Saints already thinking of us.

[22A]

A few weeks ago I asked if any team looks at the fixtures and think Oh no; it's Bristol City next. Question answered.

  https://www.saintsweb.co.uk/topic/60699-bristol-city-a-tuesday-8pm/

Another tough looking game. They got a good away win today but looked terrible when I saw them against Leeds the other night. Should be a good atmosphere though.

Four tough fixtures before our easy cup game. Bristol City, WBA, Hull and Millwall are tricky and it's possible one could mark our first defeat of the great run. If we come out of those with anything more than 7 points I think it would be a great showing and keep us in the auto hunt, 8, 9, 10 or 12 points would be fantastic. 

Bristol City are the ultimate Jekyll and Hyde side, you never know which side will turn up. They recently beat West Ham and drew with Forest, Leeds only just scraped past them away and they are a team that like to keep things tight. That said I think if we play like we did in the second half today we will win, though my head thinks a draw is possible.

[BCFC101]

Last time we played them at home (2011) they came having scored in every one of their 20 league games up to that point and we became the first team to stop them from scoring. Gut feeling is trying to tell me that tomorrow we’ll be the team that ends their 25 match unbeaten run. 

[ExiledAjax]

8 minutes ago, 22A said:

Leeds only just scraped past them away

This person only looks at the scores.

[Carey 6]

I dread watching City play against sides that have been relegated from the PL the previous season. We’ve won 1 of the last 20 games against them. (W1, D5, L14)

Hoping we can turn that around tomorrow, probably take a draw if offered to me now though.

Edited February 12 by Carey 6

[IAmNick]

2 minutes ago, Carey 6 said:

I dread playing against sides that have been relegated from the PL the previous season. We’ve won 1 of the last 20 games against them. (W1, D5, L14)

Hoping we can turn that around tomorrow, probably take a draw if offered to me now though.

It's interesting in that context that the "We always seem to up our game against the better teams" / "We struggle against teams near the bottom" myth is so prevalent here.

[RedLionLad]

7 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

This person only looks at the scores.

Leeds were the far better team and they are on a very good run. I predict them to get the 2nd auto spot

[Davefevs]

5 minutes ago, IAmNick said:

It's interesting in that context that the "We always seem to up our game against the better teams" / "We struggle against teams near the bottom" myth is so prevalent here.

Think that comes from ignoring the games where we were “plucky triers”

[Mr Popodopolous]

I'd take a point, certainly can't see us getting any more than that.

Draw at best, hopefully a good performance.

Edited February 12 by Mr Popodopolous

[ExiledAjax]

6 minutes ago, RedLionLad said:

Leeds were the far better team and they are on a very good run. I predict them to get the 2nd auto spot

With you there.

[Carey 6]

1 minute ago, IAmNick said:

It's interesting in that context that the "We always seem to up our game against the better teams" / "We struggle against teams near the bottom" myth is so prevalent here.

Yeah I actually looked into it the other day because I could hardly remember any games where we’ve beaten a side that’s come down the previous year. 

Overall it’s not the worst, since promotion in 14/15 we’ve played 51 games against these sides, winning 12, drawing 12 & losing 27. 

At home we’ve won 6, drawn 11 and lost 7. 

It’s just the last few seasons where we seem to rarely pick up anything against them. 

[RedLionLad]

12 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

With you there.

In my opinion Southampton are what they are, whereas Leeds are getting better game by game 

[ExiledAjax]

25 minutes ago, IAmNick said:

It's interesting in that context that the "We always seem to up our game against the better teams" / "We struggle against teams near the bottom" myth is so prevalent here.

You see it in the rhetoric around not wanting newly promoted teams in August. Lots say this, or say they'd like PL relegated teams as they're "shaken" or whatever.

Then you look at the stats and we simply tend to get more points in August against teams from L1 rather than teams from the PL.

[Atyeo's lift]

34 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

This person only looks at the scores.

To be fair, he also said we looked terrible in that match

[ExiledAjax]

1 minute ago, Atyeo's lift said:

To be fair, he also said we looked terrible in that match

You can't tell from OPs post, but he's quoted multiple people from Southampton's forum.

[RedRoss]

They've not lost since September. We will be parked in our half for most of the game. Can see us going to a back 3/5.

Think we need as many big lads as possible to play for set pieces.

Shame we don't have Atkinson and Twine fit. Wouldn't mind seeing Cornick in the team to set up for a counter.

[2015]

Never liked them. Have always come across arrogant when I've ever came across one. Always preferred Pompey.

[Supersonic Robin]

1 hour ago, IAmNick said:

It's interesting in that context that the "We always seem to up our game against the better teams" / "We struggle against teams near the bottom" myth is so prevalent here.

Though under Manning this "myth" has very much been the case.

I don't think we've beaten a bottom half side since he came in. Last time I checked, I think it was P7 W0 D3 L4

[Mr Popodopolous]

2 hours ago, RedRoss said:

They've not lost since September. We will be parked in our half for most of the game. Can see us going to a back 3/5.

Think we need as many big lads as possible to play for set pieces.

Shame we don't have Atkinson and Twine fit. Wouldn't mind seeing Cornick in the team to set up for a counter.

