Arsenal vs Southampton build up thread

If we don't use JWP and get set pieces and crosses in against Arsenal then we should give up.

 

Stephens Yoshi Hoedt

Cedric JWP Romeu Lemina Bertrand

Austin Carrillo

If we do use Ward-Prowse the game is definitely up. We are not going to survive the precipice by scoring from corners and the occasional set piece. The pace of Sims; the guile of Boufal; Lemina further forward - Tadic, Redmond out.......three midfielders....Romeu and Hojbjerg holding with Lemina forward of them.......Austin and Gabbiadini in the frame.....Yoshida back in for either Stephens or Hoedt.

Just had a run through of fixtures remaining and it is going to require at least one shock win. I have us collecting five more points, which are beating Bournemouth and draws against Chelsea and Swansea. I don’t see Stoke overtaking us having looked at their fixtures, and the team that I think will finish 4th bottom are Udders who I have finishing on 35. This Arsenal game, given Europa cup distractions, is one of those potential shocks but on Saturday evidence there is no prospect of that happening sadly.

Just had a run through of fixtures remaining and it is going to require at least one shock win. I have us collecting five more points, which are beating Bournemouth and draws against Chelsea and Swansea. I don’t see Stoke overtaking us having looked at their fixtures, and the team that I think will finish 4th bottom are Udders who I have finishing on 35. This Arsenal game, given Europa cup distractions, is one of those potential shocks but on Saturday evidence there is no prospect of that happening sadly.

Think we can get a result against Arsenal. They were so so flat yesterday and were there for the taking and Stoke weren t able to profit.

We ll be looking for a response after our 2 previous gutless performances.

Think of how to get more players on the pitch who are up for it....

McCarthy

Stephens

Yoshida

Bertrand

JwP

McQueen

Romeu

Hoj

Sims

Austin

Long

Just can’t have Cedric, tadic, redmond and sadly, gabbi in the side

It currently feels like 04/05 in so much as if we escape it will only be because there are 3 worse teams, not because we have the balls to dig ourselves out of this. Also think it would have to be a record low points survival threshold for us to escape. Maybe 33?

Gut feeling is 2 from Stoke, us, Hudders and if they implode maybe Swansea?? Still think Palace have the firepower to get themselves out of it.

I wouldn't be putting any money on us surviving.

Look at our form. Look at how many goals we've scored. If there is anyone who honestly can say hand on heart that they think we'll beat Arsenal? It will take a miracle - 3-0 or possibly 4-0 to Arse.

It currently feels like 04/05 in so much as if we escape it will only be because there are 3 worse teams, not because we have the balls to dig ourselves out of this. Also think it would have to be a record low points survival threshold for us to escape. Maybe 33?

 

Gut feeling is 2 from Stoke, us, Hudders and if they implode maybe Swansea?? Still think Palace have the firepower to get themselves out of it.

 

I wouldn't be putting any money on us surviving.

Isn't that the whole point and always the case?

McCarthy

Cedric Stephens Yoshida Bertrand

Tadic Romeu Davis Boufal

Long Austin

McCarthy

Cedric Stephens Yoshida Bertrand

Tadic Romeu Davis Boufal

Long Austin

Are you mental?

McCarthy

Cedric Stephens Yoshida Bertrand

Tadic Romeu Davis Boufal

Long Austin

!!!!!

Are you looking for us to concede double figures?

I'm trying to stay positive for this one. Draw.

I just cannot see us scoring.

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nailed on defeat

Probably a free hit this one and the next one. Only straws are Conte exiting and Arsenals Europa League. Two up front without Tadic and Redmond might work. Maybe 3-5-2 as Aubameyang is a short arse and it allows us to get shot of Cedric and Bertrand and bring in Yoshi. Romeu, Lemina and JWP in the middle. Sims and Boufal wide. Long and Austin up top.

Probably a free hit this one and the next one. Only straws are Conte exiting and Arsenals Europa League. Two up front with Tadic and Redmond might work. Maybe 3-5-2 as Aubameyang is a short arse and it allows us to get shot of Cedric and Bertrand and bring in Yoshi. Romeu, Lemina and JWP in the middle. Sims and Boufal wide. Long and Austin up top.

Make that 13 players for us?

