Leicester 5-0 Saints - Match Thread

[Toussaint]

7 hours ago, Pamplemousse said:

Some good news everyone - this was Sekou Mara's final game suspended!!

We need warriors like him in the side, I have now recovered my belief that it’s all going to end well. 

[Osvaldorama]

After sleeping on it and pondering it on the journey back from Leicester I am still in shock really. 
 

We were just so poor last night. We offered absolutely nothing. The big concern is the manager doesn’t even seem to think we played badly.
 

That is the truly worrying part as in my eyes that was the worst performance since we lost with 10 men under Nathan Jones. 

Since Martin came in I have been unsure of him and last night he basically proved all of my doubts correct. I don’t see us ever going up with him in charge. 

[DT]

Having slept on it I'm still furious about the team selection (no pace, Rothwell being a big lump and waste of space etc etc) but really I think one of our biggest problems is that having so many loan players it means that when it comes to the crunch, there is little in the way of passion or heart, or playing for the cause. Most of these only have their eye on their next club, which also happens to our results when transfer windows approach.

Therefore, in our last game of the season at home, why not blood the kids who should have had chances ahead of dross like Che Adams anyway, had Martin had anything about him. But then he does not seem to like exciting players who actually run at defences with a view to actually scoring goals. I personally could not give a shite about possession. Rather than a possession-based game, I'd much prefer a passion-based one, leading to a goals and entertainment-based game. Hoping we have another complete change soon.

[SW11_Saint]

1 hour ago, Harry_SFC said:

Always thought Armstrong as captain was a very very weird choice.

He’s “good in training” apparently 🤷‍♂️

[kitch]

10 hours ago, Badger said:

Vardy I hope.

In which case he deserves a three match ban for not managing to do it properly.

It's NEVER Vardy. Why?!

[malcolm waldron]

40 minutes ago, DT said:

Having slept on it I'm still furious about the team selection (no pace, Rothwell being a big lump and waste of space etc etc) but really I think one of our biggest problems is that having so many loan players it means that when it comes to the crunch, there is little in the way of passion or heart, or playing for the cause. Most of these only have their eye on their next club, which also happens to our results when transfer windows approach.

Therefore, in our last game of the season at home, why not blood the kids who should have had chances ahead of dross like Che Adams anyway, had Martin had anything about him. But then he does not seem to like exciting players who actually run at defences with a view to actually scoring goals. I personally could not give a shite about possession. Rather than a possession-based game, I'd much prefer a passion-based one, leading to a goals and entertainment-based game. Hoping we have another complete change soon.

Leicester's loan player played very well last night I thought when banging in 3 goals with an assist.    

[Fan The Flames]

Brooks stayed wide all night, there was times when Leicester were open, it just needed a run from him and a ball played between their left back and centre and we would have been in. But he kept holding his position, I can only assume under direction.

 

 

[Fan The Flames]

6 minutes ago, malcolm waldron said:

Leicester's loan player played very well last night I thought when banging in 3 goals with an assist.    

Maybe after seeing Stu A get injured they all worried about themselves. Rothwell took himself off at the first niggle.

[Toussaint]

1 hour ago, Chris cooper said:

Get Martin gone at end of the season !

The performance was worrying but imo the interview after was worse . He’s deluded & stubborn as fuck just like Ralph was .

75% of the earth is covered in water           
the rest of the space on earth was giving to fatawu to run into .. pathetic defending!

I reckon it’s Norwich for us in the semis 

& Sargent & co will have an absolute field day with our pedestrian defence.

Was thinking the same, Sargent will murder us. 

[Fan The Flames]

I did like Leicester's chant to us (to the football in a library tune) 'do do do Pompey on a Tuesday'.

[wadesmith]

Having slept on it I’ve awoken with a new found sense of vigour.

[Hamwic]

RM said, 'for the first 60 minutes we were good...'. We weren't, we passed sideways and backwards for an hour. I'll have a pint of what he's on.

[saintant]

9 minutes ago, Hamwic said:

RM said, 'for the first 60 minutes we were good...'. We weren't, we passed sideways and backwards for an hour. I'll have a pint of what he's on.

He let's himself down badly with such daft comments. Fans can smell bullshit a mile away and do not want to hear it. Don't try to pull the wool over our eyes, we watched the game and know what we saw. If you can't be honest best to say nothing because that pile of nonsense fools nobody.

