Saints 0-1 Stoke - Match Thread

[OttawaSaint]

Just now, Saint Scott said:

What does Lumley have to do to get in the team ahead of McCarthy

Be brave.

[Saint NL]

Just now, OldNick said:

he was only going to play players who wanted to run

Maybe he can play players that want to pass or tackle next week?

[Bad Wolf]

3 minutes ago, OttawaSaint said:

Great going Martin, let's have the team absolutely bereft of confidence, confused about shape, tactics, and positioning, and at their lowest ebb just in time for the playoffs.

Pathetic arrogant twat of a manager.

If I were him and I saw comments like this I'd just do all I could to make sure I **** things up. "NO LOYALTY IN FOOTBALL ANYMORE" when someone leaves though.

[ErwinK1961]

McCarthy playing over Bazunu being ‘a blessing in disguise’ going very well.

[CB Fry]

1 minute ago, Bad Wolf said:

If I were him and I saw comments like this I'd just do all I could to make sure I **** things up. "NO LOYALTY IN FOOTBALL ANYMORE" when someone leaves though.

That's nice, dear.

[CylonKing]

Heard there's an up and coming young manager doing a remarkable job at Tranmere Rovers. Worth a look?

[OttawaSaint]

Just now, Bad Wolf said:

If I were him and I saw comments like this I'd just do all I could to make sure I **** things up. "NO LOYALTY IN FOOTBALL ANYMORE" when someone leaves though.

It's almost as if there many different people all posting on the same forum. 

[egg]

1 minute ago, Bad Wolf said:

If I were him and I saw comments like this I'd just do all I could to make sure I **** things up. "NO LOYALTY IN FOOTBALL ANYMORE" when someone leaves though.

His last sentence was ridiculous, but what was wrong with the rest of it? 

[Jack]

1 minute ago, Winnersaint said:

And if they're injured for the play offs?

If they’re rusty and out of form for the playoffs? 

[Saint NL]

Half time boos were pretty loud

[Holmes_and_Watson]

We've shown earlier in the season, that we can ping it around the back. The players know their positions and know where to immediately release the ball to.

Today, Charles was out of position to receive the auto pass. So it went back. Charles got into a better position, but we're much too compact. We have McCarthy, instead of Baz and he ends up thumping it away.

Just one example of how our normal tactics 1) aren;t working with this personnel 2) How the coaching team haven;t been able to drill the same sharpness into the rest of the squad, which is a big disapointment. We've not players able to come in and fit the system, which is what they should be coached to be doing. We just look flat and disjointed. They just look off the pace, unable to bring anything to the team.

[Block41 Saint]

Russell Martin is painfully out of his depth. Bang average Championship manager under dogshit owners. 

[vectraman]

Bree’s cross - omg that’s woeful. 
changes at half time please. Get AA and Che on, get that useless lazy twat Mara off. What a waste of money he is 😱

[egg]

3 minutes ago, Saint Scott said:

What does Lumley have to do to get in the team ahead of McCarthy

Good question.

I doubt Lumley knows the answer. Ditto RM. 

[washsaint]

This walking football is doing my head in.  Earlier in the season while we were playing patient football but we would turn the jets on regularly and look really dangerous.

That's not happening now.

Despite what the Stephens haters may say, he was our best player that half.

Brooks, Edozie, FRaser, Charles, THB, BRee, McCarthy were all awful.

Deservedly behind and difficult to see where Saints go from here for the rest of the season - we look bereft of ideas, skill or passion.

Smattering of boos well deserved at HT.

[JRM]

1 minute ago, Saint NL said:

Half time boos were pretty loud

Justified. Fucking terrible 45 mins as predicted from.that line up. 

Midfield non-existent 

[hypochondriac]

Not too much of an exaggeration to say that couldn't have gone a lot worse. Really need some positives to take for the playoffs. Hoping someone stands out a bit. 

[JRM]

1 minute ago, washsaint said:

This walking football is doing my head in.  Earlier in the season while we were playing patient football but we would turn the jets on regularly and look really dangerous.

That's not happening now.

Despite what the Stephens haters may say, he was our best player that half.

