Saints v Boscome

Simply can't be starting this game with Tadic, Redmond and one up front. It has failed all season, every time.

 

Time to bring Fraser back in as he has something to prove and McCarthy hasn't been all that.

 

Lemina - one last chance to prove he isn't a feckless lazy tart.

 

Long needs a rest - that touch against Chelseas hows how far shot his confidence is.

 

Impact from the bench if we need it.

 

Forster

 

Cedric Yoshi Bednarek Bertrand

 

Sims Lemina JWP Tadic

 

Gabbiadini (10)

 

Austin (9)

Wind up, right?

Simply can't be starting this game with Tadic, Redmond and one up front. It has failed all season, every time.

 

Time to bring Fraser back in as he has something to prove and McCarthy hasn't been all that.

 

Lemina - one last chance to prove he isn't a feckless lazy tart.

 

Long needs a rest - that touch against Chelseas hows how far shot his confidence is.

 

Impact from the bench if we need it.

 

Forster

 

Cedric Yoshi Bednarek Bertrand

 

Sims Lemina JWP Tadic

 

Gabbiadini (10)

 

Austin (9)

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Sorry CB I think your grasp has failed you. If we beat Bournemouth then Swansea would have to beat both Chelsea and Bournemouth (and us lose to Everton) for Swansea to be safe. A win against Bournemouth also puts other teams in our sights including, based on your scenario, Bournemouth themselves.

By the way I've just watched the presser and I thought he was showing calm determination. What do you want him to be doing, laughing and joking about our need to get out of a big hole?

Why are some posters still picking teams? Might as well put all the names in a hat and pick them out at random. At least it might be entertaining. We are going down. Sooner we start rebuilding the better.

Why are some posters still picking teams? Might as well put all the names in a hat and pick them out at random. At least it might be entertaining. We are going down. Sooner we start rebuilding the better.

Play Forster upfront, big targetman we have missed since Pelle left. Fox-in-the-box Austin to pick up the pieces and score a hatful! 5 in defence, 3 in midfield, stop Bournemouth from scoring and just lump it up to the big man.

Tactical genius me.

Yep. We've been awful regardless of who we play. Personally I'd give forster another try to see if he could do anything next year.

I hope he isn’t here next year- not with those ridiculously reported £90k a week.

I also think the club really *****ed it and NOT put in relegation wage clauses.

Play Forster upfront, big targetman we have missed since Pelle left. Fox-in-the-box Austin to pick up the pieces and score a hatful! 5 in defence, 3 in midfield, stop Bournemouth from scoring and just lump it up to the big man.

 

Tactical genius me.

If you saw Forster attempting to volley crosses goal-wards during the keeper warm-up at Wembley then you might change your mind ;-)

Surprised he hasn't joined the injured list he hit the ground so hard without touching the ball!

Boufal is in disgrace, training with the U23s and won't be playing.

 

And that team would have no control of the ball whatsoever.

 

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Thing is, Lemina and Hojbjerg playing at their full potential in a well-coached side should be more than enough presence in the middle to give that team control of the ball.

Thing is, Lemina and Hojbjerg playing at their full potential in a well-coached side should be more than enough presence in the middle to give that team control of the ball.

You're kidding Hoj is one of the worst culprits when it comes to giving the ball away cheaply.

You're kidding Hoj is one of the worst culprits when it comes to giving the ball away cheaply.

To be fair Lemina more than matches Hojbjerg in that respect. They're not the only culprits either. I'm sure someone has the stats to show just how many important goals Saints have conceded after giving the ball away cheaply.

To be fair Lemina more than matches Hojbjerg in that respect. They're not the only culprits either. I'm sure someone has the stats to show just how many important goals Saints have conceded after giving the ball away cheaply.

One thing that has disappointed me is that we've still conceded after giving the ball away in so called 'good areas of the pitch'. Areas where we should have been able to recover from but have failed to do so. So the player who turned it over is obviously culpable, but other players need to be more aware and quicker to react when we do loose possession.

I think there was some pundit that said recently that we were 'too nice', and I tend to agree - we need to know when to be a little bit more 'cynical' in the right areas when we are stretched.

This really is our last chance to dig ourselves out of the sh*t......

All but confirmed relegated following a defeat / draw against Bournemouth. How the mighty have fallen.

I have a feeling we will win this, woop woop

Ye, but what if we win?

That will cause pain and torment.

I find that hard to believe as most betting sites suspend season-long betting when games are in progress.

Well £56.99 to be exact. Not that that's going to make you stop calling other posters a liar in off hand remarks.

Simply can't be starting this game with Tadic, Redmond and one up front. It has failed all season, every time.

 

Time to bring Fraser back in as he has something to prove and McCarthy hasn't been all that.

 

Lemina - one last chance to prove he isn't a feckless lazy tart.

 

Long needs a rest - that touch against Chelseas hows how far shot his confidence is.

 

Impact from the bench if we need it.

