Saints 0-1 Forest - Match Thread

[badgerx16]

4 minutes ago, BotleySaint said:

That's the game done then. Two 1-0 defeats doesn't sound as bad as it could be?

Considering both could easily have been 3-0 I suppose there is a positive side to things.

[obelisk]

Do Saints have an attacking coach?

[trousers]

Things we learned today...

- we STILL need an actual goal scoring centre forward 

- KWP would be mad to stay

- we need KWP to stay

- AA only flourishes when he has space

- AA isn't going to get the space he needs to flourish this season

- Fernandes looks promising 

- With 30 minutes to go, Russ would rather preserve a draw than go for the win. At home. To Nottingham Forest. 

- Big Les needs to start instead of Smallbone 

- McCarthy isn't actually a bad goalkeeper when he's doing normal goalkeeper type stuff 

 

[Bobsmith]

Entirely on Russell Martin. Set us up like we were playing Manchester City away, and only makes changes when we're behind. Clueless 

[Mr X]

Just now, badgerx16 said:

Considering both could easily have been 3-0 I suppose there is a positive side to things.

Still six points lost wether we lost 1-0 or 3-0 but is see your point on confidence 

[Farmer Saint]

The issue is we've changed formation to try to counteract the fact we can't defend for toffee. It now means we can't attack for toffee. 

Edited 24 August, 2024 by Farmer Saint

[adrian lord]

Welcome to the Promised Land of the Premier League. It is an exercise in futility for clubs of our size and means. 

Edited 24 August, 2024 by adrian lord

[Saint86]

Goal should have been ruled out. Joke. But another game where we don't look like scoring. 

[RedArmy]

Just now, obelisk said:

Do Saints have an attacking coach?

Would be a waste of money when we don’t have any attacking players or tactics. 

[OttawaSaint]

Got what we deserved. Nothing.

[striker]

Wow, just felt like there were a lot of goals out there for us. Forest looked weak defensively, I can't believe we didn't score

[Mr X]

Where's the goals and points going to come from? 

[badgerx16]

1 minute ago, obelisk said:

Do Saints have an attacking coach?

Yes, but he has a blown gasket and 2 flat tyres.

[Saint NL]

Edozie is so wasteful. I appreciate his defensive work, but his final ball is shocking

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Good run back from Edozie. Although he has got the ball into the box a couple of times, nothing really aimed at picking anyone out. And as I type one goes well past everyone.

[Saint Scott]

Just now, Bobsmith said:

Entirely on Russell Martin. Set us up like we were playing Manchester City away, and only makes changes when we're behind. Clueless 

Not to mention his changes were poor too. The love in with Stephens is stupid, taking off Sugawara and playing him LB makes zero sense.

[saintant]

16th after 2 games - I'll take that 🙂

[SNSUN]

2 minutes ago, northam soul said:

I have believed for ages tha Smallbone and Aribo in midfield in this league and we are doomed.

They are not mobile enough and don’t offer enough quality in an attacking sense.

We look toothless up top with Diaz and Armstrong so not sure how we change this going forward.

I appreciate the idea of sticking by the players who got you promoted but we were hardly pulling up trees last year - we largely scraped through to promotion. Thankfully with Ugochukwu and Fernandes fully integrated, we won't have to rely on the others that much.

Still work to do in the transfer window and... Russ - please don't play 3 CBs at home against the likes of Forest. Thanks.

[Winnersaint]

2 minutes ago, northam soul said:

I have believed for ages tha Smallbone and Aribo in midfield in this league and we are doomed.

I think we could get away with one as an occasional sub but both on for the majority of the game isn't going to work at this level. 

[HKsaint]

2 minutes ago, trousers said:

Things we learned today...

- we STILL need an actual goal scoring centre forward 

- KWP would be mad to stay

- we need KWP to stay

- AA only flourishes when he has space

- AA isn't going to get the space he needs to flourish this season

- Fernandes looks promising 

- With 30 minutes to go, Russ would rather preserve a draw than go for the win. At home. To Nottingham Forest. 

- Big Les needs to start instead of Smallbone 

- McCarthy isn't actually a bad goalkeeper when he's doing normal goalkeeper type stuff 

 

True, if Bazunu, I think we lost at least 0-3

[benjii]

So annoying. I don't think anyone can say we should have won, but we also shouldn't have lost. Aribo just needs to kick it FFS. That said, did look like he was fouled.

If we're going to play the two "strikers" we need to get them closer together. We're not good enough to have no proper focal point up there. 

P.s. Dibbling looked excellent. 

Edited 24 August, 2024 by benjii

[AlexLaw76]

If Lego-Head persists with this set up, we will comfortably relegated around xmas (or as good as)

Horrible set up, horrible tempo, horrible all round

 

[hypochondriac]

Why play five at the back at home? We have to act like we belong in this league rather than trying not to lose. 

[Saint NL]

It's great to be back in the Premier league, eh? 

Big changes needed, either personnel or formation but if we play the whole season like that, we're going to set a few records...

[Sir Ralph]

Too reluctant to take risks - same problem as last year

[stknowle]

Ok so we found out earlier this week that it would be unlikely we would be signing both Bijlow and Ramsdale. I’m gonna add another pearl of wisdom to that and state I think it’s unlikely we ain’t gonna struggle this season. Absolutely hopeless in attack. 

