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Saints 2-1 West Brom - Match Thread

Lighthouse

By Lighthouse
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S-Clarke

S-Clarke

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, Charlie Wayman said:

I must have missed something, why will Bednarek miss this game? Suspension or injury? He looked OK at The Den, a bit slow and hesitant but physically OK.

Suspended as far as I can work out. 5 yellows.

  • Like 2
Harry_SFC

Harry_SFC

Posted
Posted (edited)
22 minutes ago, Jack said:

A big part of that for me is a lack of any competent backup. Bednarek has been decent recently but we’re still a decent player short in that position 

I know Holgate isn't great but let's be realistic here, you probably aren't going to get anyone better as 4th choice in the Championship. It's just unfortunate Stephens has a long term injury. 

Edited by Harry_SFC
  • Like 1
Dark Munster

Dark Munster

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, The Cat said:

If this argument works then does it not mean that Nathan Jones is a better manager than Guardiola because we beat Man City last season?

Not even close. That was one match. The comparison here is over 2 seasons. 

notnowcato

notnowcato

Posted
Posted
16 hours ago, Dark Munster said:

And if we lose would you agree they have a much better manager, given the vastly greater resources we have?

Just for clarity...  Munster's point is a judgement on the basis of an outcome of one game.  Of course it's a fucking ridiculous point / question but in the spirit of forum / free speech etc then the answer is obviously, it depends.

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
SNSUN

SNSUN

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Dark Munster said:

He’s a good Championship defender. 

Not to mention he's predominantly played on the right hand side of the centre back pairing for most of his career but is now having to adjust to the left CB slot with THB on the right. He's doing well and our improvement at the back is because we have found a decent settled back 4. I know Poland aren't a huge nation but he has played for them over 50 times and is still just entering his peak age as a CB at 27 so we wouldn't get much better at Championship level. If we make it back to the Prem though, he wouldn't be in my first choice pairing.

  • Like 2
igsey

igsey

Posted
Posted
18 hours ago, saintant said:

Funny how Bree is now considered a big miss if he doesn't play. It took too many games to work out that he's better than Manning.

Didn't take many games to work out that Manning's shit, just who should replace him.

  • Like 1
notnowcato

notnowcato

Posted
Posted
46 minutes ago, igsey said:

Didn't take many games to work out that Manning's shit, just who should replace him.

I think it’s more that Bree is better than Manning at playing the left defence role while KWP is playing high right. 

  • Like 2
Convict Colony

Convict Colony

Posted
Posted
22 minutes ago, notnowcato said:

I think it’s more that Bree is better than Manning at playing the left defence role while KWP is playing high right. 

I concur wing commander, he tucks in tighter when KWP goes.

StrangelyBrown

StrangelyBrown

Posted
Posted
31 minutes ago, notnowcato said:

I think it’s more that Bree is better than Manning at playing the left defence role while KWP is playing high right. 

I wonder if the problem with manning is that we would need a more defensive RB to tuck in when he roams forward and KWP isn't that player - maybe he would play better with Bree on the right? (I'm not advocating dropping KWP btw)

Dark Munster

Dark Munster

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, notnowcato said:

Just for clarity...  Munster's point is a judgement on the basis of an outcome of one game.  Of course it's a fucking ridiculous point / question but in the spirit of forum / free speech etc then the answer is obviously, it depends.

No it's not. Do keep up.

Vancouver Saint

Vancouver Saint

Posted
Posted

1-1

Difficult to call. Think it will be a tight, even game. Heard the same podcast with the West Brom pundit who knew his stuff about his team and concur they're exactly the kind of team we don't want come up against at home, especially when they're on a good run of form. 

I fear a combination of no Bednarek and no cutting edge up front will cost us in the game.

0-1 down with 20 minutes to go...Ross Stewart comes on to equalize.

  • Like 2
St. Ciervo

St. Ciervo

Posted
Posted
On 08/11/2023 at 09:49, Convict Colony said:

Fuck west brom, we take their heads.

15-0 us, loch ness drogba scores 10 the rest are own goals

Locked in for 2-0 Saints now that you gave up on that...

