Match Day Thread Saints v Toon EFL Cup S/F first leg, Tuesday 24th Jan, ko 20.00

No time like the present to get this up.
So what Saints team will turn up for this game? The pressing team or the depressing team?
Against City I thought Jones had stumbled upon one of Ralph’s game plans that incorporated the high press for the entire game, because for the first time in a long time we actually looked like a team with a plan.
This game also further confirmed for me that the players are made to look better, and actually play better, when they press and work “as a team” to restrict the opposition from taking control of the game.
At the time of writing this Toon are drawing at Palace, with the stats showing them to be well on top.
I hope they’re not saving their goals for Tuesday.
Fingers crossed that they will come into this game with the same level of complacency shown by City, but I don’t think Howe will allow that to happen.
If we play as we did for most of the Villa game, then Toon will win comfortably and I will be receiving a ****load of text messages from my Geordie neighbour.
Come on Saints. Play for pride!

 

3-1 Saints

 

Tuesday, 24th January 2023 Southampton v Newcastle United 20:00 KO

REFEREE = Stuart Attwell.
ASSISTANTS = Darren Cann and James Mainwaring
Fourth Official : Thomas Bramall
VAR: Andre Marriner
AVAR: Nick Hopton

 

Good news: They've only scored once in the past four matches.

Bad news: They've not conceded in any of those.


We'll ****ing smash 'em 1-0

 

Their keeper is more of a nun than a pope because he let's nun in. I'm here all week.

 

1-0 win

Nathan Redmond goal




Worked last time!

 

1-0 followed by losing 3-0 up there - I'm having a flashback to the 1974 Texaco Cup Final.

 

I see nothing but a heavy toon win. I’m a pessimist, please help.

 

Play Orsic on the ****ing left and see what he can do FFS.

If we really want to win I’d play;

Orsic Adams Edozie
Alcaraz Lavia JWP
Perraud Salisu DCC KWP
McCarthy (if fit, Willy if not.)

Although in all honesty I’d be tempted to make changes and rest for the league

 

Don't have a league game for 10 days after this do we?

 

Saints, please still be in the game come Tuesday 31st. A home win would be great but a draw, probably 0-0 would at least give us something to play for in the 2nd leg. Can’t say I’m very hopeful at mo but I’ll be bouncing by 8pm 24th.

 

If we didn’t already know how difficult this game will be, I have just pulled this from a Palace/Newcastle match report.

Howe is presiding over the best defensive record in the top flight – just 11 goals conceded (and only seven from open play) with 12 clean sheets. They are so well-drilled that the last time Newcastle suffered the ignominy of England keeper Nick Pope picking one out of his net in the Premier League was back on November 6.

Only conceded 11 goals. We had conceded 11 after 7 games.
Still looking on the positive side they have conceded 4 from set pieces, which we don’t tend to score from, unless JWP is having a shot, so on that note can we play Edozie or Orsić or Djenepo on the left, to cut in and draw a foul 25 yards out.

 

So it looks like they're going to lose a record of sorts then!! COYR!!!

 

True, but surprise!!! Guess which team scored that goal?!?!

 

Gonna be a cold one this. Let's hope for a decent performance to warm us up.

 

Just listened to the podcast and at least one of them suggested that a semi final wasn’t the right time to start with Orsić or Alcaraz.
We need something to give the fans a bit of a lift and they might be able to provide it. It would give me a lift.
Both are unknown quantities, in the Premier League, and their inclusion could disrupt Howe’s plans a little.
I would start them instead of Adarma and Diallo and I would definitely start KWP in the right back slot as he gives us more attacking options than Lyanco, although it’s fair to say that Lyanco can pick out a decent cross.
Cue Mara and Djenepo being recalled, in the hope that they can recreate the magic from the City game.

 

Bazza
Kwp DCC Sally Perraud
Lavia Alcarez
Edozie JWP or sic
Adams

We’ll smash em.

 

Tues Newc (cup), Sat Blackpool (cup), Tues Newc (cup), Sat Brentford (league).

We have three days between the second leg and the next league game, which is plenty, so we should be playing full strength for both Newcastle games and resting players for the Blackpool game.

 

And if any player gets injured, fine him a week's wages.

 

Unless it's Lyanco injuring himself with a two footed lunge at a Newcastle forward, in which case give him a medal