Saints 4-0 Walsall - Match Thread

[SaintBobby]

Anyone think this is where we screw up the unbeaten run? 🙂

[AlexLaw76]

i hope KwP is left out of the squad completely!!!

[trousers]

Lumley, Bree, Stephens, HB, Manning, Smallbone, Charles, Alcaraz, Amo-Ameyaw, Dibbling, Mara

 

 

Edited 1 January, 2024 by trousers

[ErwinK1961]

Hopefully;

Lumley, Abu, Stephens, Awe, Meghoma, Charles, Aribo, Smallbone/Alcaraz, SAA, Adams/Mara, Dibling

Of course it won’t be as drastic, but KWP, Downes and THB should be nowhere near the squad.

Edited 1 January, 2024 by ErwinK1961

[S-Clarke]

Walsall just destroyed last season's giant killers, Grimbsy, 6-1 at their place.

Not one to take lightly!

[Chewy]

8 minutes ago, trousers said:

Lumley, Bree, Stephens, HB, Manning, Smallbone, Charles, Alcaraz, Amo-Ameyaw, Dibbling, Mara

 

 

This apart from Bednarek not THB and Fraser for Dibbling IMO. I’d like to see Dibbling at some point, though. I’m also happy to see Megoma if he’s considered ready by the coaching team.

On the other hand, we need to win this - league is obviously more important than a cup we won’t win but extending the unbeaten record and maintaining moral is important I think.

[FarehamSaintJames]

I’m sure McCarthy will play and get beaten at his near post. 😂

Edited 1 January, 2024 by FarehamSaintJames

[fanimal]

After this gruelling 10 day period plus injuries the team selected will be interesting 

all the family are going to the game so I hope it’s a proper cup tie

[BARCELONASAINT]

I love the FA Cup but i will be happy to see us rest most of the starting 11 and give the bench players minutes.

[JRM]

11 minutes ago, BARCELONASAINT said:

I love the FA Cup but i will be happy to see us rest most of the starting 11 and give the bench players minutes.

I think that's inevitable from the sound of it, Martin conscious of the minutes played recently and clearly just wants to focus on the league. 

Would be a real shame to mess this up though, aren't we one game away from equalling a club record unbeaten run, silly to lose that at home to a league two side. 

We've lost our last two contests against opposition from this division, Grimsby was hugely embarrassing last season, Gillingham beat us comfortably back in August. Walsall now one of the form sides. 

I think that it is important we treat this seriously enough, keep the momentum going. 

Hope Bree will be fit, makes sense to play Stephens, Mara, Adams, hopefully Holegate if he's not back at Everton, few experienced players mixed in with some youth. 

Ticket sales look decent , Walsall expect to bring just over 2k so we might get close to 20k crowd, whole Chapel End empty makes it feel a bit soulless though. 

Edited 1 January, 2024 by JRM

[JRM]

2 hours ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

I’m sure McCarthy will play and get beaten at his near post. 😂

He's not been on the bench recently? I think it will be Lumley. 

[Saint Fan CaM]

Could the day, date and time be added to the title please?

Think this will see a fair few changes so not too confident of a positive outcome. We should win comfortably though. 2-1.

[gammon cheeks]

12 hours ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

I’m sure McCarthy will play and get beaten at his near post. 😂

McCarthy ..who is he?🤪

[Pamplemousse]

I've got scar tissue from that Gillingham game

 

Think we'll win, SAA and Dibling to tear them a new one

[east-stand-nic]

9 hours ago, JRM said:

I think that's inevitable from the sound of it, Martin conscious of the minutes played recently and clearly just wants to focus on the league. 

Would be a real shame to mess this up though, aren't we one game away from equalling a club record unbeaten run, silly to lose that at home to a league two side. 

We've lost our last two contests against opposition from this division, Grimsby was hugely embarrassing last season, Gillingham beat us comfortably back in August. Walsall now one of the form sides. 

I think that it is important we treat this seriously enough, keep the momentum going. 

Hope Bree will be fit, makes sense to play Stephens, Mara, Adams, hopefully Holegate if he's not back at Everton, few experienced players mixed in with some youth. 

Ticket sales look decent , Walsall expect to bring just over 2k so we might get close to 20k crowd, whole Chapel End empty makes it feel a bit soulless though. 

And for me there lies the most important factor. We saw with the West Ham cup game just how breaking winning momentum can have long term effects. We have seen many times also, just how after an international break we are sluggish. It is not like an extra game. It is in place of a normal Saturday game. Play your strongest tea, replace loads after an hour if we are 3 or 4 up. This game worries me, because if we struggle with a totally second string team, I truly believe we will lose momentum. I know we are not going to win the cup, but we should treat this as another league game and keep the confidence high.

