Saints 4-0 Sheffield Wednesday - Saturday 3pm

[goodymatt]

Avoid defeat in this match and we will equal our all time undefeated league record. Wednesday are much improved, winning their last 3 in all competitions. Will our former assistant end our run? I still think we will have too much for them. 2-1 Saints.

Baz

KWP THB Bednarek Manning

Smallbone Downes Stu

Arma Che Fraser

[hypochondriac]

I have a bad feeling about this one. I reckon our run will end I think in a game we don't expect like this one. 1-2 is my prediction hope I'm wrong! 

[Saint Fan CaM]

They’ve really started to click under the new regime now and have some potency in attack.  Think they’ll be coming into this one with their tails up but if we play to our best, without stupid mistakes and sloppy defending from Manning, we’ll win.

2-1 Saints.

[saintant]

A few weeks ago we'd all have been very confident of winning this one. However, Wednesday have now won three games on the bounce so are clearly beginning to improve. I still think we'll win the game but they'll probably make us work for it.

[Colinjb]

Fair play to Danny Rohl. Wednesday now have a chance of staying up.

I predict a frustrating draw here. Losing ground on Ipswich and Leeds reeling us in.

[AlexLaw76]

We need to overtake Ipswich over the new couple of games. This mean this needs to be a victory.

[JRM]

12 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

We need to overtake Ipswich over the new couple of games. This mean this needs to be a victory.

Ipswich v Sunderland is 5.30 ko so we have a chance to go temporarily 2nd place, would put even more pressure on the tractor boys. 

[AlexLaw76]

3 minutes ago, JRM said:

Ipswich v Sunderland is 5.30 ko so we have a chance to go temporarily 2nd place, would put even more pressure on the tractor boys. 

And a game Ipswich will probably get something from. Sheff Weds are bottom 3, this has to be a win and anything else (even a draw to keep the undefeated run going) will be a terrible result

[sfc4prem]

I can't see anything other than a convincing performance and victory for us in this game.

We'll create a shed-load of chances, miss a fair few of them, but ultimately come out of the game 4-0 winners. Fraser to score one and assist one. The promotion charge continues.

[waylander]

They conceded 2 penalties in 3 mins yesterday - both were saved, but that makes their win look less convincing

Edited 7 January, 2024 by waylander

[The Cat]

42 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

We need to overtake Ipswich over the new couple of games. This mean this needs to be a victory.

Surely we only need to overtake them by the end of the season unless I've missed a rule change where the second place team now  gets promoted in mid January.

[AlexLaw76]

4 minutes ago, The Cat said:

Surely we only need to overtake them by the end of the season unless I've missed a rule change where the second place team now  gets promoted in mid January.

Well done. But our amazing run will not go on forever, ipswich will turn it around and we are still in the midst of our easiest run of games.

I dont fancy our chances of reeling in 6-9 points on ipswich (and stay above leeds), when this run of easier games is over.

Sheff Weds at home needs to be a win

 

Edited 7 January, 2024 by AlexLaw76

[Sheaf Saint]

4 minutes ago, waylander said:

They conceded 2 penalties in 3 mins yesterday - both were saved, but that makes their win look less convincing

I was just going to post the same thing. Yes, they've improved recently, and on paper their win yesterday looks very good, but in reality they are still very limited and vulnerable at the back.

Hopefully their new found confidence will encourage them to attack a bit more, which will play right into our hands by leaving gaps for us to play forward into. But if they do what others have done and park the bus, we just need to remain patient, keep our concentration at the back, and make sure we don't let Alcaraz take any penalties they might concede!

[whelk]

3-0. Men against boys.

[Yorkshire Saint]

2-0 Wednesday. 

We limp on. 

[Lighthouse]

I didn't realise this game went on for four days. Is it a test match?

[The Cat]

4 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

I didn't realise this game went on for four days. Is it a test match?

They don't last 4 days now, that SA v India one the other day was nuts

[Toadhall Saint]

Draw

[East Kent Saint]

1 hour ago, Lighthouse said:

I didn't realise this game went on for four days. Is it a test match?

No they are 5 days ! Used to be to a finish but England had to sail back from Oz so a limit was bought in 🙂

[Lighthouse]

2 hours ago, The Cat said:

They don't last 4 days now, that SA v India one the other day was nuts

You have to feel a bit for anyone who went for a dump on 153/4 and missed the next 11 balls.

[SotonianWill]

Just keep the momentum. 