Brooks, Edozie, FRaser, Charles, THB, BRee, McCarthy were all awful.

Deservedly behind and difficult to see where Saints go from here for the rest of the season - we look bereft of ideas, skill or passion.

Smattering of boos well deserved at HT.

Agree with this summary. 

[Jack]

2 minutes ago, washsaint said:

This walking football is doing my head in.  Earlier in the season while we were playing patient football but we would turn the jets on regularly and look really dangerous.

That's not happening now.

Despite what the Stephens haters may say, he was our best player that half.

Brooks, Edozie, FRaser, Charles, THB, BRee, McCarthy were all awful.

Deservedly behind and difficult to see where Saints go from here for the rest of the season - we look bereft of ideas, skill or passion.

Smattering of boos well deserved at HT.

Bit harsh on Fraser, he’s actually made some things happen. Not his fault he’s just hit one statue who can’t time a jump to aim at in the middle. 
 

Agree with the rest though, RM is out of ideas 

Edited 27 April, 2024 by Jack

[obelisk]

Get Brooks off if only because if he gets another yellow we'll be down to 10 men. He's pretty awful as well mind you.

[saintant]

A free hit to try something different and give some of the youngster game time and RM comes up with this shit which is just a total waste of time. If this is his idea of preparing for the play-offs then he has even less of a clue than I thought. Mr arrogant.

Edited 27 April, 2024 by saintant

[Saint Scott]

West Brom behind with Norwich winning and subsequently up to 5th as things stand

[Mr X]

Don't panic, We are gonna put five past them in the second half! 

[Disco Stu]

Shea Charles is Diallo MK2. Waste of money.

[Bad Wolf]

3 minutes ago, egg said:

His last sentence was ridiculous, but what was wrong with the rest of it? 

Nothing what so ever - That's the part I found ridiculous. The way people can't critisise without resorting to petty insults. There's a difference between thinking Martin isn't right for the job and just calling him endless, childish names.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

I thought that we'd play a fairly strong team today. Get the lead and bring in young 'uns regularly (not when Martin has set his alarm for every match) throughout the second half.

That way, we retain some posisitivty, some sharpness and, in a dead rubber game for us, give the pathway guys some needed time.

Nothing is saving that midfield we've picked. Little from up front is likely to work back to help them out.

We're struggling to create (half as much as Stoke), while not really helping out our defence.

[DT]

That was the most insipid, lacklustre, talentless and spiritless half of football I have ever witnessed from a Saints team. We are so bad with the ball. McCarthy couldn’t save any shot ever no matter how tight the angle. He’s still contrive to let it in through his legs. Beer is the slowest most inept left back I’ve seen. Taylor Belli’s thingy just strolls around. Like a snail. Mara offers nothing. Edomite has seemingly had his skill vaporised by martin. There is no marking. No chasing. No shots. And everything is so slow. It’s abysmal. I hate this style of football and despise what has become of Saints. Won’t be coming again until the regime and style of play changes. 

[JRM]

Just now, Disco Stu said:

Shea Charles is Diallo MK2. Waste of money.

That's a good comparison to be fair, invisible man in that role. 

[Bad Wolf]

6 minutes ago, OttawaSaint said:

It's almost as if there many different people all posting on the same forum. 

Yes, fair point, well made. Playing the autism card here.

[Bad Wolf]

1 minute ago, Disco Stu said:

Shea Charles is Diallo MK2. Waste of money.

Inclined to agree though unlike Diallo at least Charles has had 2-3 really really good games. Don't think Diallo was ever more than 6/10. On the whole though, Charles has indeed been awful.

[LGTL]

That was a disgusting half of football. Clearly losing over a 2 leg semi 

[Micky]

Interesting half, that's a team going out for their final home league game of the season to prove to the faithful that they are much much better than the five nil drubbing they endured last game.  Yeah, it's going pretty well, inspiring stuff...!

[Saint Fan CaM]

Watching disjointed bits of the game thanks to streaming on a windy beach in Lanzarote. Why the fuck do I bother? Think the players are already on the beach and can’t see this rabble being roused to perform in the playoffs. Just horrible boring football to watch and very little expectation that we’ll score.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

Another bang average visiting team that we somehow contrive to make look good. Been an utter dog shit of a performance. 

