Bristol City 3-1 Saints - Match Thread

[Saint_clark]

Just now, Challenger said:

Could easily be rectified with less needless passes back to him.

There was nothing needless about the back pass from Smallbone. Trying anything else would have been reckless.

[SNSUN]

1 minute ago, adrian lord said:

One thing I can conclude is that everyone's streams are lagging by significantly different amounts!

I have proper Sky on, though I had to fight the wife for it as Norwich are on the red button. That said she's now fast asleep on the sofa, full of my pancake batter. (Not a euphemism).

 

[whelk]

Shoudl fine these cunts for state of this pitch

[Farmer Saint]

Let's calm it down a little bit shall we. 

[sandwichsaint]

Just now, Bad Wolf said:

Charles and Smallbone need to go off at HT.

Dont get the Smallbone hate, much more likely to score a goal than cause one. And done a couple of last minute blocks too this half.

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, Harry_SFC said:

Armstrong is poor for us as a number 9. 

Charles has been absolutely horrendous and Smallbone not much better.

Rothwell and Brooks look decent.

Really? I think rothwell has been shite. Given the ball away under no pressure on at least half a dozen occasions 

brooks has been decent on the ball but we’ve not got it to him enough 

[hypochondriac]

Leeds in ominous form. We look more vulnerable but have a good spirit. 

[Bad Wolf]

First save from the City keeper

[Challenger]

1 minute ago, Saint_clark said:

There was nothing needless about the back pass from Smallbone. Trying anything else would have been reckless.

I meant generally, not specifically.

[SNSUN]

Half time. Tf

[whelk]

Note hugely confident

[Saint_clark]

We're trying some overly complicated passes that are never on when much simpler options are available.

[obelisk]

Another first half of walking football but level still. Need to start thinking about winning this game now.

[Mr X]

Terrible first half from us but at least somehow we haven't conceded, will need to be much better second half to break Bristol city down! 

[gammon cheeks]

Zzzzzzzzzz

[adrian lord]

Thankfully, City can't finish. 

[trousers]

1 minute ago, sandwichsaint said:

Dont get the Smallbone hate, much more likely to score a goal than cause one. And done a couple of last minute blocks too this half.

Bad Wolf doesn't like Smallbone. He doesn't mention it very often so I can see how you might have missed it...

[Wade Garrett]

Very pedestrian first half.  Passing has been really scrappy.

[Jack]

No damage done but that really was poor. A better team would’ve punished that performance 

[AlexLaw76]

1 minute ago, hypochondriac said:

Leeds in ominous form. We look more vulnerable but have a good spirit. 

It was obvious we were never ever going to catch Leicester, and our away form against anyone half decent is not good enough (top maintain top 2)...

[skintsaint]

Get the hair dryer treatment going again at halftime please RM.

[Saint Scott]

Charles off for Stu at half time. We always look lost without downes in that holding role

[Turkish]

Shit first half. Massive improvement needed. We have the last so games so hopefully we’ll be better after the break. These slow starts are going to hurt us sooner or later though

[Block41 Saint]

Abysmal performance. 

The midfield 3 is causing us all sorts of issues, God knows who sanctioned spending £12m on Shea Charles. 

[trousers]

S.Armstrong on for Charles

Fraser on for Rothwell

(Please)

[Wade Garrett]

Would like to see Brookes in the middle, with Sulemana wide right and Mara through the middle.  Take off Charles and Adam A who are having a bit of an off night.

[gammon cheeks]

No intensity in our game ..very strange ..hopefully they will have a red bull each at Ht and put a bit more effort in 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

7 minutes ago, Bad Wolf said:

Charles and Smallbone need to go off at HT.

Don’t all the players come off at half time? 😂 

[Saint_Ash]

As Saturday showed, anything can happen in the second half. I'd be very happy with a shitty scrappy one nil to us at this moment. 

[saintant]

Yet another very sloppy half of football - giving the ball away under no pressure and look particularly weak in midfield. Too much walking football and not enough angles being made, playing on the half-turn or getting between the lines. We have no shape and if RM doesn't change it up Bristol will eventually take advantage of our mistakes. Very disappointing half.

[SNSUN]

We have a good bench so it's not over yet. For all our sloppy passing City haven't done much and we have hit the crossbar. 0-0 is the Manning Derby not shabby at half time. Better than 2 nil down like at Hudds.

