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Saints vs Villa - Build Up

Lighthouse

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trousers

trousers

Posted
Posted
So it was sold out?

 

I'm pretty sure it wasn't. An attendance of 31,609, more than 1,000 less than capacity, would say that it wasn't a full stadium. And various reports on here testify to lots of corporate seats not having sold, and thus being empty. As well as the exec boxes too.

 

Does "bored now" actually mean "Oh f*ck, I'm wrong, but please God don't ever make me admit it or call me up on my obvious mistakes"? Seems like it to me.

 

No, it means he's drifted off into a deep sleep like the rest of us...

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Turkish

Turkish

Posted
Posted
Incredible news. MLG was absolutely adamant that we always used to sell out games like this many days in advance when we were last in the Premier League. Villa are traditionally a big draw, too.

 

Wow. I'm literally stunned that MLG was wrong again.

 

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?39226-Final-season-ticket-holder-number

 

 

 

You were correct, of course (predictably) for the Man Utd game. For the Wigan game, and for this Villa game; no, not so much.

 

I particularly like this comment on th first post

 

"will be some almighty scramble for tickets next season"

 

Err, no there isn't...

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Turkish

Turkish

Posted
Posted
These 'I am right, you are wrong' arguments bore the sh*t out of me..... I hope Saints play to our strengths and give the ball to the new boy Ramirez ...With him and AL we really could have something special to look forward to..Up the Saints...

 

Could be like Eklund and Le Tiss, hope it lasts longer!

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ibizasaint

ibizasaint

Posted
Posted

Damn right.... What a player Eklund was...! Not sure how many players have made such an impact for Saints in such a short period of time... I remember we got him from Barca but i cant remember why he left... I wonder if NA is thinking we should be looking for the forwards to be playing through balls for J Rod to run onto or getting the ball in to SRL... big call for NA in such an important game..... praying he gets it right.

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Turkish

Turkish

Posted
Posted
Damn right.... What a player Eklund was...! Not sure how many players have made such an impact for Saints in such a short period of time... I remember we got him from Barca but i cant remember why he left... I wonder if NA is thinking we should be looking for the forwards to be playing through balls for J Rod to run onto or getting the ball in to SRL... big call for NA in such an important game..... praying he gets it right.

 

Didn't we play a friendly against them and Ball was told he was available so snapped him up? Once he got here it came to light he need an op on his back, he wouldn't have it and there was some problem that meant he couldn't play in this country? Memory is a little hazy on this but definitely remember something to do with his back and an op.

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Mowgli

Mowgli

Posted
Posted
Didn't we play a friendly against them and Ball was told he was available so snapped him up? Once he got here it came to light he need an op on his back, he wouldn't have it and there was some problem that meant he couldn't play in this country? Memory is a little hazy on this but definitely remember something to do with his back and an op.

 

More or less right but we knew about the back problem when we signed him on loan. Ronnie was convinced he could get through his back problems without an op that held an element of risk. In the event the problem kept materialising and we failed to make the transfer permanent on insurance grounds.

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The9

The9

Posted
Posted
Did you miss Scholes pulling us apart. We had no answer. We needed to man to man Scholes but gave him the freedom of SMS to pressurise us. As for MS, if he is so good how come nobody is trying to take him.

 

Scholes didn't play a pass that wasn't from within 5 yards of the centre circle, and Fonte was one of the most knackered players - I can't see him either lasting the distance to have coped with Scholes or seeing him being comfortable pressing 20 yards further up the pitch than he's used to. S Davis' passing in the latter stages showed he was knackered too, even 10 yarders were going awry - that's why Scholes got space.

 

Also, if you've just got a bloke hitting 30 yard passes from the halfway line, in normal circumstances that should suit the defence just fine.

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Itchen_block4

Itchen_block4

Posted
Posted
Scholes didn't play a pass that wasn't from within 5 yards of the centre circle, and Fonte was one of the most knackered players - I can't see him either lasting the distance to have coped with Scholes or seeing him being comfortable pressing 20 yards further up the pitch than he's used to. S Davis' passing in the latter stages showed he was knackered too, even 10 yarders were going awry - that's why Scholes got space.

 

Also, if you've just got a bloke hitting 30 yard passes from the halfway line, in normal circumstances that should suit the defence just fine.

 

This pretty much. Midfielders are actually better at pressing midfielders than defenders are. Had Ramirez been available for the Man U game, he could have come on for one of our shattered midfielders, dealt with Scholes and possibly even put Mayuka through for a third. Even a player as immobile as Scholes, you don't deal with him by trying to man-mark him.

