Match Day Thread Saints v Toon EFL Cup S/F first leg, Tuesday 24th Jan, ko 20.00

I looked out for you both from the Itchen, couldn't see you amongst the 3,000 others lol. It was nice seeing FLT before the game as he was 10 rows in front of me, so met for a pre match coffee in the foyer.

 

I would have but the lad loves his hot chocolate for the second half and it was much needed to warm up last night!

Baffles me how slow the service is down there though. Left at bang on HT whistle and the second half started just as I was getting served despite the queue only being about 15 deep.

 

Yeah FLT and I had pre organised hooking up, but it took me three hours to drive down from London! Almost missed kick off with the bollocks at the turnstiles too.

 

Just reiterating how impressed I was with Mara last night. Not just his effort, pace and movement, but surprised by his physicality. He was winning headers against their giant defence that he had no right to win. Have no problem if he were to come in for Adams.

 

Against Blackpool we should try Mara up top with Che behind him. Orsic and Fandab winging it.

 

Yeah I'd like to see them play together too as on paper they should component each other well.

Think Che could do with a break from the team for a couple of games too though.

 

I’ve picked Orsic as my goalscorer in the Jacksk cup game. May be changing that…

 

Yeah I wouldn't be picking him for a league game any time soon. He'll get better though.

 

I could see all of you from the Kingsland, but I couldn’t distinguish any of you from the others.

 

Just had a work call with some “neutrals”, they all thought we were very poor and will certainly go down if we play like that regularly.

Interesting to hear their views as I’ve definitely seen us play a lot worse and didn’t think last night was all that bad, maybe I’m just numb to how **** we really are

 

To be fair to us, we started with two debutants, a 19 year old up front on his own, and well, Djenepo. Was expecting it to be much worse.

Second half with Adarma and Edozie we matched them until they brought on Isak and ASM.

 

When do we find out who is the referee for next week, or are we stuck with Atwell?
I thought he missed so many tugs and pushes by their defenders, especially Trippier when we seemed to be aiming a few high balls in his direction for Mara or Orsić to contest, and I can’t see him improving on that under the pressure of 50000 Geordies.

 

I didn't watch or listen to the game but have read somewhere that Orsic was essentially played as a wingback? Is he familiar with that position? Could go someway to explaining his performance. Not just his first start trying to get used to the team and the league (cup, but league opponent), but also in a different position. Especially if it was that weird thing where it's a back 4 with a CB at LB except when it's sometimes a back 5 and that CB is now the left sided CB in a 3 and the winger is now the wingback. Really not convinced playing a complicated and lopsided system like that is going to do anything but hinder players but here we are.

 

Wouldn’t say he was tbh. Maybe he became one through the natural course of the game as Trippier was playing so high and he had to drop back to help but definitely was starting as an out and out winger

 

how many times has adams been 1 on 1 with the keeper and hit it low at their feet this season, 4? i think 4. saved every time.

He has become a total gonk. Everytime he needs to be laying awake wondering what he could do different but apparently not its always the same **** different day.

 

Seems very stupid and unprofessional of Murphy - somewhere down the line, he`ll find out that what goes around comes around. Hopefully when playing us.

 

We have horrendous strikers and statistically the worst keeper in the top 5 European leagues.

We are ****ed.

 

Trippier has always been a cheat imho

 

Just had a call with some randoms, and they say your workmates are a bunch of tossers

 

It pains me to say it, but whenever Adams is one on one with the keeper - any keeper - I'd bet my mortgage on the keeper.