Still lose :/

McCarthy

Cedric. Stephens yoshida Bertrand

Romeau lemina

Boufal tadic sims

Gabbi

Even though tempting to go with the legs of long on the break I still think gabbi is our best striker provided he gets the right service

First things first, let's just see if we can go the first 15 minutes without conceding. We were dead in both Newcastle and West Ham 'must win' games within that time.

3-5-2

McCarthy

Stephens Yoshida Hoedt

JWP Hojbjerg Romeu Bertrand

Lemina

Austin Long

Cedric doesn't work, bin. Tadic doesn't work, bin. Redmond is just...bin.

Gabbiadini doesn't work, Arsenal is not the game for him. Long can run around and press their centre halves, Mustafi is prone to errors and so is Chambers (Koscielny will probably be rested for Europa League).

The one thing in Saints' favour here is that Arsenal's players will care even less about the result of this game than Southampton's.

Arsenal will probably rest players in preparation for Europa second leg, and play something like:

Bellerin Mustafi Chambers Kolasinac

Xhaka Elneny Ramsey

Iwobi Lacazette Welbeck

With Ozil, Aubameyang, Mkhitaryan and Wilshere kept on the bench (as well as Koscielny and Monreal).

Build up thread, Why bother, the players clearly don`t, Arse to win 4-0. After another gutless/spineless/leaderless shower from the "players" wearing a saints kit.

----------------McCarthy-------------------

Pied ---- Yoshida ---- Hoedt ---- Bertrand

--------Lemina-Romeu-Davis-----------

JWP------------------------------Redmond

-------------------Long---------------------

Probably a free hit this one and the next one. Only straws are Conte exiting and Arsenals Europa League. Two up front without Tadic and Redmond might work. Maybe 3-5-2 as Aubameyang is a short arse and it allows us to get shot of Cedric and Bertrand and bring in Yoshi. Romeu, Lemina and JWP in the middle. Sims and Boufal wide. Long and Austin up top.

We don't have any free hits left. There's no way we should look at any games as a free hit now, we need as many points as we can get.

At some point we need to attack the opposition. 4-3-3 for me, but with a narrow midfield supported by the full backs stepping up when we attack and the wings falling back into a 5 when we defend

--------------------mccarthy--------------------

Cedric---stephens---yoshida---bertrand

----------------------romeu----------------------

-------------lemina--------davis-------------

Redmond-------austin-------------sims

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At some point we need to attack the opposition. 4-3-3 for me, but with a narrow midfield supported by the full backs stepping up when we attack and the wings falling back into a 5 when we defend

 

--------------------mccarthy--------------------

Cedric---stephens---yoshida---bertrand

----------------------romeu----------------------

-------------lemina--------davis-------------

Redmond-------austin-------------sims

 

 

 

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Shame we can’t exchange the team like they do in Amercain football?

Ten offensive players off (ha ha do we have any?) then ten defensive players on (ha ha we have **** all of them either)

Shame we can’t exchange the team like they do in Amercain football?

 

Ten offensive players off (ha ha do we have any?) then ten defensive players on (ha ha we have **** all of them either)

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For what it's worth.....

---------------------- McCarthey ---------------------------

------- Stephens ----- Yoshida ------- Bertrand ----------

- JWP ----------- Davis -------- Romeu ------- McQueen -

---------- Sims --------------------------- Long -----------

------------------------- Austin -----------------------------

Subs: Forster, Cedric, Hoedt + 4 of: Hojbjerg/Lemina/Redmond/Boufal/Tadic/Gabbi/Carillo

For what it's worth.....

 

---------------------- McCarthey ---------------------------

 

------- Stephens ----- Yoshida ------- Bertrand ----------

 

- JWP ----------- Davis -------- Romeu ------- McQueen -

 

---------- Sims --------------------------- Long -----------

 

------------------------- Austin -----------------------------

 

Subs: Forster, Cedric, Hoedt + 4 of: Hojbjerg/Lemina/Redmond/Boufal/Tadic/Gabbi/Carillo

Would surely be the most expensive bench in Saints history, showing how bad the recruitment has been...

Yoshida has to come back in

Austin and Sims need to start together

Apart from that, **** knows.

The problem is that any team selection has to showcase our expensive mistakes in the hope of recovering some losses in the summer.

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Yoshida has to come back in

Austin and Sims need to start together

 

Apart from that, **** knows.

Wouldn't be surprised if neither of these happen...!

