Pardew set to stick with five-man midfield (From Daily Echo)

Yeah sadly I cant make the game but will be listening.
COY
sw read-form I have been lately

Can't see what is wrong with 4-5-1 away from home - but surely it is a cautious approach to snuff out any threat from an opposing team?
How many times in recent years were we over run in midfield and not able to supply the ball to the forwards except for hoofing the long ball?
If we create as many chances at Bristol like as at Orient, and we have our shooting boots on wwe should walk it!
As long as at least one or two of the midfield lads support Ricky Lambert - it won't be if we win it will be by how many!
Not sure I like the other headline - in it to win it...that would be a first a third division team winning it...well we can all dream for three visits to Wembley - JPT, FA Cup & Play Offs!

I think AP is being very clever. As he is made sure that each player know what he is doing in both systems and not using an overly complex system.

Rovers lost 5 on trot Saints have not lost 5 on trot!
You know whats coming.

Hopefully this will shut the 4-4-2-brigade up.

No 4-4-2 until AP is sure Connelly is fit enough - end of.

wonder weasel wrote:
Mirror sport BET OF THE DAY Get on Southampton at 7-5 to win at Bristol Rovers tonight

That's not worth it..... there is no way we will concede 5.....

Sainty saint saint wrote:
Hopefully this will shut the 4-4-2-brigade up. No 4-4-2 until AP is sure Connelly is fit enough - end of.

I totally agree. Who else at the club, can join up with Lambert and do a good enough job?

Supporting the mighty reds actually makes me smile these days. C'mon boys. Lets get in the hat for the next round! COYR

It's not negative though as is in some ways more offensive when it becomes 4-3-3.

Lon Kirk the Saints Fan wrote:

Sainty saint saint wrote: Hopefully this will shut the 4-4-2-brigade up. No 4-4-2 until AP is sure Connelly is fit enough - end of.

I totally agree. Who else at the club, can join up with Lambert and do a good enough job?

Thank the lord - someone else who speaks sense!

When it comes to the 4-4-2 vs 4-5-1 debate, i think the only real point it brings up is the fact that we are lacking any real cover in attack, yes we have Connolly and Lambert, but Connolly is not fully fit, and on that basis, we really dont have massive attacking options.... Waigo is a winger, and you would have to bring in antonio if you moved Waigo to attack, and we would be missing out on the last 30 minute tactic of throwing on antonio to run at tired opposition defences, Matt Paterson is a good striker, but i dont think he is at the level of being a prominent scorer yet.. and Saganowski, well, neednt mention the flaws of his attacking ability. Another striker would be the icing on the cake, and if AP can pull off another ''lambert type'' signing, aka a top league 1 scorer... then i think that will be the missing jigsaw key, it would give us new depth in attack, and give AP more options, and our team a new dimension. Come to think about it, Midfield could do with an addition or 2, Mellis is likely to return to Chelsea, Wotton is becoming more worrying by the game, and that leaves us with (in no formational order) Schneiderlin, Lallana, Hammond, Antonio, and Waigo.... ok, thats a great midfield side, but many of the other players beside those 5 are not quality players for this division, and there is no real competition in that midfield... Talk of Matt Holland hopefully will account to some result... and seems like the perfect addition to our midfield, and experienced defensive mid to keep hammond on his toes, and account for any major injuries...

allways the optimist wrote:
When it comes to the 4-4-2 vs 4-5-1 debate, i think the only real point it brings up is the fact that we are lacking any real cover in attack, yes we have Connolly and Lambert, but Connolly is not fully fit, and on that basis, we really dont have massive attacking options.... Waigo is a winger, and you would have to bring in antonio if you moved Waigo to attack, and we would be missing out on the last 30 minute tactic of throwing on antonio to run at tired opposition defences, Matt Paterson is a good striker, but i dont think he is at the level of being a prominent scorer yet.. and Saganowski, well, neednt mention the flaws of his attacking ability. Another striker would be the icing on the cake, and if AP can pull off another ''lambert type'' signing, aka a top league 1 scorer... then i think that will be the missing jigsaw key, it would give us new depth in attack, and give AP more options, and our team a new dimension. Come to think about it, Midfield could do with an addition or 2, Mellis is likely to return to Chelsea, Wotton is becoming more worrying by the game, and that leaves us with (in no formational order) Schneiderlin, Lallana, Hammond, Antonio, and Waigo.... ok, thats a great midfield side, but many of the other players beside those 5 are not quality players for this division, and there is no real competition in that midfield... Talk of Matt Holland hopefully will account to some result... and seems like the perfect addition to our midfield, and experienced defensive mid to keep hammond on his toes, and account for any major injuries...

Your right, very well put ,Just hope the tactic of 4-5-1 doesnt mean we get swamped in the first half, its Ok battling back against LO but better teams ,not so sure.
But as you say its the correct tactic away from home,sneak a draw and then batter them at ours.
Still AP has been bang on so far,so why should that change, The players seem happy with whatever system he uses,and to his credit he is keeping it simple.Top man doing a first class job.

When McLaggon's fully fit he can play on the wing or as a striker (I think), which will eventually add to our options - once he's developed fully.