[gecko]

I'm sure it's already been noted by others, but one of the many things that really grinds my gears about Martin is his (apparent) inability to adapt his game plan for the team we're playing. Every team has a weak point, and ours seems to be exploited with regularity. But it never seems like we know anyone else's - we just continue to knock the ball around a bit, then recycle it.

We were terrible last night, and I'd suggest that like many other games, we looked piss-poor because Leicester made us look that way. Their press, and the way they counter, is what did all the damage - it's been clear to everyone that we are a bunch of fluffers when put under some actual pressure near the back. The Liecester coaches, as well as many other teams much worse than them (bristol etc) have taken points from us as a result.

[Mr X]

I wanted to hear Martin say we were second best in every single area on the pitch, the press didn't work the tactics didn't work it was an totally unacceptable performance and I take my share of responsibility for the result! ....... One can dream 😂

[Dman]

19 minutes ago, Mr X said:

I wanted to hear Martin say we were second best in every single area on the pitch, the press didn't work the tactics didn't work it was an totally unacceptable performance and I take my share of responsibility for the result! ....... One can dream 😂

In fairness he did take a bit of the blame for his tactical decisions.... but it was that he didn't pick stephens 😂

[Oldandtired]

21 minutes ago, Mr X said:

I wanted to hear Martin say we were second best in every single area on the pitch, the press didn't work the tactics didn't work it was an totally unacceptable performance and I take my share of responsibility for the result! ....... One can dream 😂

I want to hear him say I'm not good enough to manage at this level, I resign.

Inept, in denial, one trick pony. 

[Mr X]

Just now, Oldandtired said:

I want to hear him say I'm not good enough to manage at this level, I resign.

Inept, in denial, one trick pony. 

TBF he is good enough to keep us in this division but certainly not good enough to get us out of it (in an upwards direction) and would have to be replaced immediately in the premier league. 

 

Which begs the question what is our ambition? To be a mid table championship side or get back to the promised land? 

[spyinthesky]

Awful performance but really puts into perspective that if we, by some fluke, manage to get through the play offs, unless Russell Martin can pull a rabbit out of the hat and adept the teams style of play and the owners manage to find the cash and the scouting ability to rebuild the team, the performance at Leicester will become the blueprint for next season in the Prem.
Worryingly, as other posters have pointed out, Sports Republic have said that there is little money available for transfers next season in the Championship so, at best, we can anticipate mid table obscurity and at worst flirting with relegation and a double loss to that lot down the road.

[Oldandtired]

3 minutes ago, Mr X said:

 

 

Which begs the question what is our ambition? To be a mid table championship side 

The way things are going it saddens me to say I don't think we're going to have a lot of choice about that.

[Totton Saint]

After that inept capitulation where does the club go from here?  Division 1?  How did it come to this so relatively soon after the days of Tadic, Pele, Mane etc

Ted Bates would turn in his grave.

 

 

 

[Mr X]

Just now, Oldandtired said:

The way things are going it saddens me to say I don't think we're going to have a lot of choice about that.

Ain't that the truth 😞 Martin is culpable but questions need to asked about who sanctioned the purchase of sullemana and Ross Stewart?  Over 30 million wasted  

[charliemiller]

It was 1 nil and RM took Bree off and put Manning on .

Within two minutes he lost his man made a feeble attempt to challenge and cost us a goal , every single goal thereafter came down there right and he was responsible for .

 

He is a liability and should never play for us again 

[Zorba]

Maybe we can stop all this “We’ve got one of the best squads in the league” nonsense now. We were demolished by Leicester who are light years ahead of us in both skill and tactical ability.

With SA and FD out, we crumbled like white dogshit. RM’s decision to start KWP on the left meant we had no real threat from the back. Bree is a better right back than Manning is a left back but he’s crap compared to KWP..who, btw, is a mediocre left back when he has to play there. Leave KWP in his best position FFS and just fix the left back position without dismantling the whole back line. Brookes and Rothwell are just shit full stop.  They can go. Smallbone doesn’t improve the midfield. Edozie is all fart no follow through. Adam’s is a dead weight. AA is wasted on the wing, Frazer should be there.

Too sloppy, too many individual errors. No game plan to face the best team in the league. Not good enough.

Other than that, RM says we played well. DICK!

[Whitey Grandad]

34 minutes ago, Mr X said:

TBF he is good enough to keep us in this division but certainly not good enough to get us out of it (in an upwards direction) and would have to be replaced immediately in the premier league. 

 

Which begs the question what is our ambition? To be a mid table championship side or get back to the promised land? 

Either way he's not the man for next season. 

