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The9

The9

Posted
Posted
Would expect a few changes to be honest. Targett, McCarthy, Yoshida, JWP, Austin and co all in.

 

Still a good enough team.

 

I'd expect us to start with Forster, Van Dijk, Fonte, Bertrand and two from Tadic/Redmond and Davis from Saturday, with the rest the obvious replacements who didn't play (Martina, Ward-Prowse, Hojbjerg, Long and Austin).

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The9

The9

Posted
Posted
Disagree, think complete opposite. Group stage is the time to rotate a handful of players out so they'll be fresh for the Sunday. If we make the knockout then we can decide if we want to priortise it over whatever league position we are in. I'm also hoping at some point in this european experience there will be opportunity given for likes of Reed to get opportunity to impress.

 

We should focus on getting through the group stage, then if we get a game or two to rotate the players more significantly we can do that then. I'm not particularly bothered about whether we come 8th or 16th in the Premier League tbh, we're not close to being bad enough to go down and people should stop flapping about it. It would take an injury crisis of ridiculous proportions for us to be anywhere near the bottom 3 at the end of the season.

 

We'll be picking teams based on the squad needs for multiple competitions and people should also probably just accept that before they start getting sh11tty about the rotation we're clearly going to be using.

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The9

The9

Posted
Posted
Strongest team possible, surely.

We tried our hardest to get European qualification ... now some want to let the fringe players take the places. Not for me.

Not sure what our strongest team is, but Puel must select it.

 

He's clearly already left out Hojbjerg and Long (and maybe Austin) with a mind to Thursday.

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Dangermouth

Dangermouth

Posted
Posted

Almost certainly everyone we play will be technically good, defend in an organised fashion, know 'game management' and be a test. I am concerned about their forward play and having now watched a lot of the highlights of Nice's games last season as well as read up on how the league finished there that season don't consider them a particularly good team. The things we have seen so far, namely teams sitting deep and being unbreakdown-able (ugh) can be seen as a recurring theme. I think we'd have been PSG's only real competition had we played in Ligue 1 last year. It would be nice if Window Cleaner or one of the other posters based in France went to see what the fans thought of Puel, the team, the league and so on based on their reading of the OGC Nice forum. Or they could just go in and ask them directly like fans over here do.

 

Post 329 here gives a Blackburn fan's view of Gallagher (so it's not as biased as FF) so at least it seems he's doing well.

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colman1860

colman1860

Posted
Posted

Group K, 15 September 2016, 21:05 CET

St Mary’s Stadium, Southampton (ENG)

Southampton FC - Sparta Praha

Referee: Manuel Gräfe (GER)

Assistant Referee 1: Holger Henschel (GER)

Assistant Referee 2: Mike Pickel (GER)

Additional Assistant Referee 1: Bastian Dankert (GER)

Additional Assistant Referee 2: Sascha Stegemann (GER)

Fourth Official: Christian Gittelmann (GER)

UEFA Referee Observer: Erol Ersoy (TUR)

UEFA Delegate: Michal Listkiewicz (POL)

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DuncanRG

DuncanRG

Posted
Posted (edited)
No way we are going to make top six in the PL after the start we've had

 

That's in contrast to our first four games last season where we had, er, five points. Without away trips to Man Utd and Arsenal!

 

In fact, I remember all the same chat about never finishing top 8, probably 12th, when we lost 3-0 to Everton.

Edited by DuncanRG
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saint-crinny

saint-crinny

Posted
Posted

Given Puel doesn't seem to have settled on what the strongest side is yet, you would expect there to be some changes. No problem with a few tweaks, but frankly we haven't got the squad to make any more than that and still compete in the Europa, even against a side who we supposedly should beat.

 

Heading out at the group stages would be disappointing so we should take it seriously, given the effort to get here.

 

Plus, it would be a bonus to head into the Swans game with the 0 wins this season off our backs. Get it done

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benjii

benjii

Posted
Posted

I'm happy enough if Martina and Targett start.

 

Cedric has been pretty poor this season so it shouldn't make much difference anyway and there's no point making Bertrand play 3 times in 8 days after an injury.

 

Other than that, I think we should play whatever Puel thinks the strongest team is.

