Not exactly comparable. I believe no team has ever stayed up from this point with the points we have. It would be the greatest escape in the history of the PL.
I see it as similar to the Ralph seasons where we hit terrible form in the new year but were already on 28 points or something and some people were convinced we were in trouble of going down. Theoretically possible yes, but extremely unlikely and nothing to remotely suggest it might happen.
The most comparable for us would be the 1998/99 "Great Escape" season when we had 7 points after 13 games (1W, 4D) and 13 points at halfway (3W,4D). https://www.11v11.com/teams/southampton/tab/leagueTables/14-november-1998/ https://www.11v11.com/teams/southampton/tab/leagueTables/26-december-1998/ and the final positions... https://www.11v11.com/teams/southampton/tab/leagueTables/1999/
No, not for me. It's not a 'great escape' with two thirds of the season to go. We are just 6 points behind 17th place, with 25 games left. Compare that with Leicester in 14/15, who were nine points adrift with only 8 games to go. Now that was a great escape. Another way of looking at it, is that we are simply on a bad patch of form. 5 points from 13 games. Pretty woeful, we can all agree. However, during Ralph's last two full seasons, we also went through similarly bad patches. In 21/22, we ended the season with 5 points from the final 12 games. And the season before (20/21) there was a run of 12 games in which we only got 4 points. This same run became 8 points from 17. The only reason our current patch of bad form is more despairing, is because it has come at the beginning of the season.
I'm basing it on the fact that no team has ever survived relegation after losing 10 of their first 12 games. Ever. Not just PL but all time. So that's ever since the second division was formed 130-ish years ago. That's the level of history we're up against. In that context I'd certainly feel believe it would be truly remarkable and the greatest turnaround in the Pl era. All about perspective I guess though. Either way I fully expect us to finish bottom as we're the worst side in the league. 19th at best but I consider that unlikely.
It would be an incredible feat, don't get me wrong. But, choosing 12 games, or 18 games etc, is kind of arbitrary. If we win the next two games (I know, I know), then suddenly we won't have the worst stats in history (for a team having played 15 games), if you catch my drift.
Yeah that's what I mean by it's all about perspective. I just think that if alongside our poor start you factor in the fact there's hardly any goals in the squad and we've got a manger incapable of coaching a defence then the chances of averaging a point plus per game from here are extremely slim. To the point of being unrealistic.
Yeah I agree it is not looking likely. But I'm with Tom; I'm not throwing in the towel yet. And it was me who did the 'SAINTS ARE RELEGATED' thread back in December of 22/23, so I'm not against towel throwing! But I think we can only do it with a better manager.
Not really. We always had Matt, Marian or James B who could do something special and get a goal, no=one like that bar a 18 year old now
Saints were relegated over a month ago mate. The day we didn’t replace Martin at the first international break, our fate was sealed.
Has Russell Martin been talking to anyone at Brighton? I just saw a 'Saints Goal' at Fulham inside the first minutes.
Saints have done it again! The match after we played them, Brighton did a Russball and gave away a goal.
