I can't go, it's Mrs Q's birthday. Yes I know it's a crap excuse, but you try telling her that. Anyway, I have to admit I'm a bit nervous about it all, Sunderland are not Reading, and might expect to get more of a result at St Mary's, think we would just about be favourites though. Just hope that the great momemtum we had before our enforced Winter break was not left at any Xmas parties. No, I'm sure Nigel will have done some great work on the training ground. Shame about Lallana being out but we will have to deal with it. I'm a bit surprised that so many want to see Lee in (in Twitter/Facebook land more than here), I am a fully paid up fan but wouldn't chuck him in for 90 minutes quite yet. For some reason Jay Rod does not seem that popular (again you sensible lot know better), but I think he is more than a good player, he's actually really important to us. So just him in for Lallana, for me.
I'd like to see Lee get a chance but agree JRod to start with Lee to come on in the second half. We should try and exploit Bramble as much as possible, Think he's a major weak link!
You obviously haven't been watching very hard, Gaston Ramirez has played that role (and pretty well might I add) in nearly every game he's played. Rodriguez might not suit the wing down to the ground, but he has the essential qualities to play there and the system is a whole lot stronger. Reading and Newcastle are the only 2 sides to play 442 at St Mary's this season - both poor sides playing awful kick and rush football. A style of football they play because they're outnumbered in the middle of the park and can neither retain possession nor play their way through. It's not something we should try to emulate, especially with our defence.
Don't worry - Saints will be one of the first teams to rebuild, from a surviving plague of cockroaches. Existing season tickets will be valid - just try not to step on the 'players'.
Good one. I clearly meant with Gaston in the hole who plays on the left? And if you'd been watching more closely you'd have noticed we've played 442 on more than one occasion.
Saints favourites to win tomorrow: Southampton (2.05) Draw (3.69) Sunderland (3.85) According bookies initial predictions and bets placed, we are slightly more likely to pick up the points against Stoke than Fulham: Fulham (1.83) Draw (3.7) Southampton (4.75) Stoke (1.8) Draw (3.5) Southampton (4.5) Funny looking at the next manager to go odds and you wonder what all that fuss was about (Sky Bet): Brian McDermott 2.2 Martin ONeill 5.5 Roberto Mancini 9 Rafa Benitez 12 Arsene Wenger 10 Alan Pardew 13 No Manager To Leave 11 Brendan Rodgers 19 Nigel Adkins 26
I bloody hope the game will be on tomorrow I don't think we'll win this myself, and nor do I think Sunderland will win 1-1 draw I reckon, with this side: K.Davis Clyne Fonte Yoshida Shaw Puncheon Cork Morgan Ramirez Rodriguez Lambert Subs: Gazza, Hooiveld, JWP, Mayuka, S.Davis, Lee, Reeves
At home, I recall: Wigan (2nd half) Fulham Spurs (1st half) Reading Scored 3, Conceded 6 Where we've played 442 and with the exception of Reading, who were dreadful, we've hardly covered ourselves in glory. When we've played 433/451/4231: Man U Wigan (1st half) Villa Spurs (2nd half) Swansea Newcastle Norwich Scored 11 (12 if you include the one that wasn't offside!), Conceded 6 Not only is the record considerably better, but the performances are too. I know that Rodriguez is more of a striker than a winger, but surely playing a system that scores twice as many as it concedes is more important than one player playing in his preferred position?
Sorry but I don't think this is a large enough sample, you've got less than three games' worth of 442 to judge it on (we switched formations after Wigan scored so only played 442 for 20 minutes in that game). We played it in our last game, had 65% of possession, and it suits the personnel we have available better. I see no reason to change a winning formula. Sunderland aren't as bad as Reading but they're still not brilliant, we're not going to be dominated in terms of possession (Sunderland had less possession than Reading when they played recently). We should be imposing ourselves on them and we can do that better if we aren't playing people out of position. If we were playing Chelsea away, I'd say fine, play a more defensive formation, but we aren't.
Silly mode In which case, I hope the game will still be on Saturday, regardless of the impending Armageddon
Defensive formation? I'm not suggesting one of those! I'm suggesting one that scores twice as many as it concedes.
Nigel is such a tease! Southampton boss Nigel Adkins says captain Adam Lallana will miss Saturday's match at home to Sunderland. But Adkins declined to reveal Lallana's please log in to view this image expected return date or give any further details of the injury. The midfielder limped off during the first half of the 1-0 defeat of Reading on 8 December and there has been no official word yet on the severity of the problem. Speaking on Thursday, Adkins said: "Adam is still in his knee brace. He is progressing well and is now off the crutches. "He won't be available for Saturday's game against Sunderland please log in to view this image and that is all I need to say." Pressed for more information, he added: "We're just going to say he is out for the Sunderland game and you can ask me the next question ahead of the next game. That is all we are going to say." In any case, Adkins is confident that Southampton please log in to view this image have the players to cope without their skipper. "Adam is obviously the captain and an instrumental character," said the boss. "He has got in the England set-up this season but we've got other players as well. "Gaston Ramirez played ever so well there there when we played Reading, but we've got several players who can play in that position as well. "Like all teams, you are going to suffer from injuries at certain stages, and it is how well you can deal with it. "I believe we have got several very good players who can play in offensive positions, especially where Adam plays."
Lallana is the only player out, so I assume Chappers & Fox are back fit again? Edit: Oh, and Richardson too
As I've already said, we just don't have enough evidence to draw that conclusion. In the last game 442 scored infinitely more than it conceded, see the danger of small sample sizes?
I don't think having a week off came at the right time for us in terms of momentum. I'm hopeful we can get the win but expect a draw to be the most likely outcome. I'll go for 1-1, with Sunderland leading 0-1 at ht and a Lambert penalty in the second half.
