The Probably Boro but Hopefully Second Leg at Home Chase

[Jack]

Few interesting permutations, only worth talking about them based on a Saints win otherwise we’re 5th and playing at home on the Saturday lunchtime which I’d like to avoid: 

Saints 3rd - Millwall lose and Boro fail to win. Saints to play Wrexham/Hull/Derby away on the Friday night  

Saints 4th - Millwall lose or Boro fail to win. Saints to play Millwall/Boro away Saturday lunchtime 

Realistically it’s going to be Boro isn’t it, either home or away on the Saturday lunchtime. Both are shit 

Edited yesterday at 11:22 by Jack

[Turkish]

2 minutes ago, Jack said:

Few interesting permutations, only worth taking about them based on a Saints win otherwise we’re 5th and playing at home on the Saturday lunchtime which I’d like to avoid: 

Saints 3rd - Millwall lose and Boro fail to win. Saints to play Wrexham/Hull/Derby away on the Friday night  

Saints 4th - Millwall lose or Boro fail to win. Saints to play Millwall/Boro away Saturday lunchtime 

Realistically it’s going to be Boro isn’t it, either home or away on the Saturday lunchtime. Both are shit 

yep, Ipswich and Millwall will both win.

Boro have hit a bit of form again and i think Hackney will be back for the play offs so a really tough couple of games. Middlesborough is a rough old place too so wouldn't fancy staying up there after a play off semi final, long drive back win or lose.

[aintforever]

Think I would prefer to play Millwall in the Semis rather than have their wanker fans ruin a day out at Wembley.

[Jack]

4 minutes ago, Turkish said:

yep, Ipswich and Millwall will both win.

Boro have hit a bit of form again and i think Hackney will be back for the play offs so a really tough couple of games. Middlesborough is a rough old place too so wouldn't fancy staying up there after a play off semi final, long drive back win or lose.

We stayed in Newcastle last time we went up to Boro, was an hour on the train from there. Absolutely no point in staying in Middlesbrough, it’s a shithole 

[franniesTache]

6 minutes ago, Jack said:

We stayed in Newcastle last time we went up to Boro, was an hour on the train from there. Absolutely no point in staying in Middlesbrough, it’s a shithole 

I dunno when i went there last time we got promoted i was surprised by how much it had improved as a city, seemed to be a lot of development there, especially around the university. Some good spots to both eat and drink i thought and pretty similar to southampton in many ways.

One thing i hope if it's Boro is that we manage to find a way of beating our North East curse, because i dread every game in that corner of the country and our record there is appalling

[CB Fry]

1 hour ago, beatlesaint said:

If a team wins the first leg 3-0 its not much of an advantage is it?

I'm just saying that i doubt it bothers Tonda, you can hear him say "we have to play home and away so it makes no difference"  

Honestly insane. Any manager or player would want the second leg (plus potential extra time and penalties) to be at their home ground. Tonda included. He wont be saying anything like your made up quote unless we fail and we're fifth and we have to get on with it.

Absolutely not "some fan thing".

Edited yesterday at 11:51 by CB Fry

[Dman]

3 hours ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Wooosh 😉

yeah, that'll teach me for not reading the post.

[Lord Duckhunter]

It’s obvious any team would prefer the home leg second, and it is actually the reward for finishing above the opposition. That said, the balance is whether the advantage of playing home second outweighs the advantage of having a fully fit squad, rested and at peak fitness.
 

Ideally you’d like both, but if Ross Stewart, Jander & THB are fucked because they’ve played too many games lately, whether they’re fucked for the home or away game is immaterial. Tonda needs to weigh up the medical teams feedback, how the players feel, how they look in training, and make his decisions based around that. That’s his fucking job at the end of the day. Personally, I’d be cautions, any indication players need a rest, I’d rest them, even if it means Archer playing up front, or Quasie & Wood being the centre half pairing. No point in going to the well once more, when we can beat Preston with 6 changes anyway, 

[hypochondriac]

1 minute ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

It’s obvious any team would prefer the home leg second, and it is actually the reward for finishing above the opposition. That said, the balance is whether the advantage of playing home second outweighs the advantage of having a fully fit squad, rested and at peak fitness.
 