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The9

The9

Posted
Posted
Given Puel doesn't seem to have settled on what the strongest side is yet, you would expect there to be some changes. No problem with a few tweaks, but frankly we haven't got the squad to make any more than that and still compete in the Europa, even against a side who we supposedly should beat.

 

Heading out at the group stages would be disappointing so we should take it seriously, given the effort to get here.

 

Plus, it would be a bonus to head into the Swans game with the 0 wins this season off our backs. Get it done

 

I think Puel knows his strongest team - he also knows he needs to oversee wins against both Sparta AND Swansea at home if he can, which doesn't necessarily mean playing the same XI for both. I'll be VERY interested to see what Ranieri does with Leicester on Wednesday as well, for similar reasons. Their entire success last season was based on having the same XI all the time, no way they can do that this season and come remotely close to where they were last year (and in fact they're already way off the pace just losing Kante).

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Appy

Appy

Posted
Posted
I know, it's mental. Spend a year qualifying for something and then decide you'd rather spend another year trying to qualify for it than actually try and get anywhere in it...

 

What's the point in qualifying if we don't try in it?

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saint-crinny

saint-crinny

Posted
Posted
I think Puel knows his strongest team - he also knows he needs to oversee wins against both Sparta AND Swansea at home if he can, which doesn't necessarily mean playing the same XI for both. I'll be VERY interested to see what Ranieri does with Leicester on Wednesday as well, for similar reasons. Their entire success last season was based on having the same XI all the time, no way they can do that this season and come remotely close to where they were last year (and in fact they're already way off the pace just losing Kante).

 

Genuinely not sure he does, Certainly not up top - as shown by the fact that he's started Long, Austin and Jay in various games and none of them have performed particularly well.

 

It's Long for me, but like everyone else I'd suggest it would work best with a front three of Long than Tadic left and Redmond right (Boufal when fit on either side, swapping with Tadic maybe) - but clearly that is going to happen any time soon.

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way down south

way down south

Posted
Posted

I know this is an important game and losing or even drawing this game will look really really bad but, if reed, Stephens and some other youngsters don't get a run out, I struggle to see the difference b/n koeman and puel. there is never a perfect time to blood a youngster IMO and if this was the aim in hiring puel, then you just have to give 'em a chance and see if they take it. hesketh, olumola are also probs ready to step up. the latter might even help us sort out our goals problem in the prem.

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trousers

trousers

Posted
Posted (edited)
I know this is an important game and losing or even drawing this game will look really really bad but, if reed, Stephens and some other youngsters don't get a run out, I struggle to see the difference b/n koeman and puel. there is never a perfect time to blood a youngster IMO and if this was the aim in hiring puel, then you just have to give 'em a chance and see if they take it. hesketh, olumola are also probs ready to step up. the latter might even help us sort out our goals problem in the prem.

 

I reckon this is the order of importance we should be placing on all 4 senior squad tournaments this season:

 

1. Europa League

2. Premier League ('importance' in terms of improving on 6th place. It's obviously the most important tournament we play in overall)

3. F.A. Cup

4. League Cup

 

As such, I would expect us to mainly use 'senior' player rotation for 1 & 2 and only bring in U23/academy players for 3 and 4.

 

Injuries to the senior squad will obviously alter things somewhat but, I think that's what we'll see from a philosophical perspective.

 

Edit: I guess some will validly argue that we should put the FA Cup above the Premier League, as long as that doesn't sacrifice our Premier League status, which is fair enough.

Edited by trousers
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way down south

way down south

Posted
Posted
I reckon this is the order of importance we should be placing on all 4 senior squad tournaments this season:

 

1. Europa League

2. Premier League ('importance' in terms of improving on 6th place. It's obviously the most important tournament we play in overall)

3. F.A. Cup

4. League Cup

 

As such, I would expect us to mainly use 'senior' player rotation for 1 & 2 and only bring in U23/academy players for 3 and 4.

 

Injuries to the senior squad will obviously alter things somewhat but, I think that's what we'll see from a philosophical perspective.

 

Edit: I guess some will validly argue that we should put the FA Cup above the Premier League, as long as that doesn't sacrifice our Premier League status, which is fair enough.

