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Jewell Weighing Up Formation Change for Saints Clash
Jewell Weighing Up Formation Change for Saints Clash
Tuesday, 16th Aug 2011 12:08

Town boss Paul Jewell is considering a change of formation for newly-promoted Southampton’s visit to Portman Road this evening (KO 7.45pm). The Blues manager is weighing up whether to move to his preferred 4-4-2 from the 4-5-1 he has utilised in both Town’s league games so far this season.

Jewell was disappointed with the display against Hull on Saturday and says visiting sides increasingly appear to have the upper hand, both in the Premier League and the Championship: “We didn’t play very well.

“Hull have one of the best defensive away records in the league. It’s getting almost easier to play away from home now. I don’t know how many Premier League home wins there were on Saturday [none, although Manchester City won last night].

“It’s getting more and more difficult. Teams - and we’ve done it to opposition sides - sit back and say ‘break us down’ and then the patience aspect comes into it.

“It’s almost easier to play away from home. I want to try and get rid of that and embrace playing at home and really look forward to it.”

That could see a switch to a two-man frontline: “I think possibly we might have to have a look at changing formation, although I think if we’d won 1-0 on Saturday no one would probably have mentioned the formation.

“I think what we’ve got to be careful of doing is putting too much onus on Michael Chopra. I think we’ve got one of the best strikers in the division and we can’t expect him to do it all on his own. We’ve got to give him help and take more responsibility all over the pitch.”

At his former clubs, the Blues boss has generally been a fan of 4-4-2, even if it isn’t universally popular: “I was reading an article by Dennis Bergkamp and he said the biggest crime Martin Jol committed at Ajax was playing 4-4-2. It got him the sack. They play 4-3-3 and whoever goes in as manager has to play that way. If that’s the Ajax way, that’s the Ajax way.

“But I think we’ve got to be more adaptable than that. We talk about systems but it’s still 11 v 11. I like two strikers, even if one drops off.

“Trying to fit people into a team is not easy. You’re trying to think what’s best for the team, not just one player.

“The idea of the three in midfield is to get forward. We’ve got two wide players who you wouldn’t call defensive.

“Chopra didn’t have a partner against Bristol City and he got two goals, no one mentioned a partner then, although I’m still aware we need [to bring in] another striker.”

Jewell says thoughts of the defeat to Hull were put to one side well ahead of tonight’s game: “The frustrations last until Saturday night and Sunday. We can’t let it carry on until Monday, it’s done.

“Just like this time last week. We weren’t basking in the Bristol City game, we were looking forward to another match. Certainly in this league, there are always games to look forward to around the corner.

“If we go into the game feeling sorry for ourselves and being negative, we’ll get beaten. We’ve got to try and be upbeat about the game.”


The Liverpudlian says Town have to get over a nervousness which has developed when they are playing at Portman Road: “Certainly at home, there’s an edginess and a fear factor about us, which has been about us for quite a while, I think, long before I got here. I don’t know why.

“Portman Road is a lovely place to come, but we want it to be less lovely for the opposition. We want it to be a bit more unattractive because they all love coming here.

“But it’s up us, as a team, to get our supporters excited, to get them loud and vibrant and to scare the opposition. That has to come from the team.

“I don’t think the fans have been anything except superb, certainly since I’ve been here,” he added. “We have to give them more excitement at home.

“They pay a lot of money for us to entertain them and quite a bit since I’ve been here we’ve been a little bit disappointing.”

Jewell says the club as a whole needs to pull itself out of the malaise of the last few seasons: “We’ve got that mid-table-itis, if you like.

“We’ve got to try and shake those shackles off. It won’t come easy, it’ll come with winning games and bringing people in and moulding the younger people that we’ve already got here.”

But he warns that there is no quick fix: “I think if we can build the club up and the team up and moving forward together, we’ll be a lot stronger in the future.

“This club has already been in administration once and have seen the pitfalls of that, so if we can grow slowly and strongly, it’s far better.”

