Southampton Scouting

[MadchesterCity]

Fuck me I'm actually a bit worried now after reading that!

Is going to be tough and we need to get off to a flyer, you can be sure that they will be fired up for the match

-- Sun Jul 29, 2012 10:16 am --

Swansea had got us thinking in the first match of last season but eventually won 4-0, so we have to be patient against Southampton.

very true, Aguero made a huge difference when he came on.

Still remember that wtf moment when he scored the 4th, will stay in my memory for ever. looked at the missus and both said wow

-- Sun Jul 29, 2012 10:17 am --

It took a while to break Swansea down.

They set up to not concede, first half we had them chasing about. We tired them out, let the ball do the work. We gave them the run-around, then mid second half when they started to tire and look sloppy we hit them hard. Then the flood gates opened.

If it was 0-0 at HT against Southampton, i wouldn't be surprised. Got a feeling we'll see another Swansea, we'll bide our time. Unless Saints come out and go for it, which i highly doubt they will.

Exactly mate, was a very tough game and I expect no less from Southampton, you can bet they will be ready, not sure that we will be<br /><br />-- Sun Jul 29, 2012 10:18 am --<br /><br />

1st game of the season away in the top division in English football after being newly promoted against the most prolific scoring and defending team in the country the year before and not to mention champions....IMO 10 men behind the ball and hope for the best

could be right but that wasn't the way Swansea approached it. We will need tyo be on the top of our game

 

[MadchesterCity]

Made some very, very good signings to add to a decent squad. But we need to exact a bit of revenge for them beating us on Maine Road's last day!

Good shout

Saints spoil Maine Road party

<a class="postlink" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/2978137.stm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 978137.stm</a>

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05Lkyudw0JE[/youtube]

 

[carlos tevez is a blue]

I can see them being in the top half, Kelvin Davis is a good solid keeper, Clyne will be sold to the rags in 2 years time for 10million +, Fox is their Kolarov(left back that can't defend but can cross a ball) their centre backs are bang average at best but the chances are they are they will sign one, Lallana is a classy player(in the Nasri mould), they've signed Steve Davis from Rangers(Not the snooker player) not sure if Cork or Schniderler(sp?) are good enough for the Premiership but they are linked with the likes of Charlie Adam and Kayal, they need another winger(De Ridder and De Prado are Championship players) in Rodriquez and Lambert they have goals in them, Lamber imo is better than Holt.

Watched the game yesterday and the player that stood out in the Saints team was James Ward-Prowse only 17.

Could you guessstimate a starting line up?

Buttland*
Buttner* Davies* Fonte Clyne
Lens* Davis Kayal* Lallana

Lambert Rodriquez


*if they buy the players they are linked with in the papers.

 

[St Helens Blue (Exiled)]

Will be a cracking atmosphere.

Cannot wait now.

 

[MadchesterCity]

I can see them being in the top half, Kelvin Davis is a good solid keeper, Clyne will be sold to the rags in 2 years time for 10million +, Fox is their Kolarov(left back that can't defend but can cross a ball) their centre backs are bang average at best but the chances are they are they will sign one, Lallana is a classy player(in the Nasri mould), they've signed Steve Davis from Rangers(Not the snooker player) not sure if Cork or Schniderler(sp?) are good enough for the Premiership but they are linked with the likes of Charlie Adam and Kayal, they need another winger(De Ridder and De Prado are Championship players) in Rodriquez and Lambert they have goals in them, Lamber imo is better than Holt.

Watched the game yesterday and the player that stood out in the Saints team was James Ward-Prowse only 17.

Could you guessstimate a starting line up?

Buttland*
Buttner* Davies* Fonte Clyne
Lens* Davis Kayal* Lallana

Lambert Rodriquez


*if they buy the players they are linked with in the papers.

Thanks Gordon.

How much do they have to spend on transfers?
20-30 Million?

 

[Motty]

How good are they defensively though? Don't think they will be as tight as Swansea were last season. I know they've got Clyne who's a very good prospect and Fonte is OK but I think the rest of that defence will struggle in the Prem. Having said they looked good on the ball with good pace and movement for periods yesterday and had a few good moments in attack, I think Lambert will have a similar sort of season to what Grant Holt had for Norwich.

Can't see them getting near the top half and I think they'll be in the relegation fight right up until the very end, they've got a chance and I think they'll finish 16th-18th, won't say exactly where until we see who else they sign.

 

[MadchesterCity]

Will be a cracking atmosphere.

Cannot wait now.

