Saints 1-2 Wolves - Match Thread

[Whitey Grandad]

1 minute ago, trousers said:

It was far post, not near post 

Which game are we watching? McCarty was standing at his left hand post. The shot came from his left hand side.

[SaintJackoInHurworth]

When we made complaints against officials a few weeks ago I found it odd that we didn't also complain about Graham Scott for his part in the VAR decision in the match against Villa. Now we have seen him again making dodgy decisions against us.

While most referees have moved on from the crazy interprtation of the handball rule which plagued football at the start of the season, it seems that Graham Scott has used the uncertainty as an excuse to give a big decision against Saints. No doubt he will be on the phone to his mates Deam and Mason to celebrate tonight. 😒

[egg]

Just now, saint michael said:

It’s like watching kids play

Yep. Not one leader out there. Poor. 

[Daft Kerplunk]

8 minutes ago, trousers said:

Just because we started the 2nd half poorly doesn't mean the woeful officiating didn't make a significant difference. It did.

Fans can focus on penalties though, the players should have come out fired up in the second to carry on applying pressure and be on the front foot. Any team playing us that is 1 nil down at half time knows they can come at us early doors and we will fold. We have a mentality problem. Super harsh penalty but that only made it 1-1. We’ve been weak in our attitude yet again. 

[qwertyell]

Fucking hell, six defeats in a row - and Chelsea next, so that'll be seven. Looks like KWP is injured again, so that's terrific.

Snap your hand off for six more points and probable survival. Can't see where they're coming from any time soon.

Still keeping an eye on Fulham and West Brom's results...

[BotleySaint]

3 minutes ago, wooley7 said:

It’s not just the big decisions going against us.  It’s been this way for a few weeks.

I agree. We've not had the decisions in our favour but that excuse only goes so far. Ralph's tactical range for example is extremely limited. Even right now we are fixed rigidly in his way.

Edited 14 February, 2021 by BotleySaint

[OttawaSaint]

3 minutes ago, BotleySaint said:

Starting to think maybe Ralph has taken us as far as he can. Plenty of positives from his tenure but we need some new ideas.

Careful what you wish for. I remember when the same was said about Chris Nicholl. 

[trousers]

Just now, wooley7 said:

It’s not just the big decisions going against us.  It’s been this way for a few weeks. The game is being ruined, never felt so pissed off with football. Can deal with being out played and losing but there are a few games lately that have been decided against us by refereeing decisions.

Indeed. We had plenty of poor second half performances during our 'top 6 form' run in 2020, but we were able to ride out the storm more often than not. Whilst not the sole factor, the woeful officiating has definitely been the straw that broke the camel's back on numerous occasions in recent times. 

[obelisk]

5 minutes left and we continue to fanny around with it in our own half.

[sydney_saint]

I just can't do this anymore

No penalty

No penalty

 

Penalty

Edited 14 February, 2021 by sydney_saint

[Edmonton Saint]

McCarthy’s career record at saving penalties 3/26, Forster 15/37 . 

[Maggie May]

3 minutes ago, The Cat said:

Why is everyone saying game over. We can get back into this.

We had to win this game. I can’t see us getting anything from Chelsea, Leeds and Everton. That’s potentially 10 defeats in a row. 

[trousers]

Just now, BotleySaint said:

I agree. We've not had the decisions in out favour but that excuse only goes so far. Ralph's tactical range or example is extremely limited. Even right now we are fixed rigidly in his way.

Why didn't Ralph's 'limited tactics' trip us up in 2020 as much as they're supposedly tripping us up now...?

[geoffnut]

Two 9-0  defeats and a record 6 defeats in a row. I don't think the manager can survive this.

[Chris cooper]

Don’t like to say it as he has shown genuine passion for our club but awful tatics again no plan b .. get tella on he’s better than Redmond and Adams ffs .. Ralph has to be looked at now

[OttawaSaint]

2 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Which game are we watching? McCarty was standing at his left hand post. The shot came from his left hand side.

Ball went other side of him between his right hand and far post.

[M271]

Get a point at least to get us off the 29 points that we are stuck on. Hope KWP injury isn't too bad.

Chelsea and Leeds next!!

[WokingSaint]

4 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Eh?

What are you in about? The shot was almost  from the goal line.

It went high across his right arm and into the FAR side of the goal

[madge]

6 minutes ago, BotleySaint said:

Starting to think maybe Ralph has taken us as far as he can. Plenty of positives from his tenure but we need some new ideas.

Can you see anyone taking us any further whilst gao remains at the helm.. need to accept that our better players will be gone over the summer.

[Saints foreva]

Two 9-0 defeats. 6 league defeats in a row for the first time in our history. 

Ralph isn't all that. We are very lucky the bottom 3 are awful. 

[BotleySaint]

1 minute ago, trousers said:

Why didn't Ralph's 'limited tactics' trip us up in 2020 as much as they're supposedly tripping us up now...?

It was a new ideas in 2020. Now it's 2021 and everyone has seen it all before.

[washsaint]

Just now, geoffnut said:

Two 9-0  defeats and a record 6 defeats in a row. I don't think the manager can survive this.

Don't be so bloody ridiculous!  Ralph has some severe limitations (as we are seeing) but who else would come in and take on this mentally fragile group and get different results?  This is a poor team that overachieved for half the season and are now underachieving.  

[Whitey Grandad]

Just now, OttawaSaint said:

Ball went other side of him between his right hand and far post.

