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Early Goal On Thursday Is The Key

Saints head to Denmark knowing that if they can get an early goal it will turn the tie on its head.

As the TV pundits are fond of telling us when European matches are shown live, at the moment its only half time.

FC Midtjylland will feel they have the advantage having secured a 1-1 draw at St Mary' s along with an away goal that could count double.

However if Saints an get an early goal as they did in Arnhem in the last round it will mean that FC Midtjylland's away goal is neutralised and should Saints get a second then they will be the ones chasing the tie.

Judging by the way the Danes played in the first leg last week they will be relishing the task of sitting back and holding on to a 0-0 draw which would take them through on away goals and this is where an early goal would truly benefit Saints as i don't think the Danes are good enough to keep us out and i don't think they can change their game if they have to come at us.

Saints should not be scared of FC Midtjylland, quite the opposite, they might be a force in Denmark, but they are not a force in Europe and neither is the Danish league at present, with all due respect I do not think FC Midtjylland as a team are much better than lower Championship standard, perhaps that won't please them to hear that, but their disgusting tactics last week which in the last 30 minutes seemed to be solely based on a player staying down feigning injury when they lost the ball in the final third meant that we saw little of any real quality, just a team performing to a set plan based on spoiling tactics.

So the big question is whether FC Midtjylland can play football when they have to or whether their plan A is all they have.

Saints need to find that out by scoring a goal of course we have to score to go through whatever the result, but once we have that goal then the tie is swinging in our favour rather than the home sides.

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