UP FOR THE CUP!!

It's that time again, do you think Saints would benefit from a run in this or would it be a hindrance?

What line-up do you think will be picked for Tuesday's match at Barnsley?

For me an opportunity for some to get some match time for me would play

Gazzinger
Fox
Hoovield
Yoshida
Chambers
Cork
Davis
Isgrove
Ward Prowse
Rodrigues
Ramerez

subs
Davis
Lallana and a few youngsters

Not being disrespectful to the competition as most played premiership last season and an opportunity for them to get a competitive game.

And maybe Mayuka will be given another chance?

and forgot about Guly as well so add those 2 and think you have to say not that bad a squad, could also play Sharp but don't think he will feature

Well a comfortable 5 - 1 win and goals for Mayuka, Rodrigues and Ramerez all good for confidence and a couple for Davis will give MP some thing to think about for the weekend.

One thing with Davis is he does try and get forward into the box which is lacking from our other midfield players

Sounds like we had a good night....

Bristol City at St Mary's next.   Surely that should be winnable.....but Bristol City do tend to be rather a bogey team.

Bristol City tomorrow night, and I am sure there will be some team changes. Maybe Rodriguez and Lee up front?

Would expect Kelvin in goal, starts for either Yoshida or Hoovield. Also think Fox will start if fit and will rest Shaw.

In midfield would expect Cork Davis and JWP to start with possibly Ramerez in a free role behind front 2. Up front yes Rodrigues and Lee though Lee was injured (again) last week in an U 21 game but don't know how bad that was.

That would leave Shaw, Lallana, Lovren, Wanyama, Schneiderlin, Lambert and Osvaldo on the bench, not bad!

Apparently not pretty, but through to the next round.....

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/10695496._/?

Result is what counts and if we had a bit more class up front sounds like could have had sewn up in fisrt half. with only 1 goal in it they were always going to grow in confidence so under some pressure second half until Jos remembered he is supposed to score in the other end!

Probably only Ramerez has staked a claim to start on Saturday but see who we get in the draw tonight, a home draw would be good against pretty much anyone

and we get a trip to Sunderland....

c**p draw but still winnable if he decides to play first team

Well do we rest a few players or do we look to try and win it and go for the glory of a Cup final?

I think MP will still see league as priority so will rest key players might not be many as previous rounds but still think will want to protect, Shaw who seems to struggle with to many games, SRL who has always struggled with 2 games in a week, Lallana who is having his best spell for a year but has in the past picked up injuries, Wanyama and Schneiderlin who both put in a lot of effort and why risk Osvaldo coming back from injury. He might want to let Boruc have the night off following Saturday get him back to St Marys to

Davis
Clyne, Fonte, Yoshida, Fox

Davis, Cork, Ramerez Ward Prowse

J Rod Lee

subs

Gazzinger, Chambers, Targett, Hoovield, Guly, Lambert, Schneiderlin

I would like to see Saints get through, if only to keep their confidence up by extending their run of good results. I have a feeling this could go to penalties.

Well if we get through with the starting 11 I will be surprised, back 4 of Chambers, Hoovield, Yoshida and Fox will mean kelvin in for a busy night! don't even know H Reed!

Tino's team selection shows he was not too bothered about the result of this, I just hope now that it will not affect the squad's confidence as it is vitally important that we get a win on Saturday.

yeah if they win Saturday will be quickly forgotten but for disappointing that didn't put out a slightly stronger side but also shows up front we are still short, I do not see Lee being here after the Jan transfer window, think will bring in another striker

Home to Burnley in the FA Cup 3rd Round....

http://www.southampton.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=341372

Not a bad draw, at home main thing and a decent side who play football so will need a half decent side to avoid any slip up. To some degree pour side at the time will depend on who is fit!

Think we may struggle to get through, but main concern is maybe not to pick up injuries to key players or red/yellow cards.......

If we had not had the injuries then may have fielded a stronger side but think several players will be rested. Doesn't need to be an Academy side but a mix of experience and youngsters. Hope he keeps some decent players on the bench so if we need to turn it up we have a chance. Wonder if he will give Sharp a game, getting cup tied is not really an issue any more even for Championship sides

Davis
fox
Yoshida
Hoovield
Chambers
Ward Prowse
Cork
Harrison reed
Ramerez
Lambert
Gallagher

Subs
Gazziniga
Targett
Fonte
Lallana
Schneiderlin
Lee
Sharp

Well an entertaining game for neutrals but a worry that a game which we were easily in control of twice, turned out to be much harder than it needed to be, on top of that Lambert went of injured after just 35 minutes.