  • Haha 1
Hodgey

Hodgey

Posted
Posted

I heard the guy from the podcast too and if he’s right this is going to be a massive test. He basically said they rarely give chances, are extremely disciplined in shape, and quickly counter only when the opposition is overcommitted. That is basically our Kryptonite at the moment which will be fuelled further by the pressure to attack playing at home.

That said we have better players and if we score first makes the job much easier. If they score first we’ll be in trouble. I’m going for an unconfident 1-0 win here, if we hadn’t had our 4 game wobble a draw here wouldn’t be a bad result, but we did so it would be.

gecko

gecko

Posted
Posted

I'm looking forward to a repeat of the Leeds game... everyone a bit nervous beforehand over their apparent threat. Quickly calmed by an absolute domination in the first half.

It's about time we had a nice comfortable win, where we actually score some of our half-chances like everyone else has done against us so far this season.

Holgate gives me the jitters though - here's hoping that he and THB have been working/training together all week given we already knew Bedders would be out.

  • Like 1
S-Clarke

S-Clarke

Posted
Posted

WBA have sorted themselves out, their manager has always been decent at this level to be fair.

Not sure they have the depth to sustain the entire season, so it will be a play off scramble at best for them, but it'll be interesting to see how we deal with them tomorrow. 

I cannot stand WBA for personal reasons, so this is a game I take to heart - so please don't ruin my weekend saints.

  • Like 1
Saint86

Saint86

Posted
Posted (edited)
28 minutes ago, Hodgey said:

I heard the guy from the podcast too and if he’s right this is going to be a massive test. He basically said they rarely give chances, are extremely disciplined in shape, and quickly counter only when the opposition is overcommitted. That is basically our Kryptonite at the moment which will be fuelled further by the pressure to attack playing at home.

That said we have better players and if we score first makes the job much easier. If they score first we’ll be in trouble. I’m going for an unconfident 1-0 win here, if we hadn’t had our 4 game wobble a draw here wouldn’t be a bad result, but we did so it would be.

They have the 2nd best defence in the league and have scored as many as us. They're 12th for average possession (51.5%), and they're second for goals scored vs expected goals scored (+6 basically), for context we're +0.2.... Pray for bazunu as he is also the worst keeper in the league for post shot expect goals minus goals allowed.... West brom also appear to be statistically tight - and have the 3rd lowest post shot expected goals in the league (13.4) against them (vs our 18.9)... so in short a very good test / measure for where we are now. (https://fbref.com/en/comps/10/Championship-Stats#all_stats_squads_possession).

Note, over such a limited period of games, a lot of our stats are badly weighted by our run of form where we repeatedly passed the ball to the opposition strikers to have free shots at goal... But on recent performances (vs say the Sunderland, Ipswich, Leicester games) I would say we are now a lot better than our stats suggest defensibly, and equally have improved our general possession game.

Edited by Saint86
gio1saints

gio1saints

Posted
Posted (edited)

Great link Saint86! I’ve bookmarked it and will certainly be checking it out over course of the season. 

Even the most cursory of checks can now categorically inform and educate many of the debates on here about the way we play football. 
 

It’s the classic perception versus reality that we all suffer from. Two people watching same match can come away saying that player A was crap on the ball but also Player A was good, or that we don’t get many touches in final third or vice versa. 
 

Straight away some of the mythology about us not getting the ball forward and attacking enough compared to rest of the league put straight to bed.

Just one ( of many) that grabbed my eye was how low vs the rest of league our tackles were. LCFC for example have way more tackles in final third and central areas- they are obviously set up to be more robust in those zones - and it reinforces the perception/ reality that our mf and defenders are a bit tackle / physical confrontation-shy. certainly I don’t think I ever saw Ryan Manning tackle anyone. 😂. 
 

Wether that’s deliberate or not or if it’s a good or bad thing over the course of a whole season remains to be seen - but they are top and we are not and this stat is one of the ( relatively few actually) in which  (points aside) there is clear blue sky between then and us performance stats-wise. 

Dont need to be a football manager to come up with the idea that maybe if we got a bit physically closer to the opposition and actually tackled them more that we may not concede as many as we did - but again , it’s v.important to emphasise that it remains to be seen over the course of a season whether there are benefits to this apparently “tackle-shy” thing we have - perhaps there’s a correlation to numbers of forward passes or forward carries due to being in more space at breakdowns for example- or shots - that we cannot see right now. All interesting ( to me anyway!) 
😇

Edited by gio1saints
  • Like 1
gio1saints

gio1saints

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, revolution saint said:

We're heading into an international break so it'll be a defeat or a draw followed by two weeks of agonising analysis of if, why and how we're terrible.

