Swansea v Saints - Pre Match Thread.

[stknowle]

It really is; where's Carceres when you really need him? Reed and Kreuger really need booting for their incompetence.

 

That's what really gets me. We were quite clearly warned what could happen when VD got injured and we had to scramble around for a free agent replacement. Then a year later we sold and didn't replace our best defender and player effectively leaving us in exactly the same risky position except our best remaining CB is a massively inferior player. And **** me sideways if that best remaining CB didn't get injured and is now banned. Willful negligence/incompetence.

[whelk]

Anyone know a good place to park ?

 

You can park right by the ground. Was only a fiver or so on the Saturday. loads of parking so capacity not an issue

[Bad Wolf]

Anyone know a good place to park ?

 

Directly in front of our goal.

[redkeith]

This one for me for this game.

 

3 changes

 

OUT: IN:

Yoshida. Stephend

Lemina. Redmond

Austin. Long

 

 

 

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Think the team picks itself, unless Hughes decides on having an extra body in midfield and plays JWP instead on Stephens.

 

If Redmond had scored his header in the 96th minute to equalise , everyone would be buzzing, and saying that we are out of the bottom 3 and that our fate is in our own hands.

 

You just know that it is going to be a draw, so that the West Brom narrative continues.

[Shandy_Top_89]

Negatives:

Swansea can opt to play for the draw

 

Missing our defensive lynchpin (Yoshi)

 

Game is at the Liberty

 

Positives:

We have massively improved recently and I believe we are a better side than Swansea who are in dire form.

 

A draw doesn't 100% guarantee safety for them and would still technically leave things in our hands (even if it would mean we would likely need to beat Citeh), so they might still come at us, which I think will play into our hands.

 

I don't think it is a foregone conclusion that Swansea will beat Stoke who will now be playing with no pressure.

 

Conclusion:

 

We can do this and it is in our own hands, which is far more than we could have expected a fortnight ago! Lets keep things positive while there is still hope. If we do go on to get relegated then we can fully mope all we want and direct our collective ire at those who deserve it. But for now lets get behind the team and get them over the line!

[S-Clarke]

Negatives:

Swansea can opt to play for the draw

 

Missing our defensive lynchpin (Yoshi)

 

Game is at the Liberty

 

Positives:

We have massively improved recently and I believe we are a better side than Swansea who are in dire form.

 

A draw doesn't 100% guarantee safety for them and would still technically leave things in our hands (even if it would mean we would likely need to beat Citeh), so they might still come at us, which I think will play into our hands.

 

I don't think it is a foregone conclusion that Swansea will beat Stoke who will now be playing with no pressure.

 

Conclusion:

 

We can do this and it is in our own hands, which is far more than we could have expected a fortnight ago! Lets keep things positive while there is still hope. If we do go on to get relegated then we can fully mope all we want and direct our collective ire at those who deserve it. But for now lets get behind the team and get them over the line!

 

I personally think it's as much a must-win for them, as it is for us. It's pretty much like a final, a playoff if you like. Winner takes all. I honestly can't see many tactics at play, it's just a case of who can get over the line and get 3 points.

 

We win, and it's a Huddersfield/Swansea showdown on the final day for that last spot. I probably shouldn't think like this, but to me tuesday is our final game, our last chance to get any points. That's how I'm looking at it anyway.

[SNSUN]

Why no Romeu? 10 yellow deadline has gone.

 

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Yeah I knew about the ten yellows, not about the deadline which is a relief, Romeu may not be at his best this season but he's still our best shield for the defence.

 

I do still think we'll add an attacking player (probably Redmond), so either an unfit Lemina will make way or Hojbjerg.

[Pamplemousse]

Michael Oliver is the ref, at least he's one of the better ones.

[Jimmy_D]

Michael Oliver is the ref, at least he's one of the better ones.

 

That's not a very high bar!

[Window Cleaner]

I see that nearly everybody seems to be writing off any chance of us getting anything at home to City then. I predict that if we need a point against them we will get it.

[Saint_Ash]

I see that nearly everybody seems to be writing off any chance of us getting anything at home to City then. I predict that if we need a point against them we will get it.

 

I actually think we'll get something from city. We'll get into them and rough them up, no one playing for city will want to play a team fighting for their life with the world cup around the corner.

[Window Cleaner]

I actually think we'll get something from city. We'll get into them and rough them up, no one playing for city will want to play a team fighting for their life with the world cup around the corner.

