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Saints 5-3 Huddersfield - Match Thread


goodymatt
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The troubling takeaway from today is that Huddersfield, to their great credit, have given the rest of the division a blueprint for playing against us. When we don’t get the ball into the front third quickly enough, and our opponents do, we can really lose our way. But I have every confidence that Martin will make exactly that point. Again.

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I'd have no complaints if we started with that front 4 on Tuesday night. It looked mustard. 

Sulemena and Edozie out wide, Brooks in the 10, Mara up top. Rothwell in CM with Charles as CDM.

The others need a rest.

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Anyone who booed at half time should be utterly embarrassed with themselves. Hope they left at 3-2.

Unbelievable game of football. Can't remember anything like that at SMS for a long time. I'll be shocked if we don't get promoted.

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4 minutes ago, EssEffCee said:

Anyone who booed at half time should be utterly embarrassed with themselves. Hope they left at 3-2.

Unbelievable game of football. Can't remember anything like that at SMS for a long time. I'll be shocked if we don't get promoted.

I think the media picked up on this, but a friend at the game seemed to think it was directed at the abysmal referee 

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1 minute ago, Dr Who? said:

I think the media picked up on this, but a friend at the game seemed to think it was directed at the abysmal referee 

I doubt it,  ut in any case the booing was very minimal. I’d hoped there wouldn’t be booing as it’s all too entitled but tbf it was probably about 1 in 50 people who booed and it lasted about 2 seconds.

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56 minutes ago, Toadhall Saint said:

Pages 6,7 & 8 are good

Just had a quick look.

Very disappointing to see that we lost today and the unbeaten run was over.

It's strange because I swear that when I left the ground we had won but I must have been dreaming or something because it states in definitive terms on this thread that the game was over and we had lost.

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35 minutes ago, Dr Who? said:

That’s it I’m disowning him. I should have checked really. It is possible though, but we have a couple of tough away games now. I have been saying since Christmas that WBA will be when we lose, just one of those away games on paper that look like a banana skin, but even more so as they are doing ok of late. 

I thought that we'd have some problems against some Championship team that would outmuscle us, in the midfield, on set pieces. Caveat of not seeing today, but the players have developed, including getting some challenges in. Smallbone has got better here, as has Mara. is good there and there's THB and Che.

8 minutes ago, CanadaSaint said:

The troubling takeaway from today is that Huddersfield, to their great credit, have given the rest of the division a blueprint for playing against us. When we don’t get the ball into the front third quickly enough, and our opponents do, we can really lose our way. But I have every confidence that Martin will make exactly that point. Again.

When we had that horrible September, Mowbray's Sunderland schooled Martin. Exploit the gaps at fullback, put pressure on us trying to pass it through midfield, catch us on counter attacks etc. I still see these as our weak points. But Martin seems okay with accepting some of those risks, if we can control the posession and can still create ourselves. Helps to have a KWP, but the team are fit enough from playing our system, that we can tire out those stronger teams now.

Just some passing thoughts...

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4 minutes ago, Dr Who? said:

I think the media picked up on this, but a friend at the game seemed to think it was directed at the abysmal referee 

It wasn't at the referee. There weren't loads of boos but you could clearly hear them as soon as the half time whistle went. 

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Posted at HT that I have for a while considered that it's playoffs for us . Still reckon that's the case.

However isn't it great to experience games like that rather than trying to eke out narrow wins against fellow dross in the PL. We really shouldn't set our aspirations to go back to that.

Finally full marks to the manager for the subs today ( albeit some enforced) , Brooks, Edozee and Mara , in my opinion will be key for the rest of the season.

Edited by Challenger
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That was actually a perfect game for us, up against an oppo who was up for it but not quite good enough to overcome us.

If the players were starting to believe the hype then today should have been a wake up call. Play like that first half against Leicester, Ipswich, Leeds or WBA and we'll be 3-0 down with no way back.

Huddersfield have given us a jolt just in time for the big games coming up, take nothing for granted in this division. Bristol then WBA(a) in 6 days, now it gets real.

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Also, I do not see us losing at home again this season, but there will probably be one or 2 slips. Away I only see WBA, Leicester and Leeds as tough away games. Even a couple of these we could win. I know Leeds have got Leicester as well, as Huddersfield away (derby), Boro away, and Cov away. I still think we will just about have enough, but could come down to that last game. 

im sure all of the above will be rubbish and there will be many twists and turns, but boy it is fun! 

