Final warm-up game for Saints (From Daily Echo)
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Final warm-up game ahead of Premier League as Saints take on Udinese
3:20pm Friday 10th August 2012 in Sport
By Gordon Simpson, Senior Sports Reporter
Jay Rodriguez in action against Bristol City
SAINTS have one last opportunity to sharpen themselves up for the Premier League season when they host Udinese tomorrow night.
The Italian side, who will feature in this year’s Champions League, promise to provide the sort of stern test that Nigel Adkins will be hoping for in the final friendly of the summer.
As he did on Tuesday at Bristol City, the Saints boss is likely to field a lineup that closely resembles his current first-choice team.
While he might not wish to tip his hand completely ahead of next weekend’s opener at Manchester City, it is likely Adkins will want to give his key players a chance to further acclimatise to the new formation they are being asked to play this season.
In midweek, there were some signs that they are becoming more comfortable with the change from a fluid 4- 4-2 into what is now more of a 4-3-3, with three central midfielders and two wide players supporting a lone striker.
As the squad stands, there appear to be few positions where there is much debate.
Kelvin Davis remains the number one keeper, while Nathaniel Clyne, Jose Fonte , Jos Hooiveld and Danny Fox are the preferred personnel in the back four for now.
In midfield, Adam Lallana is playing centrally, with Morgan Schneiderlin and Steven Davis likely to occupy the spots alongside him, at least while Jack Cork is absent anyway.
In the wide positions that are designed to support lone frontman Rickie Lambert , Jay Rodriguez, right, seems to be favoured on the left-hand side, while the opposite flank is slightly less clear.
Guly do Prado and Jason Puncheon have both operated there, with the Brazilian likely to be favourite for the nod.
Billy Sharp is also pushing for a role somewhere after an impressive pre-season.
However successful tomorrow’s test run goes, it is will be played out in front of a very different atmosphere to the one Saints will face on August 19.
Attendances at the club’s home pre-season games have been noticeably low this summer – a problem that could be exacerbated for Udinese by a late weekend kick-off and the final night of action in the Olympic Games.
Comments(40)
laffaminute
says...
4:54pm Fri 10 Aug 12
Skating on thin ice
says...
5:12pm Fri 10 Aug 12
laffaminute wrote:What, at £20 for a ticket, when the Olympics 5000 metres final is on TV? That's a very generous estimate for the attendance.
As there are a lot of football mad italians living in the local area the attendance could be very good, 2000 or even 2500 for a optomistic guess.
laffaminute
says...
5:19pm Fri 10 Aug 12
Skating on thin ice wrote:I thought it was a £1 a ticket so i will revise down to possibly 1000 at a push
laffaminute wrote: As there are a lot of football mad italians living in the local area the attendance could be very good, 2000 or even 2500 for a optomistic guess.What, at £20 for a ticket, when the Olympics 5000 metres final is on TV? That's a very generous estimate for the attendance.
ghk230473
says...
5:28pm Fri 10 Aug 12
Skating on thin ice wrote:I'll have a bet that you will be ground sharing with Moneyfields/haw possibly Eastleigh as you train there.
Aren't Udinese one of the Italian sides who have been repeatedly been involved in accusations of match-fixing and betting scams? They'll make ideal opponents for you. I've put my money on a 12-12 draw, with the first throw in after 0.1 seconds.
Pompey playing in Southampton.........
. Now that is Laff a minute
Skating on thin ice
says...
5:34pm Fri 10 Aug 12
laffaminute wrote:Also Tom Daley is in the diving final that same evening. Why pay good money to watch "fatter, lower, slower" Lambert diving about in the penalty area, when you can watch Daey diving in the Olympic Games free of charge?
Skating on thin ice wrote:I thought it was a £1 a ticket so i will revise down to possibly 1000 at a pushlaffaminute wrote: As there are a lot of football mad italians living in the local area the attendance could be very good, 2000 or even 2500 for a optomistic guess.What, at £20 for a ticket, when the Olympics 5000 metres final is on TV? That's a very generous estimate for the attendance.
ghk230473
says...
5:37pm Fri 10 Aug 12
Skating on thin ice wrote:Talking of pools but without realising you 2 probably share the same gene pool............ F4kin inbred, web footed six fingered freaks
laffaminute wrote:Also Tom Daley is in the diving final that same evening. Why pay good money to watch "fatter, lower, slower" Lambert diving about in the penalty area, when you can watch Daey diving in the Olympic Games free of charge?