 

Might be handy if Huddersfield rough them up a bit this afternoon, make them think twice next Sunday sort of thing.

[Sidney Fudpucker the 3rd]

Just thinking back and it strikes me that we're not very good at winning matches when the pressure is on and something really depends on it. When was the last time we won a 'Must win' game?

[Window Cleaner]

Just thinking back and it strikes me that we're not very good at winning matches when the pressure is on and something really depends on it. When was the last time we won a 'Must win' game?

 

Err last Saturday ? It was the easiest game on our run in thus a vital one to win.

Edited 6 May, 2018 by Window Cleaner

[Shroppie]

Can’t see it. Blew it against Everton.

They will be a lot better than Everton were and Stephens will be in the middle of a back 3

 

 

It’s over, you have to win when you have seconds left and leading in a game

 

There is very little different in our situation now compared with how it would have been if we'd won.

 

As it stands, we need to beat Swansea on Tuesday to be virtually safe without needing anything against City. Anything else is uncertain. If we'd won, we'd be two points ahead of Seansea and still needing to win on Tuesday to be safe. In that case a draw on Tuesday would see us two points ahead going into the City game and needing a point to be safe.

 

The only improvement in our situation that would have come from a win yesterday would have been confirming WBA down and getting above Huddersfield and therefore only needing to match their results over the last two games to stay up.

 

Nothing is over.

 

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[inspectorfrost]

I actually think we'll get something from city. We'll get into them and rough them up, no one playing for city will want to play a team fighting for their life with the world cup around the corner.

 

Problem is if Man City beat Huddersfield and Brighton they'll be in the position where they'll be the first ever PL team to go past the 100 point mark if they beat us. They'll definitely be up for that.

 

It's why I'm supporting Huddersfield currently, what they do now is irrelevant to us as it's a straight fight between us and Swansea

[Shroppie]

Problem is if Man City beat Huddersfield and Brighton they'll be in the position where they'll be the first ever PL team to go past the 100 point mark if they beat us. They'll definitely be up for that.

 

It's why I'm supporting Huddersfield currently, what they do now is irrelevant to us as it's a straight fight between us and Swansea

They'll need a point to reach 100. If we need a point too, I'm sure we could come to an agreement. Much worse if they draw one and win one before Sunday. Then they need 3. I want them to beat Huddersfield and lose to Brighton

 

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[ludgershallsaint]

Problem is if Man City beat Huddersfield and Brighton they'll be in the position where they'll be the first ever PL team to go past the 100 point mark if they beat us. They'll definitely be up for that.

 

It's why I'm supporting Huddersfield currently, what they do now is irrelevant to us as it's a straight fight between us and Swansea

 

You’ve got that one badly wrong.

 

If we only get a draw on Tuesday and mange to avoid defeat on the last day we’ll finish above Huddersfield if they lose every game

[John Boy Saint]

Anyone know a good place to park ?

Last time we went there was a place next junction down on the M4 that ran a shuttle bus to the ground, then when the game was over the return shuttle was parked in the away coaches compound and left with the away coaches accompanied by the Old Bill clearing the route to the motorway passing everyone who parked close to the ground.

[Dark Munster]

Problem is if Man City beat Huddersfield and Brighton they'll be in the position where they'll be the first ever PL team to go past the 100 point mark if they beat us. They'll definitely be up for that.

 

It's why I'm supporting Huddersfield currently, what they do now is irrelevant to us as it's a straight fight between us and Swansea

Er no, if they'd won both their matches before us they'd only need a point against us to reach 100 points. Now that they've just dropped 2 points against Huddersfield it means they need to beat us to get to 100 (assuming they beat Brighton later this week). It's a bad result today whichever way you look at it.

[Sidney Fudpucker the 3rd]

Err last Saturday ? It was the easiest game on our run in thus a vital one to win.

 

Not really what I was getting at but thanks anyway.

[Shroppie]

You’ve got that one badly wrong.

 

If we only get a draw on Tuesday and mange to avoid defeat on the last day we’ll finish above Huddersfield if they lose every game

Which they now haven't. And City need to beat Brighton and us for 100 points. Let's hope they mess up against Brighton.

 

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[Stud mark of doom]

I actually think we'll get something from city. We'll get into them and rough them up, no one playing for city will want to play a team fighting for their life with the world cup around the corner.

 

Hoddle said pretty much this on BT sport after the Everton match. He said we should have a “word in the ear” of the city players hoping to play at the World Cup (and not get injured). Cue bemused looks from BT anchorman.

