---------------------------------------- Lonergan Connolly-------------------Kisnorbo----------------Bromby---------------White Snodgrass-------------------------------Brown--------------------------Gradel ----------------------------Nunez----------------Howson -------------------------------------LOAN SIGNING or Paynter
Ok the mid field is going to be very crowded so are you going to rely on breakaways?........will be interesting.........
Blimey, its alright saying you have Snodgrass down oneside, then you have Gradel on the other and Howson through the middle so you won't be able to cope with them. Yeah they're good players but to me there's not much difference from saying Chamberlain down oneside, lallana the other and Cork down the middle!! Everyone stating your underestimating the attackers or defenders well your hardly going to say they're a load of rubbish are you. Its called backing and supporting your team!! I reckon we are in for a entertaining first game of the season. The scoreline could be anything but obvioulsy I am going to back Saints!!
To compare a defence that tackled some poor league 1 sides last season against at least 15 good championships sides is a completely different kettle of fish! You imagine how carlise, Colchester, swindon, wallsall, tranmere rovers felt when chamberlain, lambert, barnard, lallana were charging at sub standard defenders. Now imagine how forte, harding, jaidi. are going to feel when players like, Snodgrass, gradel, Chopra, maynard, nolan, scott parker, nugent, bullard, shane long, mcanuff, kebe plus more are running at them! This is why all promoted sides last year spent alot of money trying to get there defences right. ive found a successful holding midfielder normally tends to get you into the playoffs. Reading had Leighterwood, QPR had Derry, swansea had pratley, Cardiff had Olifinjana, Forest had moussi. And norwich played the long ball to Holt. Luckily for us weve nabbed brown from dirty portsmouth and he looks a steal already.
Cant wait for this one! I remember the last time we met at St Marys. What a disapointment, we didnt turn up at all & Punchoen destroyed Parker (left back) so badly bromby had to come on before half time to try a bit of damage limitation. And who pops up & scores the winner? Dan bloomin Harding! Dont think we even got a shot on target! How has your pre season gone Saints? I expect big things from you this season & wish you all the best but HOPEFULLY you have a slow start like usual, well at least for one game Tough game, think it will end 1-1
Howson is absoloute quality. I would love to have him in our side. Leaving West Ham aside, I'd say Howson is the best CM in the league alongside Andy King. But to say he will completely tear our defence apart, clearly means that some Leeds fans have no idea how good Fonte is. There will be very few CBs in the division who'll out-perform him. Granted the rest of our defence is slightly weak at this level (especially Harding), but rule out Fonte at your peril. Moreover, our CM will most likely be Hammond and Cork - both of whom are solid defensively. It's not like our whole front 6 will constantly be in and around Leeds' penalty box all game, and Howson will have as much room as he likes at the other end. Many Leeds fans appear to be understanding us, and many of us appear to be underestimating Leeds. I rate Gradel and Snodgrass hugely, but I'd honestly still take Lallana and Chamberlain ove them (although in an ideal world, I'd move Lallana centrally, and then bring one of Gradel or Snodgrass - probably Gradel - into the side). And Lambert is better than Paynter. Chamberlain's fitness is the absoloute key. Because if he's not fit, suddenly Leeds' attack does look better than ours (albeit we just don't know how good De Ridder) and they subsequently might just nick it 2-1. Fingers crossed he's fit though, cos I'm sure the game will be a draw if he is.
haha i made a right fool out of myself. 'scoreline could be anything'!! Please refrain from abusing me!!
We had jack cork in our pocket for the 2 games we beat burnley. Good player but im pretty convinced grayson will do the same again. Stop him and your wingers wont see daylight.
So your midfield will be a flat four of Chamberlain, Cork, Hammond and Lallana? Presumably this is in a 4-4-2 formation or am I interpreting this wrong?
We've had our best pre-season for a long time, in terms of match fitness and condition anyways. I don't imagine us starting slowly like we did past couple of seasons. It'll be a fun game anyways, and there will be goals. I want to say 3-2 to Saints but I think a score draw is more realistic.
I'm 90% certain that is how it will look (save for De Ridder or Guly coming in for Chambo if he's not fit), with Lambert and Connolly up front.
lallana and chamberlain will probably be quite a bit further forward then the two cms, and i think one of the cm's that plays will take more of a holding role (hopefully schneiderlin)
If I were a Saints fan, I'd probably be fancying: Lambert Chamberlain - Lallana - De Ridder Cork - Schneiderlin Not a fan of the 4-4-2 and its use in the Championship is waning. Can't say I know a lot about your squad though, e.g. whether De Ridder is a right winger or whether Lambert plays well as a lone striker.
