SaintTex

interestingly, we are 6 points off last years points total after 31 matches 2014/2015 - 53 points | 2015-2016 - 47 points Liverpool is 10 points of their point total of last year after 29 matches 2014/2015 - 54 points | 2015-2016 - 44 points

from Stoke and Liverpool I'll take the six points.

I like this mindset. I would like to see a Clasie, Wanyama, Romeu midfield as well. With possibly Clasie playing a bit more forward feeding precision passes to Long's runs. The question become who best fits for the remaining two forwards if you have Long up front. There are plenty to choose from: Tadic, Mane, JWP, Pelle, Davis, Austin, JRod -------------Forster-------------- Cedric---Fonte---VvD---Betrand ---Romeu--Clasie--Wanyama--- -------Pelle---------Tadic-------- --------------Long---------------- Possibly Mane in for Pelle in this formation, if available.

I think at this point if you are going to have Pelle on the pitch, you also need Tadic on the pitch. both are less effective without each other. Pelle more so than Tadic.

Is that all? Unfortunately, your list could be attributed to the wants of every club in the League.

I don't think we stick with the 3 CB formation considering we are losing one of our starting CBs. Back to basics. --------------------------------Forster------------------------------------- Cedric-------------VVD----------------Bertrand------------------Targett -------------------Romeu---------------Clasie---------------------------- ---------Mane----------------Davis-----------------Tadic---------------- -------------------------------Long----------------------------------------

maybe something like this? ------------------Forster-------------------- Cedric– Fonte – VvD – Bertrand – Targett ----Clasie ------Romeu ------Tadic ------- ----------Long---------Austin---------------

Tadic not getting playing time has hurt us offensively. It hard to complain much when we were in such good form before Chelsea, but Tadic doesn't have a natural place in the Starting XI when we go 3-5-2. (really should be called 5-3-2, because I am not convinced Cedric and Targett are adding much offensively). I may be in the minority but we need Tadic to be on the pitch way more. Just not sure how that can happen as we have been lining up so defensively (with mostly good results, squeeking out wins until last Saturday).

He has a far better chance of winning trophies with Liverpool if he is not on the pitch.

they have 2 tough games while we rest and then a tough game after. Guess there is two trains of thought on this. 01) We will be fit and rested; they will be exhausted (physically and mentally). 02) They will be well-honed, playing against competition that by most standards is better than us; We will be rusty.

I am not surprising anyone by saying that defense is making all the difference in the world 4 matches 3 goals scored - 0 allowed 13 points to have 10 points over 4 matches while only scoring 3 goals is pretty unreal Another incredible thing to think about: If we had let in just one goal in each of the last 4 games - we would have 3 points (D-L-D-D) instead of 10 points (W-D-W-W). more incredibly: If we had let in just one goal in each of the last 4 games -We would be in 12th place (33 points) instead of 6th place. (40 points) Fine margins indeed in this League. Goalkeeping is so important.

I think both were the correct calls. a) I think we would have howled if it had been on the other foot with Forster and it had been allowed. b) Yoshida again, but no intent, tangled up at the feet. It looked dicey live I thought. My heart did stop and I felt sure I was going to see the ref run into the screen pointing toward the penalty spot. Thankfully, that didn't happen. Romeu and Clasie yellows were awful, however. I clenched up with Romeu went on yellow, due to Wanyama's suspension. Luckily, Romeu played smart after and Koeman substituted him out before he could pick up a second.

highly debatable. Whoscored.com has VvD as the highest rated defended in the League and the 5th best player overall. VVD - 5th best over all - 7.62 rating - 1st rated CB Toby - 41st over all - 7.19 rating - 10th rated CB https://www.whoscored.com/Regions/252/Tournaments/2/Seasons/5826/Stages/12496/PlayerStatistics/England-Premier-League-2015-2016 I know whoscored.com isn't the end all be all and I think Toby is better than 10th best CB in the league, but it ain't a bad place to start. And saying Alderwiereld is the best CB in the league is not a slam dunk argument.

so with this , how many games will have he been out this season due to suspensions? At least 9? missing a 1/4 of the season is really unacceptable.