[jamesfp1]

Just pay city whatever they want to throw the game. Promise them next year's TV money ffs, it will be worth it in the long run.

[BotleySaint]

Starting to see that even with a win against Everton we'd still need a win here to stay up so I guess nothing has changed. Need to be on 36 with Swansea on 33 going into the last game.

[benjii]

Will be interesting to see what approach Swansea take. A draw is probably a decent result for them.

 

Assuming Hughes won't want to change a system that has been giving us a fighting chance then I expect Stephens and Redmond to come in for Yoshi and Lemina (assuming he's injured).

 

No reason why we can't win though.

[Manuel]

We have more fight and desire than I've seen all season. Not saying the Swans aren't of the same mindset, but we're getting points now and they aren't.

[cellone]

What a game this is. Crucial that Lemina is fit IMO, the midfield 3 would work perfectly as we’d control the game even more then we did yesterday.

 

McCarthy

Cedric

Bednerek

Stephens

Hoedt

Lemina

Romeu

Hodjberg

Redmond

Tadic

Long

 

I do wonder whether he might go Bertrand CB and McQueen wing back though.

 

Think I would prefer that. It'd mean we still had a CB on the bench albeit one that makes too many silly fouls.

[benjii]

We have more fight and desire than I've seen all season. Not saying the Swans aren't of the same mindset, but we're getting points now and they aren't.

 

Yep, the togetherness and the spirit the last couple of games is what gives us a chance.

 

Latinos / Mediterraneans are all wild gesticulations, passion, melodrama and emotion over reason and we found the one who's a ****ing limp lettuce FFS.

[ART]

I'd bring in Pieds at right back and play Cedric down the left with Bertrand and Tadic. Cedris is our hidden goal scorer. Goals are what we need and he's the answer if we play him on the left

[Ohio Saint]

Anyone know a good place to park ?

 

You have a bus?

[simo]

You have a bus?

 

Would a land rover work ?

[Lord Duckhunter]

I'd bring in Pieds at right back and play Cedric down the left with Bertrand and Tadic. Cedris is our hidden goal scorer. Goals are what we need and he's the answer if we play him on the left

 

I agree, it'll be a tactical masterstroke that Swansea won't be expecting.

 

Maybe you've been in the sun a touch too long today

 

 

 

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[Katalinic]

I agree, it'll be a tactical masterstroke that Swansea won't be expecting.

 

Maybe you've been in the sun a touch too long today

 

 

 

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The only surprise is that he didn't suggest the team playing naked.

[5string]

I know form can mean very little in these circumstances (blood & guts matter more).

Nevertheless, in an attempt to be positive, the last 5 games throw up some interesting stats:

 

Goals scored/conceded

Saints = 7/8

Swans = 2/9

 

Clean sheets

Saints = 1

Swans = 0

 

Points earned

Saints = 5

Swans = 2

 

Last 2 contests at Liberty

Saints = 1 win

Swans = 1 win

 

Swansea's last 5 home games (most recent last)

WWWDL

 

Just been on their forum & even though there's some bravado, there's a lot of negativity about their chances of getting a result. They also can't decide whether to go for a draw & get something from Stoke, or try to beat us.

They generally feel we're the better team, but they have home advantage which gives them a smidgeon of confidence.

 

Otherwise, similar comments to the ones on here.

[The9]

CB's to be selected from Stephens, Hoedt, and Bednarek. Possibly all three.

 

I'd pick Bertrand at left CB and McQueen LWB or just play a 4 of Bertrand/Hoedt/Bednarek/Cedric with Stephens at DM with Romeu, rather than putting Stephens and Hoedt together in a back line ever again. Though on the bright side, only their centre backs will win headers against us and they're not up the pitch most of the time...

[The9]

I'd bring in Pieds at right back and play Cedric down the left with Bertrand and Tadic. Cedris is our hidden goal scorer. Goals are what we need and he's the answer if we play him on the left

 

God I love that some things are still constants on here even when everything else changes.

 

Absolute bloody nutter and super-wrong at every opportunity.

 

"Let's play three left sided players including two full backs in the exact same space and minimise the space for our best player in recent matches". Not quite the same as playing one with experience at CB to minimise mistakes there and one who's naturally attacking anyway and used to play far further forward.

[Badger]

I'd pick Bertrand at left CB and McQueen LWB or just play a 4 of Bertrand/Hoedt/Bednarek/Cedric with Stephens at DM with Romeu, rather than putting Stephens and Hoedt together in a back line ever again. Though on the bright side, only their centre backs will win headers against us and they're not up the pitch most of the time...

