Will Still rung the changes and changed the side drastically, for a long droid it might look like we would have gotten away with it too, but then popped up that meddling Kaly Sene to be the latest person to score a goal he really should not of against Saints.

There were 6 changes for from the embarrassing performance at Hull City, the most surprising being the demotion to the bench of Captain Jack, Taylor Harwood-Bellis & Gavin Bazunu, but in fairness to the manager he went with his convictions and gut feelings rather than with the favourites.

For long periods it looked like it would pay off, in many respects this was possibly our best performance of the season, when we were under pressure we coped, when we got the ball in midfield we turned and went forward rather than backwards and up front we looked lively.

Charles & Jander looked a good pairing and were not afraid to turn on the ball and use it, for me Charles was the man of the match.

Boro arrived top of the League and in fine form and high on confidence, but we grew into this game, our back four looked balanced and strong and although at times Boro got hold of the ball and looked dangerous they could not convert it into actual chances.

At the break we looked like we were growing in confidence and continued that in the second half and when the ball fell to Adam Armstrong on the hour mark, he put it away like if was 2023/24 season, it all looked good.

So where did it go wrong ?

The answer is simple, we made substitutions when we didn’t need to make them, we unbalanced the side, Finn Azaz was replaced by a winger in Leo Scienza, then 3 minutes before the equaliser Tom Fellows was taken off, only a minute before he had been on a run that saw him beat several players, he looked like he was a man full of confidence and ready to tear the opposition apart, it wasn’t tiredness or a lack of legs as ~i said a minute earlier he had run past the opposition like they weren’t there.

But the balance had been upset, we went from a team that was playing in an organised manner to one that was finding its feet again and Boro made us pay, yes their man got the ball in a good position, that happens in games, he got a deflection, that also happens, but what should noy have happened was that Alex McCarthy should have watched the ball got past him with his hands at his side, where were his reactions, his hands were just not in a natural place for a keeper they weren’t coiled ready ready to be thrown out when the ball are his way they were at his side and therefore he made no attempt to stop the ball and that is unacceptable.

That was the only shot on target that Boro had, that perhaps tells you something about this performance, it wasn’t a bad one, we were after all playing the most in form team in the Championship, it was a good one, a tough game that we had grown into and deservedly put ourselves in a winning position, I think I could have stopped this goal, if only because my natural reaction would have been to put my hands up to protect my face, so why was McCarthy not doing that.

The final 20 minutes or so saw both sides cagey, we did our usual multiple changes in the final minutes Robinson getting 4 minutes at the end and again bizarrely Elias Jelert for Ryan Manning, again what was the point of that.

So in conclusion things did get better and the table would have looked a lot better had we seen this game out, but it doesn’t and we have to put that aside and look at the plus points, rather than the negatives.

But we have to start winning games soon, two many games have seen points dropped that should never have been and that has to stop.

It will be interesting to see what Will Still does at Sheffield `United on Tuesday night, before the game I wasn’t sure whether this was a brave manager trying something different or one like a rabbit in the headlights not knowing what to do.

The answer is it might well have been a bit of both, but there was enough seen out there to suggest that Will Still has something about him and is not a man to stick with the obvious or those who flatter to deceive.

Via Reuters

IanRC added 17:18 - Sep 29 My takeaway is from the game for what they are worth more as follows 1. The defence looks far better with the changes that have been made in the last two games we can only hope that will still persist with these changes 2. Ross Stewart and AA look like our best starters up front, although I would keep Cameron Archer in mind to as he has proved effective in some games 3. We definitely need goalkeeping reinforcements, shame we had to let Ramsdale go. Hope the City youngster arrives and is capable. 4. As the manager and players have said we need to turn some of these games into wins soon, like Tuesday preferably.