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What a really odd game of football, as much of a freak match as the Rotherham 1-1 earlier this season. For all the control we've had in games this season, we had absolutely zero control for at least 95% of that game as we just seemed incapable of keeping the ball. It was pin ball without any real structure or shape, great to watch but not what we've been built on at all. Play like that against much better teams and we don't come back from that, so in many ways a performance like that against a lesser side is hopefully a bit of a wakeup call - without any damage being inflicted.

It's hard to really analyse it as an entirety because there was simply no structure to it. The game was clearly won by the strength of our bench though, having the pace and guile of Sulemana, Edozie, Brooks etc to bring off the bench is such an embarrassment of riches at this level - they'll unlock any defence. 

That first half was so, so, so bad though - let's hope we don't see a performance like that again! As said above, fortunate today that we weren't up against a better side - so they can take that as a lesson! The group certainly has some balls and character though, more than I can remember since the Adkins years.

Edited by S-Clarke
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15 minutes ago, Dr Who? said:

I think the media picked up on this, but a friend at the game seemed to think it was directed at the abysmal referee 

No, it was a few morons directing it at our players. If it had been directed at the Ref then it would have been as he came off the pitch but this was the second the whistle went for half time. 

Great game, great entertainment, and got to give Huddersfield credit for really having a go at us in the first half.

Edited by 64saint
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2 hours ago, captainchris said:

He is indeed woeful ….

He has been every game so far….

Has he bollox just you can’t see a player if he bit you oh captain of the titanic, every game he has improved and drove us on.

Take your head out of your arse and watch

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1 minute ago, jamesfp1 said:

That Joe Rothwell double was like the Jonno Quick double. Both defining moments in their respective eras. 

This season does feel a bit like the L1 promotion season to me, has a similar feel. We had a slow start that season as well.

I remember the tussle we had with Huddersfield that year, we won, they won, we won, they won - it was relentless right until the end. I think we'll see that with Leeds.

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Just now, jamesfp1 said:

That Joe Rothwell double was like the Jonno Quick double. Both defining moments in their respective eras. 

Thought the same thing as I was driving home.

Incredible atmosphere in the second half, loved it. Nothing beats being there for games like this.

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Phenomenal. One of the best games I've been to, beats the Jonno Forte comeback against MK Dons. Rothwell's first goal too, one of the best.

For a lot of the game it looked like we weren't going to hit 25. 2-0 down at half time, and Huddersfield deserved the lead. We didn't test their goalkeeper in the first half. Then the second half started, we blitzed them in the opening five minutes, had two penalty shouts before Rothwell's first and then second. Then the momentum went back in Huddersfield's direction and looked as though it was going to be a slog of a final half an hour, Huddersfield score from a deflection and it looked like it wasn't going to be our day. But, it was and the side never gave up. Tremendous.

Another shout out for Mara, a player, like Aribo, who I thought wasn't going to make it here. He's made a lot of improvements to his game this season and that's a sign of good management and coaching. After years of seeing players decline after joining the club, we're now seeing a lot of them improving, Bazunu, Bednarek, Smallbone and A. Armstrong to add to the list.

Shame the ref was a bit crap. Did nothing to stop the gamesmanship/timewasting from Huddersfield, for a period of time it felt like every time we attacked and the Huddersfield goalkeeper got the ball, a Huddersfield player would hit the deck and then the game would stop and go to a drop ball. He was very weak and held the game up a lot. When there's 13 minutes added on at the end without any major injuries something isn't right.

Oh well, 25 unbeaten, pulling away from Ipswich now and keeping ahead of Leeds with a game in hand. Up the Saints!

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24 minutes ago, Saint Matty 76 said:

Speaking the obvious but seriously worried if Downes is out for any amount of time with the games piling up

Didn’t work with Smallbone in the 6, need to try Charles on Tuesday. Both an absolutely huge drop off

Smallbone was horrendous in there. 

He's been decent a bit further forward but as soon as you give him more defensive responsibility it's a disaster. 

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4 minutes ago, HarvSFC said:

Phenomenal. One of the best games I've been to, beats the Jonno Forte comeback against MK Dons. Rothwell's first goal too, one of the best.