Jewell believes Southampton manager Nigel Adkins is assembling a decent squad: “They’ve got good players, Adam Lallana is a quality player and we know we’re going to be up against it. But that’s the way it is and that’s we’re looking forward to.

“I want us to embrace games rather than be scared about them. It’s a game of football and we’re at home. We should be looking forward to it, and I’m sure we will be.”

One Saint he knows well is striker David Connolly. The Irishman, who has scored two goals in two games this season played under the Town boss at Wigan, where he impressed him despite injuries hampering him: “He’s very clever, he’s very bright. He gets his shots off, he can link the play. He’s got a really good football brain.

“Unfortunately when he was with us at Wigan, and since, he’s been blighted by injuries and this is the first time he’s been injury free for a while.

“He’s been in and out of Southampton’s team for the last two years, but he’s always been a threat has Connors. He’s a terrific lad, a very bright footballer and the goal he scored against Leeds was typical of him.

“Him and Rickie Lambert will be a force to be reckoned with and again, it shows you Southampton’s intent when they tried to buy the boy Jay Rodriguez from Burnley for just over £4 million.”

The Blues will again be without central defender Ívar ingimarsson, who is out for around two weeks with a thigh strain. Lee Martin has a tight hamstring but is likely to be OK to keep his place wide in midfield.

Jewell will stick with David Stockdale in goal and the impressive Aaron Cresswell and Carlos Edwards as his full-backs. Damien Delaney and Tommy Smith will continue at the centre of the defence in Ingimarsson’s absence.

In midfield, the Blues boss has choices to make with Keith Andrews perhaps coming in for his first start alongside skipper Grant Leadbitter if Town are switching to 4-4-2. Veterans Lee Bowyer and Mark Kennedy are also contenders but may be rested with the games coming thick and fast at this early stage of the season.

Martin and Josh Carson may well fill the wide roles with Jay Emmanuel-Thomas perhaps playing in the position behind Michael Chopra that he occupied in the friendly at Colchester. Alternatively, the ex-Arsenal man could be wide with one of Nathan Ellington or Jason Scotland making their first league starts of the season.

Southampton boss Nigel Adkins says he and Paul Jewell know one another well: "Me and Paul Jewell are the same age. We were schoolboys at Liverpool together and we played in the same team at Wigan, so I have known him for a long time.

"He has done fantastically in management, what he has done is top drawer and he now has an opportunity to go and do it again. He has had teams promoted from the Championship and stayed in the Premier League and done well there too, so Ipswich have a manager who will give them every opportunity to get back there.

"They are a big football club and as I have said, there are a lot of clubs with aspirations of getting into the Premier League. It's a long campaign and it is about how you navigate your way through it. We have had a good first week, but we won't get too high in the same way that we wouldn't get too low if results go against us a little bit.”

Second-placed Southampton have no new injuries with defender Radhi Jaidi (knee) and striker Lee Barnard (ankle) closing in on first team returns, but midfielder Richard Chaplow is suspended having been sent off in the weekend 1-0 win at Barnsley, which followed their opening game 3-1 home victory over Leeds. Promising youngster Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was finally sold to Arsenal last week.

Historically, the Blues just have the edge, winning 25 games (24 in the league) between the sides, losing 21 (16) and drawing 18 (18).

The teams met most recently in a fourth round FA Cup tie at St Mary’s when the then-League One side ran out 2-1 victors. Wayne Thomas lashed home from distance before Michail Antonio added to their lead, with Pablo Couñago pulling one back for the Blues in the final minute.

Last time the clubs met in the league was at Portman Road in March 2009 in the poor run of form which eventually led to former Southampton star Jim Magilton’s Blues sacking.

The 3-0 scoreline if anything flattered Town with the relegation-bound Saints missing several opportunities in addition to goals scored by Jason Euell (2) and Matthew Paterson.

Earlier in the campaign in Hampshire, the teams drew 2-2 in a bit of a rip-roarer. Goals from Saints Andrew Surman and Tomas Peckhart sandwiched strikes by Town’s Owen Garvan and Alan Quinn.

