Pre Season 2021-22

[Charlie Wayman]

What a save from Forster, world class.

[qwertyell]

h/t

Played okay without troubling their keeper. We still look absent of much attacking plan beyond winning the ball high. Not a lot of progressive passing building up from the back.

Perraud looks serviceable. Elyounoussi isn't embrarrasing himself. Tella lively. It's all... okay.

[S-Clarke]

It was okay, as above. Nothing special really.

I think Levante have had the better chances, bit boring all in.

[Warriorsaint]

So do we think this is more or less the starting lineup with Stu added in somewhere.

che/tella

Romeu/Diallo

Salisu/Bednarek

Do we reckon this is the Spine?

[teamsaint]

5 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

In the one season he played for us before he was sent out on loan he made 19 appearances for a total of 1070 minutes on the pitch - the equivalent of 11 and a half games. Difficult for him to show anything without being given a proper chance.

 

Well you have a point, but he did have enough time to show glimpses, and he never showed even that, IMO. But as I say it is odd, and we may yet get something good from him.Hope so. He wouldn’t be the first to make good after a dodgy start. 

[TWar]

1 minute ago, Warriorsaint said:

So do we think this is more or less the starting lineup with Stu added in somewhere.

che/tella

Romeu/Diallo

Salisu/Bednarek

Do we reckon this is the Spine?

JWP will be in it, and Bednarek/Vest both start over Stephens

[supersonic]

Only 4 subs, star striker sold minutes before kick off and no shots on target LOL 

[whelk]

Who is the co-commentator?

[S-Clarke]

1 minute ago, whelk said:

Who is the co-commentator?

Sounds like Dean Hammond. He's been on busy saints duty today, what with the star studied Calshot kit unveiling this morning.

[waylander]

Where's the rest of the team?

[John D]

2 minutes ago, waylander said:

Where's the rest of the team?

Queuing up at Villa Park

[Viking Saint]

KWP!!!!

[warwicksaint]

Think Perraud looks a definite upgrade on Bertrand. Might be a little too early to say but is definitely quicker and all over the place 

[S-Clarke]

Cracking goal that, really good break from the back, through the middle.

[Saint86]

Yeah deano is the co commentator.

Great goal by KWP there.

But fairly dry stuff so far, but to be fair levante look a reasonably solid defensive side. We're missing JWP and Armstrong, serious lack of movement and creativity when its romeu and diallo in the middle.

Lots of threat down the wings which is good.

Bibao had the best defence outside the top 5 in la liga, so will prove and interesting test for us.

Edited 4 August, 2021 by Saint86

[badgerx16]

And people are asking where our goals will come from.

[Bad Wolf]

Ffs KWP puts us 1-0 up with an absolute cracker...Does he not realise we're trying to have a meltdown here?!

[Saint86]

1 minute ago, Instant Classic said:

Ffs KWP puts us 1-0 up with an absolute cracker...Does he not realise we're trying to have a meltdown here?!

We've looked good in preseason so far, the championship clubs are a week ahead of us in terms of preseason and we've breezed past them both. Fairly comfortable tonight vs levante as well, albeit dry.

[Saints foreva]

Adams has struggled to get involved tonight. 

[Saint_clark]

Tella and KWP getting knocks but having to stay on due to us only having a pair of boots on the bench. Brilliant. 

[S-Clarke]

Just now, Saint_clark said:

Tella and KWP getting knocks but having to stay on due to us only having a pair of boots on the bench. Brilliant. 

The sub situation is really odd, would love to hear the explanation around that. 

[saintwbu]

Diallo been really good, got back that nice turn/agility he had when he first arrived. Perraud getting up and down well.

[Saint_clark]

Just now, S-Clarke said:

The sub situation is really odd, would love to hear the explanation around that. 

Literally the only reasonable and plausible explanation would be that a bunch of players are having to isolate after going for a meal together or something.