 

Sure but the whole idea of bringing through youngsters is trusting them to be better than current Senior players in certain circumstances, like the happoel game surely we must utilize some of the most promising of the lot. I'm sure in the domestic cup games even koeman would of used some youngsters had he no other choice or if he didn't wanna burn out the seniors, but picking them over the seniors when he didn't have to, is the difference b/n him and puel.

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Fabrice29

Fabrice29

Posted
Posted

The chance for youngsters and squad players is next week against Palace. Right now we need to win this game if we are to qualify from this group and more importantly I dont want us ****ing about with squad players when confidence is fragile and we need a win to kick start our season.

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alehouseboys

alehouseboys

Posted
Posted
Plenty of tickets still available for this one.

 

Yeah, just had a look, does look poor, if we don't shift too many more maybe around 25k on Thursday. Don't know how many Sparta have sold, they took 900 but doubt they'll sell all those. They'll rattle around in the 3,000 away seats - but still knock out a better atmosphere than our lot.

 

Just trust the stay-away have good reason and are not the drama queens on here always questioning the commitment of our owners, management and players.

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SaintTex

SaintTex

Posted
Posted

the first team fought tooth and nail to qualify for the damn thing, but you advocate putting our B team in? No way, reward the first team players and show that you value what they did last season to get here. It's the first group stages game and early in the season. Let's go for it.

 

-------------Forster------------

Cedric--Fonte--VVD--Bertrand

-------------Romeu------------

------Davis-------Højbjerg----

-------------Tadic--------------

---[striker]-------[striker]----

 

honestly, I have no idea who our best pairing is at this point, any combination of Austin, Redmond, Long, and JRod, I reckon. crap shoot, really.

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SaintTex

SaintTex

Posted
Posted

In regards to playing a strong team vs a weak team... this is a game we really need all 3 points if we want to have a realistic chance of advancing..

 

Sparta (H) W (3 points)

Hapoel Be'er Sheva (A) D (1 point)

Inter Milan (A) L (0 points)

Inter Milan (H) D (1 point)

Sparta (A) D (1 point)

Hapoel Be'er Sheva (H) W (3 points)

 

A total 9 points likely gets us through, but still a chance that even wouldn't be enough.

 

So, if we don't get 3 points Thursday, the path toward advancing gets very difficult.

 

 

 

 

9 points would likely do it

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New Forest Steve

New Forest Steve

Posted
Posted (edited)
Yeah, just had a look, does look poor, if we don't shift too many more maybe around 25k on Thursday. Don't know how many Sparta have sold, they took 900 but doubt they'll sell all those. They'll rattle around in the 3,000 away seats - but still knock out a better atmosphere than our lot.

 

Just trust the stay-away have good reason and are not the drama queens on here always questioning the commitment of our owners, management and players.

 

There's lots of reasons people can't get to midweek games .... parental commitments, living or working outside the area or they're just too skint to do two games in a week.

 

Doesn't make them drama queens with an agenda. It just means they can't make it, so they'll catch it on TV instead.

Edited by New Forest Steve
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New Forest Steve

New Forest Steve

Posted
Posted (edited)
In regards to playing a strong team vs a weak team... this is a game we really need all 3 points if we want to have a realistic chance of advancing..

 

There are no weak teams in our group. HBS and Sparta will be just as hard to beat as Inter.

 

 

Edit: sorry Tex, just got what you mean't .... imo we need to play our strongest team available in every game, be it europa or prem.

 

We pay them obscene amounts of money to play not rest (a month into the season ffs !!)

Edited by New Forest Steve
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alehouseboys

alehouseboys

Posted
Posted
[/b]

 

There's lots of reasons can't get to midweek games .... parental commitments, living or working outside the area or they're just too skint to do two games in a week.

 

Doesn't make them drama queens with an agenda. It just means they can't make it, so they'll catch it on TV instead.

 

They're all very good and acceptable reasons, my 'drama queens' jibe was directed at the actual drama queens on here, the same ones each summer who's knees buckle with the first player exit and...well, see above.

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tobes8

tobes8

Posted
Posted
Yeah, just had a look, does look poor, if we don't shift too many more maybe around 25k on Thursday. Don't know how many Sparta have sold, they took 900 but doubt they'll sell all those. They'll rattle around in the 3,000 away seats - but still knock out a better atmosphere than our lot.

 

Just trust the stay-away have good reason and are not the drama queens on here always questioning the commitment of our owners, management and players.