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Window Cleaner

Window Cleaner

Posted
Posted

Anyway for Villa I hope we go back to the usual formation with Ramirez in the advanced role and Morgan back to his usual spot in front of the back 4 for it seems to me that in the first half against the Arse it was Davis in front of the back four and Morgan in a more advanced role. If Cork was available that would be good cos despite the collective hysteria I'm none too convinced by JWP as yet, maybe a 60 min sub role for him this time.

 

 

So for me:

 

Anyone with a pair of keeper's gloves other than KD

Clyne,Fonte,Yoshida,Fox

Morgan

Ramirez,Cork

Punch Lallana

Lambert

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tajjuk

tajjuk

Posted
Posted
Like Wigan then. I get it.

 

We didn't play nearly as well against Wigan as we did against Utd.

 

Hence why I said IF WE PLAY LIKE WE DID AGAINST UTD. Not if we play like we did against Wigan.

 

The formation and line up is one thing but the players still have to perform.

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Saint Charlie

Saint Charlie

Posted
Posted (edited)
Really cannot see us starting with 2 CM first starts tbh. Cork's first game back will be Sheff Weds IMO.

 

For Villa, either play Schneiderlin, Davis, W-P with Ramirez in a more advanced role, or play Schneiderlin and Davis deeper and let Ramirez play in behind the striker.

 

 

This. Can see one of these two options really:

 

------------Davis---------

 

Clyne---Jose----Maya-------Fox

 

Puncheon--Morgan---JWP/SD---Lallana

 

-----------Ramirez---------------

 

----------Lambert--------------

 

or

 

------------Davis----------------

 

Clyne---Fonte---Maya------Fox

 

-------Morgan---Davis---------

-------------JWP---------------

Ramirez------------------Lallana

-----------Lambert-------------

 

IMO it doesnt matter which formation, just about getting our best players on the ball as much as possible.

Edited by Saint Charlie
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Bucks Saint

Bucks Saint

Posted
Posted
This. Can see one of these two options really:

 

------------Davis---------

 

Clyne---Jose----Maya-------Fox

 

Puncheon--Morgan---JWP/SD---Lallana

 

-----------Ramirez---------------

 

----------Lambert--------------

 

or

 

------------Davis----------------

 

Clyne---Fonte---Maya------Fox

 

-------Morgan---Davis---------

-------------JWP---------------

Ramirez------------------Lallana

-----------Lambert-------------

 

IMO it doesnt matter which formation, just about getting our best players on the ball as much as possible.

 

Like it. At home, against Villa, I would prefer the first option - although it is more adventurous, Puncheon has done well so far (offensively at least)

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Tokyo-Saint

Tokyo-Saint

Posted
Posted

There looks to be 2, possibly 3 Japanese journalists there. How will Yoshida cope with the pressure?

 

Will the English Journalists be able to understand him? His incomplete sentences, poor grammar, bad pronunciation?

 

Maybe Yoshida will have to help Puncheon be understood and to get his point across. He can't do it all by dance, we are not in the football league anymore and Clem is nowhere to be seen.

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Tokyo-Saint

Tokyo-Saint

Posted
Posted
Could be applied to 50% of modern footballers that, and not all of them from outside these fair isles.

 

Bloody hell window cleaner, for someone that spends a lot of time up a ladder, a lot goes over your head doesn't it. First the puns on the muppet show and now this ;)

 

It was a joke, playing on Puncheons poor grasp of English and his dancing when Clem wanted to interview him at the end of last season.

 

 

"Yoshida will have to help Puncheon be understood"

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Bearsy

Bearsy

Posted
Posted
Bloody hell window cleaner, for someone that spends a lot of time up a ladder, a lot goes over your head doesn't it. First the puns on the muppet show and now this ;)

 

It was a joke, playing on Puncheons poor grasp of English and his dancing when Clem wanted to interview him at the end of last season.

 

 

"Yoshida will have to help Puncheon be understood"

 

Does it?

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DT

DT

Posted
Posted
This. Can see one of these two options really:

 

------------Davis---------

 

Clyne---Jose----Maya-------Fox

 

Puncheon--Morgan---JWP/SD---Lallana

 

-----------Ramirez---------------

 

----------Lambert--------------

 

or

 

------------Davis----------------

 

Clyne---Fonte---Maya------Fox

 

-------Morgan---Davis---------

-------------JWP---------------

Ramirez------------------Lallana

-----------Lambert-------------

 

IMO it doesnt matter which formation, just about getting our best players on the ball as much as possible.

Play Davis and Fox again and we will lose.

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raynesparksaint

raynesparksaint

Posted
Posted
Didn't we play a friendly against them and Ball was told he was available so snapped him up? Once he got here it came to light he need an op on his back, he wouldn't have it and there was some problem that meant he couldn't play in this country? Memory is a little hazy on this but definitely remember something to do with his back and an op.

