Yeah but we're not likely to ever to be competing for the league title are we? Also disagree about the attracting players point. The places we shop... the players will join any PL team if the money is right, they just want to be in the window. Whether it's Saints/Stoke/WBA doesn't make a huge difference to them imo. Also I'd point out that winning a cup gets you into Europe. 8th place doesn't.
That's the point though, we are not a big club and the best that we can realistically be is an "Everton", occasionally qualifying for the EL and possibly winning a cup. We are never going to be a City or Chelsea without major investment and i'm not sure I want us to be like them. Our place is a club that does things the right way, living within our means and developing our own players.
Even when pellet wasn't scoring he physically bullied CBS. He held up the ball well and we could go direct. I would argue that our good run without him was due to a change in approach that teams weren't prepared for
He was getting more credit for the defensive performance (and I include Romeu's work in that) earlier in the season, but this recent spell has seen us take big steps back in that department, as well; we're actually on pace to have our worst defensive season since our first year back in the PL. Puel will likely get more plaudits if and when this turns around.
How negative and defeatist. I have no idea. If you'd said 18 months ago Leicester would win the league most people would have laughed at you. Aside from that there are possibly some early signs (declining TV ratings) that the Premier League bubble may not be sustainable. That could mean a major shake up of the game in this country. Neither winning the League Cup nor finishing 8th would make that much difference by itself. I would say that in our current position as a club maintaining our position in the top 8 for a 4th consecutive season would be more of a sign of progress than winning the League Cup and that a player is more likely to want to sign for a team that consistently finishes near the top of the league than a team that happens to have won the League Cup. The Europa League has nothing like the pull the Champions League does.
-7 goal difference makes very grim reading. The Goals For and Goals Against tables look dire as well.
Leicester was a one off. Won't happen again for at least 2 decades probably. And I stand by the sort of players we go for don't care what PL team they're signing for, obviously top 6 excluded. And yeah EL doesn't pull like the CL... but makes a difference to a small club like us.
Completely agree with beefy that the board isn't helping Puel at all. For them to even consider sacking him before giving him money to spend on a striker would be utter madness. (I know this won't happen). I really do feel he's got his hands tied at the moment, we're limited by the squad we have. We're in a transfer window now and that has to change. Also, Les saying about how Fonte won't leave unless we've bought a replacement - well he's not playing, so he's as good as left, we need that replacement now. Yoshida is having a great season but heaven forbid if him or Van Dijk get injured. The board have been great for the past few seasons. Selling players is disappointing, but we've brought in some right talent. Now it's not working, clearly, and hopefully we have a slight change of tactic in the transfer market. I still trust the board, but Puel needs some help with boosting the squad.
Fair enough Bill. To help me you could have said that we miss having a strong squad, rather than we miss Pelle. Perhaps that's where I misunderstood your point
I can't believe people aren't excited about a potential trip to Wembley. A cup final should be considered a big achievement for a club like us.
Even more so because I wasn't alive for our last major cup win. I'm trying not to build myself up for disappointment though, long way to go!
Indeed. Despite everything we're a draw and a win away from our best season for a whole generation of Saints fans. Also feels like the next natural step in our progression.
Good post Yep, all those that hate the league cup and think it's a waste of time will suddenly be up for it
This poor streak is doing my marriage a lot of good for the very lovely Mrs Godders said to me today "It is just as well you don't break my heart as often as the Saints do or I would have kicked you out years ago". I am safe for a while then.
I'm excited about a potential trip to Wembley, but I would say that " a club like us" should make the occasional cup final. From 2000-01 on, the following teams have reached at least one final in the cups: Arsenal Birmingham Blackburn Bolton Bradford Cardiff Chelsea Everton Hull Leicester Liverpool Man U Middlesbrough Millwall Palace Portsmouth Southampton Stoke Sunderland Swansea Tottenham Tranmere Villa Wigan West Ham So with 64 finalist opportunities over that span, there have been 25 unique finalists; It's why I'm not terribly enthused about having good 'cup runs' unless they end with a Wembley appearance...it's very much an attainable possibility in any given season if that's a focus.
Just took this from the BBC match report. Chin up people. Positive signs for Saints Southampton fans should not be too disheartened by the result. Four league defeats in four makes for bad reading, but there was little to fault in the display at Turf Moor.