[sfc4prem]

32 minutes ago, SotonianWill said:

Just keep the momentum. 

Exactly this. Just stay confident, play our game, don't second guess or overthink any passes or play. Just fucking smash them.

[saint lard]

I don’t want us to get promotion. 
but I want us to remain unbeaten. 
I’m  confused. 

[trousers]

The day we overtake Ipswich (on goal difference), if only for a couple of hours, given they play Sunderland in the 5:30pm game. 

COYR!

[trousers]

2 minutes ago, saint lard said:

I don’t want us to get promotion. 
but I want us to remain unbeaten. 
I’m  confused. 

Lots of draws then...?

Edited 7 January, 2024 by trousers

[Convict Colony]

At least we know what to expect from Danny - high press v our ball playing skills should be a good watch

[skintsaint]

Classic 3-1 win. Next.

[Charlie Wayman]

10 hours ago, hypochondriac said:

I have a bad feeling about this one. I reckon our run will end I think in a game we don't expect like this one. 1-2 is my prediction hope I'm wrong! 

Don't worry, be happy! I have a very good feeling about this match, very good indeed. Hope that helps.

[Vancouver Saint]

Squeaky 1-0 victory. Huge game. Wednesday on the up. We need to keep momentum going. First half will be telling.

Unbeaten record could cut both ways...confidence or nervousness. 

[notnowcato]

Calling @Wade Garrett this thread is in desperate need of your impartial, polite and positive predictions. 

FFS we’re just starting to get going, we will have to fight to earn the right to win but cannot see anything but a convincing home win. 

[east-stand-nic]

Sorry to say I think this will end up 2-3 to Wednesday.

[Dman]

On 07/01/2024 at 09:25, hypochondriac said:

I have a bad feeling about this one. I reckon our run will end I think in a game we don't expect like this one. 1-2 is my prediction hope I'm wrong! 

Yeah that's how i'm feeling. They've looked a completely differnt side (results wise) since Rohl has come in - If they play in the fashion of Ralph in his early days, Quick high counter press, then I think we will struggle. We seem to struggle a bit when teams go 2 up top and full press (usually late on in the game).

Much like you, 1-2 - a mistake at the back for at least one 

[saintant]

To read some of the comments you'd think Wednesday was the team with the long unbeaten run 🙂

[trousers]

2 minutes ago, saintant said:

To read some of the comments you'd think Wednesday was the team with the long unbeaten run 🙂

All long runs have to start somewhere....

[Sheaf Saint]

Rohl has injected some energy into their play and got them performing somewhat above their level, in much the same way that Ralph did with us when he first joined. But we have a handful of senior players still here who will have played when Rohl was with us (Stephens, Bednarek, Stu) who will know all about his pressing tactics.

The way we knock it around at the back is most effective (and designed for) when teams press us, because it's all about waiting for the right moment to beat the press and play it forward into the space left by the pressing front line. Their setup should provide us ample opportunity to get forward and create chances, and as long as we maintain our composure at the back and don't give it away cheaply in dangerous areas like Stephens and Holgate did on Saturday, we should beat them comfortably.

[Jack]

Home game against a promoted team = must win 

[gio1saints]

10 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Rohl has injected some energy into their play and got them performing somewhat above their level, in much the same way that Ralph did with us when he first joined. But we have a handful of senior players still here who will have played when Rohl was with us (Stephens, Bednarek, Stu) who will know all about his pressing tactics.

The way we knock it around at the back is most effective (and designed for) when teams press us, because it's all about waiting for the right moment to beat the press and play it forward into the space left by the pressing front line. Their setup should provide us ample opportunity to get forward and create chances, and as long as we maintain our composure at the back and don't give it away cheaply in dangerous areas like Stephens and Holgate did on Saturday, we should beat them comfortably.

It’s the kind of match in which think saints favourites obvs to win but both teams to score might be a good bet. 12/5 if interested 

An ultra aggressive SW press “ may” catch us out once, perhaps even twice but by same token we like playing g through such high presses and shown many times we can be devastating. 

A 4-2 ( 40/1 looks tasty) would not surprise me at all. 

Edited 8 January, 2024 by gio1saints

[Saint Luke]

My first game in over two years so I hope that we win and it's entertaining - from our side of course.

[FarehamSaintJames]

I think our run will end. Complacency will kick in here. Also depends if RM plays the likes of Smallbone and Mara ahead of say Alcaraz and Adams. Not playing those latter two after scoring before the Norwich game was poor error of judgement.

