http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features...ans-has-more-faith-their-manager-southamptons Poll from FourFourTwo showing that no team in the PL is as happy with their manager as we are. No surprise really.
Perhaps losing the only two league games against sides who finished above us last season? I know they were away from home but if you look at the form and the players I still cannot fathom how Spurs won that game. They probably had only 1 or 2 players that day who would have got in our side And perhaps there is an element who have not judged themselves happy because of who we have played vs. who is to come. I disagree with that approach as I am pretty sure the poll was based on what has happened so far
http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/article/20141121-gallery-saints-train-for-villa-trip-2097036.aspx Gallery from OS. Pelle looks happy.
Come on Everton, WBA and Swansea. Wins/draws for them and a draw for Arsenal and ManU would make this a nice Saturday. Be fantastic to go into Monday's match knowing that a win would improve our position on some (or preferably all) of our rivals.
I think this Monday evening game has really been to our advantage with so many players coming back from international duties and a couple of niggly injuries that may be playable by Monday
Yes, I agree. I like in-the-week evening matches as well. I shall be tuned into Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Football. No doubt Claridge will be on and he's as enthusiastic as they come.
Soccer Saturday talking Saints and where can we finish... Nicholas - 5th or 6th Thompson - 4th or 5th Merson - 7th or 8th Le Tissier - 1st - (later revised to 4th) Stelling - 3rd or 4th
He changed it to anything above 8th bearing in mind our summer, but plumped for 4th. Jeff Stelling went for 3rd. What I really enjoyed was what Meson said: I know Southampton are second, but they really are the second best team in the League. He then went on to praise us as did the rest of the panel.
See above what he said about us. He certainly rates us...like some, he just feels that we may not have the depth. As Toby said, some clubs will win playing 80%, but we have to play 100%.
These are the stats from the Oddschecker site. Makes good reading for us. . Aston Villa have failed to score in six of their last seven Barclays Premier League matches and netted just once in the other game in that run. •This is Southampton's best ever start to a top flight season, surpassing last season's 22 points at this stage. •Southampton are the only team in the Premier League who have dropped no points from matches where they have been leading this season, winning all eight. •In contrast, Aston Villa are one of two teams going into this matchday yet to recover any points after falling behind. •Four of the five goals Villa have scored in the Premier League this term have been netted in the first half and they have not netted after the 50th minute at all. •Southampton have allowed fewer shots on target against them than any other team in the top flight this season (24). •Southampton have scored the joint-most goals from substitutes this season (5 along with Newcastle). •Saints have kept five clean sheets in their last eight Premier League visits to Villa Park. •Aston Villa have fired in the fewest shots on target in the Premier League this season (23). •Villa have scored with just 7% and hit the target with just 30% of their shots this season, both divisional lows.
From the Guardian Hardly an acid test for high-flying Southampton Even Albert Hofmann would have struggled to envisage a home win here. Southampton are solid and slick and have the best defence in the league, while Aston Villa have not scored in six of their last seven league matches and for this match they will be deprived of their best striker, Christian Benteke, as well as their best midfielder, Fabian Delph still being out, and possibly their best defenders, with Ron Vlaar, Philippe Senderos and Alan Hutton all doubts. So if you are partial to some boos on a work night, head to Villa Park around closing time on Monday. P
