Pre Season Friendlies 2023/24

[hypochondriac]

  On 29/07/2023 at 15:49, James said:

You watching the game or just the score? We’ve played some nice stuff, many more chances and Bazunu has had barely anything to do. Clear we need a striker but we are more than holding our own and this lot are no mugs.

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We've been the better team. Score is mostly irrelevant other than would have been nice to score. We clearly should have had a penalty which would have been 1-1.

[obelisk]

That St Mary's losing mentality is still worryingly present.

[Disco Stu]

Not bad. I think we actually looked the better side but my god do we need a striker. Need to get the witchdoctor backl to sort this home form.

[James]

  On 29/07/2023 at 15:53, hypochondriac said:

We've been the better team. Score is mostly irrelevant other than would have been nice to score. We clearly should have had a penalty which would have been 1-1.

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Agree. Pretty encouraged ahead of the new season. We do need a striker though, that is glaringly obvious…

[Miltonaggro]

Dull as ditchwater last home friendly of the summer.  Same old, same old, unfortunately.

[Zorba]

  On 29/07/2023 at 15:55, Miltonaggro said:

Dull as ditchwater last home friendly of the summer.  Same old, same old, unfortunately.

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This. We’re toothless.

[hypochondriac]

  On 29/07/2023 at 15:55, Miltonaggro said:

Dull as ditchwater last home friendly of the summer.  Same old, same old, unfortunately.

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Lol. Enjoyable game where we played some nice stuff. We have some exciting players this year. If we get that focal point up top then we could be really effective and score a load. Still a few issues at the back but again we will get another cb in which will help. Overall an encouraging game where we probably played the best we had all preseason. 

[Master Bates]

Managed to get on from 43mins.

We're going up one way or another.

Edited 29 July, 2023 by Master Bates

[OttawaSaint]

I didn't watch but 50% seem encouraged the other 50% annoyed.

Why is this?

[Master Bates]

  On 29/07/2023 at 14:33, Ted Bates Statue said:

When the website has struggled for the last few years to play Radio Solent audio, I'm not going to get my wallet out for something that's not guaranteed to work.

That said, have you tried using a different browser?

Hope you get it working either way.

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I used the website for the Women's games when I used to work on a Sunday, awful.

Roll on Friday when I'm back using my trusty radio.

[coalman]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:02, OttawaSaint said:

I didn't watch but 50% seem encouraged the other 50% annoyed.

Why is this?

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Some decent passing. Should've had a penalty but lacking in intensity and the more the game went on the less likely it felt we'd score.

[James]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:02, OttawaSaint said:

I didn't watch but 50% seem encouraged the other 50% annoyed.

Why is this?

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Half watched the game and half only saw the result?

[obelisk]

Have we got steadily worse since last weekend?

[saintant]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:04, obelisk said:

Have we got steadily worse since last weekend?

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Think Reading were very weak opponents.

[hypochondriac]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:02, OttawaSaint said:

I didn't watch but 50% seem encouraged the other 50% annoyed.

Why is this?

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Because some people are annoyed that we didn't score and that ultimately we lost the game. Others understand its preseason and it's about learning the system, getting fit for the start of the season and looking like we know what we are doing. I'm much more encouraged after this game than I was when we played half a team against Bournemouth. I'm not sure our second string are up to much but the first 11 will do very well in this division (even better if we get another two or three signings and everyone can see where we need them.) 

[James]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:06, saintant said:

Think Reading were very weak opponents.

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As we know, a Rueben Selles managed team doesn't really give you too much to think about.

[hypochondriac]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:04, obelisk said:

Have we got steadily worse since last weekend?

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We were much better today than against Bournemouth. 

[BARCELONASAINT]

didn't deserve to lose, ref blind as a bat not to give the first half penalty. Some really nice possession football but we lack a real cutting edge to our game.

 

[hypochondriac]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:08, BARCELONASAINT said:

didn't deserve to lose, ref blind as a bat not to give the first half penalty. Some really nice possession football but we lack a real cutting edge to our game.

 

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This basically. Badly need that striker as quickly as possible. 

[The Cat]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:02, OttawaSaint said:

I didn't watch but 50% seem encouraged the other 50% annoyed.

Why is this?

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It's because 50% of our fans are utter bellends. I'll let you work out which 50% that is.

[obelisk]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:07, hypochondriac said:

We were much better today than against Bournemouth. 