Southampton’s squad contains former Blues Kelvin Davis and Dan Harding, while Davis’s deputy Bartosz Bialkowski spent time on loan with the Blues during the 2008/09 season without making a first team appearance.

No current Town player has been with the Saints, although keeper-coach Malcolm Webster worked at St Mary’s during ex-Blues boss George Burley’s time as manager there.

Tonight’s referee is Jon Moss from West Yorkshire, who last season showed 87 yellow and 10 red cards in 42 games. Moss’s most recent visit to Portman Road was the derby in April, while he was the official who red-carded Andros Townsend and Claude Davis in the Blues’ 2-1 win at Crystal Palace in Town’s third league game of last season.

Squad from: Stockdale, Lee-Barrett, Edwards, Cresswell, Delaney, Smith, Ainsley, Kennedy, Leadbitter, Bowyer, Andrews, Emmanuel-Thomas, Martin, Carson, Healy, Drury, Chopra, Scotland, Ellington.


Photo: Action Images



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BROTHERBLUE1974 added 12:15 - Aug 16
Sounds like a good idea...
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randomblue added 12:16 - Aug 16
Come on PJ - a backlash from Saturday please - 3-0 home win would be nice!
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fussysnake added 12:18 - Aug 16
Do it Paul! 4-5-1 isnt working out!!!
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Jack_hughes2 added 12:26 - Aug 16
Never a fan of 4-5-1, especially not at home, our strikers in the past few seasons when we've played it have looked deserted, get two up top and form a great partnership on the mould. I think chopra and scotland would be a great team, scotland the big target man holiding up play and flickin it through for chopra to get on the end of, similar to the kuqi - bent partnership!!
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sharvey22 added 12:29 - Aug 16
C'mon PJ switch to 4-4-2.. especially when we're at home!
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Basil_Smallpiece added 12:35 - Aug 16
Average age of starting line-up against Hull was 27 years 4 months.

Exclude Cresswell, JE-T and Smith (the weakest player) and the average age of the remaining eight goes up to just shy of 30 years.

Augurs well for the future.

COYB! FOG!

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MathieandMarshall added 12:35 - Aug 16
I said before the Hull game that i would not be too worried if we played 4-5-1 and i do still believe that the system could work IF played properly (4-3-3 when attacking) the main problem on Saturday was the the fact the the wide men did not get in the game and Chops was an isolated figure chasing shadows. Come on PJ lets have a go at Southampton tonight. Old fashioned 4-4-2 with wingers getting the crosses in! I'd go with Martin and Carson out wide and give JET a try up with Chopra.
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SamWhiteUK added 12:45 - Aug 16
Why is Priskin not in the Squad From?
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bontcho added 12:49 - Aug 16
Not sure we lost on Saturday because of the formation, more the players played pretty poorly. However i think 4-4-2 at home and 4-3-3 away os probably sensible. I'd like to see JET play off Chopra as he says that's his best position. Didn't Bowyer play wide right when he played in that excellent Leeds team? Might be an option.
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Modiaeblue added 12:50 - Aug 16
well against northampton JET was in the attacking midfield role just behind the two strikers as was very good, he tailed off later in the game when he was put out wide. hopefully he gets the nod tonight to either play along side chopra or supporting him through the middle. from what i've seen of mr's scotland and ellington so far, they are very similar players, and neither look massivley effective.
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Mark added 12:51 - Aug 16
I agree, 4-4-2 with Martin and Carson as the wingers could work well. Chopra doesn't like playing on his own up front and JET doesn't like it on the wing, so let's keep them both happy by playing them together up front (or with JET just behind Chopra).

