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Thread | Paul Onuachu yesterday
at 21:29 6 Oct 2024
This showcases what Paul can do!
Are you watching RUSSELL MARTIN!?
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Thread | Southampton Football Club
at 07:11 1 Oct 2024
We have a Championship level manager who is an upgrade on the last two who are now in League 1.
Downes, KWP (who has been dropped) and Ramsdale aside we have a team of Championship level players.
Let’s not forget if the Feyenoord keeper had passed his medical we wouldn’t have Ramsdale.
What really do people expect? |
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Thread | Bye bye
at 10:04 21 Aug 2024
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Thread | Ralph Hasenhüttl - The Magic Man
at 17:10 30 Mar 2024
Life long Southampton fan and Legend Ralph Hasenhüttl started life as Wolfsburg manager with a 2-0 win at Bremen.
The only mistake Sports Republic have made is sacking The Alpine Klopp.
For our last away game at Leeds we should all wear Wolfsburg shirts in his honour.
HE MARCHES ON |
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Thread | Must Win Monday
at 22:07 29 Mar 2024
Shit or bust at Ipswich on Monday.
Win only.
WE MARCH ON |
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Thread | Midland Saint - WBA game report
at 21:29 16 Nov 2023
SAINTS 2 WBA 1
“…Sometimes when we're as close as this
It's like we're in a dream…”
In my minds eye I see West Brom as a quintessential second division fixture. A view probably skewed by us beating them three times in 75-76. But actually we hadn’t played them at this level since 2008. I was a little concerned that our team depleted by injury and suspension might struggle against a team who were in good form. In the event, we achieved a good result from a very good game in which both teams tried to play football. Far from being a weak link, Holgate stepped up to the challenge of replacing Bednarek – with a huge help from the magnificent Harwood-Bellis. We did of course have to go through the routine of winning the game twice. Pleasingly, the winner came at a time when West Brom looked the team most likely to get the three points. It was a great way to go into yet another international break.
Since I was driving down on my own I made an early start. That meant diverting through Banbury to avoid the chaos of the M40 closure did not show me down that much. Lunch was in the Steingarten.
Remarkably, the crowds at St Mary’s have stood up very well. Over 30,000 again today, with a large travelling contingent from along the Handsworth Road.
The away team did not change their kit and turned out in a very nice early 70s style strip of navy and white stripes that is a tribute to the late Jeff Astle. The Saints team was as you would expect, with Holgate in for Bednarek. Surprisingly Bree was available after having to go off injured at Millwall.
Before kick-off we had the silence for Poppy Day, followed by an extremely quick taking the knee.
What struck me about the West Brom team was that they seemed to be ripped giants, with a decent turn of speed. They certainly proved a string test. But Saints looked to be their equal, playing some fluent football with the ball zipping around the pitch.
The lead came very quickly. Stuart Armstrong crossed in from the left. Adam had a shot that the keeper blocked. Smallbone followed up. The ball was cleared but was already over the line, so far that Mr Nield probably didn’t need the help of goal line technology.
The neat passing continued without really creating any decent chances. A couple of times it looked like Adam Armstrong was away only for the flag to be up for offside. We didn’t seem a lot from Sulemana as the defenders were keeping a close eye on him. Generally, when he did get the ball it was to his feet, rather than a yard or two ahead where he is most effective.
West Brom came into the game and it was time to do some defending. Holgate very sensibly took a yellow card for the team to stop a break. Just before the break he made an amazing block to divert a certain goal-band shot past the post.
As we expected, the away side came out with resolve and caused us some real difficulties. It felt like we were holding on from the restart. Smallbone had to go off in only the 55th minute and was replaced by Fraser, it shows how much the stock of the number 26 has risen in recent weeks.
In the 65th minute a corner from the left ended up on the other side of the goal. It was retrieved from going out in a manner that would have had Arsenal howling. When the ball was played back in it was headed against the bar. It dropped vertically on to the foot of the potentially offside Bartley who ran it into the goal without knowing much about it.
The trio of subs who had been watching from the touchline then got on the pitch. Adams replaced Sulemana’s activity with indolence, Charles replaced Downes to strengthen midfield and Manning was on for Bree who we reasonably could not have expected to last the whole game.
