True, but odds on for a draw here. Ultimately I'm thinking more along the lines of goals being scored. I can't see many in this one. We've not scored many and not conceded many with the current first team and I can't see that changing, home or away. I'd be surprised if we win, but I'm ever the optimist!
Case in point! And I'm getting more encouraged by the posts above... Joking aside, whatever happens on Wednesday, good luck for the season- I think you've got more than enough and are a much more interesting addition to the Prem with decent fans (comparing to the Wet Shams and QPR's of this world)
But in typical United fashion, they've been very dodgy about it. Go behind as many times as they have, and you can't pull off an amazing comeback every time. You guys were excellent though.
I think expectations of both sides should be tempered. Norwich have got some fantastic results recently, but whilst their play has been strong and impressive, you could very easily make the argument that the teams they played beat themselves just as much as Norwich beat them. Arsenal and United played dreadfully, Norwich did well to upset them and make the game hard, but regardless, they did not outplay two top teams playing at their best, they squeezed past two top teams playing at their worst. Villa were leading before getting a man sent off and drawing the game. Stoke didn't muster much and it was one of their poorer away displays. Reading are not a very good team and yet only a point was mustered there. And Everton had the opportunity to win Saturday's game comfortably 3-0. I don't mean to be disrespectful, and I think they were strong performances and results overall, and it will give the team great confidence, but not a glittering display of outplaying and outscoring teams. We have had a few great performances, but against low-form, low-confidence sides that lacked organisation. Norwich are the opposite of that. I don't think either team can go into it claiming to be distinct favourites. However, given the respective league positions, and Saints playing at home, I don't think it is unreasonable or underestimating Norwich to target a win from the game. Regardless of all of that, should be a good game!
Points taken, but surely you should know that you shouldn't trust MOTD! Against Everton last night they skipped out Holt skinning three defenders before pulling wide, Pilkington's free kick being saved by a scrambling Tim Howard, and a host of other decent chances. Everton should have been two nil up at half time, but we could have scored two or three in the second half all the match reports back up that we completely dominated the second 45. If we play like the second half against you I can't see you even scoring. Also to claim we "squeezed past" Arsenal and Man U is a joke- they offered literally nothing (so yes, werent playing well, but this was mostly down to Tettey, Johnson, Turner and Bassong) but Howson missed a sitter for us against Man U and Holt has been surprisingly wasteful with his headers/shots against both teams. We should have scored at least two in both games. Look at the sky stats Agree with you on Stoke though. And Reading are definitely your equals, I'm afraid.
Looking forward to this match possibly more than any other so far this season. Has the potential to be a really great game, and I'd say that all three outcomes are pretty much equally likely. You could play this match five times, and get five completely different results. So it will probably be a dour, wet, poor quality 0-0 draw then.
Don't get me wrong, an excellent result, but if you're going to negatively read our results, you've just beaten a fatigue/injury ridden Newcastle team in free fall and rock bottom (in several ways) QPR. I don't want to get into a pointless "what if" argument, because I feel you're misinterpreting my view of your team- I think attacking wise you're very good and I think you'll stay up no problems (at least I hope you do over QPR or Villa!) The goals speak for themselves. But defensively our first team has enough to contain that and hit you on the break. This has draw written all over it. We shall see. I was just astonished by the complete belief of all your supporters that we're a home banker on the basis of two wins against teams in poor form. Don't get me wrong, I should be happy you're underestimating us!
We're used to hearing "You guys have nothing to worry about, you look a lot better than Reading" so don't expect that comment to go down well.
No, sorry, but that is a bit ignorant. I would put money on Saints finishing quite a way above Reading. Reading have Pogrebnyak and Adam Le Fondre up front. We have Lambert and Rodriguez. I know which 2 I'd rather have. Also there is Gaston Ramirez. Reading do not have anyone anywhere near his quality in their squad.
Fair enough, I'll judge based on your Wednesday performance. Maybe you have the edge on them, but in the grand scheme of Prem teams, there can't be much in it.
I think that's a bit harsh. You could look on it the opposite way round as well:- They haven't actually lost that many, and have been unlucky in a couple of games (ie Ba scoring with a handball.) Reading are alright. The prem is the toughest it has ever been this season, without a shadow of a doubt.
I can either see a score draw or a tight saints win. We havent got the best of results over the past few years against your good selves and you do have some real quality going forward, but at the same time we concede very little since we sorted ourselves out at the back. where as your defence isnt the greatest but for some reason or another were not as potent as last year going forward but we usually manage to get atleast 1... So either 1-1 or 2-1 saints for me. p.s please dont go down, cos that means were usually doomed aswell Good luck after wednesday for the rest of the season (apart from the return at fortress CR)
Maybe, maybe not. I guess we'll see at the end of the season. Also, I can see Saints getting in better players in Jan than Reading. And I'll judge your defence on Wednesday.
I'll happily look at the Sky stats. Against United... They had more shots, more shots on target, 12 corners to your 0, 62% possession, 200 more passes than you, 41 crosses to your 17 etc. Against Arsenal, twice as many shots, five times as many corners, 72% possession, twice your passes and so on. I don't think these tell the stories of the games, but you asked for it! I watched both of those games, the Villa game and a large amount of the Everton game. And I just don't feel your play necessarily matches the results you got. You played well, you made it hard to play against you, you had gameplans and you executed them well for the most part. But just like after 3 games unbeaten, two wins and a draw with six scored, two conceded and with a bit of a luck those numbers being closer to 10 and 0, we are not out of the woods and we are not a finished product bound for the top-half and we will still have our struggles... A few good results against teams that didn't turn up (like they didn't against us), does not make you a rock-solid footballing unit that will go through the rest of the season without losing more than a game or two, particularly when you consider your three results before that were three losses, three goals scored, ten conceded. I would be curious to know how much of us you have watched, because clearly our opinions differ and that's fine, your entitled to your opinions and I respect them. Personally I think quality-wise we are miles ahead of Reading, clearly you feel differently. I hope we can put on a similar performance to our recent ones and show to you and others that we have more ability than you believe and that our earlier struggles were merely growing pains, I'm sure you hope you can put in another hard-working, organised, efficient performance, keep us quiet all game and come home with a 1-0 and three points. As I said before, I think it will be a good, well-contested game, we'll see who comes out on top, should be fun!
Both teams on form, should be tight. Saints maybe scoring freely but weve conceded one goal in four games. So, you'll prob win 3-0 Whatever the result, I'm confident both teams will avoid the drop come May
I agree. There are teams worse than both Saints and Norwich. Aston Villa are shocking, as are QPR. Sunderland can't score, Reading can't keep them out.
