Saint Gifford Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 Seems to me Ipswich have choked, in a rut, they could go on a fantastic run. Leeds are the big guns now, Leicester could fall away……………………… I have no idea how this is playing out. Just top two is all the matters. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 29 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said: very true. Huddersfield next week marks the end of the easiest group of fixtures of all the top sides...thankfully, we have made the most of it Yes the form of the other 3 means we need to be relentless. A 23 unbeaten run and we’re still only 1 point above third and 11 behind top tells you how little margin for error there is 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 1 hour ago, Wade Garrett said: Brooks is going to be a great player for us. Good performance but we can play so much better than that. I didn’t think Stu Armstrong had his best game though. In the fifteen minutes he played, he looked absolute class. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Who? Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 I’m looking out for Leeds more than Ipswich. Would be nice to get the goal difference better than Leeds as it could be very important come the final day. Ipswich are finally dropping away, which I have been saying since October 😂. I still think we are going to lose at WBA and I have no idea why I think that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintant Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 Potential banana skin avoided. Box ticked and onto the next. The coming busy period will reveal how good we really are but, right now, I'd back us against any side home or away. The addition of Brooks has strengthened us and he'll certainly get game time during this run. If he plays well it will give RM a nice selection head ache. Right now our confidence going into games must be sky high and sometimes that is half the battle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry_SFC Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 9 minutes ago, sfc4prem said: Him or Swansea's Not sure about that, he was decent at their place but at ours he was shocking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan The Flames Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 2 minutes ago, Dr Who? said: I’m looking out for Leeds more than Ipswich. Would be nice to get the goal difference better than Leeds as it could be very important come the final day. Ipswich are finally dropping away, which I have been saying since October 😂. I still think we are going to lose at WBA and I have no idea why I think that! Ipswich are dropping away at the moment. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 4 minutes ago, Fan The Flames said: Ipswich are dropping away at the moment. We’ve averaged just over a point a game more than them since the start of November Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint NL Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 What a day, up to second, and we're about to have our record loss beaten by Sheffield United 😂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheaf Saint Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 11 minutes ago, Fan The Flames said: Ipswich are dropping away at the moment. Their recent form is dreadful... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chez Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 Took all of about two touches to reaffirm to me that Brooks is a quality player and he's too good to be playing in the Championship again. 16 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galway saint Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 49 minutes ago, sfc4prem said: Him or Swansea's I think he’s a very good keeper don’t think he’ll want to be a number 2 - far too good for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 That was an absolute doddle, we just took the tempo down in the 2nd half as it was in the bag from the third min really. All over them, we were just a yard better in thought and speed. They had no chance. There weren't any poor performers at all, as per every match over the last few months really - standout for me again was Smallbone though, I thought he was class in some of what he did. Brooks came on and immediately showed a speed of thought and awareness that will be above anyone we've had in that position this season. Onto the next one. This season is reminding me a lot of our L1 promotion season under Adkins. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 (edited) 52 minutes ago, Saint Gifford said: Seems to me Ipswich have choked, in a rut, they could go on a fantastic run. Leeds are the big guns now, Leicester could fall away……………………… I have no idea how this is playing out. Just top two is all the matters. The top 3 is how it sits now in my eyes. Ipswich will fall away, inevitable really - but they've been remarkable. It's between us and Leeds for 2nd, I just hope that it doesn't come down to the last day at their place, as I'm not sure I could genuinely cope! Edited February 3 by S-Clarke 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 6 minutes ago, S-Clarke said: The top 3 is how it sits now in my eyes. Ipswich will fall away, inevitable really - but they've been remarkable. It's between us and Leeds for 2nd, I just hope that it doesn't come down to the last day at their place, as I'm not sure I could genuinely cope! If we win our game in hand and match their results for the rest of the season we will be promoted by then 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedArmy Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 39 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said: Their recent form is dreadful... 23:4 is remarkable considering the shitshow that was September. