No disrespect to Fulham but this is exactly the sort of fixture that the old Saints would have blown. Win at Liverpool draw at OT and lose at home. Not this squad though. I'm confident of a good home win.
Joe Montana, he ****ing loves Saints... http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24604531 please log in to view this image
Presumably Lambert will be recalled for this one. However... If Davis is fit, I'd be very confident of three points. But I'm less sure if he isn't. I thought our shape and/or line-up was wrong in those first two home games (without Davis), and I don't want us to go back there. In an ideal world, I'd have JWP replace him. But I don't want to see JWP stuck out mainly on the wing, like he was for the first 45 mins vs Sunderland. I'd want him in the middle. But that would mean either Lambert or Osvaldo having to play fairly wide. And I don't want that either. Jay playing slightly out wide suits me alright, but then, assuming Lallana, Lambert and Osvaldo all start too, I think that weakens us when we have the ball - our tempo, passing etc. - as we're left with two CMs, one of whom is Wanyama. Now I love what Wanyama brings to the team, I'm all for him being in our starting XI. But I'm not going to star making out like he's some sort of passing-god. There's no doubt in my mind that he offers little to us on front. That's fine when we've got Davis or JWP in the team too (or even Cork I guess), but it's not great when it's just him and Morgan. In time, maybe Gaston will be the answer. That link between midfield and attack; someone who can both pass and move, and also help offer us a wide-ish option with reasonable-ish success. But right at this moment, I'd be amazed to see him start tomorrow (illness or no illness). I guess it goes to show that football isn't just about the big names, if I'm saying that I think Steve Davis is the difference between a comfortable home win, and maybe no home win at all.
[h=2]MATCH FACTS[/h]Head-to-head This match could end 0-0 judging by the pattern of recent encounters. The last meeting finished 1-1, and was preceded by 2-2 and 3-3 draws. Saturday will mark 78 years to the day since Fulham's only previous league win at Southampton. That was a 2-1 victory in a Division Two game on 26 October 1935. Southampton Seven of Saints' eight league goals this season have been scored in the second half, with four netted in the final 10 minutes of matches. They have only lost three of their last 20 games in all competitions. Their tally of three goals conceded is the lowest in the Premier League. At this stage last season they had let in 24 league goals. Serie A leaders Roma (one goal conceded) are the only side in one of the top five European leagues with a better defensive record than Saints. Southampton's haul of 15 points from their opening eight games represents their best start to a top-flight campaign since 1983-84, when they had 17 points at this stage. That season they ended in second place behind Liverpool. Fulham Victory would give Fulham three successive league wins for the first time since February-March 2012, when they beat Stoke, QPR and then Wolves. Only Arsenal and Tottenham (three) have won more Premier League away games than Fulham (two) this season. Dimitar Berbatov had 79 touches against Crystal Palace on Monday, more than any other Fulham player. In contrast, strike partner Darren Bent touched the ball only 13 times.
"!After surprising a few teams in the last couple of months, I think Manuel Pochettino's side might get a bit of a shock themselves." Is he doing it deliberately? Jesus...
Don't think it really deserves a thread, but a bit of back-room news... ...conditioning coach Nick Harvey has left Saints, with Ben Rosen being promoted from within to take up the role. Harvey is going to join Nigel Adkins at Reading.
bugger....with the classico on at the same time i am not gonna find a bar showing the saints match...trinidad is split right down the middle for barca/real...football mad but loyal to no one....we have 1.5 million bandwagonists that follow la liga. They also follow the prem...but the split is a bit different.
Oh my... [video=youtube;3Xu2icuBwss]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Xu2icuBwss&feature=youtu.be[/video]
I was in Trinidad in March - I was amazed to see a school named after Russell Latapy (he used to play for Hibs and Falkirk) !
Not expecting a walkover in this one; Fulham have a couple players capable of singular moments of quality of the nature that even good defending and goalkeeping cannot stop. Need the attack firing to ensure that should such a moment occur, it alone won't decide the points.
