COME ON YOU SAINTS.......YOU CAN BEAT VILLA!!!

Surely our first scalp is now long overdue.......

A scalp is not only overdue it is now necessary. I don't care that people are saying this was a tough start, I doubt it will get easier as time goes on. It's a cliché, but worth repeating, there really are no easy games at this level. We were good but unfortunate against the Manchester clubs, very poor indeed against Wigan (who we should have got something from as they are a poor team themselves) and abysmal against Arsenal, being shambolic in midfield and defence and utterly clueless.
Played 4, won 0, drawn 0, lost 4, 5 goals for, 14 against, 20th (bottom) in the table makes sad reading. I am already fed up with ridicule from non-Saints fans.

I am not panicking yet, it's just four games in, but I am annoyed with Saturday's hammering and if we get nothing out of the next three games, then Nigel's position is going to start to be looking shaky.

Nostromo wrote: if we get nothing out of the next three games, then Nigel's position is going to start to be looking shaky.

I think that if we get nothing from the next 3 games Nigel will already be history. I am thinking we need 5 or 6 points from them for his position to be secure.

A win saturday will give him the breathing space needed, although I have been critical of his tactics and subs, think Cortese and Reed and their dumb Transfer Committee is to blame. Ridiculous we had to wait until last cple of days on Transfer window for a CH and no other defenders and no new decent goalie. Adkins said he wanted "at least" 2 CHs and all we ended up with a japanese CH just before international break.

Also do not believe Ramierez was Adkins no 1 priority and he now has a problem trying to fit him and Lallana in same team without weakening the rest of the team. Good player that he looks it is all about the balance of the team and with him and Adam in the team a lot of tackling for the rest.

By the way Mike if we dont get any points saturday you have to change the thread title!

Yes. Change it to something like 'will we win on Xxxxday?'. The '...Premiership scalp' title is cursed - probably because the competition is called the 'Premier League' and not the 'Premiership' which is a rugby union competition. ;)

I am not confident we're going to get anything from tomorrow's match, even though it is a home match. Villa have begun to get results, while Saints' confidence must have taken a hit after last week's hammering. Our defence is too porous and KD is a liability. A point will do but we need all three in order to avoid potentially being cut adrift at the bottom, especially as next week's game is away at Everton. Besides, I want to be able to look at the PL table which I can't bring myself to do at the moment!

For some time I have been feeling we were going to lose again and 1-2 seemed a likely scoreline but, for no reason that I can recognise my expectations have changed......


THE DREADED SAINTMIKE FORECAST:

Saints 2 Villa 0

I am going for a 2 2 draw, no way can I see us keeping a clean sheet I am afraid and just watched 1st half of swansea v everton and we need 3 points today as everton have been unplayable. Dont know how we will handle fellani with our lightweight team, he is domniating game and everton happy to hit long balls to him as it works!

Davis has been dropped in favour of Gazzaniga.

Saints team vs Aston Villa: Gazzaniga, Clyne, Fonte, Yoshida, Fox, Schneiderlin, S. Davis, Ramirez, Puncheon, Lambert, Lallana (c)

Saints substitutes vs Aston Villa: K. Davis (GK), Rodriguez, Ward-Prowse, Guly, Richardson, Mayuka, Seaborne

Points are imperative this game as I feel a hammering is on the cards next week.

1-0 down. Dozy defending AGAIN!

2-1 to Saints getthefeckin

3-1

4-1!

FT 4-1. I get to watch Match of the Day tonight.

Well happy bunny this evening, much needed boost for players, Adkins and fans. Will still be a long season but some real hope here. ramirez followed up his promise last week in his one half and showed a top class player. Very skilful but is able to shield the ball well and is not easily knocked off. Other real plus was Yoshida at CH. won lots of balls in the air, looked calm with the ball and actually more vocal than I had thought would be. Great example in 1st hald, Ramirez for once dallied near the box and lost the ball leading to a shot that Yoshi blocked and he then gave ramirez a bo**icking which was duly accepted. Plus Fonte responded to the threat to his place and had probbaly his best games for month.

Saints kicked off playing into Chapel end and reminded me of a championship game with both sides knocking the ball forward early to the big guys up front, Gazzingers kicking a definite improvement from Kelvins. Lambert though was our only recognised striker with Lallana and ramirez playing off him. Still looked a bit isolated with Rickie up front and although saints played decent football at a higher tempo clear cut chances were few and far between. Rickie had a chance on left side following good work from Lallana but leant back and shot went high over. Ramirez had a shot that went wide and then in a goal mouth scramble following Lambert heading back across goal looked like Yoshida tried an overhead kick which he missed and Lallana had a poke but straight at the Villa goalie.

