[jojose]

I have just looked at the league table in depth for the fiirst time this season. Take the leicester game out of it and we have the best defensive record and right up amongst city and chelsea. Hope it doesnt cost us in the long run

 

[Chaky_Best]

I can’t focus on tonight’s game knowing what is excepting us on Sunday…..

Stress + Nerve + Excitement + everything else

 

[BW.k]

Is Schneiderlin still out? If he's then I'd be extremely confident of winning tonight.

 

[Tincanalley]

Have to win tonight, no doubt about it. We'd be up to third and beat the dippers next weekend and we'd be well and truly on our way to securing a top four finish

Can see this one being like the Arsenal game, Saints will come at us full force and we hit them on the break. Would like to see Januzaj start this one but leaving ourselves short on defensive players in midfield.

Dunno why but this feels like a draw to me. I predicted a 2-2 on the page but whatever way we will do very well to win here. I know they have injury problems. I hope Fellaini plays, and also Rafael. Ashley Young to score. Maybe this is the match where we finally get a peno this season....

 

[Chaky_Best]

I have just looked at the league table in depth for the fiirst time this season. Take the leicester game out of it and we have the best defensive record and right up amongst city and chelsea. Hope it doesnt cost us in the long run

You’re right in a part, but I also think that we were really poor defensively in a lot of games and we had a bit, or a lot, of luck coupled with De Gea’s magic. The Arsenal game, when we were awful defensively, and saved by De Gea twice, including one miracle, the same goes for Everton and Stoke. At WBA we were poor defensively and it’s what we lost two points this day.

We’re improving it’s true, and I really hope that we can find a defensive stability away from home, and getting back our full backs (and our center backs) will help us massively since the team regained a good shape and balance.

 

[togg]

for me, these next two matches will give a good indication of how far we have come, or how far we still have to go!

 

[tenpoless]

3 a.m start for me and I gotta do a presentation at the uni by 7 a.m tomorrow.
But whatever, this one is too important to miss. I'll watch.
Come on you Reds!

 

[Anduin]

Is Schneiderlin still out? If he's then I'd be extremely confident of winning tonight.

Yeah, him, Cork and Alderweireld miss out.

 

[Shark]

Is Schneiderlin still out? If he's then I'd be extremely confident of winning tonight.

The physioroom has him out until the 20th of December.

 

[redshanks]

Although they are missing a few key players, if we play the way we did against stoke then it will not go well..

 

[Shark]

Although they are missing a few key players, if we play the way we did against stoke then it will not go well..

We didn't play badly vs Stoke. The final 10 minutes would certainly give you that impression though.

 

[hbgreg]

Although they are missing a few key players, if we play the way we did against stoke then it will not go well..

If we play the way we did against Stoke but finish our chances we'll win 3-1.

 

[jojose]

You’re right in a part, but I also think that we were really poor defensively in a lot of games and we had a bit, or a lot, of luck coupled with De Gea’s magic. The Arsenal game, when we were awful defensively, and saved by De Gea twice, including one miracle, the same goes for Everton and Stoke. At WBA we were poor defensively and it’s what we lost two points this day.

We’re improving it’s true, and I really hope that we can find a defensive stability away from home, and getting back our full backs (and our center backs) will help us massively since the team regained a good shape and balance.

Well, I didn’t claim we have looked solid defensively but in quoting the stat I am 100% factually correct.

I do however agree that we have not performed like a team with the best defensive record.

I do disagree with saying that De Gea saved us. He did, but as part of our defence it is his job to do so. Having a great goalkeeper goes along way to having a great defence. Equally it was good defending by Ashley Young to clear off the line on Tuesday night – so we are showing signs of good defending.

This place clearly has a tendency to be negative. Nobody says “Bayern are poor at the back they just have Neuer who saves them”. Equally if Lahm had made the same clearance as Young we’d be praising his defensive qualities.

 

[joker00]

nothin from the previous games til now allows us to be ambitious ! hope this game give us the confidence and god we need it sunday

 

[BW.k]

Yeah, him, Cork and Alderweireld miss out.

The physioroom has him out until the 20th of December.

Cheers guys. This is it no excuses tonight then. He's their most important player imo/

 

[redshanks]

We didn't play badly vs Stoke. The final 10 minutes would certainly give you that impression though.

Not only the final 10 mins, even the 1st half we didn't play that good, we didn't dominate enough, and conceded a goal. only in the 2nd half we started playing better.

 

[jojose]

nothin from the previous games til now allows us to be ambitious ! hope this game give us the confidence and god we need it sunday

despite lots of injuries we are the form team in the league despite playing no where near to our potential. That gives me confidence

 

[othersna]

nothin from the previous games til now allows us to be ambitious ! hope this game give us the confidence and god we need it sunday

In my opinion this is a much bigger game than the one vs pool on Sunday, this can put us in third and we're up against a team in form who have been playing quite well at home. Pool on the other hand have been rather terrible, we should be clear favorites for it.

And I would argue that 4 wins in a row is enough to allow some confidence and ambition at this point, been a while since we had this momentum, it's perfect timing for these games (barring injuries).

 

[RetroStu]

3-1 Southampton.

Obviously i hope i'm dead wrong and my post is ridiculed later but they can score goals for fun and against our defence?, no.

 

[Sammyjunn]

3-1 Southampton.