[The Cat]

I'm sure there will be a reasonable number of the first team squad involved. 

Stephens will play as he doesn't need a rest. Same for Fraser, Smallbone and Alcaraz. Adams and Mara up front too. 

[CB Fry]

8 minutes ago, east-stand-nic said:

And for me there lies the most important factor. We saw with the West Ham cup game just how breaking winning momentum can have long term effects. We have seen many times also, just how after an international break we are sluggish. It is not like an extra game. It is in place of a normal Saturday game. Play your strongest tea, replace loads after an hour if we are 3 or 4 up. This game worries me, because if we struggle with a totally second string team, I truly believe we will lose momentum. I know we are not going to win the cup, but we should treat this as another league game and keep the confidence high.

Absolutely. We shouldn't be throwing away our unbeaten record by just slinging in every reserve and teenager we can think of. If nothing else it doesn't really give young players the best chance to shine if the whole team are reserves/kids.

I'm sure there would be some changes but we don't play again for a week so I don't get why we need to "rest" huge numbers of front line players.

[AlexLaw76]

Lumley

KwP, Stephens, THB, Manning

Smallbone, Alcaraz, Charles

SAA, Mara, Fraser

[Sheaf Saint]

I've never understood why almost everyone advocates playing our backup keeper in these kind of games.

Why? The keeper is the one player who doesn't need resting/rotating and I would much rather let Baz continue to build confidence. 

If we want to rest players but still put out a team likely to win so we can keep our momentum going, it seems like an absolute no-brainer to stick with our first choice goalie. 

[trousers]

7 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

I've never understood why almost everyone advocates playing our backup keeper in these kind of games.

Why? The keeper is the one player who doesn't need resting/rotating and I would much rather let Baz continue to build confidence. 

If we want to rest players but still put out a team likely to win so we can keep our momentum going, it seems like an absolute no-brainer to stick with our first choice goalie. 

I do get that logic, and it's a fair point. I guess the flip side of the coin is that there's a case for giving the 2nd keeper game time in a match that isn't 'mission critical' so that if/when he's called upon during the league campaign then he at least has some experience of playing with the first team rather than coming in completely 'cold'. Not a massive benefit, granted, but I don't think it's quite "no-brainer" territory. (IMHO of course)

Edited 2 January, 2024 by trousers

[AlexLaw76]

5 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

I've never understood why almost everyone advocates playing our backup keeper in these kind of games.

Why? The keeper is the one player who doesn't need resting/rotating and I would much rather let Baz continue to build confidence. 

If we want to rest players but still put out a team likely to win so we can keep our momentum going, it seems like an absolute no-brainer to stick with our first choice goalie. 

It is not about rest, it is about minutes on the pitch right? What confidence can be built playing a league 2 side (for Baz)...is is confidence that low? is it hat fragile that it needs to be built?

[Dusic]

IMO, and obviously if fit:

-------------Lumley------------

Abu--Stephens--Holgate/Awe---Meghoma

-----------Charles--------------

----Smallbone-----Alcaraz-----

Sam Amo--------------Dibling

--------------Mara-----------

Back four have played so many minutes there is zero point involving them and if Dibling doesnt play at home to Walsall when will he?

Strong attacking bench to use if needed.

 

Edited 2 January, 2024 by Dusic

[Sheaf Saint]

1 hour ago, AlexLaw76 said:

It is not about rest, it is about minutes on the pitch right? What confidence can be built playing a league 2 side (for Baz)...is is confidence that low? is it hat fragile that it needs to be built?

He's still developing so any additional game time is a positive.

His distribution is such an important aspect of how we play, so keeping him in with whatever other changes we make outfield will maintain some stability.

Bringing in a completely untested keeper just for the sake of it, along with wholesale changes to our outfield players, is just going to cause more unnecessary disruption IMO. 

Edited 2 January, 2024 by Sheaf Saint

[Dman]

2 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Lumley

KwP, Stephens, THB, Manning

Smallbone, Alcaraz, Charles

SAA, Mara, Fraser

Similar for me, although I'd rest KWP, given he's one of our most important players. Probably means Stephens at RB, maybe Charles in at CB? Doyle or Dibbling to filling at CM? pretty sure SAA played a more central role pre-season as well (and looked bloody good). 

[Kingsland Codger]

8 hours ago, trousers said:

I do get that logic, and it's a fair point. I guess the flip side of the coin is that there's a case for giving the 2nd keeper game time in a match that isn't 'mission critical' so that if/when he's called upon during the league campaign then he at least has some experience of playing with the first team rather than coming in completely 'cold'. Not a massive benefit, granted, but I don't think it's quite "no-brainer" territory. (IMHO of course)

Qujte rght. Peter Bonetti 1970 World Cup v West Germany springs to mind

[VectisSaint]

20 hours ago, JRM said:

 

Would be a real shame to mess this up though, aren't we one game away from equalling a club record unbeaten run, silly to lose that at home to a league two side. 

