Saints 3-0 PNE - Match Thread

[Harry_SFC]

Another big week with Preston up first.

Will be interesting to see how they set up. Teams have caused us problems when their press has been right but Millwall played a low block and we struggled with that too. 

What we thinking, Bree in for Manning and hope KWP is back on the right?

Aribo in for Stu possibly as we know he struggles with 3 game weeks.

 

[sfc4prem]

The game up there was ridiculous. Seem to remember one of their defenders making a run and finishing like a prime Rivaldo before Bazunu's quasi-heroics.

Can't see us doing what we did against Bristol, Hull or Millwall. Surely a victory for us on the cards for this one.

[Dr Who?]

Preston have hit a bit of form, when we played them up in Preston they were in free fall. I think they will make it hard for us, but I think once we make the breakthrough we will win this and keep a clean sheet. 

3-0

[Andrew Watson]

6 points from the next 2 home games is an obvious must. Probably as a pair of games they are more difficult than Hull and Millwall,however as we have been total rubbish in our last 3 home games including Huddersfield, would any Saints fan bet on 6 points. For the record I think they are both pretty average and we owe Sunderland for the hammering up there and great to see Clarke is out.

[kwsaint]

Leicester, Ipswich and Leeds all play on the Tuesday. Be interesting to see if any drop points.

[Harry_SFC]

7 hours ago, Andrew Watson said:

6 points from the next 2 home games is an obvious must. Probably as a pair of games they are more difficult than Hull and Millwall,however as we have been total rubbish in our last 3 home games including Huddersfield, would any Saints fan bet on 6 points. For the record I think they are both pretty average and we owe Sunderland for the hammering up there and great to see Clarke is out.

Sunderland are an absolute mess at the moment. Fans really disgruntled and all of a sudden they are nowhere near the play offs.

Preston are in better form but other than their win against Coventry last week aren't great away from home.

As you say, anything other than 6 points is a big failure.

[Yorkshire Saint]

Lumley

Stephens RB

Bree LB

THB

Bednerak 

Downes

Smallbone

Aribo

A Armstrong 

Che

Brooks

Subs

Baz

Manning

S Armstrong 

Sullemana 

Edozie

Etc 

[Toussaint]

8 hours ago, Dr Who? said:

Preston have hit a bit of form, when we played them up in Preston they were in free fall. I think they will make it hard for us, but I think once we make the breakthrough we will win this and keep a clean sheet. 

3-0

indeed they have 

Edited 3 March, 2024 by Toussaint

[Lee On Solent Saint]

Tough game to call. No doubt their game plan will be similar to the other bang average teams in this league. Keep it tight, frustrate, time waste and make any set pieces count. We need an early goal to make them change that plan. They would probably take a draw to keep them in touch with the play off spots. 

[S-Clarke]

12 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Tough game to call. No doubt their game plan will be similar to the other bang average teams in this league. Keep it tight, frustrate, time waste and make any set pieces count. We need an early goal to make them change that plan. They would probably take a draw to keep them in touch with the play off spots. 

I think they're better than that to be fair, their wide man (Miller) is a real threat. Usually plays from the left so I'd certainly throw KWP back for this, or at the very least Bree. Obviously that means we have to keep Manning at LB though.

[chownie20]

I live just outside Ipswich so see a lot of them. Really worry about where they will drop points now. Norwich game perhaps, and against us. We're going to have to beat them at Portman Road.

[Lighthouse]

11 minutes ago, chownie20 said:

I live just outside Ipswich so see a lot of them. Really worry about where they will drop points now. Norwich game perhaps, and against us. We're going to have to beat them at Portman Road.

I think most fans would have had us down for a minimum of 7 points from Bristol, Hull and Millwall, so I wouldn't count anyone's chickens just yet. Who had Leicester down for losing at home to QPR?

[Pamplemousse]

Has to be 6 points, need to put maximum pressure on the teams above. Ipswich will drop points and Leicester are in freefall.

[bangkoksaint]

Yesterday doesn’t mean anything if we don’t get three points

[chownie20]

Yep, have to win these home games now....and they are all winnable for sure!

[Jack]

4 minutes ago, Pamplemousse said:

Has to be 6 points, need to put maximum pressure on the teams above. Ipswich will drop points and Leicester are in freefall.

The same Ipswich who’ve just won 5 on the spin and have Bristol City at home then Cardiff away?

They’ll be looking at our fixtures and be pretty confident of us dropping points in our games against in form PNE and Sunderland. I certainly won’t be betting on us the way we’re playing 

 

[S-Clarke]

8 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

I think most fans would have had us down for a minimum of 7 points from Bristol, Hull and Millwall, so I wouldn't count anyone's chickens just yet. Who had Leicester down for losing at home to QPR?