I can imagine our pissing around at the back being punished by some rare closing down of Sheffield Wednesday strikers much like the Ipswich game at the start of the season.

0-1/1-1.

I don’t think we’ll win. Smash and grab from Danny Rohl’s team.

Edited 8 January, 2024 by FarehamSaintJames

[Bakovnetski]

2-0 for The Saints

[Harry_SFC]

Our favourite scoreline...2-1 home win. 

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

Haven't yet seen Wade G's insightful predictions, but as long as we don't play Jack Stephens or Holgate in defence against a pressing team, which would be a concern, I'm expecting another convincing win. 4 or 5 - 1.  

[a1ex2001]

10 hours ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Rohl has injected some energy into their play and got them performing somewhat above their level, in much the same way that Ralph did with us when he first joined. But we have a handful of senior players still here who will have played when Rohl was with us (Stephens, Bednarek, Stu) who will know all about his pressing tactics.

The way we knock it around at the back is most effective (and designed for) when teams press us, because it's all about waiting for the right moment to beat the press and play it forward into the space left by the pressing front line. Their setup should provide us ample opportunity to get forward and create chances, and as long as we maintain our composure at the back and don't give it away cheaply in dangerous areas like Stephens and Holgate did on Saturday, we should beat them comfortably.

Got to agree with this, the amount of possession we have had in most games this season should see there pressing player run themselves into the ground giving us plenty of opportunities in the last quarter provided we don’t gift them anything early.

[Andrew Watson]

Had Cardiff taken a quarter of their many chances on saturday,they could have won the cup tie. If Wednesday are as poor at the back this weekend we will beat them easily.

[Miltonaggro]

3-0 to the Saints, bollocks to Danny’s resurgence, that can wait. Thought for a while now that If we can get in second place ahead of Ipswich and Leeds we are going to take some shifting. COYR! 

[Harry_SFC]

I'd go for this team..

Bazunu; KWP, Bednarek, THB, Manning; Downes, Charles, S.Armstrong; Fraser, A.Armstrong, Adams.

Slightly more attacking line up would be to take Charles out, drop Stu back and play Alcaraz in the 10.

Edited 9 January, 2024 by Harry_SFC

[Wade Garrett]

I couldn’t give a shiny shit about how they’re getting on, or about the German hipster in charge of them.

Fact is, we are the mighty Saints.  We have a well-rested team and we are going to smash the fucking Northern monkeys 4-1.

Stick that in your fucking lederhosen Danny.

[goodymatt]

Listening to the Total Saints pod, their fan suggested they are pressing as a unit and high, just like you’d expect from a Ralph disciple’s team. It will be interesting to see if our playing out from the back is polished enough to take advantage of that or if we might end up giving away a silly goal or two.

I’m feeling pretty confident in our possession footy now, despite the Bazunu error vs Plymouth and the chances afforded to Walsall just after half time at the weekend. My expectation is that we will get plenty of chances to score against their leaky defence. 

[Saint Fan CaM]

It’s going to come down to who has the best clinical finisher(s). If we manage to maintain possession under pressure (I’m thinking mainly Manning and Alcarez here) then limiting their chances will obviously limit the number of shots on target. The one issue I’m slightly nervous about is that when a lesser skilled team presses hard, that can result in injuries to our players when they come in late and now is not the time to lose more of our better players.

[Harry_SFC]

49 minutes ago, goodymatt said:

Listening to the Total Saints pod, their fan suggested they are pressing as a unit and high, just like you’d expect from a Ralph disciple’s team. It will be interesting to see if our playing out from the back is polished enough to take advantage of that or if we might end up giving away a silly goal or two.

I’m feeling pretty confident in our possession footy now, despite the Bazunu error vs Plymouth and the chances afforded to Walsall just after half time at the weekend. My expectation is that we will get plenty of chances to score against their leaky defence. 

The high press is great when it works but if the opposition are good enough to play around it, it can be a disaster, as we found out in the Prem. Once teams had worked us out it fell apart. Sheff Wednesday are now scoring goals with the new tactics but they still look vulnerable defensively. Hopefully there will be gaps in the midfield for our superior players to exploit.

The game at their place was incredibly one sided but their game plan very nearly worked. It'll be interesting to see what tactics they employ this weekend. 

Edited 9 January, 2024 by Harry_SFC