Topic: Spyin' Kop Southampton preview

[Armin]

After a week which most Liverpool supporters would prefer to forget perhaps the best tonic for wounded pride is another game.  It might also put our season in some form of perspective, for our next opponents have not been having a good time of it.  Liverpool are off to the South coast to the St Mary's stadium and a Southampton team that are perilously close to the bottom of the league. 

An injury to Kevin Phillips and the recent sale of Beattie has weakened the side and Harry Redknapp must surely be hoping to bring in more players to strengthen an injury depleted squad.  Nigel Quashie has already followed his former manager from Portsmouth, another controversial move between two bitter rivals.

Liverpool will also have to cope with a lengthy injury list.  Steven Gerrard is out of the game with a groin injury and yesterdays display doesn't bode well for a midfield shorn of Alonso and Gerrard.  Jamie Redknapp is sure to want to put in a good display against his old side, lets hope that our players can step up to the task.

For our match preview this week we asked Keith from www.saintsforever.com for his thoughts on the two respective sides.  RAWK would like to thank him for taking the time to give us a different perspective on the upcoming match.

On with the questions:

RAWK: How is the season shaping up?

Keith: We are 2nd from bottom. We've won two games all season. It's only because the promoted sides are so crap that we've not been cut adrift already. We've seen some truly woeful football. So all in all, a f**king terrible season.


RAWK: What are your expectations for this season? Have they changed from day one?

Keith: All that matters now is finishing 4th from bottom.  At the start of the
season, I thought we'd be comfortable mid table.  That position is like the holy grail right now. 14 months ago we were 4th in the league, we've fallen a very long way and many fans can't deal with it.


RAWK: Who do you think is your most important player(s)?

Keith:  Antti Niemi normally wins us about 10 points a season with his saves,but even he's been unable to stop everything that's been thrown his way so far this season.  Kevin Phillips is on form right now and given the
right service is still a top striker.  The bad news for us (good news for you) is that both are now injured.  Jamie Redknapp looks a good buy though.


RAWK: Your worst player(s)?

Keith: We've had many players who last season were doing fine, have just been awful this season. That's been our biggest problem.  Strachan could get ordinary players to play above themselves. Four managers in a year means those same players have been confused, disheartened and some have bottled it too.  We have missed Michael Svensson in defence a helluva
lot though.


RAWK: What should we (travelling fans) expect in the way of atmosphere, singing and what do you expect from the Liverpool support? How do we compare to rival away fans?

Keith: Atmosphere at recent games hasn't been up to the usual pretty good St Mary's standard.  We were used to relegation scraps at the Dell, but now at St Mary's there is a lot of nervous newcomers who hinder the
atmosphere, not help it.    Most of the "singers" are in the Northam
stand to the right of where the Liverpool fans sit. 

You obviously always sell out your allocation, but have not been the
noisiest visitors in recent years.  I find these days that very few away
sets of supporters really stand out, most tend to be much of a muchness
and fine when their team is winning, but quiet when they are losing.
Think it's the general "new breed" of football fans. (I'm a late 70's
and 80's man myself)

RAWK: Any young up and coming players in the squad that we might not know about?

Keith: Our U18 academy side is the best in the country. Last season they won the Premiership Academy title. This season they have played 18 games and won 17 of them.   Its one of the few bright spots at Saints right now and hopefully many of the talented kids will come through in the first
team in the next year.  Dexter Blackstock and Martin Cranie have already
made debuts and done well, but Redknapp prefers to go with experience
considering our league position.

RAWK: Do you have a particular memory of any previous meeting between us?

Keith: Lots of memories as even through your glory years, your visits to the
south coast often resulted in Saints wins.  I can remember Nick Holmes
hammering a shot in from 35 yards to win a game against you 3-2.  Also
remember Danny Wallace scoring an overhead kick past Brucie that later
won the goal of the season.  I remember a 4-1 victory when you had
previously started the season unbeaten in 89. Saints played four up
front (Le Tiss, Shearer, Rod Wallace & Rideout... what a forward line!).
The most memorable moment was a game we actually lost to you 2-1.  The
goal Saints scored was the best goal I've ever seen.  A 15 one-touch
passing move involving Ball, Keegan and Armstrong ended up with Micky
Channon smashing the ball in.  Best goal ever, but it's hardly ever
shown on telly, which is a shame.


