Ross Stewart

[Challenger]

6 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

We're three goals away from being the league's top scorers, despite Adams missing an absolute boatload of chances and Mara being useless. I don't think there are any strikers in the league who get more of the ball in the box than ours do, a better player than Adams would have 25 goals by now, from the chances he's had.

Get him involved in the playoffs and we're guaranteed promotion then. But we both know it wont happen one way or another.

[Patches O Houlihan]

RM at the Leeds press conference announced that Ross was pissed off he wasn't in the squad last weekend, and will be on the bench for today's game. Could be a great lift for the team today if he plays 35 mins and scores. (maybe not Che or Arma though!)

[Osvaldorama]

4 hours ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

RM at the Leeds press conference announced that Ross was pissed off he wasn't in the squad last weekend, and will be on the bench for today's game. Could be a great lift for the team today if he plays 35 mins and scores. (maybe not Che or Arma though!)

Why wasn’t he in the squad if he was fit?!

[Patches O Houlihan]

25 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

Why wasn’t he in the squad if he was fit?!

‘Player & manager in disagreeing about fitness shocker’ 😉

[Danbert]

How did the big man do on Saturday?

[Toussaint]

11 hours ago, Danbert said:

How did the big man do on Saturday?

He didn’t have long, but he looks like a big, awkward handful of a striker, quite quick and good on the ball. A bit like Bamford from what I have seen over the few cameos he’s had.

[suewhistle]

I thought he looked deceptively quick, not like a speedy winger and, unlike Sulemanna, seems to know what he's doing..

[rallyboy]

Stewart to only score one goal this season, but it'll be the biggest one....

Maybe?

[Turkish]

9 minutes ago, rallyboy said:

Stewart to only score one goal this season, but it'll be the biggest one....

Maybe?

a late equaliser which takes us to penalties which we inevitably lose?

[saintant]

If Adams isn't fit I'd start with Stewart and see how he does. There are plenty of subs these days if it doesn't work. The last thing I want to see if Adams is out is Mara or AA down the middle.

[Give it to Ron]

53 minutes ago, Turkish said:

a late equaliser which takes us to penalties which we inevitably lose?

Due to lack of practice?

[Turkish]

7 minutes ago, Give it to Ron said:

Due to lack of practice?

Practise is completely pointless, i've got a BTEC in  home economics and my teacher told me that you can just walk up to the oven and make a brilliant spaghetti carbonara the first time you do it, it's a piece of piss.

[Fabrice29]

1 hour ago, saintant said:

If Adams isn't fit I'd start with Stewart and see how he does. There are plenty of subs these days if it doesn't work. The last thing I want to see if Adams is out is Mara or AA down the middle.

No way Stewart should be starting any of these games. He’s not playing any more than an hour presumably so considering his only purpose right now is to nick a goal then he should be held back and be on the pitch at the end of the game if needed rather than having to take him off at any stage. 

[hypochondriac]

3 hours ago, Fabrice29 said:

No way Stewart should be starting any of these games. He’s not playing any more than an hour presumably so considering his only purpose right now is to nick a goal then he should be held back and be on the pitch at the end of the game if needed rather than having to take him off at any stage. 

Yep. He will get 20 minutes at most in the second leg if we need a goal and maybe a handful of minutes on Sunday. 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

4 hours ago, Give it to Ron said:

Due to lack of practice?

Or too much practice and the other team knew about it? 

[saintant]

4 hours ago, Fabrice29 said:

No way Stewart should be starting any of these games. He’s not playing any more than an hour presumably so considering his only purpose right now is to nick a goal then he should be held back and be on the pitch at the end of the game if needed rather than having to take him off at any stage. 

The guy is finally fit and chomping at the bit. If Adams isn't fit start Stewart. He may score two goals in the opening 15 minutes or he may struggle. Either way he's a better option down the middle than Mara of AA and we know how little we'll get from those two especially the former.

[Lighthouse]

23 minutes ago, saintant said:

The guy is finally fit and chomping at the bit. If Adams isn't fit start Stewart. He may score two goals in the opening 15 minutes or he may struggle. Either way he's a better option down the middle than Mara of AA and we know how little we'll get from those two especially the former.