 

So true, and I might add, even a victory will elicit the agonising analysis of why we are still terrible for some! 

Wade Garrett

Wade Garrett

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Hodgey said:

I heard the guy from the podcast too and if he’s right this is going to be a massive test. He basically said they rarely give chances, are extremely disciplined in shape, and quickly counter only when the opposition is overcommitted. That is basically our Kryptonite at the moment which will be fuelled further by the pressure to attack playing at home.

That said we have better players and if we score first makes the job much easier. If they score first we’ll be in trouble. I’m going for an unconfident 1-0 win here, if we hadn’t had our 4 game wobble a draw here wouldn’t be a bad result, but we did so it would be.

Fuck the guy on the podcast.  Makes it sound like they destroy everything in front of them.  They don’t, or they would be top of the league.

We will fucking hammer them.

  • Like 3
suewhistle

suewhistle

Posted
Posted

Much as I like dancing round the room or jumping out of my seat when we score last minute goals I really would prefer the situation we had against Leeds. Still the Saint's fan's paranoia that they might score etc.... but a so much more relaxing and satisfying experience. How about all the half chances going in for us? Another Boufal like goal? A subs appearance by Stewart with a first touch goal. Sulemanna getting a deserved goal. Bazunu with an assist. A hapless full back giving us an own goal.

I shall have some blue cheese with my meal tonight and dream all these events into existance..

  • Like 3
tdmickey3

tdmickey3

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, gio1saints said:

So true, and I might add, even a victory will elicit the agonising analysis of why we are still terrible for some! 

Genuine question, why do you post this way?

Just trolling for adverse reactions?

  • Like 1
TheAlehouseBrawlers

TheAlehouseBrawlers

Posted
Posted
On 06/11/2023 at 23:24, Wade Garrett said:

They’re West Brom, not Barcelona.

We’ll fucking smash them.  The Loch Ness Drogba will tear them a new asshole.

4-1.

 

On 08/11/2023 at 06:15, Wade Garrett said:

Wash your mouth out son, we’re the mighty Saints.

 

1 hour ago, Wade Garrett said:

Fuck the guy on the podcast.  Makes it sound like they destroy everything in front of them.  They don’t, or they would be top of the league.

We will fucking hammer them.

Someone’s trying hard to get his name mentioned on a rivals message board :lol:

  • Haha 2
maysie

maysie

Posted
Posted
50 minutes ago, Charlie Wayman said:

We came back from a short holiday yesterday only to find three dead mice in our kitchen, so defo will not be allowed out tomorrow to see the match! 

Sorry for your loss.

  • Haha 7
  • Confused 1
AlexLaw76

AlexLaw76

Posted
Posted

Martin Presser v WBA

  • Really nice to have a week on the training ground. 
  • Good to get extra work in the players, there will be a couple of changes to the team, 1 of which if happens is not enforced
  • Feeling is really good, and the players taking real pride and belief, lots of noise in training
  • Been a really good week. Lots of work for some players, and managing other who have had lots of minutes
  • we want to finish this period games as positively as possible
  • Ross Stewart will be involved tomorrow. He is really excited
  • He will be a big player but we have to not put too much pressure on him
  • This is his first full week of training on the grass with tactics in mind
  • we have had to reign him in, as part of his rehab. An absolute dream to work with
  • he will get on the pitch tomorrow depending on the state of the game
  • He is a big lad, massive in fact. Firstly, he is a brilliant goal scorer
  • tried to sign him when he was at Ross County and I was at MK - he turned me down
  • he moves so well, and not impacted by his injury and a really different option to what we have
  • technically, athletically good and his mentality and attitude is really good
  • Disappointed that Bednarek is out. This is an opportunity for someone else. Either Mason or Charles
  • Janny B has been brilliant, really really like him as a character. He is a big character in this squad. 
  • He has been a big reason for us in the last period. He has shown huge courage and now back in the Poland squad.
  • he has been huge for us and the other players really notice, and he is really enjoying it
  • It will be a very different challenge to recent games
  • they have an excellent coach, pose a real threat, especially on the counter and have top players
  • but, we are at home, players really believe, supporters are starting to believe. We have to make the fans proud.
  • We will need to be patient, and quick with the ball. Players may have to work it out on the pitch
  • Like 9
gio1saints

