Saints v Everton Build-up

I remember when we were in a bad run under Koeman and we played Everton at home - with player out etc

He changed the shape of the side to 3 at the back, changed the starting line up and we beat them 3-0

I remember when we were in a bad run under Koeman and we played Everton at home - with player out etc

 

He changed the shape of the side to 3 at the back, changed the starting line up and we beat them 3-0

Started Harrison Reed IIRC.

I wonder if he will change because he must be getting desperate. A friend that works at Saints told me on Monday that he has heard that two games is the figure being talked about within the club. My remark was that's two games too many.

The club will close ranks until a decision is made. It seems that a consensus amongst some of those working at SFC is that he needs to be replaced ASAP. I asked about the training, loads of shooting practice but under no pressure. Any body can shoot if they aren't going to be opposed by 10 defenders. As we play so slowly and don't attack in numbers we are always going to be outnumbered up front.

Pellegrino has to pick a different team with a different philosophy, even without Romeu. Hojbjerg did a good job at WBA last year. For me put in three strikers, play as physically strong a midfield as possible with two full backs and our three best centre backs and maybe give McCarthy a go although he didn't look that great against Fulham last night. If we stop this ridiculous 600 pass go nowhere style and go toe to toe with the opposition with a high tempo the crowd will wake up and get behind the team rather than demonstrating 90 minutes of frustration at the dross then Pellegrino may yet save his season. I can see no change and Everton winning. Then wait for the eruption at full time.

I wonder if he will change because he must be getting desperate. A friend that works at Saints told me on Monday that he has heard that two games is the figure being talked about within the club. My remark was that's two games too many.

 

The club will close ranks until a decision is made. It seems that a consensus amongst some of those working at SFC is that he needs to be replaced ASAP. I asked about the training, loads of shooting practice but under no pressure. Any body can shoot if they aren't going to be opposed by 10 defenders. As we play so slowly and don't attack in numbers we are always going to be outnumbered up front.

 

Pellegrino has to pick a different team with a different philosophy, even without Romeu. Hojbjerg did a good job at WBA last year. For me put in three strikers, play as physically strong a midfield three as possible with two full backs and our three best centre backs and maybe give McCarthy a go although he didn't look that great against Fulham last night. If we stop this ridiculous 600 pass go nowhere style and go toe to toe with the opposition with a high tempo the crowd will wake up and get behind the team rather than demonstrating 90 minutes of frustration at the dross then Pellegrino may yet save his season. I can see no change and Everton winning. Then wait for the eruption at full time.

Don't disagree with the sentiment but your formation has us starting with 11 outfield players.

I wonder if he will change because he must be getting desperate. A friend that works at Saints told me on Monday that he has heard that two games is the figure being talked about within the club. My remark was that's two games too many.

 

The club will close ranks until a decision is made. It seems that a consensus amongst some of those working at SFC is that he needs to be replaced ASAP. I asked about the training, loads of shooting practice but under no pressure. Any body can shoot if they aren't going to be opposed by 10 defenders. As we play so slowly and don't attack in numbers we are always going to be outnumbered up front.

 

Pellegrino has to pick a different team with a different philosophy, even without Romeu. Hojbjerg did a good job at WBA last year. For me put in three strikers, play as physically strong a midfield three as possible with two full backs and our three best centre backs and maybe give McCarthy a go although he didn't look that great against Fulham last night. If we stop this ridiculous 600 pass go nowhere style and go toe to toe with the opposition with a high tempo the crowd will wake up and get behind the team rather than demonstrating 90 minutes of frustration at the dross then Pellegrino may yet save his season. I can see no change and Everton winning. Then wait for the eruption at full time.

So your plan to change it up is play a keeper who just let in four against Fulham's kids? A physical midfield that contains a defensive midfielder who couldn't stop Fulham's kids scoring four. Assuming no Lemina (as well as Romeu) the other two midfielders to go toe to toe, with Everton, in a high tempo style are Davis and JWP (another midfielder who struggled to shine against Fulham's kids) and then we throw three strikers, who couldn't score in a brothel, upfront?

Just sums up for me who ever the manager is our squad is pretty ****e right now.

Don't disagree with the sentiment but your formation has us starting with 11 outfield players.

Silly mistake after starting at the front.

I wonder if he will change because he must be getting desperate. A friend that works at Saints told me on Monday that he has heard that two games is the figure being talked about within the club. My remark was that's two games too many.

 

The club will close ranks until a decision is made. It seems that a consensus amongst some of those working at SFC is that he needs to be replaced ASAP. I asked about the training, loads of shooting practice but under no pressure. Any body can shoot if they aren't going to be opposed by 10 defenders. As we play so slowly and don't attack in numbers we are always going to be outnumbered up front.

