Southampton V Cardiff City The Preview Friday, 1st Dec 2023 07:45 Saints look to make it 11 games in a row unbeaten and in doing so perhaps cutting the gap between the teams above us, when we take on Cardiff City on Saturday afternoon, but they will need to step up a gear from the last two games. Cardiff arrive at St Mary's having suffered a setback in midweek losing to fellow promotion hopefuls West Bromwich Albion, that knocked them down to 9th, but on 27 points they know that a win on the South Coast would see them only 4 points behind Saints and very much in the promotion race. There is a feeling amongst Saints supporters that the team isn't playing that well, yet it is still on a long unbeaten run and is slowly hauling back the top 2.
This has still left some fans unconvinced about both some members of the squad and also the manager, however it is perhaps a good sign that we have put in such a good run and are yet to truly hit our true potential. The draw at Huddersfield felt like a defeat, but the reality is that in the last 5 games only Leeds have matched us for points and for any side 13 points from 15 is a very good return.
Cardiff themselves have won two and drawn one out of their last 5. Now the games are coming thick and fast it will be the depth of the squad that will count, we will be without Sulemana and Ross Stewart on Saturday, yet we can bring in quality replacements and this will be key, have i said that before ? Russell Martin made a few changes against Bristol City and is likely to make a few for the visit of the Bluebirds, the left back spot is likely to be up for grabs and might be an easy decision in Ryan Manning isn't fit after limping off in injury time on Wednesday night.
Obvious choice here is James bree, but there will be other areas that might see change, Will Smallbone could return to the midfield and Che Adams also to the starting line up. The important things is to keep grinding out results, the performance doesn't matter it is all about doing what we do and getting results, some supporters moan about the style of play, but the truth is from what I have seen most of the teams in the division are playing some sort of possession game. Certainly Bristol City did at the back, before humping it forward. Our version is a little more sophisticated, bit on Wednesday I saw a little confidence sneaking into the game, Charley Alcatraz and Stuart Armstrong seemed more willing to turn and run at players rather than just pass the ball back to the back four.
This was evident in the second half on Wednesday and we created chances, start to put some away and suddenly things will fall into place. But the next step is to beat Cardiff, it won't be easy, most teams sit back against us with men behind the ball and try to suffocate us and catch us on the break, we have learnt to deal with that defensively, we just now need to start scoring and we have enough players in the squad capable of not only getting into double figures but also 6-10 goals a season. Win this game and more people will take note, many of them our own supporters, at half time on Wednesday too many were moaning, yes it wasn't good but we were a team that are unbeaten and we are patient on the pitch, we just need to be patient in the stands as well. This side more than any other in the Championship is getting better by the game, we just all need to start to believe. Photo: Action Images Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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