Saints At Brighton The Preview
Saturday, 28th Oct 2017 11:55

It's South Coast derby time, well its South Coast anyway and they play in blue and white so it will have to do, can Saints make it two wins in a row.

Saints only won two league games in a row twice last season, the last time being in April and for those looking for good omens, one of those wins was 1-0 against West Bromwich Albion, this weekend its another Albion we face in Brighton & Hove Albion and we really need to make it two in a row.

Consistency was our problem last season and so far there has not been a lot changed and it needs to, we need to find confidence and move up the league so we can start playing without fear, something we haven't done since the final games of Ronald Koeman's time.

Saints already have had a setback after Mario Lemina was reported to be out with an ankle injury, but this is exactly that a setback not a terminal blow.

Indeed it could be a stroke of fate that wins this game, Mauricio Pellegrino will be forced into a more attacking line up with Lemina out and this could pay dividends.

Lemina has been a revelation, but it should be remembered that Oriol Romeu was player of the year last season and is no slouch, he has had to take a back seat for Lemina this, some have mistook that for poor form, but Lemina has shone because of the work of Romeu that is certain.

So the first question is who will partner Romeu ? I would suggest Steven Davis, he can tdy up alongside Romeu and knock little balls quickly to the attacking players.

This could allow Sofiane Boufal to play in between the front man and the two holding midfielders in a number 10 role.

Saints issues have been about creating chances, Redmond and Tadic have come in for some fire this term, but it should be remembered that they are essentially wingers who put in crosses, when you have someone like Pelle who is big and thrives on crosses that is fine, but Gabbiadini and to a lesser extent Shane Long prefer balls through the channels and they havent had that, they need the ball worked from the centre and played through.

So Boufal could be the missing link in this respect.

Personally I would play this line up.

Forster

Soares Van Dijk, Hoedt Bertrand

Romeu Davis

Boufal

Redmond Long

Gabbiadini.

A couple of selections there which will cause some to raise eyebrows, but I think a well balanced side.

Hoedt needs to be in the side, he is better than Yoshida and although the Japanese defender has done little wrong, managers have to play there best team and Hoedt is not only a better defender but better in distribution as well, I'm not knocking Yoshida, he is just not as good a player as either Hoedt or Van Dijk.

I would play Redmond and Long wide, both are hard workers and offer pace, Long thrived in this role in Koeman's last season and both Pelle and Mane scored goals due to his work in a wide position, Redmond works harder than Tadic so get in because of that.

The key will be playing Gabbiadini in, keep the ball on the deck and keep playing it into the channels, that is the way to get the best out of the Italian striker, do that and we solveour goalscoring problem.

An alternative to this formation would be to play Boufal out wide in place of Redmond and put JWP in the number role given that he is our only true passer of a ball with vision, he hasn't grabbed this opportunity with both hands yet, but given the chance could make this position his own and create the right type of chances for Gabbiadini.

We need to make this a different type of season that last year, we need to start to take charge of games, win them and push ourselves up into pole position behind the top six instead of the stop start form of last season, this is a good squad, one capable of finishing 7th and like two seasons ago perhaps cashing in if one of the big six implodes, but we need to prove we are top dogs and this game is one that we need to win to show that.

For the last year or so we have failed to get winning sequences going, we do that now and the league starts to look a lot different in a fortnight.

Photo: Action Images

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SaintGeorge added 23:10 - Oct 28 You'd play Long again would you? You've lost your marbles mush.
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saintpp added 09:28 - Oct 29

Could be a game which suits Long as we will be under the cosh with his speed on the break but he is really running out of games to prove hes worth a start.
I expect Mp will bring in JWP for Lemina and drop Davis back alongside Romue as he seems a cautious manager.
Personally Id bring in Hoedt play 3 cbs and allow VVD to push into midfeild and get the fbs up the wings.
Gabbi up front then its choice between tadic redmond and boufal for the two remaining places.

aceofthebase added 09:46 - Oct 29

Yoshida has an eye for goal and likes to play as a forward or midfielder. He has the strength and aggression to be a similar player to Lemina so I would move him forward and play VVD and Hoedt at the back.
I would also give a kick up the backside to both Cedric and Bertrand and get them to contribute more to attacking.
Boufal must play a significant part in this game