SaintTex

Eljero Elia So are two strikers at top our best formation? Maybe so..should we always play a combination of Pelle and Long/Mane.. and then either is a super sub to bring max. energy in the last 20 minutes?

rub some dirt on it and bring on Chelsea.

Indeed. I thought Koeman's player management was masterful considering the short rest for Chelsea. 5 fresh players for the potential starting 11 against Chelsea: Tadic, Wanyama, Long, Fonte, Targett (Bertrand can't play)

I get the impression K. Davis' table was the "fun table".

The throw-in inbounds combo play at 0:43 is my favorite Saints play/goal of the year. I jumped out of my seat when it happened....such a thing of skill, beauty, creativity and teamwork.

Saw that too.. I also get a little misty eyed when I see dreams realized.

With no one to get him the ball.

What's crazy is that we didn't expect it to be Midfield where it would be exposed.

Maybe it is semantics, but isn't this more of a 5-3-2 ---------------------Forster-------------------- Clyne --------Fonte-------Gardos-----Yoshida-----Betrand --------------Davis--------Big Vic-----------Tadic---------- -----------------Pelle ----Long/Mane----------- we are basically adding an addition CB to our back line (basically replacing Alderweireld with 2 players). Clyne and Bertrand are going to do their usual thing. Maybe it gives them some additional freedom to go forward. It's an intriguing formation.

This game suddenly looms much larger considering our form in the last 3 league games. This is our mostly likely path to football in Europe. We are safe from relegation, but dreams of Top 5 or 6 seem to be evaporating.

right. in just one weeks time, the table looks a whole lot tighter; especially if we get no points tomorrow. We are only 6 points above 10th place Newcastle. We really need 3 points tomorrow.

Forster Clyne -- Fonte -- Alderweireld -- Bertrand Cork -- Wanyama -- Davis Long -------- Pelle --------- Tadic drop Mane, get Tadic out on the left.

he was also caught behind the play for Clichy's goal. Yoshida has been on the pitch for 6 of the 9 goals we have given up this season. And he hasn't been on the pitch a whole lot. First three matches of the season, a half at Swansea and a half against City. I still think moving Alderweireld out of the CB position was a poor decision. You put in Reed or you put in Long and drop Davis back some.

this. Should have hobbled over to the first Man City player available and take him out to start the second half. Oh and then sub him with Gardos. Jeez.

I don't get the Yoahida move. Keep your strong CB pairing and substitute cork for schneiderlin.

the bigger fit from them would be bringing in another player from Southampton. I think the Scousers have soured on the Saint pipeline to Liverpool.

This. I don't believe we have played this type of formation before. Long behind Pelle? Is this the first time Long, Pelle, Tadic and Mane have been on the pitch at the same time? I think so, and it showed. They played as if they were strangers. Clyne and Bertrand were our saving grace offensively, ironically.

COYS! Get all 3 points tomorrow! Doubling Liverpool's points total after 12 games would be glorious! not to mention.. staying within 4 points Chelsea.

http://www.espnfc.com/blog/espn-fc-united-blog/68/post/2144746/adam-lallana-looks-lost-at-liverpool Adam Lallana looks lost at Liverpool in a season of struggle at Anfield

ESPN getting in on the speculation.. beautiful way to start the article by the way with the Rodgers quote we all know and love. http://www.espnfc.com/club/southampton/376/blog/post/2141715/can-saints-really-finish-top-four

Yep, people tend to forget we were flying pretty high in 3rd place with 22 points last year after 11 matches and then we fell off the cliff. last year, after 19 matches.. we found ourselves in 9th place. For the next 19 matches, there was very little table movement, we were either in 8th or 9th place for the rest of the year. the next 8 matches (to the halfway point) are critical and will tell us a lot about where we may be at season's end. I personally think we can get to 38 or 40 points by January 1. Most critical to that.. getting all 9 points against Villa, Burnley, and Palace. If we start dropping points in those matches, our outlook will be cloudy.

Movember! It was nice to see it on the main channel as my cable subscriber has yet to offer the extra time package that shows all the games. I could DVR it and everything this time! Usually I have to stream the game on the NBCSN streaming option which is not always reliable. The Liverpool match (game 1) was the last time Southampton was on the main channel. Pretty sure the Villa game will be on the main NBCSN channel as it the only game going on that Monday!

1) take care of games we are obvious favorites.. Villa, CP, Burnley... [9 points] 2) take a few points/drop a few points to.. Everton, ManCity, ManU, Arsenal, Chelsea...[minimal 5 points] -- not saying we couldn't get more than 5 points from those 5 games, but I would be very disappointed if we got less. 3) at the halfway point we will have 25 points + 9 points + 5 points = 39 points! I'll take 39 points at the halfway point!

I wonder how Lallana feels on being included in the "write this one off" Starting XI.

this is my favorite part.