SNSUN

Fucking hell Stephens

Scappy so far Saints.

A nice early Saints goal would settle the nerves but I suspect we'll settle into our passing possession style pretty quickly. All season we've had an issue with teams counter attacking us and all season we've had an issue with over-tippy-tapping it around at the back. No mistakes today lads.

And I'm off........ to work. Enjoy the game those of you that will be there. My prediction is that Leeds will get promoted but I think we'll make a fight of it. I've said all season Leeds attack is the best and I think they'll show it. Still a Saints goal to cheer will be nice!

Looking for signs... then I saw the ready meal I'll be having at work later and the word Southampton in anagram form stood out at me... ...then I spotted Leeds too so...

Added it for you. 😀

There are green shoots of recovery at United. Mainoo coming through it a big plus for them. Garnacho, Hojlund, Fernandes, Mainoo, Rashford (when on form), Diallo - if they can sort their defence out they could go back to challenging at the top again. I have no strong feeling for either of these teams really - City beating Liverpool to the League repeatedly pleases me a bit, and I used to follow United back in the 90s in the Champions League back when it was on ITV, but that's it. With Chelsea finding their stride too, the Premier League will be a tough league next year methinks. I'd still rather be there than not.

Well well, all the attacking riches that City have and their defence is letting them down. 2 nil to United.

A gift like that from a Leeds defender tomorrow would be welcome. United one up.

Reminder the Piccadilly Line has Engineering Work all weekend between Acton Town and King's X just on the off chance any of you were going to use car parks at stations. RRB is running. Hopefully that should lower footfall for me so I can watch the game without disruption!

The wheel has spoken. But TBF it's been wrong every time for weeks so...

It's wheel time baby! The predictor wheel we all love with it's cheeky zero per cent accuracy! Drumroll please... Screen_Recording_20240523_192007_Samsung Internet.mp4 This time the wheel speaks for the big final game and it has gone for..... Leeds to win in normal time. Bummer. Or is it...

Weirdly, being a Saints fan since 1989 with a history of times where we've had more downs than ups, I think I could deal with defeat on Sunday better than if we win. Naturally a defeat would leave me feeling gutted but it would just be another result where, once the dust has settled, I'd feel like "oh well, another year in the Championship next year" whilst probably looking on with a bit of jealously at the Premier League next season. I'm working on Sunday too so I won't be as emotionally invested in it as perhaps you lot that are going will be. Win? It will be a weird feeling. Winning something, winning a trophy, knowing we're keeping THB for at least another season. Especially as underdogs (at least in the bookies eyes). Sure I was at Wembley for the JPT but we were rampant favourites that day and were almost expected to win. I was not born for the FA Cup in '76. Winning, and a summer of worrying about the state of the squad for the Premier League, will definitely bring a range of different emotions to losing. I'm sure it would be different if I were at Wembley but I hope those of you that are going have an excellent time and do us proud! There has to be a loser - I just hope it isn't us.

McCarthy has done well in the last few games but he's an experienced former England international keeper so it should be expected. The problem is if we kept him he might soon resort to mistakes and all of a sudden the fans want him out again. He's 35 end of the year and on a high wage - he should go. Should Bazunu be our number one though? In the Championship? Yes he's fine, he's young and learning and game time will, hopefully, improve him. In the Prem? Personally I'd be looking at bringing in a new GK with more experience and pedigree but giving Baz cup games and the odd league game here and there.

Whilst I could go for a ticket at half 9 as a member who has been to SMS this season, I have made my peace with the fact that I cannot get the day off work on Sunday so bollocks to it all. More annoyingly I only just had my first sick period in about 8 years so I can't even fudge it that way. I might try and wangle coming in a few hours late though so at least I can watch it on TV and not on a shitty iPad mini whilst trying to dodge customer's questions. Better start kissing arse.

When I go to Wembley (mainly for gigs as Saints aren't exactly regular visitors to the place!) I park at Hillingdon (or Ickenham if there is space) and get the Met in from there. Funnily enough when we were in the JPT I went with a mate who had a blue disabled badge so we parked right near the stadium after passing swathes of happy Saints fans in pubs.

I like Will but I think that he's better in a more advance role. I don't rate his tackling and he's not the sort to get "stuck in". What he is is a very controlled player, first touch is good, passing is good, positionally decent and he has goals in his locker. He's quite similar to JWP in a way, just without the set piece nous and he doesn't quite have the same engine. He's definitely Championship standard but, if we do go up, it would be interesting to see how he cuts it in the Prem now he's more experienced.

https://store.southamptonfc.com/wembley/wembley/ Make sure you get your Saints Wembley stuff. Marketing department quick off the mark there...

Stop buying Australian iPads. 🙃

Between watching the final stages at home and getting to work WBA scored and there was crowd trouble. Some of our fans really know how to be classless bell ends. Anyway let's take nothing away from the performance tonight, even in the first half despite being blunt up front we were the better team, we controlled possession, didn't panic and most importantly didn't have any brain farts. But that said, WBA didn't look up for it tonight at all. They were the opposite of the team we played at the Hawthorns a few days ago, they looked content to sit back and contain us and, while it worked in the first half, it was only a matter of time before we got through them. In the second half the Smallbone goal was crucial, as it opened the game up and meant that we could get our attacks through. I'm apprehensive about the Final, Leeds will be the favourites despite that fact we've had their number all season. But what a day it will be - I'm only sad I'll be sat here at work rather than soaking up the atmosphere! 90 minutes from the Premier League. The media will want Leeds back up there but we can stop it!

Off to work. Lot more comfy that i was a few mins ago. Aribo off. Been very Good.

Rishi Sunak won't have many better days this year... 😬

I bloody love you all