Rival Lines
Math Preview: Southampton v AFCB
Podcast: SaintsFCPodcast
CC: What did you feel about the way Southampton played away at Sheffield United - a team that Bournemouth draw at home with on the first day of the season?
SFCP: We rode our luck a little but in the end we did a very professional job. The team switched its system at the start of the second half and from that point on we felt more comfortable. Players like Romeu and Hojberg do a great job in difficult away games and they were vital against Sheff Utd. Overall it was a very professional performance capped with a wonder goal from Djenepo making for a very satisfying day for the away fans.
CC: Which Bournemouth player do you think Southampton have to be most worried about?
SFCP: SFCP: Ryan Fraser always gives Saints problems. We struggle to defend against pace and he has that in spades.
CC: It was an absolute cracker the last time these two teams met at St Mary's. How do you think Southampton might have improved since that 3-3 draw?
SFCP: That game had the air of a crazy end of season one. I think Saints will be much more disciplined defensively and it'll be a lot tighter. Saints will rightly take Bournemouth very seriously and the opportunity to go third (for both teams) should mean it'll be a great game.
CC: What's your prediction for Southampton's starting line-up?
SFCP: Gunn, Danso, Vestergaard, Bednarek, Soares, Romeu, Hojberg, Ward-Prowse, Boufal, Adams, Djenpro
CC: What's your score prediction?
SFCP: 3-1 Saints
CC: Thanks to Tom for giving us a better insight into the thoughts of Southampton fans before the game. It's time to take a sharp breath and hope that Southampton are not quite as good as they have been in some games and that the AFCB that has goals a plenty turns up at St Marys. While there may be noises from both managers about the 3-3 being too open last season, I get the impression that we might see both sides trying to go goal crazy again, especially when the prize of sitting on 10 points will be a great one to have at the end of the game.
For more talk from Southampton FC Podcast go and have a listen to their latest podcast - South Coast Derby Special - so it is a derby then!
Podcast: SaintsFCPodcast
Twitter @SaintsFCPodcast
This week I caught up with Tom Parker who is one of the hosts of Southampton FC Podcast. We have crossed paths a few times when talking on the airwaves at TalkSport, so I though it was about time that I invited him on to our Rival Lines section to tell us why Southampton are yet again likely to cause AFCB some problems!
CC: What are the fans' feeling about Ralph Hasenhüttl and his style of play for his team?
SFCP: It is safe to say that after a few duff appointments the Saints' board have chosen a manager the fans can really get behind. Ralph is someone who plays a fast, aggressive style of football with a high press. It's thrilling to watch and with the young players we have it promises to be an exciting season ahead.
CC: Who were the main new signings that the club brought in last summer?
SFCP: Che Adams was one of the top scorers in the Championship last year and while he is yet to score he is clearly crucial to the high press Saints are trying to play. He just needs a goal and I think that will come against Bournemouth.
Djenepo is the player grabbing all the headlines with two contenders for goals of the season already. Fast, skilful and strong he is being tagged as the new Mane and if he is half the player he was then Saints have got a bargain.
Finally Kevin Danso is a previously unknown to Saints fans but is a full Austrian international left sided centre-back. He has had a steep learning curve but looks solid and comfortable on the ball.
I'd expect all of the above to play against Bournemouth.
CC: You have played two of the clubs that finished in the top six last season already, so do you feel that Southampton will have a better season that they had in 2018-19 having got in amongst mid-table?
SFCP: Last season was awful until Ralph took over but after a strong start Saints fans will be hoping that is a distant memory. We appear to be defensively stronger and in 4-2-2-2 have a system that plays to our strengths. It is clear that the players have bought into the high-press, high-intensity style of football that Ralph wants us to play and this bodes well ahead of a difficult run of games in the coming months. Overall, there is a lot of positivity among the fans who are excited about what lies ahead for the team.
CC: Which result have you been most pleased about so far this season?
SFCP: The 1-1 against Man Utd was an important one. We showed that we could come back from the disappointment of conceding an early goal and held out with 10-men against a team that would normally get a winner against us. The team showed a lot of character and it is no surprise that Ralph celebrated the final result as if it was a win.
CC: Jannik Vestergaard seems a big physical character and defends very courageously like Virgil van Dyke - do you see many similarities?
SFCP: I'm afraid not. Jannik is an enigma. A big man but not particularly strong or good in the air. VvD is the best centre back in the world... let's just say Jannik is a little way away from that!
CC: Which striker do you think will score most goals for you this season?
SFCP: Che Adams. Fast, aggressive and with a wicked shot. When they start to come for Che they won't stop. He just needs to get a lucky first goal!
CC: James Ward-Prowse scored some great goals last season, has he been playing well of late and do you think he could get into Gareth Southgate's England squad?
SFCP: Unfortunately JWP has reverted to type and doesn't seem to have carried last season's form into this one. That said his set pieces still cause a problem and his work rate is to be admired. His versatility is also important, enabling Saints to shift their shape to 5-3-2 by slotting in at right-wing back. There is no doubt of his talent though and I'm sure he will be in and around the England squad for years to come.
CC: How highly do you rate your keeper Angus Gunn?
