I expect a few other team's heads to go down once we start pinging the ball around. Villa have showed a bit of mettle in the last few weeks, since Paul Lambert got to grips with them, and I don't think they are a poor side. Average maybe, but once Saints started passing the ball around them and they started chasing shadows, that is what killed them. Only sides of the calibre of Man City, Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal, possibly Spurs and a couple of others, are going to be up to that challenge at St Marys. Villa weren't poor. They were made to look poor.
Southampton V Fulham D West Ham V Southampton D Southampton V Tottenham W (surprise!) West Brom V Southampton W Southampton V Swansea W QPR V Southampton L Southampton V Newcastle D Southampton V Norwich W We'll lose to Everton I think, so that means we'll be on 18 points after these games. Not bad-we'll get better as the season goes on and have a good run in.
They're not, they outplayed city in the first half, squandered a couple of chances, then their old defensive weakness came back to haunt them for the goal. Fine margins.
I feel just the same as I did a the start. We will be involved in some ggod results and some shocking results. I wouldn't mind a bet that there will be more goals scored in our 38 games than any other team.
http://www.footballfriendsonline.co...rity-exposes-fickleness-of-football-fans.html Thoughts on how others see us?
To be fair, out of a Not606 Saints forum that consists of many posters, I can only think of about 2 or 3 who were/are over the top with their predictions of gloom for the season. The excuse being to get the opinion in early, whatever that means, presumably so that a cool told you so could be uttered if the predicted doom happened. Sure they are entitled to their opinion, but I see no mileage in continually banging on about it, when there is precious little that can be done about the situation until January. Better to mention it occasionally in passing when offering opinions after matches, and not shove it in posters faces at every relative thread. Most posters on the forum were obviously disappointed with the results, prior to Villa, but realised that it's a long season, and plenty of ups and downs will occur. Indeed, the Villa result might be a high, though I doubt it. Most posters will go with the flow and support the team, occasionally pointing out improvements they personally think could be made, but realising nothing will happen, except better tactics and form will alter results until January.
I couldn't agree more....and as you say it is only 2 or 3. Isn't it curious that they have barely been seen here since yesterday's result?
Are we a little more confident? Umm yeah. Obviously a cracking result yesterday, much bigger test against everton though. Not expecting a result there but hopefully we can press on and beat fulham. What impressed me most yesterday was that we didn't collapse after Villa scored. I think momentum is important for a club and its sometimes difficult to maintain that in the prem. The next couple of games are going to be very interesting.
I don't understand why people think we have a divine right to beat established Premiership teams such as Fulham, who are doing rather well under Jol. I hope we give them a good game and we do have a chance of winning but it is far from a given.
Jenny Not quite sure but wondered whether you were alluding to my previous postings and therefore feel obliged to put the record straight. I have stated over the last few weeks that we would get relegated. Speaking to the Saints fans at work last week, most changed their tune after the Arsenal performance when they conceded that we would struggle at this level. If you also ask fans of other teams in the PL, those I know all expected Saints to put up a good fight, pleay some attractive football and utliamtely go down. In response to your post, I have been contributing this weekend and I did state that yesterday's result was a good performance. But for the period of 15 mins after Villa scored, we controlled that game. I will reiterate my point that the four new additions did add quality to the team that had hitherto been missing from the earlier matches even if we did play well against most Manchester clubs. The result yesterday was encouraging but before we get carrried away, I emphasize that Villa proved to be a particularly poor squad. They will struggle this season if they continue to play like that and Irealnd aside, they looked out-classed man for man against us. You might like to check to see what else I have posted this weekend and you will see that I have hardly been a shrinking violet. Football is all about opinions and the fashion with which we were taken apart by Arsenal was worrying. As I said, the interesting factor will be just how poor the teams in and around us will be - this wil have an impact on whether we can stay up. I will be more than happy if I am proved wrong but I think it may have come as quite a bit of a shock as just how good the best teams in this league actually are. Thank you. Ian
