After the abysmal defeat to Brentford, Saints have undone some of the good work that they have achieved over the past few weeks, but it is every game as it comes and there will be more setbacks along the way.

Saints have to put the disappointment of Wednesday night behind them and go again for the visit of Spurs, who themselves are looking to stay in the top four and win a Champions League spot for next season.

However that does not seem to be good enough for Spurs fans and perhaps as we may find out going forward their board and Antonio Conte had a lot of stick after they departed from Europe last week.

The rumour is that he is not the man for Spurs and he could soon be on his way, if not now but certainly at the end of the season.

Their form has been patchy of late both in the Premier League where they lost to Wolves and the FA Cup where Sheffield United sent them packing.

The feeling is that all is not well in the Spurs camp and that the motivation is gone in the dressing room.

Bizarrely I felt before the Brentford game that we had a better chance of beating Spurs than the Bees, we usually struggle against those teams who sit back and go on the break, but Spurs are a side that like to attack and if we can keep things tight then we could get something and God knows we need it.

But keeping it tight will not be easy, on Wednesday night once again we let a man run off his marker and have a free header, this time it didn't go in but flicked across goal for Ivan Toney to stab it home, but it was just as poor a defensive error than the number of other goals we have gifted from free headers.

The good news is that Kyle Walker Peters could play some point, I think he may be held back on the bench, but if he is going to start, the back four that won us games was Maitland-Niles at right back and KWP at left and I would go for that.

In the centre of midfield I would hope that Romeo Lavia returns, some ranted that Diallo was poor on Wednesday, but I disagree, he did what he was in the side for and battled their midfield, won the ball and laid it short, but you have to play your best men and Lavia is better than Diallo.

Likewise Moi Elyounoussi,, he did little on Wednesday and there should be a change there, but should it be Theo Walcott who returns or Stuart Armstrong, even Adam Armstrong, who seems to get judged on his goals, but is not played in a striking role these days.

Personally my team is

Bazunu

Maitland Niles, Bednarek, Bella-Kotchap, KWP(or Perraud if injured)

Walcott, Lavia, Ward Prowse. Sulemana

Alcatraz

Adams

There will of course be some familiar faces in the Spurs side, Fraser Forster returns to St Mary's after leaving last summer after 8 years at the club playing 134 Premier League games, that doesn't sound a great total but with a long period out through injury and a couple of seasons out on loan, it was a decent amount and he played a good part in taking us to 7th, 6th & 8th in the League plus two Europa League campaigns and a League cup semi final.

He should therefore be given a warm welcome and i hope he gets it from the Saints fans.

One man who perhaps shouldn't get such a round of applause is Pierre Emille Hojbjerg, who left under a bit of a cloud, after appearing to be tapped up by Spurs, that was a big surprise to no one and he has fared well in Noerth London.

Hojbjerg spent 4 years at St Mary's and started 94Premier League games plus another 15 as sub, so far at Spurs he has started exactly 100 games with no appearances off the bench.

So he is very much a Spurs player now and we owe him nothing for the way he and for that matter Spurs behaved.

Saints really need this win, they need everyone behind them and hopefully make it one of those special days at St Mary's

Photo: Action Images

A1079 added 08:41 - Mar 18 Adam Armstrong and Che Adams get judged on their goal return because that is what they bought for and in that respect both have been woeful (allowing for the fact that Che Adams will come up with a great goal every 10 games or so, or whatever it is). All that aside, I am looking forward to the game. I think we will turn up because we seem to when we play the so called bigger teams. Not sure if I expect a win but obviously we need one desperately. The crowd will get behind them of that I am confident. Here's to hoping, as we always do!

3

sandywelsh added 09:30 - Mar 18 Today we need to start Mislav Orsic!!! Orsic once knocked Tottenham out of Europe with a hat-trick. In his last four-and-a-half seasons he has scored 99 goals in all competitions. Why is he not starting for goal shy Saints?
4

Block8 added 09:49 - Mar 18 You still don't like Perraud do you? One of our best performers on Wednesday but obviously he replaces Jack Stephens as your scapegoat for any poor performance. Diallo was very poor Wednesday, he can't pass it's that simple. With our current set up we are managing to make Salamena look like a bad player and Orsic is the same when he plays. Why can't we play a winger as a winger and not a false number 10 who is instructed to move inside to let the FB's attack. I don't understand we have some good players who seem to have to play systems alien to their game, whatever happened to playing to our strengths. Also we don't man mark at corners as such, it's more like zonal marking and we are not very good at it!

7

wessexman added 09:55 - Mar 18 With only 11 games left we are chalking off the games. Today is a must win game. The Brentford game was a body blow. Defeat today will be more than that, especially if the teams around us pick up points. AND....Selles has got to start his strongest 11. I am still smarting from seeing the line up on Wednesday. WHY do we have highly paid managers making baffling decisions?

3

highfield49 added 10:44 - Mar 18 Apart from a slightly stressful day, hoping that we collect all three points but struggling to convince myself it's going to happen, there is one nagging observation that won't go away. It's an observation, certainly not unique to me, that coaches seemingly try to change players to fit the system rather than changing the system to suit the players. There may be lots of reasons why Orsic has played so little but surely a decent, goal scoring experienced international player doesn't lose that ability overnight? We know Adam Armstrong, Elyounoussi, Walcott, Aribo and Mara, to name just a few, are unlikely to be prolific scorers this season so surely Orsic has to have an opportunity to shine. If the reason he isn't playing is because he hasn't fully grasped his defensive responsibilities or doesn't have the legs of a marathon runner then so what? If he hits the back of the net from inside or outside the box then his contribution is at least as worthy as those who fail to mark players at set pieces with glaring regularity.

6

Boris1977 added 12:11 - Mar 18 Incompetence at board and management level compounded by too many mediocre playing staff has ruled the roost for the last few years. This will not change in the next 11 games. Relegation is nailed on but the wider is issue is the number of spineless players in the squad who will disappear in the championship. Under this board I cannot see how we're going to progress. What is really annoying is the amount of potential within the club which a decent owner making sound decisions would realise. A massive and avoidable shame. Appointing Jones is the clubs Ali dia level managerial screw up which will make the club a laughing stock for years to come.

2

Blogs 31 bloggers

Queens Park Rangers Polls