SFCP: Before we let Forster go to Celtic we had three keepers, all of which could have staked a place for the number 1 spot. Gunn has it firmly for now and is showing himself to be an adept shot stopper, making crucial saves against Man Utd and Sheffield Utd. England has a glut of good keepers at the moment but I think you'll see Gunn in the full squad soon enough.
CC: What are the fans' feeling about Ralph Hasenhüttl and his style of play for his team?
SFCP: It is safe to say that after a few duff appointments the Saints' board have chosen a manager the fans can really get behind. Ralph is someone who plays a fast, aggressive style of football with a high press. It's thrilling to watch and with the young players we have it promises to be an exciting season ahead.
CC: Who were the main new signings that the club brought in last summer?
SFCP: Che Adams was one of the top scorers in the Championship last year and while he is yet to score he is clearly crucial to the high press Saints are trying to play. He just needs a goal and I think that will come against Bournemouth.
Djenepo is the player grabbing all the headlines with two contenders for goals of the season already. Fast, skilful and strong he is being tagged as the new Mane and if he is half the player he was then Saints have got a bargain.
Finally Kevin Danso is a previously unknown to Saints fans but is a full Austrian international left sided centre-back. He has had a steep learning curve but looks solid and comfortable on the ball.
I'd expect all of the above to play against Bournemouth.
CC: You have played two of the clubs that finished in the top six last season already, so do you feel that Southampton will have a better season that they had in 2018-19 having got in amongst mid-table?
SFCP: Last season was awful until Ralph took over but after a strong start Saints fans will be hoping that is a distant memory. We appear to be defensively stronger and in 4-2-2-2 have a system that plays to our strengths. It is clear that the players have bought into the high-press, high-intensity style of football that Ralph wants us to play and this bodes well ahead of a difficult run of games in the coming months. Overall, there is a lot of positivity among the fans who are excited about what lies ahead for the team.
CC: Which result have you been most pleased about so far this season?
SFCP: The 1-1 against Man Utd was an important one. We showed that we could come back from the disappointment of conceding an early goal and held out with 10-men against a team that would normally get a winner against us. The team showed a lot of character and it is no surprise that Ralph celebrated the final result as if it was a win.
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SFCP: I'm afraid not. Jannik is an enigma. A big man but not particularly strong or good in the air. VvD is the best centre back in the world... let's just say Jannik is a little way away from that!
CC: Which striker do you think will score most goals for you this season?
SFCP: Che Adams. Fast, aggressive and with a wicked shot. When they start to come for Che they won't stop. He just needs to get a lucky first goal!
CC: James Ward-Prowse scored some great goals last season, has he been playing well of late and do you think he could get into Gareth Southgate's England squad?
SFCP: Unfortunately JWP has reverted to type and doesn't seem to have carried last season's form into this one. That said his set pieces still cause a problem and his work rate is to be admired. His versatility is also important, enabling Saints to shift their shape to 5-3-2 by slotting in at right-wing back. There is no doubt of his talent though and I'm sure he will be in and around the England squad for years to come.
CC: How highly do you rate your keeper Angus Gunn?
SFCP: Before we let Forster go to Celtic we had three keepers, all of which could have staked a place for the number 1 spot. Gunn has it firmly for now and is showing himself to be an adept shot stopper, making crucial saves against Man Utd and Sheffield Utd. England has a glut of good keepers at the moment but I think you'll see Gunn in the full squad soon enough.
CC: What did you feel about the way Southampton played away at Sheffield United - a team that Bournemouth draw at home with on the first day of the season?
SFCP: We rode our luck a little but in the end we did a very professional job. The team switched its system at the start of the second half and from that point on we felt more comfortable. Players like Romeu and Hojberg do a great job in difficult away games and they were vital against Sheff Utd. Overall it was a very professional performance capped with a wonder goal from Djenepo making for a very satisfying day for the away fans.
CC: Which Bournemouth player do you think Southampton have to be most worried about?
SFCP: SFCP: Ryan Fraser always gives Saints problems. We struggle to defend against pace and he has that in spades.
CC: It was an absolute cracker the last time these two teams met at St Mary's. How do you think Southampton might have improved since that 3-3 draw?
SFCP: That game had the air of a crazy end of season one. I think Saints will be much more disciplined defensively and it'll be a lot tighter. Saints will rightly take Bournemouth very seriously and the opportunity to go third (for both teams) should mean it'll be a great game.
CC: What's your prediction for Southampton's starting line-up?
SFCP: Gunn, Danso, Vestergaard, Bednarek, Soares, Romeu, Hojberg, Ward-Prowse, Boufal, Adams, Djenpro
CC: What's your score prediction?
SFCP: 3-1 Saints
CC: Thanks to Tom for giving us a better insight into the thoughts of Southampton fans before the game. It's time to take a sharp breath and hope that Southampton are not quite as good as they have been in some games and that the AFCB that has goals a plenty turns up at St Marys. While there may be noises from both managers about the 3-3 being too open last season, I get the impression that we might see both sides trying to go goal crazy again, especially when the prize of sitting on 10 points will be a great one to have at the end of the game.
For more talk from Southampton FC Podcast go and have a listen to their latest podcast - South Coast Derby Special - so it is a derby then!
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