Saint Garrett

No games in this league are "easy", but atleast we do have the cup weekend, and 1 league game in about 3 weeks. It could be worse.

Thats 11 players so clearly Toby wasn't meant to be there. TBF though, the predicted XI could be well off the mark. Can't see Cork starting after playing Monday night.

I expect him to sign this new deal soon.

Reed in for Morgan and Targett in for Bertrand would be my only expected changes. Possibly Tadic will start.

Leaving at lunch time, anyone recommend where to park or any pubs to go to? Looks like its the Riverside Hotel next to the station of the Punch and Judy (Brewers Fayre). Might just park in the town centre and find a pub there. It all seems pretty close.

What a player.

Think Targett will play - Has played in all our cup games this year. However he'll definitely be in the squad so wouldn't have played last night.

Can you not buy them over the phone and then pick them up at the ground? I used to do this all the time in League one when I made late decisions to go to away games. I have one spare concession ticket you can have if thats any help.

Glad I did all that, should have just copied and pasted this! I'll add in the narrative under each team...

Got a half day, another ground to tick off. Looking forward to it.

Not sure what you're talking about

Had a look at our 'rivals' for a European place. Fixtures below. Teams against the "tougher" teams highlighted. Obviously the relegated teams will pull out some big results, as that always happens but I certainly feel it's ours to lose! Will keep this updated during the run in. Current Table 3 Arsenal 30 27 60 4 Man Utd 30 25 59 5 Liverpool 30 12 54 6 Southampton 30 21 53 7 Tottenham 30 5 53 8 Swansea 30 -4 43 9 West Ham 30 3 42 Arsenal More of the same from Arsenal. Arsene Wenger's job has been questioned again, albeit with the volume turned up and banners held aloft at matches, but his side still remain in the hunt for the top-four spot that will keep the till ticking over. Dazzling in attack at times, utterly inept in defence at others. The usual fare, really. REASONS THEY WILL MAKE THE TOP FOUR Quite simply: Alexis Sanchez. His smooth adjustment to English football has been a triumph. One of only a few world-class players in the Premier League, the Chilean has made a mockery of the wisdom that foreign imports require time to settle. Twelve goals, seven assists, and a style to thrill, he is the frontrunner for end-of-season awards. REASONS THEY WON’T MAKE THE TOP FOUR Quite simply: their defence, which veers into shambolic territory all too often. Per Mertesacker looked nothing like a man with 104 Germany caps in the defeats by Stoke and Southampton, while Wenger still seems to have a blind spot for the need of an imposing midfielder to screen. Arsenal v Liverpool Burnley v Arsenal Arsenal v Sunderland Arsenal v Chelsea Hull v Arsenal Arsenal v Swansea Man Utd v Arsenal Arsenal v West Brom Manchester United Patchy would be a nice way to describe Van Gaal’s side so far this season. Rarely have displays ventured into the ‘complete’ category, largely United have stuttered their way through. Even when winning six on the spin performances failed to convince. A huge injury list hasn’t helped, nor has a carousel of formations, with the jury still out on 3-5-2. REASONS THEY WILL MAKE THE TOP FOUR A transfer booty of no fixed amount would allow Van Gaal to buy reinforcements this month, to add to his squad already bulging with expensive recruits. A team with the greatest value assembled in history should make the top four. A lack of European distractions mean a clear advantage over the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, and Tottenham too. REASONS THEY WON’T MAKE THE TOP FOUR Defensively, United are vulnerable. How many more points would have been dropped had David de Gea not resembled a human magnet, attracted to shot after shot? Possession is too laboured and too many players are failing to reach potential. Angel di Maria has not wowed since September. David Moyes had the same number of points in his campaign at this stage and we know where United ended up. Man Utd v Aston Villa Man Utd v Man City Chelsea v Man Utd Everton v Man Utd Man Utd v West Brom Crystal Palace v Man Utd Man Utd v Arsenal Hull v Man Utd Liverpool A fall more pronounced than many predicted, even in the awareness that Luis Suarez is one of the best players to pull on the red shirt in the club’s history. A recent infusion of solidity has cobbled results together – 11 points from 15 available – to see Brendan Rodgers’ team on 10 points fewer than this stage last season. REASONS THEY WILL MAKE THE TOP FOUR Rodgers managed it last season, so knows how to generate momentum, even if he has been called into question more deeply than previously in his career. The team are showing signs of improvement and their current form would see them make up lost ground. Raheem Sterling’s return from a mid-season holiday should provide a further boost. Daniel Sturridge is getting closer too. REASONS THEY WON’T MAKE THE TOP FOUR Questions remain over their defence, which has appeared disorganised at times, while scoring from open play has not been frequent enough yet. It is left to be seen how much disruption Steven Gerrard’s long goodbye brings to performances. Do not discount the destabilising effect that may have as the games count down. Five points and a goal difference of 11 needs to be made up to reach United in fourth, while playing more fixtures. Arsenal v Liverpool Liverpool v Newcastle Hull v Liverpool West Brom v Liverpool Liverpool v QPR Chelsea v Liverpool Liverpool v Crystal Palace Stoke v Liverpool Southampton More continued march than meltdown, Southampton regrouped from the loss of their head coach and several star players last summer to a position of increased strength. Most impressive has been their defence, the tightest in the division, and their bounce back from a slump of four successive losses in December to gain 13 points from the last 15 available. REASONS THEY WILL MAKE THE TOP FOUR Koeman’s smarts make an overwhelming case. He is tactically excellent and speaks with supreme confidence. That is bound to engender self-belief among his squad. The team are talented enough too, without a weak spot to speak of. Fraser Forster, Jose Fonte, Morgan Schneiderlin and Graziano Pelle is one fine spine. REASONS THEY WON’T MAKE THE TOP FOUR Unfamiliarity with the race being run. Never in the Premier League era have they looked like challenging the roped-off VIP area that leads to Champions League football. Sadio Mane’s injury and possible Africa Cup of Nations involvement has come at the wrong time, while Pelle will want to rediscover his scoring touch soon – two goals in his last 12 games. Everton v Southampton Southampton v Hull Stoke v Southampton Southampton v Spurs Sunderland v Southampton Leicester v Southampton Southampton v Aston Villa Man City v Southampton Spurs Danger of serious underachievement averted by a fondness for a 2-1 scoreline, Spurs have exhibited a stronger mentality than in recent years. Harry Kane’s rise to prominence has been heart-warming and essential in equal measure, culminating in that stunning 5-3 victory over Chelsea that is Mauricio Pochettino's high point in charge. REASONS THEY WILL MAKE THE TOP FOUR Pochettino is gradually implementing his preferred high-pressing style that worked well at Southampton, and has found a line-up he likes. Kane has proved he is the real deal with a continued scoring streak and performances to match: 17 goals in all competitions this season. Christian Eriksen is producing his best stuff too. REASONS THEY WON’T MAKE THE TOP FOUR Were Kane to get injured it is difficult to see where Spurs win games. Roberto Soldado is, well, Roberto Soldado and Emmanuel Adebayor has never recovered from that voodoo curse. Their form at White Hart Lane threatens to be an achilles heal too, having lost to Liverpool, West Brom, Newcastle, and Stoke already. Fixture congestion might also hamper. Burnley v Spurs Spurs v Aston Villa Newcastle v Spurs Southampton v Spurs Spurs v Man City Stoke v Spurs Spurs v Hull Everton v Spurs West Ham Above and beyond expectations, West Ham recruited marvellously in the summer to reshape the team and alter style. Diafra Sakho has brought pace and edge, Alex Song is a classy presence in midfield, and the new two full backs have aided improvement too. Victories over Liverpool and Manchester City have been the standout moments. REASONS THEY WILL MAKE THE TOP FOUR Stewart Downing is experiencing the kind of renaissance reserved for Matthew McConaughey in a central role, while Andy Carroll is back to provide an alternative mode of attack when required. His strike against Swansea was a reminder of what he can do. Sam Allardyce is proud of his ability to change tactics to cater to opponents and big teams can be beaten, particularly at Upton Park. REASONS THEY WON’T MAKE THE TOP FOUR A lack of experience in this rarified air will count against many in Allardyce’s squad, and a current run of no wins in four threatens to worsen with matches against Liverpool, United, Southampton, and Tottenham up soon. Their ambitions depend on that sequence. Friction between Allardyce and David Sullivan, transmitted through social media and via the Wilfried Bony fallout, could threaten harmony. Leicester v West Ham West Ham v Stoke Man City v West Ham QPR v West Ham West Ham v Burnley Aston Villa v West Ham West Ham v Everton Newcastle v West Ham