[Toussaint]

1 minute ago, Bad Wolf said:

Nothing what so ever - That's the part I found ridiculous. The way people can't critisise without resorting to petty insults. There's a difference between thinking Martin isn't right for the job and just calling him endless, childish names.

Fair point, but he is a bit of a willy-bum poo-poo head.

[Block41 Saint]

2 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

Shea Charles is Diallo MK2. Waste of money.

Difference is he's cost an absolute fortune at Championship level. League One standard. 

[washsaint]

Just seen the replay for the goal.  Terrible defending by THB but went straight through McCarthy's legs - terrible keeping.

[Saint NL]

He should let Downes play the second half to get match fit.

Brooks off because he's shit, Stephens off because he's going to get booked again, and just get Mara as far away from this team as possible.

 

Ahhh, the famous RM triple sub, what could possibly go wrong?

[HKsaint]

Good performance in the 1st half. At least we don’t let them fight back from behind in the second half. 

[Nordic Saint]

Just now, Bad Wolf said:

Inclined to agree though unlike Diallo at least Charles has had 2-3 really really good games. Don't think Diallo was ever more than 6/10. On the whole though, Charles has indeed been awful.

In that case, he could be here for years, like McCarthy.

[trousers]

At the game...only my 3rd at St. Mary's this season... Have we really been this "exciting" to watch all season... Can only assume most of the players can't be arsed because they're saving themselves for explosive and committed appearances in the playoffs...?

[Bad Wolf]

Just now, Block41 Saint said:

Difference is he's cost an absolute fortune at Championship level. League One standard. 

Didn't Diallo cost a fair? 

[WGC Saint]

So glad the boys are bouncing back and responding well to the midweek humping at Leicester. Nice bit of momentum to take us into the play offs! Absolute dog shite.

[NewYorkSaint]

Amidst all the gloom, I was impressed by Smallbone this half. His sharpness in generally reliably one-touch passing is wonderful.

[OttawaSaint]

3 minutes ago, Bad Wolf said:

Nothing what so ever - That's the part I found ridiculous. The way people can't critisise without resorting to petty insults. There's a difference between thinking Martin isn't right for the job and just calling him endless, childish names.

Maybe the name calling was unjustified but I'm just totally fed up and frustrated. I feel like the playoffs will be unbearable and that we could have gone into them in good form with a bit of confidence. What he's doing doesn't make any sense.

[Obstacle1]

Watching Brooks and Mara try to press is kind of pathetic 

[washsaint]

Benny Hill tune playing at HT - seems quite appropriate bearing in mind what a joke that first half (and team selection) were

[Lee On Solent Saint]

2 minutes ago, Saint NL said:

He should let Downes play the second half to get match fit.

Brooks off because he's shit, Stephens off because he's going to get booked again, and just get Mara as far away from this team as possible.

 

Ahhh, the famous RM triple sub, what could possibly go wrong?

He's out on his own warming up, looks likely he'll be on

[Bad Wolf]

1 minute ago, OttawaSaint said:

Maybe the name calling was unjustified but I'm just totally fed up and frustrated. I feel like the playoffs will be unbearable and that we could have gone into them in good form with a bit of confidence. What he's doing doesn't make any sense.

If we go into the playoffs all fresh, pump the opposition and breeze through them, would you admit to being wrong? Genuine question. Because for me it's worth it

If we go into the playoffs with this team and this mindset though we'll undoubtedly be beat and I'll be in the Martin out camp but until that happens, I'm happy to give him the benefit of the doubt.

[austsaint]

Drab, slow and hard to watch.  We seem to have a three man attack if you can call Mara an attacking player.   Brooks seems to be playing as an attacking mid, while Charles and Smallbone are both anonymous in CM.   What is the point of Smallbone?   He,s neither a holding nor attacking midfielder and acts as a handbrake on quick movement.   I realise there are a few players being rested but as a lead up to the play offs this is a flat performance.