Morning guys! Just thought I'd get your early thoughts for Saturday. You're on a roll so I'm expecting a tough match. We have our first choice defence back though so I'm hoping we can keep a clean sheet and snatch a winner. I'll go 1-o Saints. Personally I've never liked Poyet but he certainly seems to be doing the business and if you keep up your cuirrent form you'll stay up with ease. Best of luck after Saturday!
Its a strange one. I think the more Souhtampton try to win the game the more it plays into our hands. We struggle against poor teams who sit back like Villa and Norwich but we thrive against teams who come to attack (wins against Man City, Chelsea, Man Utd) I have a lot of admiration for how Southampton as a club have got themselves to where they are. A nice blend of young British talent mixed with some foreign quality. I thought it was madness sacking Adkins and bringing in Pocchetino but its seems to have done the business. If we'd hired Poyet when we did Di Canio I think wed be up there in the league with the saints.
Southampton are so erratic it's hard to know what to expect ......... great result beating Cardiff but swept away by Chelsea at home. I doubt you'll get about 8th but won't go down so there's no pressure on you. On our current form I can't see why we can't manage narrow win.
If we'd hired Poyet when we did Di Canio I think wed be up there in the league with the saints _______________________________________ I'm starting to think something similar. Never liked Gus myself, but he is certainly proving himself at this level.
Tbf I wouldnt say erratic. We had half our first choice team out at the same time as we played Arsenal, Chelsea etc. If you look at our results bar a blip against Villa we've done well againts teams below us. Bar Wanyama we are now back at full strength.
There was a bit of an Adkins v Poyet running spat when he was at Brighton in League 1 + the Champ. He doesn't really offend me personally. Agree that you would have been miles better with him from the start, PdC butchered the Summer transfer window as well IMO (don't know what you think), definitely had to go when he did.
Yes as Q says it's a Brighton thing. He also made a few comments which I took a disliking to. Done very well for you though.
Too difficult to predict as so many what ifs? If we turn up and the likes of Fletcher, Johnson, Borini, Giacherinni, Ki, Cattermole and our now trusted back 5 are fit, I can see a win for Sunderland. If the Saints are fired up and Lambert hits form I can see them getting a point. I don't see us losing but I can't say for definite we will win. Southampton are a decent outfit and worth their place on the EPL. We have to make sure we are also on our game. Can't understand the anti Poyet stance as he wasn't a dirty player or a twat as a player and has always been a pretty decent bloke in management?
Erratic is not the word to use to describe our form this season. Our sticky patch has coincided with the loss a few key players, but even in defeat we often have played well & continued to stick to our game plan. We don't have the strongest squad, but with the holy goalie back & Victor on his way I can only see us getting better.......again. 2-2 would be my guess.
On current form I'd say so .......... you've lost 6 of your last 10 games and Cardiff looks more of a blip tbh. I wasn't really impressed with the performance in the West Brom game and you struggled to beat them, half a dozen on target attempts iirc. Southampton are a good team but not really frightening in our current form, we're less erratic than we were earlier in the season
We have to win at least 7/8 games to stay up imho, can we win against Southampton yes, we could also lose or draw. Poyet will probably go with a winning team and Fletcher is due some goals, if Johnson is crowded out he can slip the ball to less marked team mates. We were poor against Norwich and just plain awful against Vile...so against the Saints? We are just desperate for a win, as Gus has said we have to play every game as a semi-final. There are no easy games in the Premier and Southampton are looking a good middle of the table outfit. I will be nervous about this game and every game until we are safe or confirmed down.
Yes but those losses were against Arsenal, Chelsea x2, Everton , Spurs and Villa. As I said really only one bad loss and in that Villa game we had 70% possession.
It's about time we put on a real show at home, and hopefully this will come on Saturday..Ha'way the lads..
I never understand this obsession with possession ............ 6 defeats in 10 games isn't good form no matter who you're playing or how much possession you have.
We will see. My main point was we played 5 of the top 6 when several of our first choice defence were injured. Now we have them all back we look much more secure.
Well of course, I'm not having a go at Southampton just pointing out your current form. There's no guarantee the returning players will improve things greatly although they can't do any harm. We lost Wes Brom & John O'Shea recently so we know what you mean.
Dunno about erratic, some of our play has been positively erotic - have a look at Dani Osvaldo's goal vs Man City. Unfortunately, he's suspended. I'd be happy with a point.