RAWK: What do you make of Harry Redknapp moving from your bitter rivals?  Is he the right man to  keep you in the top division?

Keith: I think he's the right man, he has the experience and gets the best out of players. He's not high on coaching, but players like him and we
needed someone with a big character at the club.  The fact he moved from
Pompey doesn't matter to me.  Makes Pompey fans (skates) as bitter as
hell, if its possible for a Pompey fan to be more bitter than he already
is.

RAWK: What sort of line-up will Harry put out against us?

Keith: Good question, with us being linked to every tom, dick and harry right now, we could have two or three new faces by Saturday.  If everyone is fit, I expect it might be:

Niemi
Dodd, Lundekvam, Davenport, Higginbotham
Prutton, Quashie, Redknapp, Svensson
Phillips & Crouch.

RAWK: Do you have a favourite/best chant(s) and perhaps any that require an explanation?

Keith: "Oh when the Saints" just about covers it.  Do wish you lot would stop singing it.  I expect some highly original teenage Saints fans will sign
"sign on" to you at some point. It was funny once... but that was in 1983.

RAWK: Where do you expect Saints and Liverpool to finish in the Premier League?

Keith: You will finish 4th. We will finish 4th from bottom.

RAWK: Which Liverpool player will you fear the most?

Keith: Steven Gerrard.  He is your team.

RAWK: And your feelings on the new 'Spanish flavour' Liverpool. Rafa Benitez himself and our new recruits?

Keith: Still got a lot of work before you can break into the top three and I'm
not sure you ever will considering their spending power.  Often seems
you wait for something to happen instead of making it happen. You can
bully teams once in front, but get frustrated against teams that sit
deep.  I'm not convinced that Spanish players have the necessary heart
for full blooded English football.


RAWK: Care to predict the score?

Keith: Saints need the win desperately. We have to win.  2-1 to Saints.

Thanks once again to Keith for what I'm sure you'll agree are an excellent set of answers.  We'd like to wish him and his side all the best (after our game obviously).  Lets hope that Benitez can draw the right reaction from his team to yesterdays lamentable display


(C) RAWK 2005

[nidgemo]

RAWK: Where do you expect Saints and Liverpool to finish in the Premier League?

Keith: You will finish 4th. We will finish 4th from bottom.

He's optimistic. You can decide on which point 


Armin - In the Olympiakos Spyin' Kop article I done, I asked them about the move to a new ground, ho it went, affected atmosphere etc - perhaps this is a question you could include to clubs like southampton who have recently moved - it might give an interesting viewpoint...

[Armin]

Armin - In the Olympiakos Spyin' Kop article I done, I asked them about the move to a new ground, ho it went, affected atmosphere etc - perhaps this is a question you could include to clubs like southampton who have recently moved - it might give an interesting viewpoint...

I have included similar questions before but there's a limit to how many you can reasonably ask.  Generally I ask the 'standard' questions and then a couple of ones specific to the game or team and in this case went for Harry Redknapp's arrival as more topical.  I've invited Keith over to have a look though so perhaps he'll give his thoughts on St Marys versus the Dell. 

[slimschutte]

Who said Gerrard was injured? First I've heard of it !!!
I'm certainly not looking forward to going to St Mary's even more if Stevies out.

[SaintsForever]

He's optimistic. You can decide on which point 


Armin - In the Olympiakos Spyin' Kop article I done, I asked them about the move to a new ground, ho it went, affected atmosphere etc - perhaps this is a question you could include to clubs like southampton who have recently moved - it might give an interesting viewpoint...

