It is not often that I have to write a preview for a semi final, so the message is going to be all about positivity !

Since the Ugly Inside first appeared on the streets almost 29 years ago prior to this year we have only had one semi final in a major cup competition in all that time, therefore I am surprised that so many Saints supporters on social media can't seem to raise any enthusiasm about it.

This perhaps illustrates how football has changed over the years, even 14 years ago for our last semi final the buzz was there, yet this week so any people seem to have lost focus on what supporting a football club is all about.

The attitude that seems to be going around is that Claude Puel is the worst manager we have ever had, this squad is relegation fodder and it just isn't entertertaining, add to that the myth that over the years we have always been this freescoring side that had fans queuing around the block to watch and you have a funny atmosphere these days.

I cannot believe that some fans have not bothered to go to one or both of this semi final, I cannot believe that they have lost sight of what being a football supporter is and what it means to support your team, although I will say its easy to understand wh some would be so blase about this semi final after all when you are playing in them every 15 years or so it's a terrible expense.

Well the loss is theirs, if we get a result and get to Wembley then it will be a very special game, one only experienced twice before by Saints supporters in our entire history, but if we lose at least those in Anfield will know that they have backed the team.

So it doesn't matter what the team is or who or who isn't fit, it is a cup semi final those at Anfield are Saints supporters, we would rather get behind the team without the negative vibes that some would bring.

There will be plenty of time for post mortems for this season at a later date, but for now I just want to see my team play at Wembley and have the chance of winning a trophy, I for one am not going to let anything get in the way of that, why would I want to miss a rare chance of glory because I think the manager is clueless.

Every player goes out there today wearing our shirt, we want them to do so with pride and leave the pitch having given their all, but we in the stands have to give our all as well.

Form is temporary and class is permanent, we have had issues this season but tomorrow night is not one of them, win or lose we have got as close to winning a trophy as at any other time bar 2013 since 1986, that is an achievement and shows the club is moving forward.

So come on Saints we are only a draw away from Wembley, all we ask is the manager puts out his strongest team and it does it's best, if Claude Puel does that then that will do for me.

Photo: Action Images

ThereIn76 added 08:54 - Jan 25 Absolutely. We're one match from Wembley, two from another venture into the Europa League. Even if Virgil can't play tonight, those players that do will give it everything. Liverpool are beatable and it's good that we don't have to get a better result in the away leg than we got in the home leg. COYS! P.S. Hope the team's been practising penalties. Tadic's one on Sunday was the first convincing one he's taken.

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GeordieSaint added 09:46 - Jan 25 Destiny is calling! Come on lads, lets make history.
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SanMarco added 10:24 - Jan 25 " I cannot believe that they have lost sight of what being a football supporter is". I think I can - It has always been about emotion, any test of true 'fandom' is about passion not intellect - if you are listening on FiveLive and they say "There's been a goal at St. Mary's" - that automatic feel in the gut of hope/fear. I think the modern game with its endless talk, saturation coverage, business models, huge salaries and dodgy financial interests has been squeezing genuine emotion out for years - how many people now see a goal as an opportunity to be in the crowd reaction shot on Sky? The whole language and meaning of the passion has been corporatised. All these managers who now perform in their 'technical areas' - Lawrie and Cloughie sat on their chairs in the dugout (if the latter was sober enough to get to the ground at all). Younger fans have been socialised into all this and see the antics of Conte and Klopp as normal. Sadly, tonight will feel like just another game on the tele for many - when we last went to Anfield for a SF in 1987 surely the Liverpool manager didn't have to 'talk up' the importance of the competition beforehand. Also for those not lucky enough to get a ticket on 1 May 1976 it would have been the first time they had ever seen Saints live on TV - something that wasn't repeated until the 90s. Tonight will be the second of three live Saints games in a week - and for some perhaps not even the most important of the three given the need to stay in Sky/BT EPL. Yes being a football fan was sh**e in the 60s and 70s too but seeing it in the flesh was the only way you could see it and, for all of the problems, there was atmosphere and the emotion was less mediated and commercialised. I know I am still a fan because I feel real hope and fear for tonight. I will have a genuine emotional reaction to whether we go through or not - and I will watch with the sound very low so Sky doesn't mediate it for me... PS almost forgot - we need to score 2 and we are through - anything less and I think we may struggle. Apologies for the rant and if we do get through I hope that those that have attended the matches get full and proper priority for Wembley tickets.