[east-stand-nic]

I am gonna get stick for this no question, but I do genuinely have a good friend at the club who says a lot behind the scenes is not good. RM is upset JW has gone and the players I am told are happy JW has gone and it has caused a bit of a rift in the dressing room. RM will not be here next season, nailed on.

[Toussaint]

16 minutes ago, Zorba said:

Maybe we can stop all this “We’ve got one of the best squads in the league” nonsense now. We were demolished by Leicester who are light years ahead of us in both skill and tactical ability.

With SA and FD out, we crumbled like white dogshit. RM’s decision to start KWP on the left meant we had no real threat from the back. Bree is a better right back than Manning is a left back but he’s crap compared to KWP..who, btw, is a mediocre left back when he has to play there. Leave KWP in his best position FFS and just fix the left back position without dismantling the whole back line. Brookes and Rothwell are just shit full stop.  They can go. Smallbone doesn’t improve the midfield. Edozie is all fart no follow through. Adam’s is a dead weight. AA is wasted on the wing, Frazer should be there.

Too sloppy, too many individual errors. No game plan to face the best team in the league. Not good enough.

Other than that, RM says we played well. DICK!

I believe we do have one of the best squads in the league, it’s just been very badly mismanaged. 

[S-Clarke]

I didn't actually realise we ended up with 68% possession last night, way to go everyone connected with the club. We won!

In all seriousness I will always remember something Ralph used to say  ''Possession means very little, we often do better when we have less of the ball''. Never a truer word said. If you don't have the quality to do anything with the possession then you're wasting everyone's time and money.

[macca155]

21 minutes ago, Zorba said:

Maybe we can stop all this “We’ve got one of the best squads in the league” nonsense now. We were demolished by Leicester who are light years ahead of us in both skill and tactical ability.

With SA and FD out, we crumbled like white dogshit. RM’s decision to start KWP on the left meant we had no real threat from the back. Bree is a better right back than Manning is a left back but he’s crap compared to KWP..who, btw, is a mediocre left back when he has to play there. Leave KWP in his best position FFS and just fix the left back position without dismantling the whole back line. Brookes and Rothwell are just shit full stop.  They can go. Smallbone doesn’t improve the midfield. Edozie is all fart no follow through. Adam’s is a dead weight. AA is wasted on the wing, Frazer should be there.

Too sloppy, too many individual errors. No game plan to face the best team in the league. Not good enough.

Other than that, RM says we played well. DICK!

Good analysis but I suspect if you offered our players individually to other Champ teams they'd be snapped up. Certainly have one of the stronger squads.

However it's a team game, and if they are set up poorly or messed about with they'll flounder. Every weakness is exposed.

Leicester are a Prem team, they shouldn't have been relegated and have remained largely intact. It was a good test which Saint's failed.

You need consistency and as few loan players as possible. Play a settled committed side and you start on the front foot.

We can all argue about certain players, but I'm sure we all want to see them in their proper positions, doing their best.

Scandalously Martin has Meghoma and Dibling available for the two weak positions. He should be giving them an opportunity.

My play off team would be

McCarthy

KWP THB Bendarek Meghoma

Downes Charles Smallbone Dibling

Armstrong Adams

Not 100% on Dibling but certainly like to see him get some time on the pitch.

Probably lose but one eye on next year in the Championship again .

[saintant]

1 hour ago, gecko said:

I'm sure it's already been noted by others, but one of the many things that really grinds my gears about Martin is his (apparent) inability to adapt his game plan for the team we're playing. Every team has a weak point, and ours seems to be exploited with regularity. But it never seems like we know anyone else's - we just continue to knock the ball around a bit, then recycle it.

We were terrible last night, and I'd suggest that like many other games, we looked piss-poor because Leicester made us look that way. Their press, and the way they counter, is what did all the damage - it's been clear to everyone that we are a bunch of fluffers when put under some actual pressure near the back. The Liecester coaches, as well as many other teams much worse than them (bristol etc) have taken points from us as a result.

Totally agree. Leicester played pretty much exactly as they did at St Marys and RM made no attempt to set up a team to counter that. In both games we made them look like world beaters yet I've watched them constantly struggle against lesser sides than us and their fans forum confirms how poor they've been lately.

[Cabrone]

What a buzz kill these last 2 games have been. Struggling to see us do much in the playoffs now.

RM is a very average champ manager who lucked out to get the job here. Leicester were comprehensively a better team last night.

