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Saints vs Brighton - Build-up Thread


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5 points from City, Everton and Utd is a great return. However, we've really got to get into the habit of winning these sorts of games - if we can do that then we're on for a very decent season next year. 

Would be great to have a dominant comfortable home win... please!

I don't expect Ralph will muck around too much with the lineup, perhaps Smallbone and Long/Obafemi to come in. 

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1 hour ago, Nolan said:

1 draw away from equalling the Puel  46pts, 8th Position season, 1 win from bettering Puel.

Which goes to show, which a few of us pointed out at the time, that 8th was a bit of a false position that season and was more about the standard of the league, rather than how well we had played. 
 

That being said, arsenal game aside, since the restart this is the best I can remember us playing... and that’s with a squad that in general wouldn’t get a sniff in the poch / Koeman teams.  

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Arguably Brighton even bigger test in terms of can we play on front foot with lion share of the ball against a defence that sits deep? Ralph indicated he likes having less of the ball so we can play on the counter attack utilising our high press. Hopefully we can take our recent form and confidence and really take game to Brighton. Might be frustrating at times but as long as we stay patient I'm sure we can find a way through. 

Tempted to rest a few ready for Sunday. Ings looked jaded at times last night but I think he has to start as Brighton is golden opportunity to get on score sheet. All 3 remaining games are too be fair. Smallbone, PEH and Long in maybe for Adams, Armstrong and Romeu 

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2 hours ago, Nolan said:

1 draw away from equalling the Puel  46pts, 8th Position season, 1 win from bettering Puel.

It’s not impossible for us to beat Puel’s points total and finish 14th. It would require Palace to win 2 out of 3 pretty tough fixtures but it is at least plausible. Puts the whole ‘they sacked him because 8th wasn’t good enough’ argument into a bit more perspective.

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I know the media still say 'And they sacked Puel for finishing 8th!' - but us fans know what we see and what we're on about, and there was nothing but regression about his game and the improvement in our play wasn't there. It took us a little while to get out of the Puel mindset of pass, pass pass and do nothing with it, but we're finally there.

Yes, we finished 8th, we weren't in a relegation battle, but he still had the likes of VVD, Tadic, Fonte etc in that side. We were closer to 17th than we were 7th, I couldn't wait to get shot of the bore. Leicester also felt our pain a few months later and it took them a while to recover as well.

Death by football.

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I have a horrible feeling we are playing with fire if we keep starting Ings. I get that he'd love to try and snatch the golden boot  but its far more important that he is fit and ready for next season. Personally  I'd rest him for this one.

Maybe rest a couple of others too.

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1 hour ago, S-Clarke said:

I know the media still say 'And they sacked Puel for finishing 8th!' - but us fans know what we see and what we're on about, and there was nothing but regression about his game and the improvement in our play wasn't there. It took us a little while to get out of the Puel mindset of pass, pass pass and do nothing with it, but we're finally there.

Yes, we finished 8th, we weren't in a relegation battle, but he still had the likes of VVD, Tadic, Fonte etc in that side. We were closer to 17th than we were 7th, I couldn't wait to get shot of the bore. Leicester also felt our pain a few months later and it took them a while to recover as well.

Death by football.

Agreed.

Also I’m pretty sure we were in dire relegation form as well for the last 15 games or so that was also masked by a cup run which a lot of outsiders seem to ignore

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2 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

I know the media still say 'And they sacked Puel for finishing 8th!' - but us fans know what we see and what we're on about, and there was nothing but regression about his game and the improvement in our play wasn't there. It took us a little while to get out of the Puel mindset of pass, pass pass and do nothing with it, but we're finally there.

Yes, we finished 8th, we weren't in a relegation battle, but he still had the likes of VVD, Tadic, Fonte etc in that side. We were closer to 17th than we were 7th, I couldn't wait to get shot of the bore. Leicester also felt our pain a few months later and it took them a while to recover as well.

Death by football.

It's interesting how perspective frames things, though.

In Puel's season, 46 points was seen by most, if not all, as abject failure - mostly because of the dreadful end to the season.

This season we started horrendously, then have been in excellent form since the November international break. The positivity has grown across the campaign, rather than tailing off. Which is where we're at now.

My initial feeling was to agree that Puel had a much better squad, although when you look at what we ended the final match of 2016-17 with, I'm not sure there's an awful lot of difference.

Forster
Cedric / Stephens / Yoshida / Bertrand
Davis / Ward-Prowse / Romeu / Tadic
Austin / Redmond

Subs used: Boufal, Gabbiadini, Pied

---

Anyway, looking at our Prem record against Brighton I was expecting it to be pretty mixed, but turns out it's 3W, 3D.

Could've sworn there was a loss in there, but must just be that any time Murray scores against us it feels like a loss.

2-1 home win, for me.

Edited by ant
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56 minutes ago, Shroppie said:

I think it'll be the same team, again, with earlier subs if we're leading. Ralph seems to be making a point about our fitness and this clearly is now his first choice team.

Think probably right, Walker Peters they might rest if he has a headache after the clash last night, young Valery might get another chance. 

