Saints 1-2 Liverpool - Match Thread

[Lighthouse]

Bit of a nothing game for us really but I suppose we've got to turn up at least. If we've got nothing better to do, please can we at least go with a basic 4-2-3-1 and not get embarrassed.

McC

KWP - THB - Bednarek - Manning/Taylor

Aribo - Downes

Armstrong - Dibling - Fernandes

Archer

Something like that

[washsaint]

And that lineup just shows how bad and shit a squad we have.  Maybe 2 Prem quality players there (Dibling and Fernandes).....and that would likely be our strongest team!

[Patrick Bateman]

Weird one this. Liverpool might well turn up expecting to waltz through it, so 1-0 Saints. 

[danjosaint]

24 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

Bit of a nothing game for us really but I suppose we've got to turn up at least. If we've got nothing better to do, please can we at least go with a basic 4-2-3-1 and not get embarrassed.

McC

KWP - THB - Bednarek - Manning/Taylor

Aribo - Downes

Armstrong - Dibling - Fernandes

Archer

Something like that

Similar but 100% 4231  Taylor for me at Lb, swap fernandes to central with Dibling out wide and TP up front 

 

[Zorba]

New manager bounce.

3-1 Saints.

 

[Football Special]

I'm going if only to sing .

Simon Rusks red and white army .

For 90 minutes. 

Obviously a defeat,  Liverpool with more important things to focus on play in 2nd gear , couple of early soft goals conceded 

[die Mannyschaft]

It would be the biggest turnaround in football history to from worst team to best team and best Liverpool. I'll think unfortunately another 5 goals as we let in too many goals and just can't score enough. VAR will assist Liverpool again. Just hope Saints play as a unit and have a game plan.

[trousers]

Ramsdale

KWP - THB - ABK - Taylor

Downes - Ugochukwu

Dibling - Lallana - Fernandes

Onuachu 

2-1 Saints! COYR!

[Whitey Grandad]

25 minutes ago, die Mannyschaft said:

It would be the biggest turnaround in football history to from worst team to best team and best Liverpool. I'll think unfortunately another 5 goals as we let in too many goals and just can't score enough. VAR will assist Liverpool again. Just hope Saints play as a unit and have a game plan.

Is there VAR in this competition?

[Saint Fan CaM]

The scar tissue will be with the squad for sometime to come. 5-0 Liverpool despite a brave showing…

[Micky]

Result is unimportant, player attitude will be the important metric in this one.  Let's see some steel from every player on the pitch. 

[whelk]

Push for Europe next season continues

[Football Special]

Wonder if SKY will get Martin on as a pundit?

[Bakovnetski]

7 hours ago, trousers said:

Ramsdale

KWP - THB - ABK - Taylor

Downes - Ugochukwu

Dibling - Lallana - Fernandes

Onuachu 

2-1 Saints! COYR!

Bring in Wood for a back 3 and drop the llama

[Pamplemousse]

I honestly just don't care, the £30 ticket price should be prompting mass protests.

[Gloucester Saint]

1 hour ago, Pamplemousse said:

I honestly just don't care, the £30 ticket price should be prompting mass protests.

Milking the tourists whilst they can.

[Football Special]

21 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Milking the tourists whilst they can.

Don't forget the booking fee, absolute joke these prices 

Tickets are priced at the following:

General Sale

• Adult: £32.50

• Over-65: £32.50

• 18-25: £32.50

• Under-18: £12.50

• Under-14: £12.50

Matchday

• Adult: £35.00

• Over-65: £35.00

• 18-25: £35.00

• Under-18: £15.00

• Under-14: £15.00

Tickets are subject to a £1.50 booking fee.

[saintant]

How does Rusk set up the U21s? I'm hoping he is not conditioned to play Russball because that would be a total disaster. We need to distance ourselves well away from that style of play if we want to see improvements. Wednesday's team selection, formation and tactics will be interesting.

[trousers]

18 minutes ago, saintant said:

How does Rusk set up the U21s? I'm hoping he is not conditioned to play Russball

Like the Ralph 'playbook' before him, I thought the club was wedded to playing the same way at all levels? That's not to say there isn't a more pragmatic version of "Russball" available to any manager with a degree of flexiblity in their mindset, of course... 

Edited 16 December, 2024 by trousers

[trousers]

2 hours ago, whelk said:

Push for Europe next season continues

Would be unique for a football team to enter a song I guess

[Baird of the land]

Mccarthy

Sugawara TBH Wood ABK  Manning

Aribo Downes Fernandes

Onachu Archer

[Hodgey]

53 minutes ago, saintant said:

How does Rusk set up the U21s? I'm hoping he is not conditioned to play Russball because that would be a total disaster. We need to distance ourselves well away from that style of play if we want to see improvements. Wednesday's team selection, formation and tactics will be interesting.