To answer the point about New Stadia...  The Dell had a "special and unique" atmosphere and obviously doubling the capacity to St Mary's made it difficult to compare general noise levels.  In the first two seasons at St Mary's, I thought the atmosphere was very good compared to other "new grounds" I've been too.    The Cup run of 2003 was probably the best atmospheres, along with the recent local derbies against the Skates.

However, as with many other new grounds, when the crowd is quiet, they are really, REALLY quiet.   The two ends of the stadium sing well as do the corners. The Kingsland stand is like death warmed up. The Itchen stand is full of corporates, so these sections do put a dampener on the atmosphere.

We've obvioulsy attracted a lot of "new" fans, but the biggest problem at the Dell was getting tickets, so a lot of "old" fans who couldn't get in before, have started going to St Mary's. 

Generally, I have to admit the matchday feeling at St Mary's is not up to what it was at the Dell.  I might be showing my age or looking at the Dell through rose-tinted-specs, but our old ground had that history, had character and a general feeling of "belonging".  St Mary's is a helluva lot more sanitised.

Yes, the facilities are great, but I don't go to matches because of the refreshments.  In some ways, the quality of the concourses hasn't helped the atmosphere as many people leave their seats early to queue for beer, and some stay there watching the games on the TV screens.  At the Dell that wasn't the option, so people stayed rooted in their seat.

In summary, St Mary's was the necessary move for us as the Dell was going to kill the club financially.   Really, its the fans that make the atmosphere, not the concrete and steelwork of the stadium itself.   

Like I miss the Dell in many ways, you will definintely miss Anfield.  The Dell was my second Home and St Mary's still feels like an "away stadium" even after 4 years 

[SaintsForever]

Latest Saints teamnews is that Kevin Phillips is defo out with an ankle injury.  Antti Niemi and Peter Crouch will be fit to play.

Either Dexter Blackstock or Brett Ormerod will start up front with Crouch, unless we sign someone by noon on Friday (possibly Jason Euell, aslo been linked with Dwight Yorke (no thanks!!))

[Armin]

I went to St Mary's a couple of years ago and was impressed.  Of the new grounds I've been to it's one of the better ones.  It felt quite intimate and there was a good atmosphere on the day in question.  I never went to  The Dell so I can't compare the two but that had a reputation as a really lively ground and I wouldn't have said that about St Mary's.

It's also in a really weird location - there was a park and ride in operation and it was quite bizarre to be driven through a trading estate to get to the ground.  I'd guess that takes something away for the local fans who previously would have walked from their local.

I think Keith's point about facilities versus atmosphere is a good one.  Its in the clubs interest to maximise the fans spend whilst in the ground, most fans however would trade facilities for atmosphere any day of the week - well I would anyway.  I go to the Reebok stadium quite often and I'm always amazed to see people staying in the concourse watching the second half on screens, what on earth is the point in that?

[nidgemo]

Thanks Keith 

[Brick Tamland]

To answer the point about New Stadia... The Dell had a "special and unique" atmosphere and obviously doubling the capacity to St Mary's made it difficult to compare general noise levels. In the first two seasons at St Mary's, I thought the atmosphere was very good compared to other "new grounds" I've been too. The Cup run of 2003 was probably the best atmospheres, along with the recent local derbies against the Skates.

However, as with many other new grounds, when the crowd is quiet, they are really, REALLY quiet. The two ends of the stadium sing well as do the corners. The Kingsland stand is like death warmed up. The Itchen stand is full of corporates, so these sections do put a dampener on the atmosphere.

We've obvioulsy attracted a lot of "new" fans, but the biggest problem at the Dell was getting tickets, so a lot of "old" fans who couldn't get in before, have started going to St Mary's.

Generally, I have to admit the matchday feeling at St Mary's is not up to what it was at the Dell. I might be showing my age or looking at the Dell through rose-tinted-specs, but our old ground had that history, had character and a general feeling of "belonging". St Mary's is a helluva lot more sanitised.

Yes, the facilities are great, but I don't go to matches because of the refreshments. In some ways, the quality of the concourses hasn't helped the atmosphere as many people leave their seats early to queue for beer, and some stay there watching the games on the TV screens. At the Dell that wasn't the option, so people stayed rooted in their seat.

