THE ONE THAT MATTERS........COVENTRY AT ST MARYS

Crunch time............

We *will* win. Thus sealing an (almost) perfect season. The 'almost' is for chucking away the title, that apart it has been a fabulous season.

The Sk8s going down is a Brucie bonus of course.

Nostromo wrote:We *will* win. Thus sealing an (almost) perfect season. The 'almost' is for chucking away the title, that apart it has been a fabulous season.

The Sk8s going down is a Brucie bonus of course.

Thanks for posting that.........I feel a lot better now!!!





(of course if you are wrong I'll never trust anything you say again)

The OS have confirmed the match will be shown live on BBC.

At least its not Sky but still would have preferred no cameras, shouldnt make any difference but for some reason our record on Tv is awful.

Do think we need to keep tight at the back at the start and not give anything stupid away especially free kicks, the midfield need to give the back four cover so that will also allow the full backs to get forward. Hopefully Schneiderlin will be fit but did look rusty when he came on at boro. If Richardson and Fox get forward and put in decent crosses then we should be able to get the goals we need.

Big decision who plays wide right, think he will go with Guly and also have Barnard on the bench

Lallana is well over due a goal, 9 games without a goal so less twitter and more targetting please. really want a 3 - 4 goal lead in first half so we can actually enjoy the second half, icing on the cake will be half time Hull are beating WH. In the real world suspect 1 0 for most of the game, WH winning easily then we get the second with a couple of minutes left.

Good article on the Echo Website: Far better to go up at St. Mary's. Being 5000 miles away has helped the nerves a bit, but I will be back in the UK at the end of the week and I'll be able to watch the match on the BBC.

Don't care what score, don't care who scores........as long as Saints get 3 points

I see we have a card-happy ref....

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/9672872.Cards_on_the_table_this_weekend/r/?ref=rss

http://www.hullcityafc.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10338~2750358,00.html

well thought would even it up and see Hull will have what looks like a full squad, koren is a decent player with a genuine goal threat so hope he plays.

Hull do have a decent defence and have conceded fewest goals away from home and having lost 6 on the bounce, won 3 and drawn 1 of last 4. If they hadnt had that run of 6 defeats they would have been right in the play off mix so maybe it wont be as easy for WH as I first thought

Southampton my Home wrote:I see we have a card-happy ref....

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/9672872.Cards_on_the_table_this_weekend/r/?ref=rss

Maybe just as well Chappers isnt fit!! Hope everyone keeps calm and doesnt allow him the chance to get the cards out unless a Coventry player. No slide tackles from Schneiderlin!

matty07uk wrote:

Southampton my Home wrote:I see we have a card-happy ref....

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/9672872.Cards_on_the_table_this_weekend/r/?ref=rss

Maybe just as well Chappers isnt fit!! Hope everyone keeps calm and doesnt allow him the chance to get the cards out unless a Coventry player. No slide tackles from Schneiderlin!

And I hope Fonte controls himself.

For some reason this makes me feel more nervous......


http://www.thefootballnetwork.net/main/s262/st177394.htm

Just had a realy bad dream, hope that by putting about it on here the dream wont come true.

Well.........Saints dominated the match, were all over Coventry for the whole game. First half was one-way traffic, just couldnt find the net, either wide of target or they made a last ditch save. Then on 43 minutes Coventry got their only corner of the match thanks to a terrible kick back by Guly. From the corner one of our centre backs (think it was Jos) got his head to it and mis-directed it into the net, no coventry player was near him........own-goal!

Just a minute later Fonte needlessly tugs at the shirt of a coventry player on the edge of the penalty area. A lot of doubt whether it was inside or outside the area but penalty given. 0-2 and half time.

Saints still made all the running after half-time. About 50 minutes pulled one back..........1-2.

And then levelled the scores 2-2 just before the hour mark.

Saints pressed and pressed for winner. As game went into added time the whole team (except Davis) were camped in the Coventry half. Their keeper made a long clearance that was picked up by one of their strikers after bouncing off one of our players. He sprinted free and rounded Davis and shot..........the ball hit the post and came back out...........but the officials decided it had crossed the line..............we had lost 2-3.

And then we heard that West Ham won 2-0.

I also think Coventry will score first but we will come back and win 3 - 1.

Had me hair cut, off to pub for breakfast then to St Marys and hopefully back in pub later for drinks! COYRs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have to admit I am looking forward to this about as much as I would a trip to the dentist for root canal work. That said, come 2.20 pm we'll be promoted.

86 or 87 minutes and 4-0. It's looking really good !

SOUTHAMPTON ARE F*CKING BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yerrsssss !!

SaintMike wrote:

Nostromo wrote:We *will* win. Thus sealing an (almost) perfect season. The 'almost' is for chucking away the title, that apart it has been a fabulous season.

The Sk8s going down is a Brucie bonus of course.

Thanks for posting that.........I feel a lot better now!!!





(of course if you are wrong I'll never trust anything you say again)

Told ya!