 

Barca loaned him out to Man City (then Coventry although he didn't play a game for them) after us, so it wasn't an issue with playing in England. Yes it was his back injury that scuppered his career with us, although he did ok in the MLS afterwards. I think Ray Graydon signed him for Walsall too on a short-term basis.

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derry

derry

Posted
Posted
As a slightly nervous flyer, I find it concerning that you were a commercial airline pilot.....I thought good decisions when under pressure is essential!?

 

Over 18000 hours dear boy and never a problem. But you aren't wrong, there are a quite a few accidents out there waiting to happen. I lost some good friends in crashes, tail came off, aileron fell off, aircraft on fire crashed, hit a mountain in bad weather etc. One of the guys I sit with lost all four engines on a B747. If you knew what I know you just wouldn't be nervous, you wouldn't get on another aircraft. Then again you might consider yourself lucky.

 

Quite what that had to do with a hypothetical discussion on formations. I will say one of the Cup winning team felt we should have close marked Scholes and said it was a no brainer, but then what did he know.

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The Kraken

The Kraken

Posted
Posted
Over 18000 hours dear boy and never a problem. But you aren't wrong, there are a quite a few accidents out there waiting to happen. I lost some good friends in crashes, tail came off, aileron fell off, aircraft on fire crashed, hit a mountain in bad weather etc. One of the guys I sit with lost all four engines on a B747. If you knew what I know you just wouldn't be nervous, you wouldn't get on another aircraft. Then again you might consider yourself lucky.

 

Quite what that had to do with a hypothetical discussion on formations. I will say one of the Cup winning team felt we should have close marked Scholes and said it was a no brainer, but then what did he know.

 

I was reading the other day about the BA flight that did this, back in the 80s, and the captain went on the intercom with the immortal words:

 

Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We have a small problem. All four engines have stopped. We are doing our damnedest to get them going again. I trust you are not in too much distress.

 

Legend :lol::lol:

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derry

derry

Posted
Posted
I was reading the other day about the BA flight that did this, back in the 80s, and the captain went on the intercom with the immortal words:

 

 

 

Legend :lol::lol:

 

Eric has travelled the world and dined out on that ever since. Top bloke.SMS ST holder.

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The Kraken

The Kraken

Posted
Posted
Oh dear the Slug Balancer is predicting us to win 2-1. Kiss of death. He seems a little obsessed with Cortese and how apparently he is looking to axe Adkins.

 

Not this again. Lawrenson's comments are entirely valid (especially given that Adkins has today spent a press conference deflecting questions about his supposed upcoming termination of contract). From Lawro:

 

Saints boss Nigel Adkins is a good manager and has not suddenly become a bad one but he seems to be under pressure and he really needs a win.

 

To get one on Saturday would be a massive result for Adkins and would stop the murmurings about his future.

 

An entirely valid point of view.

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dubai_phil

dubai_phil

Posted
Posted

FMDP's Bro is staying over on his Honeymoon so taking him & "The Bride" to our home pub with the Dubai Massive for their first game.

 

Sod Adkins & Cortese or our points total, we need a win and good performance to ensure that our quest for Global Domination continues. Get a win & Sibley will have to be tweeting in Polish within the year alongside his new Japanese feed

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Saint-Armstrong

Saint-Armstrong

Posted
Posted

Lawro:

 

Southampton v Aston Villa

Southampton got a battering from Arsenal last week and are bottom of the table without a point but, as with Stoke, you have to remember who they have played this season, and Saints have already faced both Manchester clubs this season.

 

The difference between the two clubs is that Stoke chairman Peter Coates has been around football for a long time and he knows that, win or lose, you don't get carried away. I am not sure you can say the same thing about Nicola Cortese, his counterpart at St Mary's.

 

Saints boss Nigel Adkins is a good manager and has not suddenly become a bad one but he seems to be under pressure and he really needs a win.

To get one on Saturday would be a massive result for Adkins and would stop the murmurings about his future.

We are hearing rumours about Rafa Benitez and Harry Redknapp being lined up to take over and the papers will not stop talking about Adkins being on his way out while Saints are struggling.

 

I have a feeling they might get a positive result against Villa, though. Paul Lambert has a lot of young players in his team and that means they will be up and down.

Lambert has had a difficult start as Villa boss but I think his side's fans know he has inherited a bit of a mess and he will not get any problems from them.

For Villa, going forward, the partnership up front between Darren Bent and Christian Benteke holds the key. It looks promising and if they hit it off then it will buy the young players in their team some time. That's what Villa need.

 

Prediction: 2-1

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Dig Dig

Dig Dig

Posted
Posted
Over 18000 hours dear boy and never a problem. But you aren't wrong, there are a quite a few accidents out there waiting to happen. I lost some good friends in crashes, tail came off, aileron fell off, aircraft on fire crashed, hit a mountain in bad weather etc. One of the guys I sit with lost all four engines on a B747. If you knew what I know you just wouldn't be nervous, you wouldn't get on another aircraft. Then again you might consider yourself lucky.

