To be fair, picking the right result in every premier league game is tough. I reckon his overall strike rate is about as good as anybody's.
At this stage things certainly do look worrying, tbh I always had Reading to do better than us this season, they have been preparing for the Prem for a while it was no accident that they went up, we were quite lucky really. I don't think it would be the end of the world if we did go down, we certainly have the funds to go straight back up again, but really the 3 weakest teams in the Prem last season went down, apart from Wigan the teams that remain are all highly ambitious with a lot of support and money. Reading and West Ham did very well towards the end of last season, better than we did really, without more signings there is certainly little chance of us staying up. However situations change, there are always teams which do worse than expected and by the end of the season we may be lucky enough to pip them and avoid the bottom 3. I'm not ambitious about next season, but i'm not going to be cynical either, just take it one game at a time. All I know is that throwing money at so called 'experienced' premier league players does not guarantee success, only the right kind of players will benefit our team in the long run.
The reason why every pundit predicts Saints will be relegated is because Southampton is in the South, and we don't play proper football down here. We do boaty things and go for picnics in the New Forest [actually, that's true], so we can't support a half decent football tyeam, let alone one with ambitions. I think there's a measure of rubbing Nicola Cortese's nose in it too, because he hasn't endeared himself to the tabloids [good for him, I say], and Nigel Adkins is so damn positive they can't believe he can back it up. My two pennyworths..? I think we shall do quite well and manage mid-table, this season. I also think there will be a big push for success over the next few seasons, to establish Saints as top 6 side, which means that the squad is going to be thoroughly overhauled. Cortese and Adkins are not joking here, they are deadly serious. We haven't come back to be cannon fodder.
I sincerely hope your right, despite my previous negative post I have been really impressed by the ambition of Cortese, he really has turned our club around in a short space of time. I also don't think we have had a bad pre-season, Udinese are nowhere near the 'poor' team people think they are and I think that criticism of them is just based on prejudice most english fans have towards other leagues. Udinese are not a poor side, and even so it was just a friendly, if we are taking friendlies seriously then surely we should be pleased with how we performed against Wolves who have retained most of their side they had in the Prem. People are quick to criticize Saints, and I really hope the pundits will be eating their words come May, but I just can't see us safely avoiding relegation as things stand.
I'll tell you want I really think at Christmas. In the meantime I am full of hope and optimism. People think we are the Southampton of old, no ambition, no money, a selling club and surviving each season by the skin of our teeth. Well they are all in for a surprise and a bloody great big one at that. Nicola means what he says and we fans need to share his ambition. Saints fans need to acquire a new mind set. We are not there to make up the numbers and to be cannon fodder. We are the real deal and very soon a number of PL club chairmen will be cra**ing their pants and the media will be backtraking on their opinion of us very fast. To hell with waiting untill Christmas I will tell you now. I think we will be 8th in the PL at the end of this season.
The feeling is mutual old chap. Things are starting to look up just a little bit for you. No shysters hanging around and a good chance that at last your club will be run by people of integrity who place great store by the reputation of your city. I hope they pull it off and you can look forward to a much brighter future. If they do then I will mimic the kids of today:- respect man
Yes indeed, nice positive post StG. I think Saints fans memories are often extremely faulty. Most of us have listened or watched Cortese's interviews, and he doesn't beat about the bush. Also, when he had one of his season ticket holder dinners, and FLT attended, he said that Saints would absolutely not be relegated while he was in charge, and that there were serious ambitions for the future. Now, you either believe this stuff or you don't. I would say, both StG and I are believers because we've seen the evidence, weighed up the pros and cons, and realised that the only reason for doubt is in our own heads, as Saints fans of old. So we'd better become new Saints fans, and leave the cheap and cheerful baggage in the past. So I echo StG's suggestion that all Saints fans need to get a new mindset. It may be tough going for a while, but Cortese will take the necessary action to ensure any blips don't become disasters. We all love Nigel, but it's Nicola who is the most important and significant cog in the substantial machine that is SFC.
People will be very surprised come the end of the season,ie,May.I think we're going to outplay many teams,the team is gonna give there all and try to win every single match as any team would do. This new Southampton as TSS has pointed out many times in some of his posts, the new saints marshilled by Nicola Cortese and Nigel Adkins are looking to establish the saints as one of the top 6 teams of England,it's all talk at the moment,but don't you worry they will succeed.I am sure of it. Pundits have been quick to dismiss our chances of survival this season, they just use the generic thinking process that 90% of all pundits do (the teams that go up don't go down). I've read all over the internet,that Saints and Reading will go down and West Ham will stay up...why?They have signed some good players, but so have we and Reading.Some people are just ignoring some of the players that we've signed.Clyney and Davis were great signing so was Jay Rod,three of our four signings were from the football league, so I guess, they just don't know much about them due to this fact. We've got a great midfield and a great strike force,in my opinion they are better than Norwich,West Ham,WBA,Swansea,Stoke,Wigan,Reading strike forces. I don't think that we will go down, I think we'll finish 12th to 15th.
Make no mistake,Cortese is a man on a mission.He is always true to his word. Udinese are a quality,quality side,they finished 3rd in Serie A yes,3rd...I was expecting us to lose about 3-0 so I wasn't far off. I don't think it will be an easy ride as I think that the Premier League is a very,very unforgiving league and some people underestimate it. I just don't think that we will be the worst or 2nd worst or 3rd worst side in the PL, I am sure that there are a few other sides that are worse. P.S-Let's hope that Wigan go down, I can't stand that club.
we will finish 11th i am going to put my money where my mouth is.....i have no reason to disbelieve Mr Cortese in his ambition for our club. Mark Larwo is lazy in is perdictions as said above ourselfs and Reading will not go down....Swansea,West Brom and Wigan for me.
Reckon Villa will do well to stay up this season. They truly have the feel of a club who've had their day - there's a rot there, and I think a relegation may do them good. They can't attract the players they need anymore, and have an itchy trigger finger of a chairman. There is a massive discrepancy between their view of what they are as a club and what they are in reality. Paul Lambert truly is there only hope, and that's a worry. They have lost all hunger as a club, and frustration is rife amongst their fans. I don't know why people don't rate West Brom. They've been amongst my favourite Premiership clubs over the last few seasons, and can really beat anyone on their day. Extremely nice to watch, some brilliant players, and I suppose the only question mark is an untested manager - but given his experience and influence at bigger clubs, I suspect it's not going to be a massive problem.
I think Spurs are going to have a disappointing season too. AVB is awful, and if he does replace Modric with Meirelles (rather than signing a replacement for Modric AND Meirelles) that is just lunacy. What is it with these Portuguese managers signing up half the Portuguese national team, including has-beens, wherever they go? In my opinion, AVB doesn't have what it takes.
I think AVB got harshly treated by Chelsea. He was under orders to freshen up the side and move the old guard on, when he tries to do this he gets sacked. Think it could be a similar story with Di Matteo, although at least he has been given more resources to replace the zimmerframe brigade.
Phil McNulty sends us down - http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philmcnulty/2012/08/my_premier_league_2012-13_pred.html. Post your best McNulty abuse below. Tomw, no need to bother we've already read yours on the comments.