Will add match report tomorrow, just back from pub and my vision can see the keyboard properly!!!

We're premier league, we're premier league

we are southampton, we're premier league

Nice to see on BBC that when they wanted to interview NA immediately after the game all Nigel wanted to do was get away to join the team and fans on the pitch

Well for once it turned out as it should have, Coventry simply didnt have the players to really threaten Saints and once we got in front there was never really any other result than a saints win. Met some Coventry fans in the pub beforehand and they said they had little threat up front and are dire on TV, that cheered us up no end knowing not the only ones who struggle when on tv.

Saints started nervy and Coventry with no pressure played some neat football and after 10 minutes had forced 4 corners and an excellent save from Kelvin. Fonte who had started a bit dodgy with misplaced passes and poor clearances got the ball and instead of the cross field pass ran froward, coventry players backed off and while we wanted him to shoot as a clear view on goal he played out wide to guly on the right. Guly then pulled the cross back to Lallana on the edge of the box and for once he didnt try to mess aorund and hit first time shot, sharp in the box then had a small nick on the ball into the net and cue mass celebrations. Ground was buzzing and only had to wait a few minutes for that all important second. Saints won a corner on the right ball was swung in and Fonte, almost on his kness headed into the ground for ball to bounce towards the roof of the goal. Defender on the line could only head into top of goal. Cue mass celebrations, my glasses went flying and suddenly all that tension was gone. Two up at home to Coventry knew we were there. McSheffrey then went off for them injured which made even harder as their main goal threat and hammond who had stretched to win the ball also went off with Cork coming on. Think Cork was unlucky not to start anyhow. Corkie went right and Guly came in to middle. Sharp has a great chance for third when clean through with two defenders chasing but overran the ball and should have shot when he had the chance. Lallana nearly added a third before the break with a shot which was blocked, really should have scored but no one was being picky.

Guly had the first chance of second half with a header but couldnt quite get over the ball and his header went over the bar. Lambert then nearly got the goal he deserved, Sharp laid the ball off to Lambert on edge of box who unleashed a screamer which looked from our end destined for the top corner but just went wide. Still the third goal which would remove any doubt came not long after. corner taken low was flicked on by Guly, Sharp again in the box got on the ball with a good shot blocked but Hoovield was first to react and showed great composure for a CH to shoot low and hard. End of any nerves then we knew we were up. Just like first half having scored one another was on its way. This time deep cross from right headed down by Lambert for lallana to hook home at the near post. Pretty much end of the game, De Ridder came on for Sharp and then towards the end Puncheon came on for Lallana as saints kept the ball to see out the game.

Not surprisingly pitch invasion followed as the fans and players enjoyed savouring the victory. Amazingly the Football League had seen fit not to send the runners up trophy to our ground, what idiots they are, so just a couple of bottles of Champagne to present but dont think the players or fans cared that much

Team scores () score for season
Davis 8 (8) another clean sheet and been a star this season, our future goalkeeping coach
Fox 8 (7) fairly easy game and while caught out defensively at times has made the Lb spot his.
Fonte 8 (6) easy last game goal and an assist, has struggled in last couple of months so he will need to get back to old form to say in team
Hoovield 9 (8) another goal 8 for the season really has got better as season has gone on, think will be no 1 CH.
Butterfield 8 (7) still think Richardson is the better RB but has proved a decent squad player
Guly 8 (7) had a good game yesterday especially when in centre midfield, a bit of an enigma but skilful enough for premier league
Hammond 7 (7) cannot fault his effort his injury yesterday typical as he stretched to win the ball back, see as a squad player next year
Schneiderlin 8 (8) has got better as season gone on and think he can make the step up to next level
Lallana 8 (8) great reward for a player who stuck with us when could have jumped ship glad he got a goal today
Sharp 8 (8) not the fastest or fittest but 9 goals, all inside the box filled a void we had in the team and made a big contribution.
Lambert 8 (9) shame he didnt score but made fourth and again won the ball so often. Worked so hard this season.

Subs
Cork 8 (8) as expected been a good signing and will improve unlucky not to start yesterday
De Ridder 6 (6) he has what is needed for premiership but first season in english football is not esay so may improve
Puncheon 6 (6) for me no point keeping has at elast buckled down but hasnt really looked like forcing his way into team (leeds?)
Bart (6) loyal servant but expect us to sign another keeper to challenge kelvin
Harding (6) think a step to far premier league
Connolly (6) expect to see leave, to many injuries and age against him now
Barnard (5) court case and injuries mean washout of a season think will be gone in summer
Richardson (7) for me best Rb at club and expect to be first chocie next season

Considering went in several pubs in southampton after the game, drinking Doom Bar, Ruddles and Directors feel remarkedly well though have decided against going to gym today! Have got a couple of clips on phone which will see if I can download somehow

Thanks again Matty, lok forward to seeing your reports again next season!!!

Thanks Matty. Once again a comprehensive report for those of us far away. Also go to see you had no major hangover difficulties. Thanks for the effort this year. Pete