Man Utd 3-1 Saints - Match Thread

[Sheaf Saint]

2 minutes ago, gammon cheeks said:

Don't really understand Smallbone coming on ..offered zilch ! 

He's literally just jogged about doing fuck all. Total waste of a shirt.

And to think RM claimed he was only ever happy when he was on the pitch. Dear oh dear.

[Mr X]

What do we have to do to win a game? 

[Matthew Le God]

47 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

Hopefully we never see Armstrong again. 

We will be in the Championship next season, why wouldn't you want him in a Championship squad? He scored 24 goals at that level last season.

Edited January 16 by Matthew Le God

[OttawaSaint]

1 minute ago, Saint_clark said:

If only we played Armstrong and never created any chances in the first place 😞 

Exactly. The club striker recruitment is beyond bad. 

 

[Whitey Grandad]

Just now, Chez said:

Jesus, the hate for Smallbone on here is mental. 

With good reason. 

[CanadaSaint]

Just now, Toussaint said:

At least Juric now knows that his squad players are absolutely terrible. I’d be surprised if we see a Smallbone too often. 

That’s a lot of what’s going on here. As fans we just want to win the game. Juric wants to win as well but he also needs to figure out who he can rely on and who he can’t.

Now he knows.

[Mr X]

Just now, Matthew Le God said:

We will be in the Championship next season, why wouldn't you want them in a Championship squad?

Because they don't deserve the chance! 

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

Got to say, even by our standards, this implosion has been pretty impressive.

[Teamsaint1]

Just now, Mr X said:

What do we have to do to win a game? 

Not concede three times would help.

[tdmickey3]

1 minute ago, Chez said:

Jesus, the hate for Smallbone on here is mental. 

It’s not hate it’s just knowing he is not good enough by a mile

[austsaint]

3 minutes ago, manji said:

Slamming Smallbone might make you feel better . It’s fucking obvious for Juvic and his team it’s learning. Like I’ve just said if they don’t rate Smallbone he won’t be here next season. How the feck some of you lot can’t see the bigger picture amazes me.

He should not be on the field.  The whole momentum of the game changed on the hour when Smallbone came on.  All our attacking threat evaporated, we sat deeper and a shell shocked Man U were invited back in.

[Jonnyboy]

We should've sacked Martin in the summer and appointed Simon Rusk. The guy averages a point a game and 38 points would have kept us up and been something to build on.

[obelisk]

We played alright for an hour or so but ultimately didn't have the guts to win a game. Story of the season really.

[Suhari]

1 hour ago, Maggie May said:

Insurance bet firmly placed.

Easy money.

[manji]

Just now, Chez said:

Jesus, the hate for Smallbone on here is mental. 

Like I said a bunch of wimps on here “ my evening is ruined “ bbohol 

[Toadhall Saint]

Lots and lots of positives there. We were the better team for 60 mins. Pitt we couldn’t of held on for a point but good signs.

[Dragon_man]

Very poor subs. This manager is looking pants. 

As for Smallbone, all I saw was him jogging about. 

 

[West end Saints]

2 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

He's always been shit, what's he going to learn by giving him a chance? 

Oh for fuck sake. What a waste of 60 minutes of great work that was.

Nonsense.

Not sure what he is like currently at this level due to injury, last season he was decent.

I don't get the hate.

Our best midfielder during play offs. The championship podcast had him as the player of the 5 play off games.

[Saint_clark]

Just now, CanadaSaint said:

That’s a lot of what’s going on here. As fans we just want to win the game. Juric wants to win as well but he also needs to figure out who he can rely on and who he can’t.

Now he knows.

Maybe use a game where we're 2-0 down to figure it out rather than when we're 1-0 away at Old Trafford on course to record low points.

[AlexLaw76]

Brilliant performance for about 65/70 mins. 

Sully was excellent and showed what we have been missing. However, our subs killed us. Smallbone in particular is such a nothing player.

I will say, Zirkzee made a huge difference for them, he pretty much won his battles where as Hoijlund (or whoever he is) was crap

[Tauro]

Weaker significantly after snallbone came on followed by Downes. 

[badgerx16]

Just now, Whitey Grandad said:

Why do there have to be alternatives?

Subs have to be made, and apparently Juric made the wrong ones, so it is a valid question.

[ButtikonSaint]

pity and honestly a bit unlucky not to have been a couple of goals up...
We did really well for 80mins... shows how far we have to go.
Subs didn't work out but I believe that Juric will learn from that.
 

[Saint Fan CaM]

2 minutes ago, Chez said:

Jesus, the hate for Smallbone on here is mental. 

No hate - just speaking the truth about a player who is a non-entity in midfield. Totally out of his depth.

[bangkoksaint]

I’m gutted for the 2500 that were there. I’m fed up chucking my money at them currently. Safe journey home to you all you deserve medals 

[trousers]

Much better performance overall. Scoreline flattered Utd in the end. Juric learning the hard way that our subs ALWAYS make us weaker. If we play with that level of commitment and positivity for the rest of the season then I'll be content (and also annoyed at how  much more competitive we could've been earlier in the season). Hope Dibling is fit for the Forest game. 

Edited January 16 by trousers

[Sir Ralph]

Much better performance - tactically good. The last 10 just fell apart - Smallbone lost the press and KWP didn’t press Diallo - just dropped off him. KWP head isn’t in it 

[Disco Stu]

Valiant effort today. Subs were poor unfortunately but SOOO much better than the dross served up by Martin.