In summary, St Mary's was the necessary move for us as the Dell was going to kill the club financially. Really, its the fans that make the atmosphere, not the concrete and steelwork of the stadium itself.

Like I miss the Dell in many ways, you will definintely miss Anfield. The Dell was my second Home and St Mary's still feels like an "away stadium" even after 4 years

Excellent response. Cheers for that.

[SaintsForever]

Long story as to why St Mary's is where it is.  For 10 years Saints tried to build a new stadium on the edge of the M27, next to the main London railway line and the airport too.  For transportation it would have been great, although would have been miles from any pubs.  That didn't go ahead because the land was jointly owned by Southampton City Council, Hampshire County Council and Eastleigh Borough Council. One was Labour, One Tory and One Liberal, so no f**king chance of them ever agreeing to it and they mucked us around for years.

Southampton City council got fed up of the blocking they got over the M27 plans, so freed up some land that was previously discounted because of poor transport links.  So the new stadium finally got built only 200 yards from the church where Southampton FC was formed... St Mary's.  Hence the name of the ground and hence our nickname "Saints".  As part of the planning consent, we had to have the park and ride and the club pays for free bus tickets within the city boundary.

I really like the location of St Mary's.  Its in the heart of the city and has plenty of pubs around and only a 10-15 minute walk to the city centre.  The area is one of the roughest in the city (Northam Estate next door), but overall thats not a bad thing as many people outside the city may think its quite a posh place, which it really isn't.  Like Liverpool, our history is the docks and the working class dockers who built the city.   It's sad that so much of the old docks are now stupidly expensive flats (don't get me started)

I've got a pub guide to Southampton (with map in relation to stadium) on my site at this link if anyone is interested:

http://www.saintsforever.com/map.html

[Tarpaulin]

Thanks for that Keith....always sound to hear the views of other clubs fans mate.

Keith: Still got a lot of work before you can break into the top three and I'm
not sure you ever will considering their spending power. Often seems
you wait for something to happen instead of making it happen. You can
bully teams once in front, but get frustrated against teams that sit
deep.

Can argue with that at all mate. Unfortunately.

Any decent Saints forums you can recommend for a good read? Unofficial ones like...

If you'd prefer to IM, no probs. 

[Jim Price]

RAWK: Do you have a particular memory of any previous meeting between us?

Keith: Lots of memories as even through your glory years, your visits to the
south coast often resulted in Saints wins.  I can remember Nick Holmes
hammering a shot in from 35 yards to win a game against you 3-2.  Also
remember Danny Wallace scoring an overhead kick past Brucie that later
won the goal of the season.  I remember a 4-1 victory when you had
previously started the season unbeaten in 89. Saints played four up
front (Le Tiss, Shearer, Rod Wallace & Rideout... what a forward line!).
The most memorable moment was a game we actually lost to you 2-1.  The
goal Saints scored was the best goal I've ever seen.  A 15 one-touch
passing move involving Ball, Keegan and Armstrong ended up with Micky
Channon smashing the ball in.  Best goal ever, but it's hardly ever
shown on telly, which is a shame.
(C) RAWK 2005

Ouch. Remember going down for the 4-1 game, a windy day as I remember it, knew we were going to get beat as soon as we walked out the station. First signs of the defence really starting to struggle against any sort of ball into the box. Some very good forwards playing for them that day mind.

Any recommendation for alehouses on Saturday?

[SaintsForever]

there's my forum at: http://www.saintschat.com

As for away pubs, the ones in the city centre tend to be the most popular with away fans.  See the link in my post above.   The one nearest to the ground, the King Alfred is home fans only these days.   The Eagle is quite good, if a bit small.   Really, most are ok and fans shouldn't have problem getting in. Only ones I'd avoid are The Plume of Feathers and The Kingsland Tavern in St Mary's street.  Both pretty rough.    If you fancy a pint while overlooking the marina, try the Waterfront Bar (number 3 on the map)

[Jim Price]

Sorry, missed the link earlier, thanks for that.

