 at back now I’ll be happy but what a waste of pre season games on a tactical side.

[Fatboy40]

Highlight of the game?.. the Mönchengladbach fans jumping left and right at the end of it celebrating.

 

And to think the Bundesliga has three weeks until it starts so they will only get better. We were bloody awful today.

[Unbelievable Jeff]

McCarthy

Targett

Stephens

Hoedt

Bednarek

Hojbjerg

Romeu

Long

Austin

Redmond

 

None of them would look out of place in a Championship team. And that's why we will struggle.

 

Why are you not including Mark Hughes in that?

[Manuel]

Just a friendly I know but......defensivey poor, midfield weak, little attacking threat.

 

Vestergaard slow and poor in the air for a big man (a la Hoedt) and loses his man way too easily. Think he will be punished in the Prem.

Austin offered nothing today, won nothing, created nothing, first touch awful, passing poor. Long was better which says something. Would rather have Long's pace causing at least some difficulty for defenders.....Austin was too easy to defend against.

Gabbi again looks like a class player at times but lacks consistency and never really looked like scoring despite having one of the only two shots on target (Long the other).

Bertrand looks worse every time I see him, has lost all the desire of two or more seasons ago....a passenger.

Redmond a good tryer but struggles to complete anything.

Elyonoussi looks half decent from the one half we got to see him, certainly determined....maybe not as good as Tadic in those areas but time will tell. Armstrong looks decent too.

[DT]

It’s alright though because Vestergaard is ‘big’, which is what a lot of the board seemed to care about. We will have one fo the most immobile back lines in the league that will be cut to ribbons many times. Very worrying performance by all today, and even the keeper seems to have lost it

 

 

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[saintnicoolas]

Glad they didn’t charge us for that today.

 

More of that and they will not be able to give it away. Even Mark hughes looked embarrassed in interview

 

I was at the match today, ok I’m no football expert but with this being our last preseason game I thought the logic would have been to be playing a team and system to reflect sparkys team for our first run out against Burnley. The team played sideways and backwards passes, did I count one shot on target first half...it seemed pretty lack lustre, players seemed almost scared to try something different such as a through ball. Crosses into the box seemed non existent, balls were lost regularly through bad passes. I sound like a bloody doom munger I know, things did improve when Lemina and Armstrong were taken off, but on the whole a pretty sh**t performance . Maya has to start he marshalled the defencee once coming on he’s a leader and we need one of these. For me it’s upfront I’m most worried about, strikers come at a premium I know but if we loose gabbi or Austin where back to where we were last year ******d.

[DT]

Burnley signing Gibson and 5-1 to beat us next Sunday. Just sayin

 

 

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[DT]

Ps Lemina had a good first half, but Charlie Austin looked pretty hopeless

 

 

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[CityRanger]

It’s alright though because Vestergaard is ‘big’, which is what a lot of the board seemed to care about. We will have one fo the most immobile back lines in the league that will be cut to ribbons many times. Very worrying performance by all today, and even the keeper seems to have lost it

 

 

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Slowest top flight CB’s since Sunderland O’shea / Wes Brown, look what happened to them

[Nordic Saint]

I woz there, maybe wish now I had not been! This was an appalling display of ineptitude by Saints in the face of a quite brilliant Borussia side who played us off the park with slick, fast one touch football that we simply could not cope with or match. We were right royally thrashed and deserved to be. Team selection was hopeless, we were tactically juvenile and we had nothing in the midfield to even challenge them let alone stop them. How lucky we were to get away with a 3-0 drubbing.

 

Hughes cannot spin this shambolic display and if this is in any way indicative of where we are going to be this season, we are in big trouble. It looks like Hughe s& Co have no idea of our best starting XI eve after a full pre-season.

 

It would be futile to single out individual players as every one of them made errors and lacked vision but Austin was particularly dire and didn't get a single first touch under control and not once held the ball up.

 

A long season ahead indeed and on this showing we are nowhere near PL class.

 

They lost their last game 1-0 to FC Ingolsdadt. They are an average Bundesliga team, no more, no less. They are not rich and have few top class internationals in their squad. A couple of their players today were English youngsters. I must admit though, that although their players didn't cost as much, they were better than ours in nearly every position and, as a team, clearly much better coached. But, although they are by no means superstars, how we could do with players like Jonas Hofmann Patrick Herrmann and Denis Zakaria who together cost lees than we paid for Carrillo or Hoedt or Vestergaard.

