Squad for Cardiff

The 18 player squad has been announced on the OS for the game. No sign of Rasiak, Skacel, Euell as expected really.

Squad

Wright-Phillips

Thomas

Davis

Bialkowski

James

Surman

Perry

White

Lallana

Schneiderlin

Holmes

McGoldrick

Dyer

Wotton

Mills

Svensson

Thomson

Gillett

My expected line up

              Davis

James    Perry    Svensson   Surman

     Schneiderlin  Gillett

Thomson      Lallana         Holmes

           McGoldrick

Subs; 
Bialkowski 
Wright-Phillips
Dyer
Thomas 
Wotton

Come on you Reds!

John will be on the bench IMO.

Dyer will be on the right instead of Thomson

John will be on the bench IMO.

This is the squad listed on the OS!

Stern John is suspended due to being sent off last season so I doubt he will be on the bench.

Dyer will be on the right instead of Thomson

Why did he play in the second half against Stoke?

This is the squad listed on the OS!

 

Stern John is suspended due to being sent off last season so I doubt he will be on the bench.

Of course - nevermind then.

Everyone seems to suggest he should play right wing, or can play both, but Nathan Dyer is 10 times better on the left wing. He's just one of those players that loves to cut inside. He can run at people, but isn't an old fashioned get to the line and cross it kind of player anyway. I think he should be competing with Holmes. BWP looks likely on the right, as has Thomson. 4 good options IMO.

In the 4 friendlies I saw the front four all interchanged position throughout the game, swapping sides etc. Confusses the hell out of the opposition and is true total football

Bye-Bye Rasiak and Euell...

Bye bye Rudi and Saga to!

Man, is that squad lightweight or what ?

Man, is that squad lightweight or what ?

what

White will be a heavyweight in the very near future.

Man, is that squad lightweight or what ?

 

Squad

 

Wright-Phillips

Thomas

Davis

Bialkowski

James

Surman

Perry

White

Lallana

Schneiderlin

Holmes

McGoldrick

Dyer

Wotton

Mills

Svensson

Thomson

Gillett

 

Come on you Reds!

Yes, very lightweight..

Can't help but notice only one survivor from the Sheffield United starting line-up.

Stand up, Andrew Surman.

Oh, dear Perry, how could I forget you?

Saint Matty_76

Joseph Mills is exactly huge by any means

He won't be in the match 16 anyway, him and Jamie White just in the 18 for experience

I thought that as the team lined up against West Ham. Player for player we are quite a bit smaller than most teams in this league but by the same token we should be quicker and besides the players dont look afraid to put their foot in when required so we should be ok with the physicality of the general play if not the set pieces.

Torrential rain forecast for the game tomorrow. This will, I fear, influence the result in the wrong direction....

Torrential rain forecast for the game tomorrow. This will, I fear, influence the result in the wrong direction....

Just checked on the met office website, the rain is supposed to subside in the afternoon......I wonder what the likely hood of a game being cancelled in August is?

Just checked on the met office website, the rain is supposed to subside in the afternoon......I wonder what the likely hood of a game being cancelled in August is?

Ah....it does indeed looks like the heavy rain will have passed Cardiff by 15:00. We should now win. You heard it here first:)

Bye-Bye Rasiak and Euell...

Bay City Rollers?

Saints are used to having a slick pitch. Hence why we used sprinklers before the Stoke game to aid our quick passing game. Always look for a positive

Saints are used to having a slick pitch. Hence why we used sprinklers before the Stoke game to aid our quick passing game. Always look for a positive

There's a subtle difference between 'slick' and 'waterlogged'

Man, is that squad lightweight or what ?

Define lightweight?

Have you seen any pre-season Alps??

We have more fight and grit in midfield than I have seen for five years.

Together with Thomas/Perry/Killer commanding from the back.

Hardly featherweights? Welter maybe.

So reckon you could floor Hatton??

Define lightweight?

 

Have you seen any pre-season Alps??

 

We have more fight and grit in midfield than I have seen for five years.

 

Together with Thomas/Perry/Killer commanding from the back.

 

Hardly featherweights? Welter maybe.

 

So reckon you could floor Hatton??

Let's see how they respond to real competitive pressures before hanging out the bunting, yes ?

He hasn't got a clue what we are talking about with this team. It is light years better than anything we have put out in the last 3 years. Schneiderlin is easily the best passer of a ball I have seen in that time.

Clearly havent been to any games pre season.

Thanks for stating the obvious..

Let's see how they respond to real competitive pressures before hanging out the bunting, yes ?

wait untill the real competitive pressures before writing them off as "lightweight"

Dave Jones on the saints:

They're a big club who, I believe, should never have come out of the Premiership," he said. "They had a poor season last year and they'll be looking to forget that. They have some experienced players like Gregorz Rasiak and Stern John who are threats. I have some friends at the club but that will go out of the window come 3pm on Saturday because I need three points."

wait untill the real competitive pressures before writing them off as "lightweight"

Oh, whatever. If that's what they are then, why am I being lectured to "wait and see" ?

