Saints 2-1 West Brom - Match Thread

[SNSUN]

I'm not sure 79 minutes constitutes a late goal for us, but I'll take it! This would be a huge win if we can hang on.

[Disco Stu]

Just now, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Stu?

or Manning?

Should have been Stuart. He's an excellent free-kick taker.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Manning and it's over.

Someone pushed Alcaraz into an offside position too. 🙂

[Saint NL]

7 mins, let's hope there's no late goal this week

[Sheaf Saint]

FFS why not play the advantage there?

[trousers]

Just now, Sheaf Saint said:

FFS why not play the advantage there?

Because the ref is shite?

[Saint NL]

FFS Che, gives away a freekick in a dangerous area

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Stewart had a good run there.

Like quite a bit of the first half, just not seeing that connection there.

[Disco Stu]

Backs against wall stuff now.

[adrian lord]

Che ffs

[Saint NL]

FFS that's close

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Corner-fest!

and a scramble, a miskick and we thump it clear.

[Saint NL]

Good save tbf to Bazunu 

[Sheaf Saint]

4 minutes ago, trousers said:

Because the ref is shite?

Obviously it was a rhetorical question 😉

Edited 11 November, 2023 by Sheaf Saint

[Holmes_and_Watson]

For all the good passing we can do, we're giving it away really cheaply here.

needed to pressure their player to stop the chance there. And another corner.

[SNSUN]

I've been enjoying the football highlights this season, after largely avoiding MOTD for the last couple.

[trousers]

Yay... Full time

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Their keeper comes up for the corner.

Baz makes sure he's the best striker-goal keeper and clatters him. Well done Baz! 🙂

[Saint NL]

All over, great result

[Saint IQ]

Stream was brilliant until it just went down completely whats happening!

[Disco Stu]

Get in there!

[Holmes_and_Watson]

And a win!!!!!!

 

[OttawaSaint]

Yesssss!

[obelisk]

Three points but far from a convincing performance.

[SNSUN]

Saints go marching on. Top spot is still in sight.

[adrian lord]

Excellent, grinding out results week after week.

[Sheaf Saint]

Phew! Don't know quite how we scraped that, but another scrappy win despite not playing well, against a team in really good form as well, is not to be sniffed at.

Get in there! The good times are back at SMS at long fucking last!

[trousers]

[Toadhall Saint]

Wasn’t there couldn’t follow it so glad it’s a win! COYRAWM

 

[trousers]

Swansea with a late goal at Ipswich. Now 3-2 

Edited 11 November, 2023 by trousers

[Osvaldorama]

Fucking brilliant. 
 

Most enjoyable win in ages. We actually have a spine again thanks to THB & Downes. 
 

Bree & Holgate are revived - both solid as fuck today. Just brilliant saints. Well done Martin. I doubted you but you’re building something here 

[saintant]

Great result. No surprise they made us work hard for it but I think we restricted them to one chance on target if the stats are correct so we probably deserved to shade. it. Tough game out of the way with a weakened defence and we go into the break in a good place. Chance to give Stewart more time on the training ground. I think we go into an easier run of fixtures too plus both Leicester and Ipswich have stumbled lately. COYR!

[Saint_clark]

Didn't watch the game but yeah, I'm turned around on Martin now. 

[stknowle]

Well done lads and well done RM. Been (very, after Leicester and Sunderland) critical of him but he is properly turning it round and showing the pragmatism and adaptability he didn’t seem capable of. Also seems like there’s a strong team spirit being built (which tbf he did always seem capable of).

[saintant]

3 minutes ago, obelisk said:

Three points but far from a convincing performance.

They were always going to make this a tough game but they only had one effort on target which was their goal. Was never going to be an easy game and the 3 points are more important than the performance.

[AlexLaw76]

Good game. Both teams defended well. WBA are a very good team and will be up there with us this season.

the 3 subs brought the momentum back from them ploughing forward. 
 

Fair play to Holgate. 

[SNSUN]

Fair play to the coaching team this season, with all these late goals we're showing excellent levels of fitness this season. With Ross now back from injury hopefully we can steer clear of any little niggles and have a really good Christmas period.

[saintant]

Unbeaten in 8 games and a 20 points haul. We are one of the form teams so hope we can maintain the run after the break. Well done to RM and the players!

[Totton Saint]

11 minutes ago, Saint IQ said:

Stream was brilliant until it just went down completely whats happening!

It was brilliant.  Clear picture and excellent commentry

[Charlie Wayman]

Leicester slipping but Ipswich look unstoppable. We'll probably have to beat WBA in the playoffs and on today's showing that's not a guaranteed win.

[rooney]

1 minute ago, Totton Saint said:

It was brilliant.  Clear picture and excellent commentry

Dean Hammond was excellent

[saintant]

He didn't get long but how did Stewart do?

[Osvaldorama]

Just now, saintant said:

He didn't get long but how did Stewart do?

Didn’t really get much of a chance, did some good defensive work and held the ball up a couple of times. He was playing weirdly deep as it was the end of the game. 

[bpsaint]

Massive win that, to not play that well second half but win is very satisfying. Just need to get out of this habit of going to sleep early second half, as well as going to sleep straight after we score, it’s when we’re at our weakest.

Great performances from THB, Bree and KWP. Big mention to Baz and Holgate who have suffered previously but both had solid games. Little bit closer to Leicester which is nice, and finally having a positive goal difference is good to see.

Looking forward to seeing what Stewart can do for us, looks a big lad and he got himself about the pitch in his short cameo.

[saintant]

Just now, Osvaldorama said:

Didn’t really get much of a chance, did some good defensive work and held the ball up a couple of times. He was playing weirdly deep as it was the end of the game. 

Yeah, I suspect he was brought on to add some height when defending corners and free-kicks more than anything.  Still every minute on the pitch is good for his come back from serious injury.

[CanadaSaint]

Great three points, but hard-earned. Some of that is credit to West Brom but some of it is self-inflicted. It's almost as though we go into some kind of mental or tactical "holding mode" after we've taken the lead, and we end up surrendering the initiative.

We were all anxious about our central defence options at the start of the season but, with Stephens due back soon, we now have four strong options back there.

I was disappointed to see Che coming on instead of Stewart because I'm dying to see a Stewart/AA partnership up front.

[Jimmy_D]

Had to work for that one!

Might have gone the other way on another day but today is ours!

Perhaps most impressive is the change in mentality since last season in resilience and responding to any setbacks.

[niceandfriendly]

First half and second polar opposites. Downes, THB and Alcaraz were superb first half. Everyone was really, some of the play from us was crackin’. Knew that if we didn’t get a second that they’d have a good chance second half. 
 

They were by far the better team in the 2nd but we stayed strong and they didn’t create too much. A nice difference to Saints teams of old. Holgate was excellent all game, and thought Charles played quite well when he came on. 
 

Sulemana had a bit of a quiet game I thought, and wish Alcaraz would Be a bit braver at times but can’t complain we are lucky to have him at this level. His pass to SA for our goal was class. 
 

Yay yep ooh yeah. 

Edited 11 November, 2023 by niceandfriendly

[goodymatt]

Fair play to Holgate, proved me wrong today. Had a solid game and made some big tackles. Looked a lot more comfortable on the ball too. 

[trousers]

Three back-to-back wins for the first time in 3 years 👍

Edited 11 November, 2023 by trousers