A back 3/5 leaves us penned in though. I appreciate it maybe the case anyway.

We played alright up there in November, with the correct shape. Albeit Southampton will have grown and risen since then, as their unbeaten run and momentum has continued.

[Club and Country]

3 hours ago, BCFC101 said:

Last time we played them at home (2011) they came having scored in every one of their 20 league games up to that point and we became the first team to stop them from scoring. Gut feeling is trying to tell me that tomorrow we’ll be the team that ends their 25 match unbeaten run. 

I can't remember the reason but the gate was absolutely bouncing that night 

a game that's always stuck in my memory 

edit/ was  a 3pm kick off but remember second half in darkness and drizzle 

Edited February 12 by Club and Country

[RedRoss]

30 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

A back 3/5 leaves us penned in though. I appreciate it maybe the case anyway.

We played alright up there in November, with the correct shape. Albeit Southampton will have grown and risen since then, as their unbeaten run and momentum has continued.

Most other teams I would completely agree but we've got to make the lack of possession work for us in my opinion. They are so strong down the wings and if we keep a back 4 we may score but I just think they'll score 3 or 4.

 

[Mr Popodopolous]

9 minutes ago, RedRoss said:

Most other teams I would completely agree but we've got to make the lack of possession work for us in my opinion. They are so strong down the wings and if we keep a back 4 we may score but I just think they'll score 3 or 4.

 

I see your point, albeit Southampton appear to have both strength in possession and out side.

One thing I theoretically anyway like about a back 4 with wide players pushed higher is defensively speaking it can see the wide men supported ie to avoid 2 v 1. Whereas with wingbacks in a back 3/5, this strength can pin us back 2 v 1 and suddenly we have a big issue both defensively and offensively.

That's a 3-5-2 or similar.

3-4-2-1..we may be able to help with the overloading wingbacks which is good but can foresee the striker getting isolated for us and or an issue in central areas. If Conway or Wells gets isolated the ball may come back at us faster or more frequently.

Edited February 12 by Mr Popodopolous

[archie andrews]

1 hour ago, Club and Country said:

I can't remember the reason but the gate was absolutely bouncing that night 

a game that's always stuck in my memory 

edit/ was  a 3pm kick off but remember second half in darkness and drizzle 

Didnt albert score a brace?.... 

[Tony Tootle]

This is the game against them that always sticks in my mind. 

[Slack Bladder]

It all depends which City team turns up on the night.

We are a work in progress, but there is no doubt we can play on our day

[Kid in the Riot]

4 hours ago, 2015 said:

Never liked them. Have always come across arrogant when I've ever came across one. Always preferred Pompey.

Absolutely. A surprisingly arrogant set of supporters given that other than one FA cup in the mid-70s and a football league trophy they've won **** all. Which for a club of their size and given the amount of time they've spent in the top flight is a bit shit. 

[cidercity1987]

The most boring city in the country by far I would say

Dull dull dull

[Lew-T]

5 hours ago, 22A said:

A few weeks ago I asked if any team looks at the fixtures and think Oh no; it's Bristol City next. Question answered.

  https://www.saintsweb.co.uk/topic/60699-bristol-city-a-tuesday-8pm/

Another tough looking game. They got a good away win today but looked terrible when I saw them against Leeds the other night. Should be a good atmosphere though.

Four tough fixtures before our easy cup game. Bristol City, WBA, Hull and Millwall are tricky and it's possible one could mark our first defeat of the great run. If we come out of those with anything more than 7 points I think it would be a great showing and keep us in the auto hunt, 8, 9, 10 or 12 points would be fantastic. 

Bristol City are the ultimate Jekyll and Hyde side, you never know which side will turn up. They recently beat West Ham and drew with Forest, Leeds only just scraped past them away and they are a team that like to keep things tight. That said I think if we play like we did in the second half today we will win, though my head thinks a draw is possible.

Some interesting comments in their thread

Just jealous they’re in the land of nowhere. Proper bore fest area of England.

[INCRED]

29 minutes ago, Slack Bladder said:

It all depends which City team turns up on the night.

We are a work in progress, but there is no doubt we can play on our day

Just got a feeling we will roll them over tomorrow night. I think they will go for the win which could mean an open game but just think we may have learned from the Leeds game and do a job on them 

[cidercity1987]

48 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Absolutely. A surprisingly arrogant set of supporters given that other than one FA cup in the mid-70s and a football league trophy they've won **** all. Which for a club of their size and given the amount of time they've spent in the top flight is a bit shit. 

I've always thought the opposite, that they overachieve for the size of the club always being in the Prem (Coventry kind of level). Nowhere near a Sunderland or a Leeds.

[cityexile]

Might be wishful thinking, but against the relegated sides I think the match at Southampton was the closest we got to an actual positive result. Still the typical one goal loss, but took a good goal to win it, and we did have a chance to score late on. Still second best, but by less on the day!

Also a function of how they play. Whereas Leeds batter you to death, Southampton bore you to death as you chase the ball, but have the quality to suddenly score good goals. A very hard team to play against when a goal down.

Got to lose their run at some stage. If our legs allow, no reason why not tomorrow. 3-0 up at half time, then we change shape and hang on to a 3-2 nervous win but relief at the final whistle.