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Not in my view. We were much more dangerous going forward against B'muff. Against Reading we were so much better that it was embarrassing.

Today Saints never looked like scoring.

Still, let's see what happens when the season starts for real.

[The Cat]

We lost 1-0 to a team who got to a European final last season. They will be better than any other team we play in the league this season.

I thought we played well. I enjoyed the style which was a mix of possession and pressing. Once we get the final few players in to suit the style we'll be looking like a very decent team.

[Micky]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:06, hypochondriac said:

Because some people are annoyed that we didn't score and that ultimately we lost the game. Others understand its preseason and it's about learning the system, getting fit for the start of the season and looking like we know what we are doing. I'm much more encouraged after this game than I was when we played half a team against Bournemouth. I'm not sure our second string are up to much but the first 11 will do very well in this division (even better if we get another two or three signings and everyone can see where we need them.) 

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What / who are you classing as our first eleven?

[James]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:10, obelisk said:

Not in my view. We were much more dangerous going forward against B'muff. Against Reading we were so much better that it was embarrassing.

Today Saints never looked like scoring.

Still, let's see what happens when the season starts for real.

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Not sure how you can say we "never looked like scoring" when we had, at a minimum, a stonewall penalty appeal declined. I'll accept that some of our nice looking build up play lacks a cutting edge but think you're being a little harsh.

[saintant]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:13, The Cat said:

We lost 1-0 to a team who got to a European final last season. They will be better than any other team we play in the league this season.

I thought we played well. I enjoyed the style which was a mix of possession and pressing. Once we get the final few players in to suit the style we'll be looking like a very decent team.

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Did they get to a European final? 

[hypochondriac]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:14, Micky said:

What / who are you classing as our first eleven?

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The team who started the game. If you like you can put bednarek in there and maybe Ameyew but that's essentially the team who is going to start the season. The likes of Lyanco, Bree and McCarthy should be nowhere near the starting lineup 

[Zorba]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:13, The Cat said:

We lost 1-0 to a team who got to a European final last season. They will be better than any other team we play in the league this season.

I thought we played well. I enjoyed the style which was a mix of possession and pressing. Once we get the final few players in to suit the style we'll be looking like a very decent team.

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They drew 1-1 with Norwich

[obelisk]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:15, James said:

Not sure how you can say we "never looked like scoring" when we had, at a minimum, a stonewall penalty appeal declined. I'll accept that some of our nice looking build up play lacks a cutting edge but think you're being a little harsh.

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I am indeed saying that our build up play lacks a cutting edge. It has done for quite a while now and we lost yet again at St Mary's so that losing mentality still hangs around the neck. To clutch at the straws of a penalty is desperate even if it was obvious.

Besides that I remain optimistic, just as I was 12 months ago after our 9/10 transfer business.

[hypochondriac]

Would be nice to get a clinical striker in this week who we could bring off the bench just in case it gets to 70 minutes on Friday and we are struggling for a goal. 

[hypochondriac]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:20, Zorba said:

They drew 1-1 with Norwich

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And by rights they would have drawn 1-1 with us. Not a chance are we denied a penalty like that in a competitive game. 

[EBS1980]

The front 3 were all disappointing today.

Edozie running with the ball does win a lot of fouls but he needs to work on his out ball, too often a heavy touch loses it.

Tella was quiet. 
 

Armstrong was ok in patches but wasn’t really ever in the game,

[obelisk]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:21, hypochondriac said:

Not a chance are we denied a penalty like that in a competitive game. 

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No VAR. Penalties will be awarded and denied unjustly all season.

[gammon cheeks]

Need Piroe in ASAP .

[hypochondriac]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:24, obelisk said:

No VAR. Penalties will be awarded and denied unjustly all season.

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That's not what I mean. A referee in a competitive gane would not be denying that. 

[captainchris]

  On 29/07/2023 at 15:28, James said:

Hardly…we’ve played some quite nice stuff at times. Very difficult to please some it would seem.

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You have to be joking! 
That was largely atrocious today.

[Steel City Saint]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:17, saintant said:

Did they get to a European final? 

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Semi final - lost to West Ham

[saintant]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:27, Steel City Saint said:

Semi final - lost to West Ham

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That's what I thought.

[obelisk]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:25, hypochondriac said:

That's not what I mean. A referee in a competitive gane would not be denying that. 

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I've seen plenty of such penalties denied. Competitive games especially.

[James]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:26, captainchris said:

You have to be joking! 
That was largely atrocious today.