 

Well look at the gates for the euro games last season, they were good. But the way we have started the season will have a knock on effect on ticket sales. For me this is a must win for confidence, wins in whatever cup are vital right now. Strongest team please.

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The9

The9

Posted
Posted
There are no weak teams in our group. HBS and Sparta will be just as hard to beat as Inter.

 

 

Edit: sorry Tex, just got what you mean't .... imo we need to play our strongest team available in every game, be it europa or prem.

 

We pay them obscene amounts of money to play not rest (a month into the season ffs !!)

 

I'm fairly comfortable that Sparta and Inter will be more difficult to beat than Be'er Sheva based on Celtic humping them, and the European Club Index, which has three clubs in the 40s and Be'er Sheva in the 90s.

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New Forest Steve

New Forest Steve

Posted
Posted
They're all very good and acceptable reasons, my 'drama queens' jibe was directed at the actual drama queens on here, the same ones each summer who's knees buckle with the first player exit and...well, see above.

 

:) Yeah I know. Just being defensive because I can't make it due to work commitments .... and I'm not happy I can tell you :x

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Deano6

Deano6

Posted
Posted
I reckon this is the order of importance we should be placing on all 4 senior squad tournaments this season:

 

1. Europa League

2. Premier League ('importance' in terms of improving on 6th place. It's obviously the most important tournament we play in overall)

3. F.A. Cup

4. League Cup

 

As such, I would expect us to mainly use 'senior' player rotation for 1 & 2 and only bring in U23/academy players for 3 and 4.

 

Injuries to the senior squad will obviously alter things somewhat but, I think that's what we'll see from a philosophical perspective.

 

Edit: I guess some will validly argue that we should put the FA Cup above the Premier League, as long as that doesn't sacrifice our Premier League status, which is fair enough.

 

I don't think it's "important" to improve on 6th place in the slightest, particularly since it's not going to happen and would just be a waste of resources. I'd be more than happy with 10th and a Cup final. Particularly given we are currently sitting in 18th!

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Dangermouth

Dangermouth

Posted
Posted
I'm fairly comfortable that Sparta and Inter will be more difficult to beat than Be'er Sheva based on Celtic humping them, and the European Club Index, which has three clubs in the 40s and Be'er Sheva in the 90s.

 

That's the same as your and others' comments about Midgetland last year. We did well then didn't we. Try asking the Celtic fans how they felt during the away leg against HBS, too. And looking at our home form and recent history against Watford and Sunderland we'll beat them easily too, won't we?

 

oh. oh. oh.

 

I agree with NFS: play the best team every game. If nothing else more practice in the system helps them and they should play better. Having looked more at Nice's 'achievement' last season, however, I am less inclined to think that CP is actually that good and hope he proves that to not be the case and we go on to with the PL, EL, FAC and LC.

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Griffo

Griffo

Posted
Posted
Or relying on Southern Railways to get you home, late on a midweek night..

 

The same railway line that was just as sh*t last season when we virtually sold out both our home games in the same competition. Our fans are spoilt brats and in the main don't deserve the relative success we've had in the last few years.

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saint-crinny

saint-crinny

Posted
Posted
The same railway line that was just as sh*t last season when we virtually sold out both our home games in the same competition. Our fans are spoilt brats and in the main don't deserve the relative success we've had in the last few years.

 

There's a core section of our fans that will be pretty much be there throughout, rain or shine, whatever the opposition. Then there's a percentage of fans who live further afield and can only make occasional games and a percentage of more casual fans who, righty or wrongly, attend lots more games when we're doing well.

 

Nothing unusual with that, it's the same for pretty much any club.

 

So last year, the games were basically sold out, as we riding quite a wave of optimism about the season ahead.

 

This season, let's face it, there are quite a few less causes to be optimistic a month further on into the season = a lower attendance.

 

Disappointing and I can't say I agree with it (not attending, rather than feeling less optimistic - I certainly am feeling that), but that's just the way of it.

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VectisSaint

VectisSaint

Posted
Posted
The same railway line that was just as sh*t last season when we virtually sold out both our home games in the same competition. Our fans are spoilt brats and in the main don't deserve the relative success we've had in the last few years.

It was also still school holidays when we played Europa last season. You won't get the same turnout in mid September on a school night.

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