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintant Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 9 minutes ago, S-Clarke said: The top 3 is how it sits now in my eyes. Ipswich will fall away, inevitable really - but they've been remarkable. It's between us and Leeds for 2nd, I just hope that it doesn't come down to the last day at their place, as I'm not sure I could genuinely cope! Looking at the remaining fixtures you'd have to say Leeds have a favourable run-in as they only face ourselves and Leicester from the top six. We'll need to be right on our game to get across the line but we can certainly do it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gio1saints Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 17 minutes ago, Turkish said: If we win our game in hand and match their results for the rest of the season we will be promoted by then That’s an interesting way of looking at it. 😂🤣🤣🤭 I think there’s a fair chance that’s how it will turn out. Out of interest, how many points or in what range of points do you think we need actually finish on to achieve the automatic place? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markr27 Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 The XI were on it from the off today, and had it not be for the Rotherham keeper it would have been far more comfortable before the intensity reduced second half. The selection on Tuesday will be interesting.... mega changes last time resulted in the worst performance seen since September. Stephens will play, but maybe it'll have to be at RB if KWP is rested. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 7 minutes ago, gio1saints said: That’s an interesting way of looking at it. 😂🤣🤣🤭 I think there’s a fair chance that’s how it will turn out. Out of interest, how many points or in what range of points do you think we need actually finish on to achieve the automatic place? I thought you said the games against Leicester, Ipswich, Leeds and WBA were free hits? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadaSaint Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 46 minutes ago, Chez said: Took all of about two touches to reaffirm to me that Brooks is a quality player and he's too good to be playing in the Championship again. Ridiculous. Not your post but those two touches. Once Brooks and KWP start dovetailing down that right side, some defenders are going to end up needing counselling. I have always loved width, and we have the opportunity to have both sides fizzing. My main frustration today was Manning - not because he was poor defensively (unusually, he wasn't) but because he kept pushing so far forward that he took away the space that Fraser needs for his game. And then he played it square or back for the most part. The change I was expecting - Brooks on, Che off, and Adam Armstrong to the middle - didn't happen. If we'd done that I think we might have bagged a couple more, but I think Martin is managing his squad really well with the fixture congestion in mind. Yes, we're looking at a boatload of games in a short space of time, but so are the other contenders. And that brings it back to squad depth, where we have the edge over pretty much all of them. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Billy Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 It's hard to believe how far Leicester are ahead. They have had a couple of blips but overall I cannot see them being caught. I think we have to concentrate on what's going on behind us rather than above. Leeds are dangerous in my opinion 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNSUN Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 1 minute ago, Saint Billy said: It's hard to believe how far Leicester are ahead. They have had a couple of blips but overall I cannot see them being caught. I think we have to concentrate on what's going on behind us rather than above. Leeds are dangerous in my opinion Ipswich aren't out of it and they made some important signings in January in Sarmiento, Al-Hamadi and Moore but I do think it's a two horse race between us and Leeds for 2nd. We can aim for Leicester but I think they're clear now, we just need to keep our noses ahead of Leeds and their immense fire power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verlaine1979 Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 1 hour ago, CanadaSaint said: I have always loved width Heh heh. 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stripey McStripe Shirt Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 2 hours ago, S-Clarke said: I just hope that it doesn't come down to the last day at their place, as I'm not sure I could genuinely cope! Agreed. Though if (BIG IF) it does come down to that and if (EVEN BIGGER IF) we won, it would probably be one of the best days of our Saints supporting lives. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suewhistle Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 Firstly, thanks to Bad Wolf for the stream link which worked pretty well. That was as routine a win as you will see, and it always felt as if Saints were playing well within themselves. With an FA cup reply on Tuesday and games coming twice a week for some time I've no issue with game management at the moment, although I'd like to see our GD improve. As Tessem said on the commentary, now we're second all we have to do is concentrate on our own game and if we do it well we won't be caught. I didn't immediately realise that we have a game in hand on Leeds although they are still the biggest worry, IMO. Che, KWP and Stu all looked a bit off their game, but it didn't matter. The latter definitely doesn't seem like a 90 minute player any more and thought he'd have come off earlier. Brooks looked tasty in just a few touches, and it will be interesting to see how long he gets on Tuesday. I have my ticket for that game: does anybody know how many we've sold? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redandwhitey Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 Don’t think he can play on Tuesday cup tied against Swansea ? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamplemousse Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 2 hours ago, Saint Billy said: It's hard to believe how far Leicester are ahead. They have had a couple of blips but overall I cannot see them being caught. I think we have to concentrate on what's going on behind us rather than above. Leeds are dangerous in my opinion Leicester should never have been relegated in the first place, that team had a catastrophe and for whatever reason downed tools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greedyfly Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 6 hours ago, adrian lord said: I’d like to think that this is pretty much the table now through until the end of the season! Fuck that, lets flip those top two spots 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Give it to Ron Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 (edited) As commanding a performance as you can get, their keeper was MOTM tells it all. Good chat with their fans in The bluecoat who said the keeper is best player . Bednarek and THB superb but 2 stand out for me were Manning(crossing not so good ) but got forward well, decent defensively, good interceptions , no gifted passes and Smallbone who did lots of fetching and covering and kept it moving unlucky not to score. Thats 4 away league wins on the trot for me and loving it you can stick your VAR where sun doesn’t shine but financially we need promotion. Stayed up and went to Kelham Island Percy St great street food, music and craft beer if in Sheffield check it out even for us old gits it’s nice place. Edited February 4 by Give it to Ron 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAlehouseBrawlers Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 7 hours ago, Greedyfly said: Fuck that, lets flip those top two spots Realistically Leicester are not chucking away enough points for anyone to catch them. They’ve probably got a more ruthless edge to them, scoring 5 away in a midlands derby - we should have been 4 or 5 up by halftime in the last 2 away league games but have relaxed the pace and intensity second half. Not complaining, it’s likely tactical as we could probably up the tempo if required. And yesterday Vik the Viking was their MOTM (in both fixtures against us -unfortunately for them they’ll lose him in the summer) but the ratio of chances created to converted could improve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRM Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 8 hours ago, redandwhitey said: Don’t think he can play on Tuesday cup tied against Swansea ? Correct, surprised he didn't get more minutes yesterday in place of someone who can play on Tuesday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rooney Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 Grateful too to Bad Wolf for the stream. That second goal from Bellis. Fraser and Adams was sheer class. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRM Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 Good away day, funny place Rotherham, felt a bit sorry for them chatting to a couple of their fans pre match - completely resigned to relegation with no hope of putting up a fight, shame they have Leeds away next. Definitely felt like we were holding back a bit, trying to get through the 90 mins whilst preserving energy. Hopefully no injuries looked like Flynn Downes got a knock. Was always going to be a popular trip with people keen to tick the ground off, weird seeing the old ground still there would have thought it would be knocked down by now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRM Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 Looking at the table would be good to top the goal difference up a bit, could be worth an extra point to Leeds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Convict Colony Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 I am writing off Ipswich yet, win their game in hand and they are back above Leeds. For this season we've been hunting now we become the hunted. Liked what I saw from Brooks as all above looks fast and quick of mind. Out of the team who started thought Che and Stuey werent on it today and defensively they kept getting behind manning. Expect we will see armstrong in centre soon with brooks and fraser off him, that could be epic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barsiem Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 12 hours ago, Sheaf Saint said: Their recent form is dreadful... I love that table! Joint most points, with a game in hand, best defensive record (less than a goal every two games), 2nd best offensive record, best goal difference. Really shows how far we've come this season 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheaf Saint Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 (edited) 7 hours ago, Give it to Ron said: Stayed up and went to Kelham Island Percy St great street food, music and craft beer if in Sheffield check it out even for us old gits it’s nice place. Kelham Island is great. So many good street food and craft beer venues have opened up in recent years. Edited February 4 by Sheaf Saint 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheaf Saint Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 1 hour ago, TheAlehouseBrawlers said: Realistically Leicester are not chucking away enough points for anyone to catch them. They’ve probably got a more ruthless edge to them, scoring 5 away in a midlands derby - we should have been 4 or 5 up by halftime in the last 2 away league games but have relaxed the pace and intensity second half. Not complaining, it’s likely tactical as we could probably up the tempo if required. And yesterday Vik the Viking was their MOTM (in both fixtures against us -unfortunately for them they’ll lose him in the summer) but the ratio of chances created to converted could improve. Midlands derby??? Stoke is closer to Liverpool than it is to Leicester. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weston Super Saint Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 12 hours ago, gio1saints said: That’s an interesting way of looking at it. 😂🤣🤣🤭 I think there’s a fair chance that’s how it will turn out. Out of interest, how many points or in what range of points do you think we need actually finish on to achieve the automatic place? One more than the team in third place. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan The Flames Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 13 hours ago, Turkish said: We’ve averaged just over a point a game more than them since the start of November 13 hours ago, Sheaf Saint said: Their recent form is dreadful... Yes they had a pretty shit Christmas, and their poor form is down to too many draws, that can be fixed. They are still very much in the race for second. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGTL Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 (edited) Good trip. Decent night on Friday in Sheffield which is a great place. Rotherham is your typical northern town that’s dwarfed by a big city nearby, the locals all seemed friendly enough though. The game was extremely comfortable right from the offset and it was clear that we were going through the motions second half. Without their excellent goalkeeper it would have been 4 or 5. Brooks is a brilliant signing and will prove to be too good at this level. It’s going to be a brilliant run-in, and I think it’ll go right down to that last game at Elland Road. Edited February 4 by LGTL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miltonaggro Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 Starting to feel rather like those promotion seasons under Adkins now, though sacrilege, personally I prefer watching this team - the loanee express! For my youngest boy it’s his first season with a season ticket and I’ve been saying for months (to him and on here) to take stock end of January. Also that Saints will need to forget about sides alongside and concentrate on ticking along, like a metronome. For auto promotion in the football league you need a bit of Terminator or Anton Chigurh about you. Here we are. The recent run of games over December and January has built genuine confidence and its hard to see us losing that now, of course we may blip, but likelihood is it will just be a blip not coming off the rails. There is too much quality and pride in this side for that now in my opinion. I also think that we win our game in hand and that by the time we play Leeds we are likely to already be up. Fraser has said the target for this side is now Leicester and I think that’s the internal focus now. So many Saints sides over the years would have lost or drawn those two away games at Swansea or Rotherham, not this team. You could see yesterday that Saints had a second and third gear in reserve and appeared to be conserving energy, the measure of the best teams. Brooks in his cameo looked a class apart, and we know that the likes of KWP, THB, Fraser and Downes already are. It’s in our hands now and I think eyes are on the prize - good times after years of gruel. COYR! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulwantsapint81 Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 14 hours ago, Harry_SFC said: Would anyone take their keeper as our Number 2 next season? Is he a great keeper or (love him as we do) like KD a good shot stopper when facing an onslaught saving 8 out of 10 but team still concede & lose? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheaf Saint Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 9 minutes ago, LGTL said: Rotherham is your typical northern town that’s dwarfed by a big city nearby, the locals all seemed friendly enough though. Rotherham is to Sheffield what Eastliegh is to Southampton. Like a chavvy neighbour with an old sofa and broken washing machine in the front garden, being regularly visited by the police and lowering the tone of the area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miserableoldgit Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 16 hours ago, Mr X said: We aren't comfortably in second place at the moment though But I shall be Comfortably Numb if we FINISH in second place...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miserableoldgit Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 44 minutes ago, Paulwantsapint81 said: Is he a great keeper or (love him as we do) like KD a good shot stopper when facing an onslaught saving 8 out of 10 but team still concede & lose? I would have thought that any keeper that saves 8 out of ten shots per game would be worth looking at..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry_SFC Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 46 minutes ago, Paulwantsapint81 said: Is he a great keeper or (love him as we do) like KD a good shot stopper when facing an onslaught saving 8 out of 10 but team still concede & lose? Maybe but I had a look back on some threads on X and it seems like most other teams fans who face Rotherham also think he is one of the best keepers in the league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypochondriac Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 2 hours ago, Barsiem said: I love that table! Joint most points, with a game in hand, best defensive record (less than a goal every two games), 2nd best offensive record, best goal difference. Really shows how far we've come this season And last game it was the best offensive record (Leicester scoring 5 puts them ahead.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Wayman Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 11 hours ago, Pamplemousse said: Leicester should never have been relegated in the first place, that team had a catastrophe and for whatever reason downed tools. It's a moot point. If the three that came down last season go back up and the three that went up last season come back down it will probably confirm your suspicion and also the more general point that the more established teams in the PL are so far ahead of the Championship level that relegation and promotion are becoming an irritating necessity. I'm not advocating for a closed league but where we go from there is challenging. Time for a two tier PL of 16 teams in each? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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