The sooner the better<br /><br />-- Sun Jul 29, 2012 11:48 am --<br /><br />

How good are they defensively though? Don't think they will be as tight as Swansea were last season. I know they've got Clyne who's a very good prospect and Fonte is OK but I think the rest of that defence will struggle in the Prem. Having said they looked good on the ball with good pace and movement for periods yesterday and had a few good moments in attack, I think Lambert will have a similar sort of season to what Grant Holt had for Norwich.

Can't see them getting near the top half and I think they'll be in the relegation fight right up until the very end, they've got a chance and I think they'll finish 16th-18th, won't say exactly where until we see who else they sign.

Yeah defense may be there to be exploited, we have to go into this positive.
Will be an interesting few weeks to see who they bring in now

 

[Bilboblue]

They will play a fluid system similar to Swansea, I fully expect them to stay up.
Not sure Sharp will do too much at Premier League level, Lambert is an excellent finisher though.
Lallana is a very good young midfielder, wouldn't have been disappointed to have seen him join us, similar to a fit Michael Johnson.
Jury on the defence is out too, they haven't been anywhere near a Premier League attack regularly for a while, I feel they need a new keeper too (which they are apparently the hunt for).
Wouldn't say they were dominated today, least not til they went behind (ok first 20 mins too!) and they attacked quite well. I have the feeling they will need to convert a lot more % wise of the chances they make, not so many opportunities in the Premier.

Chaplow and Schneiderlin decent players.

Thanks Bilbo, so is Lambert likely to play as a front man in a 4-5-1 formation? I see they signed an Argentinian keeper but are they still looking for a stronger number 1? Always excited to see new teams in the Prem, is Lallana the primary playmaker?

Do they look to play through the middle or down the wings or mix it up?
What about the lad Clyne, will he be ready for the right back spot?

Could you guessstimate a starting line up?

-- Sat Jul 28, 2012 10:08 pm --

Well they aren't a kick and rush team! They are a very good footballing team and they'll stay up no problem

interesting that may work against them though, if its pass v pass and you can't dominate possession then confidence can drop off.

Will they do much more business in the transfer market?

I take it they have good financial backing?

Yep they have solid financial backing, their chairman died a year or two back but his family have continued the good work he started for them.

They mix upo their play, last season they were a good counter-attacking side but I don't think they will be as effective this season.

I believe they are still after a new number 1, Kelvin Davis is ok but not sure if good enough for the top flight.

Lallana is a quality home grown player that likes to get forward and is their primary playmaker, although IMO Chaplow is under-rated.

I think Clyne is a good addition to their squad as well.

 

[Deleted member 14625]

It took a while to break Swansea down.

They set up to not concede, first half we had them chasing about. We tired them out, let the ball do the work. We gave them the run-around, then mid second half when they started to tire and look sloppy we hit them hard. Then the flood gates opened.

If it was 0-0 at HT against Southampton, i wouldn't be surprised. Got a feeling we'll see another Swansea, we'll bide our time. Unless Saints come out and go for it, which i highly doubt they will.

In the first half against Swansea I distinctly remember them having more possession than us. Wasn't it something like 40:60 in the first twenty minutes to them?

 

[Redsaint]

Hello-Saints fan here.

Think we'll do OK this season. I reckon we'll finish about mid-table, but in reality would be perfectly happy to finish 17th on goal difference (that used to be our standard finishing position in the past). Can't see us causing any surprises on the opening day though unfortunately - unless we get a couple of centre-backs in. Hooiveld was a solid as a rock there last season, but Fonte probably isn't quite premier league standard.

We've made 2 or 3 good signings this summer (Clyne, J-Rod and Davis), but we really need a couple more. We've been linked with quite a few in recent weeks but actual activity has gone a bit quiet. Like I say CB is our priority though. Lot of rumours about us signing Lens from PSV and Buttner for Vinesse. Would love Lens to come, but think we might be punching about our weight with him. Also talk about us signing Butland - not that fussed about him though. Davis is a god keeper and Gazzaniga looks like a pretty handy youngster too.

What we lack in defence we make up for up front though. Lambert, Sharp, J-Rod, Lee and Guly will all score goals (Tadanari Lee's injured at the moment, but I can't wait to see what he'll do in the Premiership). And don't underestimate Lambert either - yes he's known for scoring a lot, but he fdoes a lot more than that too, and provides a lot of assists etc.
Midfield is pretty good too and he likes of Lallana, Cork and Schniederlin will knock it about well. In fact, I can see our midfield getting a lot of plaudits this season.

We're got a couple of youngsters coming through the ranks too - a couple of which are looking like the next Walcott/Bale/Oxo-Chamberlain. James Ward-Prowse and Luke Shaw may not be regular starters this season, but they're efinitely ones to look out for.

If we get 1 point from the first 4 games, I'll be very happy.