 

Pellegrino has to pick a different team with a different philosophy, even without Romeu. Hojbjerg did a good job at WBA last year. For me put in three strikers, play as physically strong a midfield three as possible with two full backs and our three best centre backs and maybe give McCarthy a go although he didn't look that great against Fulham last night. If we stop this ridiculous 600 pass go nowhere style and go toe to toe with the opposition with a high tempo the crowd will wake up and get behind the team rather than demonstrating 90 minutes of frustration at the dross then Pellegrino may yet save his season. I can see no change and Everton winning. Then wait for the eruption at full time.

Think he should be allowed the game away at Man City. Would you want the new manager to have to pick up the reins before that game and prepare for it knowing the chances are that we'll lose?

You've got that right but led by a manager without a clue, philosophy be damned, it's results that count. Two or three strikers after no chances created by five midfielders, four defenders and one striker and only on for fifteen minutes to try and rescue a game. That's been successful except for Austin's penalty, good job it wasn't Tadic at that stage.When Austin came on at Liverpool, Pellegrino was lecturing him and pointing what looked like his defensive duties. It should have been get in the box and get us a goal. Forster looks like a rabbit in the headlights. VVD's face said it all after one of the goals, it looks like the defence have lost confidence in him and he knows it. A save nowadays is the ball hits him or he palms it away if straight at him

McCarthy

Cedric yoshi van dijk Bertrand

Hojberg Davis

Boufal hesketh McQueen

Gabbi

Time to try couple of youngsters & hopefully McCarthy over sir palms a lot.

I think whatever the team and formation the fans really need to try and get behind the team this weekend and make some noise for the lads we have some hard matches coming up over December and really need points from this match !

I think whatever lineup he presents it's going to end up with the same plodding, uninspiring display.

We don't have anyone you could call a 'danger man'. Everything is slow, sluggish and ultimately uninspiring.

A 0-0 is the height of our ambitions. We're f'ing ****.

I think whatever the team and formation the fans really need to try and get behind the team this weekend and make some noise for the lads we have some hard matches coming up over December and really need points from this match !

The fans have been there long enough, trying to drive the team into a decent performance and it has no effect.

If we concede first, we're not getting back into the game.. and that is hard to get excited about.

I almost tempted to think two more defeats in the next two games is probably for the best long term good.

Everton are around 3/1 to win. I know where my money will go this weekend.

If MoPe is to be sacked right after the Everton game is the best time. We’re expected to lose against City so the pressure will be off the new Mgt team. Personally I don’t think it’s about him though, more about the dross in the forward line.

If MoPe is to be sacked right after the Everton game is the best time. We’re expected to lose against City so the pressure will be off the new Mgt team. Personally I don’t think it’s about him though, more about the dross in the forward line.

That he keeps picking, and in Tadic's and Redmond's case on the wrong side.

Reckon the atmosphere will turn extremely sour if we start losing.

Anything but 3 points and I’d say MoPe’s position becomes untenable.

I remember when we were in a bad run under Koeman and we played Everton at home - with player out etc

 

He changed the shape of the side to 3 at the back, changed the starting line up and we beat them 3-0

Turned our season around. The formation change coincided with Forsters return to the team (an in-form Forster) but it was the formation change that set us back on course, even although Koeman obviously didn't always play 3 at the back thereafter. Like to see Pelligrino give it another try with his strongest team this time. This should get the fullbacks further forward quicker which will create chances. It gives the option of dispensing with one or other of the misfiring Redmond and Tadic or both. It facilitates two up front if necessary. At the very least it's trying something different and giving the opposition something to think about.

what about

------------ Traffic Cone ------------

---- Yosh - Hoedt - Stephens ------

Soares ---- VVD ----- Bertrand

----- Davis --------- Lemina -------

---------- Boufal ------

------------------ Gabbi ---------

When was our last relegation 6 pointer?

Turned our season around. The formation change coincided with Forsters return to the team (an in-form Forster) but it was the formation change that set us back on course, even although Koeman obviously didn't always play 3 at the back thereafter. Like to see Pelligrino give it another try with his strongest team this time. This should get the fullbacks further forward quicker which will create chances. It gives the option of dispensing with one or other of the misfiring Redmond and Tadic or both. It facilitates two up front if necessary. At the very least it's trying something different and giving the opposition something to think about.