[Saint_clark]

1 minute ago, saintwbu said:

Diallo been really good, got back that nice turn/agility he had when he first arrived. Perraud getting up and down well.

Yep been good, he reminds me of Kante (obviously nowhere near as good) in his style of play.

[Saint_clark]

If Stephens accepted he can't pass the ball as well as he thinks he can and kept it simple he'd instantly be a much better player. Needs to be a no risk style centreback. 

[Saint_clark]

Fucking hell Redmond, easy pass was on for Elyounoussi to be one on one or a clear run and shot for himself but he decides to slow down and take an extra two touches so the defender can tackle him. 

[S-Clarke]

Redmond is still as infuriating then. Overthinks too much, hangs on too long. chance gone.

Edited 4 August, 2021 by S-Clarke

[Viking Saint]

Great commentary from Hammond: 'You can always rely on Jack Stephens'.......

to do what???

[MarkSFC]

1 minute ago, S-Clarke said:

Redmond is still as infuriating then. Overthinks too much, hangs on too long. chance gone.

Yep. Shit. He needs to be sold 

[Shroppie]

7 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

Literally the only reasonable and plausible explanation would be that a bunch of players are having to isolate after going for a meal together or something.

Or Ralph wants to test this team for a full 90.

[S-Clarke]

Just now, Viking Saint said:

Great commentary from Hammond: 'You can always rely on Jack Stephens'.......

to do what???

To be fair to Jack he's come on leaps and bounds under Ralph, definitely improved as a player. Not first choice, but we're not getting a better squad CB than him.

[Saint_clark]

2 minutes ago, Shroppie said:

Or Ralph wants to test this team for a full 90.

You don't HAVE to use every sub you name in a friendly. If we ended up down to 10 men due to injury that would ruin any point of the test as well.

[S-Clarke]

FT - 1-0.

Pretty flat game all told, but a decent run out. Not much more to say about it.

[LiberalCommunist]

Oh my god. In the 89th minute, when Long chased down that threw ball, then over hit it with just the keeper in front of him, I felt the whole saints community sigh all at the same time. This season is going to be a struggle.

 

Still looking forward to it though. 

[Turkish]

Only saw second half

why did we only have 4 subs?

Perrard looks good on first viewing. Strong quick gets up and down well

Diallo, KWP, Salisu all looked decent

i actually thought Elyanoussi looked better than I remembered him, not great but not terrible. No idea why Redmond didn’t hit that chance when he created the space for himself, poor but he looked alright 

 

[MarkSFC]

8 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Only saw second half

why did we only have 4 subs?

Perrard looks good on first viewing. Strong quick gets up and down well

Diallo, KWP, Salisu all looked decent

i actually thought Elyanoussi looked better than I remembered him, not great but not terrible. No idea why Redmond didn’t hit that chance when he created the space for himself, poor but he looked alright 

 

Looked better first half. Might, possibly, perhaps, maybe a player in there🤣🤣

[Markyruk]

I feel that in pre season we’ve been getting the ball forward much more quickly than previously. If JWP goes I think we’ll all be surprised at how good a player Diallo is when he gets a run of games.

[suewhistle]

There were positives in there from somebody who remembers quite a few dire pre-season performances. Perraud has decent pace and we may benefit from a younger pair of legs in that position, and not having all our wide attacking from KWP. A few more goals like his would not go amiss. Salisu really covers the ground when he needs to as well, and he's definitely becoming more effective. Mo was better than I remember him, but still not quite there, although physically he seems stronger. Tella continues to impress and beyond a few over-ambitious misplaced passes Diallo played well on the turn. 

When you consider who was not there, and that we finally have a (little) bit of money to spend I'm going to be very cautiously optimistic. Partly because it is so effing depressing to be a pessimist and there are more than enough of those on these boards..

[Warriorsaint]

Flat game but a run out. No real plan or style to the team. For a while there when Ralph came in we looked to have a fast, aggressive pressing team. Don’t seem to see to much evidence of that these days. Seems very much a transition team . Not settled this side. ( I know it’s pre season) I foresee a frustrating season. I hope I’m wrong.

