Saints 1-1 Man City - Match Thread

[nta786]

This game is live on Sky Sports, coverage from 5pm.

Yesterday was disappointing, but time to bounce back.

Forster

KWP/Tino, Bednarek, Salisu, Perraud

Romeu, JWP

Stu Armstrong, Redmond

Adams, Broja

I think despite the error yesterday, Forster will be given another chance.

Perraud played well, I’d like him on the left and either Tino/KWP on the right depending on if hes back

It’s a toss up between Redmond/Elyounoussi/Tella for me, I’ve gone with Redmond for his workrate even if end product is lacking. 
 

Other than that, I expect City to largely keep the ball, but we can definitely get something from this but as Ralph has said before, you need the perfect day against City... the perfect referee, conditions, an opposition mistake etc etc etc

Last 5 results shown below:

 

 

[JRM]

I'm still angry at the penalty decision we had reversed in the away game, I'm sure VAR check was for the red card or not but he ended up changing the decision on everything. 

Most likely we'll lose 2-0 , need Forster to have one those games where he saves everything and a lot of luck, perhaps a few covid cases at Man City . 

[Teddeer]

Free swing, keep the goals against to a minimum and move on.

[Uncle Albert]

0-3 loss, hopefully we give a good showing of ourselves but that City team is on fire at the moment.

[bpsaint]

City are absolutely flying so it’ll take a bit of luck and a lot of hard work to get something from this. I’m expecting a valiant 2-0 defeat.

[AlexLaw76]

Ummmm. Free hit I guess.

[Micky]

Play our normal 'fast start' game, get in front early, and then defend for our lives! 

Realistically,  two teams on completely different planets, so long as we get out without any major injuries and pride intact I'm not that fussed. 

[TWar]

Same strategy as earlier in the season. 4222 for the first half, press high, hit em hard. If we can nick a goal or are still level at half time bring on Diallo and Lyanco, convert to a 352 and hold what we have.

I expect it to be a defeat, but we could snatch something. We held them earlier this season. 

[Uncle Albert]

This one must be near a sellout, when I went to buy my tickets about a fortnight ago there were very few left.

[AlexLaw76]

13 minutes ago, TWar said:

Same strategy as earlier in the season. 4222 for the first half, press high, hit em hard. If we can nick a goal or are still level at half time bring on Diallo and Lyanco, convert to a 352 and hold what we have.

I expect it to be a defeat, but we could snatch something. We held them earlier this season. 

When in a hole, keep digging my friend!

[whelk]

Is this place getting even more stats/formation bores? Who the f**k obsesses about formation when thinking about the game? 

[whelk]

And a swear blocker seems to have been added. 

Edited 16 January, 2022 by whelk
No it isn’t

[Baird of the land]

I’d switch back to 4 at the back given city’s lack of traditional strikers. Something akin to 4-5-1/4-3-3 would be my choice

Forster

kwp lyanco salisu perraud

romeu jwp armstrong

tella Broja redmond

 

[Dark Munster]

City seem to be doing a carbon copy of last season: slow start (luckily we played them then), followed by an incredible winning streak. They've won 12 on the trot in the PL so far. Any chance we can do a Newcastle and get it postponed until their streak is over and when they have bigger fish to fry (CL resumption)? 😉

[Dr Who?]

City are flying. 12 wins on the spin in the premier league, since they lost at home to Palace in October. I cannot see them not making it 13. Pin everything on the fact we do not lose many at home. Draw would be good. 

Edited 16 January, 2022 by Dr Who?

[Sarisbury Saint]

17 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

When in a hole, keep digging my friend!

He really doesn’t get it does he.

I would go 4 5 1 or 3 5 2.

[TWar]

19 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

When in a hole, keep digging my friend!

 

1 hour ago, Sarisbury Saint said:

He really doesn’t get it does he.

I would go 4 5 1 or 3 5 2.

Tell me chaps, what were the tactics last time we played them and were one of the only  teams this season to take points off them?

Edited 17 January, 2022 by TWar

[Sarnia Cherie]

Very few teams to touch City at the moment but let's give it all we've got. Hopefully a few free kicks might do the trick. 🤞

[DT]

Weird feeling we'll win this one. I know.

[trousers]

4 minutes ago, DT said:

Weird feeling we'll win this one. I know.

Bugger

 

 

;)

[Wiggles31]

Arsenal pressed them quite aggressively (pre the red card) and City couldn’t get into full flow. Seems to be the only chance of stopping them. Sit back and defend if we can pinch the lead. 
 

 

[Dman]

433/451/4141 please. Lyanco out for KWP, Redmond for S Armstrong. 

Edited 17 January, 2022 by Dman

[S-Clarke]

City do struggle with intense pressing sides, but I think most sides will get caught if a pressing game is executed to perfection. 

My concern with City is that they have the quality of player to quickly play around any press, and get straight at our back line with 1 or 2 passes if we commit too high.