Did it? That was Koeman's 1st season in charge assuming Batman has got the right game 3-0 at home to Everton. We'd only lost six games at that point and where 5th in the table (and five of those games were Arsenal, Spurs, Man U, city and Liverpool) we lost eight games after the Everton game. The 7th place finish was built on only losing two of our first twelve fixtures that season.

When was our last relegation 6 pointer?

First season back, when we went to QPR and beat them 3-1. The media dubbed the match 'El Sackico'. I think they were 20th and we were 19th.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/20278600

I guess there were perhaps a couple more after that, but that one sticks out in my memory as being a massive game for us at the time.

That he keeps picking, and in Tadic's and Redmond's case on the wrong side.

Maybe, but who else is there? Dear Les has bled the squad dry of decent quality attacking players...bet if MoPe had Mane and Pelle it would be a totally different story.

How can it be so hard to score a goal? Everyone that plays us seems to find it fairly easy? Surely something has to change this Sunday?

Lemina not in the training pics. Will be tough without him or Romeu.

Wonder if we might consider 3 CBs to mask having a powderpuff midfield?

Lemina's injury seems like it might take him up to the transfer window...

I thought it was commom knowledge thay Lemina was out until at least February?

I thought it was commom knowledge thay Lemina was out until at least February?

Where on earth did you read that?

I wonder if we will try Stephens in at CM?

a CM pairing of JWP and SD is terrifying

How can it be so hard to score a goal? Everyone that plays us seems to find it fairly easy? Surely something has to change this Sunday?

It starts with a shot on target...

Maybe, but who else is there? Dear Les has bled the squad dry of decent quality attacking players...bet if MoPe had Mane and Pelle it would be a totally different story.

I'm not a huge fan of Redmond, and although I've always quite rated Tadic, he has been pretty poor for a while. But I don't think either of them are bad enough to be used as an excuse for the manager. It's up to the manager to work out how best to use them. And if it's simply too difficult to come up with a far fetched idea such as "how about swapping them round?", pick other players. I've never been JWP's biggest fan, but we had an excellent spell under Puel when he played on the right, for example.

The reason managers like Allardyce are successful with poor/average teams is that they assess what they DO have and work out how to get the best out of them. Our squad has a couple of weak areas but overall it's decent. Unfortunately Pellegrino seems to be set in his ways, and is simply picking the players that best suit that style even though it's the style that isn't working. I think we should be picking the striker most likely to score a goal (probably Gabbiadini) and then working back from that, focused on how to get him the best chances to score.

It starts with a shot on target...

We really do have to win this . Any win would be great but there is a fundamental problem and a win will just paper over the cracks.

With the run of games we are in any manger would be under pressure. Every game for our manager is now a must perform or avoid a tonking.

A late win for Everton and the ground will erupt as posted earlier and he won't survive that.

It really would be kinder to put him out of his misery. His wife must be packing already. " Now where did we put these carboard boxes ?"

We really do have to win this . Any win would be great but there is a fundamental problem and a win will just paper over the cracks.

With the run of games we are in any manger would be under pressure. Every game for our manager is now a must perform or avoid a tonking.

 

A late win for Everton and the ground will erupt as posted earlier and he won't survive that.

It really would be kinder to put him out of his misery. His wife must be packing already. " Now where did we put these carboard boxes ?"

Did it? That was Koeman's 1st season in charge assuming Batman has got the right game 3-0 at home to Everton. We'd only lost six games at that point and where 5th in the table (and five of those games were Arsenal, Spurs, Man U, city and Liverpool) we lost eight games after the Everton game. The 7th place finish was built on only losing two of our first twelve fixtures that season.

Wednesday 13th February 2-0 home win against an in-form Watford to give Saints only they're second win in 9 matches (from memory the other win was Arsenal which I think was a 442?). Results picked up from there although we didn't always go with 3-5-2.

"The biggest alteration for the home side, though, was a tactical tweak by manager Ronald Koeman as Ryan Bertrand slotted in at centre-back in a 3-5-2 formation."

http://www.skysports.com/football/soton-vs-watford/341394

Anyway, pedantry aside, do you have a view on the merits of 352?

Going by the training gallery...it looks like the next match will be same sh it different day! If we lose on Sunday I hope the hell they have the balls the sack this clown come Monday morning.

I am normally up beat about Saints and look forward to match days, but lately it's sucked the life out of that enjoyment with this brand of football.

Wednesday 13th February 2-0 home win against an in-form Watford to give Saints only they're second win in 9 matches (from memory the other win was Arsenal which I think was a 442?). Results picked up from there although we didn't always go with 3-5-2.

