Now back onto the game, seems such a shame MP hasn't really tried a back 5 - this game seems ideal - ok not ideal but you get my gist. From a mangers POV, it's quite a conundrum of how to set up & tactics for this one.
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/15...llegrino__really_got_hold_of_us_/?ref=mr&lp=3 Bertrand talking about how Pellegrino got them altogether and they had a group discussion after the loss against Liverpool. He said they got back to basics and made small adjustments. Interesting that he says the players never considered themselves likely to be in a relegation scrap and they know they are better than most in the league. Now I know some will think that is a foolish head-in-the-sand attitude, but I don't. We know that individually we have very good players....once heads drop you become like Everton. I want them to be confident and look upwards as long as they carry on putting the effort in.
The lasting memory from Sunday with Wesley, is the effort he puts in to get back in to position after a set piece, it's a manic gallop, compared to the leisurely stroll by Virgil, yet they both seem to arrive around the same time. watch the replays if you don't believe me.
Has the kit been announced...been pointed out on Saintsweb that we changed to a third kit for Bournemouth last season and we may have a kit clash again this season...at least enough of a clash to cause problems on TV.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42067770 Lawro has us losing 2-0. Although I'd be ecstatic with even a point against City, I am also realistic and, therefore I'd ask that it is a win for City by a low score....a good GD can mean the odd place or two at the end of the season.
Just been reading the Blue Moon forum. Don't sound as confident as i thought they would. They're pretty excited that if they do beat us they will have secured the 40 points for survival though.
Any team can lose to any team in theory....a few near misses from City and a decent shot from us and the rest is history. Probability is on their side, but we can hope. All I ask is a good performance.
It's the decades of missing out. Their supporters have the weight of failure on their shoulders that they can't shift. It's like some of our supporters can't stop thinking that we are this little team in Hampshire, no matter what the ambitions of the club itself. Similar syndrome, different symptoms.
It's an uneven squad, let's be fair. We have a couple of players who are already as good as it gets in the Premier League and several of the others are really very, very good indeed. While I was watching us against Everton I was comparing position against position. I don't think I saw Everton with one superior player. Possibly Siguardsson.? I'm not talking about form here, but the quality of the opposition players overall. Schneiderlin ought to be a superior player but he's been poor for so long he needs reassessing. But for a regular class striker, both Everton and Saints ought to be competing for a European place, with Saints having the better chance.
This! I did the same. Partly in response to a comment from an Everton fan claiming they were superior in every dept. I'd swap goalkeepers myself but not much more. It helps that they've given up on using strikers. Do the same with Man City and it's a little different though. They were not brilliant on Sunday but always looked like they had a gear or two in reserve.
There were several instances on Sunday where our player came away with the ball that by rights he shouldn't have been able to win, so the quality is there....but needs utilising and organising correctly. We are a good side and a couple of players from being a very good side.
I understand your point about letting heads drop but it's also potentially very dangerous to assume you are too good to down. Many a team have done that and by the time they accept it are in a rut that's hard to break.
I would settle for anything less than 4 - 0, goal difference can be key for the Saints. I'm not buying into the hype of a big win over what was a very very poor Everton side. Also think it's delusional to say we are too good to go down http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/15...llegrino__really_got_hold_of_us_/?ref=mr&lp=3 what complete nonsense. Results are what count and recently we have had no punch up front and looked erratic at the back. Still think MP2 hasn't got a scooby! I'd like to see 3 at the back give Stephens and Yoshi a run out and try to play a counter- attacking style and not to concede too many against a very good Manc City side. Next week is the crunch game versus the Cherries......never thought I'd say that sigh.
Every now and again I am reminded that, long before they became Moneybags FC, City fans were infinitely more likeable than their arrogant neighbours.