We have had a couple of seasons of uncertain leadership by two people who had had no previous experience of management in the PL so inevitably had to make things up and adapt as they went along up a very steep learning curve in an unforgiving environment. It is understandable that players used to more settled arrangements and patterns of play would have been bewildered by some of the changes in formation and playing styles that they had been asked to adopt.

In a sentence they have ended up "all at sea" and need now to be in effect re-educated into the routines and practices that they were more used to elsewhere and here under Koeman and Pochettino. It has affected every single one of our players and no wonder their confidence has been sapped. Hughes has an immense job on his hands re-buliding that confidence and self-belief in all his players not just a favoured few.

It is not just a simple case of picking those who are "up for the fight" as many on here see it. Of course a few will be mightily ****ed off with their individual treatment over two years and maybe want nothing more than to be out of this bloody madhouse (and I don't blame them for that) but most will still have an inner determination to get themselves back up to firing on all cylinders but it needs to be nurtured back into life and it can't happen over-night.

It is simply daft to point at individual players when the collective team effort has failed so miserably. Hughes has to set aside petty prejudices and gut feelings about individuals and do his best to restore them all to their highest level of capabilities and pick his best team for playing football not up for the fight.

—————————-McCarthey—————————

———Stephens ——Yoshida———Bertrand

JWP———PEH——-OR———Lemina ————-McQueen

———————————-Sims—————————————

———————————Long—————————————-

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—————————-McCarthey—————————

 

———Stephens ——Yoshida———Bertrand

 

JWP———PEH——-OR———Lemina ————-McQueen

 

———————————-Sims—————————————

 

———————————Long—————————————-

 

 

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Yes, I think you have picked the team I would go for too. 5 at the back when defending, but WP and McQ have the pace and drive to get forward to support attacks. Long to run them to exhaustion, Sims to be the potent threat.

Yes, I think you have picked the team I would go for too. 5 at the back when defending, but WP and McQ have the pace and drive to get forward to support attacks. Long to run them to exhaustion, Sims to be the potent threat.

JWP is probably the slowest player in our team. He's certainly not going to bomb forward and beat his man

Think he'd probably do alright at WB though, give us the option to hit an early cross.

Your team pick was garbage mate sorry. If you stop Tadic fine, but not for mcqueen... Sims should be in there. I would certainly drop Lemina. He is utter garbage, flatters to deceive about as much as Boufal but gets away from it more because he is less audacious. I would play:

 

 

.....................Macca......................

 

Pied Yoshida Stephens Bertrand

 

.................PEH...Romeu................

 

Redmond.......JWP................Sims

 

......................Gabba.......................

 

Really don't think it's complicated for the manager (whoever it is). Stop putting square pegs in round holes. Pick a fast possession team with players who want to run and carry the ball. Play in the opposition half, defend with everyone when we need to and then break fast (I can't remember the last time we counter attacked effectively... then use a lethal finisher with good movement, JWP for set prices... and a midfield 3 that don't **** around but just get and cycle the ball out to the runners whisky shielding the back (I.e. not what show ponies like Boufal/Tadic/Lemina do)! Winning football games isn't that hard, just get an effective and simple strat and stick to it FFS.

 

Saints don't have big physical players, what we have is technical players who run with the ball and can keep it. Just fecking let them do that in the 3rd that matters FFS.

 

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We have had a couple of seasons of uncertain leadership by two people who had had no previous experience of management in the PL so inevitably had to make things up and adapt as they went along up a very steep learning curve in an unforgiving environment. It is understandable that players used to more settled arrangements and patterns of play would have been bewildered by some of the changes in formation and playing styles that they had been asked to adopt.

 

In a sentence they have ended up "all at sea" and need now to be in effect re-educated into the routines and practices that they were more used to elsewhere and here under Koeman and Pochettino. It has affected every single one of our players and no wonder their confidence has been sapped. Hughes has an immense job on his hands re-buliding that confidence and self-belief in all his players not just a favoured few.

 

It is not just a simple case of picking those who are "up for the fight" as many on here see it. Of course a few will be mightily ****ed off with their individual treatment over two years and maybe want nothing more than to be out of this bloody madhouse (and I don't blame them for that) but most will still have an inner determination to get themselves back up to firing on all cylinders but it needs to be nurtured back into life and it can't happen over-night.

 

It is simply daft to point at individual players when the collective team effort has failed so miserably. Hughes has to set aside petty prejudices and gut feelings about individuals and do his best to restore them all to their highest level of capabilities and pick his best team for playing football not up for the fight.