If Adams isn’t fit it’ll almost certainly be Mara in his place and, as much as I don’t rate the latter, that’s the obvious and correct decision. Stewart’s return needs to be managed steadily. Best case; I could see him playing the last half hour, or at a stretch the second half, at Wembley, should we make it.

[saintant]

49 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

If Adams isn’t fit it’ll almost certainly be Mara in his place and, as much as I don’t rate the latter, that’s the obvious and correct decision. Stewart’s return needs to be managed steadily. Best case; I could see him playing the last half hour, or at a stretch the second half, at Wembley, should we make it.

The thought of Mara leading the line in a crucial game like this fills me with utter dread.

[Ex Lion Tamer]

Imagine if Stewart scores the winner in the playoff final. Suddenly that £12m becomes good value

[coalman]

This is where Mara shows why we bought him. You heard it here first.

[hypochondriac]

Is there any suggestion that Adams won't be fit? 

[saintant]

2 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Is there any suggestion that Adams won't be fit? 

Well, he wasn't in the training photos and we know RM is keen on underplaying injuries to keep the opposition guessing - not a bad thing to be fair.

[SaintNewForest]

1 hour ago, coalman said:

This is where Mara shows why we bought him. You heard it here first.

If we start Mara in any of the next 2/3 games, then Martin should be sacked on the spot. 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 hour ago, coalman said:

This is where Mara shows why we bought him. You heard it here first.

And possibly last. 🙂

[AlexLaw76]

9 hours ago, SaintNewForest said:

If we start Mara in any of the next 2/3 games, then Martin should be sacked on the spot. 

What if he is like a beast in training?

[Fabrice29]

14 hours ago, saintant said:

The thought of Mara leading the line in a crucial game like this fills me with utter dread.

2 of these hopefully next 3 games could last 120 minutes. If Mara is such a terrible option, and Adams is out, the best thing would be to start Mara so that you can bring him off when it gets crucial and possibly extended. I’m sure you don’t want to be in a position of needing a goal and having only him to bring on. 

[revolution saint]

20 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

2 of these hopefully next 3 games could last 120 minutes. If Mara is such a terrible option, and Adams is out, the best thing would be to start Mara so that you can bring him off when it gets crucial and possibly extended. I’m sure you don’t want to be in a position of needing a goal and having only him to bring on. 

If Adams is out then surely the question would then be is Mara better than any of the other options we have?  I'd rather play A Armstrong down the middle and we've got enough wide players to cover his absence on the wing.  The plan for Stewart wouldn't change in that scenario.

At this point I'd rather we treated Mara like he was injured and not even consider him.

[Daft Kerplunk]

2 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

What if he is like a beast in training?

[saintant]

38 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

2 of these hopefully next 3 games could last 120 minutes. If Mara is such a terrible option, and Adams is out, the best thing would be to start Mara so that you can bring him off when it gets crucial and possibly extended. I’m sure you don’t want to be in a position of needing a goal and having only him to bring on. 

I don't want him to start or to come off the bench to be honest. Why would you even consider starting him then state you're sure I don't want to be in a position of needing a goal and having only him to bring on? You're alluding you wouldn't want to bring him on when needing a goal but are fine with him starting.

[Fabrice29]

48 minutes ago, revolution saint said:

If Adams is out then surely the question would then be is Mara better than any of the other options we have?  I'd rather play A Armstrong down the middle and we've got enough wide players to cover his absence on the wing.  The plan for Stewart wouldn't change in that scenario.

At this point I'd rather we treated Mara like he was injured and not even consider him.

I actually do agree fwiw, Armstrong down the middle is the best plan B. I was just being facetious based on the guy also saying both Mara and AA down the middle were terrible options.

[Fabrice29]

31 minutes ago, saintant said:

I don't want him to start or to come off the bench to be honest. Why would you even consider starting him then state you're sure I don't want to be in a position of needing a goal and having only him to bring on? You're alluding you wouldn't want to bring him on when needing a goal but are fine with him starting.

Yes. Because the most important part of the game in these kind of games is the end, so I’d like us to be in a position where we would be strong at the crunch part of the game. Stewart simply will not start and end a game, so if AA down the middle is terrible and Adams is out then Mara it should be to get us through the cagiest parts of the game. 

[gio1saints]

Mats has been a great disappointment to me last half of season. First half he comes on he scores- with a great goal to minutes ratio- second half that’s all gone. 