This is just the sort of game we struggle in, like Burnley/ Newcastle / West ham etc at home. 

What's the story with the other youngsters? 

Vokins played well in the cup against Huddersfield but he won't have had any competitive football for a while now, would seem risky to have to raw full backs. I'd keep Bertrand in. 

Smallbone has impressed , should get some more minutes in this one. 

Will Ferry - don't know much about him, hope he comes good as surely a song to the tune of the woolston ferry will be adapted for him. 

Jankewitz- don't anything about him 

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The team will all be be assessed for recovery in the usual way. It will only be if any aren't ready that they could be rested. I think the only starters who might struggle to be ready again after 3 days are Armstrong, Adams (hasn't had as much match practice) and possibly Ings.

But as Ralph has says, they're enjoying playing, there's no pressure and when it's like that and you've got a month's rest coming I think they'll all be keen to start.

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I doubt that Ralph will change much at all. We need to be going into this wanting to win and starting to make our home performances as strong as away. This is an ideal opportunity to get that started. Maybe he will tinker with the second striker, otherwise leave well alone if he can.

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Last night we used 14 players, if I have calculated it correctly 12 of the 14 were from the British Isles (just Romeu & Bednarek from outside). It appears that many of the continentals (Valery, Hojberg, Vestergaard, Boufal, Djenepo & Danso) are injured or out of favour. I think over the recent past this is very unusual to have so many from the same place, could this be a contributory factor to the strong team spirit and togetherness that is currently being displayed ? 

I assume that this will continue in the Brighton game with possibly only Vester, Hojberg and Danso possibly featuring ... 

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4 hours ago, the saint in winchester said:

How about Stephens at RB and Vester at CB? Or I guess he could just bring in Danso at RB?

We may want to give Romeu a night off, and play Hoejberg?

Up to Ralph, obviously.

If KWP isn’t fit then JWP would slot in, meaning a recall for Hojbjerg in midfield. I reckon Smallbone may also play a part.

Brighton are a tricky side, I think Potter is doing decent work there and with the right signings they’ll probably steer clear of a relegation battle next season. But they are beatable. Personally I think 7 to 9 points from our last 3 fixtures would be amazing, but 5 or six would suffice.

All eyes on our Danny...

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Brighton and Potter will see this as an opportunity to get points and protect their Prem status, so will be very up for the game. Expect to see long balls down the middle and crosses from the bye line testing our defence. Could be a game for Vest and even JWP at RB. I think if anyone in midfield is rested it will be Armstrong with Smallbone being favoured over Hojberg now. I don’t believe Danny will want to be rested and it would be counterproductive to change Adams for Obefemi or Long - they are good bench options for tiring oppo legs.

Difficult to predict how this one will play out...you would like to think we’ve turned a corner and will have too much for them, but they play decent football and will need the win.  Fitness will play a big part, so I’m going 1-1.

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McCarthy

KWP Stephens Bednarek Bertrand

Smallbone JWP Romeu Redmond

Obafemi Ings

 

Armstrong has looked tired n the last few so maybe give Smallbone a start, and Obafemi maybe deserves a start after Monday.  Wouldn;t be surprised to see the same team start though. Don't see any point in changing the back 4.

 

 

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21 minutes ago, Saint Garrett said:

McCarthy

KWP Stephens Bednarek Bertrand

Smallbone JWP Romeu Redmond

Obafemi Ings

 

Armstrong has looked tired n the last few so maybe give Smallbone a start, and Obafemi maybe deserves a start after Monday.  Wouldn;t be surprised to see the same team start though. Don't see any point in changing the back 4.

 

 

Been involved in 5 goals in his last 6 appearances with 2 goals and 3 assists. Nit the sign if someone who is tired. 

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25 minutes ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Does anybody know how to watch BT Sport on the big screen rather than a lap-top or a mirrored lap-top. Is there an App on Android or Apple TV.

There's a BT TV App that you can Chromecast onto a TV

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On 14/07/2020 at 02:59, Nolan said:

1 draw away from equalling the Puel  46pts, 8th Position season, 1 win from bettering Puel.

Which was what, 17 pts lower than the previous season with Koeman? Puel was trending heavily the wrong way, I could have managed us to 46 pts.

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6 hours ago, Saint Garrett said:

McCarthy

KWP Stephens Bednarek Bertrand

Smallbone JWP Romeu Redmond

Obafemi Ings

 

Armstrong has looked tired n the last few so maybe give Smallbone a start, and Obafemi maybe deserves a start after Monday.  Wouldn;t be surprised to see the same team start though. Don't see any point in changing the back 4.               Obafemi is a lazy player !  Well done for  scoring from 2 feet out agains Man U  but that does not warrant a starting place in my opinion ...

 

 

 

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So a build up thread is people whining about Puel. Comical.

He’s gone don’t worry yourselves. Oh we played some half decent games that season but you fckers still crying about having to sit through some nil nils at home.

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9 hours ago, redandwhite82 said:

it will be close - brighton need the points more than we do and they will be up for it

1-1

Brighton don't need the points. They're not mathematically safe but it would take a miracle for them to go down.

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