Well now all our pre-season games are out the way, we're exactly a week away from our first game back in the Championship since May 2009. The game has been selected for Sky TV, so note the later kick-off time. please log in to view this image V please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Early team news: Saints: Alex Chamberlain picked up a foot injury in the friendly game against West Brom and is currently on crutches with a protective boot, so may therefore miss the opening game. Lee Barnard and Dean Hammond should return after missing the game at Yeovil. Leeds: The Yorkshire club have a mini crisis in terms of injured forward players, with Luciano Becchio having surgery on a hamstring problem, with David Somma also unavailable. Robert Snodgrass is 'touch and go' whilst Llyod Sam and Paddy Kisnorbo have returned for Leeds' pre-season tie at Sheffield Wednesday. Billy Paynter will miss the game at Hillsborough with tonsillitis but Simon Grayson has stated that he should be fine for the Southampton game. Summer ins/outs: Saints: Ins: Jack Cork (Chelsea, undisclosed), Steve de Ridder (de Graafschap, undisclosed) Outs: Outs: Oscar Gobern (Huddersfield Town, free), Callum McNish (Exeter City, free), Anthony Pulis, Sam Argent, Tony Garrod, Ryan Tafazolli (all released) Leeds: Ins: Andrew Lonergan (Preston North End, undisclosed), Paul Rachubka (Blackpool, free), Michael Brown (Portsmouth, free) Outs: Outs: Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City, undisclosed), Neil Kilkenny (Bristol City, free), Bradley Johnson (Norwich City, free), James Baxendale (Doncaster Rovers, undisclosed), Richard Naylor (Doncaster Rovers, free), Shane Higgs (released) Predicted Saints team: -------------------------------------Davis----------------------------------------- ---Butterfield--------------Fonte----------Seaborne/new signing---------Harding---- ---De Ridder-------------Hammond---------Cork--------------------Lallana--------- ---------------------------Lambert------Connolly---------------------------------- Subs: Bart, Seaborne/new signing, Schneiderlin, Guly, Barnard. Prediction: 2-1 Saints(Cork & Kisnorbo OG, Gradel). I know what some of you are thinking - Saints on Sky, first game of the season(yet again)...it doesn't sound promising. But under Nigel Adkins, Saints look and feel a different team, with a more professional outlook and pre-season under their belt. COYS!
Think Seaborne will start as the new signing won't arrive in time to gel, so the new CB will either be on the bench or maybe even left out until he's trained with us a bit more. Other than that I just had Barnard and Connolly the other way round but perfectly happy either way. In NA we trust. Lat
Definately an attacking side..let's hope we always score one more than we let in. Don't mean we have a bad defence, but sometimes you need your midfield to track back and not lose touch with the defence. I can see us bombing forward and getting caught out.
Agree with Saint_Lambden with the lineup and the comment Latviandream on the CB positon. Do want to see Schneiderlin develop into the pairing with Cork - not knocking Hammond - but I see him as the future.
I wouldn't be astonished. Am I just a pessimist, or have I been supporting the Saints too long? We always lose the first game of the season, but here's hoping that trend can change.
Morning everyone. Just wanna remind you all that like last season can you produce match day threads for Saturday game no earlier than a Wednesday. Mid-Week games - no earlier than Sunday. Don't have issues with this one as even I am on a countdown til Saturday! If u guys / girls can stick to the above both Beddy & I would appreciate it. Cheers
I can't remember approaching a season with as much positivity, I suppose the season after reaching FA Cup Final but I can't remember that very well as I was only a child then. I think the positivity will rub off on the players and will result in a 3-0 win
Quick question: anyone else find the officialsaints Facebook page is messed up? It says "this pace has no recent posts", when clearly there would have been people posting on there. Have they blocked people from commenting??
There's no real "mini-injury crisis". The only player who will be missing from the starting 11 is Becchio, and we have plenty of goals from elsewhere. Think it will be 2-0 Leeds, occasion will get to you and we will just have too much. I would be more shocked if we lost than if you lost 3-0, certainly don't see your back line keeping us out and if you are as attacking as you seem to think I can easily see us scoring 3 or 4. Good luck for the season though .
I can't think how Leeds will have "too much" for us. I expect a tight game, with a lot of possession for Saints. 2-1 Saints or 1-1