Ideally you’d like both, but if Ross Stewart, Jander & THB are fucked because they’ve played too many games lately, whether they’re fucked for the home or away game is immaterial. Tonda needs to weigh up the medical teams feedback, how the players feel, how they look in training, and make his decisions based around that. That’s his fucking job at the end of the day. Personally, I’d be cautions, any indication players need a rest, I’d rest them, even if it means Archer playing up front, or Quasie & Wood being the centre half pairing. No point in going to the well once more, when we can beat Preston with 6 changes anyway, 

Yep. I know he won't do it but personally I'd go:

Peretz 

Jellert Wood Quarshie Wellington 

Fellows Romeu Charles Edozie 

Jay Robinson 

Archer 

Then start playoffs with: 

Peretz 

Bree THB Stephens Manning 

Matsuki Downes Jander Scienza 

Azaz 

Larin  

Which gives all except Peretz a rest. 

[Jack]

11 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

It’s obvious any team would prefer the home leg second, and it is actually the reward for finishing above the opposition. That said, the balance is whether the advantage of playing home second outweighs the advantage of having a fully fit squad, rested and at peak fitness.
 

Ideally you’d like both, but if Ross Stewart, Jander & THB are fucked because they’ve played too many games lately, whether they’re fucked for the home or away game is immaterial. 

I’d say Jander is peaking, not fucked. But get your point on some of the others. I think rotating the whole squad and a defeat on Saturday would be more damaging than continuing to ask a lot of the squad. A few changes like he has been, yes. But not a momentum killing second string. 
 

Have to do our best to win it, like Tonda always does. Can’t see him approaching it any differently, especially with 6/7 days off after Preston. 

[Paulwantsapint81]

Not great for the fans who travel away but 4th looks better than playing on a Friday night 

Then back at St Marys on Tuesday 

[Oisin]

4 hours ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

It’s obvious any team would prefer the home leg second, and it is actually the reward for finishing above the opposition. That said, the balance is whether the advantage of playing home second outweighs the advantage of having a fully fit squad, rested and at peak fitness.
 

Ideally you’d like both, but if Ross Stewart, Jander & THB are fucked because they’ve played too many games lately, whether they’re fucked for the home or away game is immaterial. Tonda needs to weigh up the medical teams feedback, how the players feel, how they look in training, and make his decisions based around that. That’s his fucking job at the end of the day. Personally, I’d be cautions, any indication players need a rest, I’d rest them, even if it means Archer playing up front, or Quasie & Wood being the centre half pairing. No point in going to the well once more, when we can beat Preston with 6 changes anyway, 

Pretty much how I see it. I’d prefer to finish 4th all things being equal but would rather 5th and a full squad of fit and fresh players.

The other thing the 4th-at-all-costs demand forgets is that it’s not up to us anyway … we could play a full side, get a win and still finish 5th. 
To me the risks of preserving with players who clearly need a rest outweigh the marginally possible reward of playing home 2nd.

Bree, Jander, Fellows, Azaz and Scienza look in need of a break to me; Stewart, Larin and Stephens need managing as well.

 

I totally understand some people will think differently, but I’m still not sure why the order of a 2 leg tie matters half as much as some seem to think. If there’s extra time, maybe … but beyond that?

Certainly not enough to risk getting a tired Leo or Azaz injured for, when winning might not make any difference anyway.

[RedWillie]

7 hours ago, aintforever said:

Think I would prefer to play Millwall in the Semis rather than have their wanker fans ruin a day out 

 

Edited 22 hours ago by RedWillie

[Lord Duckhunter]

What’s the worst thing that could happen if we play a weakened side, we lose or draw and Middlesbrough don’t win. What’s the worst thing that can happen if we play full pelt and stuff them. Leo gets a muscle pull, or THB pulls a groin, or Bree is slightly off and therefore mistimes a tackle getting a red, and Middlesbrough still win.
 

Impact injuries can happen anytime, but other injuries are caused by fatigue. Tonda  has managed this side of the game extremely well, we haven’t had a lot of injuries compared to other sides. Let’s hope him and the medical team are all over this (I’m sure he is), and we don’t take any chances. The risk/reward equation is too far on the risk side imo. 

[Saint Pete]

I agree, I think the most important factor now is keeping players as fresh as possible for the play offs. We can't finish 3rd as Millwall will get at least a point at home to Oxford. Finishing 4th would be nice due to a home 2nd leg but not as essential as managing our players fitness after an incredibly tough series of games in my opinion. 

[Dr Who?]

19 hours ago, franniesTache said:

I dunno when i went there last time we got promoted i was surprised by how much it had improved as a city, seemed to be a lot of development there, especially around the university. Some good spots to both eat and drink i thought and pretty similar to southampton in many ways.

