Southampton At Newcastle The Carabao Cup Semi 2nd Leg Preview Tuesday, 31st Jan 2023 07:45 It's the do or die part of the Carabao Cup Semi Final, we travel to St James Park to take on Newcastle in a game that many of their fans think is a foregone conclusion after their 1-0 win at St Mary's. Newcastle United were once a team that most loved, in the 1990's early 00's they were an exciting team to watch and the spirit of their supporters was admiral given a lack of domestic trophies. No one envied their lot under Sports Direct and Mike Ashley, but when the Saudi Arabians rode into town, things changed, some would say that you can't blame their fans for suddenly embracing their new owners despite the questions being asked about them morally.
Some Saints supporters found the attitude of the Geordies questionable when it was publicised that so confident were they their team were already at Wembley before a ball had even been kicked in the 1st leg, many were snapping up train and hotel packages to London for the weekend of the final from travel agents in the North East, even though there was a no refund policy on these bookings. Now we go up to St James Park to try and silence the crowd and claw back the deficit and indeed go on and win the tie overall. Ironically I felt that we actually have a better chance with that 1-0 deficit in the cauldron of the Toon than we would have if we had gone up there 2-0 up. That may sound strange, but if we had taken a lead up there then they would have had no choice but to attack us from the off, a 1-0 lead leaves them in a little limbo, do they try and kill the tie off or do they sit back and hold the lead.
For our part the longer we can go without conceding a goal the better our chances get, the crowd will become nervous and we will have a chance to go at them on the counter attack, but this time we may take our chances. So Saints travel yes as second favourites, but we are still in the tie, unlike Nottingham Forest who seemingly go to Old Trafford with the chances of scoring 3 or 4 slim. I hope that Nathan Jones picks a team to firstly dig in and then secondly attack on the break. My team would be . Bazunu Lyanco, Caleta-Car, Salisu Diallo, Lavia Walker Peters James Ward Prowse, Alacaraz Adams , A Armstrong. Subs Caballero, Bella-Kotchap, Bednarek, Elyounoussie, Edozie, Mara, Orsic, Perraud, Maitland-Niles.
The strange thing for me over the past week was that Romeo Lavia was not started in the 1st leg, but played 87 minutes against Blackpool, I think key to us having a good chance in this one will be having him fit and able to do a full shift, you have to question whether he can do that after almost a full game only 3 days ago. But I think this is a starting line up that can work hard and can also go quickly on the break and that will be key, also we have a strong bench, all the players on it are experienced and can and have done a job this season for the club. Some of our own fans have written us off before a ball is kicked, that attitude has to change at Southampton FC, if we are to progress, we have moaned our way through 9 years of what on reflection has been perhaps the most prolific period in the clubs history bar the 76-85 era.
We have had 4 top 8 finishes, plus 4 semi finals and 1 cup final, not to mention 2 Europa League campaigns. Now that is not a bad period for any club, I for one have enjoyed it, I take the rough with the smooth and do not see the grass as always being greener. I go to St James Park with hope, perhaps we will win, perhaps we will lose, but I would rather be up at Newcastle playing in the semi final of the Caraboa Cup than anywhere else. After all that is what we go to football for, those days when suddenly hope becomes triumph and we find ourselves in a cup final, yes perhaps I will find myself crying in my beer in a Tyneside pub after the game, but I would rather be there doing that, than being on social media telling the world how bad this football club is.
6 years ago we went to Liverpool at the same stage of this competition and for those there it was one of the best nights of their Saints supporting lives, I wouldn't have missed that for the World and I pity those that felt unable to justify going and supporting their team. Hopefully this will be a repeat of that night, but if it isn't we march on, we have the memory of that magical night against Manchester City a few weeks ago to remember, better to have loved and lost is the old adage, better to have played and lost is just as relevant in football. Photo: Action Images Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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