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Bettwsresident added 11:16 - Jan 25 "I know I am still a fan because I feel real hope and fear for tonight. I will have a genuine emotional reaction to whether we go through or not - and I will watch with the sound very low so Sky doesn't mediate it for me... " Absolutely. Food will be cooked early, kids will be in bed early (although 6 year old might be allowed to watch it) I was at SMS for the 1st leg and still pinch myself that we are only taking a 1 goal lead, but if can manufacture half the number of chances and convert most of them we will sail through to Wembley...COYR's! Same game plan as at SMS, hold, hold hold ....break...Romeu was superlative in switching defence into attack. Only concern is lack of VVD. He is an absolute rock who can rip forward (as he did in the first leg) no matter how promising Stephens is, it is a weakening of the team.

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SaintJez added 12:14 - Jan 25 if VVD really is badly injured as is suggested then it is a huge blow and a massive night for Stephens, not to mention Yoshida. If we are to succeed tonight, we need our midfield and forwards to step up and realise that they need to put in a big performance and make Liverpool worry about our threat rather than us spending all game only worrying about theirs. We will obviously have to soak up pressure but when we get it we need to be dynamic and ruthless. Punting it upfield and trying to hold out won't get it done. We are better than that. We need to be better than that!... COYS!!

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bstokesaint added 12:28 - Jan 25 I want to dream, honestly I do. But I think I preferred the more subdued "not a chance" atmosphere attitude of the last round, followed by the euphoria of not quite believing we'd done it (as well as the less positive we could have done more). It's quite rare, but not even the most optimistic of Saints' fans I knew thought we would win that first leg. It'll be one hell of a big ask tonight, especially without our main man. It irks me massively that Liverpool "fans" in the office are almost celebrating VVD's expected absence from the team, almost like a signing. I really want to think the almost impossible and Liverpool won't be able to beat us, but as another Saints' fan so brilliantly put it on Twitter after the last leg "for Southampton fans it's the hope that kills us."

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dixiefrog added 12:40 - Jan 25 I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past, the squad united as one and the fans dreaming of a cup final, nothing gets better than this. Play up Saints the same as the first leg and I predict a mighty win.
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steve73 added 15:15 - Jan 25 I think we've got a fair chance of doing this but we need to be ready. Worst scenario is that they blow us away in the first 20 but I think our cagey, low risk football may pay dividends for once. Be typical if Claude picked this to be the game where we go for a full-on attack and he ends up getting pilloried for being too flamboyant...It'd be a typically Saints thing to do. Having said that I'm thinking we'll ease through with another comfortable single goal win, can't wait!

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simmo400 added 15:23 - Jan 25 VVD out for 3 months. Going to be a long season now. Doubt whether he will pull on a Saints shirt again. Best get the replacement in now before the prices rise will the 50 million rumoured we will receive for him.
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SanMarco added 16:03 - Jan 25 It seems that the VVD rumours are true - why haven't the club told us? It is obviously a matter of great concern for us all.
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darthvader added 17:05 - Jan 25 Put a bet on a certain Japanese centre back to score our first In a get this .....3 nil win 😁 feeling optimistic now ..about 30 mins from the ground now . Coyr
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darthvader added 23:30 - Jan 25 Oh my god what a game . What a result . So glad we went had a good feeling before hand . OK my bet never happened but to come to Liverpool and win is just amazing .
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