Now that we are at the business end of the season and games are coming thick and fast it is likely that there will be some shock results as teams near the bottom strive to avoid the drop. With the top three all having six games left it is looking more and more likely that our home tie against Reading could be a real nail biter, with conceivably both teams on the same number of points going into the game. All the teams have some tough games, with arguably Saints having the easiest run in (both Reading and West Ham have to play Brighton and Birmingham), although Reading are the best current form side but have the smallest squad, could lots of games in a short space of time exhaust them? Can West Ham, whose defeat against Reading has left them cut adrift, use all their experience to get them back in the race and put disappointment behind them? Southampton - 82 points Sat 7 Apr 13:00 Portsmouth (H) 2-2 Mon 9 Apr 15:00 Crystal Palace (A) 0-2 Fri 13 Apr 19:45 Reading (H) 1-3 Tue 17 Apr 19:45 Peteroborough (A) Sat 21 Apr 17:20 Middlesbrough (A) Sat 28 Apr 12:30 Coventry (H) Reading - 85 points Leeds (H) 2-0 Brighton (A) 0-1 Southampton (A) 1-3 Nottm Forest (H) Crystal Palace (H) Birmingham (A) West Ham - 76 points Barnsley (A) 0-4 Birmingham (H) 3-3 Brighton (H) Bristol City (A) Leicester (A) Hull (H)
I think with our result on Saturday we've made it a bit more difficult for ourselves, closing a 6 points gap for West Ham is do-able for them and I can't see Reading dropping too many before the season's out. I'm just praying us and Reading go up through the auto's. One thing's for sure, this bus ride is about to get very bumpy!!
Well we were always likely to have one or two off days, it is how we react that is important. I did the Championship predictor earlier today and managed to have ourselves top by one point with West Ham and Reading both one point behind with the same goal difference but the Hammers clinching second by number of goals scored!
Even if we win on Saturday and both Reading and WHU do as well, people will be brighter because there will only be five games to go and less games to trip up. Be confident people. Saints are just keeping you on your toes.
I've got faith that we will get there but instead of doing it by winning all our remaining games, and therefore being comfortable, we'll do it by picking up draws and maybe a loss or two, and letting the others catch up - but I am confident that we will do enough to get it done. COYR!!!
Totally agree with TSS. This is derby day panic because we so badly want to beat the skates. We will be fine. Just remember Reading have two very hard away games us and Brighton. They will blip again as they did at Posh and as I said in another thread our squad is much better than theirs. Simple!
Not panicking at all, I am confident but I still think we could drop some points along the way; especially against Reading but I think they have some tough games against Brighton and Brum whereas I have a sneaking suspicion that WHAM may win 5 of their last six and grab second.
Exactly...at this point, it's all about clearing games from the ledger without losing ground. The Reading game might have a big say in determining the team to lift the trophy, but it's no more or less important than the other five in the chase for promotion. Even if West Ham suddenly gets it together and posts five wins and a loss through the end of the year, our path to promotion isn't dire: win one of the two games against Portsmouth and Palace, win one of the three games against Reading, Peterborough and Middlesbrough, beat Coventry. Don't lose any game by six or more goals.
I see Reading dropping points away to Brum and Brighton (one loss, one draw) while I see WHAM drawing with Brighton at home whilst we draw with Pompey and lose to Reading. Even if we did then we would still finish top despite losing to Reading and then it would leave the other two on exactly the same number of points!
After seeing that WHU defiantly have the toughest run in and we have what looks a little easier then readings. I just hope we can get 6 points fro the next 2 games and then even if WHU win then too we only need 2 wins from 4 to guarantee. It looks promising but is going to be nail biting!!
If the gap is still six points after this Easter weekend, I think we'll be there. With just 12 more points available at that point, it would be some ask for West Ham to pick up seven more points than us (or should that be, a complete and utter blow up from ourselves?). This is the weekend (albeit an extended weekend) that West Ham have to make their move. The must go to bed on Monday night with that gap less than six points, in my opinion.
I love all this looking at fixtures and trying to guess who wins here and who loses where i can remember doing it when we were trying to avoid relegation from the prem it usually starts about 10 to 12 games from the end the only sure thing about it is that it never always goes to plan and all sorts of things can and often do happen
Yeah, I remember reading Mark Lawrensons relegation predictions around 1997; "Sit back & relax, come the end of the season, Southampton will be relegated." He did pretty much the same every year until the one we actually did go down. Facepalm-to-thatchhead
Wikipedia tells me that it was either named after an Anglo-Saxon tribe or a Celtic word. Whatever it is, it makes playing Monopoly a cringe-worthy experience, because everyone mispronounces the railroad of the same name as if it's the lo-fi version of the Reading Rainbow or something.
It's the same with the word read. As in: I will read a book, and, I have read a book. Same spelling, different pronunciation.
All the games are going to be tense and nervy. It may cost us against Pompey and Palace but come into effect against Reading in a postive way. Then onto the two "boros" (win and a draw).
If Birmingham score stays the same, then their game against West Ham on Monday practically becomes a six pointer. For the pride of coming third.
