Saints have big task against Reds says Case (From Daily Echo)
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Saints have big task against Reds says Case
6:40am Thursday 14th March 2013 in Sport
By Gordon Simpson, Senior Sports Reporter
Luis Suarez
Jimmy Case believes Saints will have their hands full this weekend against a Liverpool team that are hitting their best form of the season.
Brendan Rodgers’ resurgent side head to St Mary’s on the back of a three-game winning streak in which they have scored 12 times.
Both clubs have a lot at stake on Saturday, with the Reds attempting to force their way into a European spot, while Saints continue to battle against relegation.
Liverpool’s thrilling 3-2 victory against Spurs last Sunday has further energised the Anfield club, pushing them up to sixth in the table – a season high.
Liverpool and Saints legend Case believes Rodgers’ men will be given a stern test of their credentials at St Mary’s, but he also thinks Mauricio Pochettino’s side are unfortunate to be facing the Merseyside club now.
“I have watched Southampton quite a bit and they have done ever so well so far,” said the 58-year-old, who made 272 appearances for Saints, from 1985 to 1991.
“With Liverpool, though, they have probably caught them at the wrong time.
“I’m not saying Liverpool are definitely going to beat them, but they have picked up a lot lately and there is a lot of confidence there.
“It will probably be a cracking game. I hope it is. But, at the moment, I just think Liverpool are coming into it a little bit stronger.
“It will still be a difficult game for Liverpool, though. “Southampton at home is always a difficult one, and the crowd there are fantastic.”
The Reds’ sizzling attack is spearheaded by the division’s top scorer, Luis Suárez, who has 22 league goals to his name this season, and 29 across all competitions.
While Liverpool were arguably too reliant on him earlier in the campaign, they are now a much more efficient unit according to Case, who won four league titles and three European Cups with the club.
“It used to be that, if you stopped Suárez, Liverpool wouldn’t necessarily function,” he said. “He did hold us from August through to January. But it’s different now.
“You can see the players are getting used to the system and the ideas of the manager, and the goal threat is not just coming from Suárez now, it’s coming from other areas too.
“There is a confidence now. Some players have really improved of late, such as Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing, who is playing a lot better than what he was.
“Going into the game against Tottenham, there was a confidence we could play just as well as them. We had been building up to that result.”
Case has marvelled at the form of Uruguayan forward Suárez this season and believes the 26-year-old deserves to win the coveted Footballer of the Year trophy.
“If I was casting my vote, I would go with him,” he said. “Every other team in the country would have him in their side. With him, you have got everything.”
Case added: “His form is there to be seen by everybody. His attitude to the game and towards the team effort is relentless. He wants to play every minute of every game.
“He’s in your face all the time, he’s a goalscorer, and he even provides as well. His overall work rate is incredible.
“You would think he would have run out of steam by now, because he was leading the line on his own up until January, when (Daniel) Sturridge came in.”
Gareth Bale’s scintillating form makes him the other leading candidate to be named as the Premier League’s player of the season, but, if Case had to choose between the former Saints star and Suárez, he insists he would edge towards the Liverpool man.
“I would prefer Luis Suárez in my side to Gareth Bale,” he said. “Both have contributed a lot of goals, but I just think Luis does that little bit more in terms of effort and all round willingness up front. But you would like both of them.”
Comments(31)
Saintsayer II
says...
8:17am Thu 14 Mar 13
batesieboy
says...
8:57am Thu 14 Mar 13
Alicesdad
says...
8:59am Thu 14 Mar 13
Then we'll beat Chelsea.
Onward people .. onward.. have confidence. heads up and we will be triumphant !!
Alicesdad
says...
8:59am Thu 14 Mar 13
Then we'll beat Chelsea.
Onward people .. onward.. have confidence. heads up and we will be triumphant !!
aldermoorboy
says...
9:52am Thu 14 Mar 13
Mush On The Beach
says...
9:52am Thu 14 Mar 13
This game will be a cracker, also looking forward to seeing what Couthino is about.
We need to make more of our early opportunities in front of goal and we will be fine.
If you’ve got 5 mins this is how it’s done. Paul Rideout smacks the bar in what would have been goal of the season.
http://thefcf.co.uk/
2011/10/21/day-south
ampton-thrash-liverp
ool-1989/1321/
Saint.
says...
10:13am Thu 14 Mar 13
Southampton FC at home!
Don't care whose coming to town, the above is more important!
Saints to win 2-0!
Buddy SFC
says...
10:20am Thu 14 Mar 13
Saint. wrote:Huge .......... How do you play Liverpool high up the pitch as per City though , won't they play Suarez and Sturridge on the two ctr backs and play them in behind ????
Three points needed for Southampton FC!
Southampton FC at home!
Don't care whose coming to town, the above is more important!
Saints to win 2-0!
Hmmmmm , you can see why I'm a Rugby player ??? !!!!
red&whitemachine
says...
10:40am Thu 14 Mar 13
Saint. wrote:Cannot agree. 3-2. No way we will keep a clean sheet .
Three points needed for Southampton FC!
Southampton FC at home!
Don't care whose coming to town, the above is more important!
Saints to win 2-0!
Jevon_LFC
says...
10:49am Thu 14 Mar 13
St Retford
says...
10:53am Thu 14 Mar 13
Mush On The Beach
says...
11:35am Thu 14 Mar 13
Jevon_LFC wrote:Of course we are a little delusional, we are football fans.