Defensively we've been much more sound this year, in my opinion. Not individually, but as an entire team unit. There are freak moments where we are a bit crap, but generally we seem decent.

I hope and expect us to give City a good hard fought game, likely it will end in defeat but if we give it a good go I can have no complaints.

[Toadhall Saint]

1 5 5 for me 😉

[Sarisbury Saint]

6 hours ago, TWar said:

 

Tell me chaps, what were the tactics last time we played them and were one of the only  teams this season to take points off them?

Yep, let’s take them by surprise. Just hope they didn’t watch the Liverpool game against us.

Its a  formation that found us out but thankfully Ralph has finally seen that aswell and things have started to improve, yet you want to go back to it 🙄

[Teddeer]

1 hour ago, Toadhall Saint said:

1 5 5 for me 😉

Broja up top, 4 across the middle, five at the back and big Fraser in goal.

[nta786]

This was the referee in our 2-3 FA Cup win over Swansea this month, and also in our 2-2 draw at Palace last month.

[Micky]

12 on the bounce eh?   Unlucky 13, hopefully then. 

[TWar]

3 hours ago, Sarisbury Saint said:

Yep, let’s take them by surprise. Just hope they didn’t watch the Liverpool game against us.

Its a  formation that found us out but thankfully Ralph has finally seen that aswell and things have started to improve, yet you want to go back to it 🙄

Why take them by surprise? If it worked once against them why not try again? Also if we had a formation that worked against all the top sides all the time everyone would play it. It worked against City and United already this season, that's what we should play.

[Sarisbury Saint]

1 minute ago, TWar said:

Why take them by surprise? If it worked once against them why not try again? Also if we had a formation that worked against all the top sides all the time everyone would play it. It worked against City and United already this season, that's what we should play.

There’s a reason Ralph has ditched it.

Awful system that would have sent us down if we’d persevered with it.

[TWar]

1 minute ago, Sarisbury Saint said:

There’s a reason Ralph has ditched it.

Awful system that would have sent us down if we’d persevered with it.

The reason is we don't have a right back fit so we swapped to a system that requires a right wing back because Tella can fit in there.

We had one win, one draw, and one loss since trying 3 at the back, not sure it's time to say our old system is dead and this one has replaced it. We will occassionally play 3atb when the situation demands it but 4222 is a good working system and will likely continue to be used.

[Charlie Wayman]

I'd love it if we played 4-2-2-2 or 4-3-3 againstCity and took the game to them but three at the back is almost Ralph's default setting against the bigger clubs, the aim being of course to stop their free ranging forwards having a field day. Sooner or later it won't work. 

Presumably KWP back in and Tella to the bench will be our only change;

                              Forster

          Bednerak - Lyanco - Salisu

KWP                                               Perraud

                   JWP - Romeu - Diallo

                     Redmond - Broja

 

Our best hope is for a few free kicks in the final third so we need to practice the dark arts this week. Scoreline 0-3

[Sarisbury Saint]

18 minutes ago, TWar said:

The reason is we don't have a right back fit so we swapped to a system that requires a right wing back because Tella can fit in there.

We had one win, one draw, and one loss since trying 3 at the back, not sure it's time to say our old system is dead and this one has replaced it. We will occassionally play 3atb when the situation demands it but 4222 is a good working system and will likely continue to be used.

We had a fit right back in our last game and we didn’t play 4222.

I also doubt very much we will play that system Saturday against Man City.

[TWar]

3 minutes ago, Sarisbury Saint said:

We had a fit right back in our last game and we didn’t play 4222.

I also doubt very much we will play that system Saturday against Man City.

We shall see. I think KWP was not ready to start, Ralph said as much I think. Maybe we prefer a wingback system with Perraud too, as we also played it at spurs.

I will be very surprised if we don't see the 4222 come out again pretty soon, could be wrong though.

Edited 17 January, 2022 by TWar

[Sarisbury Saint]

3 minutes ago, Charlie Wayman said:

I'd love it if we played 4-2-2-2 or 4-3-3 againstCity and took the game to them but three at the back is almost Ralph's default setting against the bigger clubs, the aim being of course to stop their free ranging forwards having a field day. Sooner or later it won't work. 

Presumably KWP back in and Tella to the bench will be our only change;

                              Forster

          Bednerak - Lyanco - Salisu

KWP                                               Perraud

                   JWP - Romeu - Diallo

                     Redmond - Broja

 

Our best hope is for a few free kicks in the final third so we need to practice the dark arts this week. Scoreline 0-3

                      Foster

Kwp.        Bednarek Salisu.    Peraud 

S Arm.   Diialo Romeo  JWP. Redmond

                        Broja

                        

[skintsaint]

They are due for a crap result so hopefully this is the game. They looked good v Chelsea but didn't create too much in front of goal but our defence is a lot more generous. We will need some luck/great performances for a point here.

[Sarnia Cherie]

One plus is that Mike Dean is nowhere near this game. Not on the pitch or VAR. 