Just so typical that saints then went behind to a poor goal. First Cline had a chance to clear and failed then Puncheon who did not have a great first half had time and space but lost the ball on edge of box. Villa shot was poor but bounced up to Bent who tapped in from 3 yards. Poor goal to concede as two chances to clear the danger. Saints had a chance with a freekick in a good position but Lallana wasted firing hide and wide. End of first half and we were all fearful this was going to be another good day.

Saints started brightly second half, brought on Richardson at right back with Cline going to left back. Not sure if injury though Fox's delivery was poor in first half. Puncheon had a shot saved comfprtably at the near post. Villa nearly got a second with a deep corner which wasnt well defended and went close. They did this a couple more times and was a worry that we didnt learn from the first one. Think Adkins was considering changing with Rodrigues and Ward Prowse warming up when saints got that vital equaliser. The ball was played into Lambert who despite 2 players in close attention controlled and fired a great shot which though goalie looked like got hand to couldnt stop going in the net. Cue wild celerations, my glasses flying off and a visible belief amongst the players. Second goal didnt take long to come and followed good play between ramirez and Lallana puting Cline through although he didnt seem to have the ball under control managed to poke past their goalie. To be honest I'm the villa player chasing him got the touch but who cares.

Puncheon nearly added a third on the right side cutting into the box and had a curling effort which just had to much pace and went close past the corner of post and bar. He then managed to score his first league goal for apparently nearly 2 years. He picked up the ball on left side of box close to the 6 yard box. Turned his defender and showed composure to put on his right foot and fired into far corner. Great to be 3 1 up just disppointed still nearly 20 minutes left to play!

Puncheon was subbed for Mayuka and Ward Prowse for Davis, Mayuka went close witha shot then we gave away a free kick in a very dangerous position just outside the box. Bent took and curled just wide, if that had gone in would have been a very nervy last 10 to 15 minutes, cannot afford to give free kicks away like that.

After the free kick that was about it aside from a couple of corners from Villa then the icing on the cake in stoppage time Mayuka got free one on one and brought down by their goalie, surprised only a yellow, guess the ref couldnt be bothered to send him off as result not in doubt. Rickie took and blasted low and hard into bottom left hand corner. 4 1 will help the goal difference and overall saints were by far the better team, even in the 1st half.

Gazzinger 7 good kicking, about his postioning and didnt come for many crosses but key save in 2nd half when stood up well.
Cline 7 better in 2nd half when played on the left, needs to buy new boots that stop him slipping as often as he does.
Fonte 8 best game for a long time
Yoshida 9 Great full debut commanding in the air and calm on the ground, will be a fans favourite
Fox 6 some decent tackles but his distribution was poor.
Puncheon 7 6 first half 8 second. Was on fire for about 20 minutes in 2nd half and good goal
Ramirez 9 pure class and lots of clubs will wonder why no one else bid for him. Not sure will score many but will create loads
Davis 6 probably the poorest in midfield doesnt seem to be a tackler or passer.
Lallana 8 gave them a tough time in 1st half still taking one touch to many when he has a chance to shoot
Schneiderlin 7 good game and able to sit back more with Ramirez in team
Lambert 8 worked his socks off, great goal for that all so important equaliser and yet another penalty duly despatched

Subs
Richardson 7 good and solid second half
Ward prowse 6 did his job closing down players
Mayuka 6 has promise and earnt the penalty

No rest though Tough game at Everton but go with more confidence now and league cup game midweek when guess players such as Lee, Rodrigues, Chaplow, Shaw Seaborne will all get a game

And again SaintMike forecasts the correct result........maybe helped by changing the title of the topic just after half-time!

Great report as usual Matty!

Nice to see Rickie is a joint top goalscorer this season....
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/top_scorers/default.stm

It's good to see that recent signings Ramirez, Yoshida and Mayuka all seem to be settling and doing well. I think it is going to be hard for Rodriguez or Lee to get a game. Also good competition now for places in central midfield with Schneiderlin, Davis, Cork and Ward-Prowse all fighting for places. Would be nice if we could find a strong defender available on a free........

Well done saintmike changing the title!!

Signing of Boruc strengthens the goalie position only area which now looks weak is Left Back, Fox always tries but his distribution yesterday was poor, shame we never did sign Butner! Not sure whether Shaw is ready for premiership so an experienced left sided defender would be good. a few clean sheets would be good and with the rest of the team creating chances should be able to win these.

Man U beat Liverpool this afternoon, which keeps us out of the relegation zone. Norwich are 1-0 down at HT, away at Newcastle, which actually moves us up a place, to 16th. If that stays the same and QPR lose at Spurs then this will have been a very good weekend indeed.

Having grown up in the 80s, surrounded by plastic Liverpool fans, I am not sad to see them struggling this season.

Glad liverpool are still below us but yet again Halsey did as much as he could to ensure Manure won.

QPR have gone 1-0 up at Spuds so we're back to 17th.

16th whoopee! Take that at end of the season.

Up a place without having to kick a ball yesterday! That table makes so much better reading than it did 48 hours ago.