 

A back three of Hoedt, Vestergaard and Bednarek has the ability to make any opposition attack look brilliant. It was noticeable that when Yoshida and Stephens came on, we started to look as good as Borussia, although still lacking a goal scorer up front. Perhaps if they had started, we might even have scraped a draw.

[Saints foreva]

Ps Lemina had a good first half, but Charlie Austin looked pretty hopeless

 

 

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Lemina certainly didn't have a good first half. He constantly gave the ball away.

[Cabbage_Face]

Slowest top flight CB’s since Sunderland O’shea / Wes Brown, look what happened to them

 

Yoshida is actually very quick

 

 

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[Badger]

...... I must admit though, that although their players didn't cost as much, they were better than ours in nearly every position and, as a team, clearly much better coached. But, although they are by no means superstars, how we could do with players like Jonas Hofmann Patrick Herrmann and Denis Zakaria who together cost lees than we paid for Carrillo or Hoedt or Vestergaard.

 

A back three of Hoedt, Vestergaard and Bednarek has the ability to make any opposition attack look brilliant. It was noticeable that when Yoshida and Stephens came on, we started to look as good as Borussia, although still lacking a goal scorer up front. Perhaps if they had started, we might even have scraped a draw.

 

We were linked with Zakaria at one stage before he left Switzerland. Just as well the Black Box didn't bring him in though, we'd have coached him to being crap.

[Badger]

Lemina certainly didn't have a good first half. He constantly gave the ball away.

 

Think his song needs editing then.

[Plumstead_Saint]

I thought Lemina was really poor from the start.

Gave the ball directly to BM several times in mid-field, gave away free kicks, walked around the pitch failing to track back, shoulders slumped, looking like someone who didn't want to be there.

Seems like a confidence player even more than most - either makes a couple of mistakes and becomes shocking, or [once in a blue moon] starts well and gets better with each touch to be a real match winner.

PEH was poor - plenty of endeavour but little product.

Was impressed with Gabbi, and Armstrong when he linked with him.

Bednarak was anonymous while Hoedt did good and bad, and and Austen was poor. Vestergaard looked ok and won all his headers as expected.

Personally I though ME, JS, JWP and Maya all looked good when they came on, and energy levels and creativity improved for the last 15 mins.

Not sure that was worth 6 hours of holiday-hell traffic though...

 

I thought the german fans were the most entertaining thing at the match. Looked more like 300 than 800, but they all had a good time!

ATEOTD it's only a meaningless friendly, so I'm still hoping we will beat Burnley with some attractive attacking football and one or two sublime goals next weekend.

Up the Saints

[Nordic Saint]

Yoshida is actually very quick

 

 

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Yes, he is and when he came on his pace transformed our defence. Before that, Borussia were outpacing our central defenders with such ease that it must have been embarrassing for whoever persuaded the club to spend so much money on Hoedt, Bednarek and Vestergaard: presumably our head of recruitment, Ross Wilson.

[Badger]

not great viewing:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqoVh1W9LXk

[Heisenberg]

not great viewing:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqoVh1W9LXk

 

McCarthy caught the payrise curse...

[Forester]

That was dire. The formation was crass to start with. Both full backs stayed way up the pitch obviously under instruction because it didn't work. after the first goal Bertrand spent the rest of the half gesticulating to the bench about his high, wide position. The first and third goals cut the back line behind the full backs. They were as useful as defenders as tits on a bull. Second half he played more orthodox.

 

The full backs have to be defenders first and attackers after. Targett isn't good enough to play right side. The centre backs were exposed also by the two midfielders. Hojbjerg and Lamina don't play together. Lamina was hopeless against WHU last season and mostly left out after that. He was hopeless against Derby and again today didn't look a team player constantly trying to be clever then losing the ball and rarely tracking back to help out. Hojbjerg is limited, courageous and gives his all. He and Romeu are our most effective pair.

 

Armstrong showed flashes of his ability but again came up against the lack of blend, pace and aggression from Austin and Gabbiadini. They don't play together and lack a cutting edge through the lack of pace to make aggressive runs. One or the other with Long or even Gallagher if their isn't new blood on the horizon.