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If you thought that was bad then I suspect you are going to be disappointed for most of the upcoming season. Honestly, I don't know what our fans expect sometimes.

[revolution saint]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:22, EBS1980 said:

The front 3 were all disappointing today.

Edozie running with the ball does win a lot of fouls but he needs to work on his out ball, too often a heavy touch loses it.

Tella was quiet. 
 

Armstrong was ok in patches but wasn’t really ever in the game,

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Yeah, Edozie won a lot of fouls but didn't beat the first man too often.  We've seen him do it before so hopefully he gets his act together soon.  Not sure I'd be starting him on Friday unless we've still got injuries.  Would have liked to see Tella involved a bit more too.

Generally thought we were OK and should have been a draw.  Charles looked more comfortable as the right sided CB, Smallbone did well again particularly in first half with his passing and Alcaraz was the best of the lot.  

Looking forward to a competitive game now - friendlies are fine but light years away from a proper league game.

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:22, EBS1980 said:

The front 3 were all disappointing today.

Edozie running with the ball does win a lot of fouls but he needs to work on his out ball, too often a heavy touch loses it.

Tella was quiet. 
 

Armstrong was ok in patches but wasn’t really ever in the game,

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Didn't see the game and only reading the threads but this is the common theme that needs to be addressed. AA & Che are and always will be crap, so like last year, we need a striker.

[The Cat]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:17, saintant said:

Did they get to a European final? 

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Alright, semi final. And nearly beat West Ham who the media were jizzing over for winning that competition.

[manji]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:30, OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint said:

Didn't see the game and only reading the threads but this is the common theme that needs to be addressed. AA & Che are and always will be crap, so like last year, we need a striker.

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I suspect Martin, Mowbray , Wilcox will be aware of this.

[lambtiss]

I've watched 3 matches now where Amo Ameyaw has looked more creative than either  Tella or Edozie

 

[The Cat]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:30, OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint said:

Didn't see the game and only reading the threads but this is the common theme that needs to be addressed. AA & Che are and always will be crap, so like last year, we need a striker.

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AA played alright today. However if we're playing 1 up top with Tella and Edoize wide you are relying on midfielders filling the box which is most likely Alcaraz's job.

One issue with those 3 front players is that Edoize never scores. So he'd have to be contributing a lot of assists or creating multiple chances per game to make up for the lack of goals.

Likely we'll be getting another striker anyway though.

[captainchris]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:29, James said:

If you thought that was bad then I suspect you are going to be disappointed for most of the upcoming season. Honestly, I don't know what our fans expect sometimes.

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You must be very easily pleased 😂

[S-Clarke]

On a pure results basis, this pre-season has been pretty horrific to say the least - but results in pre-season matter diddly squat, and more often than not the teams who have crap pre-seasons actually go on to be better once the season proper starts (That's the positive I'm hanging on...!)

ST situation quite clearly still the problem, and it's really frustrating that we'll be starting our 3rd season in a row without sorting our ST situation out (unless someone comes in the door next week!). Lots of work to do with the squad makeup and so much still in limbo, it's really hard to say how it's going to look come the end of August and gaining any momentum looks increasingly difficult - got a nasty feeling we'll be playing catch up, but it's often more fun that way.

[Dusic]

Everything is basically pending the transfer window.

The good thing is that Martin has shown in a short time he can coach the team to play in a very specific way.

He will basically need to do this again from early Sept when we know what the team will be.

[hypochondriac]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:30, OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint said:

Didn't see the game and only reading the threads but this is the common theme that needs to be addressed. AA & Che are and always will be crap, so like last year, we need a striker.

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Neither of them were crap. 

[hypochondriac]

  On 29/07/2023 at 16:43, S-Clarke said:

On a pure results basis, this pre-season has been pretty horrific to say the least - but results in pre-season matter diddly squat, and more often than not the teams who have crap pre-seasons actually go on to be better once the season proper starts (That's the positive I'm hanging on...!)

ST situation quite clearly still the problem, and it's really frustrating that we'll be starting our 3rd season in a row without sorting our ST situation out (unless someone comes in the door next week!). Lots of work to do with the squad makeup and so much still in limbo, it's really hard to say how it's going to look come the end of August and gaining any momentum looks increasingly difficult - got a nasty feeling we'll be playing catch up, but it's often more fun that way.

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But worth remembering that three of our preseason games were against teams that should be beating us. We could have played Bromley and smashed them but would have learnt very little.