Skating on thin ice wrote:I thought it was a £1 a ticket so i will revise down to possibly 1000 at a pushlaffaminute wrote: As there are a lot of football mad italians living in the local area the attendance could be very good, 2000 or even 2500 for a optomistic guess.What, at £20 for a ticket, when the Olympics 5000 metres final is on TV? That's a very generous estimate for the attendance.
ghk230473
says...
5:37pm Fri 10 Aug 12
Skating on thin ice wrote:Talking of pools but without realising you 2 probably share the same gene pool............ F4kin inbred, web footed six fingered freaks
laffaminute wrote:Also Tom Daley is in the diving final that same evening. Why pay good money to watch "fatter, lower, slower" Lambert diving about in the penalty area, when you can watch Daey diving in the Olympic Games free of charge?
Skating on thin ice wrote:I thought it was a £1 a ticket so i will revise down to possibly 1000 at a pushlaffaminute wrote: As there are a lot of football mad italians living in the local area the attendance could be very good, 2000 or even 2500 for a optomistic guess.What, at £20 for a ticket, when the Olympics 5000 metres final is on TV? That's a very generous estimate for the attendance.
aldermoorboy
says...
5:47pm Fri 10 Aug 12
ONE EVENING IN 1962 WE TOOK 38,000 FANS TO SPURS TO WATCH SAINTS HAMMER FOREST 5-0 IN THE 6TH ROUND OF THE FA CUP, I KNOW I WAS THERE, WHAT SUPPORT SECOND TO NONE.
ghk230473
says...
5:53pm Fri 10 Aug 12
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Our 1st side and under 21's
frenchvic
says...
6:15pm Fri 10 Aug 12
Skating on thin ice wrote:Did not realize the Muppet show was on this early on a Friday.
laffaminute wrote:Also Tom Daley is in the diving final that same evening. Why pay good money to watch "fatter, lower, slower" Lambert diving about in the penalty area, when you can watch Daey diving in the Olympic Games free of charge?Skating on thin ice wrote:I thought it was a £1 a ticket so i will revise down to possibly 1000 at a pushlaffaminute wrote: As there are a lot of football mad italians living in the local area the attendance could be very good, 2000 or even 2500 for a optomistic guess.What, at £20 for a ticket, when the Olympics 5000 metres final is on TV? That's a very generous estimate for the attendance.
laffaminute
says...
6:26pm Fri 10 Aug 12
aldermoorboy wrote:I bet that was a great night, who scored the goals ?
Saints are the best supported team south of London. ONE EVENING IN 1962 WE TOOK 38,000 FANS TO SPURS TO WATCH SAINTS HAMMER FOREST 5-0 IN THE 6TH ROUND OF THE FA CUP, I KNOW I WAS THERE, WHAT SUPPORT SECOND TO NONE.
Fatty x Ford Worker
says...
6:53pm Fri 10 Aug 12
circa 66 saint
says...
7:03pm Fri 10 Aug 12
laffaminute wrote:saints did 5.0 read what is written
aldermoorboy wrote:I bet that was a great night, who scored the goals ?
Saints are the best supported team south of London. ONE EVENING IN 1962 WE TOOK 38,000 FANS TO SPURS TO WATCH SAINTS HAMMER FOREST 5-0 IN THE 6TH ROUND OF THE FA CUP, I KNOW I WAS THERE, WHAT SUPPORT SECOND TO NONE.
now i will translate to skuntish for you
BACK IN 62 WE TOOK 330,000 FANS TO WATCH THE GREAT SAINTS HAMMER FOREST 12-0 IN THE F.A. CUP
for those that do not understand skuntish you will notice the obvious differences being the exaggerated numbers actual words are harder to translate
laffaminute
says...
7:08pm Fri 10 Aug 12
slugger
says...
7:15pm Fri 10 Aug 12
Fatty x Ford Worker wrote:get back to your drag act and leave us fans to talk the proper stuff eh?
MANC CITY 12 SAINTS 0
DisplacedFan
says...
7:17pm Fri 10 Aug 12
Skating on thin ice wrote:A reminder of the days we played teams like yours? Not!
Aren't Udinese one of the Italian sides who have been repeatedly been involved in accusations of match-fixing and betting scams? They'll make ideal opponents for you. I've put my money on a 12-12 draw, with the first throw in after 0.1 seconds.
Velleity
says...
7:22pm Fri 10 Aug 12
No more from me, I'm off out with my friends*.
*Look it up, you may be surprised to know what they are.
laffaminute
says...
7:45pm Fri 10 Aug 12
Velleity wrote:Enjoy your evening.