One game away.from.equalling our best unbeaten run in the League (19). In 1921/22 we followed the unbeaten run in the league with a win in the FA Cup (3-1 v South Shields) but then lost our next league match (Brentford 0-1). So Walsall makes no difference to our unbeaten league run record. But as you say it would be a shame to mess the run up now.

I'm sure we can put a team out that can take care of Walsall, and it's not like we have another game soon after so plenty of rest and recovery time. January is a very relaxed fixture schedule, unless we get into replay territory. For me, I would just give a break to some of the players who have had fitness/injury issues recently, such as Downes and Bednarek, maybe give KWP a break as well, his ankles must be in a shocking state after Norwich.

[gio1saints]

I went to watch the Gillingham fiasco. 😤
 

Trying out players who hadn’t had a run out some minutes in different positions.
It was a humiliating fiasco. Perraud and Lyanco at CB tells you all you need to know! Think Che was Captain but it did not help the kids who played not even Charlie who came on to play a “ I’m pissed off watching this rubbish” cameo capped off with a goal at the end  

Been bitten once. I don’t think RM will make the same mistake twice. Especially not at home. Medium strength team maybe rest those that are carrying injuries or who will benefit is what i expect - NOT 11 changes nonsense. 

[los_saint]

Is the Chapel End actually closed for this one in anticipation of a lower gate (says sold out on the website)?

[Fraser Spinney]

https://www.southamptonfc.news/opinion/amo-ameyaw-and-the-two-southampton-wonderkids-who-could-start-in-fa-cup-v-walsall/

[Miltonaggro]

Like to see Manning and Stephens get some game time. 

[JRM]

38 minutes ago, los_saint said:

Is the Chapel End actually closed for this one in anticipation of a lower gate (says sold out on the website)?

Yes, extra blocks will be opened if needed apparently,  but that will most likely be continuation of Itchen stand opening blocks 13 and 14 next. 

Not many seats left in Central 5 blocks of Itchen and Kingsland , most availability left in Kingland / Northam corner 

[SotonianWill]

1 hour ago, Miltonaggro said:

Like to see Manning and Stephens get some game time. 

Yes, i'd love Martin to use the new shoehorn formation he's been working on behind the scenes.

[Miltonaggro]

58 minutes ago, SotonianWill said:

Yes, i'd love Martin to use the new shoehorn formation he's been working on behind the scenes.

Hopefully there is extra time. 

[HarvSFC]

Hope Amo-Ameyaw impresses in this one. With Edozie and Sulemana out for the foreseeable we’re severely lacking in players who can take the opposition on. Could be time for him to make the step up.

[Dark Munster]

13 hours ago, trousers said:

I do get that logic, and it's a fair point. I guess the flip side of the coin is that there's a case for giving the 2nd keeper game time in a match that isn't 'mission critical' so that if/when he's called upon during the league campaign then he at least has some experience of playing with the first team rather than coming in completely 'cold'. Not a massive benefit, granted, but I don't think it's quite "no-brainer" territory. (IMHO of course)

Just to add to that, if a first teamer is rested he can’t get injured (assuming he doesn’t drop a bottle of salad cream on his foot at home).

[Convict Colony]

I want to see the following and treat it seriously

                                                              Baz

Bree (if back KWP needs a rest)   THB.  Stephens.     Manning (reluctantly as our spanish smurf has no legs)

                                               Smallbone     Charles

                                                            Charly. 

     SAA (or S Armstrong)                     Mara                      Fraser                          

 

I would expect some good interplay with mara, charly and fraser based on how they have worked together in their cameos.

[saintant]

Walsall are sat in 11th position 2 points behind Gillingham. It would be hugely embarrassing to lose to two such mediocre Division 2 sides in the same season so let's not screw this up. I get that we'll rest players and have no issues with that but pick a side to do the job and move on.

[Kenilworthy]

I really want us to get through this tie. But it has a downside, because unlike for the Premier League clubs the date for the 4th round is not kept clear. So our home game against Hull becomes another midweek fixture. Although Hull are likely to go through anyway.

[saintant]

6 minutes ago, Kenilworthy said:

I really want us to get through this tie. But it has a downside, because unlike for the Premier League clubs the date for the 4th round is not kept clear. So our home game against Hull becomes another midweek fixture. Although Hull are likely to go through anyway.