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IanRC added 17:20 - Sep 29 Oh and as an aside judging by his performances this season we should never have let Sulemana go. Just shows what he can do with a bit of support.
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Jesus_02 added 17:30 - Sep 29 We just need to score more than the amount of mistakes McCarthy makes now and we could go on a run.
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Bowlercow added 17:34 - Sep 29 I think your summary is a bit over critical Nick and comes across as the first salvo in a Will Still out campaign. What this club needs is at least 3 and preferably 5 years of stability.Will could possibly give us that unless he becomes very successful and then a Sky 6 club will take him We didn't like Martin picking his favourites We didn't like tippy happy We expected championship players to survive in the PL Will has, or is working on,changing these things Give him time and support

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StRipper added 18:04 - Sep 29 Thanks Nick. Spot on about the impact of substitutions. Particularly the situation with Azaz. I noticed that Boro seemed to have orders in Midfield to contain Azaz at all costs. Understandable, as his former club and recognition of what a good player he can be. They clearly didn't want their bubble burst by him scoring against them. It looked a bit overboard though when we could see Azaz surrounded by 4 Boro midfielders. And this absolutely played to our advantage meaning that the rest of the team got more time on the ball, found some space and we didn't get dominated in Midfield like we have so often in recent times. Which made it utterly bizarre for Azaz to be replaced and not even by an equivalent, such as Robinson, but by Scienza. A winger, as you say. Not only did he have negligible impact, but it meant that we no longer controlled midfield and it freed up all those Boro players who'd been busy with Azaz. Cue loads of our tedious passing across the back line when we did have the ball, looking for gaps, where there now were none. Then more substitutions to try and counter the damage caused by removing Azaz.. Shortly followed by their goal. Still's decision to remove Azaz was naive at best. Though its baffling and slightly concerning that he maybe didn't notice what was going on on the pitch and instead deferred to performance and stamina monitors of who to change, if anyone. I think the changes made by Still at the start of the game were positive overall (bar the ever debatable Baxunu v McCarthy). And I think Edwards could be that leader that we have been crying out for. The pressure is really building for a win though. And Still isn't helping himself or us by seeming to throw out the good with the bad. For example, players who appeared to be shaping up for a good season, like Robinson and Archer, suddenly can't get any game time to accommodate players who haven't yet earned their place.

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bryanK added 18:31 - Sep 29 The performance vindicates the fans who believe Stephens and Harwood Bellis were not helping the cause all 3 defenders played well. The midfield looked more positive. Still selections were spot on and your article had negative vibes which I am surprised at based on the dross served up at previous home games. One issue in my view is Marmite Man Ryan Manning who I thought played well at Liverpool but defensively against Boro he was poor. Up front Stewart is a better option to Headless Chicken Downs but still not sure he is the answer. Other than that I felt more positive in leaving St Mary’s.

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halftimeorange added 21:02 - Sep 29 I thought that Wood came across as the man directing Saints play from the back and, to my mind, he looked pretty good doing it. Edwards and Quarsie, playing alongside him also looked more confident so, Will Still is on his way to solving that centre of defence peoblem. He also seems to be making progress with the midfield pairing of Charles and Jander. Now that leaves the goalkeeping dilemma which we'll have to live with for the time being but, he might remedy the scoring problem by giving Robinson more time if Stewart doesn't click. This performance continued the improvements seen at Liverpool.

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BigbadBarry8myboat added 23:11 - Sep 29 Three things shown: 1) Bazunu and Stephens should be nowhere near the team. THB possibly not either. 2) we need to play the same forwards for more than one game at a time, so that they can become AA partnership. 3) Jander and Charles are a good pair, we should be building everything around that.
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SainteSimon added 09:52 - Sep 30 I thought changes were needed when they were made as Boro had largely taken control of the game in the second half after we scored, perhaps the changes weren’t right but hindsight is a wonderful thing. I would not classify their goal as a shot on target - not until it deflected off Wood that is and spun strangely. Good to see Stewart start a game fir the first time this season and needs to be given a few more as made us much more balanced going forward

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underweststand added 11:35 - Sep 30 Agree with most of you (above) but you were a bit scathing with some comments (NIck). With exception for a few familiar faces ..it looks like we have a whole new team and with a good attacking formation. Will S '. new look has only played 2 league games together so far, and against a better class of opposition. Some of the squad which started the season looked "shell-shocked" from last season's fiasco. The new boys are a breath of fresh air. If Middelsboro' are the best we will come up against, then I can see us picking up a few good results quite soon against "ordinary sides", especially if we start scoring properly.

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SaintPaulVW added 14:31 - Sep 30 Although it was a near post goal, really think this report is too harsh on McCarthy. This is almost trial by VAR. Not sure there was much he could do about a point blank deflected shot. This game was a step up from our previous performances. If we could be less wasteful in front of goal that should really get us moving up the table. COYR
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