Match Day Thread West Brom v Southampton, Monday 12/04/21, 6pm, Sky Sports

[tomw24]

I have done this thread on behalf of @Power to the Billies who is currently taking a break from the site. Of course he will still get the blame if we lose and I'll take the credit if we win.

This is a game West Brom HAVE to win and a game where Saints MUST NOT pick up any injuries or red cards.

We just need to get through this game unscathed. I would rather we rested Ings, Prowsie, KWP, Armstrong, Vesty and lose than lose any of them for the semi-final.

My team:

Fraser
Stephens Bednarek Salisu Bertrand
Diallo Jankewitz
Minamino Djenepo
Adams Redmond

I'm not sure Ralph will rest that many first team players (JWP will probably play if I'm honest) but I really hope he rests Ings and KWP at least given their injuries this season. Minamino can play the full match as he's ineligible for the semi-final.

Referee: Simon Hooper. Assistants: Harry Lennard, Derek Eaton. Fourth official: Craig Pawson. VAR: Kevin Friend. Assistant VAR: Simon Beck.

 

[SaintsFan86]

After the result West brom just got... They will be well up for this game. It is a really bad time to play West brom personally... Quick start is needed here, But they will feel even going down a goal they can stilll come back.

Forster,

KWP, Vestergaard. Salisu, Bertrand;
JWP, Diallo;
Armstrong, Djenepo,
Redmond. Ings.

 

[Archers Road]

I'd take a draw now, but only in the hope of remaining unbeaten for the rest of the season

 

[Saints FC 76]

Interesting point about resting players.

I don’t think Ralph will rest too many, but wouldn’t be annoyed if he did.

 

[tomw24]

Interesting point about resting players.

I don’t think Ralph will rest too many, but wouldn’t be annoyed if he did.

It's a no brainer to rest at least Ings in my book. Can bring in Che for him as a like for like replacement and still have a good team out. I would also rest Vesty and give Salisu some more game time. Again, seems an obvious change to make for me. I would like to see Jankewitz come in as well. He impressed for Switzerland U21's the other week and Ralph seems keen to give him a second chance. Seems a good time to do it on Monday.

 

[RSS]

We have a full week between the Burnely and West Brom games and then another 5/6 days until the semi. It makes sense to start Minamino for West Brom seeing as he can't play in the semi anyway. Be interesting to see how Ralph decides to play it, I don't think he'll change it up too much.

 

[tomw24]

We have a full week between the Burnely and West Brom games and then another 5/6 days until the semi. It makes sense to start Minamino for West Brom seeing as he can't play in the semi anyway. Be interesting to see how Ralph decides to play it, I don't think he'll change it up too much.

The time between games isn't the issue for me. It's that for us, the West Brom game is pretty much a dead rubber and the Leicester game is HUGE! Why risk it? The win over Burnley has given us the opportunity to rotate. I would even leave Danny at home TBH. He proved against Burnley he's sharp, no need to risk him at all. There's also the potential for extra time against Leicester so we want all our key players at 100% fitness and freshness. We've got plenty of options for the 2 forward and 2 number 10 roles so no need to risk Danny or Armstrong at all. It also makes sense to bring Salisu in for some more game time as well as resting Vestergaard.

 

[fatletiss]

Win, lose or draw, I have my blue pen ready. It’s all about the following week.

 

[ChilcoSaint]

The time between games isn't the issue for me. It's that for us, the West Brom game is pretty much a dead rubber and the Leicester game is HUGE! Why risk it? The win over Burnley has given us the opportunity to rotate. I would even leave Danny at home TBH. He proved against Burnley he's sharp, no need to risk him at all. There's also the potential for extra time against Leicester so we want all our key players at 100% fitness and freshness. We've got plenty of options for the 2 forward and 2 number 10 roles so no need to risk Danny or Armstrong at all. It also makes sense to bring Salisu in for some more game time as well as resting Vestergaard.

I agree with most of your changes but there is absolutely no way JWP doesn’t start.
Fraser
KWP Beds Salisu Bert
JWP Jank
Min Djen
Tel McAd

 

[RSS]

I'm not saying I disagree that the Leicester game is far more important. I'm just not convinced Ralph will make a whole host of changes considering the schedule allows for rest anyway. Of course theres the mitigating injuries factor, but the players could and have picked up injuries in training anyway so I'm not sure how much Ralph will will use that as factor in the team he picks. Be interesting to see what he does and at least we actually have options at the moment!

 

[Libby]

For me:


Unknown

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Minamino

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Really don't think we should be risking anyone for a meaningless match when we've such a big game 6 days later.

BFS will send out his team to be physical as per and it would be gutting to lose a key player to that gravy slurping ****bag.

 

[Ronnie Hotdog (MLsfc)]

Not sure why this games is written off by some as meaningless. It isn't exactly ideal preparation to go into the semi after losing to one of the worst teams in the league. Plus every league position is worth £2m/£3m which could be the difference between signing our top target or not.