To Fatso, Skate and Laughingboy: Wow; spending Friday evening on another team's newspaper site. What fascinating social lives you must all have... No more from me, I'm off out with my friends*. *Look it up, you may be surprised to know what they are.
worried of n e hampshire
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7:45pm Fri 10 Aug 12
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Aldershot!
St. Saint
says...
8:17pm Fri 10 Aug 12
ghk230473 wrote:Leave them. They didn't know where to turn for their football for a while, they chose to come west i guess. Covert supporters. They will never admit it though.
Skating on thin ice wrote:Talking of pools but without realising you 2 probably share the same gene pool............ F4kin inbred, web footed six fingered freaks
laffaminute wrote:Also Tom Daley is in the diving final that same evening. Why pay good money to watch "fatter, lower, slower" Lambert diving about in the penalty area, when you can watch Daey diving in the Olympic Games free of charge?
Skating on thin ice wrote:I thought it was a £1 a ticket so i will revise down to possibly 1000 at a pushlaffaminute wrote: As there are a lot of football mad italians living in the local area the attendance could be very good, 2000 or even 2500 for a optomistic guess.What, at £20 for a ticket, when the Olympics 5000 metres final is on TV? That's a very generous estimate for the attendance.
Fatty x Ford Worker
says...
8:43pm Fri 10 Aug 12
DisplacedFan wrote:Always on the lookey mate!
Skating on thin ice wrote:A reminder of the days we played teams like yours? Not!
Aren't Udinese one of the Italian sides who have been repeatedly been involved in accusations of match-fixing and betting scams? They'll make ideal opponents for you. I've put my money on a 12-12 draw, with the first throw in after 0.1 seconds.
Fatty x Ford Worker
says...
8:43pm Fri 10 Aug 12
DisplacedFan wrote:Always on the lookey mate!
Skating on thin ice wrote:A reminder of the days we played teams like yours? Not!
Aren't Udinese one of the Italian sides who have been repeatedly been involved in accusations of match-fixing and betting scams? They'll make ideal opponents for you. I've put my money on a 12-12 draw, with the first throw in after 0.1 seconds.
Baddesley Bill
says...
9:18pm Fri 10 Aug 12
angus mc coatup
says...
9:51pm Fri 10 Aug 12
thank you markus we owe you big time.
angus mc coatup
says...
9:52pm Fri 10 Aug 12
thank you markus we owe you big time.
Crossley Place Saint
says...
10:12pm Fri 10 Aug 12
angus mc coatup wrote:TWO years!! It's difficult to see how any genuine supporter could make a gaffe like that. Are you some sort of troll?
a year ago today the legend passed away. thank you markus we owe you big time.
angus mc coatup
says...
10:29pm Fri 10 Aug 12
Crossley Place Saint wrote:yes sorry people.
angus mc coatup wrote:TWO years!! It's difficult to see how any genuine supporter could make a gaffe like that. Are you some sort of troll?
a year ago today the legend passed away. thank you markus we owe you big time.
it is indeed two years please accept my humble apologies.
and no i'm not a troll,been a saints fan for many years.and I stand by my original post of trying to pay homage to the man who saved our football club.
Seedhouse the Unrepentant
says...
11:29pm Fri 10 Aug 12
angus mc coatup wrote:This man invented the word SKUNT. For that he will always be a Saints legend.
Crossley Place Saint wrote:yes sorry people.
angus mc coatup wrote:TWO years!! It's difficult to see how any genuine supporter could make a gaffe like that. Are you some sort of troll?
a year ago today the legend passed away. thank you markus we owe you big time.
it is indeed two years please accept my humble apologies.
and no i'm not a troll,been a saints fan for many years.and I stand by my original post of trying to pay homage to the man who saved our football club.
angus mc coatup
says...
11:42pm Fri 10 Aug 12
Seedhouse the Unrepentant wrote:thank you seedy.
angus mc coatup wrote:This man invented the word SKUNT. For that he will always be a Saints legend.
Crossley Place Saint wrote:yes sorry people.
angus mc coatup wrote:TWO years!! It's difficult to see how any genuine supporter could make a gaffe like that. Are you some sort of troll?
a year ago today the legend passed away. thank you markus we owe you big time.
it is indeed two years please accept my humble apologies.
and no i'm not a troll,been a saints fan for many years.and I stand by my original post of trying to pay homage to the man who saved our football club.
mind you it was a major slip.
still I can always bask in the knowledge
that I gave the saints world the word skunt.It's a bit like winning a gold in the olympics.
OSPREYSAINT
says...