[Hatch]

          Forster McCarthy

KWP   Lyanco  Salisu Bednarek Perraud 

JWP      Romeu     Diallo     SArmstrong

[Behind Enemy Lines]

          Forster     McCarthy     Willy

KWP. Jack Lynaco Salisu Bednarek Perraud

                            Romeu

S Armstrong   JWP      Diallo     Redmond

Long   A Armstrong   Adams Tella    Walcott

                             Broja

 

Put some youngsters on the bench for match day experience. 
 

Winner of the match day ball os the first to predict the poster that guesses who will quote the above lineup is against the rules, and quote the reference to the rules. 

[Saint Garrett]

On a more serious point,  I'd probably go with a hybrid 4-2-2-2, 4-5-1, 4-3-3.  Flexible depending on with or against the ball.

Forster;   KWP   Bednarek    Salisu   Perraud;   Armstrong   JWP   Romeu   Tella;   Broja   Redmond

The best way of getting a result against City IMO, is pushing up, pressing them, and not letting them control the game.  Sit back in a "low block" and they'll inevitably score.  Think we'll have a go early and maybe drop back into a 4-5-1 

Edited 18 January, 2022 by Saint Garrett
.

[Harry_SFC]

Forster; KWP, Bednarek, Salisu, Perraud; Romeu, JWP; Armstrong, Redmond; Adams, Broja.

[Dark Munster]

5 hours ago, Behind Enemy Lines said:

          Forster     McCarthy     Willy

KWP. Jack Lynaco Salisu Bednarek Perraud

                            Romeu

S Armstrong   JWP      Diallo     Redmond

Long   A Armstrong   Adams Tella    Walcott

                             Broja

 

Put some youngsters on the bench for match day experience. 
 

Winner of the match day ball os the first to predict the poster that guesses who will quote the above lineup is against the rules, and quote the reference to the rules. 

Walcott?? You must be joking, we'll get murdered.

[Saint Fan CaM]

Would try 4-5-1 to give Pep something to think about. Pack the midfield, play a defensive but high line press, Broja up top. Probably will make no difference as the Ref, VAR and a much better squad will prove to be too much. Going 0-4 embarrassment with the slightest possibility of a home goal or limiting them to 3.

[Charlie Wayman]

10 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Would try 4-5-1 to give Pep something to think about. Pack the midfield, play a defensive but high line press, Broja up top. Probably will make no difference as the Ref, VAR and a much better squad will prove to be too much. Going 0-4 embarrassment with the slightest possibility of a home goal or limiting them to 3.

Pep has overcome everything that has been tried against him. Very doubtful there are any surprises left in anybody's playbook that will cause him more than a moment's hesitation. We just need to play our best players in a formation that works best for them and ask them to give it everything. We've had a weeks's rest so should be able to maintain our frenetic pace for most of the match.

We don't have the quality of players or skill set to take them on head-to-head and hope to get a result so t's down to how long we can hold out and the hope of a free kick or two in the final third.

The highlight of this match will be JWP v KdB for MotM.

[John Boy Saint]

On 17/01/2022 at 16:24, nta786 said:

This was the referee in our 2-3 FA Cup win over Swansea this month, and also in our 2-2 draw at Palace last month.

Be interesting to see how Mr Hooper gets on, (the easy Valery red aside - where most of us went "oh dear" the moment Obafemi hit the deck) he is one of those refs who lets boys be boys and kick more lumps out of each other than quite a few of his colleagues do.  Just test the water early on with a few hearty challenges to gauge the level to which we can get under their skin.

[Piran]

1 hour ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Pep has overcome everything that has been tried against him. Very doubtful there are any surprises left in anybody's playbook that will cause him more than a moment's hesitation. We just need to play our best players in a formation that works best for them and ask them to give it everything. We've had a weeks's rest so should be able to maintain our frenetic pace for most of the match.

We don't have the quality of players or skill set to take them on head-to-head and hope to get a result so t's down to how long we can hold out and the hope of a free kick or two in the final third.

The highlight of this match will be JWP v KdB for MotM.

Well, I'll be blowed... a Charlie Wayman post that I agree with. A real turn-up for the books.

[fanimal]

Given we don’t have a game for two weeks later we should use all three subs carefully in the second half to use up time and break up play and use two players in the first half say Tella and AA to press like fury.

slight chance then maybe 

[eelpie]

Man City are showing top world class form, penetration and fluency in all areas these days. They are beatabl, but if we press we will concede lots. Best is surely to defend resolutely in the box, and hope to break if rare opportunity comes. Toughen this out for 55 minutes lads.

[SNSUN]

Forster

 

KWP

Stephens

Salisu

Perraud

Romeu

JWP

Diallo

Tella

Redmond

Broja

 

4-1-4-1 / 433. Hit them on the counter, Romeu to sit deeper almost as a CB.

 

Free hit, will probably lose. 4-1 my predo but hopefully better.

[Saint86]

Saints win incoming. We aren't going to lose anyway.