 

Forster

 

Cedric Yoshi Bednarek Bertrand

 

Sims Lemina JWP Tadic

 

Gabbiadini (10)

 

Austin (9)

May we assume that you have not seen a Saints match all season ??

This really is our last chance to dig ourselves out of the sh*t......

Blimey, you still believe!

I think we're already gone tbh.

Why are some posters still picking teams? Might as well put all the names in a hat and pick them out at random. At least it might be entertaining. We are going down. Sooner we start rebuilding the better.

Just given this a go. Assuming a 4-4-2 formation in the order they came out of the hat:

Romeu

Hoedt-Stephens-Long-Forster

Pied - Taylor - Gardos - Hesketh

Sims - Yoshida

Good balance to that side IMO.

The fact that McCarthy has barely been mentioned shows what a solid job he's done - it's been nice to watch games and not have to look away every time the ball goes anywhere near our 'keeper.

Blimey, you still believe!

 

I think we're already gone tbh.

The world has taken a turn for the surreal when Alpine is the most optimistic poster on a thread!!!

Like many on here, I think we'll be playing Championship football next season, but that is based on an awful year and the odds on us winning 2 or 3 of the remaining games...

But, we are capable of winning tomorrow. I know we have forgotten what that feels like, but play with as much commitment as we did against Chelsea and we may sneak the three points tomorrow.

Then the world will look a different place.

Keep the faith everyone, in the fairy godmother we trust...

To be fair Lemina more than matches Hojbjerg in that respect. They're not the only culprits either. I'm sure someone has the stats to show just how many important goals Saints have conceded after giving the ball away cheaply.

"Granit Xhaka and Shkodran Mustafi have combined beautifully for Arsenal to be joint top of the outfield errors that lead to goals chart. Alongside Southampton (top work Wesley Hoedt and Cédric Soares!), they have committed nine howlers that have led to the opposition scoring. "

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/apr/27/the-premier-league-teams-ineptitude-index-2017-18

Blimey, you still believe!

 

I think we're already gone tbh.

Win the next two and Swansea lose the next two and the game in hand between the sides would become loser gets relegated. But 2 wins in a row is in the realm of pure fantasy for this squad let alone 3.

I'm writing off the Man City game ( although secretly hoping they'll be in holiday mode by then).

For me tomorrow is the crunch day. The way I see it if we beat Bournemouth we will also beat Swansea and Everton. If we lose we won't get another point. So it's either 9 more points or zero more points, really can't see any other combination of results happening.

And unfortunately even the optimistic 9 still leaves us depending on the results of others.

Win the next two and Swansea lose the next two and the game in hand between the sides would become loser gets relegated. But 2 wins in a row is in the realm of pure fantasy for this squad let alone 3.

That's where I sit, it's obviously within the realms of possibility for a team to win the next 3 and end up on 38 points, but how can we do that? We've only won 2 games since November..!!!! We have 0 momentum to carry.

I'm writing off the Man City game ( although secretly hoping they'll be in holiday mode by then).

For me tomorrow is the crunch day. The way I see it if we beat Bournemouth we will also beat Swansea and Everton. If we lose we won't get another point. So it's either 9 more points or zero more points, really can't see any other combination of results happening.

And unfortunately even the optimistic 9 still leaves us depending on the results of others.

To be honest if we get 9 points and get to the City game on 38 points, I'm pretty confident we will be ok.

To be honest if we get 9 points and get to the City game on 38 points, I'm pretty confident we will be ok.

Another interesting possibility is Huddersfield getting dragged into it. If they lose to Everton tomorrow, their last three are Man City, Chelsea and Arsenal, about as **** a run in as you can get.

I'm writing off the Man City game ( although secretly hoping they'll be in holiday mode by then).

For me tomorrow is the crunch day. The way I see it if we beat Bournemouth we will also beat Swansea and Everton. If we lose we won't get another point. So it's either 9 more points or zero more points, really can't see any other combination of results happening.

And unfortunately even the optimistic 9 still leaves us depending on the results of others.

if we get 9 we stay up, pretty confident of that.

Another interesting possibility is Huddersfield getting dragged into it. If they lose to Everton tomorrow, their last three are Man City, Chelsea and Arsenal, about as **** a run in as you can get.

I just don't think we can- we just have to beat Everton and Bournemouth- and say we do because they are comfortably midtable (and I apply that assumption to teams below!)....We have to beat Swansea- moves us to 38. 3 wins in a row doesn't seem likely anyway...

but if the above somehow still happens, I still think that Swansea will beat Bournemouth and Stoke at home (moves them to 39), Huddersfield beat Everton at home, and gain a point to Arsenal (moves them to 39), West Ham beat Everton at home and draw to Leicester (39).

That would mean Brighton is our best chance... we really need the points on board to put pressure on... but for the life of me cannot see it happening.

I hope he isn’t here next year- not with those ridiculously reported £90k a week.

I also think the club really *****ed it and NOT put in relegation wage clauses.

Arrogance or just shortsightedness??