 

IMO Yoshida, Vestergaard and Hoedt. Bertrand as a left back and without Soares maybe Stephens at right back or new blood. Romeu and Hojbjerg as our best and most physical DMs. Armstrong, Long/Gallagher and Austin/Gabbiadini.

 

Elyanoussi shows flashes but is settling in. Lamina needs to look at himself as he is talented but wasting it. JWP, Davis, Reed, Sims, Redmond look like peripheral figures. Maybe this week we will be moving two or three on with today sealing the opinion. Opening the way for a couple of reinforcements.

 

Sitting in the Itchen under the hot sun watching a poor display was difficult to stick it out to the end. Well done the ref blowing up on 90 minutes. I'd had enough.

Agree with much of this. Lamina, despite obvious talent, is psychologically not fit for Premier League football. He simply can’t be arsed to do the boring but basics needed defensively at this level. You can do as many fancy moves as you like, it’s not where games are won or lost.

 

Am worried about the back line. Yoshida is mocked by a few on here, but in my mind he is number one of the five centre backs we have in terms of reliability. I think Redmond and JWP will move further up the pecking order in Hughes’ mind after this week.

 

Finally the failure to replace Pied is a disgrace and we face entering the season with no fit recognised right back.

[warsash saint]

not great viewing:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqoVh1W9LXk

 

Defending not out of place on the Sunday League pitches!!

[Greenridge]

McCarthy caught the payrise curse...

 

Been working with Fraser over the summer.

[Micky]

Defending not out of place on the Sunday League pitches!!

 

What defending?

[Micky]

Just back - boy am I pizzed off.

 

I went to Derby, we got stuffed 3 nil, went to St Marys' today, got stuffed 3 nil, going to St Marys' next Sunday - just saying.

 

It was indescribably bad really, don't know where to start. You would've thought that when they nearly scored after 30 seconds that would have been the kick up the collective arses that our lot needed. MGB had come to play - unfortunately we hadn't. We were slow, sloppy and lethargic all over the park. Our back line is so bad, if you convince yourself it's another team, you can actually have a bit of a laugh watching them. We look all over the place, we don't know when to hold, when to step up, when to play or when to hoof it. I think we looked to try and keep the wing-backs high today, but they looked confused by the whole system and actually barely managed to get into the oppositions half, never mind get any crosses in.

 

I am a fan of Mario Lamina, but the lad just should not have played today. He's just had a baby, and you could tell that he didn't want to risk busting his stitches. Every time he lost the ball (which was a lot) he made no effort to recover and just threw his arms in the air. I watched him on about 56 minutes and he looked to be blowing out of his ass, really struggling. Seriously, the lad probably is not yet match fit, but even so, he was way under par today.

 

We struggled badly to get hold of the ball in midfield, but more annoyingly, when we did get it, we gave it away so cheaply with aimless poor passing, everyone was guilty. And, more worryingly - there was very little creativity.

 

Charlie Austin appears to me to be Marmite on here. My issue is I can't make up my mind. Today, I don't think he trapped a ball or managed to hold the ball and his flick on's went aimlessly to no one, complete passenger to my mind.

 

Last 10 - 15 we went to 4 at the back and to be honest, we look better, not great, but certainly better. We started getting into their half, got behind them a few times and made some chances. Might need to revise the 5 at the back plan.

 

Difficult to find any positives out of today, good to see Maya back - he got the loudest round of applause from the crowd when he came on and frankly played better than anything that had gone before him today. Could be a big season for him.

 

It's only a pre-season friendly so no need to panic. I've been to 2 friendlies now, we've scored zip and conceded 6.

 

Can somebody please advice me when it would be a good time to panic.

[Unbelievable Jeff]

Just back - boy am I pizzed off.

 

I went to Derby, we got stuffed 3 nil, went to St Marys' today, got stuffed 3 nil, going to St Marys' next Sunday - just saying.

 

It was indescribably bad really, don't know where to start. You would've thought that when they nearly scored after 30 seconds that would have been the kick up the collective arses that our lot needed. MGB had come to play - unfortunately we hadn't. We were slow, sloppy and lethargic all over the park. Our back line is so bad, if you convince yourself it's another team, you can actually have a bit of a laugh watching them. We look all over the place, we don't know when to hold, when to step up, when to play or when to hoof it. I think we looked to try and keep the wing-backs high today, but they looked confused by the whole system and actually barely managed to get into the oppositions half, never mind get any crosses in.

