I hope thats the case! But yeah it did look that way, I just think Yeo were overly physical when it wasn't needed. Don't think we should play them again for pre-season, although it's only 10 mins away from me so the only game I don't really have to travel to!
No mate he didn't, don't think he travelled at all. Barny, Deano and of course Oxo were the only absentees I can think of from the 1st team. Wonder what it is?
And even more will miss out from next week, once we're down from 7 subs to 5. Hammond, as was speculated earlier, was out with a sickness bug.
I'm pretty sure I saw both Holmes and Dicko warming up but they weren't on the bench which had 7 subs I see and Yeovil had 10, weird. Maybe Deano and Barny would have gone too if it wasn't for for them being injured/ill, squad harmony, on the bus and all that!
its a shame, some quality players are going to miss out on squads altogether, its relli bugged me and im sure alot of fans (and managers)
Yep, a totally no need new rule implemented. But, thats non-football people running football for you.
No Place for Dickson in the last two matches, which is strange as he finished the season ahead of Harding in the pecking order. I can only assume despite travelling that he felt a twinge a la Lambert and was not risked. Did Guly do enough to earn a starting birth out wide? Connolly performances have forced his way into the side, so think it will be him and Lambert up top. With Chamberlain injured it's a straight fight between Guly, De Ridder & Forte for wide right. Think Adkins will go for Guly. Davis Butterfield - Seaborne - Fonte - Harding Guly - Cork - Hammond - Lallana Connolly - Lambert Subs Biakowlski, Jaidi, De Ridder, Forte, Schneiderlin
I don't think he is at his best when out wide, today when he was moved up front with Lambert he was more comfortable I felt. So if it's not Oxo out wide I would have De Ridder, Forte looked good too but I like him as an impact sub. But then where would Guly come into it? As you say Connolly's form has got him into the side Partnering Lambert so Guly wouldn't replace him and there is also the possibility of a new forward and/or Barnard! I'm glad its Nige who has to pick and not us.
You can say that again! We're very lucky to have such depth though, some teams are crying out for just one player in some positions.
It's a tough one, I much prefer Guly up top. Think he looks uncomfortable out wide and always looking to come inside. When Chamberlain was out injured at the end of last season Adkins still went to Guly ahead of Forte, but De Ridder has made that selection much more difficult. I think it's all based on how well he thinks De Ridder will fit into the system from a defensive point of view. Surprised he didn't start today and rest Lallana, but good problems to have and if the transfer rumors are correct, even bigger selection headaches could lie ahead. Nige will be earning his crust this season
Very true! If we fill the vacant number 5 with a new CB to eventually partner Fonte then we have Jedi to be used sparingly and Seaborne/Martin too. Dan Seaborne played well today and he started over and played more minutes than Martin maybe suggesting he is slightly ahead in the pecking order - if thats the case then please send Martin on a season long loan to a club where he plays week in week out, I rate him and feel a full season of league 1 football under his belt would do him the world of good.
Nigel's thoughts: http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~2406199,00.html. Two cliches in the first two paragraphs, he's still on form. I like the way he apologized to the pitch.
Team selection is going to be tricky, although it is nice to put a steady XI out for as many games as possible I am sure NA will size up the opposition before deciding which XI will have the most impact on the opposing team, and unlike AP hopefully he will have Plan B and Plan C available at every match.
