Newcastle Build-up

Ahead of Le Toon on goal difference and would stay there with a point, which would be a decent result. However it can and will be another three points for the might Saints as we continue our charge up the table!

Never felt so confident of a win in my life.

Hopefuly they have some tough games between now and when we play them. And Gouffran went off injured yesterday and he looks a good player. Hopefully we'll go up there and get a result, but wouldn't be surprised if we come away with nothing though.

Hopefully our boys can press them into making mistakes and that Newcastle play the worst they've played since "insert team here"....Thats the only way we get a result apparently....

They play Europa League 3 days before too.

I think we will struggle against the Geordies. Newcastle 2-0 Saints. Back in the mire.

Decent team, they have made some decent signings, starting to turn a corner.

Id like to think on current form we can nick a win

2-0 Saints (Lambert 38, Lallana 67)

I think we will struggle against the Geordies. Newcastle 2-0 Saints. Back in the mire.

Of course you do, you bore.

I think we will struggle against the Geordies. Newcastle 2-0 Saints. Back in the mire.

Glad we have got that out the way nice and early...!! Bring back Hoddle FFS !!!!

Will go to this one and canny wait! Away end i hope but will get home tickets if we sell our away allocation

They're much improved but so are we. I'd rather have been playing them at the start of Janbuary when they were, well, shyte, but I our improved recent form with the pushing high up under Pochettino means we could well pick up all 3 points.

3 points and relegation would be a distant memory, but 1 point would still be a decent haul. A loss could see us edge back towards the relegation zone. Things are tight in the bottom half.

With fitness levels increasing more, injured players returning see no reason why we can't get a win there. Not to mention their fitness will surely be slightly jaded after returning on the Friday from an away Europe game. They also have a record I believe where they have lost every game after a Europe match. It'll be a tougher Newcastle team than the one of a couple of months ago however.

1-2 Saints with a well battled win. Lambert and Jos.

I think we will struggle against the Geordies. Newcastle 2-0 Saints. Back in the mire.

Quelle Surprise. One of these days you will say something sensible.

Quelle Surprise. One of these days you will say something sensible.

I actually agree with Dalek, bad time to be playing Newcastle cos Pardew ain't had time to ruin the new signings yet.

Can we expect to see Fonte, Ramirez and Shaw back for this game? A win would be massive and could see us go up to 11th, if results go our way.

I would stick with pretty much the same team, only bring in Shaw for Fox if he is fit. How great would it be if Rickie scores his 100th Saints goal against Pardew.

Still cant believe what I saw yesterday, we were just amazing. Wish I could have been there.

COYR!

Can we expect to see Fonte, Ramirez and Shaw back for this game? A win would be massive and could see us go up to 11th, if results go our way.

I would stick with pretty much the same team, only bring in Shaw for Fox if he is fit. How great would it be if Rickie scores his 100th Saints goal against Pardew.

Although I would love to see Shaw, Fonte, Lallana and Ramirez in from of the start, MP will probably go with an unchanged lineup.

This will be tough game. Pardew plays the same formation as us. I think 2-2 is likely.

2 weeks of rest while they have a European distraction.

A win there will be one step in the league for next season for me. I look forward to watching it at a random bar in the med.

Ummmmm .....we never seem to perform after a two week break.....Lets hope we have changed - the evidence suggests we have...

This will be tough game. Pardew plays the same formation as us. I think 2-2 is likely.

Citeh started with the same formation as us....worked well

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Although I would love to see Shaw, Fonte, Lallana and Ramirez in from of the start, MP will probably go with an unchanged lineup.

No way will they put Fox ahead of Shaw because Fox does not bomb forward enough & defend as good.

I also don't care what formation the toons start with as they will never match ours when the game gets going, our formation can go from 2-3-5 to 8-1-1 in a flash.

I actually agree with Dalek, bad time to be playing Newcastle cos Pardew ain't had time to ruin the new signings yet.

Apparently there is a rumour that he works on ruining the wags first and then moves on to the players. The man just needs time.

Would take a draw in this one. Can see both of us climbing the table, but our away form has been good, in the second half.

Hard one to call so draw for me 2-2

Nah let Puncheon score them both and wipe his a rse infront of AP, I kinda want Rickie to score his ton at SMS so we can all go properly mental for him

Tricky match, but absolutely winnable. A draw is most likely in my opinion.

If everyone is fit then Shaw comes back in. Otherwise would keep it the same but maybe put someone in for Jos. He had a great game vs Dzeko but might struggle with Cisse's movement.

He doesnt deserve dropping I have to say but no room for sentiment.

Bench strong with Lallana and Ramirez.

Thought they looked dangerous in attack at Spurs the other day. Would be very happy with a point up there.

Thought they looked dangerous in attack at Spurs the other day. Would be very happy with a point up there.

Yeah depending on how they are after their Europa League tie, although I can't imagine they will put a full side out.

Thought they looked dangerous in attack at Spurs the other day. Would be very happy with a point up there.