To me, and Im sure Ralph too, this is a fairly important game which requires a strong team. Potentially just resting Ings and maybe Armstrong or Walcott as Minamino may as well play.

 

[fatletiss]

Not sure why this games is written off by some as meaningless. It isn't exactly ideal preparation to go into the semi after losing to one of the worst teams in the league. Plus every league position is worth £2m/£3m which could be the difference between signing our top target or not.

To me, and Im sure Ralph too, this is a fairly important game which requires a strong team. Potentially just resting Ings and maybe Armstrong or Walcott as Minamino may as well play.

Its not meaningless, but it is just not anywhere near as important as the cup game. The reason I declared I’ll draw a blue line under it is simple: Ralph will of course select who he wants and I am ready to move on from whatever result we get. None will really impact the team going into the cup game. Any player should be up for a cup semi-final at Wembley, whether they’ve lost to the worst team in the world or not.


* that team who has just thumped Chelsea, by the way.

 

[Ronnie Hotdog (MLsfc)]

Its not meaningless, but it is just not anywhere near as important as the cup game. The reason I declared I’ll draw a blue line under it is simple: Ralph will of course select who he wants and I am ready to move on from whatever result we get. None will really impact the team going into the cup game. Any player should be up for a cup semi-final at Wembley, whether they’ve lost to the worst team in the world or not.


* that team who has just thumped Chelsea, by the way.

Agree that players should all be motivated in a semi-final at Wembley, but I am talking about confidence and form, not motivation. I should perhaps of phrased it that this game is important because of the benefit we could get from a win rather than any damage a loss would cause.

If we beat West Brom then that is back to back league wins for the first time since last year and 3 on the trot in all competitions! It would put to bed any lingering doubts and we might get back to playing with the belief and confidence we saw early in the season.

 

[mowgli]

Winning against West Brom will set us up nicely for the semi but a loss would be disastrous. So it has to be a strong if not the strongest team but including Minamino who can't play at Wembley

I'd probably start with Djenepo, McAdams and possibly McCarthy and Tella as maximum rotation without significantly weakening the side.

 

[tomw24]

Winning against West Brom will set us up nicely for the semi but a loss would be disastrous. So it has to be a strong if not the strongest team but including Minamino who can't play at Wembley

I'd probably start with Djenepo, McAdams and possibly McCarthy and Tella as maximum rotation without significantly weakening the side.

Why would a loss be disastrous? Not ideal but hardly the end of the world. You've also contradicted yourself by saying you'd play Djenepo, Adams, McCarthy and Tella but say we should go strongest team.

 

[Che’s Godlike Thighs]

Another confidence-boosting win please. Rest Ings, and Stuie/JWP maybe. Give a game to Salisu. Otherwise full strength.

 

[fatletiss]

Agree that players should all be motivated in a semi-final at Wembley, but I am talking about confidence and form, not motivation. I should perhaps of phrased it that this game is important because of the benefit we could get from a win rather than any damage a loss would cause.

If we beat West Brom then that is back to back league wins for the first time since last year and 3 on the trot in all competitions! It would put to bed any lingering doubts and we might get back to playing with the belief and confidence we saw early in the season.

I partly agree because it would be good to have that third win, but still don’t think that game will have any impact on the performance in the semi-final. I’ve played in games that were the game before a big game and no matter how well you prepare (or do in the first game), you’re focused on the big game. I would bet that from the moment the final whistle goes against the Baggies, their minds will be buzzing for the semi-final.

Just my experience of situations like that.

 

[fatletiss]

Winning against West Brom will set us up nicely for the semi but a loss would be disastrous. So it has to be a strong if not the strongest team but including Minamino who can't play at Wembley

I'd probably start with Djenepo, McAdams and possibly McCarthy and Tella as maximum rotation without significantly weakening the side.

Cannot disagree strongly enough about it being disastrous . It just won’t work like that. My bet would be that if they lose the game, they’ll put it straight out their heads. Ralph will have them focused on how they will play ago at Leicester from Monday evening onwards and probably won’t even go over the Baggies game.

 

[Lemons and Oranges]

Not necessarily relevant to whether or not we should play our strongest team v WBA, but our semi final opponents, Leicester, are playing West Ham on Sunday.
Ralph may have an eye on the cup in any decisions about the team v WBA, but we may be considerably assisted by West Ham making Leicester play their strongest team, as both clubs will care about Champions League next season. In short, the West Ham game before the semi final may affect Leicester's preparation far more than the corresponding game against WBA will affect us.

If this isn't enough to help us, the Leicester game v West Ham is the day before we play WBA, so (if Ralph actually cares about such things) Ralph may be able to pick his team v WBA, knowing that Leicester will/will not have fully fit players, as a result of playing West Ham the day before.

I appreciate that any manager worth his salt will not care (much) about the opposition, at least before the match itself, but I'm sure Ralph would breathe a bit easier, if Noble et al provided Vardy, Iheanacho, and/or Ndidi with a few injuries, meaning that they couldn't play v Saints. Maybe I should concentrate on our own team...