[Archived] Southampton 3 - 2 Rovers

[WaffleWag]

lundekvam is out

rovers to win 3-1

[frosty]

2-1 Rovers. Phillips puts the saints ahead with a neat header on 21 minutes and 33 seconds. But on 41 mins and 1 second we then see Jon Stead with a nice side foot into the bottom corner. 76 minutes and 14 seconds had passed when Dickov puts the ball in after emertons shot is blocked.

[Jordan]

2-1 Rovers. Phillips puts the saints ahead with a neat header on 21 minutes and 33 seconds. But on 41 mins and 1 second we then see Jon Stead with a nice side foot into the bottom corner. 76 minutes and 14 seconds had passed when Dickov puts the ball in after emertons shot is blocked.

Ill give ya 10-1 on that happening

[Quack]

1-0 to Rovers. Ferguson from 25 yards, scrappy affair but 3 points are necessary looking at our next 3 fixtures.

[Alan75]

Well you've got to feel some sympathy for Saints fans, after years in the wilderness, when their main claim to fame was acting as a feeder club to Rovers, Gordon Strachan revived the club, getting to the Cup Final and they even venturing into Europe. Now once again it appears that they are becoming another of those also ran teams, not helped by having an apprentice Premier League manager who according to some press reports has just six games to prove himself.

Transfer speculation regarding Blackburn old boy, James Beattie can't be helping Sturrock's cause and must be also unsettling for the team. With one of the best keepers, Niemi, it's a strange statistic that the Saints haven't managed a clean sheet in nine Premiership games. So the signs should indicate a happy day for the Rovers.

The worrying factor is that Sturrock's run, of no wins since beating Man City last April and with Rovers record of only one Premiership away win at Southampton, his luck has to change sometime.

The big question is, will Souness kick off with the formation and team that started against the Albion last Saturday. Or will he be more adventurous, show no sympathy for his fellow countryman, to go for an attacking line up, to gain that "WOOW" factor and some confidence before meeting Arsenal and Man Utd next week.

At least we do have Lucas Neill available this week at right back, instead of the elusive Butterfly, which should give us a better balance down the right hand side.

To think if Souness's reported enquiry to Newcastle two weeks ago had been successful we could have lined up against the Saints with one of their old boys Shearer leading the attack.

Prediction tight game and a 1-0 win to Rovers.

[Hasta]

I'm probably in Manchester centre on Saturday morning so anyone know any (friendly) pubs were the game will be on and other Blues may be holed up?

[herbergeehh]

This might've been mentioned earlier in this post, but Norwegian media claims Claus Lundekvam will be out for a while after breaking a bone in the cheeky area yesterday, for Norway...... that's good news for Rovers, isn't also Svensson injured?

[greggyk]

I posted this in the ask admin section on the official site but i may get an answer quicker on here.

I am making my own way down to southampton on saturday and I was wondering because i have not booked my ticket yet, would I be able to collect my ticket(which i plan to book tomorrow) at the saints ticket office. Or do they only allow home supporters to pick up their tickets from there.

thanks

Greg

[Scotty]

Have you thought of maybe ringing either the Rovers or Saints ticket office? Just a thought. They tend to know stuff about tickets. Being ticket offices like.

[Tom Pringle]

I don't work in a ticket office and never have. But i think i know the answer to this.

Yes, i'm sure you'll be able to do it. I did if for the Liverpool game last season a couple of days before the match. I'm pretty sure there will be no problem if you do it tomorrow.

Edited August 19, 2004 by Tom Pringle

[USABlue]

Transfer speculation regarding Blackburn old boy, James Beattie can't be helping Sturrock's cause and must be also unsettling for the team. With one of the best keepers, Niemi, it's a strange statistic that the Saints haven't managed a clean sheet in nine Premiership games. So the signs should indicate a happy day for the Rovers.

Saints will sell Beattie but it will be at the death of the transfer window.

As for the not keeping a clean sheet surely you know by now that we are the team all other teams bads runs come to an end against. Guarnateed clean sheet for the Saints and Beattie if he plays will be well motivated in order to impress his suitors.

