WEST BROM VISIT ST MARY'S

Can Saints get a win to practically seal their safety??

Matty has found this on another forum, anyone want to answer?

Hi,

As a moderator on www.westbrom.com we run a weekly version of A View from the Opposition and I was hoping you would be able to answer our questionnaire. The replies will be formed into an article which shall be posted on this forum later in the week.

Firstly, I would like to apologise to the forum administrators if this breaks any forum rules.

Q1. What are your opinions on Southampton's season so far - has it gone how you expected?

Q2. What are your opinion on WBA's season so far? - Have we exceeded your expectations?

Q3. You made a controversial change not so long ago. What are your thoughts on MP and what difference has he made to your side?

Q4. What are your opinions on West Bromwich Albion Football Club and its supporters?

Q5. Peter Odemwingie became a laughing stock during the transfer window. What did you make of his antics and how our club dealt with it?

Q6. The game at The Hawthorns finished 2-0. What were your opinions on this game?

Q7. Which players should we be wary of in your side and who do you fear in our side?

Q8. What side is MP most likely to choose for Saturday's encounter?

Q9. And finally, score predictions.

Thank you.

Q1. What are your opinions on Southampton's season so far - has it gone how you expected?

Better than expected. I was hoping and expecting to avoid relegation but a mid-table finish, if we get it, would exceed my expectations

Q2. What are your opinion on WBA's season so far? - Have we exceeded your expectations?

I was expecting WBA to be fighting relegation, so you have exceeded expectations thanks to your good start.

Q3. You made a controversial change not so long ago. What are your thoughts on MP and what difference has he made to your side?

I thought it was spectacularly bad timing and would blow up in our faces, as results were going our way, but it's worked out and MP is getting the team playing much better than NA did.

Q4. What are your opinions on West Bromwich Albion Football Club and its supporters?

I don't have an opinion on WBA one way or the other. I hated you for your love-in with Portsmouth the season we went down from the PL (2004/5) but that was a long time ago now and it's water under the bridge.

Q5. Peter Odemwingie became a laughing stock during the transfer window. What did you make of his antics and how our club dealt with it?

He was probably badly-advised by his agent and made an idiot of himself. Your club dealt with it very well, similar to how Saints dealt with Jason Puncheon when he threw his toys out the pram a couple of years back.

Q6. The game at The Hawthorns finished 2-0. What were your opinions on this game?

It was dire. Saints didn't turn up.

Q7. Which players should we be wary of in your side and who do you fear in our side?

Rodriguez, Lambert and Ramirez, if he plays like we know he can. Your players? Probably only Lukaku.

Q8. What side is MP most likely to choose for Saturday's encounter?

Probably the one that started the Swansea game last Saturday.

Q9. And finally, score predictions.

3-1 Saints

Firstly, I would like to apologise to the forum administrators if this breaks any forum rules.

Q1. What are your opinions on Southampton's season so far - has it gone how you expected?
Pretty much, knew it would be a struggle and disappointed at our initial signings. Thought we would improve and always thought we could get to 44/45 points with a decent home record
Q2. What are your opinion on WBA's season so far? - Have we exceeded your expectations?

Did surprise me as thought would have been in the battle near the bottom, getting Lukaku from Chelsea was a good piece of business

Q3. You made a controversial change not so long ago. What are your thoughts on MP and what difference has he made to your side?

Was disappointed with the way Nigel Adkins was sacked but MP does seem to have made a difference and players seem a bit more on edge with him. Adkins is a great guy and will always be fondly remembered by saints fans for what he did but tactically he could be a bit naieve.

Q4. What are your opinions on West Bromwich Albion Football Club and its supporters?

pretty neutral really but went down in our estimation when you celebrated with the Skates when we were relegated, delighted they will strta next season in div 2.

Q5. Peter Odemwingie became a laughing stock during the transfer window. What did you make of his antics and how our club dealt with it?

Think he made himself look pretty stupid and actually glad you didn't let him get his way as could have made a difference at QPR. Glad the club stuck by its position but my guess is you will sell this summer.

Q6. The game at The Hawthorns finished 2-0. What were your opinions on this game?
Probably our worst performance of the season and many think the start of the Chairman's decision to replace Adkins

Q7. Which players should we be wary of in your side and who do you fear in our side?
Rodrigues is on form at the moment and is unsettling central defenders by running at them. Lambert has had a great season and Lallana can be a threat but hasn't been great last few games Lukaku is a real threat and Brunt can be trouble from set pieces

Q8. What side is MP most likely to choose for Saturday's encounter?
Hopefully he will start Shaw as Fox is pretty poor at left back, tries hard but not up to it. Fairly sure unless injuries will be Lambert and Rodrigues up front, Lallana out wide left with midfield 3 of Cork, Schneiderlin and Davis who have been really effective last few games.

Q9. And finally, score predictions.

3 - 2

Got a horrible feeling this could be a bad day.....maybe Saints 1 West Brom 2

Hope I'm wrong.