Very much this. The French influx has massively improved them.

Goals in this game, thinking a 2-2 draw. 4 points from the next 2 would be good enough.

Will be very hard

They have improved quite a bit...

It took an incredible bale to beat them

They are away to karkiv a few days before but the tie may well be over as they play them at home the week before.

A draw would be a great point

Will be very hard

 

They have improved quite a bit...

It took an incredible bale to beat them

 

They are away to karkiv a few days before but the tie may well be over as they play them at home the week before.

 

A draw would be a great point

Apart from Bale Spurs had nothing at all. Lennon ran down blind alleys all afternoon and Dempsey is dire. Just how Spurs are in the top 4 is really difficult to work out. Well I guess it isn't ...Bale, Defoe and a decent keeper.

I think we will struggle against the Geordies. Newcastle 2-0 Saints. Back in the mire.

Worse than that, I'd have thought.

You were bang-on right that we'd lose 3-0 to Wigan and struggle to hold Man City to anything better than a 4-0 defeat.

Why the new found optimism? A 2-0 defeat would be a major improvement.

Tough but if we are on our game we can beat anyone.

Cabaye is back on form for them, Ben Arfa might even be back as well. Cisse though isn't scoring.

Think same team with Shaw back in, maybe Forren in if he could get a couple of U21 games over the next two weeks?

Ramirez and Lallana coming off the bench would be good options.

The Europa league game might be key though.

Tough but if we are on our game we can beat anyone.

 

Cabaye is back on form for them, Ben Arfa might even be back as well. Cisse though isn't scoring.

 

Think same team with Shaw back in, maybe Forren in if he could get a couple of U21 games over the next two weeks?

 

Ramirez and Lallana coming off the bench would be good options.

 

The Europa league game might be key though.

I think they're in Russia or Ukraine or something on the Thursday before, don't know how seriously they're going to take that though, depends on the first leg I expect. Not sure that all of their new players are qualified for the Europa League though, Debuchy would have played in Europe with Lille already but I'm not sure about the rest.

......I also don't care what formation the toons start with as they will never match ours when the game gets going, our formation can go from 2-3-5 to 8-1-1 in a flash.

Hmmm. As I recall, the one specific "moment of challenge" we had against Citeh on Saturday was that we went 2-3-5 for a corner, which then went over everyone's head, and Man City came back at us far faster than we could go to 8-1-1..............

I think we will struggle against the Geordies. Newcastle 2-0 Saints. Back in the mire.

Put a sock in it. We all know you will be right one day. We will lose again, so predict away, and you can lord it on here when you are correct the 1 time out of 10! Support the club of, why the feck do you bother?

For me this is the game when we find out if pressing works against teams who are set up to play the long ball from the start. It's all well and good stopping teams passing and making them hoof when they don't want to, but when pressing only makes them do what they like to do anyway, what happens then ? Could be a ridiculously open game with them bypassing our midfield and us picking up a lot of the clearances and attacking them straight back.

FWIW I'd like it on the record that I'm pleased we've found the missing piece of the tactics jigsaw (for now) and that Lambert is a perfectly acceptable striker in a team which wins the ball so far up the pitch because he doesn't have to run far to score then.

For me this is the game when we find out if pressing works against teams who are set up to play the long ball from the start. It's all well and good stopping teams passing and making them hoof when they don't want to, but when pressing only makes them do what they like to do anyway, what happens then ? Could be a ridiculously open game with them bypassing our midfield and us picking up a lot of the clearances and attacking them straight back.

 

FWIW I'd like it on the record that I'm pleased we've found the missing piece of the tactics jigsaw (for now) and that Lambert is a perfectly acceptable striker in a team which wins the ball so far up the pitch because he doesn't have to run far to score then.

The long ball approach didn't really work against us last time we played.. they were dreadful at St Marys. We have Cork and morgan to pick up on anything loose you'd think.

I think they're in Russia or Ukraine or something on the Thursday before, don't know how seriously they're going to take that though, depends on the first leg I expect. Not sure that all of their new players are qualified for the Europa League though, Debuchy would have played in Europe with Lille already but I'm not sure about the rest.

Really depends on the first leg, would think though that they will take the Europa league seriously, some big teams coming in now and the competition hots up a bit. It'll be a while before the toon get another go in it as well. Her's hoping for a tense 0-0 at St James park with a few knocks picked up over either leg.

Put a sock in it. We all know you will be right one day. We will lose again, so predict away, and you can lord it on here when you are correct the 1 time out of 10! Support the club of, why the feck do you bother?

Can Believe the flack that Dalek is getting on this thread. His original comment makes sense. Newcastle are a dangerous and much improved side who are/have turned the corner. People are very Naive if they think one win (granted impressive) against city, means we can stroll up to SJP and waltz off with a win. I assume City and United thought that against us, and we almost got 4 to 6 points from those to games....

