Hull vs Saints Match Thread

2 days and about 15 hours rest and we're at it again. I assume it's back to the Premier league team. Fonte, Bertrand, Davis, Clasie and Austin all to start, one would imagine. Possibly Boufal too.

Hull are, TBH, sh*te. Since winning their opening two, they've lost every League game but for a 90th minute equaliser at Burnley. Their last home outing was a 2-0 defeat by Stoke. Without meaning to sound cocky, we should win this and have an excellent recent record against the Tigers. Won our last 4 matches I believe and on our last trip up there Wanyama scored early on from about 40 yards.

Confident of a complete demolition. They look shot. Even more so without Snodgrass. 0-3

Suspect the team will be:

Forster

Martina

Fonte

VVD

Bertrand

Davis

Romeu

Classie

Boufal or Tadic

Austin

Redmond

Suspect the team will be:

 

Forster

 

Martina

Fonte

VVD

Bertrand

 

Davis

Romeu

Classie

 

Boufal or Tadic

Austin

Redmond

Would agree with that.

Pretty sure that would be the team but with Redmond on the bench in place of Jay. Nathan needs a rest and Jay needs more minutes. A good game to get some in.

As poor as Hull are, it's a long trip up there straight after a Europa game, and we'll still have to be on our game to win. Squad rotation is sensible, using Premier League games to give someone currently well below par (i.e. Rodriguez) a run out is a recipe for disaster.

Would prefer to play Boufal up front instead of Rodriguez, then IF we get a decent lead bring on Jay for Tadic and drop Boufal back. My thinking is that Boufal is capable of beating his man and creating something from nothing, but he's currently too much of a risk to play deeper as he has a tendency to lose the ball and expose us on the break. If he's going to lose it, let him lose it in the opposition's third.

Forster

Martina VVD Fonte Bertrand

Romeu

Davis Clasie

Boufal

JRod Austin

Pretty sure that would be the team but with Redmond on the bench in place of Jay. Nathan needs a rest and Jay needs more minutes. A good game to get some in.

My thoughts also, I think Redmond will get a rest ahead of the u21 games.

Hope we're not too complacent, that's the only thing stopping us from leaving Hull with three points

Hope we're not too complacent, that's the only thing stopping us from leaving Hull with three points

Pretty sure that would be the team but with Redmond on the bench in place of Jay. Nathan needs a rest and Jay needs more minutes. A good game to get some in.

If he needs minutes, he should play for the U23s. It's arrogant to think we're good enough to win games carrying an absolute passenger, which, sadly, Rodriguez is.

It's been two and a half years since his knee injury - at what point do the club accept that he's just not able to play at anywhere near the required standard anymore, and merely blocking the path into the squad of a young up-and-comer?

I'm gutted for him, but football isn't sentimental - the attacking options in our squad have been compromised by the club's misplaced faith in a player who is barely fit for purpose. We're a forward short. In my humble opinion.

100% agree qwerty. The only thing that very slightly marred last night for me was seeing JRod so obviously struggling. The mind is definitely willing but I fear the body is not up to this level. At what point do the club say that's it? The end of this season I suspect.

If Redmond needs a rest then bring Boufal in, not Jay Rod.

Would agree with that.

I know we are a bit short at the moment but is Clasie really worth persevering with. He is not a long term solution to any problem........

I know we are a bit short at the moment but is Clasie really worth persevering with. He is not a long term solution to any problem........

Long term he's certainly the most at risk.

I only agreed with the team above as Claude normally switches the shuttle midfielders.

He started him vs Chelsea & City, so can't see him being worried about playing him vs Hull.

I know we are a bit short at the moment but is Clasie really worth persevering with. He is not a long term solution to any problem........

You really do have a downer on this lad don't you? Every one of our players has a stinker every third game or so and if you like to be realistic about our other midfielders. Prowse can't tackle to save his life and Holberg hits about 4 out of every 10 passes wildly. Clasie can tackle, and can hit accurate passes. He lacks stamina and maybe his effectiveness becomes less as the game moves on but there are plenty in that category including Tadic, Redmond and Austin that you seem to ignore, which is a main reason we find it so difficult to score from open play.