It looked worryingly like West Brom might get the winner, especially when another header hit the bar. But unlike the awful atmosphere back in September the crowd were fully behind the team and the players rallied.
With 10 minutes left the team did what was needed and made the most of a rare attack. Fraser crossed from the left. Stuart Armstrong climbed but it may have been a defender who flicked it on. Close in at the far post, Adam Armstrong took a touch and then calmly fired the ball through the small space available in a crowded goal – just like he couldn’t in the Premier League.
A few minutes later the goal scoring hero made way for the semi-mythical Stewart, making his debut at last. In the limited time available he did look useful.
There was still quite a lot of defending to do as the game went into an extra 7 minutes. When Bazunu produced a magnificent save to spoon the ball up and out of the goal we knew it was our day.
West Brom were a little unlucky and will win games playing like this. That made our victory all the sweeter. It was a smooth and enjoyable drive home, thinking about the 30 points that felt beyond our wildest dreams in mid-September.
Saints team: 31Bazunu 2Walker-Peters 6Holgate 21Harwood-Bellis 14Bree (Manning 66') 17S Armstrong 16Smallbone (Fraser 55') 4Downes (Charles 67') 22Alcaraz 9A Armstrong (Stewart 83') 20Sulemana (Adams 66')
Substitutes: 1McCarthy 3Manning 7Aribo 10Adams 11Stewart 18Mara 23Edozie 24Charles 26Fraser
Summary: Good result from a good game Top Man: Holgate
Next report: Huddersfield
Lyrics: Billy Bragg – Greetings to the new brunette |
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Thread | FREE DRINK
at 06:51 15 Nov 2023
Unfortunately not Kingfisher. But a ruddy good deal anyway.
Fill your boots.
Emergency service workers can get a totally free cup of tea or coffee at over 330 Asda stores.
SEE IT. SAY IT. SORTED.
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/asda/ |
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Thread | Midland Saint - Millwall Report
at 08:20 7 Nov 2023
MILLWALL 0 SAINTS 1
“…You'll never know quite when, well
Then again it just depends on
How long of time is left for you…”
This is just so unlike us. We’re the team that gets done by the injury team goals. For all the time I have watched Saint the late winners have been few and few between, and much cherished like Steve Moran in 84. Now we seem to be making a thing of it. Because we seemed to be heading to an ok sort of draw against a truly dreadful side. And then Fraser was once again in the right place in the right time to grab the winner. Maybe there is indeed something in Martin’s talk about our passing game wearing out the opposition, it certainly wears me out.
Normally there would be little thinking to be done about a trip into the Heart of Darkness. Train from London Bridge to South Bermondsey and then a segregated walkway to the New Den. But the local station was shut and the other local overground stations like Surry Quays were served by something to be feared more than the home fans – the replacement bus service. So we set off down the rain lashed M40 to Hillingdon and got the underground to Canada Water. On the map it looked a very long journey from west to east but was only just over an hour. We emerged from the station into bright sunshine.
We had breakfast at the Surrey Docks. Designated as home fans only but we had no colours showing. Even so, it was unsettling to hear the bile being spouted by an old guy announcing to the pub that “Millwall always have a problem with Southampton”. He was old enough to know better – 66 as he told everyone. I think even the denizens of Fratton Park would have found the level of hatred and fabrication of facts hard to accommodate.
The walk to the stadium was not that long. But the route did take us through a landscape of urban wasteland and underpasses that seemed set up to recreate the Green Street experience. There were a ridiculous number of police about doing nothing but tot up their overtime.
We had seats in row B of the top tier. This was actually the front row as they don’t sell row A. It would have been a great view if the stewards had applied the rule that you don’t allow people to stand in the yellow shaded areas at the top of the stairs. The good thing was that we had a large screen to our left, unlike the invisible screen at Preston.
Saints wearing our home kit had what we would probably now see as the best starting lineup of uninjured players. Millwall were still without a manager. Luckily we avoided what would have been the apocalyptic return of Nathan Jones to management. It was interesting to see Bialkowski in goal for Millwall, some 18 years after he joined Saints, and he had a very good game.
