Everton 1-1 (5-6p) Saints - Match Thread

[SylvianSylvian]

Say what you like about Everton but that’s one hell of an atmosphere in Goodison Park tonight. 

[Saint_clark]

1 minute ago, saintant said:

AA is a waste of space through the middle.

Finally got him playing well down the right wing and we stick him through the middle again with his back to goal. Ludicrous.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Needless from Wood there. We had a warning down his side a couple of times just before.

 

[verlaine1979]

AA just doesn't have it at this level. Technique just isn't there.

[Suhari]

Someone tell Russ that if he doesn't sort this shit out at half time, I'm spending the rest of tonight spanking it to pics of Lucy.

[Saint NL]

Just now, SylvianSylvian said:

Say what you like about Everton but that’s one hell of an atmosphere in Goodison Park tonight. 

Tbf to them, it's a good turn out for a Carabao game. But there's no noise at all

[LGTL]

Lallana is still a wonderful footballer, one of the best our academy has ever produced. I’d be tempted to play him every week if we can keep him fit. 

Edited 17 September, 2024 by LGTL

[saintant]

Just now, Wade Garrett said:

Wood is extremely average.

He's not that good.

[tdmickey3]

Loads of utter pointless possession and Everton just wait for the inevitable fuck up and will eventually score.

Out of his depth

[Saint NL]

Nice idea from Cornet, poor execution. But nice to see someone have a shot....

Edited 17 September, 2024 by Saint NL

[SNSUN]

They could demolish Goodison right now and nobody would make a noise. Deathly silent.

[6ft8saint]

Why don't we run it in to the corners and cross it in ????

 

I definitely saw that last season 

[Saint_clark]

Hate to say it but Lallana is superb. Him, Downes and Lesley should be out midfield three for sure.

[sandwichsaint]

Commentator name-checking the stadium announcer, it's that sort of a game.

[imadirtyurchin]

It’s all possession and zero control of the game. 

[Wade Garrett]

That was a rip-roaring exciting first half.

Can’t wait for the next 45 minutes.

Lallana is quality by the way.

[Mr X]

Well that was dire

[verlaine1979]

Just now, 6ft8saint said:

Why don't we run it in to the corners and cross it in ????

 

I definitely saw that last season 

Because you'd have to stack AA and Fraser on top of each other to make one normal size attacker.

[Sheaf Saint]

1 minute ago, Saint_clark said:

Hate to say it but Lallana is superb. Him, Downes and Lesley should be out midfield three for sure.

Why do you hate to say it?

[hypochondriac]

A pretty frustrating half that is similar to a lot of our games this year. Loads and loads of possession and very little to show for it. 

[Saint_clark]

Goodison is rocking under the lights.

[Saint_clark]

Just now, Sheaf Saint said:

Why do you hate to say it?

Because the guy is a prick and I didn't want him back.

[Midfield_General]

Half time. 

Armstrong getting very little service but generally looking utterly ineffective down the middle, yet again. A spectator, barely touched the ball. I wonder how many times they need to see it before they finally accept he can't effect the game as a no. 9 against any half-decent opposition. 

Pretty weak for the goal. Macca missed the cross then we got beaten to two headers. THB should have done better. 

Great delivery from Taylor for the equalizer; good header from THB. 

Lallana showing a few little flashes of quality, decent feet and one of the few looking for a forward pass. Wood having a physical battle with Beto and doing OK, but looks clumsy. Bree giving the ball away a fair bit under little pressure. Fraser looking lively when he gets the ball but lacking quality with his delivery. 

Generally lots of the usual sideways and backwards possession with little point to it. Very little real attacking threat from open play. 

Overall, seen worse but pretty damn average all round. 

 

[Harry_SFC]

Adam Armstrong is pretty crap, isn't he? 

[Whitey Grandad]

1 minute ago, imadirtyurchin said:

It’s all possession and zero control of the game. 

Concentration on possession means not giving the ball away which means not creating goal opportunities.

[SylvianSylvian]

Can’t wait for the second half, this is shaping up to be a cracker

[BotleySaint]

1 minute ago, Harry_SFC said:

Adam Armstrong is pretty crap, isn't he? 

No. Just not premiership level. Was excellent for us last year but lacks the pace to succeed at this level if played through the middle.

Edited 17 September, 2024 by BotleySaint

[Saint_clark]

Just now, Harry_SFC said:

Adam Armstrong is pretty crap, isn't he? 