If he is not scoring when he comes on as a sub the only value I And see is if he can give us 45-60 minutes of running the WBA defence ragged. And then putting RS on to take advantage..and that’s assuming Che is unfit to play period. Because if Che is only 75% I’d still play him and still put RS on last 30. Che needs to have a leg amputated not to play in these games, imo, anything else he starts. There are no second chances anywhere this is it. Che must play. 

[Cabrone]

If Adams is out and Stewart is fit then play him. This is cup football, play your strongest team and go for the win.

After what I saw against Stoke Mara should not be getting anywhere near the first team.

[Lord Duckhunter]

I can’t believe people are serious about starting Stewart, what planet are they on? 
 

He may get chucked on in the second leg or final if it’s shit or bust time, anything else will be complete & utter fuckwitery. It’s 2024 not 1924. 

[Lighthouse]

19 hours ago, saintant said:

The thought of Mara leading the line in a crucial game like this fills me with utter dread.

Which is fine a ps a sentiment but doesn’t actually address the issue. Stewart is not fit enough to be starting, so the alternatives are Mara or moving AA out of position. I’d rather keep AA where he’s best and have at least one credible goal threat, so for me it’s Mara by process of elimination.

[Weston Super Saint]

Surely Stephens is the only consideration if someone is needed for marauding down the middle?

[saintant]

If Adams is unfit it will be Mara upfront. His biggest involvement this season was 82 minutes away to West Brom when we beat them 2-0.  

[Miltonaggro]

23 hours ago, Weston Super Saint said:

Surely Stephens is the only consideration if someone is needed for marauding down the middle?

of Tesco...

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

On 09/05/2024 at 15:33, Weston Super Saint said:

Surely Stephens is the only consideration if someone is needed for marauding down the middle?

Plus he will ensure we don't lose 0-5

[skintsaint]

On 31/08/2023 at 19:01, skintsaint said:

Not exactly thrilled by signing a crocked striker. But thems the breaks. 

Still not thrilled.

[Suhari]

He's not in the Spain training images.

Did he actually travel over?

[bugenhagen]

33 minutes ago, Suhari said:

He's not in the Spain training images.

Did he actually travel over?

I have no idea, but the Loch Ness Drogba nickname is really working...

[Turkish]

4 minutes ago, bugenhagen said:

I have no idea, but the Loch Ness Drogba nickname is really working...

the Crock Ness Drogba LMFAO

The Scottish Delgado PMSL

[bugenhagen]

8 minutes ago, Turkish said:

the Crock Ness Drogba LMFAO

The Scottish Delgado PMSL

I just don't think he exists. I know some people swear that they have seen him, but its just a hoax 😉

[Weston Super Saint]

1 hour ago, Suhari said:

He's not in the Spain training images.

Did he actually travel over?

No.

Or Lallana.

[goodymatt]

21 minutes ago, Weston Super Saint said:

No.

Or Lallana.

Lallana pictured today

Edited 22 July, 2024 by goodymatt
Picture added

[Weston Super Saint]

1 hour ago, goodymatt said:

Lallana pictured today

I stand corrected - I read he was staying at home.

[manji]

I’m still struggling to understand why posters are arguing/ moaning about the line up when it is fucking obvious from the way we have been adjusting the squad so far it’s clear we sre still going to be signing / loaning midfield and striking options. 
The way RM spoke about Che  leaving last week he actually didn’t seem that bothered . He must be aware of incoming players and bearing in mind he’s officially involved in the decisions quite happy about the situation.

There can’t be a single member of the management that’s thinking that everything’s sorted and we will be fine in the PL 

im fairly confident we have a certain midfielder incoming ( doesn’t exactly take a lot of ITK to work that out ) and no doubt a couple of striking options incoming. 

[suewhistle]

When does the transfer window and loan window close? How many games will have been played by then, and is it possible some signings/loanees are waiting to see how we perform?

[S-Clarke]

7 minutes ago, suewhistle said:

When does the transfer window and loan window close? How many games will have been played by then, and is it possible some signings/loanees are waiting to see how we perform?

it 'SLAMS SHUT' on 30th at 11pm. Our final game before that is Forest at home on 24th. I'd hope we have most of our business done by then!