Match Day Thread West Bromwich Albion v Saints, 3pm Saturday 8th April

Our barmy and unnecessarily clumped fixture pile-up continues:

On Saturday the upbeat, lilting, Hampshire twang Saints face the drawling nasal Midlands whine of West Bromwich Albion.

On Wednesday against Palace, Saints pulled out all the stops, shot 25 times, beat a blind referee and ended up crushing them 3-1. Will Saturday bring a repeat?

Saints recent form in the league: LLWWLDW
WBA recent form in the league: DWLLWDL

Saints are 9th in the Premier League, WBA 8th. They have seven more points than us though we have two games in hand.

In the reverse fixture, WBA spoiled our New Year by beating us at St Mary's, 2-1.

Players injured and believed to be unavailable (even if back in training):

Matt Targett
Virgil van Dijk
Charlie Austin
Alex McCarthy
Manolo Gabbiadini - Claude Puel again hinted that he might be available.

Steven Davis went off with a knock on Wednesday so may be a doubt, as might Ryan Bertrand who missed Wednesday's crushing of Palace with a pulled hamstring.

Oriol Romeu spends this and the next game on the naughty step.

Referee: Chris Kavanagh
Assistants: P Kirkup, A Nunn
Fourth official: B Madley

WBA are in a pleasant position in the league but seem to have gone off the boil with just seven points from the last eighteen. Boremeister Tony Pulis will probably set them up for a staunch defence to try and doze us into submission.

Saints come into the match buzzing after showing more guts and willpower than the fans to come back from 1-0 down against Palace. If we play like that again and have Gabbiadini on the pitch we could well win this 28-0.

Betfair's current implied chances:

33% WBA win
38% Saints win
30% Draw

We're favourites!

COYR!

 

I hate playing a Tony Pulis team. You know it's going to be a ****e match.

Their attacking threat comes from set-pieces so pleaseee can we defend them well for once. Even last night Palace were putting crap corners in and we were still making a meal of them. JWP marking Delaney..?

 

We will win. 3-1 with Gabbi. 1-0 without.

 

Nice work Vin, very upbeat.
Oriol a big miss, but lets look at it like an opportunity for someone else to shine. Anyway, no point in midfielders for this game. Hooooooof

 

As we only have two players over 5' 10" tall, and one is injured and the other suspended, I can see set pieces continuing to be a problem.

 

The other day I read a set piece stat on WBA that I cannot bring myself to repeat on here. But, it suggested they don't even try to score till they get a dead ball situation.

 

How on earth does Gabbi on the pitch result in us conceding? 3-0 ;-)

 

I like games coming round fast, but I feel cheated of a whole week of celebrating a win. The world is so much better after a Saints win.

 

I'll continue my predictions of gloom and doom .... it worked last night

2-0 to the Baggies ..... both from corners. We'll miss Oriel and Steven dreadfully. Oriel's been a rock in our defensive midfield and Steven has been wonderfully creative and held our midfield together. Bring in Jordy to give a bit more height in midfield and play 5 at the back with Shane on running behind them.

 

I'm at work and can't listen, did he say anything about Gabby/Bertrand?

edit: Gabby is still a maybe, no mention of Bertrand?

 

Clasie-Hojberg central mid then?

Could be looking at something like this, worst case scenario:

Forster
Cedric Stephens Yoshida McQueen
Hojberg Clasie
JWP Tadic Redmond
Long

Hassen, Caceres, Pied, Reed, Sims, Rodriguez, Hesketh/Isgrove/Seager/Olomola (whoever is fit!)

 

Some injuries and suspensions for this so it's a bit gutting, but as people have said it gives a chance for others to step up and show what they have got. My team (if fit):

Forster, Cedric, Stephens, Yoshida, Bertrand, Hojbjerg, Clasie, Ward-Prowse, Tadic, Redmond, Gabbiadini.

 

Bit risky to throw Clasie and Hojb together? JWP to play CM?

 

Personally I'd rather we keep him where he's playing well ... would also mean putting Redmond on the right as well. Again, rather keep Redmond where he's playing well too.

 

I bloody like the look of that line-up 8BP

 

Yes so would I but we could play Sims on the right, but that leaves us short on the bench. Hojb and Clasie will have to be very disciplined to play in the two.

 

Imagine Clasie defending a set-piece against West Brom...

 

Given the expected set piece bombardment is there a case for playing Caceres at C/B and using Jack Stephens in C/D/M where as I understand it he played for Swindon on many occasions. He and Hobj. would provide more cover than the ever disappearing Clasie.

 

Or a 3-4-3 like Chelsea:

Forster
Stephens, Caceres, Yoshida
Cedric, Højbjerg, Clasie, Bertrand/McQueen
JWP, Tadić, Redmond

That's right, no striker, but Redmond and JWP making runs in behind, and Cedric and the RB (Bertrand if fit) supplying crosses, preferably cutbacks along the ground from the by line. This way, we have plenty of height for those set pieces at either end.