Whatever happens we need to get  someone in over the summer who values defence and fast attacking football. Tippy tappy is not the way to go and RM is leading us nowhere.

[Jack]

6 hours ago, John B said:

Are you suggesting that a team playing as well as Leicester did last night did not deserve to win and a player like Vardy should stop playing as well as he did 

Their front players were fast and decisive last night miles faster than ours its just football 

What? No, I’m suggesting that we made them look very good by how poorly we played. Leicester have proved recently that if you get at them, they’re suspect and the fans get right on their backs. We made it easy for them 

[BranfootsLoveChild]

Deleted

Edited April 24 by BranfootsLoveChild
deleted

[Jack]

3 hours ago, Fan The Flames said:

Brooks stayed wide all night, there was times when Leicester were open, it just needed a run from him and a ball played between their left back and centre and we would have been in. But he kept holding his position, I can only assume under direction.

 

 

Yeah we were talking about this last night. Absolutely no point in him not running behind because he does exactly zero defensive work regardless of where he is on the pitch 

[saintant]

44 minutes ago, east-stand-nic said:

I am gonna get stick for this no question, but I do genuinely have a good friend at the club who says a lot behind the scenes is not good. RM is upset JW has gone and the players I am told are happy JW has gone and it has caused a bit of a rift in the dressing room. RM will not be here next season, nailed on.

If true that's strange. I'm trying to get my head round why RM would be sad to see JW go but the players would be pleased. Maybe JW was the disciplinarian and now he's gone the players are getting away with things.

[malcolm waldron]

12 minutes ago, saintant said:

Totally agree. Leicester played pretty much exactly as they did at St Marys and RM made no attempt to set up a team to counter that. In both games we made them look like world beaters yet I've watched them constantly struggle against lesser sides than us and their fans forum confirms how poor they've been lately.

Could not agree more with this.  I watched most of their game against WBA at the weekend, and West Brom caused them all sorts of problems defensively and on another day would have scored 4 or 5 - away from home.  So Leicester (I felt) were there for the taking last night as all the pre game pressure was on them, and yet we simply created absolutely nothing.  Not one shot on target in 90 minutes.  

[CheshireSaint]

28 minutes ago, macca155 said:

Good analysis but I suspect if you offered our players individually to other Champ teams they'd be snapped up. Certainly have one of the stronger squads.

However it's a team game, and if they are set up poorly or messed about with they'll flounder. Every weakness is exposed.

Leicester are a Prem team, they shouldn't have been relegated and have remained largely intact. It was a good test which Saint's failed.

You need consistency and as few loan players as possible. Play a settled committed side and you start on the front foot.

We can all argue about certain players, but I'm sure we all want to see them in their proper positions, doing their best.

Scandalously Martin has Meghoma and Dibling available for the two weak positions. He should be giving them an opportunity.

My play off team would be

McCarthy

KWP THB Bendarek Meghoma

Downes Charles Smallbone Dibling

Armstrong Adams

Not 100% on Dibling but certainly like to see him get some time on the pitch.

Probably lose but one eye on next year in the Championship again .

That back four is exactly what should have happened all season with JS, JB and RM stepping in to cover injuries and suspensions only. Dibling should have been on the fringes, with more playing time than has happened. A rotation of Downes, Smallbone, Armstrong and Charles would have improved all and given us more flexibility rather than excluding Charles for instance. We have a plethora of wingers so could play one of Adams or Armstrong up front or both depending on opposition. When defending a lead, we could lose a winger, shift across the midfield and use JS as defensive protection. Loads of options yet Martin just messes about when not required and does nothing when changes are absolutely necessary.   

[Saint_Jonny]

55 minutes ago, Toussaint said:

I believe we do have one of the best squads in the league, it’s just been very badly mismanaged. 

I believe we have the fourth best as the table suggests. Many of the players in our squad are the same players that looked totally out of their depth last season in the Premier League - and yet people come on here pedalling this "best squad in the league" bullshit. By what measure? Salary? Transfer fee? MEANINGLESS. What about TALENT and TRACK RECORD - the majority of our lot are down on both!

[John Boy Saint]

I missed much of the first half due to finishing work in Oswestry at 6pm - but driving home listening to Radio 5 they were talking about both of last nights games. When discussing ours they had what sounded like a press conference clip of Maresca talking about liking the way we play and can see a plan we execute well - as the game went on, thinking back on that, I thought "yes - and you have worked out a way of counteracting it".

Aside from thinking the players have resigned themselves to the play-offs, I don't think their fitness is where it should be. 

