Match Day Thread Southampton vs Leicester City 22/01/2017 KO 12pm

Hello all and welcome back to another match day thread by Saintsfcfan! Quick reminder to those going to the game that this is a 12pm kick-off, a very early one! Much better than a Monday night game though.

Anyway to the matter at hand. Saints stunned Norwich midweek after showing them how to make a real horlicks of scoring from one yard out. Nevertheless it was a win. Not the kind of win that gets you raving, but it's a win, something Saints desperately need in the Premier League after four straight defeats over a terrible Christmas, continuing into the New Year.

There is hope though! The game is on a Sunday. Saints have only won Sunday premier league games this season. That's Swansea, West Ham, Burnley, Everton, Bournemouth and Middlesbrough. Saints have now not won on a Saturday in 8 attempts since the 4-2 win at Villa last season. It's a Sunday game though, so all will be well.

So Leicester. The Champions. Well they aren't having the best of seasons. Right down to earth with a considerable bump they have looked this season in real danger of going down. Their away form is abysmal, whilst Vardy and Mahrez haven't hit the heights of last year, and the departure of Kante leaving a considerable hole in their otherwise average midfield. They will be without Mahrez, Slimani and Amartey, all on AFCON duty. They are their for the taking.

With a the teeny tiny matter of 90 minutes from Wembley next week, Puel will no doubt look to rotate again for this one. At the time of writing VVD is out with a slight injury, as is Bertrand. I would continue to rest them. This is not the game to risk them.

My line-up:
Forster
Cedric Yoshida Stephens McQueen
Romeu Davis Hojbjerg
Tadic Long Redmond

Prediction - 1-0 Saints.

 

You can't have a Leicester match thread without this:

Benali. Benali. Benali.

 

They have been really, really bad recently.
Can see an awful 0-0.

 

3-0 home win

 

12.00pm Southampton v Leicester City (Sky Sports)
Referee: Michael Oliver
Assistants: S Burt, C Hatzidakis
Fourth official: R East

Credit:- Tomw24

 

I have no idea how we didn't beat them away. But I'm hoping for a 1-0 win this time. They are ****, so are we.

MOliver in charge. Hopefully he can disprove "**** refs... we always get **** refs"

 

It's got to be 1-0. Scorer....hmm....Tadic.

 

To me this is a far more important match than the Liverpool semi coming up, which is really a bit of icing on the cake. Wow! Wembley, how exiting is that to go and pay a fortune, and play against Manchester United in all likelihood? For me it is important to get back on track, pick up the three points that are so badly needed, and not get sucked into a basement battle. The cups ties will take care of themselves.

 

We need to start picking up points in these "easier games" soon as l have a fear that the club is sleepwalking into a nasty finish to the season.

 

We will win as Leicester play attacking football.

 

Steven Davis remains unavailable with a knock
Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Bertrand both ok

https://southamptonfc.com/news/2017...pre-southampton-leicester-city-premier-league

 

I have a gambling question on this game. Mrs Onionman bought a Christmas present for me that comprises 10am breakfast at a pub and a tour round their microbrewery. All good so far. Unfortunately it also includes free beer from 10am until collapse. That's on Saturday.

So, what's the betting on my making it for this game?

Vin

 

Yeah a day out in the cup final at Wembley and possibly creating one of the biggest moments in the club's history is so dull.

What is much more important is finishing 9th this season rather than 14th, now that is a story to tell the grandkids!

 

(except when they beat Everton at Everton a week and a bit ago!)

 

Flip a coin.... but really I mean "get up and have a fired egg and bacon sandwich, then get your sorry arse on the bus to the ground." If there are no buses Sunday, I'll pick you up. Let me know.

* lightweight*

Edit:
I've just had another thought...maybe I could come with you to the brewery to make sure your're, er, um ... ok?

 

I'd love an excuse to spend a fortune and bring Mrs. Serbia to watch a cup final! (and make someone on this forum a tidy profit as I beg for 2 tickets!)

 

Dubious that I'll get to see this one, so this will be the match where we win 4-0 before reverting to being unable to score.

 

Come along; you'd be welcome to stay the night at our gaff and FLT II could be entertained by Onionman Jr.

Vin