He's a decent right winger, crosses it well, and has a decent shot when he arrives late in the box from wide positions, but through the middle he's an absolute waste.

[SylvianSylvian]

Do we have any shorter forwards we can sub on? 

[saintant]

That was a typical half from a RM team - there is zero urgency to get the ball forward quickly. Wood is an accident waiting to happen. Cornet did ok in flashes. Lallana still class. Big Les having a decent game. We have little threat up front.

[gammon cheeks]

Lallana playing well but probably won't last the game 

[Farmer Saint]

2 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

Adam Armstrong is pretty crap, isn't he? 

He's not, he's just playing in his "favoured" position. He needs to go back out wide. 

[SNSUN]

So I was shopping in Staines the other day and a bloke walks up to me and says "You're in Staines." I said "I know I'm in Staines mate, I come here all the time." He says "No, urine stains" and pointed to my jeans. I'd pissed myself.

I thought of that joke whilst being bored during large swathes of that first half.

[Sarisbury Saint]

2 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

Adam Armstrong is pretty crap, isn't he? 

Yeah, he really should of finished at least two of those chances.

[Charlie Wayman]

Fraser is a lazy sod tonight. Useless, hasn't once run at his man or reached the by-line. Bree improves in every match. Why is Wood in team at all?

LALLANA!

Edited 17 September, 2024 by Charlie Wayman

[Toussaint]

We have the slowest attack in the entire history of football. We are invariably trying to pick our way through two lines of five. 

[Harry_SFC]

3 minutes ago, BotleySaint said:

No. Just not premiership level. Was excellent for us last year but lacks the pace to succeed at this level.

Lacks pace, any ability to hold the ball up, doesn't win headers, can't seem to convert chances against better opposition. Not sure why we keep persevering with someone who is never ever going to be a premier league player.

Edited 17 September, 2024 by Harry_SFC

[saintant]

1 minute ago, SylvianSylvian said:

Do we have any shorter forwards we can sub on? 

No, we're short of them.

[Midfield_General]

Sky Sports giving us 77% possession and zero 'clear cut chances'. Bit of an odd stat, given we've scored, but quite representative of the feel of it generally. 

[Toussaint]

3 minutes ago, SylvianSylvian said:

Can’t wait for the second half, this is shaping up to be a cracker

I’m just about to get a cracker, and some cheese, how did you know?  👻 

Edited 17 September, 2024 by Toussaint

[imadirtyurchin]

2 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Concentration on possession means not giving the ball away which means not creating goal opportunities.

Absolutely. But it doesn’t even seem that we sacrifice creativity for solidity. We have long periods of possession but get turned over multiple times every half and concede chance after chance to the opposition. So I wouldn’t say it’s worth it, or working. 

[The Kraken]

8 minutes ago, verlaine1979 said:

AA just doesn't have it at this level. Technique just isn't there.

Which level? Premier League reserves?

[obelisk]

Everton have managed more shots despite all that Saints pointless possession.

[Gloucester Saint]

77% possession first half but little to show for it. Our goal came from a set piece.

[Toadhall Saint]

4 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

A pretty frustrating half that is similar to a lot of our games this year. Loads and loads of possession and very little to show for it. 

No one seems to be capable of making a forward pass - baffling. 

[Mr X]

4 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

Adam Armstrong is pretty crap, isn't he? 

At this level he's shocking 

[Farmer Saint]

1 minute ago, Midfield_General said:

Sky Sports giving us 77% possession and zero 'clear cut chances'. Bit of an odd stat, given we've scored, but quite representative of the feel of it generally. 

Why's that an odd stat? What if we'd scored from the half way line? A clear cut chance is a really easy one to score. 

[Sheaf Saint]

1 minute ago, Midfield_General said:

Sky Sports giving us 77% possession and zero 'clear cut chances'. Bit of an odd stat, given we've scored, but quite representative of the feel of it generally. 

An unmarked free header from a set piece doesn't qualify as a 'clear cut' chance? 

How strange.

[Gloucester Saint]

4 minutes ago, BotleySaint said:

No. Just not premiership level. Was excellent for us last year but lacks the pace to succeed at this level if played through the middle.

He’s quick, pace isn’t the issue, it’s the first touch and the ability to bounce off challenges and nudges. 

[saintant]

RM coaches this absolutely pointless style of football. It's mind numbingly boring to watch and creates just about nothing.