Match Day Thread Southampton v Bournemouth Saturday 28th April 3pm

Good evening, I cannot remember the exact rules to which we abide when starting these threads, but like The Saints, I thought it was time to try something new, and as I have never done a match thread it is time for me to stand up and be counted!

Kick off: 15:00
Location: St. Mary's
Officials: TBA


Southampton: Mark Hughes and his merry men will need to unite as a band this week and take solace from the fact that they have been creating chances in recent games. Instead of cracking like an egg shell it would be great if we could overcome our fragility and tighten up at the back and maintain the attacking bite of Luis Suarez. Any confidence filip would be welcome and it seems like we have a settled formation now and we just need to perform as a team and give it our best shot. Tadic must start and Steven Davis could be in line for a recall.

Team news: Everyone is fit and healthy and hopefully raring to go!

Win probability: 56 %
Top scorer: Charlie Austin (7)
Games since a clean sheet: 1
Games since a Saints home win: 5
Current position: 18th

Bournemouth: Our friends from down the coast have had another splendid season after a wobbly beginning and much credit must go to Cherries boss Eddie Howe. Nevertheless, Bournemouth's defence has been as porous as a sponge and their attack as toothless as a geriatric who has lost their dentures in recent weeks. Hopefully their minds will remain on the beach and chimes rather than a sort-of-derby-win.

Team news: Mings, Stanislas and A Smith all out.

Win probability: 19 %
Top scorer: Callum Wilson (8)
Games since a clean sheet: 10
Games since a Bournemouth away win: 4
Current position: 11th

Last time: 0-0

Outlook: We certainly need the points, however it is not going to be easy, it never is being a Saints' fan, and you expect Bournemouth will score (they have goals through the team and love a good late come back), yet if we can get our overlaps down the wings right I feel that we can cause Bournemouth some problems. Bournemouth like to play the ball around and I think that we might find them a team that we can play through and hopefully Austin can play as well as he did in the return fixture earlier in the season.

Never give up hope

 

This is our semi final premier league survival match, with the winner playing Swansea!

 

Bugger was just about to do one, good man though, hopefully you're our saviour

Anyway, on the game...

Let's ****ing do this.

 

Snooze you lose!

 

I'm very interested to see MH's line up for this. Stating the obvious but I don't think he's really got us playing to our best potential yet, meaning formation, players & substitutions but it's got to click Saturday or we're done. For whatever reason, I'm very positive he'll get it right & that could lead to a really exciting end to the season. COYS.

 

McCarthy
Cedric Bednarek Yoshida Bertrand
Højbjerg Romeu
Ward-Prowse Davis Redmond
Austin

We can’t afford to go 3 at the back any more, we need to win the midfield battle and supply Charlie. Get those full backs overlapping with the wide midfielders and getting to the byline. Davis back in the middle holding it all together and giving the leadership we have lacked.

 

I've got a feeling we will win this one 2-1.

 

The only thing we know for sure about Hughes' preparation for this game is that he will have a plan. Whether the players are capable of executing it or not, and whether Bournemouth allow us to, is another matter; but he'll have us set up specifically for this game, and we'll have a better chance of success than if he were to take suggestions from any of the 30,000 football geniuses sitting in the stands. So that's good.

 

We can't defend against big No9s without 3CDs but Bomo don't have one so hopefully 2 is enough. Thought Bedders and Maya were good v Chelsea so I'd go with them
JWP or Dusan? How do you decide on such a fierce battle of mediocrity? Dead balls or occasional flashes of talent in open play. I'd start with Dusan and I want to punch my self for saying that

Welcome back Davo at least we know he'll be up for a fight

 

I cannot even imagine us winning a game....and I have never felt like that in all the years I have supported Saints.

 

Team I'd quite like to see for this.

McCarthy;
Yoshida Hoedt Bednarek;
JWP Romeu PeH Bertrand;
Redmond Tadic;
Austin.

 

Shane Long will start, if fit

 

Bournemouth only know how to play 1 way which is to attack, I'd set up to outscore them as our defence is awful and will concede at least one against the Bournemouth side. They are also pretty poor at the back so go all out from the start and try and win a goal fest (similar to the Norwich game in 05).

 

Pub anyone?

 

I agree, Charlie is better coming on 2nd half. 1st half v Chelsea he was wasted as we never created anything for him
Shane to give them the run-around 1st half, Charlie to come on against tired legs. I'd want to give him 30-45 mins if we still needed a goal though

I want to see Davo and Shane pressing them high up the field 1st half (DavoShane)

Sparky might yet get Carillo in for a spell. He's had some time with him now. Or is he a lost cause?

Rumour that Sophie is training alone after an argument with Sparky. Any info on that?

 

As always, for me, it’s about getting the midfield balance right. (Yeah as well as defending better and putting our chances away).
Three CBs and two wing backs I am fine with, but if we are going with 3CBs, then we don’t need two overly defensive midfielders in front of them, particularly when we have the ball.
I would like to see us press higher up the pitch and stop teams from running the ball 30/40 yards without challenge, allowing them to get their players into good attacking formation, giving support to their forwards.
We have to take chances that we might get hit on the break, but we really have to take the game to them and don’t allow them to settle and play the game how they want to.
Not sure if it is the best game for us, as they will be wanting to beat us, possibly more than any other mid table team at this time of the season.

 

Yes - https://www.whoscored.com/News/GqsnpaCYGUmPz3TPCYUiBQ/Show/Southampton-winger-frozen-out-by-Hughes

 

Can you send that to [email protected]

I think that is the perfect team for Saturday for all the reasons you mentioned

 

Wouldn't it be nice if Luck which has totally deserted us for the whole season came galloping up out of breath and said, 'Sorry, guys if I'm late, but I'm here for the last 4 games.' Cue dodgy penalties in our favour, Shane Long handball into Man City's net, and a fly blinding the ref as Austin kicks a player into row Z just as he poised to shoot.

I can dream, can't I?

 

I'll be in the 'Saints club' outside the Kingsland. So easy and not far to walk to the match lol.