James Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 Forster Bertrand Yoshida Gardos Cedric Romeu Davis Hojbjerg Boufal Redmond Long Subs: Hassen, McQueen, Stephens, JWP, Clasie, Tadic, Gabbiadini Gardos might be useful against Carroll but I'd be tempted to let Yoshi handle him and then play Bertrand next to him with McQ at left back. It may end up being our best hope so may as well try it as we've only got 2 games pre Wembley. In reality I can't see CP dropping Stephens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuncanRG Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 (edited) If we didn't trust Stephens he wouldn't have played in the semifinal. He'll start in the final unless he gets injured or completely falls to pieces, and that's the right call too. EDIT: or, I suppose, if Gardos plays the next two games and really impresses. Edited 3 February, 2017 by DuncanRG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eelpie Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 This has 5-5 written all over it. Ha ha, that could be a well earned point. And entertaining. But if a team mainly made up of our available second and third choice players can concede five goals against Arsenal then a team with more first choice players should be able to do a little better, we hope. We should be able to scrape a win. 2-1 (being about the most goals we can expect Saints to score on current form) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stug76 Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 Good to see that the team are going to play well and create loads of chances. #Puelout? Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eelpie Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 Good to see that the team are going to play well and create loads of chances. #Puelout? Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk We sincerely hope (to the first) The jury is sitting (to the second) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 Whether Fonte's sale could have been postponed to the close season, I don't know. I expect the club had to consider whether he would have performed to standard or whether his value would have deteriorated but in letting him go, it seemed reasonable to assume that the coaching team were confident in Stephens and/or Gardos stepping into the gap. But then we heard that attempts were made in the window to bring in a loan CB. That seems to raise a valid question as to whether the sale of Fonte was resisted as strongly as it might have been. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelman Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 The questions are as I see it.... - Was keeping JF at the club detrimental to the dressing room? Who knows? Some murmurings of unrest etc. - Is a, what turns out to be, Yoshida & Gardos/Stephens partnership weaker than a Yoshida & Fonte partnership? Still a little early to say, but I am sure that tomorrow will show us a bit more. And while I am on it, we do tend to forget why we signed Gardos for £6m and I think we are getting too blinded by his injuries. They may well prove to have been so serious as to make him not up to scratch, but I do think we should give him the benefit of the doubt. The FA Cup and U23 games aren't really a good yardstick, and pre-injury, what I saw of him was encouraging enough. Again, time will tell and like many, I agree that it does feel a weakness but then I do think that the club deserves to be trusted a bit on this, even if some of the results have been pretty dire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrfahaji Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 Apparently Bertrand is going to be playing centre back tomorrow? Casts some doubt over the "Puel has been impressed with Stephens and thinks he is better than anyone we could have signed", doesn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minsk Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 The questions are as I see it.... - Was keeping JF at the club detrimental to the dressing room? Who knows? Some murmurings of unrest etc. - Is a, what turns out to be, Yoshida & Gardos/Stephens partnership weaker than a Yoshida & Fonte partnership? Still a little early to say, but I am sure that tomorrow will show us a bit more. And while I am on it, we do tend to forget why we signed Gardos for £6m and I think we are getting too blinded by his injuries. They may well prove to have been so serious as to make him not up to scratch, but I do think we should give him the benefit of the doubt. The FA Cup and U23 games aren't really a good yardstick, and pre-injury, what I saw of him was encouraging enough. Again, time will tell and like many, I agree that it does feel a weakness but then I do think that the club deserves to be trusted a bit on this, even if some of the results have been pretty dire. How many players can you name who have come back from nigh-on 2 years out due to injury and immediately performed to a decent PL level? How long has it taken JRod to start getting back to anywhere near decent form? How long should we put up with 'dire' results before we stop trusting the club on the CB situation? (Although, the last is a moot point as there not a damn thing we can due about the ineptitude of not bringing in another CB.) Apparently Bertrand is going to be playing centre back tomorrow? Casts some doubt over the "Puel has been impressed with Stephens and thinks he is better than anyone we could have signed", doesn't it? I seriously hope not. He has never played a top flight game as a CB in a back 4. If Puel is sticking with his 4-3-3 he should stick with Stephens. Otherwise he could well just ruin the lad's confidence; effectively reducing our CB options further still. If, however, he has decided to go with a 3-4-3 or 5-3-2.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkeith Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 Not looking forward to this. Saints have not won on a Saturday all season. Caroll generally scores against us, so unless we get some debut magic from Gabbiadini it is hard to see us winning this one, although Claude could stun the football world by playing Bertrand as a flase number 5 ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shirleysfc Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 Apparently Bertrand is going to be playing centre back tomorrow? Casts some doubt over the "Puel has been impressed with Stephens and thinks he is better than anyone we could have signed", doesn't it? Rotation. Hasn't Stephens started the last 3 games? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnet Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 Theres no point play three at the back as Wetspam only play with one CF. I'd love top see (but it wont happen) Forster Cedric Yoshi Stephens Betrand Romeu Hojbjerg Boufal Barry Tadic Shlong wetsham full backs are hopeless so cedric Barry tadic and Bertrand could have a field day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graffito Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 No intention to build up West Ham more than they warrant here, after all they were dire on Wednesday, but given our CB issues it's worth remembering that their aerial threat is not only Carroll but also Antonio who has scored a lot of headed goals this season. Expect they might try to isolate our full backs aerially. What we might lose in height by moving Bertrand to CB we would gain in height at full back with McQueen. Nevertheless, My gut feeling is to leave Bertrand at fullback and play Yoshida and one of the other two CB's and concentrate on winning midfield and cutting out the supply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusic Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 Jay Rod should start over Long if fit IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuncanRG Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 Fonte has a lot more experience of dealing with Long and Rodriguez than he does Gabbiadini. Might only be of marginal benefit, but worth thinking out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperSAINT Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 Kouyate is back for them. It's going to be like Gulliver's travels tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Wayman Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 If Boufal nicks a hat trick, the Sunday's will have field day of rumours linking him with a £50m summer move to Arsenal or Chelsea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Convict Colony Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 Would like this formation given the sort of reviews we were getting in sept playing the diamond - https://www.umaxit.com/index.php/columns/finally-claude-puels-diamond-is-extracting-the-best-from-southamptons-players/comment-page-1 Fraser Cedric Stephens Yoshida Bertrand Oriel Pierre / Davis or JWP Boufal Manolo/JayRod or Redmond or Long Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richardc Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 Apparently Bertrand is going to be playing centre back tomorrow? If he does then that just amplifies the ineptitude of not signing a replacement - there is an argument (although not a great one) that Yoshi, Stephens, Gardos are a good enough combination and enough cover now we dont need to rotate. But by playing Bertrand he is basically saying they are not good enough and we need to play someone else there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St.JonB Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 Would like this formation given the sort of reviews we were getting in sept playing the diamond - https://www.umaxit.com/index.php/columns/finally-claude-puels-diamond-is-extracting-the-best-from-southamptons-players/comment-page-1 Fraser Cedric Stephens Yoshida Bertrand Oriel Pierre / Davis or JWP Boufal Manolo/JayRod or Redmond or Long Had we not finished playing the diamond by then? That review is certainly not how i remember the system (Sunderland home etc). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Le God Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 Forster Bertrand Yoshida Gardos Cedric Romeu Davis Hojbjerg Boufal Redmond Long Subs: Hassen, McQueen, Stephens, JWP, Clasie, Tadic, Gabbiadini Puel said in his pre-match press conference & one-to-one interview with club media that Hassen (although training) may not be ready to be in a matchday squad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenridge Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 Puel said in his pre-match press conference & one-to-one interview with club media that Hassen (although training) may not be ready to be in a matchday squad. He's a goalkeeper, he's not running a marathon. He's just got to sit on the bench. Can't be that taxing can it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Le God Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 He's a goalkeeper, he's not running a marathon. He's just got to sit on the bench. Can't be that taxing can it. If Forster is injured or sent off after 5 minutes then Hassen wouldn't "just be sat on the bench". If he isn't match sharp then he shouldn't be on the bench. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelman Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 What's the forum going to do if Gardos has a good game, that is if he does play? Guess it might be a surprise to some that a £6m Champions League playing international might be any good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenridge Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 If Forster is injured or sent off after 5 minutes then Hassen wouldn't "just be sat on the bench". If he isn't match sharp then he shouldn't be on the bench. You don't say. I'm sure he can move around as much as a fully fit Fraser can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Garrett Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 What's the forum going to do if Gardos has a good game, that is if he does play? Guess it might be a surprise to some that a £6m Champions League playing international might be any good. Will say a lot if he cant play in this team if he cant get picked ahead of Bertrand or Stephens. FWIW, I don't rate Gardos at all. Think we hugely over paid for him at £6m. Would love to be wrong though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batman Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 Defeat. They will Bully our defence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stknowle Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 We are going to need at a minimum 3 more wins to stay up. Of our remaining fixtures I'd say only the home games against Wham, Palarse (LOL!), Hull, Bournemouth, and possibly Stoke fall into the "should win" category. A win tomorrow will settle lot of nerves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doddisalegend Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 We are going to need at a minimum 3 more wins to stay up. Of our remaining fixtures I'd say only the home games against Wham, Palarse (LOL!), Hull, Bournemouth, and possibly Stoke fall into the "should win" category. A win tomorrow will settle lot of nerves. Football really doesn't work like that though we will no doubt lose games we expect to win and win games we expect to lose. If you think we need three more wins to stay up out of 15 more games I should think you should be pretty relaxed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stknowle Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 Football really doesn't work like that though we will no doubt lose games we expect to win and win games we expect to lose. If you think we need three more wins to stay up out of 15 more games I should think you should be pretty relaxed... Ok then, l'll relax... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DT Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 I've decided to do my trick of ensuring a win by trying to avoid the game until five to five. Worked against Leicester. You'll all thank me tomorrow. Also, can't quite bear to think of that defence. Laters. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickylambert Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 Not looking forward to this. Saints have not won on a Saturday all season. Caroll generally scores against us, so unless we get some debut magic from Gabbiadini it is hard to see us winning this one, although Claude could stun the football world by playing Bertrand as a flase number 5 ! The Saturday one is an amazing stat. To be fair though we have only played 7 Saturday games out of 23. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Benali Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 Massive game. Need to beat teams like West ham. Lose or draw this one and can see the fans getting even more restless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eelpie Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 Rotation. Hasn't Stephens started the last 3 games? Rotation - that 'R' word again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted 3 February, 2017 Share Posted 3 February, 2017 Not looking forward to this. Saints have not won on a Saturday all season. Caroll generally scores against us, so unless we get some debut magic from Gabbiadini it is hard to see us winning this one, although Claude could stun the football world by playing Bertrand as a flase number 5 ! As does Snodgrass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manuel Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 Massive game. Need to beat teams like West ham. Lose or draw this one and can see the fans getting even more restless. I would take a draw right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamilton Saint Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 I would take a draw right now. That's the spirit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
for_heaven's_Saint Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 With Boufal playing we have a chance. He's capable of winning it on his own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteCampbell Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 GK: Forster LB: Bertrand CB: Yoshida CB: Stephens CB: Cedric CM: Romeu CM: Davis CM: Ward-Prowse LW: Boufal RW: Redmond ST: Long Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteCampbell Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 GK: Forster LB: Bertrand CB: Yoshida CB: Stephens RB: Cedric CM: Romeu CM: Davis CM: Ward-Prowse LW: Boufal RW: Redmond ST: Long *Correction RB:Cedric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gingeletiss Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 GK: Forster LB: Bertrand CB: Yoshida CB: Stephens RB: Cedric DM: Romeu CM: Hojbjerg CM: Ward-Prowse IL: Rodriguez AMF: Boufal IR: Redmond Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whelk Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 With Boufal playing we have a chance. He's capable of winning it on his own. Yep - gives such optimism and if stays fit he's going to fly for rest of season think. Exactly what we need when we have come a little pedestrian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cat Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 I had a dream last night that Andy Carroll did a ridiculous dive to win a penalty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint_Tony Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 Yep - gives such optimism and if stays fit he's going to fly for rest of season think. Exactly what we need when we have come a little pedestrian. true, flashes of brilliance so far but with his injuries he's had no real run of games as yet. This could be his time now. Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batman Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 true, flashes of brilliance so far but with his injuries he's had no real run of games as yet. This could be his time now. Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk and should be played centrally too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Chalet Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 Boufal looked very good versus Swansea, best form of defence is attack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austsaint Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 Boufal looked very good versus Swansea, best form of defence is attack. Spot on....with the likes of Boufal (looks a class player) we have to think about scoring more than one goal because our defence is no longer the strength of the side. Looking forward to seeing Gabbiadini get a run out too. C'mon Saints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avenue_Saint Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 FORSTER SOARES YOSHIDA GARDOS BERTRAND ROMEU HOJBJERG TADIC BOUFAL REDMOND RODRIGUEZ Subs: Hassen Stephens McQueen Davis Clasie Long Gabbiadini Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wessex saint Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 Snodgrass will score. Guaranteed. However, puel will work magic with manolo boufal and jay rod ripping em apart. 4-1 saints. #wecandream Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alehouseboys Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 Snodgrass will score. Guaranteed. However, puel will work magic with manolo boufal and jay rod ripping em apart. 4-1 saints. #wecandream Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk If we see Gabbiadini at all today I would think it would be from off the bench. I'll also be surprised if we see Jay Rod today, think he's still carrying a knock. Looking forward to seeing Boufal blossom now though. Snodgrass, Antonio and Carroll concern me most for them for various reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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