Saints 0-1 Forest - Match Thread

[sandwichsaint]

Gaping hole down our left whenever we get turned over. Formation just not working. Best thing for us would be Stephens getting involved in a betting scandal and being banned for six months.

[Micky]

Easily schooled by Forest in our own back yard. They are in the same league as us, so this is a game we really need to win,  i really can't see us getting too many 'surprise' points from mid table or top sides.  Need to play much better second half. 

[benjii]

Armstrong's touch and decision  making is awful today. And Smallbone being a bit too defensive. 

I'd put Les on for Bonio and Dibbling or Amo Ameyaw on for Armstrong and have them and BBD play a bit more central. Could make the positional change and give Arma 15 mins there too, I guess.

Have Fernanj and Archer as options for a bit later.

First goal is going to be key.

Edited 24 August, 2024 by benjii

[saintant]

Just now, gio1saints said:

Lucky to be 0-0 at HT. Lesley in MF might be a good shout. Play 4 at the back? 

Lesley probably on the phone to his agent asking if there's any way he can get him out o this.

[trousers]

Stu Armstrong on a free anyone...?

[Saint_clark]

Just now, FarehamSaintJames said:

Three at the back at home isn’t working, only inviting pressure.

 

Four at the back won't work either as we're too open. 

 

Problem isn't the formation - it's the style of play. Get it beyond the 30 yard mark and THEN start playing keep ball.

[BotleySaint]

1 minute ago, Hatch said:

Get Armstrong off 

Or stop getting him to beat the man and be the creator.  Have him on the end of things to finish off which is what he does best. 

[Sunglasses Ron]

Let’s take the positives so far, not losing and clean sheet.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

Suitable shit. As we knew, Smallbone and Armstrong struggling. 

[tdmickey3]

Poor all over the pitch bar KWP,only one trying to be positive, the only one who runs forward with the ball.

Same as large parts if last season, pass, pass and pass and most of it backwards. 

Should be losing 

 

[BranfootsLoveChild]

At the game. Diaz has no clue. Smallbone passes backwards all the time. Mccarthy scares the shit out of me. Apart from that, really enjoying it......

[saintant]

Time for RM to earn his corn and show he has the nous to make tactical changes to get us back into this game. If not it's shaping up to be a long season already.

[John Boy Saint]

Forest look busy - we just look inert as the penalty box approaches 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

We kept a shape, kept our passing across the back to retain possession. It was at a slow pace, and rarely did we have any passing options available. Forest bossesd our midfield, alowwing them plenty of attacks. Up front we seemed slow, and expecting to win tackles based on playing lower teri opponents.

KWP was easily our best player. Suga was positive at times too, but the lack of support and coordination, meant that we couidn;t do much from it.

Donwes is easily our best all round midfielder. Will had a couple of moments later on in the half, linking things up. But as a midfield we're not offering enough to obstruct Forest or to generate attacks.

FOrest had a chance with 3 players lining up to put it in the net. So, although Russ will get some positives about the structure, we didn;t do nearly enough in that half. The lack of passing options (KWP frustated through the half), lack of movement, incisiveness of passing and forwards able to create was very obvious. If Aribo was supposed to offer some physical hold up play, as Adams would have, then that was absent as well.

We're not behind, and there's a half of better things to hopefully come.

[Turkish]

Anyone else just so grateful to be in this league?

[saintant]

Stats look pretty damning but clearly show we need to let them have more of the ball 🙂

[BARCELONASAINT]

the only positive i can take from that first half is the fact its still 0-0.

Adarma, Aribo and Smallbone having awful games. McCarthy did his best to present the opposition with a goal from another awful pass straight to one of their players.

This performance is so far removed from last weeks its difficult to understand its the same 11 out there.

Walker Peters is trying his best to drag us up but he is about the only bright spark. Its far too easy for Forest who will be gutted they are not winning this.

[Baz Fl]

In the wise words of the Black Knight “ok, we’ll call it a draw”

[Noodles34]

1 minute ago, Turkish said:

Anyone else just so grateful to be in this league?

Won’t be grateful

for long. 