 

I am a fan of Mario Lamina, but the lad just should not have played today. He's just had a baby, and you could tell that he didn't want to risk busting his stitches. Every time he lost the ball (which was a lot) he made no effort to recover and just threw his arms in the air. I watched him on about 56 minutes and he looked to be blowing out of his ass, really struggling. Seriously, the lad probably is not yet match fit, but even so, he was way under par today.

 

We struggled badly to get hold of the ball in midfield, but more annoyingly, when we did get it, we gave it away so cheaply with aimless poor passing, everyone was guilty. And, more worryingly - there was very little creativity.

 

Charlie Austin appears to me to be Marmite on here. My issue is I can't make up my mind. Today, I don't think he trapped a ball or managed to hold the ball and his flick on's went aimlessly to no one, complete passenger to my mind.

 

Last 10 - 15 we went to 4 at the back and to be honest, we look better, not great, but certainly better. We started getting into their half, got behind them a few times and made some chances. Might need to revise the 5 at the back plan.

 

Difficult to find any positives out of today, good to see Maya back - he got the loudest round of applause from the crowd when he came on and frankly played better than anything that had gone before him today. Could be a big season for him.

 

It's only a pre-season friendly so no need to panic. I've been to 2 friendlies now, we've scored zip and conceded 6.

 

Can somebody please advice me when it would be a good time to panic.

 

3 months ago when we appointed Hughes in a FTC. That's what did it for me.

[Sidney Fudpucker the 3rd]

Why did we sign Vestandpants when we could have signed Gibson for similar, if not less money?

[wild-saint]

Why did we sign Vestandpants when we could have signed Gibson for similar, if not less money?

 

Or Alfie mawson. I agree the new lad looks pretty poor at the moment but hopefully once he settles in he will come good.

[Shance]

Lemina was ****ing dreadful.

[SuperSAINT]

I can remember us making shocking defensive mistakes in 1st game & Hughes brushing it off as rusty decision making.

 

It's still not any better a week to go before we start the season.

[skintsaint]

1st goal Targett ball watching and winger ran in behind.

2nd goal Lemina not tracking back and ****e keeping.

3rd goal RB ball watching and winger ran in behind, and no midfield pressure on the passer. Looks like Lemina was caught as only him picking up two midfielders.

[Cabrone]

First goal was powder puff defending, 2nd was McCarthy not getting to a ball he should have and the 3rd was a total carve up of our defence.

 

They'd better shape up right now else we are going to be torn a new one next week, and the week after, and the week after............

[Give it to Ron]

First goal was powder puff defending, 2nd was McCarthy not getting to a ball he should have and the 3rd was a total carve up of our defence.

 

They'd better shape up right now else we are going to be torn a new one next week, and the week after, and the week after............

why are we still struggling with the right back position at this stage of pre season?

Its not a difficult position to fill surely our great recruitment team can find one in the whole of Europe. At worst get Ayling from Leeds at least we dont have to put someone there out of position.

At least we could then revert to 4-4-2

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[DT]

Just back - boy am I pizzed off.

 

I went to Derby, we got stuffed 3 nil, went to St Marys' today, got stuffed 3 nil, going to St Marys' next Sunday - just saying.

 

It was indescribably bad really, don't know where to start. You would've thought that when they nearly scored after 30 seconds that would have been the kick up the collective arses that our lot needed. MGB had come to play - unfortunately we hadn't. We were slow, sloppy and lethargic all over the park. Our back line is so bad, if you convince yourself it's another team, you can actually have a bit of a laugh watching them. We look all over the place, we don't know when to hold, when to step up, when to play or when to hoof it. I think we looked to try and keep the wing-backs high today, but they looked confused by the whole system and actually barely managed to get into the oppositions half, never mind get any crosses in.

 

I am a fan of Mario Lamina, but the lad just should not have played today. He's just had a baby, and you could tell that he didn't want to risk busting his stitches. Every time he lost the ball (which was a lot) he made no effort to recover and just threw his arms in the air. I watched him on about 56 minutes and he looked to be blowing out of his ass, really struggling. Seriously, the lad probably is not yet match fit, but even so, he was way under par today.

