Sorry but I disagree about the League Cup. When you draw Lincoln at home for a chance to get to the QF it becomes a priority. In any event, the unique circumstances of this season meant we needed to play our strongest team anyway to give the players competitive minutes. Hopefully by the time the QF comes around we will have picked up a couple of wins in the league.
In the opening post of this thread, I did mention that Lincoln had only lost 5 league matches so far this season, which hinted that they might be tough to beat, so we have to give them credit for making it hard for us. I genuinely hate us playing 3CBs, because I still don’t think that the players we have know how to position themselves, and Salisu is still prone to dashing out to try and nick the ball off the striker, getting turned and them running in behind, and putting crosses into difficult places to defend. The escape we had at 1-0 involved Salisu getting turned. The midfield, for me, need to play closer together. I mentioned during the game that we weren’t playing in triangles and the midfield being so far apart allowed passes to be intercepted with ease. I think, at times, they were playing in different postcodes. I also think that Lucy (who was one of our better players) and JWP are too predictable with their movement. They both tend to run in straight lines which is too easy to defend. Stuart and Fandab are more unpredictable, especially when they are in possession, which is why we improved when they came on.
Normally I would agree. I always want Saints to take the cups seriously but for a new manager, joining mid-season, in a relegation scrap, there is no doubt that the league is way more important. As it is, it is good to (re)start with a win and get into the next round. But the next few games are absolutely huge.
Guess it depends on your outlook. Winning a cup and getting relegated would be seen as a successful season for a lot of people. Just staying in the PL would not be
I was at the game last night and thought we were utterly awful throughout. I was sat there bored out of my mind as we spent 5 minutes slowly passing it between CBs before deciding Lincoln were too good to even try and break down so then leaving it to our CBs; who probably had 60% of the games possession themselves, to play a long ball out of play time and time again. However this is by far the worst news for me. I thought Lavia had returned from that injury before the WC break and was just trying to build up fitness. That he’s had 6 weeks since then and is still struggling with it is a big worry when you consider that he is pivotal to us not being ****. We kinda need another DM almost as much as we need a striker and 10.
Not sure what I watched last night If I’m looking for a new Saints identity then it must be, play **** and win, but seems prone to failure in Prem I think we’re all agreed on a few things like, we must NEVER play 3 at the back, AA will NEVER be a Prem player, Lyanco will ALWAYS be a bit bonkers Quality as always from Bazanu, KWP, Perraud, Stu, Edozie Concerns about AMN, Salisu and Prowsie when he doesn’t have quality alongside him MOTM Mo p.s. Surely their goal was a foul on Baz? Their player impeded him and never touched the ball!
We were awful when playing 5-3-2. We were so much better when playing 4-3-3. It's no surprise that we were so bad when playing with three CBs, because we always were under Ralph too. No manager since Ron has made that formation work for us. I really don't think it helps when also playing with two strikers, because it leaves the wing-backs as the only width at all. So in that respect, I'm pleased that Jones found this out last night. I'd much rather him using it for 60 mins vs Lincoln before realising it doesn't work, than using it for 60 mins vs Brighton. Just have to hope now that we pick up on Monday where we left off last night. Given how much ralph liked to play with two strikers, seeing us play 4-3-3 for that final half hour was quite a difference. I liked it.
RE: Their goal. Yeah not sure it was much of an obstruction, but in today's game you as much as look at the keeper when the balls in the air, and it's called a foul. So probably shouldn't have stood.
Honestly that che miss when we were 3v1 is awful even by our standards. If this was fifa or football manager I’d have instantly sold him for that
Yep. Had three or four chances to bury it. Plus, could have just passed it to Moi for an even clearer shot at goal. Although Moi would have probably put it over the bar.
I didn`t watch the game (I was watching Aberdeen lose 2-3 to Rangers with goals in the 95th and 97th minutes!). Anyway it sounds exactly like the Sheff Wed game - struggle playing with a back 3, then much better with a back 4, and Stu on.
It was literally disgusting for a premier league player to be that bad. I’ll forgive Edozie as he’s young and it bobbled a bit. But that from Che is genuinely horrendous. On that note, I’d be starting Edozie against Brighton. We finally have a player that can beat a man. My pick is: edozie adams stu Diallo Lavia jwp Perraud DCC ABK KWP Bazaar Drop AMN as I thought he was an absolute disgrace last night
I was trying to be positive I really don't think the WC break has done NJ any favours. All its done is remove any sort of grace period he may have had, he's had a mini pre season to install some sort of identity/style on the players. Fans will be expecting results straight away and If last night tactics and team selection is NJ's plan for moving forward we're in some serious trouble. On last nights performance 3 things are glaringly obvious. -We'll be playing hit and hope long ball -The vast majority of our team are no where near good enough. -The fans are already at their limit, the atmosphere last night wasn't great and the numbers were shocking for his first home game in charge.
Only just seen those misses at the end. Calamitous!! Highlights here, in case anyone hasn't seen them: https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=b82a...1dHViZS5jb20vd2F0Y2g_dj1jZ1NhamFGSHVaWQ&ntb=1
Well if the vast majority of the team aren’t good enough then it’s the same issue for NJ as what a lot of people said about Ralph. The players are **** so it’s hard to judge the manager
To be honest he literally did exactly the same things as Ralph would do. Very weird. Even down to ****e set pieces and salisu doing his useless throws.
