Leicester only because they have a good group of players and the money to add more in January; they haven't been up to snuff, but if there's one team that could suddenly find its way and go through a stretch of 2+ months unbeatable, it's them. I doubt that they can, though. West Ham can definitely catch us; in fact, I'd say that they probably will, ultimately. Birmingham is another possibility, but they have been inconsistent, and their 2011 schedule is difficult: Blackpool away, Cardiff away, Hull away, Doncaster home, Palace away, WHU home, Blackpool home. That's four away games and several tough opponents...if entering January they're 12+ points back (currently 14 back with two in hand), can they make a run? Definitely possible, but not at all easy.
I think leicester may come good but only after pearson has settled and by that time, i think they will be too far adrift and i dont think they will be capable of pushing for autos. Birmingham, i feel are the team to watch, at the moment while there in europe there not able to give full focus on the league, when they are, i reckon they will put a big challenge on and they still have plenty of games in hand.
As someone said we may hopefully have already had our blip with losses at Cardiff and Leicester and some draws. In both our losses we picked ourselves up and played better in 2nd half. I don't think we will have a prolonged poor spell as Adkins has them focused on taking one game at a time. Confidence, but not overconfidence, will do us well if we fall behind or lose a couple of games.
Yep. Think we have come so far now, that the confidence and determination the team (and management of course) have cultured would need a meteor the size of the moon to dislodge it. I keep coming back to that fine Adkinism, 'we don't too high when we win, and too low when we loose'.
Let everyone cling to the hope that we're bound to slip up and there is no way we can stay top,we'll just go about our business and prove them wrong.Think it's easy just to say that we'll slip up without knowing any of the facts about our team and how good Nigel is,a leeds fan saying they slipped up so that means we will? hmmmmmmm.The big difference between teams like us and leeds is that we have Nigel,i just think the man is a genius and he'll have planned for every situation already.I'm normally one of the biggest pessimists going but for some reason this team and especially Nigel has turned me around and i've got every faith that we'll finish top,that's not being arrogant,it's just about having faith in our current set-up which is a rare thing for a southampton fan.Also i have seen 16 teams this season in this league and i have seen nothing that makes me think - bloody hell we'll do well to stay above them! there is nothing for saints to be scared of.I'm not being biased but Southampton have been the best team i've seen,god that sounds arrogant but please don't take it like that,it's just my gods honest opinion.COYR!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm not too worried about West Ham, for the reason that the prize for finishing 1st or 2nd is exactly the same. Lowering your gaze slightly further will show you that we are 8 points away from 3rd place and that, quite frankly, is dreamland.
This league is so unpredicable! Speaking from past experience we (Cardiff) have been top at Christmas many times in the past and still haven't managed to get over the finish line. A few losses/draws will see you slide back down the table. Good luck though your doing well and i would rather see you go up than West Ham or Birmingham. Some teams seem to think that because they've just come down they have a defined right to go straight back up, but they are in this league for a reason!
Just making a point, but Saints are 13 points ahead of 7th place (14 if you add a point for goal difference) and 8 ahead of 3rd place ( 9 if you add a point for goal difference). I honestly think Saints are to far ahead already to slip out of the top 2 all season, even if are form is just good/average for the rest of the season. Only saying this because even if Saints do slip, I just cant see anyone doing well enough to make up the points.
I would prefer Boro to beat WH and fo us to keep winning to increase the lead to 8 points Sounds much better. lol Personally I think we should be able to get 7 points from the next 3 games. West Ham I would think would be happy with 5 or 6 from their next 3!!!
This is a very strange league this year there is only 11 points from being prospective relegation targets to being promotion hopefuls. As so many people have said anyone can be beaten by anyone. Which in someways highlights saints credentials as to promotion hopefuls. They are not only a difficult team to beat but are paid enough respect to give them the chance of getting a result.
I'm just enjoyng the moment. In my 45 years following Saints I have never known us to lead a division like we are now. I have no idea if we will stay there. Right now, to paraphrase the great Brian Clough, we might not be the best team in the division, but we are in the top 1. Long may it last COYS
Heh, I'll take a comfortable second over a nervy first any day of the week. Last thing I want is to go to Boro away for the second-last game with the season hanging in the balance.
THIS exactly....2 teams are going to have to be unbelievably consistant, even if our form dips a little (which I really can't see happening). We have the best team and are improving with time and experience, I don't honestly see 2 teams overhauling us as we won't make it easy for them, but fairplay if they do.
I`m convinced we will go up. Normally, teams need 2 points from every 3 to go up - we`re 5 ahead after a third of the season. 8 points and 13 goals better off than third place. The games we have dropped points in (except Reading), we probably should have got more out of (more possesion, more efforts). Has anyone seen a better team team or squad yet this season ?. WHU are nothing special. Sure others may strengthen in the window - so will NA. We already have cover in almost every position in case of injury/loss of form - I suspect he`ll bring in another striker though.
To be honest i have seen a better team this season but then the only game i have seen you this season was against leeds so cant really comment on that. All im trying to say is that you cannot expect your season to continue the way it has, you could go on a terrible run and struggle to get back to what you were. The key word is expect, im not saying it wont
And of course, Saints are actually better than when they played Leeds. I wouldn't dare say that we will never have a barren spell, but I am heartened by the fact that we are still growing as a team.
Going back to the initial question ... West Ham aren't "storming" the league because they haven't won all of their matches. The belief that a team that a "big team" dropping down from the top flight should automatically bounce straight back is likely to be their own undoing. Those with long memories will recall Man U absolutely blistering the old second division in 74/75 after their relegation. Newcastle did much the same recently. But for each of these examples there are other clubs who have dropped like a stone ... Aston Villa, Man City, Pompey (come on, they had been big!) and of course dear old Saints. Remember singing "We're only here for a season"? Well we nearly were relegated! Frankly, I'm surprised that West Ham have done as well as they have given the state they seemed to be in. And of course as signed up member of the 66 fan club I'm also pleased by their form, especially when they lose 1-0 at SMS! As for our Leeds friend, your message is sound. But don't worry, we Saints never count chickens until they are hatched and even then don't trust we've got it right. Years of being disappointed takes its toll.