 

"The biggest alteration for the home side, though, was a tactical tweak by manager Ronald Koeman as Ryan Bertrand slotted in at centre-back in a 3-5-2 formation."

 

http://www.skysports.com/football/soton-vs-watford/341394

 

Anyway, pedantry aside, do you have a view on the merits of 352?

Ahh now I get were we are getting our wires crossed Batman said it was the 3-0 at home to Everton that we went three at the back which was Koeman's first season and you are talking about our second season under Koeman after the poor mid winter run.

Going by the training gallery...it looks like the next match will be same sh it different day!

What's in the training gallery?

I am disappointed that he hasn’t been fired this week, but will put all that to one side come kick off time as this is a very significant fixture. The echo showed a scary comparison with our home results in our last PL relegation campaign, and many will remember that we squandered winnable fixtures under Wigley. Although we finished bottom we were a much better team in my opinion under Arry with better players signed and he got Crouch scoring. But the home fixture list was much tougher after Xmas.

It is hard to see us being above 20 points come halfway stage if we don’t win this one. If we don’t, and performance again is poor, I will vent my feelings at the final whistle but not before

If MoPe is to be sacked right after the Everton game is the best time. We’re expected to lose against City so the pressure will be off the new Mgt team. Personally I don’t think it’s about him though, more about the dross in the forward line.

Isn't the City game midweek? By that point it would only be a caretaker manager anyway, and there's seldom any pressure on those unless they aspire to the top job (which rarely seems to work out).

Ahh now I get were we are getting our wires crossed Batman said it was the 3-0 at home to Everton that we went three at the back which was Koeman's first season and you are talking about our second season under Koeman after the poor mid winter run.

It was Watford at home in 2016 when Koeman changed the formation. Stuck with it for a few weeks.

I can't see how he can survive Sunday without a decent performance.

I've read this a few times over the last few weeks but what does it mean exactly?

It was Watford at home in 2016 when Koeman changed the formation. Stuck with it for a few weeks.

It was both that and Everton the previous season.

That followed the appalling display at Sheffield Utd in the League Cup. We played Toby, Fonte and Yoshida as a back 3 against Lukaku and Eto. also had Harrison Reed in midfield. Won 3-0 and Yoshi scored.

We then played it again next game at Palace on Boxing Day, with Gardos in for Fonte and won again, but dropped it for Chelsea at home as both full backs were out. Clyne injured and Bertrand ineligible.

I thought it was commom knowledge thay Lemina was out until at least February?

He was “training well” last week, and making a faster than expected recovery according to this...

https://southamptonfc.com/news/2017-11-16/team-news-mauricio-pellegrino-liverpool-saints-premier-league

I remember when we were in a bad run under Koeman and we played Everton at home - with player out etc

 

He changed the shape of the side to 3 at the back, changed the starting line up and we beat them 3-0

It was Watford at home in 2016 when Koeman changed the formation. Stuck with it for a few weeks.

yeah but I was going on the post above...

yeah but I was going on the post above...

Fake news from Batman, there's a first.

Fake news from Batman, there's a first.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/30459790

yep, deffo 'fake news ' from me and yes, deffo was 2016 against Watford..

Niasse is banned for Sunday’s game:

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/42086238

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/30459790

 

yep, deffo 'fake news ' from me and yes, deffo was 2016 against Watford..

Fair enough, looks like Koeman did change things a bit, he certainly played 5across the back in the next game against Palace, but some reports show Bertrand playing MF against Everton. Anyway this is not the major turnaround most people remember, which was after the appalling run in December when Koeman was coming under serious pressure and he switched formation and stuck with it for several weeks. It also coincided with Forster's return. Ultimately Koeman saved Saints with his switch but fell out with Reed (Les) which lead to his departure.

Fair enough, looks like Koeman did change things a bit, he certainly played 5across the back in the next game against Palace, but some reports show Bertrand playing MF against Everton. Anyway this is not the major turnaround most people remember, which was after the appalling run in December when Koeman was coming under serious pressure and he switched formation and stuck with it for several weeks. It also coincided with Forster's return. Ultimately Koeman saved Saints with his switch but fell out with Reed (Les) which lead to his departure.

Fair enough, looks like Koeman did change things a bit, he certainly played 5across the back in the next game against Palace, but some reports show Bertrand playing MF against Everton. Anyway this is not the major turnaround most people remember, which was after the appalling run in December when Koeman was coming under serious pressure and he switched formation and stuck with it for several weeks. It also coincided with Forster's return. Ultimately Koeman saved Saints with his switch but fell out with Reed (Les) which lead to his departure.

Think you’re confusing seasons pal.