I said years ago that we were on a gradual downwards lope and I was right to say this when it was unfashionable and unpopular.

I agree with what the poster says. The upswing will come about, but it will take years. If we get relegated I predict 10th next season.

I think Yoshi, Oriel and JWP have to come back in. Perhaps Davis too. We need experience and the older guard seem to care a bit more than the younger mercenaries. Have always liked McQueen's application too, and can't stand Tadic or Redmond's lily-livered barely care attitude. Gabbi's head has gone months ago, sadly.

—————————-McCarthey—————————

 

———Stephens ——Yoshida———Bertrand

 

JWP———PEH——-OR———Lemina ————-McQueen

 

———————————-Sims—————————————

 

———————————Long—————————————-

 

 

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I can see your logic with this line up but sadly can't see any goals ! Mind you, a goalless draw would be a result for sure !

I think Yoshi, Oriel and JWP have to come back in. Perhaps Davis too. We need experience and the older guard seem to care a bit more than the younger mercenaries. Have always liked McQueen's application too, and can't stand Tadic or Redmond's lily-livered barely care attitude. Gabbi's head has gone months ago, sadly.

Agree with all this. I can't understand why Yoshi ,in particular, isn't being selected.

Agree with all this. I can't understand why Yoshi ,in particular, isn't being selected.

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He has been injured.

 

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Yes, but he has been available for selection for a while now. He's clearly our most experienced and most reliable defender, so it's criminal that he hasn't come back in to the starting 11 yet.

Forster

Cedric Yoshi Hoedt Bertrand

JWP Romeu Lemina

Sims Austin Long

 

Forster? Yeah, just a feeling. Need more fight and people who seem to give a ****, need set piece threat. Yoshi, Romeu, JWP, Long and Sims need to be playing for me. Yes Long has been poor in front of goal but we need to work hard to have a chance the rest of the season and shouldn't reward the half arsed displays of some others. Plus, Long working hard to make room for Austin sounds good to me. Sims and Long around him provide plenty of pace.

Not a bad shout

Yes, but he has been available for selection for a while now. He's clearly our most experienced and most reliable defender, so it's criminal that he hasn't come back in to the starting 11 yet.

It's criminal that he's become our most experienced and reliable defender.

It's criminal that he's become our most experienced and reliable defender.

Agreed.

Yoshida's decent enough at this level. But, for a club that finished 6th only two seasons ago (!!!), 'decent' just doesn't cut it. Presumably we bought Hoedt in the hope that he would develop into the VVD type, and he's still young enough to do so.

Got a good feeling about this one, after last week I think Hughes will get a response and we'll nick a draw.

Our biggest weakness is the long ball / cross in between out full back and CB's (Cedric and Stephens in particular), I don't think Arsenal will play that way.

McCarthy

Cedric

Yoshida

Hoedt

Bertrand

Lemina

Romeu

Sims

Davis (if fit) or JWP

Boufal

Austin

Got a good feeling about this one, after last week I think Hughes will get a response and we'll nick a draw.

 

Our biggest weakness is the long ball / cross in between out full back and CB's (Cedric and Stephens in particular), I don't think Arsenal will play that way.

 

McCarthy

 

Cedric

Yoshida

Hoedt

Bertrand

 

Lemina

Romeu

 

Sims

Davis (if fit) or JWP

Boufal

 

Austin

I'd go for that line up too .

Much will depend on not conceding early and getting the right service to Austin though

McCarthy

Cedric (or Pied) Stephens Yoshida McQueen

Romeu

JWP Lemina Davis Sims

Austin

Subs Taylor Pied/Cedric Hoedt Bertrand Hojbjerg Gabbi Long

Hopefully Tadic, Boufal and Redmond not even on the bench. Might even consider Bednarek on the bench instead of the awful Hoedt.

Lemina to push forward more, Romeu to provide the DM anchor role (and try to avoid getting a yellow)

As its a Sunday kick off I hope the Saints posers have prayed hard!

A win away to Arsenal and we’d be back in with a chance.

WHAT? Win away to Arsenal??

Far more likely that we won’t win another game this season.

Puel taught us how to play Arsenal

4-1-4-1

Cedric Maya Hoedt Bertrand

Romeu

Hojbjerg Lemina

JWP Redmond

Long