Palace vs Saints - Build Up

Nah, we're in skins.

Why do you think a system with 2 upfront is more attacking than 4-2-3-1? The latter can be very attacking if implemented correctly.

I'm sure it can but it isn't for us with these players, we are in a hole. Too many non scorers in our team, get our 2 match winners up front and instruct the midfield to provide some direct service.

Get those goals happening first, points will follow.

Don't see why we can't play the same formation, but with Austin up front, and Gabbiadini and Long in the wide positions of the 3 behind.

Either change the players, change the system or change both. Personally, for tomorrow I would change the players.

Nah, we're in skins.

Brilliant. Jumpers for goalposts and all that.

High-ish potential for a kit clash tomorrow?

We're in the away kit.

0-0

I want to see the manager change the system to something more attacking and maybe a goal or two. Ideally 2 up front and some kind of threat.

 

Can't see much in the way of points out of this one but first things first, let's start scoring then we can concentrate on getting some points. We are in a rut at the moment.

I want to see the manager show that the team does have a system. We have lost the simple ingredient that has produced good results. - shape and structure.. We've been all over the place this season.

Even if we don't win it's important that there are positive signs emerging.

I want to see the manager show that the team does have a system. We have lost the simple ingredient that has produced good results. - shape and structure.. We've been all over the place this season.

 

Even if we don't win it's important that there are positive signs emerging.

Absolutely agree with thus. Let's see the impact of no League Cup or European football and uninterrupted midweek coaching from the guy. So far it has looked all over the place and I am expecting to see structure and a discernible pattern to our play irrespective of esukts.

It's the absence of this so far that has frightened the life out of me I terms of mp

0-0

On paper it has 0 - 0 written all over it.

Probably end up 3 -2

My opinion is that we are really over rating out midfielders. We seem to think these guys are great. I don't think they are good attackers, and I think thats been proven. So we need to score or we don't win. I would like to see Gabbi and Austin together, whether its a 4-4-2 or a 4-3-3, etc. If we can get Long in there too then great. A 4-3-3 with Long, Austin, Gabbi, or even a 4-4-2 with Long and Austin upfront, and Gabbi right behind them in the #10 spot. We need to get creative and we need to get the only guys who have proven they can score on the pitch. I also don't but this pace argument. What has having a good pace gotten us so far? If having Austin out there slows us down slight, but gets us a goal, then fine.

Finally I think that one issue we have is with 1 striker upfront, with our current mid fielders, it puts no pressure on the defenders. They can push forward supporting the mids, and that creates issues for us in midfield. We have seen that now in at least 2 games. Having at least 2 upfront keeps the defenders honest at least.

I reckon that it will be a couple of games more before a system is apparent.

Early kick off means more of my Saturday will be ruined if we lose. Come on Saints it's time to give us something to be positive about.

High-ish potential for a kit clash tomorrow?

New third away kit unveiled today.

Normally I agree that a side usually gets a boast with the arrival of a new manager but we are talking Woy ****ing Hodgson here. Trouble is we are still shot of confidence and litttle change or improvement yet from last season. Let's hope it's all come good on the training ground this week. Take a draw and then on to United.......................

it's a strange feeling that come a Friday afternoon i couldn't give a rats arse about tomorrows game!

I'm not sure what it is...possibly the summer fiasco with that tit VVD, possibly the extortionate amount of money being paid for bang average players or possibly the crap football that has been served up for what seems a ages. I will go and play my morning game, come home, shower and then off to play my afternoon game and probably not give Saints a seconds thought.

I feel exactly the same way. The whole thing has become ridiculous. I find myself looking at the non-league results before I look at the Premier****e.

Palace to win 3 nil is 33/1 for all those expecting a a loss today !

I reckon that it will be a couple of games more before a system is apparent.

Yep

No Austin starting today will = no party.

No Austin starting today will = no party.

He wont start, instead of giving Gabbi and Long out wide with Austin through the middle or two up front a chance we will trot around with Tadic and Redmond titting about as per usual.

Now ive said that Tadic and Redmond will both be superb in an easy 3-1 win ;-)

Hoping Puellegrino will change things up today. Early days, but this game is massive for him. Tough to call being the early game. Going to go for a 1-1 draw, but we really need to be winning this.

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Let's have some faith and belief. It's been a mixed bag but we have good players and the best one has just reengaged.

It doesn't matter what has happened, it's in the past. Now we have to get behind the team, regardless of who's in it, and give them the support they need.

I have a good feeling today. 1-3. We find our shooting boots and Virgil leads from the front, with the armband.

4-1-3-2.

FF,

RB, WH, VVD, CS

OR

SB, ML, NR

SL, MG

Quite simply he's not in the manager's plans. Hasn't stopped him playing for the u-23s during the past month or so he's failed to make the bench.