Yes but that’s not the point. He wasn’t beaten inside his near post and I don’t think anybody said he was. He was beaten at his near post.

[trousers]

7 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Eh?

What are you in about? The shot was almost  from the goal line.

...

Edited 14 February, 2021 by trousers

[Victor]

2 minutes ago, Maggie May said:

We had to win this game. I can’t see us getting anything from Chelsea, Leeds and Everton. That’s potentially 10 defeats in a row. 

Nine?

[Whitey Grandad]

1 minute ago, WokingSaint said:

It went high across his right arm and into the FAR side of the goal

And where was he standing?

[saint michael]

6 losses on trot is more than bad luck

[Mr X]

2 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Really starting to think that we might be starting to have a bit of a problem with Ralph. 

He has been good for us and we won't get better (but maybe we need something different?) He has had bad injuries and bad decisions but at the same time has to be accountable for poor second half tactics and  inability to defend a lead at some point  

[BotleySaint]

Just now, madge said:

Can you see anyone taking us any further whilst gao remains at the helm.. need to accept that our better players will be gone over the summer.

Without knowing who is available its hard to say. But yes, a lack of investment is also working against him/us.

[Dimplex]

So when we play other teams who need an equaliser against us in the last few minutes they go all out, throw everything at us and score. Yet when we need a goal we do absolutely nothing apart from fannying around passing side to side at the back. 

[tajjuk]

What people don't realise is confidence is going to be fragile in this team and we are basically going week in and week out to decisions that screw that team over, how do you think they feel when basically every time they play, the ref is giving the opposition a goal or taking one of those away in a blunder. 

They have basically been playing against 12 men every week.

And goals change games, Wolves don't get that absurd pen, they are not back in the game. 

[Whitey Grandad]

Just now, trousers said:

Have you actually watched the replay? 

Of course I have, just as I saw it in real time. He was beaten at his near post, not inside his near post.

[adrian lord]

The "product" known as Premier League football is emasculated, bastardised junk. 

[WokingSaint]

Just now, Whitey Grandad said:

And where was he standing?

Covering the near post!

[OttawaSaint]

Just now, Victor said:

Nine?

No VAR will take a look and give us 2 defeats for the Leeds game...

[StrangelyBrown]

God i hate wolves cheating dirty cunts. So much diving - time for referees to apply the rules of the game and actually book players for simulation.

[nta786]

I think with Ralph- we know Plan A works- its a good plan, but it is a plan that needs 110% from our players and when you have limited players like we do who don’t make it count when we are on top- then you always leave yourself exposed to an opposition comeback 

I know this is a congested season, but I get the feeling Ralph knows our team is limited technically so the only way to get results against teams is to outrun them. 
I’m not entirely sure what the solution is- do we coach a plan B into this team? What plan B is there when your players are both limited and leggy/tired?

[Saint-Reece]

Pathetic second 45. Every single time. Getting really fed up with this week in week out. 

[trousers]

Just now, saint michael said:

6 losses on trot is more than bad luck

It only takes one piece of 'bad luck' (aka woeful officiating) not to happen for the result of one of those games to have been different 

[Viking Saint]

1 minute ago, BotleySaint said:

Without knowing who is available its hard to say. But yes, a lack of investment is also working against him/us.

If we were to sack Ralph, could we even afford his pay-off?? 

[Maggie May]

1 minute ago, Victor said:

Nine?

Yeah nine. Still embarrassing but you can your MLG medal of pedantisim.

[Whitey Grandad]

McCarty finds touch and Ralph shakes his head.

[hypochondriac]

2 minutes ago, Mr X said:

He has been good for us and we won't get better (but maybe we need something different?) He has had bad injuries and bad decisions but at the same time has to be accountable for poor second half tactics and  inability to defend a lead at some point  

That's my point. There seems to be real issues with protecting leads and the longer it goes on the bigger the issue is going to be. 

[Saint_clark]

Incredible McCarthy. Nothing frustrates me more with keepers than them hitting the ball straight out of play. Just kick it down the middle if you can't kick accurately ffs.

[Barry the Badger]

4 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

And where was he standing?

Gotta love saintsweb, thanks for cheering me up by making up your own definition of a near post goal and then swearing that everybody else is wrong 

Edited 14 February, 2021 by Barry the Badger

[obelisk]

For that bit of poor distribution it should be the final straw for McCarthy. Time to bring in FF.

[Baird of the land]

What an embarassing 2nd half display by Saints, coupled with the fact we didn't take advantage of complete dominance in the first half.

 

[S-Clarke]

You could argue that this team is the worst team in our history. Might sound quite a brash statement to make, but this lot have lost 9-0 twice and have just lost 6 games in a row - the most this club has ever lost in a row in any league.

We are mentally weak, fragile and lack any sort of leadership. When the chips are down we wilt, every single time. That won't change without significant changes in the playing squad, which is something we can't do as we have an owner who doesn't support us.

Long and short of it, we are fucked. No idea where we are heading.

Edited 14 February, 2021 by S-Clarke

[Whitey Grandad]

1 minute ago, WokingSaint said:

Covering the near post!

Covering nothing. What does it matter what side of him the ball passed? From that angle it’s a very narrow target and he has to make it smaller. He’s just not a very good keeper.

[Jonnyboy]

2 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Of course I have, just as I saw it in real time. He was beaten at his near post, not inside his near post.

That's not the way 99% of people use the phrase.