Hello all and welcome to a match day thread by Saintsfcfan. Let’s get the niceties out the way. I’m no wordsmith so for those expecting a Bohemian Rhapsody MK2 or Shakespearian quotes as to the downfall of MacPell then I’m sorry to disappoint you. Right. Let’s get Newcastle out of the way. In fact let’s push the entire season out of our minds for this one. League doesn’t matter here and don’t let it spoil your excitement for what really is the best chance in recent times of getting to the final stages of the FA Cup. This is arguably our biggest game of the season. Yeah I know there are major league matches still to be played but I’m resigned to the fact we will probably go down and quite frankly I wouldn’t give a monkeys about it if we managed to win this competition. One game from a semi final date at Wembley. When walking away from the final last season I thought to myself I want more times at Wembley. I didn’t think that we may possibly be returning the following season. No matter how crap this season has been, the excitement of going to Wembley again will lift the spirits of everyone, hell it may just give us that little bit extra for our final games. So we have Wigan vs Southampton. Road to the quarters Wigan 2-1 Crawley Wigan 3-2 AFC Clyde after a replay Wigan 3-0 AFC Bournemouth after a reply Wigan 2-0 West Ham Wigan 1-0 Manchester City - pffft, anyone could do that Fulham 0-1 Southampton Southampton 1-0 Watford West Brom 1-2 Southampton Wigan have done extraordinarily well to get to this stage, having dumped out three Premier League teams, including Manchester City. One major factor in this run seems to be the form of one of their strikers, who has a knack of spontaneously combusting, which is terrifying the opposition defenders. However, they are the team that stands between us and an Fa Cup semi-final, and are the team we all would have picked to play. It will be no easy game that’s for sure, and you can bet that we will be the only ones cheering Saints on. The BBC will very much hoping for Wigan to get to the semis and should they be the ones to get through this tie then I will cheer them on myself. My thoughts and prediction: Should Saints not turn up or put in a piss poor performance like yesterday, then I don’t think I will be able to forgive the club as a whole for a good while. This season needs a smile and if the players can’t gee themselves up for this then they are in the wrong game. If there is one quality more of Pellegrino, he does seem to give the cups a good go. A major positive is the possible return of Charlie Austin. I think that, if he plays, then we will have the fight to get us over the line. I think he will play McCarthy Cedric Stephens Hoedt Bertrand Lemina Romeu Boufal JWP Tadic Carrillo (but would rather have Austin) Play a strong team. Get behind the players and get us to Wembley! I’m going for Wigan 1-2 Saints. Ward Prowse to be the hero. COYR! P.s Pies, Chips and Gravy
True actually, I was thinking this was the West Ham thread. Against Wigan carillo and gabbiadini together would be worth a look
I like Wigan and their past and present achievements. I am sure the neutral will be cheering Wigan on and expecting them to have no fear and play with freedom. We need to do the same. We have had a tough cup so far and done very well. Please saints, keep this going. Hope Wigan get promoted to the championship and hope very much we are not playing them next season. COYR
We need a win.....if nothing else it will be a start to try and build a winning momentum .........and erase the crap of yesterday ....
I think we need to go back to basics... Why can’t we play 442? 2 up front and wingers. Might be more effective against a league one side!
I feel the need to mention for the 90th time that a '4-4-2' doesn't need to be old-fashioned, either. The critique with the 4-4-2 as many teams played in the 80s/90s was that it was structurally rigid, particularly defensively...the two flat banks of players that allowed teams in find space in between. Wingers that rarely ventured within the width of the box. There's nothing that says that you have to play like that simply because you have two forwards on the pitch. You can play with one of the forwards operating in a free role while the other serves as a conventional center forward, and one of the CMs sitting in front of the CBs while the other tracks down the ball, all manner of fun things. You can overcome the possible numerical disadvantage in the middle by having the wingers pinch as if it were a diamond without possession, pushing the defensive line up to condense the available space. Tactics are what you make of them.
I fully expect us to smash Wigan with a fluid attacking style and.... revert to our normal timid style; dominating 60% possession in our own half as we pass cross-field along our back-four, in that must win game at West Ham. Edit: Will lose at Hammers BTW.
I don't think we need to turn the tactical clock back 20 years for this one. Maybe in the league, where perhaps we are now desperate enough to surrender the midfield and try anything. But not at Wigan - we should be able to play through them with the players we have.
