Just re-read the OS report of the FA Cup game. I'd forgotten that Barnard scored the other goal (as well as Guly's cracker), so maybe it would be a good game for him to get his scoring boots back on. http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10280~54916,00.html
I just cant see us winning this one, doubts over Lambert and Chaplow, confidence which must be dipping after recent away results, the curse of the returning player hanging large in the shape of Phillips (who is currently on form) Blackpool moving remorselessly up the table over recent weeks, Holloway is bound to have them bouncing for this game and the fact that this game would take us ahead of liverpools home win record, I'm afraid the portents are bad. Sadly I am therefore expecting a defeat, 1-2 or 0-1, in either case Phillips will bag the winner because thats just the way the universe works.
I have to disagree with you. Our confidence at home shouldn't have dipped. Its away thats the problem. I can see a 3-0 win for Saints with Phillips doing f**k all.
You could always back the Blackpol 1-0 and 2-1 results both around 14s to give you some consolation if we go belly up! Can't ever bring myself to back against Saints. Probably explains why until last year I've been skint!
These predictions are getting more and more ridiculous. It started off with people predicting scores and sometimes scorers. Then minutes were added. Last week it said 'X to score a header' now its 'X to score a header at the back post' and 'substitute Holmes nips in on a poor backpass with 5 minutes to go'...how specific is that?! Amazing! I'll look foolish now if that's exactly how it happens tho...1-0 or 1-1 for me. Can't see us losing though.
Well to keep the tradition* going, I'll say that our winning home run will end here. And I think it will. *(The tradition being that I've previously predicted the home winning run to end vs Leeds, Forest, Birmingham, West Ham and Brighton. And I thought it would then too.)
I'm not confident for this game. Saying that, I would not be surprised to see us win narrowly. All said and done regards our poor away form, the players are not going to want to loose the home record, and we seem to bounce back at home after defeat/poor performances away........so far! Would love to have Lamert back, but we'll see. Failing that, I think Barney should start as he's just the type of battler that we want to help grind out a result if its tight. Anyone know when Chappers is due back?
Well to keep the tradition* I'm not going to make a prediction *(The tradition being that I've be right the same amount of times I've wrong)
Not according to the OS, hope your source is wrong Lambden! The other thing I noticed on the OS was that both Fonte and De Ridder are on 4 yellows, so possible suspensions coming up for them if they don't behave.
Skim read the OS earlier and think it said he maybe recalled. But my 'source' is jsut my brother who met Lambert, Harding and Chappers in a pub in Winchester on Monday or Tuesday night, and Rickie said he wouldn't be fit. You never know, he might be included but it didn't sound good. Chappers was 'a couple of weeks away'?
De Ridder's on four yellows already? If you put all his minutes on the field together, he's probably still in single figures in terms of matches played (I imagine he's played less than 900 minutes in the league so far). Then again, thinking about it, he does have a few Carling Cup appearances - but even so...
If Lambert is out, I'd go like we have done in the Carling cup with Ben Reeves behind the striker. The lad is very good and deserves a break. It would give us a bit more presence in midfield without compromising the width, which is something we need.
