Saints 1-0 Bristol City - Match Thread

[Saint NL]

We can't buy a second goal 😂

[OttawaSaint]

Why don't Saints try to get 2 goals ahead? Are they stupid?

[BotleySaint]

How did Smallbone and Adams manage to mess that up. 

[trousers]

Game over

Easy win...

 

[RedArmy]

3 minutes ago, gecko said:

Wednesday just equalized against Liecester; could end up being a good night after all

Anyone that thinks we can catch Leicester needs to put the pipe down 

[Weston Super Saint]

68% possession - job done.

[Saint NL]

All over.

Good result, performance was not a classic.

 

[trousers]

[stknowle]

2 minutes ago, BotleySaint said:

How did Smallbone and Adams manage to mess that up. 

Smallbone gave it to Adams…….

[SNSUN]

Tf for that. And a late Wednesday equaliser too

[saintant]

Scrappy victory thanks to one moment of magic from a quality player. RM needs to use the next couple of days to get this team playing proper football against Cardiff because tonight was dross.

[The Kraken]

Very decent second half performance. Absolutely abject first half.

Much nicer to do it that way.

Baz was great, well done lad. Between him and Flynn Downes for MOTM for me, Clive.

[badgerx16]

Another win in an unconvincing manner.

Are we gaining points whilst playing poorly, and at some point it will all click, or is this as good as it is going to get ?

[notnowcato]

3 points, clean sheet. Love it. 

[Saint_clark]

1 minute ago, badgerx16 said:

Another win in an unconvincing manner.

Are we gaining points whilst playing poorly, and at some point it will all click, or is this as good as it is going to get ?

We're getting results because our players are quality for this league. The style of play is still holding us back. 

Martin needs to switch to getting the best out of the forward players.

[Vancouver Saint]

Joined 30 mins into the first half - we looked absolutely dreadful and should have been two goals down at half-time. Second half much better, the difference being KWP who is a cut above the rest. Played okay, but goodness, we can't keep letting teams stay in games up until the final minute. 

Che Adams so far off his game it's not funny. Manning is just a liability. Shea Charles wasn't great either what I saw of him. Where was Ross Stewart?

[stknowle]

Just now, The Kraken said:

Very decent second half performance. Absolutely abject first half.

Much nicer to do it that way.

Baz was great, well done lad. Between him and Flynn Downes for MOTM for me, Clive.

Baz was indeed excellent. Really pleased for him. THB, Downes, Bedders, KWP very good, both Armstrongs decent. Still lacking something for me, just waiting to see these tight matches turn into the easy wins we should be getting at this level with this squad.

[Ed Rooney]

4 games lost in 18 - 4th position- fuck this shit, can’t believe he is still in a job. Absolutely had it with this club, and as for that fuckin keeper 

[Mr X]

Does Russ ball favour manning because they have the same initials? Just a theory 🤣

[Colinjb]

We seem determined to do this in an almost joyless, labourous way. Despite the ability some of our squad have. 

Not that the three points are in themselves objectionable.

Edited 29 November, 2023 by Colinjb

[Saint NL]

We got a clean sheet

We got a clean sheeeeeet

How shit must you be?

We got a clean sheet

[Saint_clark]

Please start Bree and Alcaraz from now on.

[Mr Brightside]

Great result after the disappointment on Saturday. 10 games unbeaten not to be sniffed at especially when there’s clearly a lot we can improve on. 

[CB Fry]

3 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

Another win in an unconvincing manner.

Are we gaining points whilst playing poorly, and at some point it will all click, or is this as good as it is going to get ?

Still difficult to tell.

But we win on Saturday, that will be 37 points from 19, just a point off 2 points per game, which in most seasons is automatic promotion form.

We're up against 2 teams flying which doesn't help.

 

[Saint86]

Good second half, but i think Bristol city just lost all discipline. We really aren't creating enough clear cut chances though, and certainly not taking them....

End up in the playoffs vs a side like West Brom and we'll get punished.