May I respectfully suggest you stop demonising Clasie and study what he actually does during a match and then maybe you will understand why Puel and quite a few others on this forum do not agree with you and find your eternal carping about him irksome and mindless.

Forster

Martina VVD Fonte Bertrand

Romeu

Davis Clasie

Boufal

JRod Austin

Don't see how you can start Rodriguez after his performance last night.

If he needs minutes, he should play for the U23s. It's arrogant to think we're good enough to win games carrying an absolute passenger, which, sadly, Rodriguez is.

 

It's been two and a half years since his knee injury - at what point do the club accept that he's just not able to play at anywhere near the required standard anymore, and merely blocking the path into the squad of a young up-and-comer?

 

I'm gutted for him, but football isn't sentimental - the attacking options in our squad have been compromised by the club's misplaced faith in a player who is barely fit for purpose. We're a forward short. In my humble opinion.

i agree with this, have Rodriguez on the bench at Hull then give him the full 90 mins on Wednesday night v Crawley at St Marys, will help build fitness and confidence while the rest of the squad are away on international duty.

The fact we are able to bring back into the starting line up Bertrand, Fonte, Davis, Clasie, Austin, Boufal possibly as fresh legs is great and should allow us to fall into the tiredness of Thursday / Sunday fatigue.

plenty of tickets left for this game for anyone who fancies a trip up.

Forster

Martina VVD Fonte Bertrand

Romeu

Clasie Davis

Tadic Austin Boufal

Don't get why anyone would pick Clasie based on his recent performances.

My thoughts also, I think Redmond will get a rest ahead of the u21 games.

well I bloody hope not couldn't give a **** about England club comes first.

Don't get why anyone would pick Clasie based on his recent performances.

what is about squad rotation people aren't getting there isn't a best 11 under Puel there is a squad which he is going to utilise.

what is about squad rotation people aren't getting there isn't a best 11 under Puel there is a squad which he is going to utilise.

This is correct, but some just cannot grasp it no matter how many times it is said...

Some are a bit dim sadly

If Bertrand comes back maybe give McQueen a go up front - after all he was until this summer a striker

well I bloody hope not couldn't give a **** about England club comes first.

Wouldn't mind seeing a few 'tactical' withdrawals from international squads with 'injuries' - lets act like a big club!

got to win this. they are shyte

Forster

martina (when is cedric back?)

Fonte

VvD

Bertrand

Rom

Davis

Hoj

Boufal

Austin

Tadic

Subs - Taylor, Yoshida, McQueen, Clasie, Rodriguez, JwP, Redmond

Hope Boufal starts and is given a full 90.

Oriel, Davis and JWP in the middle for me.

How many tickets have we sold for this? Any good watering holes in the station or ground vicinity as I'm not driving this time!

I fear a 1 nil 92nd minute loss

Suspect the team will be:

 

Forster

 

Martina

Fonte

VVD

Bertrand

 

Davis

Romeu

Classie

 

Boufal or Tadic

Austin

Redmond

I don't care that we've got the international break coming up, I still think Martina needs to be rested. major credit to him for how hard he's played in the congested run, and there have been good spells to be sure, but i don't think he's any more of a plus than putting Yoshida out there for a game, or Stephens or Valery -- who is probably not ready but what do i know.

For what it's worth: Curacao have a friendly in the Netherlands over the break (against a soft eredivisie club side) so hopefully he'll have a restful break, compared with playing two matches on hellish CONCACAF pitches. all the same, I still hope he's on the bench for Hull. expect he's right back into the side when we come back and Cedric is still a doubt.

If he needs minutes, he should play for the U23s. It's arrogant to think we're good enough to win games carrying an absolute passenger, which, sadly, Rodriguez is.

