Add to this a week that witnessed more tedious speculation about Redknapp and Woodward, an FA charge for Redknapp and a temporary setback for our promising youngsters against Mansfield, perhaps it was inevitable that our luck would not change!
Plymouth bore draw caps week to forget for Saints
Add to this a week that witnessed more tedious speculation about Redknapp and Woodward, an FA charge for Redknapp and a temporary setback for our promising youngsters against Mansfield, perhaps it was inevitable that our luck would not change!
With both Ormerod and Fuller returning to the scoresheet against Derby, surely Saints would find the cutting edge up front to end our run of frustrating successive draws? All this against a limited and previously managerless Plymouth side with a poor defensive record.
In fact, Plymouth could have won it at the death with Chadwick blasting over from close range in what would have been a real kick in the teeth to cap a depressing week. Indeed Plymouth had more shots on target than Saints, although to be fair they rarely looked like scoring. Then again neither did Saints, who found it difficult to break down a stubborn and well organised Plymouth side.
Saints once again suffered from our inability to kill off sides when on top, with the continued absence of the injured Belmadi a telling factor. How we could have done with a moment of magic from the talented Algerian to match his stunning effort against Crewe.
Saints will have to learn how to unlock stubborn Championship defences sooner rather than later as yet more draws will do little to get us out of this league. The result now means that Saints slip out of the play-off zone and further behind the runaway duo of Sheffield United and Reading.
Saints don’t have long to wait to get the frustration of this result out of their system. High-flying Reading visit the south coast on Wednesday in a game that Saints really need to win both to end our run of dropped points and to make a statement to the rest of the league.
In actual fact, Reading’s lofty position may make it easier for Saints as they will be unlikely to follow the defensive approaches of Plymouth and QPR. This may well allow Saints more space to play in the final third as we have been struggling of late to get behind teams.
Equally Reading will be feeling confident about getting a good result given their recent form, particularly given their excellent goal tally while Saints have struggled to convert our chances. Hopefully, this should make for a cracking game to reward the home faithful that turned out to witness the Plymouth bore draw.