Exactly, silly season is upon us now.

[S-Clarke]

Just now, Jack said:

The same Ipswich who’ve just won 5 on the spin and have Bristol City at home then Cardiff away?

They’ll be looking at our fixtures and be pretty confident of us dropping points in our games against in form PNE and Sunderland. I certainly won’t be betting on us the way we’re playing 

 

Leeds won 9 on the bounce, went to Huddersfield and drew. Nothing is guaranteed in the run in, especially with the relegation battle going up to 12th place. Every game has something on it.

[Jack]

4 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Leeds won 9 on the bounce, went to Huddersfield and drew. Nothing is guaranteed in the run in, especially with the relegation battle going up to 12th place. Every game has something on it.

Agreed, but my point is that Ipswich are far more likely to pick up 6 from their easier fixtures than we are from ours, IMO

Edited 3 March, 2024 by Jack

[stevy777_x]

15 minutes ago, Jack said:

Agreed, but my point is that Ipswich are far more likely to pick up 6 from their easier fixtures than we are from ours, IMO

It s a funny old game, on paper maybe but it rarely ends up being what you would expect.

[Whitey Grandad]

4 minutes ago, stevy777_x said:

It s a funny old game, on paper maybe but it rarely ends up being what you would expect.

Games usually go to the team that wants it the most (more).

[Toadhall Saint]

Draw

[ErwinK1961]

Would love a 1-0 win - back to looking more sound defensively.

[SuperSAINT]

I’ve been completely sleeping on Preston’s recent form.  Way trickier game than I thought. 

[Doctoroncall]

5 hours ago, Toussaint said:

indeed they have 

cannot believe no one has said revert to mean or they have to lose at some point! 
 

There are some good results with being defensive strong and they don’t have any important players out as far as I can see.  Perhaps only fatigue catching up with them. It looks to be a hard game and they are only three points and goal difference away from a playoff spot. 

[Miltonaggro]

Hoping that this is the game where we get back to business at home. 2-0 saints, hopefully the WBA set up. 

[SNSUN]

Keep the pace, keep the faith. (TM SNSUN - Phrase for sale for £500k so I can buy myself a house mortgage free.)

 

Seriously though we're home, with Downes back, Bree back, spirit and morale with a hard fought win behind us - we should get back to winning ways here. Preston may be in a great run of unbeaten form, but so were we and BC spanked us. Please win this Saints so that autos is still doable.

[Convict Colony]

Can we get Xabi Alonso to have a word with manning cos what Bayer are doing with their fullbacks is insane.

Left back - 11 goals and 11 assists for Grimaldo

Right back - 10 goals and 10 assists for Frimpong 

 

[The Cat]

8 minutes ago, Convict Colony said:

Can we get Xabi Alonso to have a word with manning cos what Bayer are doing with their fullbacks is insane.

Left back - 11 goals and 11 assists for Grimaldo

Right back - 10 goals and 10 assists for Frimpong 

 

Don't they play 3 at the back?

Still, amazing numbers.

I have no doubt that Manning will overtake them both by the end of the season, all sparked by the world class hat trick he's going to get on Wednesday.

[Convict Colony]

6 minutes ago, The Cat said:

Don't they play 3 at the back?

Still, amazing numbers.

I have no doubt that Manning will overtake them both by the end of the season, all sparked by the world class hat trick he's going to get on Wednesday.

Lets play 3 at the back 🤣

[The Cat]

1 minute ago, Convict Colony said:

Lets play 3 at the back 🤣

We definitely have the players to do it

Bazunu

THB Bednarek Stephens

KWP Downes Smallbone Manning

Brooks Adams Armstrong

Or something like that. Only problem with having 3 CB's is that we'd lose an attacking player.

[SNSUN]

18 minutes ago, The Cat said:

We definitely have the players to do it

Bazunu

THB Bednarek Stephens

KWP Downes Smallbone Manning

Brooks Adams Armstrong

Or something like that. Only problem with having 3 CB's is that we'd lose an attacking player.

But Manning would be playing further away from his own goal. Swings and roundabouts.

[Jack]

Baz 

KWP/Bree THB JannyB Bree/Meghoma

Smallbone Downes BigJoe

Brooks Adams Arma

[saintant]

Maybe play Bree at full back for this one. Radical I know but might be worth the gamble.

[SaintsFan86]

1 hour ago, Jack said:

Baz 

KWP/Bree THB JannyB Bree/Meghoma

Smallbone Downes BigJoe

Brooks Adams Arma

100% Agree, wr look very good with Smallbone and Aribo as the 8s. 

[Saint Fan CaM]

Another huge game. Very difficult to gain momentum and eat into the points to lift us into 2nd. Must sort out the defensive shambles we’ve witnessed, starting with dropping Manning to the bench unless KWP is still out. Preston are on a roll and have done well in their press which will suit them well against us. Tough game…2-2.

