Should absolutely slaughter this lot, anything less than a win by 2 or 3 goals will be an embarrassment. Southampton 2-0 Watford.
If there's anything consistent about Watford it is that we like to kickstart struggling teams' seasons. Easy win for Southampton.
Fear not, I'm taking Junior Diamond to this one. We haven't lost away all season to any game he's been at. The only ones we've missed so far were Arsenal and Newcastle.
From saintsweb: "Take That play at St Mary’s next year, I can genuinely see them coming away with 3 points. "
Hoo bloodyray, thought before the last game that as we beat Newcastle the last 5 meetings and as they had not won for ages both runs would have to end, and that they would get the win, even against the run of play. And now this!!! Thank you Tony. Southampton 1 Watford 0 it is then.
For one reason or another this is my first game of the season. The wife's side of the family are Southampton fans so I'm going with them - sitting in the Southampton end! Not sure how I'll react should we score. However, I think the last time I saw us win (live) was home to West Ham when Andy Carroll gifted us a goal so I'm not getting my hopes up.
We had 3 really good fixtures back-to-back starting from Huddersfield. All three fixtures were/are perfect timing for us to play. We took advantage of Huddersfield, but blew the Newcastle chance. Hopefully the troubles at Southampton will be to our advantage. It depends whether the players want Hughes out or not. It certainly looks like it could be Hughes' last chance. Will his players respond or will they accept he's going and one more loss may not be such a bad thing? Hopefully it's the latter and we get the win we need before we face Liverpool, or else we could be on another bad run of results very quickly.
Really hope we win this one, not only to get over last week but I have developed a particular dislike for Mark Hughes over the past couple of years. I didn't used to mind him but he has turned into a bitter old man who blames everybody else for results, he is Pulis MkII in every respect, his teams over the past couple of years have been turgid to watch and dirty cheating bastards, diving, time wasting, constantly berating the officials to get decisions. He also has the Pulisesque knack of turning decent exciting players to rubbish, what happened to the guy who brought in Shaqiri, Arnoutovic, Bojan etc... to Stoke to cleanse the Pulis years? I actually think Southampton have generally been a decent club over the years, decent playing style, developing youngsters etc... and Hughes could wreck that before he is sacked. And that, ladies and gentleman, is why I hope we win on Saturday.
Soton are a cautionary tale. Until recently, they were finishing high mid table, scouting & developing an enviable series of young talent, headhunting the Estimable Poch, & were making excellent profits on player trading. They were essentially the Liverpool u23 team. Pretty much what we aspire to. And then, a sale or two too many, inflight turbulence, the panicky selection of Hughes, & it's 'please return to your seats immediately & fasten your seatbelts' time, stewardesses are screaming & cups of tea are flying around the cabin. Gino, please note.
This bit I could never see Gino copying. A panic appointment of Big Sam, Moyes, Pards or Hughes is pretty unlikely with the Pozzo's around.
We’re going to batter them. 20 shots on their goal in the opening 10 minutes. They’ll be chasing shadows as we cut through them like butter. What’s the record %posession in an EPL game? I think we’ll easily beat it. 1-0 Southampton.
He wasn't the worst player on the pitch vs Newcastle, but I suppose if the players all hate Will Hughes then it's best he's ostracised early before he poisons the well.
Sannino? Mazzari? Not quite the same but their lyrical Italian names belie a less progressive approach.
That feral pack instinct always knows best. Maybe we should trial it on the forum. Should we create a Politics section?
You're being harsh. You're forgetting that without his amazing movement, he wouldn't even get himself into the clear goal scoring opportunities which allow him to sky the ball into the Solent in the first place.
I hope Watford win, or failing that an entertaining 9-9 draw where we come back from 9-0 down with 10 minutes remaining. In fact, forget the win, I want that. Prediction: Southampton 9-9 Watford Long (2, 76), Ings (5, 8, p29), Ward-Prowse (52, 65), Lemina (72), Deeney (og 80); Success (81, 83, 90+6), Hughes (86), Pereyra (89, 90+2), Doucoure (90+1, 90+4), Deeney (p90+7, missed pen 90+11).
Southampton are a team that relies on Shane Long for their goals! The last time he scored was Christmas Day 1914 for England against Germany. Unfortunately for England his neighbours son once new a chap who was bitten by an Irish Red Setter while polishing his Penny Farthing which made him available to Ireland so he swapped allegiances. The goal itself was apparently offside but the Russian linesman, Graham Bahramov,gave it. In an interview after the game the linesman apologised saying he had got the decision wrong and that he shouldn’t have been doing the game at all but he was sent over by Russia to see what all the noise was about. Luckily the Russian army away kit was black and he borrowed a white flag from the French and the rest is history. He also mentioned that as way of an apology that if he had a son he would train him to be a linesman so that if England ever needed a dodgy decision to go their way his son could assist. His son Tofiq was born in 1925 but can’t be certain if he ever carried out his promise. 2-0 Southampton, Shane Long (2)
What about those daffs people give aging relatives, which come out at Christmas but never survive outdoors? (The daffs, that is, although it's probably not a good idea to leave old people out in the cold, either.)
I am not so positive on this forum at all, but why do many going for a Southampton win? We have to play better than last week for sure. The Saints fans think Hughes play defensive boring football as their Manager. We need the 3 points for confidence as Southampton are piss poor. I don't want to see the players heads dropping when we fail to convert another sitter as with the 2nd half last week or play as we did in the FA Cup last season. We have to wake up and play to win,not just through the motions.
Some good news. Tom Cleverley is back in full training, obviously won't be back for the Southampton match, but looks close to recovery. https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/s...nd-troy-deeney-return-to-first-team-training/
Looking at our upcoming games got a feeling this is a must win. Otherwise our usual post Xmas slump starts early.