Wherever you were at around 5pm on Saturday that was a definite moment when Aribo found the net. Everything came back to life. Who does one touch passing in their own penalty area with the keeper? Answer - Saints. I just love it and am terrified of it all at the same time but when it works it is something else, but it does come with health warnings. This week's fixtures across the championship are huge and our game with Preston is no different and comes 24 hours after the other 3 up there have played. I am sure you all noted we have 2 home games but it's one game at a time and remember hard work beats talent if talent doesn't work hard. This time we are going to play with such fire power that the opposition will fall. Preston must be pressed hard for a sublime saints win but it is coming I believe as we get to the business end.
Match Officials: Southampton v Preston North End (19:45) BEN TONER Rob Smith and George Byrne Fourth Official : Gavin Ward
Listening to the Preston guy on TSP, he indicated that they might press Bazunu very strongly, so I hope we have looked at alternative options to get the ball away from the danger zone, at least in the opening minutes to allow us to get a feel for the ball and for their press to lessen. He also said that they would be happy to sit deep and hit us on the break, so patience might be required. Fingers crossed we get the result we want/ need.
Yeah they might try to press us, but if that doesn't work they are happy to sit deep and hit us on the break. Neither of which we've coped well with in recent weeks. Hopefully we can rediscover the art of scoring first as that should work to our advantage with how they then have to play. Be nice to not gift the opposition any goals for once too and actually make them work for it. If Downes is fit enough to start this game too that should help massively with our ability to play around the press.
Leicester, Leeds and Ipswich all play on the Tuesday so we play on Wednesday knowing what they all did. Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing TBH.
If they slip up we need to win to take advantage and move us closer to them again. If they win we need to win to keep up the pace. We're going for the win regardless, so only thing it might change is the focus and pressure.
I know that. My point was I'm not sure whether it's a good thing that we play after everyone else knowing what they've done. It's probably worse.
Afternoon folks will eventually put my match thing on site more than likely tomorrow will be visiting St Mary's for the first time if the game is like our last two they have been really entertaining, beweare the double Danish delight
Our back line terrifies me especially when we're playing suicide ball with the keeper. I'd go for a 3-5-2 with Bree and Manning acting more as wing backs. --------------------------Baz--------------------------------- --------THB------Stephens--------Beddie----------- Bree---------------------------------------------------Manning ----------------Downes------Aribo---------------------- Edozie------------------Che------------------------Stuey
The defence was good for the 24 games before Huddersfield, incidentally from when Downes got injured! Our defensive solidity is not just down to Downes of course and we still conceeded 3 on his return to the team on Saturday. But return to the successful CB partnership of THB and Bednarek. Bree at RB until KWP returns. Manning at LB until KWP returns, and Downes in front and theres no reason we can't return to the solid defence we had during the 25 game undefeated run. If things don't improve now that Downes is back, then I'd probably still look to keep the back line the same but add Charles alongside Downes for extra midfield cover rather than change our entire formation and play players out of their best positions.
Sooo the question is would you rather see a stress free routine 1-0 or an action packed heart palpitating 4-3 win?...I know which one I prefer.
Very few Saints matches have ever been free of stress free routines. We’ve got 11 more to go at least.
