Southampton v Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread - Friday 5th November 8pm

[Villafirst]

Midfield easy to predict

Mcginn ramsey and nakamba

A easy midfield to run through. I expect another losing battle there and another loss

For me chuk comes in for nakamba

No, Sanson has to start...

[brontebilly]

Think we need to get McGinn playing a lot closer to Watkins. He's wasted sitting in front of the back four. It's still not a bad team on paper.

----------------Martinez
Cash, Tuanzebe, Mings, Targett
---------Luiz, Nakamba
Buendia, McGinn, Bailey
---------------Watkins

[richtheholtender]

Wolves are similar to us and we lost a close game, arsenal finished above us and spent an additional £100 million + (they're better than us), spurs finished above us (they're better than us and west ham finished significantly higher than us and again spent additional funds (they're better than us). Southampton are closer to where we are so let's not make them out to be prime Barcelona.

Pretty sure that the owners were not thinking we would lose to those teams so easily having invested so heavily.

So from an arsenal perspective what would be thinking coming against villa? In fact, all those teams. They would be looking at a club that has replaced a world class player with a decent one, hasn't strengthened in any other area of the first team and so are a weaker version of the team they finished above. Would make sense to fancy yourself against us. Southampton  though are more along the lines of the opposition that we are favourites against.

[ChicagoLion]

Wolves are similar to us and we lost a close game, arsenal finished above us and spent an additional £100 million + (they're better than us), spurs finished above us (they're better than us and west ham finished significantly higher than us and again spent additional funds (they're better than us). Southampton are closer to where we are so let's not make them out to be prime Barcelona.

Pretty sure that the owners were not thinking we would lose to those teams so easily having invested so heavily.

So from an arsenal perspective what would be thinking coming against villa? In fact, all those teams. They would be looking at a club that has replaced a world class player with a decent one, hasn't strengthened in any other area of the first team and so are a weaker version of the team they finished above. Would make sense to fancy yourself against us. Southampton  though are more along the lines of the opposition that we are favourites against.

i am sure that would be the pre match speech in the opposition dressing room.
I am also pretty sure that Smith, Purslow and Lang didn't say to Wes and Swaris , despite the money you have spent we will soon be in the bottom 6.

[Drummond]

Moving on, this is only a couple of days away.

I'm not sure who is available and who isn't right now but this is what I'd go with.

                Martinez

Cash   Hause      Mings      Targett

         Luiz        Nakamba

               McGinn

Buendia      Watkins          Bailey


We need a win, and this looks more solid to me than other options. I reckon we may end up with Tuanzebe in rather than Hause, just to change things yet again.

If Traore is fit, he could be a sub, similarly Archer and Chukwuemeka.


*p.s. not started one of these before... fingers crossed eh?

Ok, So with the presser done this morning.....

                    Martinez
Cash    Tuanzebe     Mings    Targett
          McGinn    Nakamba
                Ramsey
Buendia      Watkins   Bailey

Is what I think we'll see.

Subs Steer, Hause, Young, Sanson, Chukwuemeka, Ramsey A, AEG, Archer, Davis,

Sanson back in training, which means he won't be available, same with JPB.

[VinnieChase84]

Same as v West Ham just Mings in for Konsa

[richtheholtender]

Wolves are similar to us and we lost a close game, arsenal finished above us and spent an additional £100 million + (they're better than us), spurs finished above us (they're better than us and west ham finished significantly higher than us and again spent additional funds (they're better than us). Southampton are closer to where we are so let's not make them out to be prime Barcelona.

Pretty sure that the owners were not thinking we would lose to those teams so easily having invested so heavily.

So from an arsenal perspective what would be thinking coming against villa? In fact, all those teams. They would be looking at a club that has replaced a world class player with a decent one, hasn't strengthened in any other area of the first team and so are a weaker version of the team they finished above. Would make sense to fancy yourself against us. Southampton  though are more along the lines of the opposition that we are favourites against.

i am sure that would be the pre match speech in the opposition dressing room.
I am also pretty sure that Smith, Purslow and Lang didn't say to Wes and Swaris , despite the money you have spent we will soon be in the bottom 6.

There's a difference between fans discussing realistic expectations and what is said pre match in the dressing room. Ridiculous

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Same as v West Ham just Mings in for Konsa

Two left footed centre backs? Probably.

[KRS]

I’d be very surprised if Ramsey is fit. That’s one speedy recovery from what looked like a really nasty twisted ankle if he’s back in the squad.

[Mister E]

I’d be very surprised if Ramsey is fit. That’s one speedy recovery from what looked like a really nasty twisted ankle if he’s back in the squad.

Agreed- I'd say Tuanzebe and Sanson come into the side that started vs Spammers.

[RamboandBruno]

With the news on Sanson and Ramsey, it changes a lot, i’d have them both starting in the middle with McGinn.

Martinez

Cash
Tuanzebe
Mings
Targett

Sanson
McGinn
Ramsey

Beundia
Watkins
Bailey

[brontebilly]

With the news on Sanson and Ramsey, it changes a lot, i’d have them both starting in the middle with McGinn.

Martinez

Cash
Tuanzebe
Mings
Targett

Sanson
McGinn
Ramsey

Beundia
Watkins
Bailey

Can't imagine Smith will start Sanson a couple of games after he threw a bottle at him...but he really should. Give him 60-70 mins. Nakamba more likely to get the nod.

[Demitri_C]

Midfield easy to predict

Mcginn ramsey and nakamba

A easy midfield to run through. I expect another losing battle there and another loss

For me chuk comes in for nakamba

No, Sanson has to start...

If he is fit then yes i agree

[Drummond]

With the news on Sanson and Ramsey, it changes a lot, i’d have them both starting in the middle with McGinn.

Martinez

Cash
Tuanzebe
Mings
Targett

Sanson
McGinn
Ramsey

Beundia
Watkins
Bailey

Can't imagine Smith will start Sanson a couple of games after he threw a bottle at him...but he really should. Give him 60-70 mins. Nakamba more likely to get the nod.

If he's fit, if he's apologised, then yes. If either of those aren't the case then he shouldn't.

[ChicagoLion]

Wolves are similar to us and we lost a close game, arsenal finished above us and spent an additional £100 million + (they're better than us), spurs finished above us (they're better than us and west ham finished significantly higher than us and again spent additional funds (they're better than us). Southampton are closer to where we are so let's not make them out to be prime Barcelona.

Pretty sure that the owners were not thinking we would lose to those teams so easily having invested so heavily.

So from an arsenal perspective what would be thinking coming against villa? In fact, all those teams. They would be looking at a club that has replaced a world class player with a decent one, hasn't strengthened in any other area of the first team and so are a weaker version of the team they finished above. Would make sense to fancy yourself against us. Southampton  though are more along the lines of the opposition that we are favourites against.

i am sure that would be the pre match speech in the opposition dressing room.
I am also pretty sure that Smith, Purslow and Lang didn't say to Wes and Swaris , despite the money you have spent we will soon be in the bottom 6.

There's a difference between fans discussing realistic expectations and what is said pre match in the dressing room. Ridiculous

I think it is ridiculous to pass off the last 4 performances simply by saying those teams are better than us.