 

Quite what that had to do with a hypothetical discussion on formations. I will say one of the Cup winning team felt we should have close marked Scholes and said it was a no brainer, but then what did he know.

 

You're supposed to say something reassuring but i'll keep taking my chances otherwise I wouldnt get to see many places!

 

Anyhow, it's so much about the idea of close marking scholes but rather the suggestion that it could have been seabourne or Richardson......in CM.....against Utd. I think Utd would have been rubbing their hands together at the prospect.

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derry

derry

Posted
Posted
You're supposed to say something reassuring but i'll keep taking my chances otherwise I wouldnt get to see many places!

 

Anyhow, it's so much about the idea of close marking scholes but rather the suggestion that it could have been seabourne or Richardson......in CM.....against Utd. I think Utd would have been rubbing their hands together at the prospect.

 

If we were going to close mark Scholes then they were the only defenders available. It would have been an attacker that would have to be replaced as the marker wouldn't be playing anywhere but tight marking Scholes. The midfield and defence would still be intact. I don't think Utd would have been at all pleased as it might well have taken him out of the equation.

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Saint Charlie

Saint Charlie

Posted
Posted
If we were going to close mark Scholes then they were the only defenders available. It would have been an attacker that would have to be replaced as the marker wouldn't be playing anywhere but tight marking Scholes. The midfield and defence would still be intact. I don't think Utd would have been at all pleased as it might well have taken him out of the equation.

 

Can you and Dig Dig take this Scholes, Seaborne, Richardson, Commerical Pilot stuff onto PM so we can talk about the Villa game?

 

Looks like Benkete might start for them.

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jawillwill

jawillwill

Posted
Posted

Just had a look at the tickets website. Still quite a few left in the Itchen/Chapel corner. Also right behind the goal in the Chapel...that won' look good on the telly.

 

I've figured out what I think the problem is with the ticket website. When you have the stadium plan and you have to select which block you want, there's no way of telling how many tickets are left in that block before you click - so if you don't know what's available you might ended up clicking on 10 different blocks before you find an available seat - a lot of people might lose patience before that and just give up.

 

It would be much better if we had something similar to the Man Utd ticket website which has a traffic light colour scheme for each block - green for high availability, orange for limited available and red if the block is sold out. Like this: https://www.eticketing.co.uk/muticketsandmembership/details/event.aspx?itemref=4997

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VectisSaint

VectisSaint

Posted
Posted
Not this again. Lawrenson's comments are entirely valid (especially given that Adkins has today spent a press conference deflecting questions about his supposed upcoming termination of contract). From Lawro:

 

 

 

An entirely valid point of view.

No its not, and Lawro is obsessed with bringing up the rumours that he is hearing about while trying to say that he doesn't agree. If he doesn't agree why does he keep repeating it. The only pressure is coming from a small number of ignorant journos and people like Lawrenson (and you apparently).

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jawillwill

jawillwill

Posted
Posted
Just had a look at the tickets website. Still quite a few left in the Itchen/Chapel corner. Also right behind the goal in the Chapel...that won' look good on the telly.

 

I've figured out what I think the problem is with the ticket website. When you have the stadium plan and you have to select which block you want, there's no way of telling how many tickets are left in that block before you click - so if you don't know what's available you might ended up clicking on 10 different blocks before you find an available seat - a lot of people might lose patience before that and just give up.

 

It would be much better if we had something similar to the Man Utd ticket website which has a traffic light colour scheme for each block - green for high availability, orange for limited available and red if the block is sold out. Like this: https://www.eticketing.co.uk/muticketsandmembership/details/event.aspx?itemref=4997

 

...

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doddisalegend

doddisalegend

Posted
Posted
Just had a look at the tickets website. Still quite a few left in the Itchen/Chapel corner. Also right behind the goal in the Chapel...that won' look good on the telly.

 

I've figured out what I think the problem is with the ticket website. When you have the stadium plan and you have to select which block you want, there's no way of telling how many tickets are left in that block before you click - so if you don't know what's available you might ended up clicking on 10 different blocks before you find an available seat - a lot of people might lose patience before that and just give up.

 

It would be much better if we had something similar to the Man Utd ticket website which has a traffic light colour scheme for each block - green for high availability, orange for limited available and red if the block is sold out. Like this: https://www.eticketing.co.uk/muticketsandmembership/details/event.aspx?itemref=4997

 

Yeah I used for the first time last week and agree it was a bit tedoius....... there seemed to a be lots of odd seats on their own dotted around which seems a bit wasteful.

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