 

Don't they have Abrahams playing for them on loan still ? Thought he was meant to be useful in the air.

[eddie]

If it were a choice between the two, I'd be tempted to pick a teamsheet based on fighting spirit and game management, rather than on sporadic moments of quality.

 

I honestly don't know who to put on that list, other than McCarthy.

 

Cedric

Stephens (possibly Bednarak)

Hoedt

Bertrand

 

Romeu

Hojbjerg

 

Tadic

Austin

Long

 

+ 1 more - very stuck on this one. One of Lemina, JWP or Redmond I suppose.

[austsaint]

I'd bring in Pieds at right back and play Cedric down the left with Bertrand and Tadic. Cedris is our hidden goal scorer. Goals are what we need and he's the answer if we play him on the left

 

Thank you Art. Perhaps Forster to add height and composure at CB as well.

[The9]

Don't they have Abrahams playing for them on loan still ? Thought he was meant to be useful in the air.

 

Abraham is still there, he's not your typical target man though. More worried about the likes of Mawson from set-pieces.

[the saint in winchester]

The transfer window is closed until the end of the season.

 

I presume he means Sane ?

[The9]

If it were a choice between the two, I'd be tempted to pick a teamsheet based on fighting spirit and game management, rather than on sporadic moments of quality.

 

I honestly don't know who to put on that list, other than McCarthy.

 

Cedric

Stephens (possibly Bednarak)

Hoedt

Bertrand

 

Romeu

Hojbjerg

 

Tadic

Austin

Long

 

+ 1 more - very stuck on this one. One of Lemina, JWP or Redmond I suppose.

 

If you think Stephens should be in ahead of Bednarek I really don't know what to say... Ideally I wouldn't pick either Hoedt or Stephens at all, but Yoshida's suspension and our lack of centre-backs beyond that plus Hughes's preference (and relative success) with 3 CBs gives us a dilemma there.

 

Redmond probably deserves to be in that team based on his recent performances too, though so does Tadic, and we can't then pick both Austin and Long if we have 5 at the back. We need someone who works like Long but scores like Austin, which was Gabbiadini for about a month in February 2017 but I can't justify him starting at the moment either.

 

I'd also go with Ward-Prowse over Hojbjerg, as long as it's as a central shuttling midfielder alongside Romeu - he was getting good at that last season. Says a lot about Lemina's unpredictability that I'd take JWP over him.

 

Hughes has a lot of previous (especially with Wales) in favouring volume and consistency over ability at the back, so he'll probably go with Bertrand, Hoedt, Stephens, Bednarek, Cedric, two of whom give me fits when the ball is near them.

 

FWIW I quite like Pied as a right back and don't think he's much better or worse than Cedric, but we're probably not going to go with two right backs in a nominal 5-4-1/5-2-3/3-4-2-1/3-4-3 either (and they're all VERY similar formations depending on how far forward you put the full backs and non-central attacking midfielders).

[austsaint]

If you think Stephens should be in ahead of Bednarek I really don't know what to say... Ideally I wouldn't pick either Hoedt or Stephens at all, but Yoshida's suspension and our lack of centre-backs beyond that plus Hughes's preference (and relative success) with 3 CBs gives us a dilemma there.

 

Redmond probably deserves to be in that team based on his recent performances too, though so does Tadic, and we can't then pick both Austin and Long if we have 5 at the back. We need someone who works like Long but scores like Austin, which was Gabbiadini for about a month in February 2017 but I can't justify him starting at the moment either.

 

I'd also go with Ward-Prowse over Hojbjerg, as long as it's as a central shuttling midfielder alongside Romeu - he was getting good at that last season. Says a lot about Lemina's unpredictability that I'd take JWP over him.

 

Hughes has a lot of previous (especially with Wales) in favouring volume and consistency over ability at the back, so he'll probably go with Bertrand, Hoedt, Stephens, Bednarek, Cedric, two of whom give me fits when the ball is near them.

 

FWIW I quite like Pied as a right back and don't think he's much better or worse than Cedric, but we're probably not going to go with two right backs in a nominal 5-4-1/5-2-3/3-4-2-1/3-4-3 either (and they're all VERY similar formations depending on how far forward you put the full backs and non-central attacking midfielders).