Edited April 24 by John Boy Saint

[Disco Stu]

5 minutes ago, Saint_Jonny said:

I believe we have the fourth best as the table suggests. Many of the players in our squad are the same players that looked totally out of their depth last season in the Premier League - and yet people come on here pedalling this "best squad in the league" bullshit. By what measure? Salary? Transfer fee? MEANINGLESS. What about TALENT and TRACK RECORD - the majority of our lot are down on both!

A bit simplistic. I'm not sure Leicester had the best squad in the Premier League in 2016. There were other factors involved.

McKenna hasn't just got Ipswich 3rd because he has the 3rd best squad. He knows how to manage his squad and get the best out of his resources. He doesn't try to be revolutionary. 

[badgerx16]

1 hour ago, Mr X said:

Ain't that the truth 😞 Martin is culpable but questions need to asked about who sanctioned the purchase of sullemana and Ross Stewart?  Over 30 million wasted  

Don't forget Tall Paul.

[Saint Billy]

Having slept on it I have found that it has gone numb.

[trousers]

1 hour ago, east-stand-nic said:

I am gonna get stick for this no question, but I do genuinely have a good friend at the club who says a lot behind the scenes is not good. RM is upset JW has gone and the players I am told are happy JW has gone and it has caused a bit of a rift in the dressing room. RM will not be here next season, nailed on.

Not sure why you would get any stick as what you're saying ties in with what we're seeing on the pitch in recent times... i.e. much apathy and disjointedness. Cheers for posting the insight. Keep the snippets coming! Appreciated 👍 

[Toussaint]

15 minutes ago, Saint_Jonny said:

I believe we have the fourth best as the table suggests. Many of the players in our squad are the same players that looked totally out of their depth last season in the Premier League - and yet people come on here pedalling this "best squad in the league" bullshit. By what measure? Salary? Transfer fee? MEANINGLESS. What about TALENT and TRACK RECORD - the majority of our lot are down on both!

 Calm down matey, you think one thing, I think another. 

[S-Clarke]

17 minutes ago, Saint_Jonny said:

I believe we have the fourth best as the table suggests. Many of the players in our squad are the same players that looked totally out of their depth last season in the Premier League - and yet people come on here pedalling this "best squad in the league" bullshit. By what measure? Salary? Transfer fee? MEANINGLESS. What about TALENT and TRACK RECORD - the majority of our lot are down on both!

I think we have a good enough team to not have let in over 60 goals. A team at this level with players such as THB, Bednarek, KWP, Downes should not be conceding over 60 goals in this league, not even close.

If we didn't concede as many goals, and maybe scored 10 or so less, we'd be right up there - maybe even needing a win against Stoke to confirm promotion. We were good enough to be there and that's why this season will always leave a horrible sense of 'what could have been' behind. I'll never look back on it with any fond memories, it's a wasted opportunity.

[tdmickey3]

An utterly pathetic display last night from the players, we played right into their hands and as usual Martin proved he has absolutely zero game management skills, this is compounded by his egotistical refusal to be flexible, hence why we conceded 5 last night and have shipped as many as we have.

RM needs to be relived of his duties as soon as is practically possible.

[Toussaint]

1 hour ago, east-stand-nic said:

I am gonna get stick for this no question, but I do genuinely have a good friend at the club who says a lot behind the scenes is not good. RM is upset JW has gone and the players I am told are happy JW has gone and it has caused a bit of a rift in the dressing room. RM will not be here next season, nailed on.

I’d the inference that Martin relied heavily on Wilcox and is now lost without him? That would confirm my suspicions.

[Toussaint]

13 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

Don't forget Tall Paul.

I don’t know how bad he was, he barely received a decent cross all the time he played last season, he may have been of some value to us this season, surely better than Mara?

[Fan The Flames]

14 minutes ago, trousers said:

Not sure why you would get any stick as what you're saying ties in with what we're seeing on the pitch in recent times... i.e. much apathy and disjointedness. Cheers for posting the insight. Keep the snippets coming! Appreciated 👍 

Yep that looked like a team not playing for their manager last night. RM was very down/cross post match.

[CheshireSaint]

3 minutes ago, Toussaint said:

I don’t know how bad he was, he barely received a decent cross all the time he played last season, he may have been of some value to us this season, surely better than Mara?

Certainly, a Plan B. Especially given we have so many wingers. Call me old fashioned but a more direct Plan B 'straight into the big man' wouldn't be bad, especially with AA lurking.