Edited January 16 by Disco Stu

[saintant]

Well played boys and well done Ivan. Score line was a bit of a travesty but much to admire about us tonight. Unfortunately the subs continually weakened us and not sure why Smallbone was brought on because he is too weak for what we needed. Some very good signs that we'll improve more and pick up enough points to beat Derby's record.

[aintforever]

When we attacked Smallbone just jogged about, when we were defending he just jogged about. The cunt was just a passenger.

[qwertyell]

Should've scored four or five, fell to pieces in the last fifteen minutes.

All the subs made us worse.

Shame. Thought we were really good until Dibling and Fernandes went off. 

[manji]

Just now, Dragon_man said:

Very poor subs. This manager is looking pants. 

As for Smallbone, all I saw was him jogging about. 

 

Manager looking pants FFS  look what he inherited . 

[davefizzy14]

We were so on top in this game and we have somehow come away with nothing! I think the changes we made didn't help us go onto win it.

[badgerx16]

3 minutes ago, Convict Colony said:

Honestly if sullemana could finish he'd be diallo.

 

And he wouldn't be playing for us.

[Hatch]

Coping well until Smallbone came on then after that they completely dominated 

[SNSUN]

We're as bad with 3 cbs as 2, put a striker on top of today's front 3 and let's get at teams. 

Sulemana was excellent tonight bar the finishing. That's possibly rustiness and he deserves to keep playing. Dibling was good too as was Fernandes, Aribo had a good game as did Kyle. Controversially I think THB had a great game before his Martinesque brain fart at the end. 

Positive signs even if the result sucked.

[die Mannyschaft]

Not really WS or AA fault as the manager put them on. We only have 7 players who can stay the distance then subs just confuse the team for while.  At least Saints were the better team,  don't think that's happened are than w tines

[BotleySaint]

We aren't rich enough for this league. 

They bring on Eriksen and Maguire. 

We bring on Smallbone and Armstrong. 

Edited January 16 by BotleySaint

[stknowle]

1 minute ago, BotleySaint said:

Still on course for a record breaking season. 

Lowest points total 

Least goals scored 

Most goals conceded 

Earliest relegation. 

Most defeats

Hard to see anything else happening really. 

Thing is playing like we did for the first 80 mins should inspire confidence we’ll at least avoid the humiliation of most of those, but to then lose it like that in the last 10 fucks the confidence levels and makes it all the more likely we won’t avoid any of them.

Yet again I’m sick to the pit of my stomach and we actually played well tonight.

[Saint86]

Game was lost when smallbone came on. No presses made, no useful passes or tackles. just an absolute waste of space. Was a terrible sub. If the striker was tired, we should be using someone like Onuachu or Archer, with Smallbone playing in midfield if he absolutely has to come on... and to bring him on before downes was just mental.

[Jimmy_D]

Not the first time we’ve deserved far more out of a game than we’ve got this season.

[Ekelund]

4 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

We will be in the Championship next season, why wouldn't you want them in a Championship squad?

Mate not now. Come on. Ffs. 

[Saint86]

Just now, BotleySaint said:

We aren't rich enough for this league. 

They bring on Erickson and Maguire. 

We bring on Smallbone and Armstrong. 

Relegation and PSR will do that to any squad. Let alone when you're playing one of the richest clubs in world football. Its not like united have had rich owners investing in them.

Edited January 16 by Saint86

[Matthew Le God]

59 minutes ago, Mr X said:

Because they don't deserve the chance! 

They do based on their performances at that level. Armstrong is a prolific goalscorer in that league, Smallbone a top player in that league. Sure, they aren't up to it in the PL, but we don't need them for that next season. Replacements can be signed after any future potential promotion.

Edited January 16 by Matthew Le God

[Sunglasses Ron]

This was basically this season’s version of the 3-3 draw with Arsenal in 2023. Any normal team would have secured at least a point, but we’re no ordinary team are we.

As a poster above said, it’s in our DNA to completely collapse in these types of situation.

[Whitey Grandad]

4 minutes ago, West end Saints said:

Nonsense.

Not sure what he is like currently at this level due to injury, last season he was decent.

I don't get the hate.

Our best midfielder during play offs. The championship podcast had him as the player of the 5 play off games.

That was last season!!!

[davefizzy14]

Dibling, Sulemana, Fernandes, Aribo, Ugochukwu, KWP all excellent tonight. THB and Bree good too.

Edited January 16 by davefizzy14

[Morse]

A lot, lot, lot better. But why Smallbone ffs? Hope Dibbling is not seriously injured. 

Fuck Man U and their pissy plastic fans, and their shitty owners. All that money and still bottom half. Wankers. 

[Chez]

Gutted we lost. It's been a while since I actually felt like that, we have been so far off the pace in other games. We were top quality in the first half. Creating proper chances that perhaps we should have taken. United did have two very good ones of their own. Our defence is still not the best.

United were always going to improve second half, but to be honest we more than matched them for 20 minutes. Once Dibling went off, we lost a threat and control, and every sub seemed to take a little from us. No complaints though.  I thought players did tire, so subs had to be made.  

Sulemana showed what one or two on here knew he could do. Pace is essential at this level. If only he could play against teams playing five a the back (and a young centre half exposed) every week.

[Saint_clark]

Just now, Matthew Le God said:

They do based on their performances at that level. Armsmtrong is prolific in that league, Smallbone a top player in that league. Sure, they aren't up to it in the PL, but we don't need them for that next season. Replacements can be signed after any future potential promotion.

Smallbone was not a top player. He was average at best for a team that finished in the playoffs. 

We should be aiming for automatic ergo we should be aiming for better.