[Saint Billy]

A must win game. Sort out the sloppy kamikaze defending and we will win, ignore it and we will struggle.

[DT]

Will be surprised if we keep a clean sheet. This is key to us getting anywhere near automatics. Also to winning the play-offs, come to that. Playing like we did on Saturday is not sustainable. Great that we won but we're offering gilt-edged chances to the oppo every week. The manager can blame it on individual mistakes but it is a result of the super-risky tactics he employs. Preston will be no pushover but I hope we revert to the tightness we showed at the back as a foundation of our long run unbeaten. Which for me means no Manning anywhere near the line-up.

[saintant]

If KWP is not fit play Bree and Stephens as the two full backs and restore the successful partnership of Bednarek and THB.

[east-stand-nic]

A must win game for sure for me. And as has been said many times above, we need to get back to clean sheets and tighten up. PNE are not bad away from home and have been on good form of late. One of the key things for me this season is form....yes we went 25 unbeaten but a lot of those were draws, where as Leeds WON 9 on the trot and IPSWICH 5 so far. This is the kind of run we need, starting last Saturday and on for the next three. Four wins on the trot and nothing less will do if we want to be top 2.

[VectisSaint]

30 minutes ago, east-stand-nic said:

A must win game for sure for me. And as has been said many times above, we need to get back to clean sheets and tighten up. PNE are not bad away from home and have been on good form of late. One of the key things for me this season is form....yes we went 25 unbeaten but a lot of those were draws, where as Leeds WON 9 on the trot and IPSWICH 5 so far. This is the kind of run we need, starting last Saturday and on for the next three. Four wins on the trot and nothing less will do if we want to be top 2.

8 of last 9 league games in that run were wins, 6 out of 22 altogether were draws. We didn't draw LOTS of matches, we won lots and drew a few, mostly away from home. 

[Wade Garrett]

Is Preston where that little cunt on his shit bike rode on the cobbled streets for a fucking loaf of bread?

We’re going on another run.  Don’t give them a chance by playing Manning again Russell and we’ll fucking destroy them.

3-0, come on you fucking Saints.

[Wurzel]

4 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

Is Preston where that little cunt on his shit bike rode on the cobbled streets for a fucking loaf of bread?

We’re going on another run.  Don’t give them a chance by playing Manning again Russell and we’ll fucking destroy them.

3-0, come on you fucking Saints.

No that was Shaftesbury in Dorset. Don't think we'll be playing them any time soon

[Wade Garrett]

18 minutes ago, Wurzel said:

No that was Shaftesbury in Dorset. Don't think we'll be playing them any time soon

Funny fucking accent for Dorset.

[Whitey Grandad]

27 minutes ago, Wurzel said:

No that was Shaftesbury in Dorset. Don't think we'll be playing them any time soon

 

8 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

Funny fucking accent for Dorset.

Directed by Sir Ridley Scott. Supposedly the accent was West Country and if you listen to it again you can hear the difference. Surprising the suggestiveness of the imagery.

 

https://steepholm.livejournal.com/542986.html?

[rooney]

2 hours ago, Wurzel said:

No that was Shaftesbury in Dorset. Don't think we'll be playing them any time soon

Nice pitch up on the Roc though.

[Yorkshire Saint]

4 hours ago, Wade Garrett said:

Is Preston where that little cunt on his shit bike rode on the cobbled streets for a fucking loaf of bread?

We’re going on another run.  Don’t give them a chance by playing Manning again Russell and we’ll fucking destroy them.

3-0, come on you fucking Saints.

Pretty tame by your standards. 

Especially as there is mention of Yorkshire.

 

Edited 4 March, 2024 by Yorkshire Saint

[whelk]

Anyone knows what determines whether midweek home games are played on Tuesday or Wednesday? I thought they were mostly Tuesday now and given neither team played on Sunday before surprised it is Wed not Tuesday 

Edited 4 March, 2024 by whelk

[SNSUN]

15 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Another huge game. Very difficult to gain momentum and eat into the points to lift us into 2nd. Must sort out the defensive shambles we’ve witnessed, starting with dropping Manning to the bench unless KWP is still out. Preston are on a roll and have done well in their press which will suit them well against us. Tough game…2-2.

I agree in that we are looking for at least 2 of the 3 teams to drop points while we have to keep winning, something we're struggling to do cleanly at the moment...

But... we have the big 3 to play yet. Whilst I've been worrying about those games, they may also be the very ones that turn the tide for us. Huge 6 pointers still to come and we just have to hope we win them. With most of the first team back we stand a decent enough shot.

[Harry_SFC]

No need for him to tinker with the front 3 that's for sure.