Schniederlin and Gillett in the middle wont be getting bossed around, they're both a whole lot stronger than say Safri and Euell from last season. With Perry and Svensson at the back we should be fine defensivley, even James looks like he can put himself about.

We do look a bit lightweight upfront though, will all change once John is available again though. I really like the amount of pace in our squad now, we sadly lacked it a lot last season.

A bit of water on the pitch will be perfect for our style as well, shouldn't be a problem as long as there isn't too much.

Dave Jones on the saints:

They're a big club who, I believe, should never have come out of the Premiership," he said. "They had a poor season last year and they'll be looking to forget that. They have some experienced players like Gregorz Rasiak and Stern John who are threats. I have some friends at the club but that will go out of the window come 3pm on Saturday because I need three points."

Good to see Jones has done his research on the game then as neither are in the squad.

I am now going to predict a 2-1 victory.

Its so great to have Alpine back. Every post i have read over the last couple of days seems to end up with a b1tch and a moan, all derived from his input, its so depressing. It's just typical he already has such an opinion on a team he hasnt even seen play.

Change the record mate!

Of course i hope this squad/team does well but having Rasiak a 20+ goal man on the wage bill but not even in the squad....bit daft IMO

This time tomorrow...............

......top of the league

Of course i hope this squad/team does well but having Rasiak a 20+ goal man on the wage bill but not even in the squad....bit daft IMO

He didnt make the squad last year either.

Its so great to have Alpine back. Every post i have read over the last couple of days seems to end up with a b1tch and a moan, all derived from his input, its so depressing. It's just typical he already has such an opinion on a team he hasnt even seen play.

 

Change the record mate!

What opinion is that then ?

I havent abused anyone, and I have hardly criticised Wilde and Lowe. I have not criticised Portvillet at all. I have, however, cast grave reservations about this squad's ability to mount a successful (non-relegation) campaign.

Why has this caused such outrage ?

we all know the squad could do with an injection / retention of skill and experience

we also know we are broke

Missing some names but still an alright squad IMO. COYR!

Why did he play in the second half against Stoke?

So JP can decide whether to choose Dyer or Thomson for the match against Cardiff? This also applies for Wotton and others.

So JP can decide whether to choose Dyer or Thomson for the match against Cardiff? This also applies for Wotton and others.

His first choice XI played in the 1st half, he stated this quite clearly

He didnt make the squad last year either.

Perhaps he's less of a drag on the wage bill when he's not playing (or scoring)

don't get any bonuses if you're not in the first team squad, don't get any

"goal scoring bonuses" if you don't score.Remember him pushing a on a hat-trick Bale aside a few years ago to score a penalty for no apparent reason?. I expect being in the stand will soon start to hit them about wallet high.May even take whatever moves are on offer,like Saga.

Edit, got that wrong, wasn't Bale it was Surman,who eventually took the penalty and got a hat-trick, Rasiak tried though.

What opinion is that then ?

 

I havent abused anyone, and I have hardly criticised Wilde and Lowe. I have not criticised Portvillet at all. I have, however, cast grave reservations about this squad's ability to mount a successful (non-relegation) campaign.

 

Why has this caused such outrage ?

I have to agree with with that.

We will get bullied.

What opinion is that then ?

 

I havent abused anyone, and I have hardly criticised Wilde and Lowe. I have not criticised Portvillet at all. I have, however, cast grave reservations about this squad's ability to mount a successful (non-relegation) campaign.

 

Why has this caused such outrage ?

Probably because you're talking with absolutely zilch knowledge of how they've been performing pre-season.

 

The 18 player squad has been announced on the OS for the game. No sign of Rasiak, Skacel, Euell as expected really.

 

Squad

 

Wright-Phillips

Thomas

Davis

Bialkowski

James

Surman

Perry

White

Lallana

Schneiderlin

Holmes

McGoldrick

Dyer

Wotton

Mills

Svensson

Thomson

Gillett

 

My expected line up

 

              Davis

James    Perry    Svensson   Surman

     Schneiderlin  Gillett

Thomson      Lallana         Holmes

           McGoldrick

Subs; 
Bialkowski 
Wright-Phillips
Dyer
Thomas 
Wotton

 

Come on you Reds!

That starting 11 would get steamrollered by most teams in this league. I have to say I think our squad looks dreadful.

The OS spin is just plain shameful at times. DMG and England prospect? The same DMG that has scored 1 LC goal in 2 years of scattered appearances?

That starting 11 would get steamrollered by most teams in this league.

I bet it doesn't! Which pre-season games did you see to have that opinion?

The effort and work rate will work for us a little bit, but on average, we have a very poor squad quality wise.

The effort and work rate will work for us a little bit, but on average, we have a very poor squad quality wise.

Again, what are you basing that on? Did you go to the Stoke/Celtic/West Ham games?