Let's talk about the Southampton cup game

[selby]

  All sorts of problems with this game actually being able to be played on Saturday if weather forecasts are to be believed, and on top of that a poor crowd expected as the hope of drawing one of the top premiership sides disintegrated and we drew a team that are more than capable of beating us and at the same time have next to zero attraction for our supporters.
  After watching their game v Norwich a couple of weeks ago just after the draw was announced what struck me was their insistence to play out of defence very short across their goal face and paid the price in that game getting caught out, but more worryingly the pace of their front three compared with our defence, if they play we could be in for a torrid day.
  In that is one of the big questions, will they play their best team against a poor division 2 side in a competition they themselves have very little hope of doing well in.
  With rumoured poor ticket sales for the game that might or might not take place with the weather situation, the game has not attracted the usual excitement normally reserved for the third round of the cup, but also throws up selection  interest  for ourselves, actually going against recent history and winning the game looks like the best way for us to get a financial boost we could use in the transfer window so we will probably and hopefully keep to the group who have played quite well without a lot of reward lately and hope we can get a win by adding one or two of the new signings..
  With no replays now cold winter weather and extra time and penalties a threat it's just like us to take it to the bitter end, as penance, but there lies a chink of light, they have actually missed four of their last five pens in league games including one at Norwich, can we get them back on track at taking them?
  So where do you sit with this game? are you a fair weather supporter? do you think we can cause a cup upset? what team would you put out? would the new signings come into the team?
  Like the Trophy games loan players can actually play even in most circumstances if they are what used to be called cup tied, a new one on me and no doubt will be used by the bigger teams.
  So what do you think? are you going? have you lost interest in the FA Cup? Is it a game you take seriously? (I do) will any of the new players make their Debut? would you be interested if we won and drew a big club but not that bothered about this game?
  Lot's to be discussed, Lot's to mull over, Please have your say.

[Fal]

They like us are on a poor run of form having not won since the 9th Dec and recently got hammered by Middlesbrough 4-0, absolutely no reason we can't win this. According the Saints forum some of their players have been on holiday this week which they aren't happy with after recent results.

[scawsby steve]

They like us are on a poor run of form having not won since the 9th Jan and recently got hammered by Middlesbrough 4-0, absolutely no reason we can't win this. According the Saints forum some of their players have been on holiday this week which they aren't happy with after recent results.

9th Jan? I think there's a typo in there, Fal. LOL.

[Fal]

They like us are on a poor run of form having not won since the 9th Jan and recently got hammered by Middlesbrough 4-0, absolutely no reason we can't win this. According the Saints forum some of their players have been on holiday this week which they aren't happy with after recent results.

9th Jan? I think there's a typo in there, Fal. LOL.

Well spotted Steve

[selby]

  It's a one off game and all to play for, and we will need to play as well as we did in early season to have any chance and unsettle them any way we can, take them out of their comfort zone.

[selby]

  Looking very debatable if it is going to be on or off with everything white over with frost.
  I would have thought we would have made a decision as early as possible at least for the Southampton traveling fans if for on one else.

[Filo]

  Looking very debatable if it is going to be on or off with everything white over with frost.
  I would have thought we would have made a decision as early as possible at least for the Southampton traveling fans if for on one else.

Reading their arrogance on their forum I couldn’t care less about the Southampton fans

[DonnyOsmond]

Let's do pitch inspection at 2pm then call it off.

[selby]

  A bit early that DO.

[Ian Nimmo]

Forget about the Southampton fans, what about our own who travel.
Given the extensive frost we are all viewing, still real heavy frost, it would be nice to get some communication from the club. Clearly not many of our fans have purchase tickets, so we need to do everything possible to get additional tickets sold if the game is going ahead.
They had sold 2500 when they took them off sale, so looking a bit grim with our sales.

[Sven Vath]

Forget about the Southampton fans, what about our own who travel.
Given the extensive frost we are all viewing, still real heavy frost, it would be nice to get some communication from the club. Clearly not many of our fans have purchase tickets, so we need to do everything possible to get additional tickets sold if the game is going ahead.
They had sold 2500 when they took them off sale, so looking a bit grim with our sales.

We have to give credit to the groundsman  for getting to game on

[Arksey rover]

Game on !

[selby]

  yes it has been on face book it is on

[deebee]

Division 2 side? I thought we were league 1!

[roversdaft]

The only hope we’ve got on current form is we both play in our home kits and they get get confused.

Otherwise, I fear its another inevitable defeat

[Chris Black come back]

Game of two halves that. They had three attacks in first half and scored three fairly soft goals. Second half all us. Enough there to give you hope for the league. Gotts superb again.

[selby]

  In the last seven games we have conceded 20 goals, over three a game average.
  That is consistently not good enough and players making the same  mistakes game after game with very little defensive ability  or pace to recover when the other side have the ball, and also give the ball away with silly balls out from the back  that are Hollywood passes.

[drfcsteve]

I have to agree, replace McGrath with a better centre half and we will improved significantly.

[rich1471]

I have to agree, replace McGrath with a better centre half and we will improved significantly.

Or just put baily in the back for and get Robinson to play Infront of him as baily and Anderson were better than these two

[GazLaz]

I have to agree, replace McGrath with a better centre half and we will improved significantly.

Or just put baily in the back for and get Robinson to play Infront of him as baily and Anderson were better than these two

Taking our best player out of that position is a huge risk. Robinson (from what I’ve seen) isn’t an Owen Bailey type player.

[sedwardsdrfc]

Something needs to be done in that position. Most weeks either McGarth or Grehan if they play don’t look ready at all.

Ideally we sign at least 1 centre half who we trust to play at this level and loan out one or both of Grehan and McGarth. They’ve barely played many games at L2 level yet.

[GazLaz]

Something needs to be done in that position. Most weeks either McGarth or Grehan if they play don’t look ready at all.

Ideally we sign at least 1 centre half who we trust to play at this level and loan out one or both of Grehan and McGarth. They’ve barely played many games at L2 level yet.

Grehan had been unlucky. Played on the right of a 3 at Cardiff and was poor (really tough position to play if he hasn’t played there much before, it’s a real specialist position), right back a couple of times (not his position) and then in the v poor team performance against Plymouth. He’s not had too much opportunity playing as a centre half in a two.

[drfchound]

Rovers were mostly good throughout the game toda.
The Saints keeper made a couple of really good saves in the first half, especially the one from Gibsons free kick, otherwise the half time deficit might not have been three goals.
The early goal after the break really lifted the team and the crowd and after Gibbos goal,I genuinely thought we might level it up.
The team should gain plenty of confidence from that performance today.
With regards to Jay, he looks so uncomfortable when playing the short passes and appears to be a disaster waiting to happen.
He needs a break from the pressure of playing.

[sedwardsdrfc]

Something needs to be done in that position. Most weeks either McGarth or Grehan if they play don’t look ready at all.

Ideally we sign at least 1 centre half who we trust to play at this level and loan out one or both of Grehan and McGarth. They’ve barely played many games at L2 level yet.

Grehan had been unlucky. Played on the right of a 3 at Cardiff and was poor (really tough position to play if he hasn’t played there much before, it’s a real specialist position), right back a couple of times (not his position) and then in the v poor team performance against Plymouth. He’s not had too much opportunity playing as a centre half in a two.

Agree on him been hard done by playing right back a few times when we was clearly not a good fit for it. Could be I’ve only see him play alongside McGarth in a 2 which isn’t a strong pairing.

Either way we should sign 1 and then loan out a centre half who drops down the pecking order.

Honestly think McCann picks McGarth because he’s left footed. He’s needed taking out the fire for a while but imo