Match Day Thread Southampton v West Ham 29/12/2020 6pm Amazon Prime

I’m assuming we start with the same team but with Oriel in for Diallo

Will be interesting to see how much difference he makes

He may just provide that solid base to free up the playmakers

Diallo played ok but he’s a very different player to Oriel and I can see either Diallo or Prowsey working well with Oriel but struggling a bit together

 

Do you think some fans are a bit blinkered by the 0-0 scoreline? I actually think the whole team is playing really well - consistently so - but some opponents will target key players and try to neutralise them. I don't count the first two games of the season because (as I said at the time) Ralph hadn't had the opportunity of properly preparing the team due to the later return and the international absences. Since we played Burnley (which Ralph had a whole week to prepare the team for), we have only lost 2 games - to M City and M Utd. No real shame.

Walcott was neutralised against Fulham because when he got close to their penalty area, he was immediately surrounded by five Fulham players. I saw one or two occasions when he was free out wide and his decision making was maybe a bit questionable but his defensive efforts more than made up for it.

This is our best season for many years and we have a bunch of decent players often playing out of their skin. If we can't enjoy this run, when will we??

Same team to day with Romeu back in midfield please.

 

I worry about this one. West Ham have won the last five matches against West Ham.

 

McCarthy
KWP bednarek Stephens Bertie
Romeu JWP
Theo Redmond
Che Long

 

Nice - but I don’t think Redders is ready yet.

 

Yep, Ings is the only one back in training from what I could see.

 

Ballsack. Ok Armstrong for redders.

 

Wanted to make a sarcastic comment but I’ll refrain.

 

McCarthy
KWP Bednarek Stephens Bertrand
Ward-Prowse Diallo Romeu Armstrong
Walcott Adams

 

I wouldn't set it up as a 4-4-2 (or 4-2-2-2), maybe more of a 4-3-3 instead - but assuming that Ings and Redmond aren't available to start (and Salisu won't), then they are the 11 names which jump out at me the most.

I don't for one moment expect Ralph to change formation though - which I don't say as a negative, just an observation - and hence I don't see it happening.

 

Macca;
KWP Bednerak Stephens Bertrand
Walcott JWP Romeu Djenepo
Tella Adams.

 

No Ralph tonight.

 

****, I hope Ralph has Amazon at home

 

I wonder how much difference this will make.

 

I would suggest quite alot. If he has to watch through a screen he will not have a full appreciation of what is going on across the pitch. Also not able to encourage or yell at players.

 

Not ideal but Ralph will still be able to communicate and it might actually spur the players on.

 

I don't think he was off his game as you suggest, just that once in possession of the ball he was dealing with four or five immediate assailants. Agree that his distribution, as of many years, could have been better, but I was amazed at his defensive game, quite tenacious. He is not a replacement for Danny, neither was his arrival here intended to be signal that, but given time, as we have seen, he will get free kicks from 35 yds in and with JWP, that's just right. Shane could offer a similar role I feel, but let's hope both find the net again without VAR getting in the way!

 

Yeah, I mean we already knew it but from being at the Arsenal-Saints game the other week I realised just how much and how often Ralph communicates with the players during the game. I would hazard a guess that we would miss having our coach on the sideline more than a lot of the other teams would.

Obviously most importantly, hope Mrs Ralph and Ralph are both okay.

 

Get well soon to them all, and I hope they're keeping safe.

 

Come on lads, do it for the gaffer! Not having Parker present didn`t upset Fulham, so hopefully the same for us tonight. I don`t think our performance (individually and collectively) against Fulham was as mediocre as some think. In contrast to the beginning of the season they competed and defended very well and in a disciplined way, as demonstrated by our two `goals` being caught offside. 2-1 Saints tonight!