Norwich 1-1 Saints - Match Thread

[benjii]

This is crap. Stephens shouldn't be at right back. Manning is shite.

Should have started with Alcaraz and Adams today.

Sort it out, Russ.

[tdmickey3]

Norwich looking far more likely to score than us at moment 

[Saint_clark]

Stephens turns his back on the ball rather than heading it and it rebounds straight to a Norwich player. The fuck is he doing?

[markr27]

I'm petrified that the Manning Chasm is slowly showing signs of opening up!

[Challenger]

1 minute ago, captainchris said:

Plus KWP much effective as a wing back

It's shaping up for a disappointing game.

[hypochondriac]

Just now, Saint_clark said:

Stephens turns his back on the ball rather than heading it and it rebounds straight to a Norwich player. The fuck is he doing?

Why is he in the team? 

[Saint Fan CaM]

I would like to put it on record that I thoroughly dislike Stephens as RB.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Stephen's back doing it's best to give Norwich an assist there.

[Saint Billy]

Never in a million years

 

[SambaMaverick]

Just now, Saint Fan CaM said:

I would like to put it on record that I thoroughly dislike Stephens as RB.

Me too. Completely unnecessary. 

[FarehamSaintJames]

Who was the muppet earlier that was claiming Stephens being in the team at RB wasn’t a bad shout?

[The Kraken]

Really don’t like this formation. It turns into a 3 at the back and our wings just get massively exposed. Manning looks like he doesn’t understand the concept of playing left back. Also don’t think the positional switch suits KWP, it nullifies him.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Lots of work in the box there. Corner to us.

[Mr X]

Pretty dreadful half for us 

[Jack]

Not a surprise to anyone that we’re not playing great is it? Play your players in their natural positions when you have the option FFS 

[Saint_clark]

Love that tackle from Fraser.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

We could be looking to exploit a big Norwich weakness. They have one of our ex-goalkeepers.  Gunn didn;t get that corner.

[adrian lord]

We need to be 20% quicker with the final passes. 

[Saint Fan CaM]

Just watch Mannings positioning - coming so far inside and forward that he has no chance of acting as a defender whatsoever.

[Saint86]

1 minute ago, Jack said:

Not a surprise to anyone that we’re not playing great is it? Play your players in their natural positions when you have the option FFS 

Looks like he's having a problem making a call on our 3 CB's, and rather than make the tough choice (which is to drop Stephens), he's decided to chicken out and change everything to fit him in. We look okay in possession, but its definitely impacting our attacking play.

Edited 1 January, 2024 by Saint86

[Sheaf Saint]

1 minute ago, SambaMaverick said:

Me too. Completely unnecessary. 

I think RM made a rod for his own back when he gave him the captaincy.

THB and Bednarek have forged such a good partnership while he's been out injured that neither can be dropped, so Russ seems to be trying too hard to fit him in purely because he's the captain.

[SNSUN]

Not watching the game just following you lot posting and SSN. More hoping Stoke win today as whatever our result if Stoke win then it hasn't been too bad a day. Although yes Leeds are winning but still...

[Disco Stu]

The last player you want it to fall to!

[adrian lord]

Hit the post!

[Saint NL]

Oh! So close stephens

[Saint_clark]

Pretty much anyone else in the team scores that 😂

Really good move though.

[obelisk]

Should have buried that.

[Suhari]

Great move that.

Stephens off the bar.

Getting success when we move the ball quicker.

[Sheaf Saint]

Lovely move to set Stephens up there. Desperately unlucky.

[OttawaSaint]

1 minute ago, Sheaf Saint said:

I think RM made a rod for his own back when he gave him the captaincy.

This. He's having to accommodate him.

[Saint86]

2 minutes ago, Saint86 said:

Looks like he's having a problem making a call on our 3 CB's, and rather than make the tough choice (which is to drop Stephens), he's decided to chicken out and change everything to fit him in. We look okay in possession, but its definitely impacting our attacking play.

Prime example there, that chance should have fallen to a midfielder or attacker, instead it went to Stephens - Who much as i like him, can't finish as well as Alcaraz etc.

[Saint NL]

Norwich are a real dirty team 🤢

[Saint86]

How was that not a yellow for Nunez? Blatant kick/trip to stop our attack?

[SaintNewForest]

Ah, Stephens & Manning the scapegoats today then. We must always have one. 

Smallbone is on the bench, so he might be a contender later on to complete the set.

Edited 1 January, 2024 by SaintNewForest

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 minute ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Just watch Mannings positioning - coming so far inside and forward that he has no chance of acting as a defender whatsoever.

This would seem to be him doing exactly as he's instructed.

Our 3 at the back is supposed to act as cover for both him doing this and for KWP to be even more forward. Manning will support all that crisp forward passing, and pops up forward and centrally when the play is well over on the right. Stephens gets a bit of license to go forward when Norich are depending on one up front.

A bit disjointed in the execution of all this. Manning's passing and positioning not offering a massive amount. At best, he's supporting others like Downes and Stephens. KWP's high roaming position not as good as when he was supporting from a bit deeper.

[Maggie May]

Carrow Road is a bogey ground for us.

[FarehamSaintJames]

Adams and Alcaraz on in the second half please.

We should be shooting on sight with Angus Gunn in goal for them!

[Harry_SFC]

1 minute ago, SaintNewForest said:

Ah, Stephens & Manning the scapegoats today then. We must always have one. 

Smallbone is on the bench, so he might be a contender later on to complete the set.

Do you think Manning has defended well then?

[Saint_clark]

Just now, SaintNewForest said:

Ah, Stephens & Manning the scapegoats today then. We must always have one. 

Smallbone is on the bench, so he might be a contender later on to complete the set.

Not watching then? 

Stephens hasn't done much wrong but he hasn't done much right either. KWP would defend just as well if not better and then we'd have an extra attacking threat down the right hand side. 

Manning just avoids the ball when defending so he doesn't have to get involved, it's weird.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Hwang looking for any kind of help on 45 mins. Exactly as he was doing on 11 mins.

As we fail to get those final balls into the danger area, Norwich's plan working out well enough for them.

[trousers]

2 minutes ago, Saint86 said:

Prime example there, that chance should have fallen to a midfielder or attacker, instead it went to Stephens -

I actually thought it was a really good shot from Stephens... Nicely controlled and almost placed to perfection. Much prefer that to the hit-and-hope approach that some players seem to prefer.

[Sheaf Saint]

Leeds 2-0 up now

[SaintNewForest]

1 minute ago, Harry_SFC said:

Do you think Manning has defended well then?

I'm not watching. Just following all you good chaps on here and Twitter. Bit tiresome seeing constant criticisms of the same old players, game in game out.

[Block41 Saint]

HT, Need to improve in the 2nd half. 

[adrian lord]

Needs tweaking at the break. 

[Saint NL]

Half time 

Not the best performance of late, but in a good position to win this.

[trousers]

Leeds 2 up 

[Disco Stu]

Norwich getting a lot of joy on the wings. Get KWP at right back. Stephens off for Alcaraz or Mara. Put Bree on for Manning. Adam Armstrong is playing very well but otherwise disappointing half. Could be 0-1 down.

Edited 1 January, 2024 by Disco Stu

[Sheaf Saint]

Just now, Disco Stu said:

Norwich getting a lot of joy on the wings. Get KWP at right back. Put Bree on for Manning. Adam Armstrong is playing very well but otherwise disappointing half. Could be 0-1 down.

Bree is still injured.

[DT]

Can someone tell Manning to actually mark his man? Useless positional sense