Saints v Sinners

SOUTHAMPTON

 -V-

DONCASTER ROVERS

Southampton, they're doing pretty well this season.  Leading the league, fantastic at home.  Thank goodness we're playing a team in form again.

Doncaster can't handle these sides who are allegedly not that good.  Their game is obviously designed to trip-up more cultured opponents so watch out Southampton.  This one is not 3-points in the bag!

Rovers did beat Southampton back in December of course.  Deservedly too as well by all accounts.  Billy Sharp grabbed the all important goal.  Let's hope that that is not the story tomorrow.

SOUTHAMPTON

He needs an opportunity to play but that's the competition we've got.

Billy was the top man at Doncaster but he's joined us - there are good players here - Nigel Adkins

By not playing Billy Sharp, a player who could, and (lets face it) sometimes did make the Rovers team by being able to walk on match day, the Saints are just showing off.  But that is the nature of the beast we face tomorrow.  They do have that strength in depth.  Billy will get his chance with the Saints and when he does, I'm fairly sure he'll take it.  

Well, time to depress myself and evaluate Southampton.  Going forward and you see why Billy isn't getting starts.  Guly Do Prado, Adam Lallana and of course Ricky Lambert are three very good reasons.  Do Prado fires in some great crosses for Lambert to feed on and Lallana arrives late behind that front pairing to great effect.  Really good to watch and very effective.

The Saints attack from everywhere though as the second goal scored against Hull in mid-week showed.  José Fonté broke through the defence and set up Jos Hoolveld to score.  Its not often you see two centre-backs combining like that!

While Hull didn't do badly against the Saints, Millwall really pushed them.  A few weaknesses in defence were shown up, most notably difficulties in dealing with Millwall's corners.  Unfortunately, I think Millwall pose a much bigger physical threat that Donny, but there were corners that were not well dealt with.  Millwall also caught Southampton a little narrow at times and put in some dangerous crosses in the process.  

But its small comfort.  The Saints move the ball so well and Rovers will need to be very aware of what the players off the ball are doing.  There's plenty of movement and plenty of ability to hit that movement from just about anywhere on the pitch.

DONCASTER ROVERS

Four points from safety with a game in hand - it's a miles better position than we were in a few months ago.  . Dean Saunders

Miles better?  Its better Dean but miles better?

Its been a week where Rovers' fans, if they are anything like me, have just been asking why?  West Ham and Reading, two sides who, along with the Saints, will be fighting for the automatic promotion places in May, were faced by a determined team with no lack of skill.  Derby and Millwall were faced by a bunch of individual woses who made schoolboy errors and really didn't want to be there.  Why?  That's what Dean has got to answer.  This sort of performance stops the team from progressing because they have to waste time in training re-doing basics that they should all know.

Dean hasn't pulled many punches in criticizing his team's schoolboy errors, but does he know why its happening.  I hope so and that he knows what to do about it.

I just watched the Millwall highlights, saw something and so went back and had a look at the Reading game.

Against Reading, a particularly desperate, but successful piece of defending saw the three defenders involved give each other a little pat on the back.  A great save from Ikeme earned him a pat on the head from Tommy Spurr.  Then against Millwall.  A bit of a tantrum in the defence after the first and third goals; a great save from Ikeme (every bit as good as the one against Reading) followed by a smart piece of defending from O'Connor and not one piece of acknowledgement between the players.  Are we only friends when we're winning?

Of course, I only see the briefest of highlights.  But I hear evidence of this in the commentary, Stick together lads.  Arguing amongst yourselves is certainly not going to help.

Anyway, we'll see what Saturday brings.  I wouldn't advise anyone to bet on the Rovers at the moment.  But I wouldn't bet against them either!

Enjoy the game everyone.