I think the should have been "Could" tear you apart, For me last year Howson drifted in and out of games! He had a better game against Newcastle on Sunday than he did most of last year, looked at his physical peak! also if he has a bad game we could alway bring on Nunez who is something else like weve never had at Leeds, hes special! What we saw of Adam Clayton last year Id have been happy to never see him play again, but pre-season hes been immense partly because hes been alongside Howson and Brown, not Johnson n Kilkenny! Im going for 2-1 Leeds Gradel and Paynter Lets hope its an exciting game to kick off the season and Good luck to Southampton.
I'm sure Schneiderlin will eventually come into the side (well I blooming hope he does any way!). But to start with, I'm sure that Hammond, as captain, will keep his place - certainly until Cork is fully settled into the side. As for De Ridder, it appears he can play either wing. Connolly though was bang in form at the end of the season, and has continued that through pre-season, so he has to keep his place for now. And on his day, Guly looks a complete class a part.
I'd expect Adkins to have you up & running. We have also had a good pre season. Grayson had reason to moan in norway but we remained undefeated & we have seen a few good perfomances from key players returning from injury. Would be more confident if we had Becchio & Somma fit as there both handfulls but as we showed last season especially when we pack our midfield we have goals in us from anywhere.
Howson the best midfielder in the league along with King ... Havnt laughed like that in ages Parker and Nolan are both better, Nunez from Leeds is too
Obviously I don't see what happens in training but surely we have to with Connolly upfront to partner Lambert, due to his great form in pre season?
I've heard Connoly has been banging them in. Have you still got Del Prado (goulie is it??) whenever I heard Saints on the radio the guy sounded a real threat
yeah we still have him, he's a very hit and miss sort or player, on his day he can perform moments of genius (goals against blackpool and bristol Rovers) but he can also carelessly give the ball away and go missing. if he can improve his consistency, he will be a real force in this division
Outside punt. Connoly is 175 - 1 for top scorer. I think that is excellent odds as it ispossible if he stays injury free. Worth a quid.
No offence but Saints fans seem to think that the opposition is exactly the same in the NPC as it was in League 1. Fonte may have been brilliant last season, but that was against League 1 attackers. Same can be said of your attack. It may do, but your attack won't necissarily rip defences apart in this league like they did last season, bare in mind every single team in this league would have easily done as well, if not better, than you last season in League 1. Ignore QSS by the way, he's an idiot who decides a player is only good if he has a cool foreign sounding name. For me our team should be (provided there are no signings): ------------------------------------McCormack -------Gradel------------------------Howson----------------------Snodgrass ----------------------------Clayton-----------Brown White/Parker----------------Kisnorbo----------O'Brien------------------------Connolly -------------------------------------Lonergan
So who do we think we will start at left back? This is a worry at the moment, especially with Saints pace through the team. White can match anyone for pace but I'm not too sure about him in the LB position. Bessone I dont think we will see again, parkers injured & Bradders has gone to Norwich....
So how come Fonte and Lallana are often described as two of the best players outside the Premier League?
i'm not sure every team in this division would have done as well or better, otherwise we would be sure certs for relegation
3-3 or 3-2 to either team. I think it will be very open...Having said that, our home defence last season was sexy so might be completely wrong
I think Saints will handle the step up no probs just like we did. In fact I have tipped them to be in the play offs
I think both sets of fans are underestimating the teams. Leeds will score in this game, that's a definite. We have the best attack in the league, and I don't think that's an exaggeration. Snodgrass will give Dan Harding a run around as he does to every leftback, Gradel, Howson and McCormack will drift around and give loads of problems. That said, Southampton's attack could do the same to us, depending on how O'Brien and Kisnorbo play. Leeds have improved a lot since last season, so I reckon a 1-2 win to us.
