A massive game for both sides! 1st v 2nd! It doesn't get more exciting. Last Game: Crystal Palace 0-2 SAINTS (Lambert 2) My Predictions: Score: SAINTS 2-1 Reading (Sharp, Hooiveld) I think this is a game that we will just about scrape! Reading were very lucky to come away with anything from Brighton on Tuesday night but will no doubt be up for it. I'm sure NA will control the controllables and have the players ready. My Team: Davis Richardson, Fonte, Hooiveld, Fox Guly, Hammond, Cork, Lallana Sharp, Lambert Subs: Martin, Chaplow, De Ridder, Harding, Barnard (In other words, more or less the same team as recent games) What it means: IF Saints win against Reading and West Ham lose to Brighton on Saturday then Saints will be all but promoted, mainly due to our superior goal difference. More to follow...
Lambert needs to score 4 in 4 to make it to 30 league goals, so hopefully he'll get one or two in this game.
From West Ham's perspective, a draw is the worst result for them because it pulls both teams just that further point away from them. However, while I wouldn't be too upset if we drew with Reading I would obviously much prefer a win. Reading's form this year has undoubtedly been superb and I don't see them faltering too much after the game with us, so 3 points would be a nice cushion. For once, I'm almost as interested to see how West Ham react on Saturday at home against Brighton.
Please no Guly at rm it doesn't work, we have seen this many times already. If he is going to play, he needs to play in the hole.
Well actually I don't think West Ham fans would be that disappointed with a draw, because it would mean that there are still two teams they can catch. If there is a winner on Friday, that team will pretty much be out of sight.
They only need to catch one team. The fact that both would be one more point further away, instead of one team staying put, will cause them more grief. I promise you, they want one team to beat the other, and preferably us to beat Reading.
Well it's my birthday on friday . So anything less than 3 points and I will be very dissapointed . If we play to our best we will win . Obviously prefer a draw to a loss ...... Think I have covered all eventualities !!!
Would suit West Ham better if one team won, though I suppose if it was a draw and they won, they would be two points closer to two teams. Had nasty dream (as mentioned on another thread) that we lost to an early own goal, but I see a 2.0 Saints victory. The team are confident and being at home will carry them over the line. Reading gave Brighton a load of shots on goal and I would hope we would be more clinical than Brighton. Defence will be very important in this game as they will attack from the start.
IF we both make the Prem next year then we would look at Reading as a must win home game - as it is now. I see us at 2-1 with no fingernails left.
We need to get stuck in like we did against palace and for that reason it's Chaplow to start for me. His confidence is back after Monday. We've always played better against the best teams, genuinely confident that we'll win this one.
I see this as 1-1, although Reading are one of the teams who played us off the park last time and have a very good tactical manager, as we do. I think Nigel will want to have some payback.
This is a must not lose game rather than a must win i would be take a draw if offered to me now, only problem is i can see reading scoring a couple so we are going to need rickie and billy to be sharp in front of goal. (see what i did there. genius)
Score Prediction: 2-2: Hunt gives them the lead, Jos heads home from a corner, Gorkss does the same, Barnard equalises in the 86th minute. Davis Richardson Fonte Hooiveld Fox Steve Hammond Cork Adam Rickie Billy Bench: Butterfield, Chaplow, Guly, Martin, Barnard Starting Steve to get at them from kick off.
To me this has got a draw written all over it.....1-1. Don't for one minute think that Mcdermott is going to play the same formation against us. It will depend though on who he has available. They didn't play well against Brighton but eeked out a result. How many times has that happened with us this season? So a tense game in prospect me thinks......
I think a lot will depend on how both teams have come out of their last matches. Not sure if we picked up any injuries at Palace but Readings midfield was badly disrupted last night with three players missing. Fingers crossed none are back on Saturday. If we boss the midfield we will win!
Can see this being a draw, I'm going 2-2 Davis Richardson Fonte Hooiveld Harding (Fox if fit) Chaplow Hammond Cork Lallana Lambert Sharp Subs: Martin, De Ridder, Guly, Barnard, Puncheon (Harding if Fox fit)