There was a very good away following of 3,000 plus Saints fans. The famed home atmosphere was quite muted apart from their reception for the armed services this being their Poppy game.
For inexplicable reasons the police blocked the concourse to prevent people taking the main stairs to the upper tier. That meant they had to come up via the stairs to our left. So for the first 15 minutes there was a constant stream of people passing in front of us. That meant I couldn’t settle. Neither could our players who seemed to be knocked out of their rhythm by Millwall’s all-action basic style.
Eventually we did get going. It seemed clear that as always we were relying on KWP, who got through some stupendous work on the right. Sulemana looked dangerous, if over elaborate on the left. He soon antagonized the home crowd for the crime of being fouled constantly.
In a nothing first half we drew some good saves from the Bartman. From a corner Millwall managed to head against the bar, their sole dangerous effort of the game.
Attacking towards us for the second half, Saints stepped their effort up. But the breakthrough would not seem to come. It was a shame that Bree, who has grown into the left back position, had to leave the pitch injured. He was replaced by Manning, and there seems to be something of an agenda to the constant abuse he got.
A good move ended with Stuart Armstrong sliding a shot just past the post. Alcaraz, who was still underperforming, played in Sulemana who came inside to hit a thumping shot that the keeper did well to push away.
It was strange that having won a freekick in the perfect position for Stuart Armstrong we chose that precise moment to replace him with the passenger that is Adams. Alcaraz did hit the target but it was not quite enough.
For the final push Fraser replaced Sulemana and Charles replaced Smallbone. So intent were we on winning was that I feared a slip would present Millwall with the winner. Slips did happen, but the home side was so hopeless they made nothing of the opportunities.
One thing we do know is that this side keeps going. So the generous five minutes added time gave us a real chance for persistence to pay off.
In the 93rd minute KWP slipped the ball behind the defence for Adam Armstrong to run on to. His first cross in was blocked by a defender. The rebound fell kindly back to him for a second chance. This time he found Fraser at the near post and the finish was instant and deadly. The Saints players and fans went wild as the Millwall players slumped to the ground. Robert saved me from being sent tumbling over the seats as the supporters swarmed down from behind.
The lengthy celebrations meant a further minute was added. There were so many people standing at the front I had to watch the final moments on the screen.
In an unwelcome echo of the seventies we were locked in for some 20 minutes after the final whistle. But rather than take action to avoid a crush when the gate was eventually opened the police just stood and watched it happen. I had my foot caught on something large and immobile and it was lucky that I did not fall, which could have resulted in a dangerous incident.
The police still totting up their overtime gave us a sort of escort back to the station through subways now lit in the neon blue glare of nightmares. We were back at Hillingdon by 6,45 which wasn’t too bad and the drive home was very easy.
I have to say I was happy as the Den is always a demanding place to go, although I have never actually seen Saints lose away to Millwall. In this current run the points have kept coming without us looking totally convincing. If we hit true form it could be interesting.
Saints team: 31Bazunu 2Walker-Peters 21Harwood-Bellis 35Bednarek 14Bree (Manning 71') 16Smallbone (Charles 83') 4Downes 17S Armstrong (Adams 83') 22Alcaraz 9A Armstrong 20Sulemana (Fraser 77')
Subs: 1McCarthy 3Manning 6Holgate 7Aribo 10Adams 18Mara 23Edozie 24Charles 26Fraser
Summary: Another late, late show Top Man: KWP
Lyrics: Imagine Dragons – On top of the world
Next report: West Brom |
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Thread | Midland Saint - Preston & Birmingham match reports
at 05:58 3 Nov 2023
“…You promised me a life
You promised me everything would change…”
PRESTON NORTH END 2 SAINTS 2
I must admit I was dreading this fixture having been traumatized by the two dreadful midweek defeats at Deepdale under the SKY cameras in 2007. That was actually a very poor year for us as we lost three times to the Lilywhites. For most of the second half it seemed like things were heading the same way. Saints were simply terrible and easy meat for a basic Preston side. Fortunately, the home team made the mistake of assuming that the game was already won when we got a very late corner. They also never expected that our keeper would be the only Saints player to attack the ball all evening. Somehow the ball ended up in the back of the net to give us a very lucky escape that made all the difference to the long drive home.