From what I've heard, I think Lee Holmes can still do a job on the wings too, although I believe he lacks pace.

But another out and out striker would be perfect.

Someone mentioned Pele before too - I think he'd be good to bring in as a replacement for Wotton's role maybe?

I am right behind Pardew but the 451 thing bothers me a little. As the article says switching to 442 lead to the comebacks at Orient and Dons (which was at home by the way). If it worked that well we wouldn't need to stage a come-back!
With the attacking talent we have I would like to see us put the opposition on the back foot from the off. Regardless he's proved to be a good manager so far so fair play.

normsted wrote:

allways the optimist wrote: When it comes to the 4-4-2 vs 4-5-1 debate, i think the only real point it brings up is the fact that we are lacking any real cover in attack, yes we have Connolly and Lambert, but Connolly is not fully fit, and on that basis, we really dont have massive attacking options.... Waigo is a winger, and you would have to bring in antonio if you moved Waigo to attack, and we would be missing out on the last 30 minute tactic of throwing on antonio to run at tired opposition defences, Matt Paterson is a good striker, but i dont think he is at the level of being a prominent scorer yet.. and Saganowski, well, neednt mention the flaws of his attacking ability. Another striker would be the icing on the cake, and if AP can pull off another ''lambert type'' signing, aka a top league 1 scorer... then i think that will be the missing jigsaw key, it would give us new depth in attack, and give AP more options, and our team a new dimension. Come to think about it, Midfield could do with an addition or 2, Mellis is likely to return to Chelsea, Wotton is becoming more worrying by the game, and that leaves us with (in no formational order) Schneiderlin, Lallana, Hammond, Antonio, and Waigo.... ok, thats a great midfield side, but many of the other players beside those 5 are not quality players for this division, and there is no real competition in that midfield... Talk of Matt Holland hopefully will account to some result... and seems like the perfect addition to our midfield, and experienced defensive mid to keep hammond on his toes, and account for any major injuries...

Your right, very well put ,Just hope the tactic of 4-5-1 doesnt mean we get swamped in the first half, its Ok battling back against LO but better teams ,not so sure. But as you say its the correct tactic away from home,sneak a draw and then batter them at ours. Still AP has been bang on so far,so why should that change, The players seem happy with whatever system he uses,and to his credit he is keeping it simple.Top man doing a first class job.

Im a fan of the 4-5-1 when it comes to away... but even then, we lack midfield depth... either way i think we need some signings in january.

St.Yorkie wrote:
Can't see what is wrong with 4-5-1 away from home - but surely it is a cautious approach to snuff out any threat from an opposing team? How many times in recent years were we over run in midfield and not able to supply the ball to the forwards except for hoofing the long ball? If we create as many chances at Bristol like as at Orient, and we have our shooting boots on wwe should walk it! As long as at least one or two of the midfield lads support Ricky Lambert - it won't be if we win it will be by how many! Not sure I like the other headline - in it to win it...that would be a first a third division team winning it...well we can all dream for three visits to Wembley - JPT, FA Cup & Play Offs!

Playoffs?? you pessimist.. we're going to win the league!

I love this formation debate. Do remember if we played 442 then our holding player drops out, which in turn means less possesion and then less chances for the strikers. The answer my friends however is SIMEON JACKSON at Gillingham, proven at this level and will cost about 1M. Any thoughts.

Maybe the 442 has proved succesful, simply because we are able to adapt to it very quickly, tting on players that fit that system, whereas the opposition cannot adapt so well, owing to having set up their team to deal with 451.
Might explain why we suddenly find space and options that weren't previously there.
What are the odds on Connolly actually scoring from a pass received from a team mate? His 2 goals have been scored from being in the right place at the right time, to pick up poor passes from oppo defenders.

I believe that the 4-5-1 formation is about right for this game. We do not have Trotman by definition it will be a more defensive type of game for Saints and the midfield will be less attacking and more defending, I hope I am proved wrong and we are strong enough without Trotman, that is of course why we should rely on Pardew having the right tactics, which I believe he has!

for those of you that cant make it tonight check out this link to watch it live MyP2P.eu

BlandfordSaint wrote:
I love this formation debate. Do remember if we played 442 then our holding player drops out, which in turn means less possesion and then less chances for the strikers. The answer my friends however is SIMEON JACKSON at Gillingham, proven at this level and will cost about 1M. Any thoughts.

Think Jackson is likely to sign for a Championship club (if any come knocking).

I remember an interview when he recently said he wanted to play at a higher level.

Of course, if Saints come in with a decent bid and decent money, and convince Simeon that we'll be in the Championship next year, he might go for it!

Whatever you say pards- cant knock you at the moment keep doing your stuff. Up the Saints, not sure it will be as easy as some of you are suggesting, Im going for a saints win by the odd goal,worse case get them back to sms and spank em, gutted I cant go tonight, wish they had kept to the saturday.

Interesting debate........ in my eyes both systems seem to work efficiently for the players we have. So long as we keep creating the chances as in recent matches, and then stick the ball in the back of the onion net, we will win by a comfortable margin..........easy game sat here in the kitchen!!