Saints V Everton The Preview
We have to make sure that it is not a Black, but a Red & White Sunday for Saints and leave the Toffee's feeling Blue.
There is not a lot to say about this game other than the result is much more important than the manner of achieving it, if we win we move up the table and buy ourselves some time, but lose it and we are going to have a very nervous December.
Saints have a far better team than recent results have suggested, we are lions led by donkeys to coin a term from World War 1, Mauricio Pellegrino needs to stop trying to force his players into a system that they are not suited to and look to play to their strengths.
With a couple of injuries and suspensions that leaves his options limited, if he want to stick with the one up front option then he has to play Charlie Austin as the lone striker, he has the ability to get on the end of a few crosses.
But preferably for this one he should look to play Austin and Gabbiadini up front and be brave.
He could either play a solid four four two with Hojbjerg and Davis in the centre and then to of Tadic, Redmond or Boufal out wide, or he could opt for three at the back against an Everton side who lack firepower after the departure of Lukaku and new top scorer Niasse suspended.
This formation could actually be the best one for Saints, but is this the game to be that daring for Pellegrino.
The reality for the manager is that if he wins this game then he has bought himself some time, if he has done something different then he might convince both the board and the fans that he might have a future at the club.
However if he just does the same things with the same players, a win might buy him a little time, but the writing will be on the wall and he could be walking a very fine tightrope, certainly it would see his stock with the supporters become almost untenable.
But the priority has to be the result, get threepoints and we are moving upwards and away from trouble, but lose and there is much stormy water ahead.
I would say this to every Saints fan going to the game, remember what we want from our footbll club, if you want it to be a Premier League club then back it on Sunday and keep backing it, if you are going to moan and protest then that protest is better made both in terms of helping the team and making a point to the board, by staying away.
Lets win this game and then see where we are, if we lose then there will be plenty of time to protest at the final whistle.
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