Saints v Oxford (Saturday 21st March @ 3pm)

[trousers]

Assuming Leo and Ross are fit to start...

 

------------------------- Peretz --------------------------

Bree ---------- Stephens ------- THB ---------- Manning

--------- Downes --------------------- Bragg ------------

----- Scienza ------------ Azaz ------------- Edozie -----

------------------------- Stewart -------------------------

 

Home win!

Edited 8 hours ago by trousers

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

Get the players refreshed enough to push through this last game before the internationals.

Come on Tonda, show us that you've done your homework on Oxford and figured out how to beat them!

[sockeye]

They’re fighting like hell for survival and have had a favourable March so far with seven points out of nine. Let’s hope we’re fit and firing! Would be good to see Ross and/or Leo back as substitute options before the break too

[skintsaint]

Would be classic Saints to lose this 0-1.....

but think we will score at least 3 to zip.

[whelk]

Any dropped points will be damn annoying although some consolation that it would help fuck Portsmouth. 2-0

Edited 7 hours ago by whelk

[Zorba]

Tonda’s first real test!?

[chownie20]

Will be interesting to see if Leo or Ross are risked from the start, but equally feel we have been flogging Larin a little over the past week so he is probably dead on his feet - I dont know if he is also in the squad for Canada vs Iceland?? 

Tough one to call really in terms of who to pick.  Feel Bragg probably deserves a start as Jander was not great again last night.  Downes is important for the spine and the tempo.  Back four picks itself.

Perhaps one for Fellows and Edozie to start to maximise creativity.  

If we cant turn them over at SMS though, we dont really deserve to be talking about promotion.

[saintant]

4 hours ago, trousers said:

Assuming Leo and Ross are fit to start...

 

------------------------- Peretz --------------------------

Bree ---------- Stephens ------- THB ---------- Manning

--------- Downes --------------------- Bragg ------------

----- Scienza ------------ Azaz ------------- Edozie -----

------------------------- Stewart -------------------------

 

Home win!

Think Leo and Ross will be wrapped in cotton wool on the bench and only unwrapped if desperately needed. Tonda will hope to win this one without risking them and then they get more time to fully recover during the international break.

[WALK DMC]

3 hours ago, sockeye said:

They’re fighting like hell for survival and have had a favourable March so far with seven points out of nine. Let’s hope we’re fit and firing! Would be good to see Ross and/or Leo back as substitute options before the break too

Last month they drew at both Coventry and Middlesbrough both 0-0 scores. They will not be push-overs. 

For both games, they only had 25% possession, so unlike Norwich I expect that we'll see a low block (for those of you of a certain age, read "park the bus")

[Barton Saint]

Funnily enough I can see Archer starting this game as Larin has been booted and shoved all over the park the last 5 games he did tremendously well to last 99 last night! Then maybe Leo to unlock them in the second half if needed can’t see Ross being ready yet; save him for the Cup!!

[SNSUN]

On paper, 3 points. But they're fighting for their lives... which is good as it means Leicester, WBA and Portsmouth are left squirming. That said I hope we can keep the run going now we're in the driving seat. We need to put pressure on Hull now and even make Milwall and Ipswich think twice. 

Same team. Maybe put Ross and Leo on the bench but I wouldn't be risking them when we have a break after. Tough game though. This could very well be another WBA unless we can take our chances when they come. 

[Toadhall Saint]

Home win.

[benjii]

I would do the usual back 4.

Bragg and Charles.

Matsuki Azaz Edozie

Larin

Just freshen it a little as those midfield 2 have to get through a lot of work.

Great if Scienza and Stewart are available for the bench.

[SouthWalesSaints]

Peretz 

Bree THB Wood Manning 

Downes Bragg 

Azaz Jander Edozie 

Larin 

 

Most chance of them scoring is on the break, so we need to get pace into midfield and back line. IMO. 
 

We need to trust Azaz to unlock them, but he will look like he’s being cheap on ball as he’ll try and take risks. Important we stay with him in the stands. Scienza hopefully to help later. 

Edited 2 hours ago by SouthWalesSaints

[RedWillie]

Ticket sales look good. Usual gaps next to away fans but rest is looking like a decent 30k

[Saint Fan CaM]

So, do we go for a win to maintain the play-off push or let Oxford win to ensure Pimply and the Fixes are more likely to get relegated? Tough one. 😉

[suewhistle]

2 hours ago, chownie20 said:

Will be interesting to see if Leo or Ross are risked from the start, but equally feel we have been flogging Larin a little over the past week so he is probably dead on his feet - I dont know if he is also in the squad for Canada vs Iceland?? 

Looks like he is, so we have a ready made chant if he scores: Canada, Canada's no 9 etc. He was looking tired at the end last night but stood up well to Norwich's robust approach. It would be good to give him a bit of a rest if we get well ahead but I fear a bit of a grind.

[Football Special]

24 minutes ago, RedWillie said:

Ticket sales look good. Usual gaps next to away fans but rest is looking like a decent 30k

I thought sales would be better considering our form and its actually a Saturday 3pm, we've not had a sell out with ticket exchange open for ages. Still about 1000 available with 850 of those being either side of away fans. 

Big day out for Oxford, sold out the 3,008 allocation a while ago, they've never played at St Mary's before, fighting for survival, nice away day with a direct train , a mate of mine coming down reckons they've also got a few who have bought in the home end,  im sure won't be any bother but let's not give them anything to cheer. 

Edited 2 hours ago by Football Special

[Football Special]

35 minutes ago, suewhistle said:

Looks like he is, so we have a ready made chant if he scores: Canada, Canada's no 9 etc. He was looking tired at the end last night but stood up well to Norwich's robust approach. It would be good to give him a bit of a rest if we get well ahead but I fear a bit of a grind.

I'm sure he's pleased to be called up as the World Cup approaches, but frustrating for us. Canada v Iceland on Saturday but also Canada v Tunisia early hours of Wednesday morning (our time) in Toronto. He won't be back much before we play Arsenal on the Saturday. 

[Baird of the land]

Peretz

bree Thb Stephen manning

charles downes

fellows azaz edozie

larin