[goodymatt]

Downes an obvious miss, Charles doesn’t look ready on this showing. Looks cumbersome and nervous on the ball. Not tracking back with much effort either. There’s a player in there but I’m not seeing value for money paid right now. I expect we will over time but when you need to cover for Downes the drop off is too big and affects the way we control games.

[benjii]

No need for a massive inquest, we have just executed too many passes badly. That said, the amount of space they are getting in wide areas is worrying.

Charles is having a 'mare. Doesn't seem to be up to speed mentally.

 

[Lighthouse]

It's not quite time for the slutty nuns but we definitely need to find another gear.

[The Cat]

Best thing about the first half was the 12 year old nipper in the home end giving us a load of shit and pointing at his Stone Island badge.

[sfc4prem]

Nice and calm. We'll pick them apart a bit more second half. Keep the faith.

[whelk]

Just now, The Cat said:

Best thing about the first half was the 12 year old nipper in the home end giving us a load of shit and pointing at his Stone Island badge.

Let’s hope he doesn’t make a slit throat gesture 2nd half

[sfc4prem]

Just now, The Cat said:

Best thing about the first half was the 12 year old nipper in the home end giving us a load of shit and pointing at his Stone Island badge.

Bless him, it's half term after all. Got a bit excited, the wee lad.

[sandwichsaint]

2 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

It was obvious we were never ever going to catch Leicester, and our away form against anyone half decent is not good enough (top maintain top 2)...

Time to step up.

We have Leeds, Leic, WBA, and Ipswich awayl

Win some of those games and we are on our way.

Look nervous tonight, basically need to play every game like a cup game. 

[whelk]

Relax boys. The prem is shite 

[Convict Colony]

God that was shit.

A Armstrong missing in action again and him and edozie are trying to see who can hit the a man the most on crosses or shots.

Charles passing like stevie wonder

Smallbone being smallbone, circulating looking busy but not affecting anything.

Manning just existing

Baz and CBs playing well 

Rothwell and Brooks trying to play faster

KWP got a sore back from carrying the team.

 

Hoped sat was a fluke with how shit we were first half but lets see.

 

 

[Toadhall Saint]

Easily forgettable first half. Too many passes going astray. Can only hope for a better second half.

[lambtiss]

21 minutes ago, 64saint said:

Yes, was just thinking that. Some players you don't realise their value to the team until they're missing 

I don't think that is true in this instance. Most Saints fans would agree that Downes has been immense. 

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

Read in to this what you will, but the teams with 'City' in their name are only winning in two of the Championship games so far this evening.

[Tamesaint]

3 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

It's not quite time for the slutty nuns but we definitely need to find another gear.

Its never too early for a slutty nun. 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Pretty early doors, I was thinking it's going to take another buit of individual skill to get ahead in this one. We certainly went on to have some of those moments. KWP took on more and more of an attacking role at times, Brooks and Edozie also looked likely. Later, we got possession with a couple of things created for AA.

Elsewhere, we really miss Downes. We miss that engine and control. Smallbone has ahd a couple of good positions further up, but hasn;t really been central to anything we've been doing. Brooks adn Rothwell, despite the skill haven't had the time to get fully up to speed with the control with creation. All this isn;t hgelping Charles, who has given the ball away (and hasn;t been the only one) in a flat looking midfield, and hasn;t screened teh defence terribly well. City refused to be drawn in, were quick to press in the middle, and on occassion looked to spring that wide space. Baz did really well racing out for a clearance. It could go either way in the second half. I'd take a scrappy 1-0 win happily.

[Harry_SFC]

I'd certainly get Stu on for Charles. 

Edited 13 February, 2024 by Harry_SFC

[Chez]

Hate seeing CBs walk the ball out. Which we have done a lot. A lack of intensity starts right there.

To be fair, we have controlled the game, as we do, but at times you just feel we are making ten passes when one might do. 

We will turn it up a notch in the second half.

[obelisk]

Leeds seem to have realised that automatic promotion this season will only come from going all out to win games. Saints haven't got that message yet.

[SNSUN]

2 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

It's not quite time for the slutty nuns but we definitely need to find another gear.

Divine inspiration?