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Match Day Thread Newcastle v Saints - Sun. 8 Dec. - 14:00

Discussion in 'Southampton' started by jonny 'hasen' shuttle, Dec 6, 2019.

  1. SaintinNZ

    SaintinNZ Well-Known Member

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    We were very good in that game, should have won but **** happens. The turnaround and improvement in the last month has been dramatic. We are now entering the sort of form where we become unpredictable, the team looks to be clicking and we could potentially win any game which is a huge difference to where we were. Gutted to get nothing from that but new games coming up.
     
    #281
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  2. st_brendy

    st_brendy Well-Known Member
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    At the same time though, Chelsea, Leicester and Spurs all appear in our fixture list either side of the New Year.

    It's not just about using these current fixtures to get back in the hunt (which we currently have done). It's about getting ahead of the pack (which we missed out today). Everton and Villa are in the midst of a horrible looking set of fixtures, but it won't stay that way forever. We need three points from our next two matches just to go into Christmas averaging one point per game. And that's hardly something to shout about.

    I'm not saying that we needed to win all five of these matches (Christ, if we did that we'd be laying out our towel on survival beach), but we do need to have our heads above water. Simply putting ourselves in a position where we're no longing sinking to the sea bed is unlikely to be sufficient.
     
    #282
  3. fatletiss

    fatletiss Well-Known Member

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    There’s always a tricky run ahead, so as long as we are in touching distance, we have a chance.

    If we are not clear going into that tricky run, it’s not over just a little trickier. It’s all about survival this season now. Not what we wanted at the start, but certainly what we need to be thinking.
     
    #283
  4. Le Tissier's Laces

    Le Tissier's Laces Well-Known Member

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    Same team, pretty much, same type of performances. Why are we surprised?
     
    #284
  5. Schad

    Schad Well-Known Member

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    We have also demonstrated time and again that more defenders =/= better defense for us. Our best defensive tactic is a two-goal lead.
     
    #285
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  6. Libby

    Libby 9-0

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    Last away win I saw in the league was Pellegrino's first win at Palace :(
     
    #286
  7. Lovelocum

    Lovelocum Well-Known Member

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    Very true, made a small edit though.
     
    #287
  8. Schad

    Schad Well-Known Member

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    We've had some success with "opposing team gets a player sent off for a completely random two-footed lunge", but it's a tough one to replicate.
     
    #288
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  9. Che’s Godlike Thighs

    Che’s Godlike Thighs Well-Known Member

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    Fair comment. But away games are different from home ones. You know the home team are gonna ramp up the pressure any which way they can. Last two away games we have crumbled under this pressure so it does make you wonder why we dont bring on an extra def / mid. Almost every other manager would.

    Ralph is a great manager for sure but he doesn’t seem to have the ruthlessness that would see us earn an extra 6-7 points a season.
     
    #289
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  10. letissier86

    letissier86 Well-Known Member

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    Wow, I was getting to 50/50 us going down before the turn of form. I can see three worse teams than us now. We're just dysfunctional but have the ability that other teams around us don't to pick up points.
     
    #290
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  11. Dark Lord SFC

    Dark Lord SFC Well-Known Member

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    What else do you want RH to do? That team/formation is just about the best we have. You might want Boufal in instead of someone but there aren't many plausible options left
    January window is very important to give us some better options primarily in defence and defensive midfield
     
    #291
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  12. Le Tissier's Laces

    Le Tissier's Laces Well-Known Member

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    I completely agree and am one of his biggest supporters. I think he’s doing a sterling job under the circumstances - I’m just pointing out the lack of options and the reality of the situation he finds himself in. That’s not his fault, it’s those above him.
     
    #292
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  13. AshbySaint

    AshbySaint Well-Known Member

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    But we all know that we probably won't strengthen the team in January. Why should Jan be any different from the last few windows. Sure, we have signed players in the last couple of seasons but how many get a regular starting place and how many have actually strengthened the side?

    If you look at the starting 11 now to the one two seasons ago it would probably look very similar. I know there are exceptions but not many
     
    #293
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2019
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  14. ChilcoSaint

    ChilcoSaint What a disgrace
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    Sadly after Jonny's fine run we need another match thread author for the West Ham game.

    Any offers?
     
    #294
  15. Saintmagic

    Saintmagic Well-Known Member

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    Yo
     
    #295
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  16. ChilcoSaint

    ChilcoSaint What a disgrace
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    Good man, another bleak and dismal effort is just what we need!
     
    #296
  17. Saintmagic

    Saintmagic Well-Known Member

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    Bleak and Dismal? Me?!?

    Well if you insist
     
    #297
  18. jonny 'hasen' shuttle

    jonny 'hasen' shuttle Well-Known Member

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  19. ihatemyselfandwanttodie

    ihatemyselfandwanttodie Well-Known Member

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    It is also relevant that the results start picking up, whilst acknowledging the fixtures are now kinder, at the point when Ralph has also stopped dicking around with people in weird positions.
     
    #299
  20. Kaito

    Kaito Well-Known Member

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    You probably could have worded that a bit better <laugh>
     
    #300

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