I watched them at Woking, they played the same way as 1st team (which makes sense). Woking soon worked out our tactics and then gave us a bit of a hammering until we made a couple of subs in the last 10m. 
He doesn’t really have time to implement any new tactics even if he wanted to. I would say it’s a chance for him to play some of the youngsters he has been working with, but from what I’ve seen they are miles away from this level so wouldn’t be doing them any favours.

[saintant]

1 hour ago, trousers said:

Like the Ralph 'playbook' before him, I thought the club was wedded to playing the same way at all levels? That's not to say there isn't a more pragmatic version of "Russball" available to any manager with a degree of flexiblity in their mindset, of course... 

Maybe he plays Ruskball as opposed to Russball (sorry, does that comment mean I hate RM?)

[suewhistle]

2 hours ago, Football Special said:

Don't forget the booking fee, absolute joke these prices 

Tickets are priced at the following:

I was wondering whether to buy myself a ticket now a new era has started... but your reminder of the prices has confirmed my original decision, particularly with no concessions. Not even sure I've got a big enough masochistic streak to go down the local pub to watch either..

[beatlesaint]

I hope he plays Tall Paul and Archer up front as a pair and they both get hat-tricks 🤪  

Edited 16 December, 2024 by beatlesaint

[Saint Fan CaM]

Rusk surely has to try something a bit different, but there’s very little time for him to make a mark on how the team is setup and performs. As others have said I’d play TP up top with Dibling, Archer and Arma just behind him. Aribo or Lallana and Downes as DM’s. Then a back four of KWP, THB, ABK or Wood and Taylor. Whatever, Liverpools B team will be way too much for us.

[Toadhall Saint]

Just keep the scoreline under 5.

[Pamplemousse]

It will be a shitshow. Our best hope is Liverpool rest all their players

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

2 hours ago, Pamplemousse said:

It will be a shitshow. Our best hope is Liverpool rest all their players

And given they are focused on the league and just dropped a couple of points they didn't expect, their team will look like their 2nd eleven...could they do us a favour and make it their U21s, then we might have a chance?

[Football Special]

12 minutes ago, OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint said:

And given they are focused on the league and just dropped a couple of points they didn't expect, their team will look like their 2nd eleven...could they do us a favour and make it their U21s, then we might have a chance?

We'd still lose but at least might make it competitive. 

I remember as a nipper absolutely buzzing to reach 1/4 finals of this competition, some great atmospheres at The Dell but inevitably let down against Cup powerhouses of the time Luton and Oldham 

Didn't we also manage to knock ourselves out in 1/4 final v Stockport mid 90s , classic Saints. 

Shame how much this competition has been devalued 

Edited 16 December, 2024 by Football Special

[LGTL]

18 minutes ago, Football Special said:

We'd still lose but at least might make it competitive. 

I remember as a nipper absolutely buzzing to reach 1/4 finals of this competition, some great atmospheres at The Dell but inevitably let down against Cup powerhouses of the time Luton and Oldham 

Didn't we also manage to knock ourselves out in 1/4 final v Stockport mid 90s , classic Saints. 

Shame how much this competition has been devalued 

1997. Drew the first game 2-2 away, and fucking lost the replay at home in true Saints fashion. As a 9 year old it took me months to get over that game and I’ve hated Alun Armstrong and Brett Angel ever since. 

Edited 16 December, 2024 by LGTL

[Football Special]

16 minutes ago, LGTL said:

1997. Drew the first game 2-2 away, and fucking lost the replay at home in true Saints fashion. As a 9 year old it took me months to get over that game and I’ve hated Alun Armstrong and Brett Angel ever since. 

At least our sharp eyed directors then recruited Dave Jones as manager, along with P. JONES and legend  L. TODD remembered fondly by fans for worst fitting kit , true beauty this one 

 

 

 

[VectisSaint]

1 minute ago, Football Special said:

At least our sharp eyed directors then recruited Dave Jones as manager, along with P. JONES and legend  L. TODD remembered fondly by fans for worst fitting kit , true beauty this one 

 

 

 

Need to be a bit careful with any SR banners.

[bpsaint]

9 hours ago, Football Special said:

Don't forget the booking fee, absolute joke these prices 

Tickets are priced at the following:

General Sale

• Adult: £32.50

• Over-65: £32.50

• 18-25: £32.50

• Under-18: £12.50

• Under-14: £12.50

Matchday

• Adult: £35.00

• Over-65: £35.00

• 18-25: £35.00

• Under-18: £15.00

• Under-14: £15.00

Tickets are subject to a £1.50 booking fee.

Those prices are ridiculous aren’t they. Only about 3.5k tickets remaining though so there’s still people paying them!

[Football Special]

10 minutes ago, bpsaint said:

Those prices are ridiculous aren’t they. Only about 3.5k tickets remaining though so there’s still people paying them!