So far ~~ 25 matches | 37 points = 1.48 points a game if we carry our season average of 1.48 over our last 13 games we'll have : 19 points 37 points + 19 points = 56 points. on pace to finish with 56 points.

Southampton Title Chances http://www.sportsclubstats.com/England/Southampton.html We have a better odds of 4th place than relegation, so why don't we talk about that?

---------------Forster---------------- Cedric-VvD-Fonte-Bertrand-Targett ---------Romeu-----Davis----------- ------Mane----Austin------Tadic----- the team is likely a bit gassed due to playing 10 men for 35 minutes. Romeu, Davis, Targett, Mane, Austin, and Tadic should all be pretty well rested. If Davis can't go, put in JWP. If Targett can't go, move Bertrand to Left wing and insert Yoshida as third CB.

good question.. in a 5-3-2.. what is a the better back 5 starting lineup? Cedric--VvD--Fonte--Bertrand--Targett or Cedric--Yoshida--Fonte--VVD--Bertrand I think we could agree that Bertrand is more effective on the wing than Targett, but moving Bertrand out of CB, means inserting Yoshida at CB; which is probably a weaker 3 CB lineup defensively. Tough choice.

I hadn't noticed it during the match but VvD got literally thrown down to the pitch by Collins during the attempted header at the 65th minute. I hope the they appeal the red card. 01) Wanyama was clearly going for the ball. It got away a bit from Payet and squirted right in front of Wanyama who saw an opportunity to take a clumsy stab at it. 02) Payet slides over the top of Wanyama 02) Wanyama's knee hit the back of Payet's leg.. nothing egregious 04) Wanyama's boot never touches him 05) Payet literally thrusts his body off the pitch like it is electrified 06) Nobel in Clattenburg's face, screaming for the red. That being said: 13 points from 15 with 3 of those coming from the 4th, 5th and 6th place teams is brilliant. Getting our defence in order has made all the difference in the world. You build off that. You get that right and everything else works itself out. It doesn't even matter if your offense is sputtering a bit. The results prove that. We are also fortunate that Bertrand can play either CB or Left Wing in the 5-3-2, as Targett's injury could have forced Koeman into a different formation if not for Bertrand's ability to play both. Which begs the question, if Cedric is injured, could we still play a 5-3-2? Yoshida/Cuco on the wing? Also, fair play to Yoshida.. I am of the opinion he is usually the kiss of death when he is on the pitch, but he played well today. His instinct to move toward the 6 yard box in the run up to the goal was excellent.

this, in bold. this again, in bold. This, in bold All the little American kids in Liverpool youth clubs become adults who no longer play football, but watch it. Guess who their favorite PL club is? You gotta indoctrinate them early and then it will pay dividends to the club for decades. It will have to be a slow burn, but you got to start some how. I think this really is more about marketing and less about finding/developing youth football players and I am OK with that. Present it in whatever little neat bow you require to sell it.

that is 2 points lost without Forster. Forster comes back from injury - 4 starts / 4 clean sheets. Make you wonder how many points we would be on if Forster had been healthy all season. He missed 20 of our 24 league matches. I reckon we would be sitting in 5th probably, with around 41 points.

I would have completely agreed with you a month ago, but Tadic's last two goals have come from playing in a more central position. I will agree that he is excellent out wide though (on the left, of course)

American viewer here. Q: What teams do you go to watch apart from Saints? A: I watch and root for the team playing against Liverpool. (Liverpool is on TV every damn week.) oh, and Liverpool v. Spurs - I root for meteor.

This. I don't get it. Austin scores one goal and suddenly Pelle is now worthless? Pelle needs to stay at least until the end of the season, then we can test the market. I wouldn't count on Rodriguez for the rest of the season. Long is prone to minor knocks that keep him out for 3 to 4 weeks at a time. And who knows, maybe an Austin/Pelle pairing on the pitch at the same time could bear fruit? and £5m for a Starting XI international for Italy? GTFO... I'd rather keep him a Saint for 18 more months and let him go for free. I think he would play a bunch.

ummm, win or lose with Palace, There would have been no FA Cup games to break our concentration on during our 3 match League win streak.