gio1saints

Posted
Posted

Thanks for the great summary again Alex. 👍. 
Always excited at prospect of seeing a CF make his debut - I wonder what that means for our bench? Presumably someone has to make way for RS to be there so if it’s as per what we’ve seen so far this season I think Sekou misses out?  I don’t think it would be Che unless he’s still an injury doubt? 

 

The Kraken

The Kraken

Posted
Posted

“There will be a couple of changes to the team, 1 of which if happens is not enforced”

Most likely candidates S Armstrong, Sully and Alcaraz I’d have thought. Hope Bree keeps his place.

Patches O Houlihan

Patches O Houlihan

Posted
Posted

 

Well Russell has confirmed that the LND will be making an appearance! 🍾

Just a reminder that he...

On 02/09/2023 at 10:30, Patches O Houlihan said:

Comes with his own readymade song to the tune of "Heaven is a place on Earth:

🎼 The Loch Ness Drogba,

Just what we need,

He'll take Southampton to the Premier League,

Oh baby do you know what that's worth,

Ross Stewart is the best on earth

 

 

 

I can't make it. Would love to hear this being belted out and easily audible on the TV.

COYS

 

image.gif

gio1saints

gio1saints

Posted
Posted

From the way RM said it my money is on Holgate for Jan (the enforced change he alludes to) and Bree for Manning. 
RS may make an appearance depending on the state of the game. Scenes if he comes on and scores a 95th minute winner! 😂

Turkish

Turkish

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Martin Presser v WBA

  • Really nice to have a week on the training ground. 
  • Good to get extra work in the players, there will be a couple of changes to the team, 1 of which if happens is not enforced
  • Feeling is really good, and the players taking real pride and belief, lots of noise in training
  • Been a really good week. Lots of work for some players, and managing other who have had lots of minutes
  • we want to finish this period games as positively as possible
  • Ross Stewart will be involved tomorrow. He is really excited
  • He will be a big player but we have to not put too much pressure on him
  • This is his first full week of training on the grass with tactics in mind
  • we have had to reign him in, as part of his rehab. An absolute dream to work with
  • he will get on the pitch tomorrow depending on the state of the game
  • He is a big lad, massive in fact. Firstly, he is a brilliant goal scorer
  • tried to sign him when he was at Ross County and I was at MK - he turned me down
  • he moves so well, and not impacted by his injury and a really different option to what we have
  • technically, athletically good and his mentality and attitude is really good
  • Disappointed that Bednarek is out. This is an opportunity for someone else. Either Mason or Charles
  • Janny B has been brilliant, really really like him as a character. He is a big character in this squad. 
  • He has been a big reason for us in the last period. He has shown huge courage and now back in the Poland squad.
  • he has been huge for us and the other players really notice, and he is really enjoying it
  • It will be a very different challenge to recent games
  • they have an excellent coach, pose a real threat, especially on the counter and have top players
  • but, we are at home, players really believe, supporters are starting to believe. We have to make the fans proud.
  • We will need to be patient, and quick with the ball. Players may have to work it out on the pitch

FFS he didn't say that did he?

macca155

macca155

Posted
Posted

Lots of draws for WBA earlier in the season, and their recent winning run has been against QPR, Coventry, and Hull.

Whilst they shouldn't be underestimated, Saints should win this. However a draw wouldn't be a disaster.

One thing for sure, WBA coaching staff will have looked carefully at the videos of recent games. They'll have formulated a strategy to negate against Martin's tactics. Saints have to expect this as no way are teams going to allow them the freedom they've had so far.

It will be a good test for Russell, especially as the defence will be weaker. Can he adapt and maintain momentum.

waylander

waylander

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, gio1saints said:

From the way RM said it my money is on Holgate for Jan (the enforced change he alludes to) and Bree for Manning. 
RS may make an appearance depending on the state of the game. Scenes if he comes on and scores a 95th minute winner! 😂

No. I see this as Bree fit and he might change another position

  • Like 1

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