LMAO......you guys are a little delusional. Liverpool are going to really hurt you this weekend. 4 or 5-1 if you're lucky.
Paying over the odds in recent times for Andy Carroll, Stewart Downing, Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adams, Joe Allen ..... what does that make you lar?
We remember when you used to be a big team.
Five Trophies Between Us
says...
11:57am Thu 14 Mar 13
http://www.portsmout
h.co.uk/sport/pompey
/pompey-ladies-put-s
outhampton-to-the-sw
ord-1-4894302
not reported by yr paper. why?
millhouse
says...
11:59am Thu 14 Mar 13
Mush On The Beach wrote:I'm not sure that what a club chooses to spend its money on is an example of fan's being delusional.
Jevon_LFC wrote:Of course we are a little delusional, we are football fans.
LMAO......you guys are a little delusional. Liverpool are going to really hurt you this weekend. 4 or 5-1 if you're lucky.
Paying over the odds in recent times for Andy Carroll, Stewart Downing, Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adams, Joe Allen ..... what does that make you lar?
We remember when you used to be a big team.
I personally think it will be a tight game.. Saints will raise their game because of the opposition (whether you want to believe it or not, LFC are very much still a big team) and Liverpool have finally found some consistency and look a real potent threat.
Meribelsaint
says...
1:25pm Thu 14 Mar 13
Stroppy_gramps wrote:How on earth can you call Jimmy Case 'just another pundit'?
Don't care. Just another pundit writing Saints off as far as I'm concerned.
Bring it on.
Get behind the team at the weekend, drown out the away support for the whole game.
Let's get something from this match.
Really tough game but I remember a few games down the years when we've beaten the odds to take all the points against Liverpool. I hope saturday's one of those.
SaintAsh1964
says...
1:27pm Thu 14 Mar 13
Five Trophies Between Us wrote:Wow, massive win for a team several Leagues higher than their opponents, what's more surprising is that there a eleven "Ladies" in Pantsmuff!
how bout this fixture then
http://www.portsmout
h.co.uk/sport/pompey
/pompey-ladies-put-s
outhampton-to-the-sw
ord-1-4894302
not reported by yr paper. why?
Buddy SFC
says...
2:12pm Thu 14 Mar 13
SaintAsh1964 wrote:There isn't 11 ladies in Portscruff ............
Five Trophies Between Us wrote:Wow, massive win for a team several Leagues higher than their opponents, what's more surprising is that there a eleven "Ladies" in Pantsmuff!
how bout this fixture then
http://www.portsmout
h.co.uk/sport/pompey
/pompey-ladies-put-s
outhampton-to-the-sw
ord-1-4894302
not reported by yr paper. why?
J7junctionseven
says...
2:28pm Thu 14 Mar 13
Five Trophies Between Us wrote:mong
how bout this fixture then
http://www.portsmout
h.co.uk/sport/pompey
/pompey-ladies-put-s
outhampton-to-the-sw
ord-1-4894302
not reported by yr paper. why?
RedArmy1
says...
2:35pm Thu 14 Mar 13
WE WILL WIN AGAINST .... POOL
LIKE WE TOOK CITY APART.
WE ARE A GOOD TEAM AND HAVE GOALS IN THE TEAM.
WE MUST TAKE OUR CHANCES TO SCORE GOALS AND WIN !!!
LUIS SUAREZ IS A CONMAN AND THE REF AND LINESMAN WILL HAVE TO BE ON GUARD FOR HIS TRICKS INCLUDING DIVING AND USING HIS HANDS.
NO FEAR
NO SURRENDER
RED ARMY. 2013. COYR.
FIGHT AND WIN.
szent8
says...
3:13pm Thu 14 Mar 13
saintkenny
says...
3:19pm Thu 14 Mar 13
szent8 wrote:skate mong
What is more , we have to play each game with a clown in charge instead of a manager!
Malcy
says...
3:27pm Thu 14 Mar 13
SO50 Saint
says...
3:36pm Thu 14 Mar 13
3:13pm Thu 14 Mar 13
What is more , we have to play each game with a clown in charge instead of a manager!”
Nigel just go and take that job at Reading
TheSaintsMan
says...
3:59pm Thu 14 Mar 13
warrens 76
says...
5:05pm Thu 14 Mar 13
Time was we could beat anyone and we still should.....we will stay up IF we deserve to be here, not because we think we deserve to be here...
Time for the boy's to man up...we will stay up with mental strength as much as ability..
Come on you Saints!
OSPREYSAINT
says...
5:25pm Thu 14 Mar 13
szent8 wrote:We? Guy isn't a clown is he, didn't know that things were so bad that he had to double up on his jobs.
What is more , we have to play each game with a clown in charge instead of a manager!
george chivers
says...
6:25pm Thu 14 Mar 13
After that we have to ramp it up to survive.
derek james
says...
10:00pm Thu 14 Mar 13
"we'll bring the scouse down" to the tune of the slade song
Flashin the pan
says...
8:20am Fri 15 Mar 13
red&whitemachine
says...
8:48am Fri 15 Mar 13
george chivers wrote:Don't want to be a damp squib, but four points would be a blimmin' bonus!
If we can get 4 points from the next three games we will be doing well. More than 4 is a bonus.
After that we have to ramp it up to survive.
Stroppy_gramps says...
8:11am Thu 14 Mar 13
Bring it on.
Get behind the team at the weekend, drown out the away support for the whole game.
Let's get something from this match.