Brentford 3-1 Saints - Match Thread

[Osvaldorama]

For fuck sake Russ

What the fuck is that line up. 
 

Does he want us to lose?!

[OttawaSaint]

The message to those who exceled in the cup game is, "I don't care, my pals will play regardless". Fuck off!

[Dr Who?]

7 minutes ago, Dr Who? said:

Will Ramsdale start today? I suppose it is a little different for a keeper coming straight in. I was just expecting him to start at SMS against Man U for some reason. 

That aged well 😂 

[beatlesaint]

4 minutes ago, Baird of the land said:

Find the Stephens hate bizarre. It’s not as if he’s even been our worst cb so far this season.

It’s not so much that, it’s more that to accommodate him we play a more defensive line-up. 

[OttawaSaint]

Was really excited for this game. Archer, Fernandes etc. Now I'm totally deflated. 

[Ball boy]

Just now, OttawaSaint said:

Was really excited for this game. Archer, Fernandes etc. Now I'm totally deflated. 

Totally agree. 🙁

[Saint NL]

I can only hope that the plan is to keep it tight for 60 mins and then unleash the subs.

 

[Winnersaint]

Just now, Ball boy said:

Totally agree. 🙁

I’m sure you’ll get over it.

Edited 31 August, 2024 by Winnersaint

[hypochondriac]

Imagine being archer. Play really well and score twice, our big hope up top and then gets dropped. 

[Saint Scott]

Bit annoyed at Russ. He went into this season saying we would take risks, be brave and it wouldn't always work. 

But, he seems unwilling to stray from his favourites and sticking with 5 at the back. We're suited to a 433 which is the braver/riskier option

[Dr Who?]

What that is weird, where is our new striker, Archer, surely he should be starting and Ferdy in behind? 

[Colinjb]

No changes aside from the keeper. Makes no sense. 

[Baird of the land]

I thought Fernandes might start as he was taken off early. Can’t say I’m shocked by him going safe and sticking to 5 at the back considering how bad defensively we were in midweek against a bad championship team with 4 at the back.

[Saint Billy]

Well that lineup was not what I was expecting, I was hoping NM was wanting to win this game.

[Dr Who?]

Let’s see how it goes. Hopefully the front two will be a little closer together, and if not, who is playing through the middle? 

[Sevvy]

That team cannot be that bad 2 weeks in a row can it.

[Sheaf Saint]

1 minute ago, beatlesaint said:

It’s not so much that, it’s more that to accommodate him we play a more defensive line-up. 

And then when we do change shape midway through a game, he gets shoehorned into another position like LB, when that's the one position we are already well stacked in.

I don't hate Stephens by any stretch of the imagination. He has some strengths, and he also has some glaring weaknesses. But the way RM continually insists on finding a place for him on the pitch when there are clearly better options available is quite bizarre.

[VectisSaint]

Pretty much expected team, expect changes after the int break when players have been integrated. Difference today is we have players on the bench who can come on and change things.

[It's There]

Get to half time and unleash the archer and Dibling 

[Galway saint]

clearly there need to be a few more defeats before there are changes 

defence looks ok but everything in front of it looks ordinary in premiership terms 

[Saint Matty 76]

Let’s hope we’re still in the game at 65 minutes when it becomes watchable!

[santolijador]

I suspect this will be the last nearly-unchanged/'deserves a chance because of last year' XI that Martin fields. From his comments mid-week it sounds like he will have said to the starters today 'fight for your place' - if he doesn't get anything out of them, changes on 60 minutes and from the start after the international break I should hope. 

[beatlesaint]

I was quite optimistic after the window shut yesterday and while I knew there were some who couldn’t play yet I’m afraid that starting line-up has completely deflated me.

[jamesfp1]

Thats a mental lineup considering what happened saturday and wednesday.

[AlexLaw76]

1 minute ago, Sheaf Saint said:

And then when we do change shape midway through a game, he gets shoehorned into another position like LB, when that's the one position we are already well stacked in.

I don't hate Stephens by any stretch of the imagination. He has some strengths, and he also has some glaring weaknesses. But the way RM continually insists on finding a place for him on the pitch when there are clearly better options available is quite bizarre.

Totally agree 

[beatlesaint]

1 minute ago, Sheaf Saint said:

And then when we do change shape midway through a game, he gets shoehorned into another position like LB, when that's the one position we are already well stacked in.

I don't hate Stephens by any stretch of the imagination. He has some strengths, and he also has some glaring weaknesses. But the way RM continually insists on finding a place for him on the pitch when there are clearly better options available is quite bizarre.

Totally agree.

[LGTL]

Russ being Russ. We all know he’s stubborn as fuck.

Almost feels like he’s happy to not bother with anything before the international break. These lot and Forest will be around us at the bottom though so they’re big games. Bit stupid really. 

[OttawaSaint]

RM: If we can keep it tight we can escape with a brave 1-0 defeat. Barcelona as we know are really dangerous.

AA: Err boss, it's not Barca it's Brentf-

RM: Don't interupt me when I'm being the main character!