[bpsaint]

Big win, happy with that, makes the 2 points dropped against Huddersfield easier to take. 

Fuck me though are we absolutely turd to watch. Boring boring scummers should be our chant.

 

[captainchris]

I’m not sure how long it will wash from RM that he is angry with the performances ….

He does the coaching and the play is the same game after game so not buying that it’s the players fault… 

[The Cat]

Good second half, cracking goal.

[Saint86]

Did chuckle when the two city pundits were saying that we'd sold JWP for a lot of money that we were basically the same side, and it was really unfair that we had the parachute payments that allowed us to keep all our players 🤣

[Saint86]

For anyone feeling very optimistic, Leicester dropped points... 

[Jimmy_D]

Great goal, clean sheet against 12, and ten matches unbeaten.

That’ll do  

[Saint_clark]

3 minutes ago, Colinjb said:

We seem determined to do this in an almost joyless, labourous way.

Not that the three points are in themselves objectionable.

What's funny is that Martin probably sees himself as a football purist, and yet it was much better watching Adkins simple style of two banks of four, two quality finishers up top with a fuck ton of motivation and guts thrown in. 

[hypochondriac]

1 minute ago, CB Fry said:

Still difficult to tell.

But we win on Saturday, that will be 37 points from 19, just a point off 2 points per game, which in most seasons is automatic promotion form.

We're up against 2 teams flying which doesn't help.

 

I'm not sure if I'm unreasonable for wanting us to gain points - which we are doing - but also wanting some good performances. I just worry that eventually our luck is going to run out. Maybe I'm just scarred from previous season. 

[SaintBobby]

Ground another one out. Pretty good second half, but we still don’t look like we will ever score more goals than we strictly need.

[obelisk]

Well apart from 15 minutes at the start of the 2nd half that was a hard watch. Three points though but it doesn't exactly get the juices running at the prospect of watching this lot scrape their way through games.

[Micky]

Decent second half, but it took a worldy from a full back, and the goalkeeper to secure those points. We still look pointless and pedestrian most of the time.  Pick the positives out though, 3 points, clean sheet, move on. 

[Ex Lion Tamer]

3 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

What's funny is that Martin probably sees himself as a football purist, and yet it was much better watching Adkins simple style of two banks of four, two quality finishers up top with a fuck ton of motivation and guts thrown in. 

Martin is still waiting for his quality finisher to be fit. We're painfully lacking a big presence up front

[Spoonman]

Very decent second half, but we shouldn’t be hanging on at the end. 
Between Baz/KWP/Downes for my motm. Che and Manning very poor again

[Holmes_and_Watson]

We spent most of the game trying to pass through City. But it was a direct KWP goal that made the difference, with a direct ball to Sule in the first half also causing problems.

It's good to mix up the play. We tried incisive balls through the middle in both Halves. But, we're not quite clicking. Better options go begging, across the park first half, while good central runs not picked up in the second.

Often, when we did try central passes in the second, they were of the riskier variety. Great if they come off, but unlikely to. As the team is built around unlocking those passes up the park, seeing them take those less likely to succeed is frustrating. A contrast/ reaction to playing too safe a ball in the first half. Although not having an end product, pushing City back when we tried them did make a difference, and we were the better team second half. Mixing it up and getting some momentum, if not a goal can make a lot of difference.

Another frustration was seeing the team follow Martin's instruction to pick the sensible option at times to pass it back. Draw the opposition forward. But when we'd done that, we'd then play it slowly forward again, eliminating the advantage we'd just created, allowing them to drop back. Again, that resulted in those riskier through balls. We probably missed Smallbone as the person who can link it together more. But Downes and Charles did fine. Downes even raced back to stop a late City counter. They had a couple of those late on, while we also thumped it forward in the last minute, when we could have passed the clock down. That decision making not quite there.

A win. Unbeaten in 10, so still top of that form guide. And lots for Martin and the coaching staff to take away and work with the players on. Because we can be a lot better, and the players are capable of it. That's going to be something to see, if it happens.