Sadly anyone on the database can buy 4 each, we're used to away fans in the home end but this game could take it to another level. I've bought shares in a half and half scarf company off the back of this fixture expecting record sales 

[Toussaint]

31 minutes ago, bpsaint said:

Those prices are ridiculous aren’t they. Only about 3.5k tickets remaining though so there’s still people paying them!

It will I’ll be a scouser fest on Wednesday, at least a southern based plastic scouser fest. 

[SaintNewForest]

The club are probably wanking each other off about those ticket prices, and what a good decsion it's been. Fuck whose actually sat in them seats, and who they support.

Probably partly explains why Swansea prices are higher as well. They get away with it..

Edited 16 December, 2024 by SaintNewForest

[OneMrsWallace]

13 hours ago, Football Special said:

Wonder if SKY will get Martin on as a pundit?

No, he'll be interviewing for the Man City job. Pep will happily make way. 

A guttsy but ultimately futile performance from Saints. I'm going 2-1 to Liverpool. 

[davefizzy14]

21 hours ago, trousers said:

Ramsdale

KWP - THB - ABK - Taylor

Downes - Ugochukwu

Dibling - Lallana - Fernandes

Onuachu 

2-1 Saints! COYR!

This should be the team for me and a 2-1 win - COYR 😊

[egg]

21 hours ago, trousers said:

Ramsdale

KWP - THB - ABK - Taylor

Downes - Ugochukwu

Dibling - Lallana - Fernandes

Onuachu 

2-1 Saints! COYR!

I like that but unless ABK has suddenly started training with the 1st team,  he ain't playing. I'd also have Aribo ahead of Lesley. 

[austsaint]

21 hours ago, trousers said:

Ramsdale

KWP - THB - ABK - Taylor

Downes - Ugochukwu

Dibling - Lallana - Fernandes

Onuachu 

2-1 Saints! COYR!

Like that team because you’ve got four players who have been frozen out previously, with something to prove. I also like the idea of Downes having more defensive cover in midfield.   Let’s just hope for a spirited, aggressive attitude and a more organised defence.

[austsaint]

16 minutes ago, egg said:

I like that but unless ABK has suddenly started training with the 1st team,  he ain't playing. I'd also have Aribo ahead of Lesley. 

Yes, might be too soon for ABK, even if there is a plan to play him to gauge what he can add or shop window him.   Perhaps Airibo on for Lallana after an hour.    Even Sulemana on in the second half depending on the state of things.  I know he’s been ordinary but he has plenty to play for and there is ability there with a bump of confidence and a different playing style.

[Wade Garrett]

I am at least looking forward to going to the game now.  I have no expectations of a result though.

[Football Special]

Had a look back at the legendary team from the 2022/23 season who made the semi finals with a shock win over Man City in the 1/4 finals, three players remain, how many of the others would get into our current team? Not a bad side on paper. 

Worth noting as well only a crowd of 22,996 turned up. 

Bazunu 

Lyanco 

Caleta-Car 

Salisu 

Walker-Peters 

Lavia (subbed for Elyounoussi)

Diallo 

Djenepo (subbed for Perraud) 

Ward-Prowse 

A. Armstrong (subbed for Orsic) 

Mara (subbed for Che Adams) 

 

Edited 17 December, 2024 by Football Special

[Patches O Houlihan]

7 minutes ago, Football Special said:

Had a look back at the legendary team from the 2022/23 season who made the semi finals with a shock win over Man City in the 1/4 finals, three players remain, how many of the others would get into our current team? Not a bad side on paper. 

Worth noting as well only a crowd of 22,996 turned up. 

Bazunu 

Lyanco 

Caleta-Car 

Salisu 

Walker-Peters 

Lavia (subbed for Elyounoussi)

Diallo 

Djenepo (subbed for Perraud) 

Ward-Prowse 

A. Armstrong (subbed for Orsic) 

Mara (subbed for Che Adams) 

 

Not a bad side on paper?!! 

I put it to you that 7 of those starters aren't PL quality.

[trousers]

Press conference at 3pm

 

 

Edited 17 December, 2024 by trousers

[trousers]

 

Edited 17 December, 2024 by trousers

[Lighthouse]

F**k me, Diallo, I forgot he ever existed in a Saints shirt. Possibly the biggest non-entity footballer we've ever had, I literally can't remember one thing he did here.

[Patrick Bateman]

7 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

F**k me, Diallo, I forgot he ever existed in a Saints shirt. Possibly the biggest non-entity footballer we've ever had, I literally can't remember one thing he did here.

I don't even remember him?? 🤔 No, Seriously!

[Lighthouse]

4 minutes ago, Patrick Bateman said:

I don't even remember him?? 🤔 No, Seriously!

I thought they made energy efficient lightbulbs but apparently he was actually a footballer as well.