 

I would be very interested to read more about your argument for including Ward-Prowse over Lemina (assuming he is fit). That midfield of Lemina, Hojbjerg and Romeu worked well in the first half v Everton. Lemina was different class against Bournemouth.

[badgerx16]

You have a bus?

 

Would a land rover work ?

This one might

[The9]

Starting to see that even with a win against Everton we'd still need a win here to stay up so I guess nothing has changed. Need to be on 36 with Swansea on 33 going into the last game.

 

What's changed is that we can't be mathematically safe by beating Swansea, whereas we could have before Everton's equaliser. Now, even if we beat Swansea they can still overhaul us on the last day with a stuffing of Stoke and/or us losing heavily to Man City (7 goal swing plus however many we beat them by). So there will be at the least an element of uncertainty on the last day (unless we hammer Swansea, I guess; every one of the goals against them in a win is effectively worth two more we can concede if we lose against City).

 

It also means Huddersfield getting any points against Chelsea (A) on Wednesday or home to Arsenal in Wenger's last match would mean we'd have to match their points total for those two games in our match with Man City as well as staying above Swansea.

 

AND it means if we draw with Swansea, we'd need them to not better our result against Man City in their match against Stoke (and if they did do that, see above for the Huddersfield clause).

 

It matters because of West Brom's revival too, if we draw with Swansea and West Brom beat Palace they can overhaul us with a 5 goal swing in GD - which is only a 2-0 win for them and a 3-0 defeat for us on Sunday, for instance (a 4 goal GD swing will still see us stay above them provided they don't score 6 more than us as they'd then have more goals scored). Both us and Swansea could then go down - though it's unlikely we'd lose by 4 goals more than Swansea lose to Stoke by, for Swansea to overhaul us on GD - if West Brom don't win by enough to get them safe).

 

West Brom are down unless we draw with Swansea though - the final impact of that Everton goal was to keep them up til at least Tuesday, and they were 6 seconds from relegation on Saturday evening.

[The9]

I would be very interested to read more about your argument for including Ward-Prowse over Lemina (assuming he is fit). That midfield of Lemina, Hojbjerg and Romeu worked well in the first half v Everton. Lemina was different class against Bournemouth.

 

Lemina was erratic against Bournemouth and gave the ball away far too much for my liking. Ward-Prowse's range of performance is less bad and less good than the various Leminas we've seen this season, and we miss JWP's set-pieces when he's not on the pitch. JWP's best position seems to have been alongside Romeu and he's hardly played there this season.

 

I don't really think there's a right answer and there's not much in it, but I'd be inclined to go for the consistent, level-headed player over the potentially excellent/awful one. Hojbjerg is another with howlers in him, but his top level hasn't been seen since August 2016 so it's not such a factor. I'd pick Romeu all day long though.

 

At least we've got options in those positions.

[Chewy]

Couple of big decisions to be made. Really don't like the idea of a back three of bednarek Stephens and hoedt, could play Bertrand in a 3 but then who plays left back? McQueen has a handful of appearances and hasn't played for ages. Pied is more experienced but also hasn't played for ages and is obviously a right back.

 

If lemina is fit I think I'd go with a back four, play hoj Romeu lemina Redmond and tadic behind Austin. I suspect Hughes won't want to abandon a back 5 though after some decent performances.

[austsaint]

Lemina was erratic against Bournemouth and gave the ball away far too much for my liking. Ward-Prowse's range of performance is less bad and less good than the various Leminas we've seen this season, and we miss JWP's set-pieces when he's not on the pitch. JWP's best position seems to have been alongside Romeu and he's hardly played there this season.

 

I don't really think there's a right answer and there's not much in it, but I'd be inclined to go for the consistent, level-headed player over the potentially excellent/awful one. Hojbjerg is another with howlers in him, but his top level hasn't been seen since August 2016 so it's not such a factor. I'd pick Romeu all day long though.

 

At least we've got options in those positions.

 

Fair enough - I take your point about JWP's set pieces - but beyond that there's just not enough attacking or defensive impact; whereas with Lemina and even Hojbjerg there is that capacity for driving runs, and quicker movement into dangerous areas rather than just the shuttling of passes and delayed hopeful crosses. Goals of the style of the Tadic brace and the Redmond header is what we need against Swansea not just the hope of a goal resulting from a corner or a free kick, as welcome as that would be.

[Saint Albert]

The FA has asked Hughes to explain his post-match comments following the ref’s extremely professional and competent performance in the Everton game...

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/05/06/fa-likely-ask-mark-hughes-explain-comments-referee-jon-moss/