As for saints, i said at the start of the season we will finish anywhere between 10-15th... expecting the higher margin. Looks like I was spot on as I was last year when I said we would go up automatic... Yet I get knocked for being a dreamer. People really need to stop going off on one over what a harmless comments.

This saints side have the potential to be great. It has been obvious for 2 years now to be honest. But people seem to lack the ******** to believe in NC, believe in the young blood like lallana, cork, morgon etc. I mean for gods sake, we just dismantled city with a league 1/championship team. But there is still a lot of work to be done and we will lose a fair few games before we get there.

Can Believe the flack that Dalek is getting on this thread. His original comment makes sense. Newcastle are a dangerous and much improved side who are/have turned the corner. People are very Naive if they think one win (granted impressive) against city, means we can stroll up to SJP and waltz off with a win. I assume City and United thought that against us, and we almost got 4 to 6 points from those to games....

 

As for saints, i said at the start of the season we will finish anywhere between 10-15th... expecting the higher margin. Looks like I was spot on as I was last year when I said we would go up automatic... Yet I get knocked for being a dreamer. People really need to stop going off on one over what a harmless comments.

 

This saints side have the potential to be great. It has been obvious for 2 years now to be honest. But people seem to lack the ******** to believe in NC, believe in the young blood like lallana, cork, morgon etc. I mean for gods sake, we just dismantled city with a league 1/championship team. But there is still a lot of work to be done and we will lose a fair few games before we get there.

Dalek is a trolling non-entity, he just posts stuff to make people bite. If we won the Champions League he'd be posting about being knocked out of the League Cup by Barnet or something.

Massive game, need to win, hopefully they will be knakered and injury prone following their Euro match. The loser of this match will be in the relegation dogfight come the summer.

Let's be honest, this is a game we could quite easily lose, and it wouldn't be the end of the world if we do.

Massive game, need to win, hopefully they will be knakered and injury prone following their Euro match. The loser of this match will be in the relegation dogfight come the summer.

Don't think this is a 'must win' at all. Likelihood is they'll been us and then we'll beat QPR. I don't think either of us will go down. We're capable of getting a result, granted, but a 'massive game'? I'm going to have to disagree with that.

Don't think this is a 'must win' at all. Likelihood is they'll been us and then we'll beat QPR. I don't think either of us will go down. We're capable of getting a result, granted, but a 'massive game'? I'm going to have to disagree with that.

To be honest I would take those results if offered now.*

*No one has ever offered me an results before but if they did, I would take this scenario.

It's not must win, but it is a massive game. The winner would really pull themselves away from danger, and possibly up to as high as 11th depending on other results.

The 1st leg of Newcastle's Europa League tie is this Thursday, it will be interesting to see the sort of line up Pardew fields in that game as it will give us an indication of how strong a line up he'll field in the 2nd leg, on the Thursday before they play us.

A toon supporting mate thinks he'll name a weak side. Strange I think, for a club their size that hasn't won anything for 50 odd years you'd think the EL represents a decent chance of doing just that. PL the priority I guess. He also said that Ben Arfa should be back to face us, and Gouffran has said he'll be back for Saints.

I think we can definitely get a result here. A thrilling 2-2 or 3-3 draw would not surprise me. Either that or it'll be a narrow defeat or narrow win.

It's not must win, but it is a massive game. The winner would really pull themselves away from danger, and possibly up to as high as 11th depending on other results.

 

The 1st leg of Newcastle's Europa League tie is this Thursday, it will be interesting to see the sort of line up Pardew fields in that game as it will give us an indication of how strong a line up he'll field in the 2nd leg, on the Thursday before they play us.

 

A toon supporting mate thinks he'll name a weak side. Strange I think, for a club their size that hasn't won anything for 50 odd years you'd think the EL represents a decent chance of doing just that. PL the priority I guess. He also said that Ben Arfa should be back to face us, and Gouffran has said he'll be back for Saints.

 

I think we can definitely get a result here. A thrilling 2-2 or 3-3 draw would not surprise me. Either that or it'll be a narrow defeat or narrow win.

I can tell you there may or may not be some goals in the match.

The long ball approach didn't really work against us last time we played.. they were dreadful at St Marys. We have Cork and morgan to pick up on anything loose you'd think.

The differences being that 1) they're at home 2) they have a lot of new players and 3) if we're pressing their midfield in their half we might be an extra 10 yards up the pitch. Will be interesting to see.

I can tell you there may or may not be some goals in the match.

What I meant was is I think it will be close and could go either way, e.g. I don't expect them to win by 2 goals or more and neither would I us. Two evenly matched sides at the moment, both in decent form, both who like to attack and both who have goals in them just as much as they are prone to conceding a few.

What I meant was is I think it will be close and could go either way, e.g. I don't expect them to win by 2 goals or more and neither would I us. Two evenly matched sides at the moment, both in decent form, both who like to attack and both who have goals in them just as much as they are prone to conceding a few.

I know, I'm just being facetious as usual!