[Give it to Ron]

I guess it’s all opinions but I thought Ely was poor and out of depth his lack of pace is the big problem.

Perraud looks a good buy, Salisu reads it well and his pace helps,Stephens did well, Romeu was very good but my MOTM was Diallo back to how he started last season.

Forster made 2 good saves but Levante had no creativity or finish.

Tella looks lively, we are all pissed off its Vila but if we can get in a poacher who likes tap ins we will be ok as number of crosses that fall to no-one or not quite to us we will be safe.

Delaney in, Armstrong in and would like someone like Chris Wood as back to goal we are awfully lightweight 

[Forester]

Enjoyed that, as I think most people in the stadium did.  Particularly impressed with both centre backs and Diallo tonight.  Diallo best player on pitch for second half.

 

Suspect that Ralph will have four places to make a decision on for Everton, possibly dependent on how things look against Bilbao.  Who to play in goal, who to play with Bednarek, who to partner Armstrong at 10 and who to play with Adams upfront.

[Baird of the land]

13 minutes ago, Forester said:

Enjoyed that, as I think most people in the stadium did.  Particularly impressed with both centre backs and Diallo tonight.  Diallo best player on pitch for second half.

 

Suspect that Ralph will have four places to make a decision on for Everton, possibly dependent on how things look against Bilbao.  Who to play in goal, who to play with Bednarek, who to partner Armstrong at 10 and who to play with Adams upfront.

You are probably right about bednarek being nailed on to start but I don’t think he should be guaranteed. Thought Stephens and salisu had a decent balance to them.

[Give it to Ron]

So JWP was at the game I thought he would have been on the A34 or signing up for Belfry membership as home course?

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, Saint_clark said:

You don't HAVE to use every sub you name in a friendly. If we ended up down to 10 men due to injury that would ruin any point of the test as well.

But if players are on the bench they are not having a night off in front of the tele.

[supersonic]

Pros: Perraud, Diallo, Tella, Romeu, Salisu, Forster, KWP

Negatives: Adams, Moi, Redmond - all can look brilliant, but want that extra second on the ball that you simply don't get at this level.

 

 

[SaveloyMush]

1 hour ago, Forester said:

Enjoyed that, as I think most people in the stadium did.  Particularly impressed with both centre backs and Diallo tonight.  Diallo best player on pitch for second half.

 

Suspect that Ralph will have four places to make a decision on for Everton, possibly dependent on how things look against Bilbao.  Who to play in goal, who to play with Bednarek, who to partner Armstrong at 10 and who to play with Adams upfront.

Diallo was good in the second half, but he was very loose in the first. Romeu looked imperious and played more box-to-box, in JWP's absence, to far better effect, in my view - there were far fewer short sideways, backwards and to-me-to-yous that add so much to James' stats.

Cracking team goal, too, started right in the home corner by a risky, but successful, decision by Perraud, who looked to have plenty about him, again especially in the second half. Whether he gets away with those decisions every week in the Premier League will soon be seen.

Redmond was Redmond (bad) - looks good against Championship opposition, as that is where he belongs.

Stephens was Stephens (not bad at all, in the main) - was there some beef between him and Salisu in the second half?

Saints did not appear to have a recognised striker on the pitch at any time.

[supersonic]

Another positive: 

 

The new kit is stunning in real life. Quite liked us playing in Yellow at home, weirdly.

 

[rooney]

A Special word for Romeu. Not only was it good to see him back but was captain too. He was talking and advising his team mates right from the ko. Good leadership skills shown there.

[skintsaint]

22 minutes ago, rooney said:

A Special word for Romeu. Not only was it good to see him back but was captain too. He was talking and advising his team mates right from the ko. Good leadership skills shown there.

We did miss him massively last season when he was out. Good to see him over the injury.

[Matthew Le God]

 

Full game...