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Southampton At Tottenham Hotspur The Preview
Saturday, 4th Oct 2014 10:52

Saints head to North London and a reunion with their former manager Mauricio Pochettino, that means the focus must be clearly on the game itself and not issues from the past six months.

It will be hard to mention this game without bringing up the Pochettino aspect of it, indeed for those Saints fans at White Hart Lane they have to focus on the team rather than hurling abuse at the Argentinian who a little over six months ago was seen as a hero at St Mary's and is now very much public enemy number 1.

Yes on reflection Pochettino was never one of the warmest characters in the annals of Saints history and despite his protestations this week I always felt that he saw Saints as merely a stepping stone back into the game after his sacking at Espanyol.

We should thank him for the work he did for the club, he moved us forward as did Alan Pardew & Nigel Adkins, but he had taken us as far as he probably could have and perhaps he knew that as well.

Now we have Ronald Koeman and the feeling amidst Saints fans is that we now have a manager who truly can become a Saints legend, already he has shown that in signing players, bonding a full squad rather than a dozen or so players and having different tactics for different situations that he is a step forward as well, just as much as the previous three managers were, sometimes fate takes a hand and although it didn't feel like it at the time, fate was dealing us a better hand than the one that we already had.

So the focus on this game should not be what our old manager might have done or abusing him, it should all be on Ronald Koeman and what he is going to do on Sunday.

Going to White Hart Lane won't scare Koeman, both as a player and a manager he has taken his teams into far more daunting arenas, the only question is what he sees as his best team to combat Spurs and what tactics he will use.

From this perspective it should be fairly easy to read,after all Pochettino is famous for setting up his teams in one way and one way only and having no plan B once plan A starts to fail,Koeman is famous for exactly the opposite, he knows that Spurs will come at us and press, but likewise he knows that if that doesnt work then Saints have the options to change the game.

The only real question this week, assuming that there are no injuries that we are unaware of is how he sets up his midfield, wide it is hard to look beyond Mane and Tadic and they certainly can cause Spurs problems, but it is what he does in the centre that is up for debate.

Morgan Schneiderlin seems to be a given, although that is perhaps because of his overall form and perhaps Koeman will feel he needs a rest, although I think the Dutchman will consider that Schneiderlin has a point to prove and will be key.

But who will fill the other two spots, with JWP out it is a choice from Steven Davis, Wanyama & Jack Cork, will Koeman feel he has to win a battle in the centre of the park first and then impose himself on the game, or will he think that we can out pass them from the off.

My feeling is that Wanyama will again get the nod and he will be partnered by Davis with Cork being held in reserve, if Saints can weather the early storm then the longer the game goes on the more pressure will be going on to Spurs, Pochettino is under pressure from Spurs fans who are not only not happy with their so so start, but also know that if it had not been fo a last minute winner at West Ham, they would now be 15th and even that position is only held up by slaughtering QPR at home when they scored half of their seasons goals in one game.

Guessing Koeman's game plan is never easy and that is why he has already imposed himself on Saints, but you do feel he will know that this game is crucial to Pochettino and Spurs in that it could be a turning point in their season, if Spurs win then they will jump up the table and be handily placed to build on that start, but lose it and as previous Spurs managers have found out, it will be hard for the team to play as you get pressure from three areas, from the boardroom, from the fans and from a plethora of ex managers who are pundits in the media.

So Koeman will realise this and try to use it for his benefit, he knows that his team go into the game full of confidence and at the top of their game, if they can replicate their form of recent weeks then there is absolutely no reason why we cannot take another big step forward.

Unlike last season though there is a structured path for Saints and although it is inevitable that the Champions League will be mentioned if we do win, the fact is we will concentrate on continuing to focus on the same areas that we have done so far.

I expect Saints to line up.

Forster

Clyne, Fonte, Alderweireld, Bertrand

Tadic, Wanyama Schneiderlin Davis, Mane.

Pelle

Subs Davis, Cork,Gardos, Targett, Long, Reed, Mayuka

That is as strong a team I have seen representing Saints for many a year and there is still Jay Rodriguez and James Ward Prowse to come back from injury, Im sure whatever the result at White Hart Lane it will continue to make Saints fans proud.

Key Man

Sadio Mane
After two games to get his bearings, I think he could be the man to rip Spurs apart.

Photo: Action Images



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slynch added 11:10 - Oct 4
A more balanced article than of late, well done. For those who think they should react negatively to MP or are unsure, I suggest you watch how Ronko receives him and take your lead from that.
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Saintsfaninoz added 11:22 - Oct 4
Agree with your lineup. You have Davis on both the bench and as a starter. I'm guessing you are expecting him to start? In an away game, I like the idea of two holding midfielders in Wanyama and Schneiderlin with Mane as an ALM and Tadic on the right (perhaps towards the middle??). The options on the bench are great. If we have the lead, the Jack Cork can fill in the central midfield as a steadying influence; if we are behind or level, Long is a great attacking option with his pace against tiring defenders. So far this season Spurs have shown little incisiveness in attack (except against a poor QPR). If we are level at HT, then look for Koeman to exploit the nervousness of Tottenham's back-line.
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ThereIn76 added 12:05 - Oct 4
The Davis on the bench may be Kelvin . . .

I can see Saints looking to get the ball forward quite quickly. Teams that did this to us last season usually did well as it makes a high pressing game ineffective.
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landsdownsaint added 12:33 - Oct 4
I will be giving Mopo a warm reception,he gave me a fantastic season of football!
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WestSussexSaint added 12:39 - Oct 4
The team seem to favour a counter attacking approach and if Spurs are trying to make a statement by pushing on in the early stages this could fall nicely into our hands. If we go one up we should have the confidence then to go on an win as we know MoPo's teams can't come behind.

On the "revenge" point surely the best form will be at the end of the season by finishing above 8th (and hopefully Spurs). 3 points tomorrow helps this of course but a defeat or draw should not signal the doom mangers to raise to get a head of steam up.
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SaintDownUnder added 13:10 - Oct 4
Huge game and although I respect MP and the players he has at Spurs but I actually think their style will suit us. I expect us to sit deep and allow them to have possession and the try and hit them on the break, basically we'll play like those teams saints struggled against last season under MP.

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SonicBoom added 14:23 - Oct 4
Agree with all of that but all your sensible comments seem to be those of a neutral.
Fans were p'ed off with MP and more so when he came back to unsettle JR and MS.
Maybe ignoring MP would be best but fans want to have a go and let him know what they think. Fans are just not that grown up Nick.
Also I'm concerned about Long. Nick last season you berated the club over some signings (Forren, Mayuka) and considered those fees wasted. So far we have paid 12 mill for a sub. Seems a strange one. He doesn't even make the line up at home. Surely we could have used that money better. He was almost our record signing and he doesn't get in the team.
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Consigliere added 20:26 - Oct 4
Don’t cry for us Pochitono
The truth is we never liked you
We’re through our bad days
You’re non-existence
Now keep your distance
2

Saintsfaninoz added 09:24 - Oct 5
@Therein76: Lol, I didn't think about that!! you are correct, of course, KELVIN Davis, not Steve.
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