Yes, the age of the team is older then we would like, but Jewell is trying to rebuild Keane's awful team of overpaid flops into a promotion chasing team on a tight budget. No easy task and it will take time.
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Blue_Fred added 12:59 - Aug 16
^^^^totally agree^^^^ JET was central in everything attacking we did 1st half against Cobblers, if Chopra was there to link with I think it could be formidable partnership.

we need a 2 pronged attack to keep defenders guessing, otherwise we are too predictable which makes breaking teams down even harder.
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simonsays added 13:03 - Aug 16
I can see why we pay him good money!
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tom_the_blue added 13:11 - Aug 16
Yes! 442 worked so well under Keane last year, can't wait to see us playing long-ball football with it again.
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daniel9624 added 13:23 - Aug 16
This is one of the few oddities of PJ's Reign. He has made it clear (at some point) that his preeferred formation is 4-4-2. He has had a whole pre-season and overseen a squad overhaul, but still started the season 4-5-1/4-3-3. It seemed a bit odd to me that he didn't put the formation in place and then buy to fit that formation. Hope he does go 4-4-2, becuase with two out and out wingers and a front pairing think we have real threat going forward.
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osborne1nil added 13:34 - Aug 16
4-4-2 should please JAS0999 then, although I am sure you will find something else to have a moan at PJ over.
Unlike RK we are trying to put out a set team and 2 games into the season with 7 new players is too early to expect 3-0 every game! Hopefully a better performance tonight against a tough Southampton team full of confidence.
COYB
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Lightningboy added 13:36 - Aug 16
The problem is that we don't have the players to unlock the opposition defence...yes i've heard all the problems with Bullard - whether they're true or not is to be seen - but he is the player we need if we're to progress out of this league..when he played last season we scored goals.
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ncharles added 13:38 - Aug 16
MathieandMarshall from what I saw it was passing and rund from midfield. It was only when Ellington came on that we were able to put some pressure on Hull and the crowd lifted.

Not that I especially want Ellington on with Chopra! I'm thinking more JET/Priskin behind Chopra and in front of Leadbitter and Andrews.
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ncharles added 13:39 - Aug 16
MathieandMarshall from what I saw it was the lack of passing and runs from midfield. It was only when Ellington came on that we were able to put some pressure on Hull and the crowd lifted.

Not that I especially want Ellington on with Chopra! I'm thinking more JET/Priskin behind Chopra and in front of Leadbitter and Andrews.
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marc96 added 13:46 - Aug 16
Should be
Stockdale
Edwards ingi delaney cresswell

Carson andrews bowyer martin
JET
Chopra

But with ingimarson it has to be tommy smith
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tractorboybig added 13:48 - Aug 16
Paul mate.
Southampton are on a roll and will have a field day if there are not a few changes from saturday.
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StowTractorBoy added 13:51 - Aug 16
If we had the right players I would love us to play 4-4-2 but I honestly don't think we have a decent second striker on the books. Only my opinion but I think Scotland is probably the best we have as he does score a few goals. If we do go 4-4-2 I'd try JET up there with Chops as if nothing else he will be a nuisance. Looking at their line up and our defence is another reason I would go 4-5-1. Smith and Delaney need protection and Soton will exploit our weaknesses if there is not a man in front of them. Whichever way we go we badly need a win tonight but it will be difficult I'm afraid.
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Modiaeblue added 14:01 - Aug 16
i see what people mean about our defence being frail and needing protection, however that then limits our own attacking qualities, and when we go a goal down its very difficult to get back in the game. we're lucky in some respects that bristol weren't up to much on the first day, that allowed us to make the most of their mistakes and michael chopra's quality. however hull were much better organised, and dealt with what we had very well, we only went up a gear when ellington came on because it put the onus on them to defend. southampton are a very good attacking side and if we set up defensively against them i fear that if we go a goal down we won't get into the game.
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Modiaeblue added 14:05 - Aug 16
its also worth pointing that we not a bad team, unlike some of the hysterical posters on here, i was at the game saturday, and we played well first half, its just that hull played well as well. it was only in the second half the performance dipped.
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tractorboybig added 14:15 - Aug 16
modiaeblue
Our performance didnt dip till the second half then? Most teams last 90 mins
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