He made a fantastic, looping run through the CBs in added time and whichever of our CBs had the ball at his feet either didn’t see the run or just decided not to make the pass.
Crosses or shots. He might have saved one of those two WBA chances, but not both. I don't remember a time where he has made two blinding saves in the same game.
What were we supposed to do when WBA started like that? All you can do is weather the storm, which we did. I really don't have many issues our performance. But we have to back it up with a positive one next Friday.
They started in top gear. We started in first. They were first to every ball and winning all the tackles. You don't start a game in 1st gear, because the other team is on you; you go at them equally hard.
He did fine. He pressed effectively, held the ball up and made some intelligent runs. He didn't get a chance (other than the overhead, which wasn't really a chance), but he played a solid team game. If you're looking to have a go at Mara, it's because you desperately want to have a go at Mara. It's nothing to do with the game. He did more than Armstrong, but that won't matter, because it's 'have a go at Mara' as usual. Some of the comments on the Saints socials are pathetic - "Mara looked stoned" "Mara should never play for this club again" "You should never have Mara or Stephens in the team". Quite honestly, these people should be banned from watching football until they've attended an intensive six week course on "how football actually works".
Surprising you weren't expecting that start to be honest. Thought we coped quite well to be fair. Hey ho we all see things differently.
I am thinking that the one lapse by Mac was more to do with defenders switching off and not being where they were supposed to be as, in the well practiced rehearsals. THB had a couple of brain fades that could have cost us, and Jack made his ususal gaffs, but we got away with it, but will need to be sharper in the 2nd leg.
Maybe they expect more than 3 goals (1 more than most of our defenders) for circa €11 million? In a poorer division? We can pretend he's a Steven Davis linchpin type player, anonymous but crucial if you like, but we'd be ****ing lying. He's gash.
If they, (WBA) had carried on at that rate, they would have been knackered by half time! We may then have picked them off. Had they scored it would have been justified, but we held firm.
Just started reading the bbc match report but couldn’t bring myself to read beyond the first few paragraphs. First they called Mara a midfielder and then described us as “a side as defensively well marshalled as Southampton.” As if coming away from a match without conceding is par for the course with us. Clueless.
The most important part of that is that we are not left in a precarious position. Meaning, no arguments, @StJabbo1 is doing the second leg and the final. We can’t even sub in loading for the final as unless we win we won’t get there. The thread gods will be happy that we won’t take it into our own hands.
I'm not looking to " have a go" at mara. But to say he played well you have to be taking the piss? He barely did whats expected and nothing more.
I thought Downes, Bednarek and McCarthy played well - and I liked Stewart when he came on - but aside from that I thought we were pretty awful. We didn't lose though, and that's the main thing. Now to pray for Che's return.
That’s the first objective for today, stay in it. These matches are destined to become boring for those who want exciting football. It’s the stay in it attitude that matters and we’ve done that. Friday is a totally different game with penalties ultimately and possibly the outcome.