 

It's been two and a half years since his knee injury - at what point do the club accept that he's just not able to play at anywhere near the required standard anymore, and merely blocking the path into the squad of a young up-and-comer?

 

I'm gutted for him, but football isn't sentimental - the attacking options in our squad have been compromised by the club's misplaced faith in a player who is barely fit for purpose. We're a forward short. In my humble opinion.

You know he had surgery on an unrelated injury about a month ago, don't you?

You know he had surgery on an unrelated injury about a month ago, don't you?

As well as a head injury about 20 minutes into a league cup game that would've helped him regain some sharpnesss the other week. Calls for us to just give up on him are ridiculous, nobody knows whether he's going to be the same player he was before his injury until he has a decent amount of game time to regain some confidence and lose some rust, which he hasn't been able to get because of constant injuries that are not related to the original serious one.

As well as a head injury about 20 minutes into a league cup game that would've helped him regain some sharpnesss the other week. Calls for us to just give up on him are ridiculous, nobody knows whether he's going to be the same player he was before his injury until he has a decent amount of game time to regain some confidence and lose some rust, which he hasn't been able to get because of constant injuries that are not related to the original serious one.

Indeed after he joined us from Burnley it took about 6 months before he found his feet. His game thrives on confidence

well I bloody hope not couldn't give a **** about England club comes first.

This.......probably get injured in the u21, and be out for weeks......

Want JWP to start Sunday, he was excellent last night.

So with squad rotation it seems that some would advocate you can play as poorly as you like and still get a game just to make up the numbers. What a strange concept.

So with squad rotation it seems that some would advocate you can play as poorly as you like and still get a game just to make up the numbers. What a strange concept.

Only for as long as we stay in 4 competitions. If you play like Caulker did against Liverpool or half the team against Sheffield Utd, you will soon find yourself without any game time.

Sort of game we should be looking to win comfortably, however we need to make sure we have the right attitude and right frame of mind, as all too often in recent seasons we have lost games we should be winning comfortably.

Gardos not in tonight's u23 squad so maybe on the bench for the Hull game?

Gardos not in tonight's u23 squad so maybe on the bench for the Hull game?

 

Sims isn't in either. Is he injured?

Sims isn't in either. Is he injured?

No he's training with the first team players that didn't start last night.

Gardos not in tonight's u23 squad so maybe on the bench for the Hull game?

 

On a side-note, great to see Flannigan back involved - he's been injured for quite some time.

Looks like it's going to be cold, wet and windy

Looks like it's going to be cold, wet and windy

Gale force winds, not great conditions for us. I think it will be a very tough game, was impressed when I saw them play Leicester first game of the season.

Good news. Mark Lawrenson doesn't think we will win

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37819154

You really do have a downer on this lad don't you? Every one of our players has a stinker every third game or so and if you like to be realistic about our other midfielders. Prowse can't tackle to save his life and Holberg hits about 4 out of every 10 passes wildly. Clasie can tackle, and can hit accurate passes. He lacks stamina and maybe his effectiveness becomes less as the game moves on but there are plenty in that category including Tadic, Redmond and Austin that you seem to ignore, which is a main reason we find it so difficult to score from open play.

 

 

May I respectfully suggest you stop demonising Clasie and study what he actually does during a match and then maybe you will understand why Puel and quite a few others on this forum do not agree with you and find your eternal carping about him irksome and mindless.

What on earth are you dribbling on about ????

You seem to have thirst for trolling on here and to cap it all appear to have got the wrong person!

The polite way to describe your post is twaddle!

Now buzz off and leave me and others alone please.

Thanks

I don't think Redmond will be rested, we need to go full strength

Front three of Tadic, Boufal and Austin would be good. Jrod and Redmond to come off the bench.

It's often said that there are no easy games in the Prem. and talking about "must win games" always sounds very dramatic, but the truth of the matter is that if Saints are to establish themselves in the Prem. ..then even after beating Inter Milan..games like this must give 3 points ..or else we'll have an uphill task against the likes of Liverpool, Everton and Arsenal who are yet to come.