The downside is minimal compared to the shame, disappointment and anger that will be felt if we lose this easy home tie. I'm sure it is not beyond the wit of our manager and coaches to cobble together a side minus a few regulars that will comfortably beat Walsall.

[Charlie Wayman]

Should be a doddle, 5-1 most likely. Can't be bothered to go up there on Saturday to watch the B team.

[trousers]

4 hours ago, Kenilworthy said:

I really want us to get through this tie. But it has a downside, because unlike for the Premier League clubs the date for the 4th round is not kept clear. So our home game against Hull becomes another midweek fixture. Although Hull are likely to go through anyway.

Ah, bugger chops... I hadn't appreciated that when I recently purchased a couple of tickets for the Hull game and it's highly unlikely that I'll be able to make the rearranged midweek fixture! Cock a doodle doo. 

Come on Walsall and Birmingham!! 

P.s. what are the chances of the club allowing me to swap for the FA Cup 4th round game if we get a home tie...? Would require them to be too customer focused I guess....

Edited 3 January, 2024 by trousers

[TheAlehouseBrawlers]

1 hour ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Should be a doddle, 5-1 most likely. Can't be bothered to go up there on Saturday to watch the B team.

Tbh, you’re not as good at this stuff as Wade Garrett

50 minutes ago, trousers said:

Ah, bugger chops... I hadn't appreciated that when I recently purchased a couple of tickets for the Hull game and it's highly unlikely that I'll be able to make the rearranged midweek fixture! Cock a doodle doo. 

Come on Walsall and Birmingham!! 

P.s. what are the chances of the club allowing me to swap for the FA Cup 4th round game if we get a home tie...? Would require them to be too customer focused I guess....

I thought the club offered a refund if a fixture is moved if already bought? Harsh if not for fans living well away from Southampton.

[trousers]

15 minutes ago, TheAlehouseBrawlers said:

Tbh, you’re not as good at this stuff as Wade Garrett

I thought the club offered a refund if a fixture is moved if already bought? Harsh if not for fans living well away from Southampton.

I've just checked and there's actually a warning on the ticket purchase screen staying that the date of the Hull game is "conditional on our progress in the FA Cup", so I guess I'm banged to rights. Will endeavour to sweet talk them when the time comes though. Can't see them not falling for my abundant wit and charm...

[JRM]

18 minutes ago, trousers said:

I've just checked and there's actually a warning on the ticket purchase screen staying that the date of the Hull game is "conditional on our progress in the FA Cup", so I guess I'm banged to rights. Will endeavour to sweet talk them when the time comes though. Can't see them not falling for my abundant wit and charm...

Ticket office will help you out, ive had a refund for tickets after game moved for tv, just give them a call once new date is set. 

[Oldandtired]

On 02/01/2024 at 08:54, Sheaf Saint said:

I've never understood why almost everyone advocates playing our backup keeper in these kind of games.

Why? The keeper is the one player who doesn't need resting/rotating and I would much rather let Baz continue to build confidence. 

If we want to rest players but still put out a team likely to win so we can keep our momentum going, it seems like an absolute no-brainer to stick with our first choice goalie. 

We need to find out what Lumley's Achilles heel is...Baz's left hand side, McCarthy's near post, Lumley's...?

[JRM]

12 minutes ago, Oldandtired said:

We need to find out what Lumley's Achilles heel is...Baz's left hand side, McCarthy's near post, Lumley's...?

When did he last play a competitive game of football?

[Dman]

6 minutes ago, JRM said:

When did he last play a competitive game of football?

I just had a look back at the side we put out against Gillingham and had a chuckle. Its incredible how far we've come since then.. 

McCarthy in Goal, Perruad and Lyanco at CB, Djenepo on the wing - Big Paul off the bench. 

I wonder how we'd have faired this season if they'd stuck around. An arguement could be made for Perruad over Manning, but I wouldn't touch the others with a barge pole.. Safe to say the side we put out saturday will be nothing like that one! 

[JRM]

22 hours ago, los_saint said:

Is the Chapel End actually closed for this one in anticipation of a lower gate (says sold out on the website)?

Chapel stand now open, good effort from the fans for this one. 

[Weston Super Saint]

I have a nasty feeling this might be our banana skin.

We were ineffective against Norwich when they had 8 outfield players in their box and just couldn't create anything. If Walsall employ the same tactic we might have the same issue and then, in true saints fashion, be caught on the break and concede a soft goal.

 

[Dark Munster]

2 hours ago, Oldandtired said:

We need to find out what Lumley's Achilles heel is...Baz's left hand side, McCarthy's near post, Lumley's...?

Let's hope it's not the same as Tommy Fourpast's weaknesses: left, right and centre.