The reason I say the Saints won't sell till the very last minute is they know we want the money from the sell on clause to improve our squad. They do not want to help us, a fellow relegation candidate, strengthen our team.

[greggyk]

I don't work in a ticket office and never have. But i think i know the answer to this.

Yes, i'm sure you'll be able to do it. I did if for the Liverpool game last season a couple of days before the match. I'm pretty sure there will be no problem if you do it tomorrow.

great, cheers Tom.

Oh, and thanks for your help sarcy scotty

Edited August 19, 2004 by greggyk

[Tony Diamond Inc]

This is a great time for Rovers to be playing the Saints, with Beattie unsettled, Sturrock on the brink, Lundekvam out and their team morale at rock bottom... oh and there's a lot of wasps about (cos they'll think the Saints have spilled strawberry jam down their nice clean white shirts)!

I'm going for a definite 0 - 0

[colin]

The Guardian are reporting that Sturrock will be sacked if Southampton lose to the Rovers. Apparently does not have the respect of the players and Rupert Lowe is ready to get rid of him quickly.

Makes Saturday lunch time a bit more interesting.

just to add to that

football365.com

Edited August 20, 2004 by colin

[samtheozzy]

Rovers 2-1 Southhampton

Yorke Who cares

Stead

[Paul]

Graeme Souness has announced an unchanged squad for the Southampton match. Lucas Neil is expected to start now he has recovered from injury. David Thompson is still out.

[Robertson]

Why is Thommo left out, there was nothing one with him the other night, he looked fitter than most of the lads last saturday.

Well if we get beat i know who to blame

[G Somerset Rover]

Does seem a bit strange to leave Thommo out. Either he can't be match fit, still! Or maybe he has a slight niggle or something?! Either way can't wait to see the man back.

[Tom Pringle]

Oh jesus, that means Emerton will still play

[Robertson]

Obviously I am just going off what I saw the other night, he could have picked up something between the end of the game and now.

However, if he has not picked up a niggle I find it very strange that he has been left out. People could argue that it is best to wait and be sure but when we need a player of his calibre to help us pick up points as soon as possible, well.....

He would have destroyed southampton!

We still should, come on brett, dazzle them with your quick feet

[American]

I'd think Thommo is out because they don't want to push him and have him play in 2 matches in a week (3 if you count Arsenal). Sounds like a smart move to me.

[Robertson]

If we win it will be smart

As long as he is back for the arsenal game, we will need him more for that one.

Hope we don't play the diamond formation against the saints, I would have tugs and fergie in the centre, De Pedro and Brett raiding the flanks and play Matt up front with Steady, may as well give it a shot and see what happens!!!

[CAPT KAYOS]

This is a great time for Rovers to be playing the Saints, with Beattie unsettled, Sturrock on the brink, Lundekvam out and their team morale at rock bottom... oh and there's a lot of wasps about (cos they'll think the Saints have spilled strawberry jam down their nice clean white shirts)!

I'm going for a definite 0 - 0

Can agree with you on the scoreline TD but not on this being the best time to play them .

As USA Blue says, of any team we are the ones that end other teams bad runs (ala West Ham)

Despite all the negativity I feel at the moment, I have one devil saying we will win and one on the other shoulder saying we won't.

As Scotty says, we seem more well equipped for getting better returns away from home, but the way the team is shaping up at the moment and what looks like Souness making us hard to beat, I expect Souness to go with a very defensive team so expecting a line up consisting of Neil/Amoruso/Johannson/Short/Matteo/Gray and Flitcroft and Douglas.

In addition other things don't bode well

- Southampton and especially Sturrock know they need to win

- its not the best away ground for us - only 2 wins in 16 games down there

- Southampton have yet to win one of their opening fixtures at home since the Premiership was formed (see above re ending of bad runs - but this could also be to our advantage)

- Andy Arsehole -whoops D'Urso is reffing.

So I'll go for the classic 0v0 as IMO we didn't look likely to score last week and I expect Souness to go all defensive with us being reduced to 10 men again with Matteo being sent off.

[Alan75]

Squads for Tomorrow

[SuperStella]

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