Preston is easy enough to get to for us. We just got on the M6 and drove for a long, long way from J6 to J32. It would have felt a lot easier without the interminable 50mph limits and doom laden “queues after junction” signs. But having set off at 2 pm we were parking just after 5 pm in the park opposite the ground that inexplicably allows free parking.
The Internet Football Ground guide sent us to a social club on the other side of the park. They were very hospitable and didn’t bother with the usual formalities of signing in. Walking the 10 minutes to the stadium I was treated to a short but rather spectacular firework display. It was coming up to 15 years since I was last in Deepdale. Having been heavily modernized it is a fine example of a Championship stadium with the benefit of being on a very large site. And the steeply banked seats gave us an excellent view.
If you think the rousing speeches we used to have at St Mary’s, before we apparently relocated to LA South Central, were embarrassing, then the paean to Preston was excruciating. And it went on and on. Strange that the team then ran on to the pitch to a tune from a band formed in Basildon rather than say something from Eddie Calvert (the man with the golden horn). The away fans made up a significant proportion of the 15,000 crowd.
Saints were wearing the black away kit. There were a number of changes including Holgate in for Harwood Bellis, Bree in for Manning and Charles in for Sulemana.
The game was very poor. The manager talks about the need to be brave. I wish we were a little less brave in our passing game around the keeper that just invites trouble. Smallbone got an early yellow card for needless shirt tugging. Charles, who looked so good at the start of the season seems to have lost a lot of confidence and Adams was just phoning it in. A bright spot was that Bree at left back looked a great deal better than Manning.
It felt like the game was drifting to 0-0 when KWP broke down the right wing, came inside and with his left foot struck a superb goal with the ball flying into the far corner of the net.
This should have been the time for Saints to finish Preston off but we slackened off and allowed them to build momentum. Mr Simpson annoyed the home fans by applying the rules. Then he started to give terrible decisions against us and really should have shown a red card for an appalling challenge on Adams. It seems ridiculous to me that a player subjected to a yellow card challenge that needed lengthy attention has to then leave the pitch to put the victims at a disadvantage. The official also made sure that Adams was kept out of the action as Preston went on the attack.
As halftime approached Bazunu made a near miraculous save at close range and then Charles blocked the ball causing it to hit his arm. VAR would have given us a lot to worry about but Mr Simpson waved away the appeals.
Adams was replaced by Mara for the second half. Unfortunately he was all over the place. Preston reinforced their attack with Osmajic. In the 52nd minute a corner was conceded and when the ball was headed out the sub thumped a shot from the edge of the penalty area. Most competent keepers might have saved a shot straight at them.
What came next was inevitable. The ball was lost in midfield. Charles tracked Potts all the way back but failed to take the yellow card necessary to stop him. The finish was straight through the keeper’s legs.
It did look like all was lost when a player tumbled in the penalty area. So we were relieved to see the yellow card shown for diving. Preston seemed to believe they had done enough. But despite multiple changes from the bench it seemed Saints could create no real pressure.
Sulemana came on and a few times did a good job in hanging the ball up at the far post for the target man we don’t have. Slowly he edged back down the pitch to be almost playing in midfield.
With Saints struggling Preston wasted time. Which was ultimately their undoing. Many home supporters had already headed for the exits when we got a late corner. Bazunu was urged up the pitch for one last go. He surged towards the ball and next thing we knew it was in the corner of the net. Even watching the replay a few times it is hard to see what happened. But although Bazunu might not have contacted the ball he influenced the own goal. The celebrations erased the memory of the awful 90 plus minutes before.
Getting away from our parking spot meant negotiating a vast swathe of people walking in the opposite direction. Luckily they were quite compliant in parting in front of us. With only a few delays we were on the motorway in about 20 minutes and home by 1am.
The one thing we can say about this team is that we do at least keep going. 21 points from 13 games is not a bad haul unless you look at the top two in this division.
