Can Saints poop the Town Terriers promotion party perfect start to the season and condemn them to their first defeat of the season.

Mauricio Pellegrino will look to put the ebacle against Wolves behind him and continue to good work done in the opening two games, which have by Saints standards at the start of a season been outstanding.

One positive not is the fact that against Wolves only Oriol Romeu played in the same role as he has played in the first two games with all other starting outfield players on Wednesday either not in the side against West Ham or in a different role.

It is likely on Saturday that only Romeu again in the outfield ten will be in situ from the Wolves game although several others may play in a different formation.

Pellegrino is likely to revert to a more familiar 4- 2 -3 -1 line up and Saints fans will not only be relieved to see that but also the big guns back in the side.

The big question is in the back four, Cedric and Ryan Bertrand will likely be back and the major decision is whether Wesley Hoedt comes straight into the side probably at the expense of Jack Stephens.

Personally I think Hoedt has to come in, the number of chances gifted in the opening three games has been way below the standards expected of Premier League players, we cant keep getting away with leaving players unmarked and presenting them with free headers or shots on goal unchallenged

The holding two will hopefully be Mario Lemina and Romeu and that will give us a good foundation. Steven Davis is likely to fill the third central role.

Wide will be Nathan Redmond on one side and then the manager has to decide who to play wide on the other side, does he go for Dusan Tadic of James Ward Prowse, neither have yet to truly make themselves an automatic choice.

Pellegrino could throw in a surprise or two though, he could play a front two with both Austin or Gabbiadin or one in a deeper lying role, although I think it likely it will be Gabbiadini on his own up front.

What could make the difference though is the bench, Saints will have plenty of options to change things whichever way the game is going, but the Yorkshire side will not have that luxury.

Saints job is to quieten a crowd buoyed by two straight wins, something they did not dream of, but they have to get bac to reality and we could be the team to do that.

I am hopeful of at least a pont in this game, but I do think we can do so much better and take all three points.

Photo: Action Images

Sanguin added 10:28 - Aug 25 I expect: Forster Soares - Yoshida - Stephens - Bertrand Lemina - Romeu Redmond - Davis - Tadic Gabbiadini JWP and Tadic both played 90 minutes on Wednesday.
1

SaintJez added 10:35 - Aug 25 Sanguin - I expect that team too. Hoedt probably not had enough time to settle and, on the whole, that back 4 has operated fairly well together. That's not to say I don't think Hoedt shouldn't be a first choice for future matches - just that it might be better to let him bed in for a week or so as he's still a young guy and it's a big change of scenery for him. Davis will continue his devine right to play (when I would much prefer to see JWP in that role) with Tadic and Redmond playing despite zero form but alas no real alternatives available for those places. The pair of those 2 really need to start living up to some of the hype!

-5

SaintJez added 10:36 - Aug 25 *divine (for the pedants out there)
1

helpineedsomebody added 10:48 - Aug 25 dreadful playing system
0

Nomaesaints added 11:49 - Aug 25 I can't understand why we continue to play Forster as he is clearly one of the weak links in the defence and is not in form. Gareth Southgate has noticed his form why can't our manager? For such a big man he doesn't command the box and I think he has the Dracula syndrome- he's afraid of crosses..............
1

BaselSaint added 11:53 - Aug 25 Hoedt has been training fully with Lazio. He should be included, I dont go with all this settling in malarky - he is a fully fit proffessional player. Just get on with it! Forster Soares - Yoshida - Hoedt - Bertrand Lemina - Romeu Redmond - Davis - Tadic Gabbiadini
7

TeamCortese added 12:04 - Aug 25 I echo BaselSaint. Personally I'd like to see Boufal picked ahead of Tadic, as well as Davis and Forster dropped. McCarthy Cedric - Yoshida - Hoedt - Bertrand Lemina - Romeu Redmond - Boufal Austin - Gabbiadini Or McCarthy Cedric - Yoshida - Hoedt - Bertrand Lemina - Romeu Redmond - Boufal - Long Gabbiadini Get Tadic, JWP or Sims to come off the bench for the last 30 min and Clasie or Hojberg for Lemin or Romeu.

4

saintpp added 12:42 - Aug 25 forster cedric yoshida hoedt bertrand lemina romeu redmond jwp gabbi austin/long Playing davis alongside lemina and romue is one defensive mf too many cant have three players who never score in the side.
-2

saintmark1976 added 13:32 - Aug 25 We have enough talented players in the squad so that any combination picked should be able to achieve a result against Huddersfield. It's Huddersfield not Barcelona for goodness sake. The whole squad from the manager down owes the fans one after the mid week fiasco and tomorrow really is the occasion for some serial under achievers to step up to the plate and prove that they really do want to wear the shirt.

7

highfield49 added 13:57 - Aug 25 Couldn't agree more saintmark, I think most of us would name a pretty similar list of the serial underachievers and they frustrate us just about every time they pull on the shirt. Sadly most of them are the players who should be creating goal opportunities and that is reflected in our recent results. Personally I don't want to see any more quotes from players of the "have to put it behind us and move on" type. As has been said recently about Yoshi, just get out there and give the supporters 100% and look as though you care please.

4

Saintlee57 added 15:01 - Aug 25 Hoedt straight in, we have been loosing to many headers in the opening games and although I think Jack has made enormous strides he now needs to work on his game. I personally would like to see Long in for Tadic.
3

Braveheart added 17:19 - Aug 25 Forster is playing. We will lose
1

SaintBrock added 17:39 - Aug 25 The manager will not want to waste a substitution on a CB unless through injury and as we don't know how fit Hoedt is at PL levels of fitness, Pellegrino will not take the chance of having to replace him at 65 minutes. So he won't start. In the unlikely event we will be 3-0 up with 10 minutes to play and our three subs have not been used, he could get a cameo towards the end to stretch his legs. This will be a really tough test for us anyway and for the life on me, I cannot see us suddenly blossoming into a free scoring side so the score will be low but sadly and regrettably cannot see past a Huddersfield win 1-0 or 2-0.

2

allsaint54 added 10:23 - Aug 26 Please no more JWP. When he receives the ball it's stop, look, pass sideways or backwards. No wonder teams can easily defend against us. As I've been saying for over 12 months FF is a liability, definitely time for a change. Tadic also needs a kick up the backside to put some effort in. Still think we can pinch 3 pts with quick ball to Gabbi.
0

Blogs 31 bloggers

Middlesbrough Polls