burnley started the brighter and had an early warning when their player was allowed to cut in and fire a shot that was not far of the mark. Ramerez had a chance at the other end but hit a very weak shot then blased over on another attempt. Slightly against the run of play we took the lead. So frustrating that we had already scored a couple of good opportunities to shoot, this time ball fell to cline on right hand side of box and ball bounced nicely for him to hit a great half volley into top corner giving goalie no chance. Lambert looked like he had taken a knock and was struggling to move around and think that helped him score, Davis and Ramerez played some short passes to Ricky on edge of left side of box and as he couldn't really move he just pulled back his leg and fired, top corner again! Poor Goalie had little to do , 2 down yet no chance with goals. saints were reasonably comfortable, Lambert had a great chance from a knockdown by Ramerez but blasted over, 2 nil half time easy street, wrong!

(will finish tomorrow guys)

Lambert went off after his goal as was clearly struggling with movement and J Rod came on, don't know why but yet again slow start from saints for second half, need a change in team talk or come out earlier to see if can fix what for me is a common problem. Said even at 2 nil next goal was important and fell behind to a poor goal to concede, a cross from right side after Morgan had failed to make a tackle and Vokes totally unmarked in the middle of penalty area scores with a well placed header. Hoovield was actually marking no one. As expected that gave Burnley a lift and not long before they equalised, long ball from their half, Hoovield let Ings get goal side of him even though he was there first and got into box on right side cut in and beat Kelvin at the near post, Probably Kelvin should have done better but he could have expected a better challenge from Hoovield.

Ramerez who had done little 2nd half went of limping with introduction of Lallana

Kelvin then made a good save after Ings had been given the freedom to fire in a low shot which saints then went down and took the lead. Close passing on edge of box saw a through ball, Ward prowse challenged goalie who didn't have under control, lots of players stopped theirs and ours while the ball fell to Rodrigues who calmly side footed into net. Another goal mouth scramble at our end with feeble tackles saw Burnley hit the post, Hoovield was taken off with 15 minutes left and Fonte came on, we won our first offside decision of the day immediately as Fonte took control of the back 4. Yoshida also looked like had taken a knock yet we kept playing short passes at the back to him, putting us under pressure as Burnley were still closing down, finally kelvin must have heard me telling to hit long, punt down field flick on from Rodrigues Lallana controls beats his player and scores from outside the box. at time football can be quite easy no need for 30 + passes probably 5 touches from kelvin kicking out to the back of the net, 1 for kelvin, 1 for JRod and 3 for Adam.

That should have been game set and match but again we go to sleep at the back, Kelvin makes a decent save but from the corner ball is bundled in for a nervy finish. To be fair there was a huge amount of holding going on which ref simply ignored. Not a great ref however he was consistent, hardly gave anything all day which at least meant the game flowed. Burnley almost snatched an equaliser with a minute left when again Vokes was given acres of space and he only had Kelvin to beat but his shot was weak and Kelvin able to get down and comfortable save. Finally played some possession football to run down the clock and make it into the draw this afternoon. An entertaining game and I guess you have to make allowances for the weather but we desperately need Wanyama back in the side and another centre half as Hoovield showed today that like Fox he has become a liability. A key player in our promotion but is 2 years older, was never the fastest and has got slower and just loses concentration.

Davis 6 should have done better with 2 goal but still made some important saves
Shaw 6 fairly quite game, didn't get forward much 2nd half and missed some tackles.
Yoshida 6 poor first 25 minutes but got better as the game wore on, poor passing
Hoovield 4 did okay for 20 minutes then a bit of a nightmare
Cline 7 great goal got forward well though maybe should have picked up Vokes for 1st goal
Davis 6 plenty of energy but missed a few tackles and didn't seem to want to shoot
Schneiderlin 6 also at fault for 1st goal poor tackle to allow player to cross
Cork 7 plenty of effort a few missed tackles but worked his socks off
Ward Prowse 5 got in the box for 3rd goal but passing was poor
Ramerez 6 looked lively first half with couple of shots but were weak or wide. tired and subbed second half
Lambert 6 good goal, should have had another and wasn't moving well even at the start, still need him fit for next 2 weeks

Subs
Lallana 7 showed his class
Rodrigues 7worked well, scored and had a few other chances , not his best shooting though
Fonte 6 brought some discipline to back but we still didn't look great

Home draw against Yeovil, couldn't ask really for a better draw, home game so decent pitch against a struggling Championship side, never easy in the cup but clearly a game we should win comfortably