Southampton v Wolves, January 18,2020

[VanWolfie]

I have never started a thread before but I just wanted to alert you to the referee on Saturday. It's Darren England, who is reffing his first premier league game ever. David Coote is involved as the fourth official and Craig Pawson is the VAR. I hope my worst fears are not realized!

 

[YoungWolf]

Uh oh!

I’m at this game - it’s a tough one. They are in excellent form and are very organised, while Ings is on a good run of form.

I think we can produce a performance and a result though

 

[sycophantia]

Should be a good game, Saints are playing well but we are still a good side despite some of the doom and gloom merchants, having said that I would happily take a scrappy win with a VAR penalty

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Apparently Darren England has been fast tracked into the top flight as he is very highly regarded.

 

[Wilf Wolf]

Apparently Darren England has been fast tracked into the top flight as he is very highly regarded.

Let’s hope he isn’t from the Atwell school of fast tracking.

 

[Dire Wolf]

With their current form I'd happily take a point.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Ssssshhhh! I wasn’t going to mention that!!

 

[Paul]

I have never started a thread before but I just wanted to alert you to the referee on Saturday. It's Darren England, who is reffing his first premier league game ever. David Coote is involved as the fourth official and Craig Pawson is the VAR. I hope my worst fears are not realized!

Well done mate, excellent thread starting

 

[Jinky]

I wonder what our starting 11 will be...

*Opinion that some on here may not like WARNING*

Unfortunately, I think we'll lose here. With Liverpool, United & Leicester coming up, this could be the start of a slide down the table*. Southampton are in great form, have a striker playing who doesn't look like going a game without scoring (the opposite to ours) and being at home you have to put them down as favourites. I would be happy with a point, but our lads are running out of steam and we have become quite predictable to play against so I imagine they will score first and turn us over. Hopefully I am wrong, because I would hate to see what the atmosphere is like in a couple of weeks if we've slipped outside the top 10 and still haven't signed anyone!

We're still a bloody good side, we just have several players currently putting in performances below their best level.

*This isn't me saying we are going to get dragged in to a relegation battle before someone puts words in my mouth.

 

[YoungWolf]

I can’t believe Jinky wants Nuno out

This is a tough game (with another one to come against Liverpool), I agree.

Whereas they were massively under performing before they are probably slightly over performing with five wins in the last six though. And Ings is definitely over performing currently, in terms of his output. That could continue for sure but I think we have the ability to stop that run. They are dangerous on the counter attack too.

When we played them last time we looked so much better in the 343 against their shape. Think the performances of our wide players will be key.

 

[Lycan]

Uh oh!

I’m at this game - it’s a tough one. They are in excellent form and are very organised, while Ings is on a good run of form.

I think we can produce a performance and a result though

I get in around half 11 if you fancy a drink beforehand mate.

 

[Jinky]

I can’t believe Jinky wants Nuno out

:icon_lol:

Think the performances of our wide players will be key.

I'm sure the wide players will be fine, it's the lack of bodies in the box that concerns me!

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I'm sure the wide players will be fine, it's the lack of bodies in the box that concerns me!

As stated on the United thread, if you're looking for Neves and Moutinho to start making Dave Edwards style runs, you'll have a bloody long wait.

 

[Jinky]

As stated on the United thread, if you're looking for Neves and Moutinho to start making Dave Edwards style runs, you'll have a bloody long wait.

Well Nuno needs to tweak something, but that's what he is getting paid for. I don't think anyone can disagree that the lack of bodies in the box when we're playing through two wingers is an issue.

I am expecting more of the same, though. There isn't enough time for them to work on something new between Utd and tomorrow, unfortunately.

 

[YoungWolf]

I get in around half 11 if you fancy a drink beforehand mate.

I arrive around half 1 mate so I’ll message you to see where you are?

 

[The Bear]

One thing I do think we need to improve is getting the opposing wide attacker to get in the box more when the ball comes over from the other side. Neto does it quite well but Traore doesn't.

 

[YoungWolf]

:icon_lol:


I'm sure the wide players will be fine, it's the lack of bodies in the box that concerns me!

Think we need Traore and Neto to play a lot closer to Raul in general. The temptation with Adama particularly is to let him pull out to the touch line which is understandable but it’s not working with Doc there currently. Jonny generally rotates and combines well with whoever is on the left.

It might be why we played Neto and Traore on different sides for periods of the game on Wednesday, in preparation for this game.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I arrive around half 1 mate so I’ll message you to see where you are?

He'll only break your heart.

I wouldn't mind 3-5-2 here. Play Kilman, Saiss to RCB, Donck in midfield, Adama at RWB and Neto sort of up front. Leave Doc out.

 

[Dire Wolf]

Think we need Traore and Neto to play a lot closer to Raul in general. The temptation with Adama particularly is to let him pull out to the touch line which is understandable but it’s not working with Doc there currently. Jonny generally rotates and combines well with whoever is on the left.

It might be why we played Neto and Traore on different sides for periods of the game on Wednesday, in preparation for this game.

I agree with them playing closer to Raul, but the trouble with that is they are more often than not the go to pass for Coady and Neves, who always want to play the long cross field pass to our wide attacking players. If they play narrower it means Doc and Jonny really need to push on even more than they do already. Which would be a good thing in an attacking sense but Nuno seems more defensive minded by nature, especially early in games.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Was going to say the reasoning for Adama on the left was probably to try and get more out of Doc, it also allows Neto to be more dangerous as he goes both ways so makes his lack of pace less of an issue. Plus allowing Doc to get on the end of Adams’s crosses

Adama is always going to hug wide on right, unfortunately it means Doc is never going to be in place to capitalise and Neto and Jonny are probably the last two players in the squad you’d want steaming in backpost.

We need to get more men in the box but also need to be more clever as a team doing it. We need Raul and whoever else is in there to make opposite runs. Someone attacking the goaline for the all across the face someone on the back stick for a knockdown and then the third player pulling out on to the penalty spot for the pullback/second ball/knockdown. Neves and Moutinho can stay out the box for the log ranger/recycle. Then aim to cross the ball knowing these options.

At the minute the balls going in and the players are either making the same run as each other, staying outside the box on the other side or making rubbish runs into bad areas.