[Ex Lion Tamer]

No i can't say it was convincing, but:

[Saint_clark]

2 minutes ago, Ex Lion Tamer said:

Martin is still waiting for his quality finisher to be fit. We're painfully lacking a big presence up front

Armstrong is second top goalscorer in the league, one of only two players in double figures. We have a quality goalscorer for this level, we just aren't utilising his strengths and the strengths of the other pacy players with dribbling ability up top.

[saintstowin]

I think we had all of one home (league) clean sheet, v Leicester last season. Before that it was April 2022 v Arsenal. I think. It's been bad. 3 in 20 months. 

Good win tonight!

[Ex Lion Tamer]

2 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

Armstrong is second top goalscorer in the league, one of only two players in double figures. We have a quality goalscorer for this level, we just aren't utilising his strengths and the strengths of the other pacy players with dribbling ability up top.

No doubting his finishing but he's not a big presence up front. We need Ross fit and firing. Martin hasn't been given the tools that Adkins was

Edited 29 November, 2023 by Ex Lion Tamer

[The Cat]

Would like to see a replay of their guy attempting an overhead kick in the second half. Everyone around us was pissing themselves laughing.

[austsaint]

20 minutes ago, RedArmy said:

Alcaraz has had a stinker 

Thought he was good - especially in the second half.   Along with Stu, AA, Sule, KWP, he represents the attacking quality and penetration we often lack.

Much better second half yet it took a worldy from KWP to bag the three points, after an abject first half.     Downes, KWP and Bazunu the best with mentions for Stu, AA, Charles and a tidy late cameo from Aribo.     What I liked about Charle's performance was he did everything that Smallbone does except play with his back to goal with default backward passing - he's (Charles) more athletic than Smallbone, and having just turned 20 I see his game developing quickly with more game time.   I don't expect RM to agree, but I think our midfield is better with Charles in it at Smallbone's expense.    

[Saint86]

10 minutes ago, Ex Lion Tamer said:

Martin is still waiting for his quality finisher to be fit. We're painfully lacking a big presence up front

Who is our quality finisher? Do you mean Stewart?

The guy scores predominantly tap ins and free headers, and some very average penalties. There is precious few "quality" finishes with his feet in these highlights. Most of those goals are vs League 1 opposition as well, he'll find it a lot harder to be unmarked or able to just about run past players at this level - let alone the prem. A lot of fans have got blind hope in this guy. I don't see him as any better than Che or Armstrong... each of them adds their own set of skills, and for Stewart it appears to be off the ball movement and decent heading (which we are unlikely to really utilise). I will grant he probably hits the target more than Che though 😅

Edited 29 November, 2023 by Saint86

[Block41 Saint]

I'm glad we got the win but I'm just not sold on RM as a manager. 

[Ex Lion Tamer]

Just now, Saint86 said:

Who is our quality finisher? Do you mean Stewart?

The guy scores predominantly tap ins and free headers, and some very average penalties. There is precious few "quality" finishes with his feet in these highlights. Most of those goals are vs League 1 opposition as well, where he won't be unmarked or able to just about run past players with his fairly average speed. A lot of fans have got blind hope in this guy. I don't see him as any better than Che or Armstrong... each of them adds their own set of skills, and for Stewart it appears to be off the ball movement and decent heading (which we are unlikely to really utilise).

That's exactly what we need! Someone to find a yard in the box, get on the end of a cross and score a tap in

[stknowle]

3 minutes ago, The Cat said:

Would like to see a replay of their guy attempting an overhead kick in the second half. Everyone around us was pissing themselves laughing.

That actually was hilarious. At least he made contact but Garnacho he ain't. 😄

[Saint86]

1 minute ago, Ex Lion Tamer said:

That's exactly what we need! Someone to find a yard in the box, get on the end of a cross and score a tap in

I don't disagree on that. But fans shouldn't be expecting him to be some wonder finisher -  and i just can't see Martin playing to his aerial threat (sadly).

Edited 29 November, 2023 by Saint86