Make no mistake this is the biggest game of the season so far, but we go into it better prepared and motivated than at anytime in the last two years.

This won't be an easy game make no mistake, Hudderfield despite their injury problems and poor form will see this game as do or die and they will be prepared to fight tooth and nail to try and beat us.

One thing about them is that they are tight at the back, they have lost the last four only by the odd goal, but their problems are up the other end in scoring them, this doesn't bode well for us in that we leak goals but at times struggle to score them, although the return of Danny Ings not to mention the way that Charlie Austin and Shane Long were used last week suggests that we might be back to scoring form.

Ralph Hasenhuttl will have had another week to get his side that much fitter, that will start to show this week as well as going forward and as Gordon Strachan always used to say a good fit player is better than a good player, tired legs lead to tired minds and in turn poor decision making late in the game.

Ralph seems to have all but Ryan Bertrand fit although he might wish to rest Mario Lemina for another week ready for a tough Xmas programme.

The good thing though is that the Austrian seems prepared to change his team to suit the opponents so it is going to be hard to predict just what line up he will go for this weekend, that has to be good after the predictability of Mark Hughes, who tended to stick with the same core of his team whatever and them make panic selections with the other four places.

Whatever the result in Yorkshire there is still a long way to go this season, a dfeat won't mean we are doomed just as victory won't mean we are safe, but under the new manager you just feel that we are moving in the right direction, we have made some positive changes, things can only get better now and that has to bode well.

Photo: Action Images

schatfield added 17:12 - Dec 21 It will be a tough game but I think we may sneak the win here with our tails quite clearly up after the Arsenal game and the players all battling for a place in this new style team. Predict a 0-1 win for Saints.
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SanMarco added 19:04 - Dec 21 Yes - dangerous to think that this will be easy. If we can carry on where we left off last week then a win should be a real possibility. Not sure I remember the last time we won two in a row - what a lovely thing to take into Christmas that would be!!
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KriSaint added 01:14 - Dec 22 I agree, that this match is SO important. We just cannot afford to loose more points to teams like Cardiff, Fulham and Huddersfield. I hope Lemina will be fit and play from the start, as I don´t think Romeu has enough pace and match sharpness at the minute. (He didn´t track back for Arsenal´s first goal and looked slow-reacting, sloppy and confused for their second goal). Likewise I hope Cedric will be able to play - hopefully from the start - as I think Valery has not yet near enough to offer attackingwise, as a wing back. Assuming Bertrand and Stephens are not yet fit, I´d like to see the following match squad (team formation 3-4-2-1): McCarthy Bednarek, Yoshida, Vestergaard Cedric, Hojbjerg, Lemina, Targett Armstrong, Redmond Ings Bench: Gunn, Hoedt, Valery, Ward-Prowse, Tyreke Johnson, Long, Austin (I find no room for Elyounouissi, Davis, Obafemi, Romeu and Gabbiadini in the squad at this time. If Redmond is not fit, I would pick Tyreke Johnson in his place, as a winger, starting, and have our experienced, all-round midfielder Davis on the bench. If Stephens should be ok, I would put him on the bench in stead of Valery, covering decently for both CB and RB positions and - if needed - DM position). Just my humble opinion(s). COYS! Let´s have our first back to back wins since... I don´t know when.

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