[disconnect]

1 minute ago, Saint Scott said:

Not to mention his changes were poor too. The love in with Stephens is stupid, taking off Sugawara and playing him LB makes zero sense.

Again it seems crazy to take off Sugawara, who actually does carry an attacking threat, and then play Stephens out of position. Stephens is probably our 5th(?) best left back but is constantly moved there for some reason.

[egg]

2 minutes ago, Bobsmith said:

Entirely on Russell Martin. Set us up like we were playing Manchester City away, and only makes changes when we're behind. Clueless 

Yep.

Last week was on him too, despite the AM error. 

Subs were too late. 

The only comfort I'll take is that we're not getting smashed. Yet. 

 

[SNSUN]

Bijlow

Sugawara - THB - Jan - KWP

Downes - Lesley - Fernandes

AA - Archer - BBD

 

Already that looks better on paper than what we started with today. 

[SaintsBarry74]

16 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

Well this is incredibly damning. YET another terrible display at home to Forest.

62% possession and fuck all to show for it.

Peak Martin ball

[Sunglasses Ron]

Bloody Premier League, can’t live with it, can’t live without it.

[Saint Matty 76]

Tactics in the first half nothing short of embarrassing.

Smallbone and Aribo pointless footballers with no creativity/urgency. One of them or neither, never both. Ridiculous.

Dibling our only footballer capable of turning and driving with the ball.

[jamesfp1]

Awful all over the pitch. Except dibling who should be starting. Fan zone is good though isn't it.

[Saint NL]

65% possession and around twice as many completed passes, yet we had approximately zero threat.

Edited 24 August, 2024 by Saint NL

[saintant]

5 minutes ago, trousers said:

Things we learned today...

- we STILL need an actual goal scoring centre forward 

- KWP would be mad to stay

- we need KWP to stay

- AA only flourishes when he has space

- AA isn't going to get the space he needs to flourish this season

- Fernandes looks promising 

- With 30 minutes to go, Russ would rather preserve a draw than go for the win. At home. To Nottingham Forest. 

- Big Les needs to start instead of Smallbone 

- McCarthy isn't actually a bad goalkeeper when he's doing normal goalkeeper type stuff 

 

You missed out that we're crap - although to be fair we already knew that so as you were.

[AlexLaw76]

1 minute ago, SNSUN said:

Bijlow

Sugawara - THB - Jan - KWP

Downes - Lesley - Fernandes

AA - Archer - BBD

 

Already that looks better on paper than what we started with today. 

Even that is pretty toothless and lacking of pace/power up top

[Osvaldorama]

What’s the point ?

Offered fuck all. 

[M271]

The second game where we have gifted them their goal. There are times to run or pass it out and other to hoof it up field or out while the defence resets.

[Suhari]

We are SO easy for other premier league teams to play against. Will the Forest defence get an easier day of work than this?

Tappy, tappy, slowly-keepball. Do fuck all to hurt teams. Russ needs to have a serious rethink.

[hypochondriac]

Dibling looked great. I'd play him from the start to be honest. Smallbone can fuck off to the bench. 

[OttawaSaint]

2 minutes ago, benjii said:

If we're going to play the two "strikers" we need to get them closer together. We're not good enough to have no proper focal point up there. 

 

At times they were both hugging their respective touchlines.

[CB Fry]

4 minutes ago, saintant said:

16th after 2 games - I'll take that 🙂

In all seriousness at least our goal difference is OK (basically the best it can possibly be on two defeats). We have yet to be annihilated.

[RedArmy]

1 minute ago, SNSUN said:

Bijlow

Sugawara - THB - Jan - KWP

Downes - Lesley - Fernandes

AA - Archer - BBD

 

Already that looks better on paper than what we started with today. 

Looks like it would do well in the Championship 

[AlexLaw76]

Please, for the love of god, stop this 3 at the back....just stop it

[saintant]

5 minutes ago, Mr X said:

Where's the goals and points going to come from? 

Mainly whoever we play.

[Saint Matty 76]

So clear for 5/10 minutes before their goal that the game was there and we needed to make a change.

Doesn’t react until they score. Happened plenty last year too.

Too scared to attack Forest at home, what hope do we have outside of that?

[Sheaf Saint]

Well the second half was much better, but there's still a glaring lack of quality in MF and attack. 

I thought Dibling looked excellent when he came on. His driving runs will cause all sorts of problems for opposition defenders.

I like Smallbone, but he was way out of his depth today. 

Fernandes looked decent enough.

Edozie really needs to work on his final ball. Such a frustrating player.

A shit goal to concede, having actually defended OK until that point.

[egg]

1 minute ago, hypochondriac said:

Why play five at the back at home? We have to act like we belong in this league rather than trying not to lose. 

Absolutely. 4 at the back. 3 in the middle. 3 up top. Play on the front foot, stretching teams, and creating genuine chances. 

We should be getting something at home to forest, and it's hard to see where our first result will come from playing this way. 

[Mr X]

If Martin knows his style will produce more losses than wins at a higher level why does he persevere with it? 

[Topcat]

60% possession but only one shot on goal....

Forest managed 5 on target.