Obviously i hope i'm dead wrong and my post is ridiculed later but they can score goals for fun and against our defence?, no.

They've been scoring goals for fun lately? We have as many goals as they have and they've scored 5 in their last 5. Our defence has been really solid since WBA, conceiding 4 in 6.

 

[Dimistar]

Hard game to predict given that we're on a good run of results but hardly put in any convincing away performance bar the Etihad battle. The Arsenal result had more to do with Arsenal than United. On top of that, the Saints will be up for it after losing two in a row, all the more since their defeat at the Emirates was undeserved. I wouldn't be too disappointed with a draw but really want us to make a statement and send a signal to City and Chelsea: we're coming for you! I'm still waiting for Van Persie to win us a game on his own, as I feel he's still able to do it. He'll need much better and more regular service though.

I'm going for a 2-1 win, our favorite result this season.

 

[hbgreg]

3-1 Southampton.

Obviously i hope i'm dead wrong and my post is ridiculed later but they can score goals for fun and against our defence?, no.

They only scored one goal in their last three matches?

 

[Barry Crocker]

Be great to get Rafael back as Valencia is a very limited footballer. Apart from that i would keep the same side that beat Stoke, just Rooney coming in for Wilson. If we dont let Wanyama bully us we should dominate the midfield and possesion with the likes of Carrick, Herrera and Mata.
Prediction 1-2 Man Utd

 

[hbgreg]

I don't get the negativity, unless they raise their game to spectacular levels out of nowhere they haven't played good when I saw them. Even against Aston Villa they were bad, they aren't anything special and they're without their best player.

 

[hbgreg]

Be great to get Rafael back as Valencia is a very limited footballer. Apart from that i would keep the same side that beat Stoke, just Rooney coming in for Wilson. If we dont let Wanyama bully us we should dominate the midfield and possesion with the likes of Carrick, Herrera and Mata.
Prediction 1-2 Man Utd

Rafael won't play, Louis said he needs a game in the second team.

 

[hbgreg]

nothin from the previous games til now allows us to be ambitious ! hope this game give us the confidence and god we need it sunday

Are you actually serious?

 

[hbgreg]

Not only the final 10 mins, even the 1st half we didn't play that good, we didn't dominate enough, and conceded a goal. only in the 2nd half we started playing better.

No, we dominated both halves. We need to finish our chances and we win that game 3 or 4 to nothing.

 

[bjorshol]

According to physioroom.com both Tadic and Schneiderlin are out.

 

[vodrake]

According to physioroom.com both Tadic and Schneiderlin are out.

Southampton fans seem confident Tadic will be fit according to their local media, and that Alderweild is 50/50

 

[waza7111]

Koeman confirmed in the press conference that Tadic was fit and available so I'd be surprised if he doesn't start. He also said Schneiderlin and Cork were out and Alderweireld would have a late fitness test.

 

[itso 7]

3-1 Southampton.

Obviously i hope i'm dead wrong and my post is ridiculed later but they can score goals for fun and against our defence?, no.

Our defence? You are still four weeks behind mate!

 

[Sassy Colin]

Last game of last season was against these, last thread in the old Matchday Forum.

Have a read through towards the end for the despondency of many of us, being glad to see the back of the season. Things feel a bit different this time round.

 

[Danillaco]

I think someone already answered it, but why having games on a monday? So anticlimatic, in my opinion.

 

[Adisa]

Our defense is nowhere near as bad as media make out. You'd think we concede 4 every game listening to them.

 

[togg]

Haven't we generally always played a bit crap at St Mary's...?

 

[jojose]

Our defense is nowhere near as bad as media make out. You'd think we concede 4 every game listening to them.

agreed. we have the best keeper in the world which is part of the defence. add rafa and shaw to smalling and rojo with carrick protecting and we are way better than many will have you believe. I have already mentioned the numbers, only City, Chelsea and Southampton (untill tonight) have a better record and that includes the rediculousley freakish 5 we conceded at Leicester

 

[Adisa]

agreed. we have the best keeper in the world which is part of the defence. add rafa and shaw to smalling and rojo with carrick protecting and we are way better than many will have you believe. I have already mentioned the numbers, only City, Chelsea and Southampton (untill tonight) have a better record and that includes the rediculousley freakish 5 we conceded at Leicester

I was listening to Ian Dowie last week and he put our defense in the same boat as Liverpool. Surely we aren't that bad?

 

[itso 7]

I have just looked at the league table in depth for the fiirst time this season. Take the leicester game out of it and we have the best defensive record and right up amongst city and chelsea. Hope it doesnt cost us in the long run

The Leicester game won't cost us too much because, unlike the three opening matches, it was an isolated incident and today third place is within our grasp, we have recovered well from that fiasco. Injuries, however, could derail our charge if the trend of losing a player or two every match persists.
Today is a massive game for us and by the end of the match we will have a more accurate indication of where we are at. It will also show us if we have recovered the Fergie era resolve and winning mentality, with Arsenal and Liverpool having dropped points we have a perfect opportunity to turn this season from a campaign of redemption ( top four finish) to a charge for the title.

 

[unchanged_lineup]

I think that's carry-over from the season start. greatly improved lately

 

[evra]

Our defense is nowhere near as bad as media make out. You'd think we concede 4 every game listening to them.

We would do if it wasn't for DDG!