Mike

one thing we know is no easy games in this division and certainly no logic. We lost at home to Wigan QPR and Sunderland, beat Man city, Chelsea, Liverpool!

desperately want the 3 points so can relax but again would take a point as inches closer to the 41 point mark which with our goal difference will be enough

well a terrible performance by both saints and the referee who should never have been allowed to referee a premiership game. While he may have got the sending of ramerez correct it was the numerous wrong decision before then that had ruined the game and the players were frightened of making a tackle as simply didn't know what decision he would make. Aerially he allowed numerous challenges to go unpenalised which meant we were never able to get a foothold into the game and although at far end of the pitch it didn't look more than a 50/50 challenge and not with raised studs. While Fox was pretty awful, again, Shaw apparently is out for at least 10 days with ankle in a cast so are now struggling for the remaining games. Ramerez will miss all 3 so now down struggling to pick a decent team. Will also have to rethink his approach, 2 up front ought to work but they still need service and Lallana provided little, so may have to go back to just Cork and schneiderlin in middle with Puncheon on right. Shame as Davis was probably our best player but we need to get back to a solid shape.

Defensively we were all over the place, Hoovield was shaky all game and I had said before we should have looked at bringing Fonte back, that seemed to affect Yoshida and they could cope with the pace and strength of WBA attack.

Conceded an early goal but that came form a corner which Hoovield gave away needlessly and a goal mouth scramble and our defence failed to deal with the second ball. Boruc had to be smart to stop a shot from Lukaku following terrible marking from Fox. Every long kick from their goalie Fox would stand about 20 yards inside from touchline giving their wide players effectively a head start, complete madness for a player lacking in pace.

Lallana did get to the byline early on before they scored and pulled a good ball back but Foster was out to smother before Rodrigues could get there.

We really do to defend set pieces, they had one out wide on right and when about to swing in they had 5 or 6 layers at the far post yet we had 4 players standing in the middle, needless to say the ball went sailing over the head of the saints players and headed back but we got lucky. really do need to sort out on the training ground. We had a few corners but didn't come to much and Cline cam closest when he cut in rom right and let fly but to close to Foster to palmed over. All game the referee had been pedantic over where we took our free kick when we had one that Rickie took he marched out the wall to about 2 yards inside their box, yet when Rickie went to take they were on the penalty box line, so obvious that is no excuse if a ref wants to be pedantic that he doesn't do something. Another cross just before half time went behind Rodrigues who was unable to control.

Ramerez came on for Cork which was strange decision but someone said he may have been injured but didn't see him hurt and certainly he was being more influential sitting behind the front 2. Fox was booked pulling back Lukaku but really all about his positioning, he was wrong side when ball was passed so always going to struggle. Although not creating many clear cut chances saints were playing better and had the upper hand then gave away second on a breakaway with Lukaku clear through the middle and gave Boruc no chance. Hoovield was complaining at Cline but you have to ask where was he and Yoshida, all day they were struggling to get their tackle in cleanly.

Went from bad to worse with Ramerez sending off, he made a good break and was puled back at least twice by Long, ref didn't do anything and on third tug by Long Ramerez swung an arm and Long went down if hit by Karl Foch! Shouldn't have done it but Long was a niggling fouling cheat all day and did get away with murder, yes ramerez had to go but Long should have at least been booked and they had a player sent off for shoving a saints player in the face. A decent ref would have been up with play but this clown was to far away and clearly wanted to make a name for himself. saints actually seemed to find more space when down to 10 v 10. Mayauka had come on for Lallana before this which meant we had little creativity on the pitch. Their third goal was again a break away poor challenges and made worse by little runt Long scoring. Greta for consistent ref who had been picky all day, during goal celebrating WBA player picked up ball and kicked into their fans, the rule says a booking what did he do, tap the guy on the bum when they walked back. Totally unacceptable in my view, just wish we would bring in foreign refs as would put pressure on our clowns to up their game.

Final action was Fox sending off, for me 50/50 challenge and may have been a yellow, which would have been his second but a 1 match ban not 3.

I think saints have a real battle now to get the point to guarantee safety and all this talk of finishing 10th I think has gone to their heads, sort out safety first and to do that you have to roll up your sleeves and battle, to many saints players didn't bother and also think 3 months on MP ought to be able to hold some of his press conferences in English, using an interpreter may be the easy option but isn't good enough.

Thankfully Wigan scored a last minute own goal which meant drew with spurs but still fancy them to beat Swansea which means just 4 points behind now back to hoping other teams screw up but we have given them hope!

Boruc 6 not much chance with 2 & 3 goal not so sure about 1st
Cline 6 one of the better players
Yoshida 5 struggles when an aerial battle, god help him against Stoke
Hoovield 3 said he was the fall guy earlier, no Jos you aren't good enough, need to raise your game every week
Fox 3 a nightmare with him starting though like to have him on the bench would appeal his red
Cork 5 poor game but may have taken hit
Schneiderlin 6 not much creativity couple of decent blocks
Davis 7 never stopped running
Lallana 5 has been poor for last few weeks needs a real kick up backside
Rodrigues 6 not his best but very poor service
Lambert 4 looked like on his holidays.

subs ramerez 5 sending off means his season is over, maybe his saints career

I was away but followed the match on Sky Sports Soccer Saturday. Ouch is all I can say. Well, that and also "That was shite".

seen the Fox challenge and pointless appealing as he had both feet of the ground, don't think his feet made any contact as he pulled away and was his legs but still a reckless challenge.

Maybe his last game for saints.

While the ref may have got the red cards correct the point is his poor overall performance and inconsistency had created problems all game, fact we had not had a player sent off all season says it all,