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Saints At Chelsea The Preview
Tuesday, 25th Apr 2017 09:30

Saints head up to the capital city to try and drag Spurs back into the title race by taking at least a point at Chelsea.

Saints survived the weekend still in 10th place and with 2 or 3 games in hand over the teams around them, but the problem is that the first of the games in hand is at League leaders Chelsea who will be focused on making sure that Spurs don't get a sniff of catching them.

On the plus side Saints will have Oriol Romeu back in contention after his two game suspension and hopefully Manolo Gabbiadini will be a little fitter after his lay off and return last week.

But the real danger is Chelsea's ability to score, they are fresh from destroying Spurs at Wembley on Saturday and only the North London Soccer Chickens and Liverpool have scored more than their 65 goals this season, thats an average of over two goals a game and the problem is since Virgil Van Dijk's injury we have averaged letting in over 1.5 goals a game.

That seems to suggest that this could be a long night for Saints and certainly one that they will spend a lot of time on their back foot for, however Crystal Palace showed that Chelsea can be beaten, however it should be noted that the Eagles are set up to defend, we are not.

So Saints have to treat this game as a free hit, anything we get will be a bonus, get this out of the way and we then have the remainder of the games that we are capable of getting something out of, but sadly for this one I think the chances are slim.

I am not even going to bother suggesting the defence that Puel should play, I am getting bored of saying the same things and watching the same issues, Puel seems to be accepting that in terms of what the season can achieve it is now over and is happy to cruise through the final games.

I am not I want to see us finish in the top ten and in doing so bring n a big chunk of money towards the transfer budget, I want to see that th manager knows what is needed next season, I'm not sure that he is.

Photo: Action Images



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Sanguin added 09:57 - Apr 25
I’m torn. I really want Saints to win this game but I really don’t want Tottenham to win the league.

I have to say this is the first time I’ve been disappointed in one of your blogs Nick. It feels like you’re setting yourself up to criticise Puel. I’ve always respected your commentary and found your blogs to be balanced, considered and evidence based. If every post from now on will be a thinly veiled attack on Puel for not starting Caceres then it will make for boring reading in the final month of the season.
-1

derbydog added 10:52 - Apr 25
You'll like this Nick! Tonight we match up Chelsea with three at the back: Yoshida, Caceres and Stephens. Bertrand and Cedric as wingbacks. Davis, Romeo and JWP in midfield. Gabbiadini up front with Tadic or Redmond or even Long in the hole.
0

SanMarco added 10:58 - Apr 25
Maybe the plain truth is that Cacares isn't looking any better than the current two. It is only worth playing someone who won't be with us next year if he is likely to be better. Most of those who saw him in the reserve games seem to think he wasn't that impressive.

This game will have similarities with the Man City game in that the longer we keep them out the more nervous they will get. Just as we were entering that territory vs City our central defence handed them a goal and that was that. Hopefully if we go 1-0 down tonight we won't go straight into headless chicken attacking mode - there lies the way to a heavy defeat.
2

redandwhitedee added 11:27 - Apr 25
we will almost certainly lose this game, but at least Nick will be able to churn out his usual mantra of blame Yoshida again, as we all know it is Yosh against the other 11. None of the other players sitting in front of him are ever to blame.
-1

saintmark1976 added 12:26 - Apr 25
Saints being Saints who knows what will happen? All I hope is that the players all turn up as frankly against Man City I got the impression that most of them were already on their summer holidays.
3

SaintBrock added 13:30 - Apr 25
At last one of the press guys asked Puel the straight question about Mr Carceras. He should have kept the "press" on but let him get away with it once again.

Puel's answer.... in a word,... "competition from Stephens"

This is Bullshix at its best.

This is Carceras we are talking about Mr Puel, he of Juventus & Uruguay fame!
5

allsaint54 added 19:32 - Apr 25
Just heard CP's dropped Redmond to the bench & brought in Boufal. What a joke. Redmond has been playing his best football of the season, seems to be that if you score or are playing well you get dropped. CP MUST go.
4

LordDZLucan added 19:37 - Apr 25
Just seen that as well allsaints54. Any chance we had in the game just disappeared out of the window because Boufal defensively is shocking. Thank you very much and goodnight!
3

SaintBrock added 21:57 - Apr 25
Don't get too down about it lads, nothing there that nine new players and a decent manager in the window can't put right.
2


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