Saints v Stoke match thread [including League Cup tie]

Artur back at Saints after a knee injury. He's being assessed by our medical staff, but his loan has not been terminated as yet.

 

As I said on another thread, I have a dreadful fear of Pelle getting injured - we need a like-for-like backup for him. Now.....I just had an idea

 

Sorry to hear that...get well soon, Artur.

Unlikely as Liverpool are almost as short of strikers as we are...as demonstrated by Rickie playing when Balotelli can't.

 

Their fans seem to really dislike us though, not sure why?

 

Living just a few miles from B'mouth I've also been struck by the degree of hostility towards Saints.

I've asked and it seems we are seen as condescending and dismissive about their club.

Never seen any evidence for this, but there you go.

 

But they're soooooo sweet!

 

Usual jealousy for the more successful club...you'll see this all over the country. Strangely they probably see us as plastics, rather than just fans who support their local club as they do. I have no animosity to Bournemouth and wish them well, especially when they beat a bigger club. I remember we were surprised to find they thought there was a rivalry between us when we were in the lower leagues...hence the comedic name Bompey was invented. I suspect they might like to draw us in the next round (IF we beat Stoke).

 

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/sa...e_to_win_some_silverware_with_Saints/?ref=mac

Daily Echo interview with Jack Cork reiterating what we already knew..Koeman is taking this cup seriously.

 

I have hardly ever seen any of this dislike. There are a couple of people in our local Ramblers group who are Cherries fans and they're fine. We occasionally chat on how well each club are doing. If there is any mickey taking if is very lightly done. I suppose I start with an advantage that my default position is never one of dislike of another fan's club, be it Bournemouth, Pompey, or any other. You treat people fairly and its very difficult for them to treat you badly back.

 

Reading through the Oatcakes forum Stoke really seem to think we are up our own arses. Saying we think its between Man City, Chelsea and us for the title. I know people don't talk to each other any more and find it very hard to decipher tone when they have proper conversations allied with the fact that they can't comprehend when someone is being tongue in cheek, sarcastic, cynical, satirical etc. but surely they are getting even the most optimistic of us wrong.

I would suggest we don't think nor expect it to be between Us Man City and Chelsea for the title at all. We maybe hope it is or think it would be nice. I would also suggest that we don't think we deserve or are a nailed on top 6 finisher, more that we think we are capable of achieving this and again are hopeful that we can achieve it.

Why does the modern fan take every comment at face value rather than actually understand the context or the tone used? And why do a large proportion of them listen to one statement that someone says and then come back with a 5 minute barrage of what we think? Ask us what we mean by our one line, not decide that one line means a whole load more than was stated?

Seems to me that far from the Press being terrible at doing this they cannot help it because they are only doing what most of the population do anyway and they are after all one of the population so they are not doing anything different to everyone else, i.e. what comes naturally to most people.

4-0 tonight - Our title contenders will be too much for them.

Did enjoy these nuggets though..............from the first half on Saturday:
I'm bored ****less with this game. When they score again I'm gonna play fifa
Technically they are on a different stratosphere

 

Think most of us now feel that top 6 is achievable if we can keep Dusan and Pelle fit. Top 4 would be amazing.

 

Exactly. We think it is achieveable is not the same as being up our own arses thinking that we deserve it or will piss it.


West. Ham next and arguably stronger than Southampton at the minute

This is a gem. How the f*** do they work that out? Do they mean stronger as in physically?

 

After being relegated by the 19 other clubs, i think we're allowed to be slightly tongue in cheek with our comments. Any outsider thinking we're serious about the title is an idiot.

 

Some good points. I sometimes find it hard to understand the so-called football fan. Ever ready [it seems] to denigrate any other club bar their own. And sometimes having a go at their own club for very little reason when they can't think of anyone else to criticise. The rise of football forums appears to just exaggerate this tendency because if people had to be in the same room while they sounded off they'd probably not do it at all.

As to expecting a title win, no I don't expect. However, I don't rule anything out totally. We could be relegated, though it's unlikely. We could get into Europe, which is much more likely, but I'm not expecting it. We just don't have the pedigree yet, so there's no risk of expectation. There's a great deal of hope and excitement though of what can be achieved with this team at the present time

If the press are reflecting the real football fan [not the subset mentioned above] then we're a bloody sorry bunch. However, I don't think they do. They practically invent news where it doesn't exist, they inflate news into a big story when it is small talk, and they generally destabilise and agitate. As to the business of merely informing people of the truth, in the public interest, there clearly isn't enough to go around.

So get the champers out because the domestic treble is on. Oops..!

 

Have to say that generally the fans on Oatcake seem a nice bunch on the couple of occasions I've been on there. They have made the mistake of going on SaintsWeb (which again are a mixture of sensible people with a sprinkling of nutters). Stoke fans have to put themselves in our shoes...if Stoke were second, would they praise their side or call them a bunch of no-hopers.

 

Do we know who travelled? any surprises?

 

I hope that there will be no surprises
Just got kitted up to face a potential polar region experience at the Britannia tonight, the weather looks typical for a visit to Stoke and waiting for my lift to arrive....BUZZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!
COYRs

 

Articles on Matt Targett suggest he is a certain starter. Mane carrying a bit of a knock.

My bet is

Forster
Clyne Fonte Toby Targett
Cork Schneiderlin Davis
Long Pelle Tadic

Subs: Davis, Bertrand, Gardos, Reed, Wanyama, Mayuka, McQueen

 

I wouldn't risk anyone who is carrying any sort of knock, is tired or is irreplaceable (Tadic, Morgan and Pelle). A rainy October Carling cup night in stoke is not something we should be risking. Would still go strong and would be good to have a look at one or two different combinations which may be needed during the season.

Forster, Alderweild, Fonte, Gardos, Targett, Wanyama, Cork, Reed, Rowe, Long, Mayuka.

Would be good to have a look at McQueen as well at some point

 

I'm sure Stoke will rest a few. Several have been carrying knocks. Moses for one.