Brentford 3-1 Saints - Match Thread

[derry]

I just watched the Sky analysis of Liverpool v Man Utd. Liverpool did to MU what Brentford did to us. On numerous occasions bypassing the high MU full backs and putting in four forwards against two centre backs. Liverpool played possession at times moving up the field but often played long or two pass direct and tore MU apart.

[chownie20]

In an office and family full of Ipswich fans, a painful day today.  They are cock a hoop about how they are going to stay up, how good Delap is, how Phillips runs the midfield, went toe-to-toe with City and Liverpool, etc.  Scraping a home draw against Fulham seems to have driven a lot of optimism and I think we need some points on the board ASAP to drive a similar feeling! The table at the moment is far from a disaster but negativity can creep in quick!

I think we will be fine this season if we play our best team, bed in the new signings, and try to be more pragmatic. 

The lack of a focal point up front worries me.  Not sure if BBD or Archer can play that role but think we need someone there. Tall Paul obviously discounted now.

I think its also time to drop the loyalty to certain players.  I think Smallbone is a tidy, honest and hardworking pro, but for me he doesnt turn enough, and plays too many "brick wall" passes pinging it exactly back to where it came from, inviting pressure.  I also dont think we need three CBs, and Harwood-Bellis/Bednarek seems a trusted combination to stick to - RM needs to pick his favourite of those three and be prepared to drop one of them to play a four at the back I think.

Playing KWP on the left may also be an issue.....Sugawara has started well and its a shame not to play him, but would Charlie Taylor and KWP be more natural?

It would be interesting to see if we can get into a rhythm with 4-3-3 Taylor, KWP, Bednarek, THB, Downes, Fernandes, Aribo, then BBD, Archer, Armstrong, playing Archer central.  Equally if we want to stick with 3 at the back, could we get two attacking fullbacks and the double pivot with Downes and Big Les.

Not easy! But I do feel Smallbone is too limited for the prem especially in our own half with opposition press.  Aribo not a million miles behind.

[malcolm waldron]

33 minutes ago, chownie20 said:

In an office and family full of Ipswich fans, a painful day today.  They are cock a hoop about how they are going to stay up, how good Delap is, how Phillips runs the midfield, went toe-to-toe with City and Liverpool, etc.  Scraping a home draw against Fulham seems to have driven a lot of optimism and I think we need some points on the board ASAP to drive a similar feeling! The table at the moment is far from a disaster but negativity can creep in quick!

I think we will be fine this season if we play our best team, bed in the new signings, and try to be more pragmatic. 

The lack of a focal point up front worries me.  Not sure if BBD or Archer can play that role but think we need someone there. Tall Paul obviously discounted now.

I think its also time to drop the loyalty to certain players.  I think Smallbone is a tidy, honest and hardworking pro, but for me he doesnt turn enough, and plays too many "brick wall" passes pinging it exactly back to where it came from, inviting pressure.  I also dont think we need three CBs, and Harwood-Bellis/Bednarek seems a trusted combination to stick to - RM needs to pick his favourite of those three and be prepared to drop one of them to play a four at the back I think.

Playing KWP on the left may also be an issue.....Sugawara has started well and its a shame not to play him, but would Charlie Taylor and KWP be more natural?

It would be interesting to see if we can get into a rhythm with 4-3-3 Taylor, KWP, Bednarek, THB, Downes, Fernandes, Aribo, then BBD, Archer, Armstrong, playing Archer central.  Equally if we want to stick with 3 at the back, could we get two attacking fullbacks and the double pivot with Downes and Big Les.

Not easy! But I do feel Smallbone is too limited for the prem especially in our own half with opposition press.  Aribo not a million miles behind.

But shouldn't this have all been sorted out in June, or at least after the more difficult pre-season friendlies.  It's no surprise that midfielders are being overrun by pace, power and technical ability this season.  I think we knew that was a very high risk when we were all waking up with sore heads on the 27th May.  I can understand trying to be loyal but look at the examples of Dean Hammond and Billy Sharp back in 2012.  Crucial players the season before, but both thanked and swiftly moved on upon promotion (right at the end of August if sources are correct).  Two weeks for management to make some harsh but fair decisions.

[saintant]

1 hour ago, derry said:

I just watched the Sky analysis of Liverpool v Man Utd. Liverpool did to MU what Brentford did to us. On numerous occasions bypassing the high MU full backs and putting in four forwards against two centre backs. Liverpool played possession at times moving up the field but often played long or two pass direct and tore MU apart.

Exactly how I saw it. I wonder if RM watched it and will learn anything from it 🙂  Liverpool were absolutely superb and it could have been even more embarrassing for Utd. 

[OldNick]

On 01/09/2024 at 16:48, Dark Munster said:

And he has no real incentive to change. SR foolishly extended his contract before the season started, so he can say to himself sod it, the worst that can happen is I’ll get a juicy payoff if I’m sacked.

He still had a couple of years left on it so why didn’t they wait before extending it? 

