Barnard, Tadanari, Forte, Sharp

Who will play against Barnsley :-)

None of them.

I doubt any of them will be involved at all. I think its more likely be those in our first team squad that aren't in the starting XI in Premier League games plus some from the Under 21's.

Guly hat-trick.

None I reckon, will be more likely a chance for Rowe, Isgrove and so on.

Who will play against Barnsley :-)

Lee, Barnard and Sharp should be able to see off Barnard if included in the squad and selected. Surely they have to be shop-windowed if we want them loaned out Which would be good for all, including them.

None. Auntie went to the u21s game against Eastleigh the other week and said they all looked really out of shape, and a bit disinterested, the youngsters showed them up big time. If those 4 played in this one then we'd probably see a similar debacle to Leeds last season, one of the inept performances I have ever seen from a Saints team.

I'd really consider starting Osvaldo against Barnsley. Get him off to a flyer with a goal or 2 under his belt, and take him off after about an hour. Hope we put out a strongish team in general too, really want to see us take one of the cup competitions seriously this season, after what Wigan & Swansea did last season there is no reason why we could not make a final. Doesn't bother me which competition it is, League or FA Cup. We have a couple of senior players who could do with the match fitness too, like Clyne who has been injured & Yoshida & Gaston who came back late for pre season. My team would be:

Davis

Clyne - Stephens - Yoshida - Fox

Cork - JWP

Isgrove - Guly - Puncheon

Osvaldo

Then fill the bench with a mixture of fringe players & some of the u21s.

None. Auntie went to the u21s game against Eastleigh the other week and said they all looked really out of shape, and a bit disinterested, the youngsters showed them up big time. If those 4 played in this one then we'd probably see a similar debacle to Leeds last season, one of the inept performances I have ever seen from a Saints team.

 

I'd really consider starting Osvaldo against Barnsley. Get him off to a flyer with a goal or 2 under his belt, and take him off after about an hour. Hope we put out a strongish team in general too, really want to see us take one of the cup competitions seriously this season, after what Wigan & Swansea did last season there is no reason why we could not make a final. Doesn't bother me which competition it is, League or FA Cup. We have a couple of senior players who could do with the match fitness too, like Clyne who has been injured & Yoshida & Gaston who came back late for pre season. My team would be:

 

Davis

Clyne - Stephens - Yoshida - Fox

Cork - JWP

Isgrove - Guly - Puncheon

Osvaldo

 

Then fill the bench with a mixture of fringe players & some of the u21s.

This. I think we should take the competition reasonably seriously. If we are serious about Europe the winner does get entry into the Europa league. Early rounds are a good opportunity to keep up the match fitness of a few fringe players, test the fitness of one or two coming back, and see how some of the youngsters are ready. So assuming Saturday we played our first choice team. I do see players like Cork, Mayuka, Hooiveld, Puncheon, Isgrove, Clyne or Chambers, Do Prado playing maybe Osvaldo if we think he needs competitive games. I can also see Stephens, Turnbull, Rowe, Sinclair and some of the other youngsters involved.

One player who I would like to see a bit more of is Lee. He was starting to do quite well in the Championship then was injured all last year, but still think he might have something to offer.

I'm starting to think that, if we were to qualify, we could be ready for a half-decent Europa League campaign next season. Would take another summer of big investment as you need serious depth to manage it (see how it hurt Newcastle last season) but thinking about who we could field in a midweek game right now, it's do-able.

And of course we're infinitely more likely to get there via one of the cups, which only adds to my hope that we take them seriously this year. Pochettino has made a point of mentioning the cup competitions a few times in interviews, which is good.

Who will play against Barnsley :-)

Hopefully none of them.

We've got a big squad now plus the likes of Isgrove and Rowe knocking on the door. We need to involve those who will or could be involved in the league and those from the u21's that we have high hopes for rather than players who clearly have no future with us. Let's focus on the present and the future, not the past.

In their time they were big signings.

Shows are far we have come in such a short time.

Football is fickle these days, you are at a club, on average, no more than two years.

In their time they were big signings.

Shows are far we have come in such a short time.

Football is fickle these days, you are at a club, on average, no more than two years.

Look at Cork - irreplaceable last season but he wouldn't make many people's teams this season.

Look at Cork - irreplaceable last season but he wouldn't make many people's teams this season.