[Mr X]

There isn't really any players in our side that other teams will be worried about facing is there? Kwp perhaps 

[Gingeletiss]

Martin’s mates will see us relegated again, unless he gets tough.

[RedArmy]

McCarthy 

Stephens

Bednarek

Smallbone 

Aribo 

Diaz

Armstrong

 

None have what it takes at this level. 

[stknowle]

11 minutes ago, Saint NL said:

Armstrong is like a rabbit in the headlights. 

Really want him to be good enough this time around, yes it’s early days, but sadly I just don’t see it happening.

[saintant]

We've a busy week in the transfer window if we want to transform this squad into something remotely resembling one up to the levels of the Premier League. 

[Sir Ralph]

Poor first half but I don’t think Forest can keep their press for the whole game, which was why we got more possession towards end of first half. 

[OttawaSaint]

Unchanged...FFS!

[gio1saints]

 

 

Pre match mosaic. Sadly could not see the Northam part! 

[bpsaint]

They just look so much stronger than us in every department, and with all due respect to them they’re not a particularly good team. Long season ahead if some of these squad keep playing each week.

Smallbone stays on somehow, honestly he’s a waif of a man, far too weak for this league, was before too.

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, RedArmy said:

McCarthy 

Stephens

Bednarek

Smallbone 

Aribo 

Diaz

Armstrong

 

None have what it takes at this level. 

Diaz will be alright I reckon the rest are what got us into this mess in the first place 

[saintant]

Just now, OttawaSaint said:

Unchanged...FFS!

Called it.

[Mr X]

Just now, RedArmy said:

McCarthy 

Stephens

Bednarek

Smallbone 

Aribo 

Diaz

Armstrong

 

None have what it takes at this level. 

Totally agree 

[OttawaSaint]

Just now, stknowle said:

Really want him to be good enough this time around, yes it’s early days, but sadly I just don’t see it happening.

He's a confidence player too so this will be draining it.

[Saint NL]

What does Russ see what we don't? No changes? If the subs aren't ready then they shouldn't be on the bench 

[Noodles34]

Attacking the wall this half. Should make a difference. 

[saintant]

Just now, Saint NL said:

What does Russ see what we don't? No changes? If the subs aren't ready then they shouldn't be on the bench 

He generally waits until we are at least a goal down even when under the cosh.

[vectraman]

We’ve been terrible and got away with it. Our turn to have a good second half and sneak a win out of this 🤞

[Golac's Iron Gonads]

I like that Sugawara and the pink shirts. Going to be a long season if that's all I can muster as positives.

[OttawaSaint]

1 minute ago, Saint NL said:

What does Russ see what we don't? No changes? If the subs aren't ready then they shouldn't be on the bench 

He doesn't like to be seen as wrong. Hurts his ego.

[gio1saints]

Much better start to second half for saints. All in there half 

[SNSUN]

Just now, stknowle said:

Really want him to be good enough this time around, yes it’s early days, but sadly I just don’t see it happening.

He runs a lot, he can finish but he lacks a top footballing brain. There's more than an echo of Shane Long there. Put AA alongside Mane, Tadic and Pelle and he would do well, much as Longy did. AA will have his part to play this season but he won't get more than 10 goals if he's lucky and the new signings prove to be better than what we had.

[RedArmy]

The 12th, 13th and 14th man of The Northam Wall™ to suck the ball into the net. 

Go sports. 

[St Chalet]

Much better start to 2nd half

 

[Crouchie's Lawyer]

Arma just looks like a little kid playing against men. May be a bit quicker than some but doesn't have what it takes to beat a player and has no chance physically either

[OttawaSaint]

Too much pointless passing and no cutting edge.

[Turkish]

3 minutes ago, Noodles34 said:

Attacking the wall this half. Should make a difference. 

They will suck the ball into the net, the Chapel Kop will blow the wall will suck. 

Edited 24 August, 2024 by Turkish

[Patches O Houlihan]

THB having a bit of a shocker today

[Saint NL]

Much better since half time tbf

[OttawaSaint]

We continually receive the ball in areas where we have nowhere to go. Frustrating.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Lack of options for Downes there.

[Mr X]

Scared to take a risk whenever we get in a promising position we play it backwards again!