JWP not get the assist for Lukaku OG?

Yeah it's really not difficult!!

Got a spare concession ticket if anyone wants it. You can have it for free.

Good shout, the clip from the ashes cricket for that song always make me laugh. His current song is fine, however I don't know why it gets sung so fast. Although that seems to happen to all or songs, they're rushed til they fade out as people cba to keep up !

Confirmed what I thought for a while - Corky is weighing it up and seeing what other clubs have to offer. We can't guarantee him playing every week, so therefore he's probably not earning as much as others.

Clyne back for this weekend, Corky back in training - great news.

Toby has done an in depth interview ahead of the game too.

Think he will personally. We need an outlet/foil for Pelle, and his pace will cause their awful defence problems. Only decision is whether he lets Long run them ragged for the first hour and then bring Elia on fresh against their tiring defence.

Went to do the same yesterday!

He's done some interviews, they've just gone live, Solent one is here: @solentsport: In his first radio interview since signing for #saintsfc, @ELJERO11ELIA tells @bigadamsport about ... https://t.co/biTYMdU7be via @audioBoom Sounds hugely determined to be a success here and prove his doubters wrong. I think he'll be an excellent sighing for us.

lol can't see us ever spending £32m on a player.

Think it'll be tomorrow with them flying up tomorrow afternoon.

He wasn't officially signed until the 5th I think. Some crappy FA rules - he is unable to play in the replay. Couldn't believe they pushed out the FA Cup games into the week, they should alwasy be on the Saturday and Sunday, and then the draw at lunchtime on a Monday.