Surely if we are going to launch cross after cross into the box wasn't it a mistake to sell Tall Paul to Trabzonspor ( 1 app - 1 goal )? Just saying?
Chapel next to the away fans. And yeah you know I agree re the new stadium layout. Utterly terrible decision.
I personally really enjoyed all the sideways passing… To be honest, I was disappointed before we’d even kicked off. We all know Armstrong shouldn’t be up front on his own, but there we were again… With five at the back again… We had a couple of games before today where those same issues were obvious, yet we tried it again? I really like Still but he needs to stop making the same mistakes. Also can’t believe some on here have praised Fraser after today’s performance. He played like he was getting an electric shock every time he tried running forwards. It’s not an over reaction to be frustrated, we should be one of the favourites for promotion, we need to start playing like it.
i think it was gameweek 4 (rather than 3 this time) as well. Defiantly in August as I remember I was watching it on a stream putting together my Bday pressie that I got early...My Bday is September 1st, so definitely about now.
Was just after the transfer window ended, wasn't it? Remember Martin whinging about not being able to pick a team when a number of his players were sat in a hotel room unsure if they'd even be there (or something along them lines)
How can the squad look very different, if we don’t change the majority of players? Is it my imagination or did we play worse after they went down to 10 men? Looking at the game, Stoke looked more like a PL. contender than Saints.
Makes sense; it is more difficult to play against a team with 10 men - free hit for Stoke at that point in terms of stuff. (copyright, Nathan Jones - greatest manager in europe)
Just got back from the game through the ridiculous amount of diversions and roadworks going on at the moment (which really don't help the mood). Stoke had their tail up on the back of two decent scoring wins, being top of the table and look a settled side - with a blatant desire to waste time at everything - so I went to the game thinking it could go any which way. Wood looked like he was playing in treacle, Downes wasn't much better and any time any player went forward no one seemed to be following him up in support so most attacks fizzled out. Thought the new RB looked pretty good in his brief showing and hopefully this can help re-jig the defence. We need the same things that have been said all window so busy few days I think.
Think we are all in agreement thst that the three at the back needs to go. I am.more concerned around playing Charles and Downes together. They are both good players and we need one to stabilise the team but both are too defencive focused and often pass back. Not sure if we are trying to make Charles more attack minded but it really hampers our build up play. Surprised smallbone or Aribo are not getting a look in if he insits with the back three. They might be looking to sell them but at least it would give us players who are more likely to turn and face rather then putting it all Fernandes who often looked like he was trying to play overcomplicated passes to demonstrate to the clubs circling him.
Smallbone is injured, and Aribo has been effectively banished as he's set for a move away. It does highlight the lack of depth in that position, though.
They would be fine together in a different formation ie more attacking options ahead of them. Just one more forward player instead of a CB would make a huge difference to the balance of the team I believe.
In a way it probably did help them as it meant they just sat in to hold onto the lead, and we pushed forward leading to their break away for the second goal. The Stoke commentators I was listening to were loving our “get the ball wide and cross” strategy. Actually provided a bit of insight, which is rare, where they said as we were trying to get the ball wide and players were doubling up out there then it left our centre backs very exposed for their press, and left us wide open in the middle.