12:21am Sat 11 Aug 12
Skating on thin ice wrote:He barely qualified, not much chance of a medal unless he make a rapid improvement. Not worth waiting for this time, much better to watch a really good team in action at St. Marys, or the Saints if that is what you fancy!
laffaminute wrote:Also Tom Daley is in the diving final that same evening. Why pay good money to watch "fatter, lower, slower" Lambert diving about in the penalty area, when you can watch Daey diving in the Olympic Games free of charge?
Skating on thin ice wrote:I thought it was a £1 a ticket so i will revise down to possibly 1000 at a pushlaffaminute wrote: As there are a lot of football mad italians living in the local area the attendance could be very good, 2000 or even 2500 for a optomistic guess.What, at £20 for a ticket, when the Olympics 5000 metres final is on TV? That's a very generous estimate for the attendance.
OSPREYSAINT
says...
12:23am Sat 11 Aug 12
Skating on thin ice wrote:Well you and your cronies are experts on the subject so we will take as read, not.
Aren't Udinese one of the Italian sides who have been repeatedly been involved in accusations of match-fixing and betting scams? They'll make ideal opponents for you. I've put my money on a 12-12 draw, with the first throw in after 0.1 seconds.
St. Saint
says...
12:50am Sat 11 Aug 12
angus mc coatup wrote:Your initial point was lost, but a good one. Thanks Liebherrs
Seedhouse the Unrepentant wrote:thank you seedy.
angus mc coatup wrote:This man invented the word SKUNT. For that he will always be a Saints legend.
Crossley Place Saint wrote:yes sorry people.
angus mc coatup wrote:TWO years!! It's difficult to see how any genuine supporter could make a gaffe like that. Are you some sort of troll?
a year ago today the legend passed away. thank you markus we owe you big time.
it is indeed two years please accept my humble apologies.
and no i'm not a troll,been a saints fan for many years.and I stand by my original post of trying to pay homage to the man who saved our football club.
mind you it was a major slip.
still I can always bask in the knowledge
that I gave the saints world the word skunt.It's a bit like winning a gold in the olympics.
saintsfan7177
says...
11:06am Sat 11 Aug 12
laffaminute wrote:Get back under your rock FFS
As there are a lot of football mad italians living in the local area the attendance could be very good, 2000 or even 2500 for a optomistic guess.
Crossley Place Saint
says...
11:06am Sat 11 Aug 12
angus mc coatup wrote:Sorry Angus! The site had been infested with trolls all day and I jumped to the conclusion that your post was some sort of tasteless wind-up.
Seedhouse the Unrepentant wrote:thank you seedy. mind you it was a major slip. still I can always bask in the knowledge that I gave the saints world the word skunt.It's a bit like winning a gold in the olympics.angus mc coatup wrote:This man invented the word SKUNT. For that he will always be a Saints legend.Crossley Place Saint wrote:yes sorry people. it is indeed two years please accept my humble apologies. and no i'm not a troll,been a saints fan for many years.and I stand by my original post of trying to pay homage to the man who saved our football club.angus mc coatup wrote: a year ago today the legend passed away. thank you markus we owe you big time.TWO years!! It's difficult to see how any genuine supporter could make a gaffe like that. Are you some sort of troll?
tugboat
says...
2:20pm Sat 11 Aug 12
I left when the dancing prawns came out.
Never again the worst 20p Ive ever spent.
randre
says...
4:18pm Sat 11 Aug 12
Onto more important things, Angus quite rightly paid homage to our late great owner, Markus, may we never forget and appreciate what you have done for our club.
randre
says...
4:22pm Sat 11 Aug 12
tugboat wrote:I think I went to that. I called a taxi to pick us up and a horse drawn caravan arrived. Needless to say I refused the lift and escaped from there as quickly as possible. It reminded me of one of those strange towns that you often read about in a Stephen king novel.
I went to a circus in pompey once,fully vaccinated I hasten to add, it was rubbish,there was some old slapper doing a trick with a courgette,some bloke juggling sparrows and the clowns were all dressed in pompey shirts kicking exploding footballs,
I left when the dancing prawns came out.
Never again the worst 20p Ive ever spent.
Skating on thin ice
says...
9:23pm Sat 11 Aug 12
Ah, here's a report on the club website:
"The goals aside, Nigel Adkins’ men enjoyed a large percentage of possession".
The assassination aside, Mrs Lincoln, what did you think of the play?
pompey in spain
says...
11:15am Sun 12 Aug 12
Skating on thin ice says...
4:33pm Fri 10 Aug 12