I dont think RM worries about the money, I feel he wouldnt want his career to end here this season. He wants to make a name for himself and I assume he will change little by little to hopefully get it right

[Whitey Grandad]

1 minute ago, OldNick said:

I dont think RM worries about the money, I feel he wouldnt want his career to end here this season. He wants to make a name for himself and I assume he will change little by little to hopefully get it right

We all know that he’ll never get his system to work so he can either fail miserably or fail bravely.

[Andy Hill]

Difficult to see where our first point is going to come from if RM perseveres with the likes of Stephens, Smallbone, Aribo and Armstrong.  In addition that  proven striker that we all hoped for never materialised.

[saintant]

Just now, Andy Hill said:

Difficult to see where our first point is going to come from if RM perseveres with the likes of Stephens, Smallbone, Aribo and Armstrong.  In addition that  proven striker that we all hoped for never materialised.

Well, by the time of the next game Ross-he's-two-weeks-away-Stewart must be fit and chomping at the bit so presumably he'll be included on the bench and given some minutes 🙂

[Football Special]

On 01/09/2024 at 08:28, egg said:

Too early to panic imo, but playing the RM way, we have no chance.

I think this group of players, set up sensibly, and not playing suicidal football, has a decent chance. 

I agree there are some good players there and we should be able to give several teams in this league a good game, but I still can't see where goals will come from so will still make us easy to beat. We need far too many chances per goal and won't get them. 

[Pamplemousse]

2 hours ago, saintant said:

Well, by the time of the next game Ross-he's-two-weeks-away-Stewart must be fit and chomping at the bit so presumably he'll be included on the bench and given some minutes 🙂

If he scores against Man Utd I'm running onto the pitch

[Baird of the land]

3 hours ago, saintant said:

Well, by the time of the next game Ross-he's-two-weeks-away-Stewart must be fit and chomping at the bit so presumably he'll be included on the bench and given some minutes 🙂

Isn’t it bad luck to refer to him by name. Don’t you have to say ‘the Scottish play-er’

[Whitey Grandad]

8 minutes ago, Baird of the land said:

Isn’t it bad luck to refer to him by name. Don’t you have to say ‘the Scottish play-er’

There is a way to break the curse.  Go outside and run around the stadium (or spin on the centre spot) three times, spit, then swear or quote another player’s name.

[Mystic Force]

I am wondering after how many games I am allowed to be at the below levels

Concerned

Worried

Angry

Resigned to fate

 

I don't want to tread on toes until consensus allows me to feel a certain way.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

32 minutes ago, Mystic Force said:

I am wondering after how many games I am allowed to be at the below levels

Concerned

Worried

Angry

Resigned to fate

 

I don't want to tread on toes until consensus allows me to feel a certain way.

I thought "resigned to fate" came with supporting the club. I don't think you have to wait for matches. 🙂

[Dark Munster]

48 minutes ago, Mystic Force said:

Concerned <- After Newcastle

Worried <- After Forest

Angry <- After Brentford

Resigned to fate <- After a Man Utd rogering from another tippy tappy passing around the back fiasco, and he still hasn't been sacked

 

Edited September 2 by Dark Munster

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, Mystic Force said:

I am wondering after how many games I am allowed to be at the below levels

Concerned

Worried

Angry

Resigned to fate

 

I don't want to tread on toes until consensus allows me to feel a certain way.

I though their were five stages of grief?

[Mystic Force]

14 hours ago, Whitey Grandad said:

I though their were five stages of grief?

I have no power of bargaining

[suewhistle]

15 hours ago, Whitey Grandad said:

I though their were five stages of grief?

Doesn't guilt make an appearance? Guilt at being a Saints fan?

[Whitey Grandad]

8 minutes ago, suewhistle said:

Doesn't guilt make an appearance? Guilt at being a Saints fan?

You don’t actually have to tell anybody although they do say that confession is good for the soul.

#saintsfansanonymous 

[BarberSaint]

Thoughts from some other forums:

 

 

 

Couldn't find much for Newcastle as they seem to have spent all their time talking about the red card and there was no obvious forum that had a good amount of stuff or a stand out single, main one.  Overall the consensus from outside is somewhat lazy, but could be accurate: we are a poor man's Burnley.

 

I think even under Adkins at the start there were signs that we'd do alright. Especially after the first game.  I haven't seen much from the on the field play other than when substitutes are introduced to think that this time.  

 

Should we not beat Ipswich who are a poor side and one we could 'expect' to beat then that will be a home game (if we have home game advantage) lost,  few if any points, and it will almost certainly become vituperative if we simply look to play with little real purpose and ambition (and by purpose I mean attacking intent and with the aim of both putting the opposition team on the back foot and entertaining the fans) and then carry on past Bournemouth (who may be bucket rattlers but have a team and manager that are quite good and that's who we'll play, not their accountants) with few to no points, no wins and nothing to show that we can play competitive football then I imagine things will spiral downwards pretty quickly; we will be at the end of September with little to nothing to show.