Match Day Thread Brighton v Saints Saturday 24th August 3pm

I agree. I've seen a few Saints teams that couldn't get the hang of 3CBs. With 2 its simpler, its either my job or your job and the two of us need to talk and stay in touch. With 3 its more tactically complex and they still manage to leave the main player they should be on when crosses come in (e.g. Ashley Barnes)
(I think they'd still **** it up if it was Ashley Banjo tbh)

I'd rather have that extra midfielder so one of them e.g. Oriel can track back when needed and know that we still have midfielders further upfield available as an outlet

 

I think Ashley Banjo could probably do a job for us...

 

I dont understand wanting to go 4 at the back. We are even worse defensively then, hence why we go with 5.

Time and time again its shown 4 at the back just doesn't work with our personnel.

 

How do you know this? Danso hasn't played for Saints yet.

 

Who mentioned Danso? I know nothing about him, but I'm wary of putting too much hope on a 20year old & will judge on what I've seen from our current crop.

 

I'm finding it really difficult to predict the team for Saturday because we have so many players who deserve to be in the squad. Danso has to go in pretty soon or what was the point in buying him. Similarly Djenepo deserves a start after his impressive cameo appearance last week. I really like the look of Armstrong this year too. And Boufal has got that MLT quality that I think Ralph will develop and cut out giving the ball away cheaply.

But who do you drop? The defence looked better balanced last week (no offence to Stephens intended) and although Valery and Bertie had poor games, I don't think you can drop either on the basis of one game. In midfield, JWP and Hojbjerg are certain starters. It's the ones in front of them where there is strong competition for places. As much as I like Long, I struggle to see him even on the bench these days.

Brighton are improved on last year so it will be a tough game. Would probably take a draw right now just get points on the board!

 

Our midfield has never been the same since Schneider’s left. Somehow the defence and attack linked up. And our defence wasn’t porous. I still feel we are looking for that key CDM.

 

Didn’t hold back on Lemina. He hates that guy.

 

Seen this comment a couple of times now but no actual quote - what was said?

 

This is what it says on the OS roundup:

"He’s one of the guys who has a few options. It’s especially important that this personality is coming to a clear finish. It’s an option that he could leave us in this transfer period.”

Did he say more than that? i couldn't see live because of work

 

If we lose this game we drop down to League Two. Yelps!

Or at least we would in my concept for a new meltdown-themed Saints board game, called Saints & Ladders.

 

At least the forwards might be able to hit a cow’s arse with a banjo in the team.

 

Kertish!!

 

Time and again when? I can't remember when we last played that
How can you tell that we are worse? Have we lost by more than 3 to Burnley that way?

4 at the back is the answer to all our problems because we haven't played that way recently
Same as Boufal is the other answer

(We kind of went 4 at the back when Djenepro came on v Liverpool and almost drew though)

 

The opposition know that they just have to stay in the game and sooner or later, we`ll concede a cheap goal. So I`ll settle for game where we don`t, and let the rest look after itself. Hey presto - 0-2 Saints !

 

This is the problem. He only ever gets 2 in a row. He needs 6!!!

Did I mention that?

 

This season is make or break for boufal. Or maybe next season is?

 

Lawro has us for a win......

Brighton v Southampton

Brighton had a great win at Watford but they were quite edgy at home to West Ham. Southampton are a better team than their results are showing and I really like the way their manager Ralph Hasenhuttl approaches games.

I saw Graham Potter's Swansea team play quite a few times last season and they were really good on the ball but it's also about scoring goals. Brighton could struggle to do that against Southampton so I think the Saints will go there and win.

Lawro's prediction: 0-2

 

We’re doomed!

 

His guest thinks we will lose though so there is hope