We're still doing massively better than I ever thought. At the start of the season, would I have been shocked at losing away to Bristol City and Doncaster? No. We had a wonderful, wonderful start of the season, but it was never going to last - and I never started believing otherwise. For me, it was always going to be a case of keeping in touch with the top 3 or 4 come the January transfer window, and then seeing what Cortese and Adkins do - and even after today's loss, that is still going to be the case. Top 6 would be great, great achievement for us, and by definition you do drop a reasonable amount of points along the way if that is how your season turns out (cos if you didn't, you'd probably be top 2).
I was not surprised to lost at Bristol , new manager & he had started to turn it around . I am however very suprised not to even get a point against Doncaster . Agree we are still doing very very well , but where would we be if it wasn't for our stunning home form , and that won't last ( Probably ) .
We'll have to go on a pretty bad run to finish in the play-offs, by which time we'll have no momentum and would probably lose in the first round. If we want to go up, it's vital we hang on in there in the top two. Also, after our start, I don't think finishing in the play-offs would be a 'great, great achievement'.
This is no joke. I said we would lose against BC. We would win against Hull. We would lose at Doncaster. Draw against Blackpool 1-1 And lose at Pompey 2-0! Said all that to a mate of mine! Away form dramatically needs to improve!
But that's just it, it's a start. It's not like these defeats to City and Doncaster have come 30-odd matches into the season. I honestly would still call a top 6 finish a good season. By the same account, it's also unlikely to be the 39th or 40th game of the season that we get kicked out of the top 2 (in which case, yes we would go into the play-offs lacking confidence and momentum etc). It could conceivably happen after the 26th or 27th game, so there would still be 20 games left to play. Spending 90% of the season in the top 2, only to finish in the play-offs would be very damaging. But spending basically the 1st half in the top 2 and the 2nd half in the play-offs would not be.
I was staggered that we lost this one. Against Hull on Tuesday night, the team melted away as a striking entity as soon as Lambert came off but I was still surprised that Barnard was not given much of a chance to find some form. judging by the commentary on Radio Solent, we were abject and Adkins definately got his tactics wrong. Over the last few weeks I have been amazed by some of the comments posted oj this board regarding the forthcoming derby. I always thought that the was never going to be the shoe-in that some had anticipated albeit I have always felt that a draw is the most likely scenario. However, if you can't beat a team like Doncaster then a superior club like Portsmouth will be a worry. There has been a tendancy to under-estimate Portsmouth on this website and I wonder if some of these same voices will be quite so confident now? Assumning that Lambert is still unfit in two weeks time, I think that the result might be a bit of a disappointment.
Tuesday proved Hammond, Schneiderlin and Cork cannot play together! So why did he choose to pick the three again. Barnard should've started with Guly! For gods sake this is embarrassing losing to teams like them!
Just my opinion, but looking at Barnard on the pitch vs Hull, I really wasn't convinced that he was match-fit - and in that case, I completely understand why he didn't start today. But it once again goes back to my point about how badly we need another striker.
I think that Cork has been much less effectual over the last few weeks as he was at the beginning of the season. I'm not so sure that Hammond requires such criticism as I think he has steady if not spectacular. You often find that he is involved in the build-ups whenever we score and the negative comments have been a bit unfair. Have to agree about Barnard not looking match fit and it is a shame that Connolly is out injured again as I felt he has been one of the better players for us this season. Think a lot of people here don't seem to appreciate just how good Connolly has been, esepcially in the beginning of this campaign.
Any reasonable Saints fan would take finishing in the play offs, but I still think that we have enough to get automatically promoted, mainly because we have the points on the board. We have to lose 3 in a row to fall back into the play off picture and rival teams are consistantly dropping points too. I think that we missed Rickie's presence and Chapper's energy today and I think that there will be a couple of new faces on the bus in January, definately a quality striker/targetman.
One thing that has become clear over the last 10 days - my fellow saints fans haven't changed one bit. One little stutter and many are all doom and gloom. I guess it will take a woman to talk some sense, so...look closely at the table - it will cheer you up. Transfer window coming up - that should cheer you up too. Everyone else has far more reason to be peed off than we do
I wouldn't take the play-offs. I would have at the start of the season but, being 8 points clear, I will be very disappointed if we don't finish in the top 2.