One thing i hope if it's Boro is that we manage to find a way of beating our North East curse, because i dread every game in that corner of the country and our record there is appalling

This I live over the way, so the north east are my easier games. I do not think I have seen us win over there since 2017 when we beat Sunderland with a Tadic penalty. Last promotion season we lost 2-1 and 5-0 to Boro and Sunderland. Last season 1-0 to Newcastle somehow! This season 4-0 to Boro. So looking forward to my trip over there next Saturday lunchtime or Tuesday evening! 🙄 

[Dr Who?]

8 hours ago, Saint Pete said:

I agree, I think the most important factor now is keeping players as fresh as possible for the play offs. We can't finish 3rd as Millwall will get at least a point at home to Oxford. Finishing 4th would be nice due to a home 2nd leg but not as essential as managing our players fitness after an incredibly tough series of games in my opinion. 

I can see us beating Preston and Boro drawing at Wrexham, but with Wrexhams playoff place on the line they may even best Boro. Then you even have, which no one is talking about. If Millwall slip up and Boro win, Boro will take 3rd forcing us into a semi against Millwall. I was hoping for Hull as I have not been to that ground and will not be making it to Millwall (the other ground I have not been too), but cannot see us leapfrogging Millwall, or Hull actually nicking the 6th spot. 

Whatever will be, will be…

[wild-saint]

8 minutes ago, Dr Who? said:

I can see us beating Preston and Boro drawing at Wrexham, but with Wrexhams playoff place on the line they may even best Boro. Then you even have, which no one is talking about. If Millwall slip up and Boro win, Boro will take 3rd forcing us into a semi against Millwall. I was hoping for Hull as I have not been to that ground and will not be making it to Millwall (the other ground I have not been too), but cannot see us leapfrogging Millwall, or Hull actually nicking the 6th spot. 

Whatever will be, will be…

So In summary you are saying we will probably play 1 of 4 teams either home or away first, correct? 

[Give it to Ron]

29 minutes ago, Dr Who? said:

I can see us beating Preston and Boro drawing at Wrexham, but with Wrexhams playoff place on the line they may even best Boro. Then you even have, which no one is talking about. If Millwall slip up and Boro win, Boro will take 3rd forcing us into a semi against Millwall. I was hoping for Hull as I have not been to that ground and will not be making it to Millwall (the other ground I have not been too), but cannot see us leapfrogging Millwall, or Hull actually nicking the 6th spot. 

Whatever will be, will be…

I have been to Millwall twice now it’s very sanitised- first time had more riot police than Saints fans being taken as soon as got off tube.

Yes you get the throat slitting gestures from the yoof but as an away day it’s fine we usually drink in Southwark . 

[franniesTache]

5 hours ago, Give it to Ron said:

I have been to Millwall twice now it’s very sanitised- first time had more riot police than Saints fans being taken as soon as got off tube.

Yes you get the throat slitting gestures from the yoof but as an away day it’s fine we usually drink in Southwark . 

Millwall is the safest away day in the country if you want it to be. London Bridge, train direct to their ground, do the cowards walk into the away section that's fenced off, and the same back after.

[Football Special]

33 minutes ago, franniesTache said:

Millwall is the safest away day in the country if you want it to be. London Bridge, train direct to their ground, do the cowards walk into the away section that's fenced off, and the same back after.

If we ended up with Millwall over 2 legs 100% they'd only give us the upper tier for that. 

On that subject only need to give away fans 2000 tickets in play offs but Saints seem incapable of reducing our away allocation at St Mary’s now 

[EssEffCee]

10 minutes ago, Football Special said:

If we ended up with Millwall over 2 legs 100% they'd only give us the upper tier for that. 

On that subject only need to give away fans 2000 tickets in play offs but Saints seem incapable of reducing our away allocation at St Mary’s now 

They've only given Oxford the upper tier for this weekend too. Probably incase of home pitch invasion as much as anything.

We can't give any of away end to home fans but could leave the seats empty if we wanted. Only cost the club 30 grand or so.

Edited 3 hours ago by EssEffCee

[Nordic Saint]

On 29/04/2026 at 12:38, franniesTache said:

One thing i hope if it's Boro is that we manage to find a way of beating our North East curse, because i dread every game in that corner of the country and our record there is appalling

Our record at Middlesbrough isn't bad though:

Bet on Middlesbrough vs Southampton | Soccer Base

 

Edited 3 hours ago by Nordic Saint