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Saints At Leicester City The Preview
Friday, 10th Jan 2020 13:01

Most Saints fans have tucked away that fateful night in October away in some locked part of their mind, never to be recalled, so the game at Leicester is about one thing and one thing only, the future not the past.

That freak result back in October is now erased from Saints fans memories, we look only to the future not the past and in that respect the game at Leicester means just one thing and that is trying to get points that will push us a step nearer securing Premier League safety.

Whether Leicester fans will let the travelling Saints supporters forget it is a different matter, those who followed Saints to Filbert Street back in our time in the old First Division and the Premier League will recall what a nasty bunch they were back then and the shower of coins that used to fly into the away section back then.

Indeed as recently as December when Liverpool visited, the home fans taunted the away section by holding up their mobile phones with a logo of the Sun newspaper.

So we have to forget the past and look to the future on Saturday, all that matters is the now, it will not be an easy game, Leicester are high in the table and hopeful of a Champions League spot come May, but we may be playing a side in the top four, but that does not mean we play a top four side.

This is one of those freak years where four of the Big Six are in transition, Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs & Man Utd are all in disarray, yes they are good enough to still win a game or two and turn it on in the odd big game, but too many of them are full of disinterested superstars and Leicester as they did in 2016 are taking full advantage.

But they are far from unbeatable, they are just the best of a bad bunch and we have to try and catch them at a time when they are looking at having to fight on several fronts as well as the League and we play them at a time when they are having a blip.

In their last 8 matches in all competitions they have won just three times, at Newcastle & West Ham both struggling and at home to Wigan in the FA Cup.

So they are into a hard period where they have to play cup games as well as the League and it is taking it's toll with injuries etc.

It will not be easy but we can achieve a result if we dig in and have a bit of luck, recent results for us have given us confidence and some breathing space, we have to try and make sure that we don't let the sides behind us catch up on us.

As I have said we now need a point a game average to stay up and that is less than we have had so far even given our disastrous spell in the Autumn.

So defeat at the King Power is not the end of the World it is just a set back not a catastrophe and we have to try and get something out of this game even if it is just our pride after October, but a point would be good, three points better, we have dragged ourself into a position that 4 more wins would be enough to see us safe when a 2 or 3 draws are added, that is highly achievable.

The quicker that we get those wins the better, this is perhaps the third hardest game we now face after Liverpool away and Manchester City at home, anything we can get is a bonus even if it is just only our pride.

I Don't expect much different from the side that faces Spurs on New Years Day, the same goalkeeper and defence, in midfield I can perhaps see Armstrong in for Djenepo and then it is a question of whether Ralph goes for two up top perhaps pairing the guile and goalscoring of Ings with the work rate of Shane Long or whether he opts to go with just one in the frontline and pack the midfield.

The first task is to restore our pride, get a grip on the game and make sure we compete, the second task is to get something from the game.

Photo: Action Images



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Peterx added 13:06 - Jan 10
I would like to see Long and Ings up front, give them some pace and pressing to worry about. With Ndidi out they will hopefully be vulnerable.
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A1079 added 13:19 - Jan 10
I would not say that that fateful night in October has been erased, it is just, that overall, the team, the manager and the fans have responded well to it and instead of sliding into the abyss, as they could have done, they have kicked on - but there is a long way to go still and we cannot afford to be complacent. The points are close between 6th and 18th.

Leicester fans will give us alot of grief for many a year to come, but I am not bothered by that.

Leicester are a good side and they have a strong nucleus of a team. Brendan Rogers is a good astute manager.

I think we can get something and I don't care how we get something, as the focus is solely to keep adding to our points tally.
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bstokesaint added 13:31 - Jan 10
I'd love to see that smile wiped off that smug ******* Brendan's face. I'm really hoping that complacency takes over in Leicester's game. We were awful that night but it was a freak result nonetheless. I've seen worst performances from many a side go less punished. We need to focus on the way we have played in the last 7-8 games and Ings has been on fire.
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underweststand added 13:51 - Jan 10
This is the type of fixture where we say in advance - that we'd be happy with one point.
As mentioned above, we can't forget about the 0-9 result but the team have shown that they can get good results away , and so it's up to them to make sure they give then a good showing and having given a positive performance and hopefully all 3 pts..

Whatever happens it'll be good prep. for the Liverpool fixture in a couple of weeks time, as no-one has got any change out of Liverpool this season.
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HythePeer added 15:56 - Jan 10
Bizarrely the nine-nil thrashing has done some good! It has stopped RH from "managing". Stopped have the bizarre team selections, formations and surrender-monkey tactics. We now see a team more like what everybody here has been yelling at him all season. JWP has been pushed back where he can slow down the opposition attacks instead of ours and weird and/or late, pointless substitutions are reduced. I hope I haven't spoke too soon. The last game was awful but being an early cup game that was excusable. Leicester can be beaten but only if he tries to.
COYR
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underweststand added 10:38 - Jan 11
This is a "sort of " revenge match, but it's not about goal tally.
Leicester would have got all 3 points in October if they'd only won 1-0, but Bertrand's early sending-off shocked everyone and the game was already lost at 0-4 after only 20 minutes, we became the "rabbits in the headlights " and the rest was seemingly inevitable.
Ralph changed the keeper and gave us a re-vamped back line has made a lot of difference, and if we come away with any points at all today, it will speak volumes about our revival when you consider the fantastic season that Leicester have had so far.
COYR.

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