Saints team: 31Bazunu 2Walker-Peters 6Holgate 35Bednarek 14Bree 16Smallbone (S Armstrong 57') 4Downes (Fraser 72') 24Charles 9A Armstrong (Alcaraz 82') 10Adams (Mara 45') 23Edozie (Sulemana 58')
Subs: 1McCarthy 7Aribo 17S Armstrong 18Mara 20Sulemana 22Alcaraz 26Fraser 27Amo-Ameyaw 29Meghoma
Summary: The only virtue was we kept going Top Man: KWP
SAINTS 3 WAYNE ROONEY’S BIRMINGHAM CITY 1
What a pleasant surprise this turned out to be. After such a poor performance on Wednesday I expected a struggle against a Birmingham side that would surely be galvanized by the impact of Rooney. But Saints played well, the Blues didn’t really turn up and at last we had a win made comfortable by a late goal.
Yet again we had an early start imposed by a lunchtime kick-off. But the virtue of being on the road so early is the light traffic so we made the trip in record time and were tucking in to breakfast by nine.
There were a reasonable number of Birmingham fans in the 28,924 crowd. They were quite noisy at first but soon became rather quiet. The away side wore their normal blue shirts and socks, but rather than swapping white socks for blue they adopted an eyeball searing orange colour.
The Saints side restored to normal strength by the unavailability of Adams once again decided to start the game by attacking towards the Chapel end.
It didn’t take long for Saints to take the lead. Adam Armstrong did very well to get away on the left to loft a cross to the far post. That gave Harwood-Bellis an easy header for his first goal for Saints. There was post match moaning about offside. But it would only ever have been considered offside in the VAR world.
Saints started to put together some decent football. Downes, now at last getting into his full stride was very good, Adam Armstrong ran his socks off and Alcaraz looked much brighter than in recent games.
In the 22nd minute Sulemana did brilliantly to get behind the defence and make for the byline. He looked up and placed the ball low across the goal eluding the keeper on its way to Alcaraz at the far post. He had the easiest of opportunities and made no mistake.
It could have been a romp from then on but the football played was not rewarded with goals. There was a moment of worry when Bazunu rushed out of his goal and appeared to clatter Burke. If VAR was available we would probably have had a five-minute wait for a penalty and red card.
During the half-time break there was a nostalgic session with Marians Pahars. But for injury he would have been one of the world’s great strikers and not with us for very long. He still seemed quite happy at being an enduring Saints legend.
Saints continued the second half looking comfortable. Too comfortable it turned out. For the second home game in a row we seemed to switch off after a lengthy injury to the opposition. The ball was boomed forward, flicked on and then KWP lost a tussle with Stansfield. Seconds after coming on as a sub he was able to run forward and power the ball past Bazunu. For trying too delicate a touch on the ball and losing it cost KWP my Top Man award for yet another outstanding game. In mitigation, he may still have been stunned by an awful scissor challenge that Mr Webb didn’t see.
A manager with something about him might have sensed that Saints were often vulnerable at this point of a game. Rooney did nothing and rather than going all out for an equalizer Birmingham’s response was muted.
The good thing was that Martin did respond. First, the fading Alcaraz was replaced by Aribo. And I have to say he did a very good job of retaining the ball, which was just what was needed. Then Fraser replaced Sulemana and finally Charles and Edozie were on for Stuart Armstrong and Smallbone.
It was the subs that made the crucial goal in the 86th minute. Fraser crossed from the left, Edozie did very well to head the ball down and Adam Armstrong finished off with a low shot driven into the turf and skimming into the net.
There were smiles all around St Mary’s now as what seemed a tricky fixture actually became on of the rarest treats for Saints fans – an easy win.
We came to the end of September on the point of despair. Yet October has ended with six games unbeaten and a very healthy 14 points. Perhaps the team is starting to come together at last?
Saints team: 31Bazunu 2Walker-Peters 21Harwood-Bellis 35Bednarek 14Bree 16Smallbone (Charles 81') 4Downes 17S Armstrong (Edozie 82') 22Alcaraz (Aribo 69') 9A Armstrong 20Sulemana (Fraser 76')
Subs: 1McCarthy 3Manning 6Holgate 7Aribo 18Mara 23Edozie 24Charles 26Fraser 27Amo-Ameyaw
Summary: Pleasantly easy Top Man: Downes
Lyrics: Tenpole Tudor – Header Now
Next report - Millwall |
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