 

We struggled badly to get hold of the ball in midfield, but more annoyingly, when we did get it, we gave it away so cheaply with aimless poor passing, everyone was guilty. And, more worryingly - there was very little creativity.

 

Charlie Austin appears to me to be Marmite on here. My issue is I can't make up my mind. Today, I don't think he trapped a ball or managed to hold the ball and his flick on's went aimlessly to no one, complete passenger to my mind.

 

Last 10 - 15 we went to 4 at the back and to be honest, we look better, not great, but certainly better. We started getting into their half, got behind them a few times and made some chances. Might need to revise the 5 at the back plan.

 

Difficult to find any positives out of today, good to see Maya back - he got the loudest round of applause from the crowd when he came on and frankly played better than anything that had gone before him today. Could be a big season for him.

 

It's only a pre-season friendly so no need to panic. I've been to 2 friendlies now, we've scored zip and conceded 6.

 

Can somebody please advice me when it would be a good time to panic.

 

This is entirely spot on. One bright spark for me was flashes of what Elynousooosssi could bring to us before Liverpool spot one that slipped through. But amazed how clueless they looked about the system. Even Hughes might not last long

 

 

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[DT]

why are we still struggling with the right back position at this stage of pre season?

Its not a difficult position to fill surely our great recruitment team can find one in the whole of Europe. At worst get Ayling from Leeds at least we dont have to put someone there out of position.

At least we could then revert to 4-4-2

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Think Hughes prefers three towering lumps of lard at the back. We Stoke on...

 

 

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[John B]

Just back - boy am I pizzed off.

 

I went to Derby, we got stuffed 3 nil, went to St Marys' today, got stuffed 3 nil, going to St Marys' next Sunday - just saying.

 

It was indescribably bad really, don't know where to start. You would've thought that when they nearly scored after 30 seconds that would have been the kick up the collective arses that our lot needed. MGB had come to play - unfortunately we hadn't. We were slow, sloppy and lethargic all over the park. Our back line is so bad, if you convince yourself it's another team, you can actually have a bit of a laugh watching them. We look all over the place, we don't know when to hold, when to step up, when to play or when to hoof it. I think we looked to try and keep the wing-backs high today, but they looked confused by the whole system and actually barely managed to get into the oppositions half, never mind get any crosses in.

 

I am a fan of Mario Lamina, but the lad just should not have played today. He's just had a baby, and you could tell that he didn't want to risk busting his stitches. Every time he lost the ball (which was a lot) he made no effort to recover and just threw his arms in the air. I watched him on about 56 minutes and he looked to be blowing out of his ass, really struggling. Seriously, the lad probably is not yet match fit, but even so, he was way under par today.

 

We struggled badly to get hold of the ball in midfield, but more annoyingly, when we did get it, we gave it away so cheaply with aimless poor passing, everyone was guilty. And, more worryingly - there was very little creativity.

 

Charlie Austin appears to me to be Marmite on here. My issue is I can't make up my mind. Today, I don't think he trapped a ball or managed to hold the ball and his flick on's went aimlessly to no one, complete passenger to my mind.

 

Last 10 - 15 we went to 4 at the back and to be honest, we look better, not great, but certainly better. We started getting into their half, got behind them a few times and made some chances. Might need to revise the 5 at the back plan.

 

Difficult to find any positives out of today, good to see Maya back - he got the loudest round of applause from the crowd when he came on and frankly played better than anything that had gone before him today. Could be a big season for him.

 

It's only a pre-season friendly so no need to panic. I've been to 2 friendlies now, we've scored zip and conceded 6.

 

Can somebody please advice me when it would be a good time to panic.

 

You are proably right in all you say but why whinge we have a crap squad and possibly a crap owner?

 

Why just support the team and hope for the best?

 

Nothing can be done so lets hope for a better performance next week

[del boy]

I dont think many teams have the intelligence to adapt to 5 at the back, four at the back is what most players are brought up on and can understand....keep it simple

[Wade Garrett]

Looks like Lemina matched his commitment from last season in yesterday's game.

 

I reckon if he carries on like that, he'll get chinned in the changing room.

 

Passenger.

[Saint Fan CaM]

It may have been a friendly, but the key is the manner of the defeat and the amount of improvement seen since the start of the summer. Little has changed...same system, same poor performances and most worrying same poor recruitment decisions (i.e. dilution of team quality). The worst issue is the failure to address the awful lack of attacking quality IMO.

