OK so another massive game on Saturday. A real six pointer. A win could open up a nice gap away from the bottom 3. Wigan haven't won in the league since a 3-0 triumph against Aston Villa before the turn of the year, with two losses and two draws, including a 2-2 draw against Stoke City on Tuesday, which left them in 18th position. They have some defensive worries but are looking to strengthen today so we could be facing a new look defence. We are on good run and need to keep our momentum going. Hopefully we picked up no injuries last night so I would expect us to start with Rickie and Jrod up front with Gaston pulling the strings in midfield. Hopefully Luke will be fit so the defence picks itself until our new CB is match fit. Officials are REFEREE : Andre Marriner LINESMEN D Cann & D C Richards 4th OFFICIAL M Clattenburg I'm going for a 2-0 Saints win! COYR!
Paul Scharner straight into the team I'd have thought. They will be right up for this game, so hopefully we play at the same intensity as the last couple outings.
We CANNOT afford to lose this. A draw would be OK but we need a win really to strengthen our position.
Quite right, a draw would not be a disaster, but defeat would chuck us right into the hell fire of the mix! Arrgghh
Think our defence is miles stronger than last time we played them and I would back us to score so.............
I believe we will go looking for all 3 points and get them. I'm guessing that we are going to concede goals again with our new high pressing approach but probably score more than recently as well, so I'll go for a 2-1 win.
Obviously it would be better not to lose, but that is overstating it somewhat. We'd still be outside the relegation zone even assuming all our rivals win.
We're certainly better than them right now, and I'm sure the vast majority of neutrals would predict a Saints win if they've been paying attention to recent performances. The team have to come out with the same determined attitude that they've shown against the top sides though.
This is a great game to win, but there is still a lot of games left if we don't. Remember that you don't always win even if you deserve to, so no point in getting suicidal if it goes pear shaped. Will someone please note this down and remind me if I'm crying on Saturday.
In the mirror image of the first three games of the season (City-Wigan-United), who's to say that the results won't go the same way? Unlucky with City result at start of the season, put in a great performance; and then poor against Wigan. We felt a bit unlucky last night against United, but confident for the Wigan game...
Don't think we will be able to sustain the high-tempo pressing malarkey for 90 minutes so soon after the Utd game. Either gun it like mad men for the first half and try to defend the lead in the second half, or try to dead the game first half before going oriental for the second. Martinez is no mug, and he will come up with something smart to counter the high-tempo. I'm a little nervous, would settle for a point. We're gonna smash the hell out of Man City anyway.
would be nice for gaston to put in a commanding performance. wigans midfield is decent but not better than ours. we will get at their defence and if we maintain the same recent standards we should win. agree that a draw wouldnt be a bad result but i would be very disappointed if we didnt win with city on the horizon followed by newcastle and qpr which are both 6 pointers.
Obviously I hope and believe we will win, but should we lose this away fixture, please remember that 4 games ok, most were saying that Reading were dead and buried. It doesn't follow.
Boruc Clyne Yoshida Hooiveld Shaw Schneiderlin Cork Puncheon Ramirez Lallana Lambert Subs: Davis, Fox, Forren, Davis, Rodriguez, Guly, Mayuka. 2-1 Saints: Ramirez and Lallana with the goals.
What do you mean "again"? We've played two games with that style and got one clean sheet. The other game was against the best attack in the league!