For a lot of the game it looked like we weren't going to hit 25. 2-0 down at half time, and Huddersfield deserved the lead. We didn't test their goalkeeper in the first half. Then the second half started, we blitzed them in the opening five minutes, had two penalty shouts before Rothwell's first and then second. Then the momentum went back in Huddersfield's direction and looked as though it was going to be a slog of a final half an hour, Huddersfield score from a deflection and it looked like it wasn't going to be our day. But, it was and the side never gave up. Tremendous.

Another shout out for Mara, a player, like Aribo, who I thought wasn't going to make it here. He's made a lot of improvements to his game this season and that's a sign of good management and coaching. After years of seeing players decline after joining the club, we're now seeing a lot of them improving, Bazunu, Bednarek, Smallbone and A. Armstrong to add to the list.

Shame the ref was a bit crap. Did nothing to stop the gamesmanship/timewasting from Huddersfield, for a period of time it felt like every time we attacked and the Huddersfield goalkeeper got the ball, a Huddersfield player would hit the deck and then the game would stop and go to a drop ball. He was very weak and held the game up a lot. When there's 13 minutes added on at the end without any major injuries something isn't right.

Oh well, 25 unbeaten, pulling away from Ipswich now and keeping ahead of Leeds with a game in hand. Up the Saints!

To be fair to the ref he added 13 minutes on partly because of their time wasting which could have been crucial if the game was level at 90 minutes.

He wasn't any worse than the normal championship refs.

Edited by The Cat
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What a fucking game that was.

We were shit first half. Make no mistake: miles from our best.

Huddersfield are decent, to give them the credit they deserve.

Fucking love that we chose to take the gloves off and go for it when we had too. Sometimes this season we seem to play safe.

When we let the tiger out of the cage, we can really hurt teams.

Edited by Suhari
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For those picking Manning as your scape goat he gave probably 2 passes away all game  yet Stu, KWP , Adams did loads yet your scapegoat gets flak!

 Maybe get your arse off a forum and go and watch as again today he did nothing wrong and did far better than your b/s posts

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Texted my mate at half time "45 mins to prove they are promotion contenders or play off certainties...." and it took 5.

Subs really stepped upto the plate and can see 4 of the 5 starting at Bristol... Sulemana probably kept on the bench as an impact sub, much like Fraser was.

 

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2 minutes ago, Give it to Ron said:

For those picking Manning as your scape goat he gave probably 2 passes away all game  yet Stu, KWP , Adams did loads yet your scapegoat gets flak!

 Maybe get your arse off a forum and go and watch as again today he did nothing wrong and did far better than your b/s posts

He got stick because the first 2 goals for them their player scored on his sidc and he was nowhere to be seen. 

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Just now, OttawaSaint said:

He got stick because the first 2 goals for them their player scored on his sidc and he was nowhere to be seen. 

So where was the cover for him look who scored for them ! The stick on here was before that go and look again.

Some just need a whipping boy Manning and one idiot picks Rothwell despite the glory players like KWP , Stu etc being worse!

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1 minute ago, OttawaSaint said:

He got stick because the first 2 goals for them their player scored on his sidc and he was nowhere to be seen. 

I’m no fan of Manning but I don’t think that’s fair. Certainly for the second goal Manning was touch tight on his man, but absolutely nobody was picking up the player behind him.

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6 minutes ago, Give it to Ron said:

For those picking Manning as your scape goat he gave probably 2 passes away all game  yet Stu, KWP , Adams did loads yet your scapegoat gets flak!

 Maybe get your arse off a forum and go and watch as again today he did nothing wrong and did far better than your b/s posts

Either you can’t count or Specsavers should be your friend…

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2 minutes ago, The Kraken said:

I’m no fan of Manning but I don’t think that’s fair. Certainly for the second goal Manning was touch tight on his man, but absolutely nobody was picking up the player behind him.

Nope just easier for forum moaners to have a whipping boy even before the goal we’re targeting him when others were worse.

if a player plays bad I call it but today he was no worse than others. 

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9 minutes ago, OttawaSaint said:

He got stick because the first 2 goals for them their player scored on his sidc and he was nowhere to be seen. 

Were you there, or did you deduce that from the telly? 

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