Patches O Houlihan

But he was valued at £5.6m in the summer! How is that possible?!! 😉

Yes

Thank you for such a well written heartfelt post. Difficult to write I’m sure. But so powerful that I would be surprised if it isn’t read out by Captain Jack to the team on the morning of the game - which would no doubt please your dad immensely.

Must be tricky enough in your first language when you have a split personality like that 😉

Training First 11: McCarthy Mads THB Jack Jelert Jander Downes Fellows Fraser Scienza Archer or Stewart Match: Azaz in for Scienza to start and Fraser moves to left wing. Scienza comes on for Azaz or Fraser depending on who is more knackered. Charles comes on for Downes/Jander if one gets crocked/knackered. Whether Manning ousts Jelert depends on whether Jelert has been a rockstar in training for 2 weeks, but his experience of the team and Championship derbies might be helpful

With Charles away on international duty you'd think Jander will spend 2 weeks paired up with Flynn in midfield training, with Jack and THB behind them. Maybe that will be the core for the next one? Still says he does what he needs to do to win each match. Charles might be preferred but is away for the training period and the above could be a solid option.

It’s likely to be 4-2-3-1 which surely they all will have played at some point. Should all get at least two days to train at Saints on their return (except Downs) Away: Baz, Moody, Quashie, Manning, Charles, Azaz, Robinson, Downs Baz and Manning know how to play a back 4 with THB and Captain Jack. Roerslav will get a chance to practice. There’s a good argument for McCarthy to play this one. The absence of Azaz and Charles is annoying, but can’t be helped. I wouldn’t be starting Robinson in this one or Downs. So another way to look at it is that we have two weeks to prepare for the game with all the new boys and nearly all the starters…

Yes - see above

See above 😉

He won away 0-1 and played 87' in April 2023.

Maybe it's worth registering WS so we can sub him on 😉 Did Ruud Gullit ever sub himself on to take a free kick?

They are virtually the same height, but Tyler appears to have eaten more pies in the last year. May be a tad quicker too?

I haven't looked up Burnley Blackburn games Feel free to have a look Fraser didn't play for Newcastle against Sunderland and nor did Arma. Other big games: Aribo opened the scoring in the Europa League final which Rangers lost on penalties Bundesliga relegation playoff: Scienza was brought on as one of 3 half time subs to rescue the first leg when Heidenheim were 2-0 down and the subs changed the game to finish 2-2. He then scored a 95th minute goal to win the 2nd leg 2-1

I thought I would have a look at players in our squad who have played in significant derby games: McCarthy - kept a clean sheet at their place 0-4 (Stephens was on the bench, and was at the club for the 2011/12 matches but not in the squad) S. Charles - Lost 1-0 in both the Steel City derbies last season. Played 90' and 72'. Manning - played 90' in a 2-3 away win for Swansea at Cardiff 22/23, 90' in a 3-0 home win 21/22. Was injured for the other two derbies. Downes played 90' in both the 21/22 Welsh derbies winning 3-0 and 0-4. He also came on for the last 5' of a 3-0 away loss to Norwich in an Old Farm match. Fellows - Brought on as a sub for 23' as WBA lost 0-2 at home against Wolves, Jan 2024 in the FA Cup 4th round. Will have watched senior derbies as a junior. Azaz - lost both Middlesborough v Sunderland games last season 1-0 away and 2-3 at home. Played ~60' in each Stewart - Scored one as CF in the 2-0 home win over Middlesborough for Sunderland Jan 2023. Archer came on for 23' as a sub for Middleborough in the same game. Aribo - Old Firm: won 1-0 90' 2021, lost 3-0 away and 1-2 at home 90', also a draw (63') and an AET cup win (75') 2022. Jander & Quashie played each other in a derby last season: Nuremberg won at home 3-0 and Quashie went off injured for Gruether Furth on 41'. In the return fixture Jander played 90' in a 0-4 away win for Nuremberg. I don't think Arma or Fraser has played one. Maybe there's some more but that's plenty to be getting on with. >> "Worth adding in Jelert who has played in one of the fiercest of them all for Galatasaray v Fenerbahce, and several times for Copenhagen v Brondby." @Saint_Lambden