I just can't imagine us winning. It's been so long.

We'll start slow, ride out the storm, start to look better and then concede and the heads will drop. End in a useless draw.

Please show me I am wrong Saints! Please!

1 win in 21 and suddenly we're going to win three out of our last four

Won't happen. We'll draw tomorrow.

I think it'll be similar to the Brighton home game, we'll start ok (but be very slow in possession) and have loads of the ball then we'll concede to their first attack (probably because Hoedt has messed up again) and we'll end up drawing with an Austin tap in.

Arrogance or just shortsightedness??

my guess is we just never thought relegation would be on the cards- not after finishing 8th, 7th, 6th then 8th. and okay yes last season we finished on 46 points, but it still meant that there was 12 teams worse than us!

so yeah could argue we thought we were too good to go down... ofc this is all my guesses, but I just don't think we did put relegation clauses in- hope I'm wrong.

It really surprises me that no one talks about our plight! A lot of media focus on Arsenal but their decline has been slowly coming- with us the drop truly is incredible, and should serve as example as to what can happen when recruitment goes wrong.

Our players prefer doing that stupid half-hearted clap to the fans than actually trying during games. It's become a trope we can't get out of. If they had think bubbles coming out of their heads they would be a mixture of them saying 'look at those suckers', pictures of a beach and their next club's functions. Oh, and a Lambo to drive over the fans with. We'll only win if I do my avoiding tactic so will be off playing cricket when we're playing. You can thank me later

If we beat Bournemouth then suddenly things will feel different. As well as a win putting us closer, it also gives us some momentum and belief ahead of Swansea.

But we said that before Newcastle, and before West Ham, when we were leading Chelsea 2-0 and to a lesser extent before Leicester. Whenever there has been an opportunity to claw ourselves towards safety, we have been found wanting. So I can't even think about "what we need in our last four games", I just have to hope we beat Bournemouth at the weekend, because if we don't the rest is irrelevant anyway.

Just given this a go. Assuming a 4-4-2 formation in the order they came out of the hat:

 

 

Romeu

Hoedt-Stephens-Long-Forster

Pied - Taylor - Gardos - Hesketh

Sims - Yoshida

 

Good balance to that side IMO.

Won't happen. Gardos is on loan.

We'll probably beat Bournemouth but all the other results will go against us. **** happens innit.

Liverpool will steamroller Stoke, and Chelsea seem to have found their swagger again, they'll be too much for Swansea. It's the Huddersfield result that will be crucial, I think the most likely scoreline is 0-0, given that Huddersfield can't score and Everton don't want to score.

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

-----Bednarek, Yoshida, Hoedt

JWP----------------------------Bertrand

--------Romeu, Hojbjerg----------

---Redmond----Austin-----Tadic

3-4-3 for me. Can't see anything other than a draw tomorrow. Hopefully be proved wrong!

If you saw Forster attempting to volley crosses goal-wards during the keeper warm-up at Wembley then you might change your mind ;-)

Surprised he hasn't joined the injured list he hit the ground so hard without touching the ball!

Saw that, funny as hell. He got up and sort of looked around as if to say, I wonder if anybody noticed that?

Technique and timing is definitely not one of his strong points.

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

-----Bednarek, Yoshida, Hoedt

JWP----------------------------Bertrand

--------Romeu, Hojbjerg----------

---Redmond----Austin-----Tadic

 

3-4-3 for me. Can't see anything other than a draw tomorrow. Hopefully be proved wrong!

I have thought about JWP as a right wing back, obviously not the quickest but can cross a ball. If we can just get the win tomorrow....I know it’s not really the same but I manage my youngest sons U7’s team and we lost the first 8 games of the season and it was hard but we managed to sneak a win in the 9th game and we went on a run and won the next 7 games. The point is belief and moment does happen.

If only Le God was playing

Come on you reds!!

I have thought about JWP as a right wing back, obviously not the quickest but can cross a ball.

Come on you reds!!

It's such a long time since I've seen our backs tackle, but isn't that part of the job description?

I think we’ve played much better under Hughes. He is a huge upgrade on that previous joker.

We can win tomorrow and if we do it really is game on.

I think the bookies have got it about right - currently about 30pc chance of staying up.

Still got us staying up on GD on 36 points; Sh*t or bust tomorrow though, simple. Please for once, just once this awful year/season play 3 up front

We've left everything far too late - changing manager, realising we need to start giving a shot (still question marks hanging over that one as to whether we realise) etc. As previous posters have said we've had one win in 21 games. That doesn't mean we can't get a few wins in the last games, but shows based on our level of play and determination/desire/guts that we have very little chance of changing our fortune.

It's just so disappointing because every team below Burnley has been bang average, really.

What an awful, awful season it has been. A long road to rebuild ahead of us. It will take a lot of time to get back to the levels we had under Kirman, if we ever do.

Has this sold out?

Has this sold out?

Officially yes but they’re still selling tickets that people have returned so there’s a few available still