 

Who knows, it might all click into place over the next week. My money is on bottom 5 for a good proportion of the season and some panic decisions come the New Year.

[Wes Tender]

Hughes got it wrong tactically today with the starting line up, selecting the team based on the good performances against Celta Vigo, instead of the team that would be best against Borussia. As it turned out, the better players on Wednesday were mostly poor and vice versa. Armstrong was OK, but not up to the standard he set before. Targett had looked a real prospect, but was poor on the right wing, and in the second half Hughes switched him with Bertrand who did better there. Romeo who was poor Wednesday was much better than Lemina, who had flashes of quality, but far more poor passing and losing the ball and seemingly not that bothered to win it back. The defence was dire, especially Bednarek, who was beaten all ends up for pace for their first goal. The second goal was poor because they were not closed down and able to take a shot from distance, which McCarthy could only palm into his own net. Gabbiadini was OK again with his play near their box, but Austin as a goal poacher, needs service and we seldom had the ball anywhere near their defence. Elyonoussi didn't impress greatly on Wednesday, but showed touches of class yesterday and looks as if he could grow into a very good player once used the English game.

 

Of course it could be that later in the game when we looked far better for the substitutions, it could be argued that BMG had weakened their team and content to be three goals up and not under much threat. But the same could be argued for us, that we were putting on some second or third choice players too. However, with Redmond and Long, we had two players with genuine pace, but not the two best strikers. Yoshida provided both a stronger, quicker defence and also a threat up top at set pieces. I am fairly certain that he wouldn't have been beaten for pace like Bedarek was. Also had Cedric been available, neither would he have been. Stephens also made the defence more secure, but we were under less threat from them, either because they took their foot off the peddle in the searing heat, or because they weren't winning the midfield battles any longer, or had to be wary of us hitting them on the break with the pace of Long and Redmond.

 

In any event, it seemed to me that we might not have done our homework on them, either that, or we relied too much on what we had seen on Wednesday. In conclusion, the match raised more questions than answers and Hughes can't be much closer to knowing what his best team is.

[del boy]

My money is on bottom 5 for a good proportion of the season and some panic decisions come the New Year.

The worry is that two out of the three teams coming up look pretty good, not so easy to find three worse teams this coming season - but lets not get ahead of ourselves

[LGTL]

We are in for a fair few 5/6/7 hidings with this defence, IMO.

[Give it to Ron]

Think Hughes prefers three towering lumps of lard at the back. We Stoke on...

 

 

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i think that's because of the quality of them safety in numbers the trouble there's not one decent one.

Not one positive from yesterday's game...maybe Moi.

Our dumbing down of the squad in the last few years is going to pay.

Look at our bench nearly all Championship at best.

Why bring on Long not Gallagher to give him a chance to shine again?

Sorry if so negative but yesterday was embarrassing

 

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[haddock22]

Lucky these friendlies were at nil cost to season ticket holders or I think we would have had even more unhappy customers

[benjii]

When Yoshida came on he was immediately shouting at the others, pushing people forward, holding the line and generally giving some much needed leadership which was completely absent until then.

 

Yoshi should be our captain.

 

Back 4 with him and Vestergaard.

 

Romeu and Lemina in front.

 

Then Armstrong, Elyounoussi and Gabbi behind Austin or Long, depending on the opposition.

 

Can't believe we've signed a winger as our main new attacker if we're going to play 352.

 

Yesterday was complete crap.

[egg]

why are we still struggling with the right back position at this stage of pre season?

Its not a difficult position to fill surely our great recruitment team can find one in the whole of Europe. At worst get Ayling from Leeds at least we dont have to put someone there out of position.

At least we could then revert to 4-4-2

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In a 4 Stephens will be solid, not exciting going forward, but solid. Yoshida in the middle plus one of the other 3 (Bednarek best of the lot imo, Hoedt and Vestergaard look awful signings) and we'll have a better defensive set up than this back 3/5 gives us. A 433 will give another man in the middle to protect the defence, and the forward 3 will give width from forwards rather than out of position defenders... problem is the club have thrown 30mil plus at immobile centre backs and I'm guessing Hughes will be expected to play them.