Hopefully Europe can help bridge the gap again next season (us and West Ham without it, Liverpool and Everton with it), but as I say, I can only see the top seven getting better (aside from maybe Arsenal). Thankfully though there is a lot of improvement that sides like us can do ourselves, without the need for the big sides to mess up. Yes it might not lead to the gap above being closed much, but at least it could re-open the gap below. Us, Stoke, West Ham, Palace, maybe a few others too; we should be looking ourselves first and foremost for the reason for this massive drop away.
Can see Newcastle joining that mini group you mentioned as well to be honest, if not next season then the year after. Have to agree on Palace too btw. Got a feeling Stoke might sack Hughes at the end of the season too... This really will be such a huge Summer for us, as it's not too difficult to imagine a scenario leading to both extremes.
Yeah this summer is big (though I swear I have been saying that for the last few summers) as I really struggle to see us holding onto VVD and Bertrand so firstly sourcing their replacements and trying to ship out a bit of deadwood (J-Rod, Martina, Gardos, Caceres). If they all go, which I don't see as massively unlikely, and possibly a couple more (Long? Clasie? though I would personally like to keep these 2) then we will need a few new players, plus the impending takeover, means if we get this wrong then it could put us right back in the midst of the teams that look to get to 40 points ASAP and anything else is a bonus.
I've just noticed that if Boro fail to win at Stamford Bridge next game (and lets face, you wouldn't expect them to), then going into their next game against us, either they will already be relegated or will have to beat us (as they have to win at least two of their final three). Could lead to a repeat of 2006 (I think - vs Millwall), where the opposition throw the keeper up in the final minute, only for us to break away and score. Although that said, even with an empty net for us to shoot at, I wouldn't be counting my chickens.
Random stat... Despite only being relegated from it once, only Sunderland have spent more days in the bottom 3 than Saints in PL era... #TheGreatEscape
Said it when tv fixtures were announced but can't believe someone thought West Ham v Tottenham on a Friday night is a good idea.
Koeman makes his, now usual, I'm-not-going-to-leave-for-Barcelona-unless-they-ask-me message known: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39802501
Somehow felt that praise was dragged out of you with a gaff....presumably not because of Dalglish, but because it is hard to say anything however loosely positive about Liverpool.
Man City fined 300K and 2 yr ban on signing Academy players (actually only one to be served) for breaking rules.
Koeman to honour Southampton contract despite talk of Everton switch https://www.thescore.com/epl/news/1026225 Koeman has a year left on his Southampton contract, having taken charge in August 2014, and on Friday he told reporters he was in no hurry to leave St Mary's. Asked if his future was at Southampton, Koeman replied: "Yes. I did not expect this question. After this morning, I was surprised. "(I can tell you) nothing, because I am the manager of Southampton. "Everybody knows I have one year left on my contract and we will sit together and analyse this season and we will talk about the future and that is what the news is today," the former Netherlands international added.
Not sure why Snodgrass went to West Ham, he never plays. Now Jose, I understand, he gets a game and was going to play second fiddle to Stephens if he stayed with us
Tbf, I don't think Jose was ever going to play second fiddle to Stephens. Second fiddle to VVD, most certainly. Jack is just very happy to get his chance at last. He actually thought that this season was his final attempt before going elsewhere.
Oh OK. I agree on the Snodgrass bit. Sort of a good player, but if he'd ever signed for Saints I'd think we'd gone a bit soft.
On tonight's game the super computer says: SAM (Sports Analytics Machine) is a super-computer created by Professor Ian McHale at the University of Salford that is used to predict the outcome of football matches. Most probable score: 1-1 Probability of draw: 22% Probability of home win: 20% Probability of away win: 58% If it's so super how can it predict 1-1 and yet say the probability of an away win is 58% ???????