[Dr Who?]

2 minutes ago, Galway saint said:

clearly there need to be a few more defeats before there are changes 

defence looks ok but everything in front of it looks ordinary in premiership terms 

Rugby, or Scotland. Sorry one of my bugbears. 

Edited 31 August, 2024 by Dr Who?

[SNSUN]

Last chance for this team to shine I suspect, maybe having more competition will put a rocket up some arses. 

LiveScore has the team as:

[Lee On Solent Saint]

3 minutes ago, Baird of the land said:

I thought Fernandes might start as he was taken off early. Can’t say I’m shocked by him going safe and sticking to 5 at the back considering how bad defensively we were in midweek against a bad championship team with 4 at the back.

But that was a back four that contained reserve players. Smallbone, Aribo, Stephens and Armstrong are not good enough to be starting PL matches. 

[tdmickey3]

No outfield changes… why not, awful last week, Martin is very difficult to understand sometimes and this sort of thing is really emphasises that view.

🤷‍♂️
 

Idiotic line up

Edited 31 August, 2024 by tdmickey3

[Disco Stu]

Oh dear. Russ won't last long if doesn't get ruthless soon.

[egg]

12 minutes ago, Baird of the land said:

Find the Stephens hate bizarre. It’s not as if he’s even been our worst cb so far this season.

Agreed. I genuinely wonder how many of the people whining that he's playing today actually watched the Forest game.

Anyone who watched the game and wants him to be dropped after that performance, and THB's in comparison, needs to give their head a wobble. 

[Saint Billy]

Singalong.

And then you go and spoil it all by playing something stupid like russball.

 

[Galway saint]

2 minutes ago, Dr Who? said:

Rugby, or Scotland. Sorry one of my bugbears. 

rugby 

[hypochondriac]

I swear if we fail to score or have any goal threat again and we end up losing 1-0...

[RedArmy]

Still persisting with that shit system 

[revolution saint]

Team looks set up to try and keep a clean sheet and a draw would be a good result.  KWP will need to watch the inverted fullback stuff as Brentford love to exploit those gaps.  I'm guessing Armstrong got the nod as RM trusts him more on the defensive stuff but both him and Diaz will need to make more of the limited chances we create.

[Convict Colony]

Last chance for midfielders and forwards (downes apart), subs are ready to start.

[whelk]

All I can say is for fucks sake

[Bob60]

Same players does not necessarily mean same tactics. Probably giving that lineup a last chance. 

See how it goes, hopefully the front two will be closer together.

Edited 31 August, 2024 by Bob60

[Fabrice29]

Team makes sense to me. Guys who did well during the week wont get through 90 minutes. You would all want them on the pitch in the most important part of the game which you'd hope would be at the end. With 5 subs people need to move on from the starting 11 being so vital.

[Andy Hill]

Clearly a 0-0 is the best that can we can hope for with this line-up.  No chance of scoring.

[Sheaf Saint]

1 minute ago, egg said:

Agreed. I genuinely wonder how many of the people whining that he's playing today actually watched the Forest game.

Anyone who watched the game and wants him to be dropped after that performance, and THB's in comparison, needs to give their head a wobble. 

It's true that THB didn't have the best of games last week.

But did you not see how badly Stephens was getting rinsed when he moved to LB? It was painful to watch and RM rightly put him out of his misery and made another change.

So the fault lies with RM for thinking that was a good idea in the first place. He put in some OK performances at LB last season when needed, but at PL level it's a disaster waiting to happen.

[sfc4prem]

Not sure about sticking with the same team or formation.

Russ literally said it was his fault and that against Nottingham Forest it led to the whole game 'passing us by'...

 

What is the definition of insanity?

[OttawaSaint]

Can we just for once have a manager that just picks the best players and a formation that suits their strengths?

It's maddening!

[Suhari]

Line up as expected, but not as wanted.

I understand it might take a few games for the new boys to be considered up to speed enough to start, but hopefully it's not too long!

Encouraging that we know that midfield can be improved now.

Brilliant that Hagrid starts.

Not watching this (on the train back from the big city), which means we'll win.

You can thank me later.

2-0 Saints.

[Roo1976]

14 minutes ago, Saint NL said:

I can only hope that the plan is to keep it tight for 60 mins and then unleash the subs.

 

hope so,but just play 4-4-2 or 4-3-3, not 5 at the back and just sit just above our own box ffs.

[gio1saints]

8 minutes ago, santolijador said:

I suspect this will be the last nearly-unchanged/'deserves a chance because of last year' XI that Martin fields. From his comments mid-week it sounds like he will have said to the starters today 'fight for your place' - if he doesn't get anything out of them, changes on 60 minutes and from the start after the international break I should hope. 

Think you are right. We were shite v Forest. But the message is clear: that Same team gets a chance to make amends pretty much.
Feel for Archer especially but I expect he will come on. As will Tyler and Mateus. Just hope it’s still all square at that point. Not 2 or 3 down to the Bees FFS. In Russ we trust. 😇