Southampton v Crystal Palace - Wednesday 30th Jan 7:45 pm

Time to build some league momentum, here's hoping for a good run !

Kick off: Wednesday 30th January 19:45 pm
Location: St. Mary's
Officials:
Referee: Andre Marriner
Assistants: Simon Long, Sian Massey-Ellis
Fourth official: Lee Prober

Southampton:

Team news: Lemina and Obafemi are out. It is expected that Ryan Bertrand will be available for selection to help bolster the squad. Yoshida is still away at the Asian Cup.

Win probability: 41 %
Top scorer: Danny Ings (8)
Games since a clean sheet: 3
Games since a Saints home win: 0
Current position: 15th
League form: LLDWW

Crystal Palace:

Team news: Crystal Palace are suffering a goalkeeping crisis with Vincente Guaita and Wayne Hennessey both out. Veteran Speroni may play or new loan signing Lucas Perri could be eligible. Papa Souare is a long term absentee.

Win probability: 30 %
Top scorer: Milivojevic and Townsend (both 6)
Games since a clean sheet: 2
Games since a Crystal Palace away win: 1
Games since a Crustal Palace away defeat: 0
Current position: 14th
League form: DLWLL

Outlook: 14th v 15th with both teams looking to move further away from the relegation zone - though you feel both sides have capable managers and enough in their squads to keep above their rivals. Southampton will be delighted with their home win against Everton and looking to build upon this with an eleven day gap since their previous game. Palace play three days prior to this in the FA Cup, however they are likely to rotate their squad. Last game out they gave Liverpool a run for their money and best Man City on the road therefore they are dangerous on the counter attack with Zaha and Townsend looking the biggest threat. At the other end Palace's goalkeepers will be under scrutiny. Both teams will be keen to avoid defeat: therefore I predict 1-1.

 

I think we can beat Crustal Palace, they sound a bit stale!

 

From Saintdon .......

Advance notice

Wednesday 30th January 2019 Kick-off 19:45.

Southampton v Crystal Palace

Referee: Andre Marriner
Assistants: Simon Long, Sian Massey-Ellis
Fourth official: Lee Prober

 

As per usual I worry we may lose. Logically I think we may draw. Because Ralph is here now I try and hold back the belief that we may win ... again. To avoid disappointment in the first 2 scenarios

Since he's arrived almost everyone has either improved or left
Only exceptions are
Danny, who doesn't need to improve particularly, but needs to stay fit
Charlie, who hasn't played much yet, so still time for the Hasenhuttl-Midas touch to work on him
Ely, who seems immune to any conversion into precious metal, but is still here, so maybe there's hope yet

Oh, and even the u-18s and u-23s can't stop winning

Team: Whoever Ralph picks is fine with me

... especially now Hoedt has gone. Most of us could see it, Ralph could see it, why couldn't Sparky see it?

 

There are no guarantees as someone clever said. I think the odds are that we will win, but won’t tear my hair out if things don’t work out...we will get the points we need somewhere. Prediction 2.0

 

Played this fixture last January too.

Lost 1-2

Shane Long scored though. Pied and Boufal played.

We are a very different team now.

Fancy another Long goal though.









(A shot from 25 yards)

 

This will be a real test for us, IMO.
They have pace on the break and have scored, I believe, 10 goals in their last four away games, including 3 against both City and Liverpool.
But, now that we have won a home game, under Ralph, SMS has surely become a fortress.
Two things. Don’t let Zaha have the ball and don’t give Townsend a free shot from distance.

 

Got my ticket and STOKED!

Back 3 with bednarek standing on top of Zaha for 90 minutes. Lemina to put in some crunching tackles on Townsend so he is afraid of the world.

2-0 home victory.

 

Don’t let Townsend cut inside from the right on to his right foot. Just don’t. And then don’t again!

 

because Sparky was told "this is it, your job is to motivate this team better than Swansea's" We only want you til the end of the season. Next season, should you achieve survival, you must continue that motivation without Tadic, even though it's the start of the season and obviously that's impossible but no, you can't experiment, and when you fail we will replace you with someone new, and tell him he can do anything he wants, doesn't matter if we're relegated because there's no pressure and we want to build a new team anyway. All going to plan so far.

 

SS, assuming that 'Charlie' is Austin, there's a snippet on Page 11 of today's Daily Telegraph Sports section that Charlie Austin will leave Saints 'this month'. However, this may be speculation, as there is a choice of either Wolves or Villa as a possible new club for Charlie.

 

We will though. You just know it.

 

We have won every game that Ralph has had a full week to prepare the team for.

This game he's had even more than that, so I expect a comfortable win!

 

Be interesting to see how they line up tomorrow.

 

I'm going to have an oxygen cannister on standby in case we reach the Everest heights of winning 3 league games in a row.

 

They’ll rest a few key players. Woy has stated that they are not safe yet, and remaining in the league is their priority.

 

No Zaha then.

 

I fancy us to get another result here. Come on you reds

 

One of the most painful defeats from last season for me. That cloud hung for days.

Revenge. Lets Ralph them.