[kennys mate]

I really should think more before pressing the submit button.

[Tarpaulin]

hello i`m new to this sight and surprised to to see a scummer posing on it! i thought is was a liverpool sight? are you a full time lfc supporter,and a part time scummer?you seem to have a lot of info on them,buy the way i live in pompey don`t support them but like them more than you!!

There must be a village short of an idiot somewhere.

 

[Tarpaulin]

Nice Forum by the way Keith....very tidy. 

[18Times]

hello i`m new to this sight and surprised to to see a scummer posing on it! i thought is was a liverpool sight? are you a full time lfc supporter,and a part time scummer?you seem to have a lot of info on them,buy the way i live in pompey don`t support them but like them more than you!!

What's she all about, i think you've fell an banged your 'ed la.
If you can't remember the number to phone its 9 followed by 9 followed by 9

[SaintsForever]

think yourselves lucky you don't have to deal with Pompey people everyday of the week like we do.  They are not all bad, I know a few good lads, but they do seem to have a higher percentage of dicks than the average club.  Bless 'em 

[mr_mad_master]

good as always intrestin how they dont like us singing when the reds go marching in

[Tarpaulin]

P.S - the thread on your forum about the new home kit ideas is good.

[SaintsForever]

yep, the lad in question is a pretty good graphic designer, he's done a few of the avatars on the forum too.  As you will see in his message, he got the eventual design of our yellow away kit pretty much spot on.  As far as I know, our new home kit is pretty much already finalised, but suggestions on the forum can only help nudge the club in the right direction if certain designs are clearly popular with fans.

Don't know why all clubs don't poll fans on kit designs.  After all, its us mugs that end up buying them.

[Armin]

Don't know why all clubs don't poll fans on kit designs. After all, its us mugs that end up buying them.

Fans are far too cretinous to be consulted on such decisions.  If it were left toi them we eould never have such attractive and forward thinking designs as this one:

[SaintsForever]

I am loathed to point out that if any club or player has a hoodoo they want to break... then just play Saints. Because if a team hasn't won for a while or a player hasn't scored for ages, they ALWAYS do against us.

So reading on your main forum that you haven't won in that shirt this season, hasn't helped my confidence for Saturday.  I'm a frail shadow of the man I used to be.  These days, football just makes me nervous.

[Armin]

After the week we've just had I expect the Prozac salesmen to do more business than the hotdog guy at St Mary's   It also appears that fox hunting had been replaced by Rafa baiting following our capitulation in the FA cup so you may not even get in the stadium due to the crowds of hacks that want to see the man that killed the best club competition in the world

[SaintsForever]

Well, I'm obviously delighted with the result today.  We needed that win so badly and for once it showed in the players performance.  That's the best we've played all season by a long way.

Before the game,  I admit I thought Saints would lose considering our line up and that Gerrard was playing. Credit to Redknapp, 5 in midfield worked a treat and our players rattled yours and yours didn't fancy it.

The early goal was crucial and nice of you to leave Crouchy unmarked for the 2nd!   Was a bit nail biting for us in the 2nd half as we sat back more and Baros was a threat on the ball, but Niemi didn't have to make a save, although you brushed the woodwork twice.  Considering we were 2-0 up against Boro until 89 minutes, meant we weren't going to celebrate until the final whistle.

Honestly can't think of a L'pool player other than Baros who stood out.  Even Gerrard was outshone by Jamie Redknapp and Prutton in midfield.  Did Morientes touch the ball ?  Riise was dreadful as was Garcia.  Fair play to your fans for making the trip (stupid bloody sky tv) and singing early on.

Well, thanks for the points, we do need them more than you, especially seeing how the teams around us have done today.  Cheers for the opinions and warm welcome on here, good luck for the rest of the season.

[Bob Kurac]

Yeah. Well. Thanks. And well done.

Now fuck off and let us sulk 

Til next year (if you're still in the same league)

[MichaelA]

yours didn't fancy it.

Ain't that the truth.