A very tough game to end a fantastic 2012 for Saints. A win here would be the result of the season so far IMO. I would certainly take a draw if offered it. Team News: Ryan Shawcross is suspended after picking up a yellow card v Liverpool. Excellent. For Saints, I have no idea how Lallana is progressing so can't say if he will be involved or not. Match Officials Referee: Mark Clattenburg Assistants: S. Beck and S. Long 4th official: Lee Mason I am liking this appointment as he likes his cards and Stoke do commit quite a lot of fouls. Red card in this game anyone? Form Stoke are 4th in the form table with 12 points out of a possible 18 in their last 6 matches. Saints are 12th in the form table with 8 points out of a possible 18 in the last 6 matches. My verdict Saints to grab a 1-1 draw with a 2nd half strike by Jason Puncheon.
If Nigel follows my strategy of giving us as much chance as possible of beating Arsenal, I will go with: Davis Richardson Fonte Hooiveld Fox Chaplow JWP Davis Mayuka Jay Guly Boruc, Clyne, Yoshida, Cork, De Ridder, Lee, Lambert (Queue abuse and total disagreement from everyone! ) However if he doesn't, and he focuses solely on getting on a result from this game, then I reckon either we'll be unchanged, or that Jay will come in for any one of the front three.
Stoke. I've accepted that even with our first XI, we're almost certain to lose vs Stoke away. So why have them all put their bodies on line to maybe, maybe come away with a point, only to then have to either rest them all vs Arsenal (which I think is an easier match than Stoke away) or have to sit and watch Arsenal walk all over us for 90 minutes because we're too knackered to chase them around the pitch or do anything with the ball when we have it. Either way, Arsenal win and probably by some margin. It was bad enough having to watch eleven tired men go through that at Anfield the other week. But at least I always thought we would lose that.
Hooiveld & Richardson will be good options in defence and will be happy to see them play. JWP in the middle and Rodriguez up front alongside Lambert.
Tend to agree with whoever posted in the Fulham thread that it might be a good idea to rest Rickie. I'm worried about injuries and can't help thinking that we should be looking at pace against Stoke and avoiding injuries. Definite chance of a red card with Clattenurg reffing, but since when (other than yesterday) has a decision gone for us? I'd be happy with an 11 man behind the ball performance and a 0-0 draw to be honest. Then get back in the groove for the Arsenal game!
Stoke have the longest successive run of unbeaten games in the Premiership at the moment (nine). What chances have we of breaking it, I wonder...?
Quite a record for sure - but they all get broken at some stage and the unexpected often happens in football. I always feel that providing the whole team play's well Saints are capable of getting a result away from home. Stoke will miss Shawcross, he seems to be a major factor for them in most of their games this season. Never been to this ground before so really looking forward to Saturday.
Me too - Kelvin made a bit of a mistake yesterday but i still feel more confident of the team as a whole when he is in goal.
I do see your logic here and I think Rickie should be rested, but I don't agree with everyone else. Getting a result at Stoke is not impossible, difficult yes, but not impossible. Let's not forget, many of the players (Rickie, Lallana, Fonte, Clyne, Rodriguez, Cork, Morgan) coped with playing over 40 games last season.
Just said the same thing on another thread. Watched extended highlights of the last two games and the defence look less twitchy.
I'd like to know what mistake Kelvin is supposed to have made yesterday. He failed to get hold of a slippery wet ball that was banged in across him, because Shaw had been left to mark 2 players and let one of them go. Kelvin parried the ball out to Berbatov, who Fonte had left unattended, and the Bulgarian did really well to tap it in. I can't see what part of that is Davis's fault.
Bet it'll get to the end of the season and people will be calling for certain players heads! i.e. Ramirez, any defender, any GK,.... Like if they don't live up to their name, hype, price tag etc... Some people are morons.
Not that I don't agree with you, but didn't you also start this thread http://www.not606.com/showthread.php/178434-Ramirez!!!!!?highlight=ramirez