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/15536378.Pellegrino_urges_Hojbjerg_and_co_to_keep_fighting/

VvD in today's squad. Apols if old news.

VvD in today's squad. Apols if old news.

Sub, as is Gabbi.

Sub, as is Gabbi.

cant score, no service, drop best striker.....just peachy

Sub, as is Gabbi.

Long means goals goals goals

Long instead of Gabbi....

Glad to see Yoshi back in for JS.

That side shows MP can't change it. Long up top on his own cannot and will not work. Dropping Gabbiadini is just ridiculous. If we lose I'll start losing confidence.

Shane Long is starting so that means goals goals goals.

Long instead of Gabbi....

 

Glad to see Yoshi back in for JS.

Absolutely bizarre selection. If VVD is fit enough for the bench he should be playing and Gabbi on the bench is just ridiculous. It's as if he's been ordered to play this formation and never change it. Very unhappy. All fans in the pub outside the ground utterly baffled by that.

Shane Long is starting so that means goals goals goals.

For Palace.

Yoshi in for Stephens is a great move, Van Dijk and Hoedt will be the starting CBs soon.

Austin not in the squad is shocking, he is the best finisher at the club and personally I would of dropped Tadic and had Austin in with Long, and on Tadic another poor performance and he has to be dropped, been dreadful bar Swansea at home.

That side shows MP can't change it. Long up top on his own cannot and will not work. Dropping Gabbiadini is just ridiculous. If we lose I'll start losing confidence.

Gabbi for Redmond, and I like that team.

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Drop Gabbi, but play Redmond and Tadic.

Disappointed with that.

Brilliant. Gets the formation behind the striker correct for a change and drops the main striker for Long. Sigh.

Drop Gabbi, but play Redmond and Tadic.

 

Disappointed with that.

Absolute madness. Replacing Gabbi with a striker even less likely to score when we can't score is just ridiculous.

Yoshi in for Stephens is a great move, Van Dijk and Hoedt will be the starting CBs soon.

 

Austin not in the squad is shocking, he is the best finisher at the club and personally I would of dropped Tadic and had Austin in with Long, and on Tadic another poor performance and he has to be dropped, been dreadful bar Swansea at home.

Why do you think Austin isnt in the squad ?

I hope this works for MP's sake.

I really do..

Long in to run the defenders ragged is a good thing.

Playing him as lone striker instead of Gabbiadini is a bloody stupid thing.

Be egg on a lot of faces if we do well

Suppose it'll just be a case of "glad I was proved wrong" again !

COYS

Yoshi in for Stephens is a great move, Van Dijk and Hoedt will be the starting CBs soon.

 

Austin not in the squad is shocking, he is the best finisher at the club and personally I would of dropped Tadic and had Austin in with Long, and on Tadic another poor performance and he has to be dropped, been dreadful bar Swansea at home.

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Why do you think Austin isnt in the squad ?

Thought he had a knock?

Dripping Gabbi just shows me that MP has fundamentally misunderstood why we are struggling to score. If it works, hats off but I bet it won't.

Thought he had a knock?

i hope that's the case

He said Austin may not be fit

Personally, I'm glad to see Long coming back in. Playing Gabbi isn't working.

Why is Davis never dropped? Tidy player but our attack suffers for him being in it.

 

Tadic was finally dropped for awful form and immediately rewarded with a return, why?

 

Boufal again gets a start then dropped. Sell him if we aren't going to actually bother starting him.

 

Gabbiadini should be really fcked off. Made all the right runs, no idiot could pick him out, so he gets dropped. Long and Gabbiadini would be good, but switching to just Long seems really negative.

 

Early days and not judging MP yet, but struggling to find many positives so far. I get that keeping it tight and having Long chase them down might help, but surely Long and Gabbiadini giving their fragile defence a scare would be a little more bold? First goal is huge, if we get it we can really worry them. If they get it I think it's game over as it'll be a huge lift for them, new start etc., whereas our team doesn't seem to have any belief we can score.

well said, very well said tbh

Not sure why we have gone with long without changing the formation. How is long going to be any different given he is an inferior player to gabbiadini?

So we persist with the out of form Tadic and Redmond.

Is our squad really that weak in the attacking positions?

Hopefully with Long back we'll be on the front foot.

#bringbackthepress

Drop Gabbi, but play Redmond and Tadic.

 

Disappointed with that.

How ridiculous - class striker gets no service from the likes of Tadic, Redmond etc...and class striker pays the price. I know the Manager has a fairly mediocre squad but Gabbiadini is one of his trump cards - I can't see this ending well.

Personally, I'm glad to see Long coming back in. Playing Gabbi isn't working.